The nearby shopping possibilities and tourist attractions of Oxford Street constantly draw thousands of people, where the pace is often frantic from early morning and right through the day.
There are routine queues at Madame Tussauds and the Planetarium, while the Sherlock Holmes Museum and the fascinating Wallace Collection, with its paintings and sculptures, are also big draws. Luckily, few of these visitors realise there is a nearby oasis of calm and an incredible variety of restaurants hidden away down the side streets.
For the most part, these restaurants are smaller, often family-owned, and independent, and so they have the creative freedom to fill their menus with original inspiration, transferred from their personal heritage.
Diners are forever keen to seek out new tastes and experiences not only from around the world but from new styles of cooking. We see this in the last restaurant listed, Wulf and Lamb, where the chefs show their expertise in the kitchen by recreating popular dishes the British know and love.
Best Marylebone Restaurants
Chiltern Firehouse
- Address: 1 Chiltern St, London W1U 7PA
- Phone: 020 7073 7676
Located in the Grade II listed building of the former Marylebone Fire Station, The Chiltern Firehouse quickly won acclaim when it opened in 2013. It was awarded a Michelin star during its first year and went on to be awarded as one of the world’s 50 Best Restaurants 2013. The owner, André Balazs, also owns the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles.
The interior decor has retained some of the previous industrial features such as tiled walls and steel columns to create a quirky, simply elegant, and modern brasserie.
The menu starts with seafood followed by lighter, crispy pizzas and a selection of lighter starter dishes, which include Tuna Sashimi, with cucumber, watermelon, and crispy seaweed.
The main courses are European with interesting ingredients including, Hot-Smoked Trout Salad with fennel, spring greens, apple, and green goddess dressing. There is also a Family Feast menu with slightly less choice for £95 per person.
Delamina Marylebone
- Address: 56-58 Marylebone Ln, W1U 2NX
- Phone: 020 3026 6810
Delamina Marylebone is the second restaurant for the husband and wife team, Amir and Limor. She was born in Tel Aviv and grew up in a family of middle eastern and European origin. This drives her as the creative force in creating wholesome, nutritious dishes with unique flavours.
The main menu starts with a comprehensive list of exciting vegetable dishes, which can be complemented with grilled meat, fish, and seafood mains. Examples include, Charred Cauliflower, with lemon-infused crème fraiche, pomegranate molasses and seeds or Lamb Chops Baharat, served with charcoaled hispi, cabbage, drizzle of lentils, barberries, and mint.
To drink there are soft drinks and bottled beers along with a wine selection, which includes examples mostly from Europe but also from Israel, Lebanon, and the Americas.
Fischer’s
- Address: 50 Marylebone High St, W1U 5HN
- Phone: 020 7466 5501
Fischer’s aims to evoke the cuisine and ambience of a Viennese restaurant in the early years of the twentieth century. The restaurant interior is spectacular with mirrored walls, framed period paintings and antique light fittings.
The menu has been designed to satisfy different diners from breakfast right through till dinner. In typical Austrian style, there are plenty of soups, cured fish dishes, and salads.
For main courses, there are fish dishes, entrees in the form of meat dishes such as Pot Roast Ossobuco, schnitzels, and wϋrsten sausages, as well as a selection of side dishes.
For desserts, there are delectable cakes, such as Coffee & Stroh Rum Cake and more conventional desserts such as, Classic Cinnamon & Apple Strudel.
The wine list mostly features wine from Austria and Germany, along with contributions from other European countries. The restaurant also has a breakfast menu and a brunch menu which operates at the weekend.
Twist Connubio
- Address: 42 Crawford St, W1H 1JW
- Phone: 020 7723 3377
Twist Connubio is at the rear of the junction of Edgware Road and Marylebone Road, with a sophisticated, dark grey facade to the restaurant. Inside the restaurant is slim, with a beamed ceiling and elegant and restrained tables and chairs where the fusion of Italian and Spanish cuisine takes place..
For nibbles, there are dishes such as padron peppers and Culatello dry-cured ham, while for mains there are sharing platters including Tenderstem Broccoli in tempura, with garlic and yuzu mayo or Baked Bone Marrow, served with parsley and caviar.
Many of the main dishes are listed, paired with suggested wines. There are also three tasting menu selections, which are tailored to the whole table.
There is a selection of cocktails followed by an extensive wine list including examples mostly from Spain and Italy.
Hoppers
- Address: 77 Wigmore St, W1U 1QE
Hoppers has a pleasing frontage on the corner of Wigmore Street and James Street with large palms in oversize black pots. The interior is cool, chic, and modern with spotlights discreetly lighting the room.
There are three menus, à la carte, group feast, and family feast. The à la carte menu starts with short eats, such as Mutton Rolls with Lankan Ketchup, with dosas, karis and khotus to follow.
