Back to London's Most Romantic Restaurants results New Search

(menu)

The Square (∗∗∗)

Address:6-10 Bruton Street, London W1J 6PU
Tel:020 7495 7100
Email:
Website: Visit The Square website
Price: £92.00Wine: £22.00 Champagne: £42.00
Opening Hours:Mon-Fri 12N-2.45pm Mon-Sun 6.30-10.45pm (Sun -10pm)

Make a booking at The Square

Sorry but this restaurant is not available for online booking

Square Meal review of The Square: ? Write your review

The Square is a rock among the shifting sands of the London restaurant scene, always utterly reliable for the supreme quality of its ingredients & chef Philip Howard’s inspired but disciplined cooking. The ambience is spot-on for a serious restaurant: tall ceilings, full drop windows looking on to Bruton Street, & perfect lighting over well-spaced tables make it ideal for power lunches or romantic dinners. To start: perhaps tender langoustines on lovely soft gnocchi with Parmesan, or the famous lasagne of Devon crab with cappuccino of shellfish. Offal & meat are the glories of main courses, from roast foie gras with a sweet & sour elderflower glaze, to leg of Pyrénean lamb with thyme & garlic. The cheeseboard has an epic range, kept in fine condition (Epoisses & St Felician are superb here), while desserts run all the way from sugar beignet with vanilla yoghurt & passion-fruit coulis to Irish coffee baba with Drambuie ice cream. Service is suitably svelte & immaculate.

Wine List: This is one of Britain’s greatest cellars. The bins are ruthlessly selected, purely on quality, as seen in the Champagne section, which concentrates on small houses & growers. The Square’s cellaring policy means there are some rare, great-value older bottles to be had, particularly from Burgundy. Prices are almost charitable for a two-Michelin-star restaurant. Best Buy White 2004 Chablis premier cru, Laurent Tribut, Burgundy, France, £46. Best Buy Red 2000 Cornas Vieilles Vignes, Alain Voge, Rhône Valley, France, £51.

Chef: Philip Howard

The Square’s Chef - The Square chef Philip Howard

A hugely respected figure on the London restaurant scene and a true chefs’ chef, Philip Howard has been virtually ever-present in the kitchen of his two-Michelin-starred restaurant The Square since it opened back in 1991. As well as his two stars (awarded in 1998) he boasts two BMW Square Meal Restaurant of the Year Awards among his many accolades. After studying biochemistry at university, he signed up for an apprenticeship at Roux Restaurants before working with renowned chefs such as Marco Pierre White and Simon Hopkinson. The Square, opened with business partner Nigel Platts-Martin, was originally in St James’s but relocated to Mayfair in 1996, with Howard’s classy, seasonal French cuisine winning admirers from the start.

The Square Location:

Restaurant Critic

Write your own review and build your own restaurant guide

Got something to contribute or fancy yourself as a critic? All your thoughts and reviews will be collated on your My Square Meal page to form your own guide – a simple aide memoire for you to use or, in time, a guide in itself with its very own following.

The better your reviews the more highly rated and more ‘followed’ you will be, and, in addition to this, there will be Square Meal prizes for the best reviews.

Write your own review

Reader reviews of The Square:

Robert B.
Gold Reviewer

Robert B. ( 40s, Male, United Kingdom )

Editor's pick

One of my favourite restaurants in town. The set lunch is probably the best value for money lunch anywhere, the food is never anything less than sensational, the service a little formal and old school, though this is one of the reasons why The Square feels a little lacking in atmosphere. Since Jacques (the maitre d’) left, front of house has slightly lost its way, but I am sure that will improve. Phillip Howard is a thoroughly charming man who should, in my humble opinion, try and find the time to come out and say hello more often to his customers; his food is spectacularly good and unlike many chefs Phillip doesn't carry an ego the size of a small planet.

18/01/09

Having received a Xmas card from Phillip and his staff – old fashioned but a nice touch – I felt it was important to show my face. Somebody else was paying, which always makes the food taste better. The set lunch has got even better: the kedgeree starter was out of this world, with large flakes of beautifully smoked fish. The cheese board remains solid, although I was disappointed that there was neither a Vacherin or a Reblochon.

20/10/09

It just gets better… More

21 October 2009
Overall:9
Food and Drink:10
Service:8
Atmosphere:7
Value for Money:10
12 of 14 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Alex S.

Alex S. ( 50s, Male, United Kingdom )

I returned to may favourite restaurant in London but came away feeling rather let down. My guest and I arrived ten minutes early for 12 o'clock lunch booking to be told (in slightly less than charming tones) that tables were still being set. Once we were seated the amuse bouche arrived, was placed on the table, but no explanation was given as to its origins. Nonetheless it was very good. We chose from the well priced set lunch menu. Unfortunately the beef in my first course salad while perfectly cooked was rather chewy. For my main course I chose halibut which was accompanied by a very creamy sauce which was too rich and bland.
On my previous visits to the Square I have been so impressed with the standard of cooking and the depth of flavour of the food that I was very disappointed on this occasion.

