The Pem

Hotel restaurants are often charged with feeling directionless or uninspired, but the moment you step foot into The Pem, it’s messaging is clear - this is first and foremost, a celebration of women.

The restaurant is found inside the Conrad London St James and takes its moniker from the pet name of prominent suffragette Emily Wilding Davison. Chef Sally Abe has recruited an almost entirely female team and the dining room feels innately feminine without falling victim to cliche: shiny black and white flooring, rosy hues and cosy tub chairs all set the stage for a night of fine dining. This is not to say that men are not welcome here, as proven by our visit which saw the dining room populated with couples on dates, solo hotel guests and small groups of friends catching up.

The Pem’s menu is ever-evolving, making the most of in-season produce, but you can always expect a commitment to quality and presentation that is seriously impressive. We began with a plate of poached native lobster, lightly bathed in shellfish cream and paired with a traffic light trio of heritage tomatoes, which tasted purely, absolutely of tomato. This supreme freshness of ingredients continued into our main course, which saw tender, blushing pink fallow deer complemented by the quaint sweetness of roasted red cabbage and faintly sour pickled blackberries, a harmony of autumnal flavours.

For pudding, 1970s dinner party staple black forest gateau (a personal favourite of Abe’s) is given a contemporary makeover - it’s a satisfyingly rich combination of cherry and chocolate, topped with a pile of delicate chocolate curls and served alongside a scoop of truly sublime house-made cherry ripple ice cream.

This level of quality certainly does not come cheap and mains priced north of £40 feel punchy, even for the area. That being said, The Pem’s attentive service, beautiful dining room and commitment to seasonality all make a visit worthwhile - it is the kind of restaurant which reminds you why London is the best city in the world for dining out.

Chef-to-watch Sally Abe is the brains behind The Pem, a high-end restaurant found within the Conrad London St James. Abe acts as consultant chef for the hotel and also oversees its in-house pub, The Blue Boar.

Having previously been head chef of Michelin-starred The Harwood Arms in Fulham, Abe now brings her culinary knowledge to The Pem, which serves a dinner menu that champions top-quality British produce and reworks classic dishes with innovative new spins. The menu changes seasonally, but on your visit, you can expect to find dishes that are underpinned by fresh produce from trusted suppliers - think poached native lobster with shellfish cream, heritage tomatoes and sweet olive or roasted John Dory with brassicas, lemon and sauce Choron. Desserts meanwhile, include the classic likes of black forest gateau topped with chocolate curls and served alongside English cherry ripple ice cream.

The Pem takes its name from suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, whose family used the pet name ‘Pem’ for her, and a commitment to showcasing female talent is reflected in Abe’s exclusively female senior team. The restaurant’s look is also distinctly feminine - the dining room boasts an art deco inspired design, including soft lighting and comfy banquettes and tub chairs, all decked out in romantic rosy hues. The main dining room seats up to 70 guests, while a private dining space has room for 24.

The Pem’s wine list combines highly sought-after fine wines with lesser known bottles from independent producers and has been curated from sommelier and wine consultant Emily Harman.

Speaking about the opening, Abe said: “I have the freedom to serve the food I’ve always wanted to cook. It’s me on a plate. I’m taking classic combinations and really making them my own, like steak and oyster, cheese and onion – I won’t be messing with the framework but trying to put a new spin on them without creating challenging or modernist dishes. I want to bring a sense of familiarity and transfer those flavours to high-end restaurant dining.”