A recipient of widespread praise for its genuine, Franco-Belgian cooking and civilised atmosphere, Bellamy’s is a true Mayfair institution. Founded in 2004, Bellamy’s adapts the best of the 19th-century brasserie tradition, just with much more wine from notable French regions than the original beer-heavy versions.
Interiors, designed by Tim Flynn, draw on Parisian brasserie decor, rejecting faux-retro clichés in favour of the authentic. That means framed posters, portraits, and illustrations, along with blue leather banquettes, white tablecloths, and a refined atmosphere. There’s an Oyster Bar too, open at lunchtimes and serving a range of oysters alongside toasted open sandwiches and other light plates. The Cocktail Bar, meanwhile, is the place to be for pre- or post-dinner cocktails.
In the main restaurant, the menu at Bellamy’s champions classic combinations and French technique, offering a range of starters from smoked eel mousse and cocktail of avocado & prawns to foie gras terrine and iced lobster soufflé. Oysters are available here too, alongside a host of vegetarian options, and a caviar selection that includes caviar d’Aquitaine and Golden Oscietra.
As for the main course, you can expect the likes of Cep mushroom omelette; braised plaice à la Bourguignonne; Dover sole; or roast turbot with beurre noisette. By way of meat dishes, there’s steak tartare with pommes Pont Neuf; picatta of veal with white truffle; and sliced entrecôte of Baynards Park beef with pommes frites. Dessert menus are just as classic, and might include crème brûlée or poire Belle-Hélène alongside favourites like Marina’s chocolate cake, made by and named after patron Gavin Rankin’s mother.
The main draw for many, however, is Bellamy’s excellent-value table d'hôte menu, available for both lunch and dinner, with the option of two or three courses. It changes weekly and seasonally; previous dishes have included soupe de moules au safran and terrine de volaille aux morilles for starters, followed by grilled swordfish in a lime dressing or chicken waterzooi, with croque-en-bouche for dessert.