Tucked away in Mayfair, Bellamy’s Restaurant has been quietly doing its thing since 2004, and The Bar at Bellamy’s is very much part of its enduring charm. Named after the club in Evelyn Waugh’s Sword of Honour trilogy (a detail that reassures the English and amuses the French thanks to its happy echo of Maupassant’s Bel Ami), Bellamy’s has always balanced literary wit with serious hospitality.
The management pedigree helps explain the polish. Gavin Rankin, formerly managing director of the Annabel’s Group under Mark Birley, leads the operation alongside Chef Stéphane Pacoud, once second chef at Annabel’s, and Manager Luigi Burgio, previously Annabel’s barman. That lineage shows in the service: smooth, assured and attentive.
The Bar itself is the sort of place you can settle into for the evening. Ruby-hued walls, vintage posters and soft lighting create an atmosphere that feels timeless. Small booths and tub chairs are cosy enough to encourage long conversations, while old-fashioned table lamps cast a flattering glow. It nods to the Franco-Belgian brasserie tradition, thoughtfully interpreted by designer Tim Flynn, but with a distinctly London flair.
Wine is central to the experience. The list leans unapologetically French, with familiar names offered at sensible prices. There’s also a weekly table d’hôte menu at a set price for three courses, which draws a pleasingly mixed crowd. Bellamy’s has often been described as “a sort of club without a sub” and that sense of open-door conviviality carries through to the bar.
The cocktail menu has most of the classics, with a few rarer finds as well. A Cucumber Martini blends Hendrick’s gin with dry vermouth and fresh cucumber; the Vesper Martini delivers gin, vodka and Lillet Blanc with a twist of lemon; and the Sidecar combines cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice in confident proportions. Earlier in the day, the Oyster Bar offers hot savouries and toasted open sandwiches from Welsh Rarebit to smoked salmon, alongside shellfish cocktails such as prawn or Cornish crab. Desserts, including Marina’s chocolate cake, round things off neatly.