Hélène Darroze at The Connaught — Restaurant in London

This was everything you could ever want from a Michelin Star dining experience. A fabulous location , the food was stunning , the wine pairings were amazing and the service was absolutely impeccable. So when you put all this together it quite simply made for an experience that will live long in the memory.

It all started on arrival at The Connaught Hotel where the staff gave us a warm welcome. We then headed to the restaurant where manager Mirko and the team were waiting for us. After a brief chat he escorted us to our table in the right hand corner giving us the best view of the whole dining room. Here we met Lorenzo who along with some new members of staff would give us a style of service that is second to none. Sommelier Lucas started preceding’s by pouring us a complimentary glass of champagne to welcome us back to Helene Darroze.

We were then given the menu which is a tasting menu including optional supplemented dishes. We looked at the menu while enjoying first a consommé followed by some delightful snacks including Sea Bass & Pumpkin , Purple Beetroot with chicken liver parfait and Vacherin mont D’or , celeriac , black winter truffle.

Now it was time to meet Melina our sommelier for the day who’s bubbly personality and knowledge simply added to a fantastic afternoon. After a little discussion I decided to choose the All Around the World wine pairings. My wife decided to go with wines by the glass. The first wine of the pairings would be a fabulous Slovakian Riesling. This I would enjoy with the first course of Langoustine with retour d’hanoi , radish and ginger a light , fragrant and refreshing dish.

The second course was Onion with lomo iberico , fumaison , sourdough and lemon thyme. This dish was perfectly balanced between the lightness of the consommé and the richness of the sourdough and iberico. This course was paired superbly with Shafer 2018 Chardonnay from the Napa Valley. This was followed be a nice surprise in the addition of a beautiful Foie Gras dish paired with a Maley sparkling cidre.

Next to arrive was the very popular Scallop with tandoori spices , carrot , citrus and coriander. This was paired with a Paolo E Lorenzo 2020 L’Erta from Tuscany. This was to be followed by an amazing Turbot with calcot , caviar and dill. The pairing for this course came courtesy of France . A Meursault 2018 Domaine des Comtes Lafon.

Now it was time for the main course. This was the Pigeon with parsnip , medjool date and ras el hanout. This was paired with a beautifully light Barolo 2016 Cerequio. We then decided to have an additional Cheese Course a mixture of the finest British and French cheese with fruit bread , breadsticks , honey chutney and salad. My wife enjoyed a glass of port while I presented with a Mondeuse Trdition 2007.

Now we moved on to the Dessert section which started with a Bread Ice Cream before we enjoyed the Rhubarb paired with a Kracher 2020 Auslese sweet wine from Austria. We then finished with chocolate heaven. It was Chocolate with madagascar pear and green cardamom. The pairing for this dessert was a fabulous Matusalem Sherry from Spain.

Now we would be in for a nice surprise as we were invited by manager Mirko to go down to the kitchen and see executive chef Marco and the team. Here we got the chance to personally thank the team for the stunning tasting menu.

We would then head back to the dining room to finish with coffee and petit fours. The coffee would be scientifically made by Lorenzo and the petit fours would include a Pistachio Paris Brest , a chocolate tube and a mini doughnut.

This brought to an end to what I can only say was a truly outstanding dining experience and with the new strong members of staff joining the team you can be rest assured this level of consistency will continue for years to come. So if your looking for somewhere for a special occasion I can’t recommend Helene Darroze highly enough. Looking to returning myself later in the year.

Thank You Mirko , Marco , Lorenzo , Melina and all the team for an absolutely...

My brother generously gifted me with an incredible surprise Birthday dinner at the phenomenal, Hélène Darroze at the Connaught. Our experience was beyond anything we could have possibly hoped for in visiting a three-star Michelin restaurant where the best chefs in the world create masterpieces of edible art. From the get-go we received a call from the lovely reception staff at the Hélène Darroze informing us that, as it was my birthday, they had generously decided to upgrade our experience from the dining hall to the Chefs Table - free of charge! We were blown away upon our arrival to be led down a separate entrance to the chefs table which is positioned opposite the main kitchen, giving us a first hand view of the entire service. We were introduced to the brilliant Marco Zampese (executive chef) who courteously gave us a tour of the kitchens, spoke happily to us about his craft, and always made us feel at home throughout the service. Even when things were busy, he made time for us and asked our opinions of the food. He is a kind, passionate, calm, and experienced chef who made us feel like we were at our friend’s house as he cooked for us all while maintaining the elegance of a three star Michelin restaurant. I was greatly inspired by both him and his team of chefs who worked diligently with a quiet elegance.

