Slap bang in the very centre of London is one of the city's swankiest neighbourhoods, Mayfair. The finer things in life can be found here, for those with the cash to enjoy it - fine dining, swanky hotels, great bars and extravagant nightlife (of the 'heels and a nice dress mandatory' variety...). Bond Street, housing all the biggest names in designer fashion, calls the area home, as well as many of London's top independent art galleries. However you don't have to be an oil tycoon to enjoy Mayfair - with many peaceful squares, quiet mews' and well kept streets to explore it's still a lovely area to wander and get lost.
Shopping in Mayfair
With London's swankiest shopping location Bond Street at the heart of the neighbourhood, Mayfair has no shortage of major designers and chic boutiques to peruse. Bond Street isn't the only shopping destination though - quieter Mount Street and South Molton Street are two excellent locations for hip brands like Sandro and Kooples on the latter, and heritage brands such as Creed Fragrances on the former. Just off Mount Street on Carlos Place you'll also find the Matches Fashion Townhouse (pictured), a gorgeous space for personal shopping appointments featuring some of the designer retailer's top seasonal picks.
It's not all big designer names though. French Connection recently opened a chic new retail space in the area, with a coffee shop, homeware section (pictured), and an exclusive product range. Called French Connection Studios, it's part shop, part concept space, with a studio on the lower floor where you can catch the team at work.
New Do, New You
Duck and Dry Mayfair
London's blow-dry sensations Duck and Dry have opened up their most Insta-friendly branch yet in Mayfair just off Oxford Street. Pop in for a blow-dry or try their brow and lash bar for tints and threading (and relax with a glass of prosecco from the in-store bar while you're at it!). It's a mystery why your hair always looks so much better done at a salon, but I've had their signature blow dry done a few times and the curls are always way glossier and last longer. At £35 for the signature it won't break the bank, and for special occasions they also offer styling.
Duck and Dry Mayfair
33 N Audley St
London
W1K 6ZQ
Grab a Bite
Mercato Mayfair
What is easily London's most impressive street food destination can be found inside a converted church in Mayfair. Mercato Mayfair is a breathtaking space over four floors, with a number of vendors offering a range of international cuisines. There's also a wine and cheese cellar in the crypt, and a roof terrace for a drink on sunny days.
Mercato Mayfair
St. Mark's Church, North Audley Street
London
W1K 6ZA
Read More: 5 London Street Food Halls
Tea for Two
Afternoon Tea at Brown's Hotel
For the quintessential British experience, afternoon tea is a must, and no where is it more authentic than in one of London's classic hotels. Brown's is one of the city's most iconic (Queen Victoria supposedly enjoyed her tea here), and offers up a traditional afternoon tea as well as options with champagne (always, yes), a tea-tox (a healthier version), and a gluten-free option. Served up in their cosy English tea room with wood panelling, oversized armchairs and shelves lined with books, it's an indulgent but unstuffy way to while away an afternoon listening to live piano music and working through the tea menu. The food is unsurprisingly top quality, starting off with a mix of savoury sandwiches before scones and sweet treats. If you manage to finish it all, I'll be impressed!
Brown's Hotel
Albemarle St
London
W1S 4BP
Sketch
Claiming the crown of Mayfair if not London’s quirkiest restaurant, Sketch is a long-standing Instagram and fash crowd favourite, and with good reason. You’ll no doubt have seen the otherworldly pod toilets gracing your Instagram feeds, with multicoloured ceiling lights overlooking a number of individual egg-shaped pods for you to do your business in. The many dining spaces are equally impressive. There’s the iconic pink-hued Gallery for afternoon tea, the walls lined with artworks by Peter Shrigley. Another, The Glade, feels like entering an enchanted woodland, except that instead of foraging for mushrooms you’re tucking into grilled salmon and duck breast.
The afternoon tea is most famous, involving inventive twists on the British staple such as truffle croque sandwiches and peach cheesecake. However if you’re not willing to splash the cash (At £59 per head minimum, it’s definitely one for a special treat), book in for brunch to dip your toes into the wonderful world of Sketch without breaking the bank.
Sketch
9 Conduit St
London
W1S 2XG
Restaurants in Mayfair
Bacchanalia
When a restaurant is named after the Roman festivals of Bacchus, the Greco-Roman god of wine, freedom, intoxication and ecstasy, expectations are high. Bacchanalia, the latest concept by restaurant behemoths Caprice Holdings, is so named, and boy does it deliver. The lavish space on the corner of prime real estate that is Berkley Square is every bit as decadent and debaucherous as its namesake would suggest.
