The Ledbury

I was very impressed by this restaurant. We visited for lunch on a Sunday when it was fairly busy. The dining room is very bright and inviting which for some reason was not what I expected possibly since a lot of other restaurants seem quite dark or cluttered.

We went for the 3 course set menu (4-5 options for each course so not your usual set menu) for £40 which was excellent value. The food was fabulous. We had the scallop ceviche (which was beautiful and different), the chicken wing starter (which was very rich but good), for main we shared the pork belly (not the best I've had but excellently cooked) and the delicious 24 hour lamb. We chose two glasses of wine each but only sought the sommelier's advice on one of the last dessert wines which was a shame because his advice was excellent.

For dessert we had cheese and a banana fritter which were also good.

Service was very friendly and unpretentious which I loved. Would definitely recommend.
Comment on this reader review

Annie - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Thursday, May 06, 2010

We had the pleasure of eating at The Ledbury to celebrate our honeymoon and it is by far the finest dining experience that I have ever known.

The staff are nothing but attentive, but without being overbearingly so, and they certainly know their stuff.

After the meal, we were taken on a tour of the kitchen and had the pleasure of meeting the delightful chef, Brett Graham. What a fantastically down to earth man. He has no interest in awards or stars, his only passion is food and it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that he tastes every single dish to ensure that it is of the required quality, before it is taken upstairs to the customer.

I am so please that we cancelled Claridges to go to The Ledbury!

Brett, you deserve every accolade that you get. I can score you nothing but full marks. Thank you for an unforgettable experience.
Comment on this reader review

Darran Ford
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, April 12, 2010

Having been fortunate to eat in many of London's top restaurants, I can genuinely say the Ledbury is my favourite. Food is out of this world (cannot think of a better food I have had), staff knowledgeable and friendly, super interior and great atmosphere. Not cheap, but worth every penny. Will be going back again and again. Don't think there is a better restaurant in London for overall experience. Don't hesitate, you won't be disappointed.
Comment on this reader review

Paul B
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, April 11, 2010

Our first visit at lunch today and after this restaurant's recent elevation we had high expectations that were met.

The name conjures up a gastropub, and whilst the origin of the restaurant might still be apparent from the outside, inside it is very much the modern, co-ordinated and quite smart upper-end London restaurant. Service was smiley and not especially formal. Neither was it slow, and our three courses and coffee in a full restaurant still had us out in little over 90 minutes. Value seems pretty standard for this level of restaurant, though to be honest no-one could possibly complain about three courses of this quality for the set lunch price of £27.50. Choice on this menu isn't terribly wide, but as it happened today I could have eaten everything on it and indeed given a spot of sampling from my daughter's choices, I guess I did!

Her raviolo of pyrennean lamb was tasty, the lamb delicate but well flavoured inside perfectly textured pasta. It was probably better than my choice of scallop ceviche, which was to me the weakest spot in the meal, though to be frank I share the responsibility since I should have paid more attention to "ceviche" rather than "scallops" which I simply can't resist ordering.

We both thought our main courses of monkfish, and pork belly and cheek with wet polenta respectively were very well-cooked indeed and well presented.

Dessert for both was a perfectly tiimed souffle of passion fruit with sauternes ice cream, that was really excellent. Good coffee and bread. Not as many freebies as one gets elsewhere - though the little savoury macaroon of beetroot and foie gras was perfect despite its rather strident colour.

So a really good lunch. I think the Ledbury sits quite happily alongside competitors like The Square, Hibiscus, and the Capital Hotel before the roof fell in, metaphorically. The food does not quite match the intensity and quality that you'd get at Royal Hospital Road or at Marcus Wareing, but then very few can. Ceratinly a strong candidate for a revisit .

Finally I note that even though we much enjoyed the meal we ate today, that the rating I give will reduce its average score. Frankly I didn't really wish to communicate anything other than pleasure and for me the ratings I give do that, whilst leaving headroom for the few restaurants that I think are even better.
Comment on this reader review

David Henderson - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Thursday, February 18, 2010

We had an amazing evening at the Ledbury on Saturday the 23rd January,2010.

