The Cocochine

One-of-a-kind fine dining experience in Mayfair

Onion Bread & Homemade Sourdough, Butter

There are plenty of restaurants in London that look the part, particularly in Mayfair, but far fewer that have the substance to match the setting. The Cocochine is one of those rare exceptions. Tucked away on Bruton Place, just off Berkeley Square, this four-storey townhouse has the feeling of a private club, an art-filled home and a serious fine-dining restaurant rolled into one. At the heart of it all is chef Larry Jayasekara. What makes The Cocochine so interesting is that Larry has taken that classical French discipline and used it as a foundation rather than a restriction. The cooking is polished, technically assured and unmistakably fine dining, but it isn't simply another exercise in French luxury. There is a subtle Sri Lankan influence running through the menu, bringing coconut, pandan, tamarind, spices, lime and other flavours into the cooking in ways that feel natural rather than forced. The result is modern European and distinctly personal, with French technique underpinning a cuisine that is very much Larry's own.

Clio

A Greek Hidden Gem That Deserves Far More Attention

Grilled quail flatbread, yogurt, pickled shallots

London has no shortage of restaurants promising a taste of the Mediterranean, but finding one that genuinely captures the spirit of Greek cooking without leaning too heavily on familiar holiday clichés is another matter. Too often, Greek food is reduced to grilled meat, souvlaki, piles of salad and generous dollops of tzatziki, with the assumption that good ingredients and a sunny disposition are all that is needed. Clio, tucked away on Chiltern Street in Marylebone, takes a more considered approach. It is a relatively new addition to London's dining scene, but one that deserves considerably more attention than it appears to have received. The menu draws inspiration from Greece and the wider Mediterranean, bringing together grilled seafood, slow-cooked meats, seasonal vegetables and dishes designed to be shared. There is an emphasis on sourcing, from seafood supplied by day boats to meat from trusted farms, while live-fire cooking and restrained seasoning allow the ingredients to take centre stage.

Pyro

 Greek open fire concept

Coal-seared prawns, Greek salad

Pyro is the kind of restaurant that immediately gives you something to talk about. Set around the London Bridge area, this open-fire Greek restaurant takes a familiar Mediterranean idea and pushes it towards something more contemporary, theatrical and deliberately visual. It makes Pyro an interesting addition to London's ever-changing restaurant scene, particularly for diners who enjoy Greek food but want something that feels a little removed from the predictable taverna format. The restaurant has a confident, modern personality, and there is a sense that the team wants you to experience Greek cooking through a more refined and imaginative lens rather than simply reproduce the classics.

Hopers' Base London

Hong Kong cuisine in London

 

Stir fry king prawns in XO sauce

There is something inherently nostalgic about a Hong Kong restaurant opening in London, particularly when the story behind it begins not in London at all, but thousands of miles away in Hong Kong. Hopers' Base arrives with the promise of bringing a slice of Hong Kong dining culture to the capital, carrying with it the flavours, memories and cooking traditions of its original home. The restaurant’s journey from Hong Kong to London gives the place a sense of identity that goes beyond simply being another Chinese restaurant. For anyone who has spent time eating in Hong Kong, there is an immediate familiarity to the menu. The dishes are rooted firmly in classic Hong Kong-style cooking rather than the more generic Cantonese fare that can sometimes dominate overseas Chinese restaurants.

Ibai

 London's Benchmark for Grilled Food

Beef tartare with smoked Espelette pepper and truffle

There are restaurants that attract attention because they are fashionable, and then there are restaurants that generate genuine excitement because the cooking gives people a reason to keep coming back. Ibai, tucked away on Bartholomew Close between St Paul's Cathedral, Smithfield Market and Farringdon, belongs firmly in the latter category. Since opening in 2024, this Basque-inspired grill restaurant has generated considerable media attention, with critics praising its ambitious menu, exceptional beef and ability to deliver serious cooking without the stuffiness often associated with expensive London dining. More recently, its reputation has received another significant boost: in the 2026 World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants ranking, Ibai was placed No. 7 globally and among the highest-ranked steak restaurants in the UK. That is a substantial achievement in a city with no shortage of ambitious steakhouses, and one that feels justified after repeated visits. I have been to Ibai more than 20 times, which perhaps tells you more about my feelings towards the restaurant than any headline or industry ranking ever could.