The Ledbury — Restaurant in London

Does not meet the 3 Michelin star award and accolades that it has received recently. I miss The Ledbury’s pre-Covid era. I think there will be many oversees visitors who want to experience The Ledbury after seeing it on world-wide lists and what-not, I would suggest that there are so many options in London and this restaurant should fall very low on your list.

Food We had the long tasting menu for lunch. There wasn’t a single memorable dish - for the right reasons anyway. Every dish is “completed” at the table. It’s as if they’re doing it for the sake of it. Why on earth would you put frozen fruit on top of trout. The temperatures were all wrong and the fruit and other flavours overpowered the trout. Almost every dish had an “Asian” element e.g kaffir lime with the sweetbread, miso with the dessert, seaweed with a custard dessert. If they had worked then it would be great, but it’s like they’re trying to do something modern and falling flat. Taste your own cooking please chef. The miso in the dessert was so salty. It is not fancy cooking just because you add in a Japanese ingredient. If you don’t know how to use it well then it’s better not to. A few particularly bad dishes - “tempura scallop” which had thicker batter than my chippies beer battered cod, the frozen fruit trout, the acclaimed mushroom dish that was one lousy oyster mushroom doused in green foam (see photo).

Ambience My subjective opinion is that the recent refurbishment is lacking - dried flowers hanging from the ceiling akin to what you would find at H&M home, each table had plastic salt and pepper shakers etc. There has been a significant increase the headcount per sitting and thus significantly reducing the space between tables. Most of the tables are for couples, and face into the room. However there are about 2 tables where this is not the case and my husband spent 4 hours with his back to the restaurant.

Service Extremely poor “welcome”. We were seated at our table, and then no one else acknowledged us. After 10 minutes of waiting I had to ask someone for a menu. There is one server dedicated to refilling guests water and he kept interchanging between filling our cups with still and sparkling water. I enjoyed the wine and sommelier recommendations. I don’t like that he served us the petit fours and then said “Thats it. Done. No more.”and walked away. Like he was declaring it was time for us to leave.

If you have grown up with a palette accustomed to traditional cooking techniques (British/ French), but want to feel like you’re oh so cultured and taking your first steps into trying new flavours - this might be right up your street if you can afford it. It’s a pretty safe bet for decent food that won’t offend as it doesn’t push any boundaries.

However if you have experience and understanding of East Asian ingredients then you will be disappointed by the poor execution of combining it into The Ledbury’s cooking.

The reason I think there are very few low review of this restaurant is because everyone loves to jump on a bandwagon, a lot of reviewer came to visit because of the shiny award and knew they were coming for theatrics (to post on instagram or what not), and also no one wants to admit to throwing away £600 on a sub-par meal.

PS. They seemed to be selective about which customers they treated better than others ...

An extraordinary dining experience at The Ledbury, exuding perfection in every aspect. A London classic fine dining restaurant, recently awarded its well deserving third Michelin star, had a high expectation to live up to. From the moment we stepped in, we were embraced in an atmosphere of refined elegance and unparalleled hospitality.

The array of amuse-bouche set the tone perfectly, with the tantalizing Iberico collar and neck aged for 9 months, accompanied by a chestnut biscuit with duck liver mousse and quince, and a scallop tempura with seaweed butter. Each bite offered a delightful interplay of flavors and textures, expertly balanced by the chef.

The entrees continued to impress, with the refreshing Trout paired with blood orange and apple marigold, and the lightly torched line-caught black bream with asparagus and black truffle. The tender veal sweetbread, complemented by XO Sauce and tangy sauerkraut, provided a satisfying balance of flavors and textures.

Perfectly cooked wild turbot is paired with Iberian ham and razor clam, highlighted the chef's expertise in seafood cookery, while the double ravioli made with mushrooms from the restaurant's own cabinet showcased the earthy richness of the wild mushrooms.

Special mention must be made of their sensational sourdough, with its crispy crust and soft center, and the exquisite wild garlic scroll, a savory pastry with subtle yet satisfying garlic flavors and incredibly crispy layers. The staff who offered us refills and even sent us home with extra bread and pastries, added an extra layer of warmth to our dining experience. Truly, The Ledbury sets the standard for fine dining in London.

For the main course, the 10-day aged pigeon was expertly cooked, elevated by the tangy rhubarb and rich coffee notes, resulting in a bold and robust flavor profile.

Finally, the sweet part started with a refreshing lemon sorbet as a palate cleanser, while the decadent dark chocolate creation infused with Cherrywood Lapsang, paired with quince and bergamot presented an unforgettable chocolate experience, enhanced by the toasted vanilla ice cream.

Our 8-course lunch, lasted 4 hours, was nothing short of extraordinary. Each dish was meticulously crafted, stunningly presented and bursting with flavors. The genuine warmth and heartfelt service added an extra layer of magic, creating an effortless connection with customers, a rarity in traditional...

My partner and I are both people who live to eat. In 2019 we back we had our first top tier dining experience at La Petite Colombe and it brought us so much joy and amazement that it became a priority of ours to save up for another special dining experience once every year or two. But then covid hit, many places shut down and I unfortunately got diagnosed with allergies to gluten, dairy, and soy. For years I really thought that my experience in 2019 would be my last chance to eat at a top tier restaurant. I couldn't imagine that any restaurant would be willing to work around my restrictions. Surely if they would, the versions they would create for me would be pale, tasteless facsimiles of the regular dish.

That's why I was floored by how accommodating The Ledbury was about my restrictions. I gave them a call before booking and was greeted with pure enthusiasm and not a touch of judgment. The incredibly nice hostess even called me back to ask for a clarification which I very much appreciated.

The evening and the food were wonderful. From the numerous amuse bouches to the last sweet bite of desert everything was beautiful and tasted great. Not only did they work around my restrictions, they created alternates that were just as delicious, interesting, and gorgeous to look at as the dishes from the normal menu. The food itself was incredible. Every bite was a journey of discovery - new combinations of flavors and textures that we had no idea existed. Delicate bright notes of citrus and salt swimming over scrumptious notes of umami and fat. For my partner's birthday they also adorned our table with a sweet card which was a great touch. I'd be remiss to not mention the friendly and warm staff who made us feel very welcome as they conducted us through a magical evening.

I'm deeply grateful to The Ledbury, not just for the wonderful evening, but also for showing me realize that top tier dining is still possible for me with my...