From arrival at 7.30 p.m. to departure at 11.15 p.m. we were greeted by very warm friendly knowledgeable staff. The dinner was exceptional, the menu extremely varied and the taste of the food was both interesting and enlightening. Two Michelin Stars which we understand they now have are well deserved. We will definitely return when next in London.
Comment on this reader review

Mr & Mrs Cipriano Bonati
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, January 30, 2010

I visited the Ledbury for the first time last weekend and it was one of the best eating experiences I have had this year. The food was first class and I couldn't fault one single dish from the tasting menu. What stood out more than anything was the service. The staff were so incredibly friendly (but not at all obsequious). They made our dinner a relaxed and fun affair.

My group spent about £100 per head and this included all our alcohol and the service charge. I thought this was very reasonable considering I normally spend north of £150 per head when I dine in central London.
Comment on this reader review

Ewok
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, December 14, 2009

I have been coming to this restaurant since it opened and have always found it reliable and inventive, the cooking first class, amoung the best in london and the staff relaxed and profesional.

This last visit however, blew me away. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, it has.

The sommelier, front of house are absolutely on the top of their game and match the brilliant cooking that has always been on offer here.

your money is in good hands here. absolutely brilliant experience.
Comment on this reader review

The Shrimp - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, November 15, 2009

After much discussion my fiancée and I chose The Ledbury for our engagement blow out – kindly financed by HP’s brilliant great aunt from Scotland, who’d sent a cheque to be spent ONLY on food…

I had booked La Trompette, but HP changed it at the last minute because she wanted a tasting menu (a decent compromise - her favourite food is tapas, my least favourite food is tapas). Thank God, as it was the best meal I’ve ever eaten.

8 courses of delight, sprinkled with extra amouse bouches and bread – the onion and bacon brioche is as good as any of the more complicated dishes. I shan’t describe them all, except to say that the seared mackerel with avocado is particularly delicious, and has been filed into the slowly growing canon of great taste experiences in my head. Relying on the simple flavour of the crispy fish skin to lead the dish (evoking memories of barbecues, Mediterranean holidays, etc etc), the chef then applies his skill to jazz it up further with lip-smacking secondary textures, flavours and colours, fusing classic French cooking with subtle Asian influences. All the dishes were ‘fusion’ food, without the over-the-top combinations that are usually associated with it.

Each course was accompanied by an unusual, delicious, perfectly paired wine, and we left full, but not stuffed – so difficult to judge over 8 courses.

It’s not cheap, but then it comes in about £50 less per head than similar top end restaurants in Mayfair – and the staff couldn’t have been more charming or helpful. They seemed so proud of their jobs.

As we were leaving, the chef Brett Graham emerged to say hello, and told us that he’d been shooting that day. 5 minutes later, we walked out into the rain with a smile on our faces, a cellophaned pheasant, and a whole, un-plucked mallard in a bag.

It’s a fabulous restaurant.
Comment on this reader review

Giles Huxley-Parlour
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Saturday, November 14, 2009

Excellent in every way.

The service was friendly and efficient

The food was excellent - better than The Square !

I highly recommend this restaurant - I'll be back very soon.
Comment on this reader review

Iavn Daniel
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, September 03, 2009

Absolutely amazing!! Thats the only way to describe the Ledbury!! I went for lunch on Sunday 23rd August and had a fantastic 4 hour experience. The atmosphere is so relaxed and all the staff are so friendly and accomodating - especially Mike & Sarah the restaurant managers who ensured a smooth event. I opted for the tasting menu-excellent value at £70 or £108 with a flight of superb wines. Chef Brett Graham produced what turned out to be a 10 course taste extravaganza with the amuse bouche and extras.Each course was sublime and when the fish course of monkfish was substituted by salmon without my knowledge Sarah straight away produced another course of John Dory from the a la carte menu to try!. After the meal I was taken to the kitchen to meet Brett. It was a pleasure to meet such a focused ,enthusiastic chef with such an obvious passion for his trade. He even insisted I tried his signature passion fruit souffle with sauterne ice cream as it was not on the tasting menu!!This has to be the best food in London at the moment . Brett & the team -thanks very much, and the 2nd Michelin star will be yours soon
Comment on this reader review

Trevor Banthorpe
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, August 24, 2009