London restaurant for special occasion

[Lottapianos]

Adults only, looking for really good food, not necessarily fine dining but an experience that feels like a treat. Pricey is ok so long as its decent value and actually worth it. Can travel anywhere in London

So far considering
The River Cafe
Rules
Benares
J Sheekey

Advice and suggestions welcome! Thanks

Berners Tavern. Same people as Social Eating House and Pollen St.
People do rave about River Cafe but I’ve not been, I don’t think you can go wrong there from what I hear.
Don’t love the Wolseley. Maybe it’s the acoustics. Food average also.

Places like Dinner are all about the food sometimes at the expense of atmosphere. It’s all a bit “awe and hushed”. I prefer somewhere with a good buzz. If you like good Indian (I see you have Benares on your list), Gymkhana is very good, for both food and atmosphere.

Ps Scott’s feels more like a treat than any other restaurant in London and if you care about such things, you’ll never not see a sleb in there.

@SimonitesSocks oh yes, my mistake. I've been there recently. There was another far more tucked away restaurant just off Pimlico Road that I was thinking of.

Delilah I am not keen on Woolsey either!
I cannot see what people like about it.

Was never a great fan of Chez Bruce, but not been there for a while.

Tamarind is quite special, if you fancy Indian.

For really special meals, I have always loved the Greenhouse in Mayfair.

I'd also suggest Roganic in Marylebone. Amazing inventive food - inventive but not clever just to be cute, which happens to be delicious. Never a bad meal there.

My favourite place is closed for a refurb, but it might be open when you are planning your dinner - Kitchentable at Bubbledogs. Really unusual environment, amazing champagne, and a really fun night. You could finish the evening drinking glasses of champagne at Bubbledogs after your amazing meal.

Greenhouse is brilliant

Berner's Tavern
The Ivy
Hawksmoor (I liked Seven Dials the best but we did have a full day out in that area so made it more special personally than Spitalfields or Air St)
Little Social
Sketch was ok for a special one off trip but I don't want to eat there again. I'd have a few of their amazing cocktails before going on elsewhere for food though.

Is the food at the Ivy any good then? I'm sure I'd heard that it was all hype over substance but I might be wrong

I think if you're not 'someone' at the Ivy it can be a little ...underwhelming.
Le Gavroche is pretty special, faultless food and service whenever I''ve been. (Only three times but all superb) .
It feels as if it's going to be a bit stuffy but it's absolutely not, and your money is as good as anyone's.

Yes, the Greenhouse is also very good, had a lovely meal there and they bent over backwards to accommodate a picky eater. Nice setting.
Also Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester . Good value set lunch at £65 including a couple of glasses of wine. And it's the Dorch!
Hélène Darroze at the Connaught, excellent but £££.
Fera at Claridges , very interesting but not exactly a blow out. The hotel bar does serious drinks and canapés beforehand, lovely.
Dinner by Heston at the Mandarin Oriental is a real experience, serious food but fun too. The 'meat fruit' has to be seen to be believed and the ice-cream trolley is a joy. And the hotel bar at the MO is good too. (Yes, I like a cocktail before lunch. And dinner. )

Would any of these places be particularly good for a pregnant diner? Trying to find somewhere for DH and I to celebrate our anniversary in a few weeks but I’m in my first trimester, so no wine for me and stuff like foie gras and shellfish are also out...

You could try The Gate in Clerkenwell or Hammersmith - all veggie, all delicious and they are very accommodating of intolerances/ allergies.

@AngeloMysterioso I don't honestly know but if you talk to restaurants in advance, they can make the adjustments for you before you attend.

I'm pregnant and going to Brasserie Zedel for birthday dinner tomorrow. I know there's heaps on the menu there I can eat, and the room's lovely.

@AngeloMysterioso, Gauthiers would be fine for you. They had things you could eat without worrying about food exclusions in early pregnancy. They managed fantastically with my food issues (no almond or walnut, celery or salmon) and produced items separately for the 2 of us - so, DH has vegan fois gras (walnut beetroot and something pate) whilst I had beetroot and asparagus canapés. If we were still living in Surrey I’d love for him to take me there again this year for our anniversary except we’re now in Cornwall and I’ll be having our twins around the time of our anniversary!!

If you can properly blow the budget I don’t think you can beat The Ledbury. It’s just sublime and the service is perfect - appropriate but not stuffy.

Dinner by Heston was underwhelming (not helped by being sat nearly on top of the waiter’s station, with no option to move) and Alain Duchasse was not worth £500/head.

Club Gascon in Clerkenwell is wonderful and I still really like City Social.

And agreed - call the restaurant in advance. My husband has a milk protein allergy (desserts are an issue) but they can always make changes with some notice.

Bob Bob Ricard

Clos Maggiore

Here is amazing
www.corrigansmayfair.co.uk/private-dining/chefs-table/#

River Cafe is very expensive for what you get.

An hours drive outside London
www.belmond.com/hotels/europe/uk/oxfordshire/belmond-le-manoir-aux-quat-saisons/dining
We spent the whole day there, beautiful gardens too.

As others have said, can’t go wrong at Rules.

If you go to The Ivy it has to be the one in Covent Garden, the rest are part of the chain. We went to a 50th there, whole restaurant booked for it and the food was lovely.

Love Chez Bruce, Ledbury, Greenhouse. Personally find Rules very weird and retro in a bad way. Some people love it but I think it is a slightly acquired taste so it wouldn’t be my choice for a one-off group celebration.