The Ritz Restaurant
Fine dining restaurant · St. James's
150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR, United Kingdom
Highlights
High-end British-French dining in baroque-style salon
High-end British-French dining in baroque-style salon
"The Verdict: The Ritz is a wildly entertaining and glamorous perfectionist. The Ritz Restaurant is a theatre kid who went to finishing school. There’s the ensemble cast of servers in morning coats, the ties-required, glitzy costumes of the diners, and tableside drama of the flame-throwing persuasion. A Mayfair dining room serves as the set and everything—the voluptuous, pearl white langoustine on your plate, British-French dishes, the light tinkling of piano keys, the blushing blue skyscape hand-painted ceiling—is aggressively beautiful. This is heaven: hotel fine dining edition." - sinead cranna, rianne shlebak, jake missing, heidi lauth beasley
"At its core, The Ritz Restaurant is a theatre kid who went to finishing school. There’s the ensemble cast of servers in morning coats, the ties-required, glitzy costumes of the diners, and tableside drama of the flame-throwing persuasion. A ‘Versailles, eat your heart out’ Mayfair dining room serves as the set and everything—the voluptuous, pearl white langoustine on your plate, the light tinkling of piano keys, the blushing blue skyscape hand-painted ceiling—is aggressively beautiful." - rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley
"There’s something lazily obvious about including the Ritz on a list of essential restaurants in London, but credit where credit’s due. The chef in charge comes fully garlanded: John Williams MBE is the master of niche, old-school French fine dining, delivering dishes of exceptional precision, yet never at the expense of deliciousness. Despite much frippery and eye-watering expense, when you get down to the brass tacks of a meal at the Ritz, it’s really quite simple: immaculately seasoned ingredients, assembled into balanced dishes, cooked adroitly. That’s true across the menu, but nowhere more so than in the Dorset crab with creme fraiche and Imperial caviar; filet of veal with white asparagus and lovage; the classic beef Wellington; and the theatrical crepe suzette. Know before you go: The restaurant will make sure you comply with the formal dress code." - Adam Coghlan
"With its stunning Louis XVI decoration, this is a room that will take your breath away, and there’s a flamboyancy in the delivery of the dishes that lives up to the surroundings. Luxury ingredients are never too far away; classic techniques and the influence of Escoffier shine through; and the sharing ‘Arts de la Table’ dishes keep the theatre of the gueridon trolley alive – but modern elements also bring the dishes into the present day. Executive Chef John Williams MBE remains a guiding force and his influence is omnipresent in this celebrated dining experience." - Michelin Inspector
"Known for its historic legacy and extravagant dining room, chef John Williams’s Ritz Restaurant has one star." - Eater Staff
