Wiltons Restaurant

"Wiltons in St James’s is a class act. This place has been open since 1742 and it’s one of those classic London establishments where you feel like all recent Prime Ministers have conducted saucy meetings in their velvet green back booths, and at least 20 notable affairs have started or ended at the glossy bar. It’s home to one of the best oyster experiences in London and the fish pie is also fabulous. But when a restaurant chooses a fancy little lobster dressed in a top hat as their mascot, you know you need to get involved in some lobster action." - rianne shlebak, jake missing, heidi lauth beasley, daisy meager

"What To Get: Half a dozen oysters, the fish pie, and a date with the carving trolley. Time Capsule Factor: Dinner at Wiltons comes with a big fat side of old-school British charm. Staff look like they walked out of a 50-year-old Hawes & Curtis catalogue, and a whole leg of lamb is paraded around on a carving trolley like you’re at a Georgian banquet. Despite its old-school feel, this seafood spot in St James’s is timeless." - jake missing, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley, rianne shlebak

"Dinner at Wiltons comes with a big fat side of old-school British charm. At the seafood spot in St James’s, oysters are on every table—including a half dozen for the solo diners who are here every week—and the staff look like they walked out of a Hawes & Curtis catalogue, from 50 years ago. Suited, booted, and serious, they’ll talk you through the difference between a native and rock oyster, scrape any crumbs off your table between courses, and roll a carving trolley around to show off their roast leg of lamb, beef wellington, or whatever other impressive piece of meat is on that day. photo credit: Alex Maguire But our favourite thing—Wiltons fish pie—can be found on the regular menu. It’s got the perfect ratio of crispy-edged mash to chunks of salmon, cod, and halibut. And the crisp soft-boiled egg on top is, like many other things in this restaurant, an unnecessary, but strongly appreciated detail that takes this spot from good to great. The velvet green booths have strong scandalous three-hour debrief potential. In fact it feels like the kind of room where you might see politicians shaking hands under the table and a lot of the diners probably voted Churchill in for a second time. But Wiltons’ charm isn’t about a buzz or a hard-to-get reservation, it’s a London classic where the old-school touches make it timeless. Food Rundown photo credit: Rianne Shlebak Selection Of Oysters Look around and you’ll see oysters on almost every table. It’s because this spot has been known for excellent oysters since the mid-1700s. Get the selection, douse in the tangy mignonette, and enjoy. photo credit: Rianne Shlebak Wiltons Fish Pie The mashed potato on this fish pie looks like it was piped on, blob by blob, before being crisped up in the oven, and topped with a breadcrumbed soft-boiled egg. All of that results in one of the best-looking fish pies we’ve had the luck of eating. It tastes even better than it looks, and after a bite of the egg with the mash and fish, we thought about coming back just for this. video credit: Rianne Shlebak Wiltons Bread And Butter Pudding A huge slab of fluffy, brioche bread and butter pudding that could very well be shared by four people. Specks of vanilla make the custard fragrant and sweet, and the pudding itself is light, but extremely filling at the same time." - Rianne Shlebak

"Wiltons has been open in some form for over 280 years. In restaurant terms, that most definitely counts as ‘a hot minute’ and should be all the proof you need that you’re in safe hands for a winning oyster experience. The business was originally a fishmonger that has morphed into London’s ultimate old-school seafood restaurant in St James's, and the servers take everything from shucking to presentation very seriously. It’s eye-wateringly expensive, but worth it for the opportunity to gobble up a slice of London dining history alongside your Loch Ryan natives. The little muslin cover for the lemon is a classy touch too. " - heidi lauth beasley, sinead cranna

"Wilton’s is my favourite place to go for lunch during the week. The regular crowd is a mix of Parliament members and society types, and the mix of oysters and whatever is on the serving trolley for lunch that day makes for a meal steeped in tradition that still somehow manages not to feel stodgy at all. I credit this to the friendly and gracious wait staff who truly go out of their way to make you feel welcome and who always greet you with a “Welcome home” whenever you return for your next dining experience." - Edward Barsamian