There is a selection of roast dishes, such as Fish Buriani with Raita. And a selection of side dishes that are mostly vegetarian. The group feast and family feast menus consist of four courses and charged per head.
For drinks, there are cocktails and soft drinks, beers by the bottle, and a short but varied wine selection available by the glass and bottle.
Also Read: Best Breakfast in Mayfair, London
Taka Marylebone
- Address: 109 Marylebone High St, W1U 4RX
- Phone: 020 3637 4466
The interior of Taka Marylebone is subdued, stylish, and simple all at the same time. There is plenty of wood, discreet lighting and the arched windows framing daylight.
No doubt the Japanese have beaten us to seasonality by thousands of years and so it would seem from their aspirations.
In the kitchen, they use the Japanese philosophy of Shun, whereby ingredients are harvested at the height of the season and then only eaten when they are at their absolute best.
The menu starts with a selection of sashimi and tartare fish dishes, followed by a selection of plant-based dishes including Grilled Courgette with yuzu truffle miso, and summer truffle.
Other selections include robata or grilled dishes, as well as fried dishes, taka temaki and rolls. For dessert, there is a selection of mochi ice cream and yuzu cheesecake.
Sake is available by the glass, carafe, and bottle, as is the wine. There is also a selection of cocktails and mocktails.
108 Brasserie
- Address: 108 Marylebone Ln, W1U 2QE
- Phone: 020 7969 3900
With climbing roses and wicker chairs outside the door of 108 Brasserie suggests a Parisian eatery. Inside, rich, contrasting colours on the walls and furnishings create a homely, Bohemian air. 108 Brasserie aspires to a global menu, presumably to satisfy the international clientele of the hotel to which it is attached.
Main courses range from Thai green coconut curry with squash, baby corn, holy basil, and steamed jasmine rice to deep-fried haddock and chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce. There is a separate vegan and vegetarian menu, where you can enjoy dishes such as Risotto Primavera served with broad beans, mint, and Pecorino.
The wine and Champagne list is eclectic and lengthy, representing most of the major wine drinking regions of the world. There are also draft and bottled beers and a selection of cocktails.
Caldesi In Marylebone
- Address: 118 Marylebone Ln, London W1U 2QF
- Phone: 020 7487 0754
Caldesi In Marylebone has a smart, modern interior with teal coloured walls, framed pictures of Italian scenes, and pendant lights to keep the ambience upbeat. The restaurant is the brainchild of celebrity chef and restaurateur, Giancarlo Caldesi, who is keen to represent the best of Italian produce and cooking.
There is a selection of antipasti to start the menu, which includes options for vegetarians, vegans, and low-carb dieters, a theme that carries through the whole menu. For the next course, the pasta is all homemade and can be served gluten-free.
Main courses include Veal Milanese, served with roast potatoes, salad leaves, honey and a mustard dressing or Seabass Fillet, which is pan-fried and served with green asparagus and roasted grapes.
The wine list is exclusively Italian and offered by glass, carafe, and bottle.
There is also a selection of dessert wines, grappa and digestifs.
Trishna
- Address: 15-17 Blandford St, W1U 3DG
- Phone: 020 7935 5624
The interior of Trishna is modern, spacious, and chic, while there is wood panelling in the private dining room, along with mirrored sections, and fresh flowers on the table.
Trishna in Marylebone is the sister restaurant of the very successful Gymkhana and aspires to its celebrated namesake in Mumbai.
The menu is broken down into starters, tandoor, mains, biryani, vegetarian, and sides. The dishes are highly creative ingredient combinations, which immediately catch your attention and each dish has a recommended wine to accompany it.
The tasting menus have been very well received by previous diners. They include five courses for £80 (£75 for the vegetarian/vegan), which gives a real insight into the breadth of the region’s cooking.
Trishna’s wine list is expansive and listed according to country and region, where bottles range from affordable to sublime.
Pachamama
- Address: 18 Thayer St, W1U 3JY
- Phone: 020 7935 9393
Pachamama has a laid-back and informal atmosphere in the dining room. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases are filled with books, wine, and bric-a-brac, along with trailing plants to add colour. With a successful sister restaurant in Shoreditch, Pachamama has cemented its position as a true exponent of Peruvian cuisine.
The dinner menu starts with a large sharing Seafood Platter and moves on to fish and seafood dishes, such as Scallop Tiradito, with elderflower and coconut, tiger’s milk, and mango. Meat mains include Iberico Pork ‘Pluma’ served with mint crème fraîche, and spicy herbs and are followed by a selection of vegetarian dishes.
A selection of affordable wines is served by the glass, carafe, and bottle, while the fine selection offers choices from around the world.