The interiors are a sight to behold, with painted frescos, ornate pillared balconies, and lavishly tiled bathrooms. The piece de resistance, however, are the three larger than life Damian Hirst marble statues surveying diners from the ceiling. When you've stopped reeling from the sheer 'muchness' of it all, the menu is a somewhat more subdued affair of Greek and Mediterranean inspired dishes.
The a la Carte comprises of salads, pasta dishes, and a selection of meat and fish courses. The feasting platters are a sumptious affair, and priced accordingly, however the majority of the menu is surprisingly accessible. Pasta dishes are between £20-£30, with the other mains starting at £24. If you're looking for something a little more low key, there's also a more affordable lunch set menu.
There is always the fear that a restaurant relying so heavily on looks will fall flat when it comes to cooking, however Bacchanalia delivers. I genuinely really enjoyed every dish I tried, which paired quality ingredients with delicate flavour combinations. The staff are equally positive, with friendly, unstuffy service. During the week it can feel a bit corporate, proving popular with the local Suits, but it's still well worth a visit for a truly unique London experience.
Bacchanalia
1-3 Mount Street
London
W1K 3NA
Goodman
I'd heard seriously good things (excuse the pun) about Goodman before visiting. "Best steak in London" may even have been bandied about, a statement I do not take lightly. Safe to say, my curiosity was piqued.
The restaurant itself is classic, all dark wood and leather booths, if perhaps a tad dated. However, you're not really there for the aesthetics. Alongside the main menu a chalkboard displays the list of daily specials, dry aged in the in-house ageing room. The cuts hail from across the world, including British, Australian, and American. I am by no means a steak expert, but for those that are, it's a real dream menu.
But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Whilst you're there in anticipation of the main event, the starters should not be skipped. Largely comprising of fish and seafood, they include oysters, prawn tempura, and crab salad. I had the latter as well as scallops, and was pleasantly surprised. For a renowned steak restaurant, Goodman sure do know what they're doing here. They were honestly better than dishes I've had at some specialist fish and seafood restaurants in the past!
Onto the steak. Was it the best steak I've had in London? Almost certainly yes. Perhaps even the best steak I've had, ever. My partner and I tried an Australian and a British rib-eye, both of which were perfectly cooked. It's perhaps a cliche to describe a steak as thick and juicy, and yet I can think of no other words that would do it justice.
If you've got room, the desserts are well worth ordering. I'm not generally an ice-cream person, but I was loathe to leave the cookie sundae, a decadent tower of ice cream and whipped cream with lashings of chocolate and caramel sauce.
Price-wise, the steak cuts vary, with the cheapest fillet on the a la Carte menu coming in at £36. It's not cheap, but for a darn good steak, it's hard to beat.
Goodman
24-26 Maddox St
London
W1S 1QH
The Mayfair Chippy
Unlike many European countries England doesn't have a particularly distinctive cuisine - us Londoners are more likely to be whipping up a curry one night, and ordering a pizza the next. However if there's one dish we call proudly our own, it's good ol' fashioned chip shop fish and chips. The traditional incarnation of this is oily battered fried goods from the local wrapped in yesterday's newspaper and drowned in salt and vinegar.
However for the discerning tourist and Londoner alike there are new breeds of the fish and chip shop, with a focus on quality ingredients and noticeably less grease. The Mayfair Chippy is one such spot, serving up classic cod or haddock with chips in a sleek space that looks nothing like the chippy you grew up with.
It's not just fish and chips though - there's crab, oysters and mussels on offer as well as British classics such as steak and chips and shepherd's pie. We tucked into a side of the cornish salt and pepper squid, which was a hefty portion of fresh squid, not so battered that you couldn't taste the quality of the produce. At £14.70 for the classic fish and chips it's not as purse-friendly as the chip shop 'down the road', but you get what you pay for.
The Mayfair Chippy
14 N Audley St
London
W1K 6WE
Bars in Mayfair
Mr Fogg's Residence
If you want to wet the whistle but are looking for a little more excitement than the local pub, Mr Fogg’s Residence in Mayfair is one of my favourite spots for a drink with a twist. Inspired by the adventures of Phileas Fogg in ‘Around the World in 80 Days’, the bar is intended as homage to the character’s home. There’s plenty of quirky design details as is to be expected with any Mr Fogg’s venue (see my Covent Garden guide for more), including bicycles and a hot air balloon suspended from the ceiling.
The cocktail menu is equally unique - don’t come here to order a Cosmo. There’s something for every palate with plenty of unusual combination and botanical additions. Exclusive to The Residence is a wheel you can spin with different cocktails inspired by different locations on Phileas Fogg’s journey. At around £16-18 a drink it’s not the cheapest watering hole in London, but then, this is Mayfair dahhling.
Mr Fogg's Residence
15 Bruton Ln
London
W1J 6JD
