It’s a big year for the capital as ten restaurants scoop their first star, three become two-star and one becomes three-star in the latest Michelin Guide
It’s one of the most prestigious honours a restaurant can receive, so it’s particularly exciting when it’s not just one or two but an astonishing 14 new stars awarded to London’s best restaurants in the 2024 Michelin Guide.
The Ledbury team © Justin De Souza
Topping the London list this year is The Ledbury in Notting Hill, which received its well-deserved third star. As you’d expect from Michelin’s highest accolade, this restaurant is not a casual affair. Opened in 2005 and led by Aussie-born Brett Graham, The Ledbury’s formal but welcoming dining room sees British and Japanese flavours reimagined using classic French techniques. Expect rich but harmonious dishes on the menu, like wild sea bass and nashi pear with smoked eel or veal sweetbread with parsnip and vin jaune wine.
Kid Goat Methi Keema from Gymkhana
It’s no secret that Londoners love a curry and few restaurants do them quite like Gymkhana in Mayfair. Now one of only two Indian restaurants in the UK to be awarded two Michelin stars (the other one is Opheem in Birmingham), Gymkhana is the place to go for tandoori lamb chops or a salmon tikka made with superior ingredients. You can choose from comfortable booths on the ground floor or a striking red basement for a more intimate setting. A must for masala-lovers and those eager to spice up their visit.
Some restaurants wow with the food, others with the setting. At two Michelin starred Brooklands by Claude Bosi, a rooftop restaurant at The Peninsula hotel near Hyde Park, you’ll be treated to both. Head up in a dedicated lift to an airy dining room that tastefully pays homage to the classic eras of British aviation and motorsport. On the menu, you can eat your way through some of the country’s finest produce, from Lake District lamb and Cornish squid to Exmoor caviar and Scottish ceps.
Two Michelin starred restaurants aren’t generally known for their affordable snack offerings, but at Trivet in Bermondsey, you can enjoy high-quality light bites at fair prices on the lunch menu, like crispy chicken wings with honey mayonnaise and homemade French fries with onion ketchup for under £20.
Not surprisingly, of course, it’s the new one-star entries into the Michelin Guide that are causing the biggest buzz in the capital, particularly Mountain in Soho, which comes courtesy of the team behind London’s much-loved Brat restaurant. An open kitchen on the ground floor of this two-level restaurant adds to the theatre of the dining experience. A great spot for those who like sharing plates – order the pumpkin fritto, whole mallard or fresh langoustine.
If you love wood fired cooking then it has to be Humo in Mayfair for you. Featuring a four-metre-long grill, this elegant one-starred restaurant takes the very best seasonal British produce and influences from Japan to create a menu that is as simple and precise as it is exquisite.
Mountain. Image courtesy of Fraser Communications.
Only six restaurants across the UK were awarded the Green Star at this year’s Michelin awards, with St Barts being the only London restaurant to win, in acknowledgement of its sustainability efforts. The Green Star was a new initiative for 2021, intending to recognise restaurants that consider their environmental impact and ‘also address issues related to ethics and wellbeing, as well as contributing to local, national or global charitable and educational projects’.
Finally, there is no shortage of tasting menu restaurants in London, but one-starred Akoko in Fitzrovia might be one of the best. With its lively atmosphere, colourful dishes, generous portions as well as vegetarian and vegan options, this is a true people-pleasing celebration of West African fine dining in the heart of the capital.
Wherever you choose to dine, you’re sure to enjoy a tasty time in London this year.
