Mount St. Restaurant

Mount St. Restaurant is the jewel in the crown of genius hospitality company Artfarm’s latest project. We say genius, because what they’ve managed to achieve on the first floor of this grandiose building is a thing of beauty. Part of a revamped, five-story property just a few doors down from Scott’s in Mayfair, the modern restaurant is headed up by the highly-talented Jamie Shears who brings an unprecedented level of luminosity to well-known British dishes.  

It’s a decidedly luxurious dining room, cemented by eye-watering prices and walls flanked by a priceless collection of artworks - Matisse and Warhol are both present. Art and design are central to the restaurant’s concept, although our favourite feature is its beautiful palladiana mosaic floor comprised of a cacophony of marble. It seems a shame to walk all over it.  

However, the real artistry appears with the food. Sure, these are dishes we’ve had before – Portland crab, meaty croquettes, chocolate mousse - but as our plates arrive, each one more delicious than the last, any previous iterations of their sort we’ve ever eaten seem like mere shadows of the dishes that Shear’s produces.  

A supremely crispy ‘mock turtle’ croquette filled with soft, pulled veal is emboldened by the umami hum of oyster mayonnaise. Elsewhere, two Wellington-like medallions of pigeon and duck liver are preserved in crisp, butter-rich pastry and served with velvety red cabbage puree. Chocolate mousse, dense and indulgent as our waiter described it, is exactly that and worlds more, heavy with cocoa and buried beneath a mound of chocolate shavings. Brilliance and playfulness appear in equal measure. Possibly the best thing we ate was a side of bubble and squeak, manifested as hash brown-like cubes of buttery potato, served with tangy HP hollandaise.  

There’s some serious magic going on in Shears’ kitchen. Promptly post-dessert, our waiter had to politely ask for our table back to accommodate a heaving reservation list, which is proof in itself that Mount St. is doing something right.  

Mount St. Restaurant is an all-day modern British restaurant located on the first floor of iconic Mayfair landmark The Audley. Bringing together food and drink with exquisite architecture and contemporary art, guests can feast their eyes on artworks created by the world’s most celebrated artists while they dine.  

The space is designed by Paris-based design and architecture studio Laplace. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the dining room with natural light, but its most distinctive feature is the floor, which features a mosaic comprised of different types of marble. The theme of art continues throughout the space. The table lamps are inspired by the 1918 Powder Box designed by the late Swiss artist Sophie Taeuber-Arp, while the salt and pepper cruets are inspired by American artist Paul McCarthy’s much-discussed ‘Tree’ (2014) sculpture. 

The menu is overseen by British chef Jamie Shears, who has created dishes inspired by London’s culinary history and dining traditions, albeit with a modern twist. He works closely with farmers, growers and makers to ensure the freshest British produce from around the UK. 

Alongside a Caviar and Oyster section, the a la carte menu features dishes such as mock turtle croquette with oyster mayonnaise and herb salad, sea bass with sardine ketchup, fennel and fish sauce, Dover sole with beurre noisette hollandaise and raspberry blancmange with white chocolate ice cream to finish. 

At the heart of the restaurant is a bar made with enamelled lava stone, curved glass panels and bespoke ceiling lights. Above the restaurant are four distinct spaces, each with its own story to tell and available for private hire. 

Mount St. Restaurant is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.