The food was a delightful blend of exciting and, at times, provocative flavours that forced you to challenge your previous perceptions about food. The blue fin tuna was as refreshing as jumping into an ocean contrasted by the warmth of the Guinea fowl which swiftly transported you to a cozy cottage on an autumn’s chilly evening. Mid-way through, we were very grateful to receive an additional ox tongue dish as compliments of the chef. This was an unexpected highlight for me as it is an ingredient I never thought I would enjoy until I tried it here. It felt like butter in my mouth. The dynamic textures of all the dishes were as varied as a wildflower garden with the rice pudding and chocolate desserts taking centre stage. We were also generously treated to a few extra dishes which were not on the menu including the ox tongue dish, a small birthday cake, a pastry with pistachio cream and a luxurious chocolate on the side, as well as two small cakes to take home with us. Clearly we were lavishly blessed and could not stop saying ‘thank you’ for all we gratefully received.

Ironically and as is so often the case, the food served is only one small part of a far bigger picture. It’s the people around you who create and sustain a culture and environment of warmth and hospitality. In my case, having an entire kitchen of three-star Michelin chefs turn down the lights at the end of our meal to sing Happy Birthday to me at the top of their lungs was beyond the cherry on top of a cake. To all those who made my birthday meal so unforgettable and precious, thank you so much for an experience the likes of which I doubt I will ever encounter again! This birthday will definitely be one I remember for the rest of my life thanks to you! For this reason, Hélène Darroze at the Connaught is truly one-of-a-kind. They have managed to do what many other restaurants fail to: they maintained a relaxed, warm, and welcoming atmosphere in an incredibly high tier setting without creating a climate of snobbery and exclusivism. After all, the food, incredible as it might be, means a whole lot more when it is served with love and attention to detail whether it is a home cooked meal made by a loved one, or a seven course meal at a three-star Michelin restaurant. Hélène Darroze at the Connaught, you have a warm and generous heart that I pray you never lose.

Finally I want to give a special mention to our waiter, Jacapo, who was very friendly, attentive, informative, and kind to us. To all the incredible chefs, waiters/waitresses, receptionists and the lovely staff, you are amazing! Thank you for all your hard work, hospitality, grace, and friendliness toward us while we dined with...

We booked Hélène Darroze at The Connaught for a special occasion — our third anniversary — and it turned out to be one of the most memorable fine dining experiences we've had in London. From the moment we stepped into the beautiful, warm dining room to the final bites of petit fours, we felt like the team genuinely cared about making our night special.

Before our visit, I had emailed the restaurant with my girlfriend’s food preferences (no mushrooms, no rare meats or tartare), and they assured us they could accommodate this. While there were a couple of early missteps (a mushroom consommé and a mushroom tartlet still made it to the table), they quickly recovered with replacements and an apologetic tone. Thankfully, these were preferences and not allergies.

The setting was perfect — we were seated in a cozy, semi-private corner surrounded by vintage Armagnac bottles, with a soft soundtrack nearby that added to the atmosphere. It’s small details like this that made the evening feel genuinely thoughtful.

The food was a showcase of refined French cuisine with a playful, modern edge. Highlights included the Cornish crab with pink grapefruit and sheep’s curd (a flavour explosion of sweet, creamy, earthy, and acidic), and the signature lobster tandoori, which was perfectly cooked and balanced with spices and a silky carrot purée. The pigeon dish was also outstanding — one of the best executions of pigeon I’ve ever had — with a beautiful balance of crunch, umami, and acidity.

Service was a true standout. The team was professional at first but relaxed as the evening went on, matching our energy and engaging in conversations about food, wine, travel, and restaurants we love. They made us feel genuinely welcome and celebrated. We were even offered a tour of the kitchen mid-meal, which added a personal and behind-the-scenes touch.

Desserts continued the momentum. The pre-dessert — a creative take on apple crumble with bread ice cream and apple jelly — was playful and delicious. We tried all three dessert options: a rich chocolate creation, a vibrant rhubarb dish, and the famous Armagnac baba, where we were allowed to pick vintages special to us (I went for my birth year). Each dessert was beautifully executed, balanced, and bursting with personality.

The petit fours were a little heavy after such a rich meal, but still expertly made. A Polaroid photo gifted to us at the end — tucked into a red envelope — was a thoughtful surprise and a lovely keepsake from the evening.

One of the best parts of the meal? The wine service. The sommelier team never pushed upsells and always recommended wines that fit our preferences and budget. We ended up with a gorgeous Slovakian Riesling that paired perfectly with several courses.

The total cost came to £678 for two, and honestly, it felt well worth it. This is a restaurant that delivers on precision, warmth, and flair, with a menu that balances classical technique with modern creativity. Yes, some may say Darroze plays it safe — I’d argue she plays it smart. This is elegant French dining done right.

This meal has earned Hélène Darroze a spot as my favourite fine dining restaurant in London — just behind Disfrutar and Frantzén in my overall ranking. The current Taste of Spring menu is stunning, and I recommend it...