London’s Top 5 Tasting Menus

I am more than partial to a tasting menu - in fact I love it when a restaurant offers one and it can often be the pulling factor for me to head there. But whilst my love can often be unrequited, one of my blogger friends Lloyd - from www.lloydstevens29.com - has seemingly covered them all with (pre-lockdown) weekly visits to do another fantastic tasting menu, and very kindly agreed to share the best of the best of London’s tasting menus with us. Over to you Lloyd...

I like nothing better than heading into my favourite city of London and enjoy the finest food in some of the best restaurants. 

 

What I've also found that in recent times is that I like to head straight for the Tasting Menus; these can come in different styles and can give you a great chance to sample many of the different varieties of dishes the restaurant has to offer. They tend to either be a choice of two menus; one is the classic and the other a seasonal changing menu, or in some cases it can be a single menu with two dishes in each section which allows you to choose a different dish each or set out in an À la carte style which then gives you the chance to create your own menu. 

 

So without further ado,  these are my personal Top 5 Tasting Menus in London:

 

1. Core by Clare Smyth

92 Kensington Park Road, London, W11 2PN

https://www.corebyclaresmyth.com/ 

 

This to me is my favourite restaurant which I've had the pleasure visiting no less than fourteen times. That really should be enough to tell you why it has to be top of the list. 

 

Core by Clare Smyth, is headed up by Clare Smyth herself. Clare was the first and only female to run a restaurant with 3 Michelin-stars (Restaurant Gordon Ramsay) before setting up her own restaurant, which has received two stars of its own.

 

This is just the perfect place for a very special occasion as the food, wine & service is of the highest standard. Here there is also a choice of two tasting menus; the Core Classics - featuring most of their original dishes - and the seasonal Core Seasons menu, which as it states in the title, changes seasonally.

 

Core Classics - 7 courses at £145pp / Core Seasons - 7 courses at £165pp

 

2. Hélène Darroze at The Connaught

The Connaught, Carlos Pl, Mayfair, London W1K 2AL

https://www.the-connaught.co.uk/restaurants-bars/helene-darroze-at-the-connaught/

 

Secondly, a tasting menu - and venue - I’d recommend to visit Helene Darroze which is set in a fabulous location of The Connaught Hotel, which I’ve visited twice now. 

 

This two Michelin-star restaurant says that “each dish is grounded in seasonal produce sourced from the farmers, makers and growers carefully chosen by Hélène. And every menu is a reflection of your personal tastes, as our chefs transform your selected ingredients into original works of culinary art.”

 

They only have one tasting menu, which has seasonal changes, and also includes some amazing supplemented dishes. The menu is set out so that there is a choice of two dishes in each section which is great as between a couple you could have the entire menu.

 

Seasonal Menu - 7 courses at £160pp

 

3. Murano by Angela Hartnett 

20 Queen Street Mayfair, London, W1J 5PP

https://www.muranolondon.com/

 

This restaurant definitely holds a big place in my heart as Italian food is definitely my favourite cuisine  - and you'll find no better place to enjoy it than at Murano. 

 

Angela Hartnett needs no introduction. The restaurant says that the “food at Murano is a reflection of Angela’s upbringing cooking alongside her Italian grandmother and aunts. The menu features seasonal, modern Italian dishes using the best of British and European produce in clear and approachable ways.”

 

 

They've gone down the route of setting out their menu in sections allowing you to choose a three, four or five course menu, allowing you to create your own five course tasting menu - with an opportunity to add a cheese course.

 

3 courses £70pp

4 courses £85pp

5 courses £95pp

 

4. Restaurant Gordon Ramsey

68 Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HP

https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/restaurant-gordon-ramsay

 

The name itself should be enough to make you want to dine here - it’s one of the most famous restaurants in the world,  which is now headed up by Chef Matt Abe. 

 

A very well established 3 Michelin-star restaurant, located on Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea, producing food of the highest quality with an incredible wine selection too.

 

Here they offer the choice of two tasting menus; their Classic Menu or the surprise Carte Blanche menu. The latter is said to focus on “the elements of discovery and surprise.”

 

This is such a fabulous dining room; it's just like sitting in the comfort of your own home but with impeccable food, wine and service.

 

Menu Prestige - 6 courses at £160pp 

Carte Blanche -  £195pp

 

5. Da Terra at Town Hall Hotel 

8 Patriot Square, London E2 9NF, UK

https://daterra.co.uk/

 

This is a fantastic restaurant in the heart of East London serving the finest Brazilian food with a little Italian twist. As said on their website, Da Terra is “Home of international chefs Rafael Cagali and Paulo Airaudo, Da Terra offers an elegant and relaxed dining experience in the heart of Bethnal Green.”

 

The style of this food really does suit a tasting menu - allowing you try a range of flavours and ways of cooking. 

 

At Da Terra they offer either a short or long tasting menu but personally I would recommend the latter every time! 

 

Short Menu - 7 courses at £120

Long Menu - 10 courses at £140

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I hope you enjoy my personal favourite recommendations and that they inspire you to make a reservation - let me know if they do by following me on Twitter or Instagram. 

Narrowing down my favourite restaurants to just five was really hard; there are many fabulous restaurants in London serving excellent cuisine, and if you’d like to see more of my reviews please visit my blog here.