I hope this was a one off and that normal service will be resumed next time.

2 October 2009
Overall:7
Food and Drink:7
Service:7
Atmosphere:7
Value for Money:8
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Jayne W.
Silver Reviewer

Jayne W. ( Female, United Kingdom )

Wow, just wow. The Square really does tick all the right boxes. From the fabulous canapes to start with all the way through to the puds, I don’t think there was a thing they could improve on with the food. The black rice crisps with taramasalata as a canape was a winning combination. I will never go back to the glaring pink stuff that we normally get (and, by the way, can I please have that recipe???). The other 3 canapes were also excellent, and this was followed by an amuse bouche of mushroom with a pumpkin veloute (well, I think that’s what the waiter said), which was delicious. Then onto the menu proper !

All of us had the lasagne of dorset crab, and I fully understand why this is one of the dishes that they are renowned for. Seriously, if I’d had that plate at home I would’ve picked it up and licked it clean it was that good. We did all contemplate doing so anyway ! My husband and I had the grouse as a main. He loves game, I’m not a convert but decided that if ever I was going to try it, this should be the restaurant to do so. Needless to say, I might give it a bit more of a try in future. The beef also looked… More

28 September 2009
Overall:10
Food and Drink:10
Service:9
Atmosphere:10
Value for Money:9
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Sunita R.
Reviews: 1

Sunita R. ( 40s, Female )

My husband rates this the best restaurant in London, I have to agree. I have been 3 times lately, taking advantage of the stunning value set menu. The service is fabulous warm and helpful, the food amazing. I think it is represents the best value for money. The table are well spaced out and huge which I love. Its a real treat to have this establishment in the city that I live in, if you have nt been yet I think you ought.

24 September 2009
Overall:10
Food and Drink:10
Service:10
Atmosphere:10
Value for Money:10
1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Joanna L.
Reviews: 1

Joanna L. ( 30s, Female, London )

Had lunch recently on their set menu. Fantastic value, pièce de résistance was the dessert – passion fruit souffle with quenelle of lime sorbet inserted at the table my mouth is watering just remembering it! Service hits just the right level attentive but friendly and not too formal. Wine list heads for the sky, however asked the sommelier for a recommendation for under £50, she gave a couple of options and the one we chose was the best pinot noir I've tasted in a long time.

3 April 2009
Overall:9
Food and Drink:8
Service:10
Atmosphere:8
Value for Money:8
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal

Umesh P.

Umesh P. ( 30s, Male, United Kingdom )

One of the best restaurants in London in my opinion. Food is fantastic, Service is impeccable. The staff are incredibly attentive without being over-bearing.

The small touches make this place one of my favorites. Ordering an additional course to share, and it coming on two plate already, the leg of lamb coming out before being carved make the service feel special.

Also found the service to be adapted per table, making us more relaxed as it was a personal dinner, without the level of service dropping. Remembering my wife's birthday and having a cake ready was also an unexpected surprise.

3 April 2009
Overall:10
Food and Drink:10
Service:10
Atmosphere:9
Value for Money:9
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Mike H.

Mike H. ( 50s, Male, United Kingdom )

This place is fabulous – went as a party of 3 and we had the tasting menu and chose to have the accompanying wines.

Everything about the meal was great, balanced, well presented and the wines were carefully selected and absolute compliments to the food.

The wine waiter was slightly eccentric and had an outrageous French accent a la Clouseau but that added to the event really.

Not cheap but for this quality you wouldn't expect that – for me, amongst the best I have ever been to.

March 2009
Overall:9
Food and Drink:10
Service:8
Atmosphere:8
Value for Money:8
1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Ben

Ben ( 30s, Male, London )

Excellent, some of the best food in Europe. Not with standing that the sommelier thought Veneto wines were from the south of Italy!

October 2008
Overall:10
Food and Drink:10
Service:6
Atmosphere:8
Value for Money:9
0 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
David T.
Silver Reviewer

David T. ( Over 60, Male, United Kingdom )

My wife and I used to be regulars at The Square in its former location in St James. However, when it moved, it lost a certain humanity, not to mention gaining a few pounds, and we never felt sufficiently at ease to include it among our regulars. The last time we went was probably a year ago – I only recognised one of the staff and none of them recognised us.

However, when we arrived, precisely on time (it was Sunday and the traffic was light), we were greeted in a friendly manner by the receptionist. This was the friendliest of any that we came into contact with, the rest being correct (mainly) but distant. One table containing two young(ish) casually dressed men attracted much more attentive and friendly service to the extent that I suspect those two men were members of staff.

My wife ordered her usual, which came without any fuss. I had a glass of German riesling (£9) and a bottle of sparkling water. The riesling was pleasant but a somewhat ungenerous glass. I followed that with a bottle of Cornas Reynard 1996 at £95 – pleasant, as it should be.

We were each presented with a wooden block bearing canapés, which were nice… More

September 2008
Overall:7
Food and Drink:9
Service:4
Atmosphere:4
Value for Money:4
6 of 7 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal