The Terrace Restaurant at Blakemore Hyde Park

Set within the four-star Blakemore Hyde Park Hotel, The Terrace Restaurant serves as a polished yet approachable hotel dining room. As the name suggests, outside sits a charming whitewashed terrace, kitted out with wicker chairs and umbrellas. Interiors are the picture of an archetypal modern hotel dining room – comfortable leather seating, a roaring electric hearth, and candlelit tables set with attractive glassware.

Menus at The Terrace Restaurant prioritise broad appeal, honing in on familiar, popular classics – a sensible move, given its international clientele and proximity to Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, and Paddington Station.

First up is a beautiful serving of smoked salmon with melba toast, matched with a quenelle of horseradish cream. The salmon itself is silky soft and fat-streaked; the toast is perfectly crisped; and while the horseradish cream plays things safe (a sharper kick would elevate things), it’s nevertheless a confident rendition of a classic staple.

Elsewhere, calamari offers a generous portion of uniform, golden rings of tender squid. The coating is light and crisp, shattering without a hint of greasiness. Mains reveal a kitchen well attuned to its audience, offering a crowd-pleasing roll call of plates such as spaghetti Bolognese, grilled chicken with mash and gravy, and sirloin steaks with peppercorn sauce.

An order of fish and chips proves to be a stellar choice. Arriving steaming hot, the batter is audibly crisp, light, and well seasoned. For dessert, we opt for toffee pudding, complete with ample toffee sauce, and a generous scoop of ice cream.

Prices are fair (especially so, given the area), service is timely, smiling and well-judged, and you’ll find some very good cocktail and wine options at refreshingly friendly prices by the glass. All in all, The Terrace Restaurant is an all-tastes, all-occasions spot, complete with themed afternoon teas, quick lunch options, and well conceived breakfast menus, plus comfy seating fit for evening drinks or ‘working from home’. No reinvention, no fads, just a pleasing option worth keeping in your back pocket.

The Blakemore Hyde Park Hotel is a stunning, four-star establishment in one of London's most sought-after post codes, just around the corner from Hyde Park. From its beautiful, creamy facade to the elegant decor inside, this is a truly special place if planning a celebration meal with friends or family.

The hotel's main dining experience is The Terrace Restaurant and as you can imagine, has the most gorgeous terrace space for when the weather is fine. Sit on comfortable lounge chairs amongst period architectural details like ornate pillars and awning, looking out onto a classic West London street. 

Of course, while the alfresco area is perfect for the summer, there's also a beautiful inside restaurant and bar, boasting distinguished design details like booth seating, atmospheric lighting and metallic tones. Here, you can enjoy the main and afternoon tea menus, alongside a fabulous selection of cocktails. 

Speaking of which, the everyday menu offers a mix of fresh, tasty starters such as Greek salad, smoked salmon on Melba toast and chicken three ways including Peri Peri, barbeque and sweet chilli. Moving onto mains and you'll find classics like a hearty beef burger with cheese, all the usual toppings and thick-cut chips, as well as grilled sirloin steak and fish and chips. 

While for dessert, it's all about classic English puddings such as Brandley apple pie, bread and butter pudding and lemon tart. We love that while the menu has plenty of international influences throughout, the sweet treats are firmly planted in the UK. 

If in the mood for another English-rooted passtime, you can also book for the afternoon tea. Start with a selection of finger sandwiches like smoked salmon and cucumber and cream cheese, before enjoying scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. And, finally, chocolate brownie, lemon drizzle cake and strawberries dipped in chocolate.