Jeremy King

This Art Deco brasserie is somewhere to arrive before your buddy and absorb the atmosphere, which is buzzing by 8am on weekdays. Staff in waistcoats are warm and welcoming (for those with a booking), armed with a choice of freshly pressed newspapers. And there’s bound to be someone of note peeking out from behind a copy of the FT. Bright, buttery scrambled eggs are wrapped in a twist of smoked salmon and the kedgeree remains a classic. Still the most fabulous place for breakfast in Mayfair.

This legendary restaurant serves up modern British classics at breakfast, lunch and dinner. As its quite the institution, it's great place for a spot of people-watching.
  

Turnbull & Asser has been ruling the roost of well-tailored shirts since it opened in St James in 1885. It moved to its current Jermyn Street location in 1903. King Charles has been wearing the classic button-downs since he was a boy and awarded the makers his first royal warrant in 1980. For something more bespoke, pop to the Bury Street outpost around the corner.

This new restaurant is on the site of Le Caprice, while nightclub empresario Richard Caring has created a new Le Caprice inside The Chancery Rosewood. This is relevant because the Arlington Street Le Caprice is legendary in the history of London restaurants, with regulars that included Princess Diana and Kate Moss. Luckily, Arlington still feels a lot like the old haunt because Jeremy King (who ran it in its heyday) is back in charge. The stiff white tablecloths and London’s best shepherd’s pie don’t hurt.

When chef Matthew Ryle arrived on Duke Street in 2021 his contemporary French menu was a runaway success. At lunch the lofty space is full of art dealers negotiating over Comté gougères and plates of rotisserie chicken. Don't skip pudding, which arrives in trolley form: a stack of drawers neatly filled with madeleines, macarons and mousses. Its easy-going sibling in Borough Yards is another good lunchtime spot for croque monsieur flatbreads and French onion soup.