When it comes to celebrating an occasion, whether with a group of friends, family, co-workers or as a couple, it goes without saying that the tradition of doing so over a great meal is one that has stood for centuries, and for good reason.
Sitting down to a memorable meal is an important part of any nation or culture across the world and is a winning way to unite at any given occasion. When celebrating something special, it makes perfect sense to opt for a restaurant that will live up to your lofty expectations and so making sure you’re armed with a selection of top-level dining establishments to choose from, when the occasion arises, is important.
One of the UK’s most celebrated cities for food that offers an incredible selection of cuisines and wines from all over the world, with an array of casual cafes to fine dining establishments with celebrated chefs serving up award-winning dishes, has to be London. Specifically, its upmarket Mayfair district is one that glitters with Michelin stars, top chefs, sumptuous dining spaces and welcoming bars thrown in for good measure, too.
When you’re planning to host a special occasion meal or event, you’ll be in good hands here and so for your next important gathering, be it a New Year’s Eve party, birthday celebration or something else, look no further than Mayfair to fulfil your desires. Here, we take a look at five of Mayfair’s most exclusive restaurants to celebrate an occasion.
For steak lovers
Who doesn’t love a steak? There aren’t many people who will deny themselves a perfectly cooked piece of steak at a plush restaurant with a glass or two of a decadent red and some sublime side dishes to accompany it and The Meat and Wine Co is certainly up there with the best.
This fine dining offering on Curzon Street blends African and Australian influences, seasonal produce, contemporary décor and winning wines to create a setting perfect for any occasion. If you’re looking to make it an exclusive event, then the restaurant has a selection of private dining rooms ready and waiting to host you and your guests for a day or night to remember.
For creative culinary enthusiasts
The Michelin Guide serves to highlight those restaurants that are really worth going out of your way for and for a truly special occasion for those who enjoy the creativeness that can come with fine dining meals, the red book is certainly one to cherish.
Three stars is its highest accolade and Mayfair is home to one of the few in the UK that hold this – Helene Darroze at The Connaught. Expect personally tailored menus with ingredients crafted into culinary works of art, custom interiors, a chef’s table and sommelier’s table for those extra special occasions. And when you want the celebrations to continue, you can always book a room at the five-star hotel the restaurant is based in to really top off the evening.
For show-stopping dining in an elegant setting
A Mayfair must-visit and the beating heart of the community, Claridge’s Restaurant offers a classically elegant dining space to celebrate a special occasion with a group of family and friends.
Sensitively restored by the Bryan O’Sullivan studio, the main room features mosaic flooring, leather banquettes and dramatic pendant lamps for an authentic sense of glamour. Those looking for an intimate experience can book the private dining room, which seats up to eight guests. With the restaurant’s art collection flowing into the space and double glass doors allowing the restaurant’s buzz to ebb and flow as one chooses, there is nowhere more unique.
Guests can expect showstopper dishes, including Dorset snails with parsley and parmesan croute, whole wild turbot grenobloise to share, or the plateau fruits de mer served de-shelled, allowing guests to eat from the platter with no finger-bowls required. No celebratory meal is complete without dessert and options include the pineapple vacherin, the chocolate soufflé tart and the citrus baked Alaska which is set alight at the table for that extra wow-factor.
To round off the celebrations, step into the main restaurant and take a seat at the high-gloss tortoiseshell bar and enjoy a digestive or classic seasonal cocktail such as the apple highball or pomelo spritz.
For those who love a hearty meal
Corrigan’s Bar and Restaurant is known for its specially curated cocktails and hearty plates of food, along with great wines as picked by the resident sommelier and a fantastic selection of ingredients, some of which make it onto your plate all the way from Corrigan’s Virginia Park Lodge estate.
Chef Richard Corrigan, who is no stranger to the TV screen, has created a wholly sumptuous experience here, from the great cocktail list at Dickie’s Bar to the mouth-watering dishes being served up in the low-lit, open plan restaurant. Food lovers will enjoy celebrating any occasion with a meal here, especially those who really like to indulge.
For authentic Anatolian cuisine
Rüya London, just off Park Lane, offers its diners an exciting mix of traditional Anatolian cuisine – that is the area which now forms a large part of what is now modern-day Turkey – in a modern setting with a buzzing bar area.
Expect to dine on dishes that have been given a contemporary twist such as borek – a boat-shaped bread topped with cheese and filled with feta cheese, lakerda and salted fish,as well as juicy prawns, slow-cooked short rib and a traditional coffee to end the meal.
So there you have it – four foodie favourites to visit next time you’re celebrating with a night out in Mayfair! Got some other celebratory spots you recommend? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
