Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park

Heston Blumenthal remains one of the most famous names (and faces) in UK food and his sole London restaurant woos heritage-hungry gastro-tourists with a cornucopia of culinary delights gleaned from the annals of British food history.

Inside, the rather masculine dining room comes with “perfect” daytime views of Hyde Park to match its brown-toned foodie-themed interiors – note the glass-walled kitchen (complete with covetable chef’s table) and the cute jelly-mould light fittings. Readers also like the “little food facts wrapped around each napkin” on the properly laid bare tables.

Once the preambles are over, deep-pocketed diners are more than happy to pay top dollar for a freewheeling inventory of “incredible” date-stamped reboots cooked with flair and precision – although everyone still talks about the standout ‘meat fruit’ (a sphere of velvety pâté encased in mandarin jelly). “One taste and you’ll be a convert.”

We’re also big fans of the gorgeously juicy ibérico pork chop and the signature pudding of tipsy cake – brioche soaked in Sauternes, brandy and vanilla cream, served with slices of the pineapple you can see spinning on roasting spits in the kitchen.

Elsewhere, the ever-evolving repertoire ranges from ‘rice and flesh, c. 1390’ (almond, saffron, veal sweetbreads and smoked eel) or ‘eggs in verjuice, c.1730’ (verbena and coconut pannacotta, coffee parfait, verjuice and citrus) to ‘cod in cider, c. 1940’ (with chard and flamed mussels) and ‘chocolate drops, c. 1790’ (chocolate cream, coconut cake, sour cherry and pear). This is compelling stuff – “like nothing else I’ve ever eaten”, raves one fan.

Despite the odd gripe about disinterested, robotic service, staff are generally accommodating, courteous and highly knowledgeable “without being overbearing”. Dinner’s other attributes include a masterly all-embracing wine list, clever cocktails and even a nitro-fuelled ice cream cart, all of which add up to a simply “superlative” experience.

Nestled inside one of London's most opulent hotels - Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park - Dinner by Heston is a two-Michelin starred restaurant spearheaded by acclaimed chef Heston Blumenthal. Known for his unique, experimental and often unorthodox cooking, a meal at Dinner by Heston always promises to be an outlandish and surprising experience.

The menu draws on Heston’s fascination with historic gastronomy, from the theatre of Tudor dining to the fantastical dishes in Alice in Wonderland, to create a concept that feels totally new and contemporary. The kitchen team have even worked with food historians and the British Library to ensure that dishes remain accurate to their original form.

A wealth of menus cater to all occasions, from its signature tasting menu to a set ‘luncheon’, to vegan and vegetarian alternatives. Those who choose the tasting experience will get to try many of Heston signatures, from his famous ‘Meat Fruit’ dish (mandarin, chicken liver parfait and grilled bread) to his iconic ‘Tipsy Cake’ (spit roast pineapple). The restaurant also offers a more affordable three-course ‘luncheon’ menu, which focuses on using lesser-known cuts and using up surplus ingredients. You might try ‘ragoo of pigs ears on toast’ for example, or a ‘compost tart’ featuring garden herbs, potatoes and goat’s cheese. There is also an a la carte menu available for those who prefer to have free rein over their meal.

The dining room itself is quite the spectacle. It's a large, bright and sleek space with floor-to-ceiling windows and a statement glass wall that separates the kitchen from the main dining room, allowing diners to see the chefs at work. Ivory walls are adorned with custom-made porcelain wall sconces in the shape of antique jelly moulds - another detail that brings Dinner by Heston's historical connections round full circle – and in the kitchen there is a unique pulley system that operates the open-fire and spit.