The Wolseley

“Always an excellent dining experience”, says a happy reader, one of many who return “time and time again” to this delightful stalwart of the London restaurant scene. Part of the Corbin & King stable, which also includes The Delaunay and Brasserie Zédel (among others), The Wolseley follows in the tradition of European grand cafés, with a flexible menu that works “whatever the hour or day”. 

Breakfast is always an event, with an extensive choice including grilled kippers with mustard butter, eggs Benedict, a full English and our all-time favourite: fried haggis and duck egg, although there are also virtuous fruit and muesli options, impeccable pastries – and a complementary newspaper.

As the day progresses, you might lunch on smoked duck salad, dressed Cornish crab, steak tartare or coq au vin, or maybe drop in for a decadent Champagne afternoon tea with fruit scones, jam and clotted cream – “all served with great style and panache”, though we prefer the Monday-Friday, suited-and-booted Mayfair vibe to touristy weekends. (It is brilliantly located for the Royal Academy, National Gallery, Bond Street and Buckingham Palace.)

There are top-notch dinners to be had, too, with recent highlights including plump little Isle of Skye queen scallops in a sweet and zesty lemon and herb dressing, classic calf’s liver and bacon with creamy mash and sauce Robert, and a gut-busting banana split with butter chocolate sauce – as well as dishes such as wiener schnitzel and chopped liver that pay lip-service to the Mitteleuropean inspiration.

A brigade of slick staff perform perfectly choreographed service around the dramatically handsome, high-ceilinged room, which attracts a chattering mix of regulars, creatives, celebs and shoppers. Yes, it’s buzzy and loud (“in a good way”), but that just adds to the fun, notes one visitor. In short, we’re in agreement with the fan who reckons this is “the number one brasserie in London”.

It’s hard to imagine a more iconic London dining destination than The Wolseley, a restaurant that feels as though its existence makes up part of the very fabric of the city.

The iconic site of 160 Piccadilly began its story when it was commissioned in 1921 by Wolseley Motors Limited to English architect William Curtis Green, their desire was to create a prestigious car showroom that exuded luxury and grandeur. Marble pillars and archways teamed with Venetian-inspired details left an impressive finish, but alas the cars did not sell quickly enough and in 1926 the company went into bankruptcy. Barclays Bank took over the site in 1927 but it wasn’t until 2003 that the building was sympathetically renovated, throwing open its doors as the grand cafe-restaurant destination that we find today. It turns out that the showroom features work just as well as a backdrop to some of the city’s most ritzy dining, adding a bit of good old-fashioned drama to proceedings.

Breakfast brings iconic dishes to the table by way of eggs any way you can think of, hand-made Viennoiserie, piles of pancakes and signature house dishes like the bubble and squeak with a fried egg or the delicately spiced kedgeree which by now benefits from a legendary status. Lunch and dinner centres around hearty serves like steaks, schnitzels and cheese savouries – including a very good Welsh Rarebit. If you happen to find yourself dining after-hours, the late-night menu does a very good job in quashing any before-bed hunger with a fun line-up of everything from burgers and omelettes through to ice cream coupes and banana splits, for a fittingly nostalgic nod to dessert.

Known for its unique combination of spectacular design, classic food and seamless service, The Wolseley, part of The Wolseley Hospitality Group, remains an iconic and popular choice for both Londoners and tourists alike.