Jikoni
- Address: 19-21 Blandford St, W1U 3DH
- Phone: 020 7034 1988
The salmon pink, welcoming exterior of Jikoni leads you into a relaxed, cosy, and modern interior, which aims to be home from home. The brains behind Jikoni come courtesy of chef-proprietor, Ravinder Bhogal, who must have nerves of steel having survived past grilling by Gordon Ramsay and AA Gill.
The menu is quite brief but full of interest, mixing flavours from Asia, the East and Britain. Small plates include Devonshire Crab, with courgette flower fritti, sorrell and peanut chutney and vegetarian mains such as Alphonso Mango Thali with
golden coins, puri, and dhokla. There is a selection of side dishes such as Okra Fries, followed by desserts, such as Banana Cake, with miso butterscotch, peanut brittle, and Ovaltine kulfi.
To drink there are house cocktails and mocktails, while the wine list is mostly European with several labels available by the glass, carafe, and bottle.
2 Veneti
- Address: 10 Wigmore St, W1U 2RD
- Phone: 020 7637 0789
On a corner position of cobbled Wigmore Street 2 Veneti has a commanding position. There are a few tables outside on the street, while inside, the restaurant is divided into two sections by brickwork arches giving it a cosier feel.
The menu is resolutely Venetian and the dishes are often made from straightforward ingredients, which are transformed by their combination. It is a set menu, where you can choose between one, two and three courses for £17, £29, and £37.
For example, Sarde in Saor, sweet & sour floured, fried sardines, marinated with white onion, pine nuts, and sultanas, and served with grilled polenta.
For Primi Piatti dishes there are risottos and ravioli’s, along with bigoli, the Venetian pasta in various guises. Secondi dishes include Fritto Misto Venexian, served with courgette.
As you would expect the wine list is predominantly bottles produced around the Venice region.
The Golden Hind Restaurant
- Address: 71a, 73 Marylebone Lane, W1U 2PN
- Phone: 020 7486 3644
The Golden Hind Restaurant has been serving quality fish and chips for over a hundred years and it has become something of a local institution to the residents of this part of Mayfair. There are tables on the pavement outside, while inside the decor is stylishly simple.
Starters include cod and salmon fishcakes, and for main courses, there are the usual fried fish options of cod, haddock, plaice, and skate, served with chips. However, there are Mediterranean additions such as calamari rings, and a selection of fish steamed, with olive oil and oregano and a selection of salads. Puddings couldn’t be more English with Spotted Dick and Treacle Syrup Sponge served with custard or ice cream.
There are bottled beers to drink, and the wine list has affordable bottles, some available by the glass mostly from Europe and the New World.
Oka Marylebone
- Address: 19 New Cavendish St, W1G 9TZ
- Phone: 020 7486 4388
Oka Marylebone serves pan-Asian cuisine and sushi. The small restaurant is invitingly designed, with soft lighting and a large display case showing a selection of bottles. There are now five Oka restaurants dotted around London, suggesting a winning formula.
The menu starts with sushi, listing hosamaki and uramaki variations, followed by rolls, nigiri, sashimi and tataki. There is a wide selection of main courses including dishes such as Chilli Sambal Prawn, stir-fried with asparagus, onions, and chilli sauce, and served on steamed rice and Miso Black Cod, served with a citrus ponzu. For desserts that is a selection of ice creams and sorbets, as well as mochi.
Oka serves sake, bottled beer, cocktails, and a short selection of wines, which are available by the glass and bottle.
See Also: Best Brunch Places in Covent Garden
Wulf & Lamb Marylebone
- Address: Chiltern Place, 66 Chiltern St, W1U 4EJ
- Phone: 020 8194 0000
Cleverly named Wulf & Lamb Marylebone also has a sister restaurant in Chelsea. The aim of the restaurant is to create plant-based versions of diners’ favourite comfort food recipes, so the two most popular dishes on the menu are Mac n’ Cheese and Burgers.
The restaurant is ultramodern without being sterile, and with clean lines and good lighting. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Several of the starters on the menu have a Japanese twist, followed by a selection of salads and sides. Main courses include the famous Spicy Veg Burger, which is topped with tomato, baby gem, pickle, red onion, and cashew aioli in a brioche bun, with house sauerkraut and french fries and Wulf Pie, made from pulled jackfruit, and lentil stew topped with mashed potato and baby carrots.
Wulf & Lamb has a full list of vegan cocktails, draught beers, and a mostly European wine list available by the glass and bottle.
Read More:
Map of Best Restaurants in Marylebone
Final Thoughts
Although Marylebone is one of the poshest postcodes in the capital it doesn’t mean to say you have to spend a fortune to eat and drink there. Certainly, there are some fine dining venues that will make your eyes water but dig a little deeper, as you wander the pretty streets of Marylebone, and you will discover more variety and individuality than you could ever imagine.
Before or after your meal can take time to stroll among the streets and take in the elegant ambience of the quiet parks, narrow alleys, cosy artisanal cafes, and luxurious shops.