The Pem — Restaurant in London

The restaurant is inside the Conrad Hotel, near St James Underground station.

I chose the 2 course set lunch menu which was £35. Rather than picking 2 courses from the á la carte menu the set menu features special dishes that change seasonally (although the vegetarian option was on the main menu.)

After being greeted promptly and seated, I was offered water and brought some home made wholemeal bread accompanied by whipped butter with a herb oil. The butter was delicious, soft and salty and the bread warm. I could've easily made a meal of it on its own!

I opted for the spring salad and roast chicken, and that description doesn't begin to do it justice. Everything was beautifully presented, the salad looked like a work of art with tiny edible flowers scattered across it. I'm not sure my photos show how good it looked.

My server described the dishes and ingredients as they arrived, which I normally hate, but this was done in a helpful and informative way. The chicken was presented two ways; as ballatine with panko breadcrumbs and as a slice of thigh with lovely crispy skin, I wasn't sure about the inclusion of nettles when I read the menu but everything was delicious. Both the salad and the chicken were excellent and the portion size good (I was offered the dessert menu but regretfully I didn't have room to do it justice.)

I chose a glass of white wine to go with my meal and the sommelier was very helpful as my wine knowledge is pretty much none existent. For central London the price of wine by the glass wasn't bad, it started at £12 for 125ml/£15 for 175ml. The wine was a new one to me and delicious, but I didn't think to note the name and now can't remember it.

Throughout the meal the service was professional and friendly without being intrusive and I was addressed by name, which I thought was a lovely touch. It was the first time I'd been to The Pem but they made me feel like I was favourite guest.

For the high level of food and service, and the atmosphere in the restaurant I thought it was...

Unfortunately underwhelming – not the experience we had hoped for

We were genuinely excited to visit this restaurant after reading so many glowing reviews, but unfortunately, the experience fell well short of expectations.

To begin with, we stood waiting for several minutes at the entrance while the host, who should have welcomed us, was engrossed in a chat with a colleague. The interior is indeed tasteful, but sadly, that was one of the few highlights.

The food, overall, was underwhelming and overpriced. Unless you opt for the full tasting menu at £110, the à la carte offering feels unreasonably expensive for what are essentially small plates. The portions are more akin to snacks than mains.

Service left much to be desired. The waiter seemed inattentive, and the sommelier gave off a certain attitude that made us feel rather unwelcome. To our surprise, the aperitif arrived after the starter – it was mostly ice and fairly standard, certainly not worth the £25 price tag. I’ve paid less for far more exceptional cocktails in top-tier bars abroad.

That said, the amuse-bouche was a pleasant surprise – delicate and well-executed. Unfortunately, the rest of the meal didn’t follow suit. The starter – scallops – was forgettable and lacked imagination. The main (sirloin) was fine, though hard to get wrong, while the onion tart was enjoyable.

Service throughout the evening was painfully slow. We waited far too long between courses and sat with empty water glasses for over 20 minutes before being asked if we needed anything further. For a restaurant positioning itself at the higher end of the market, this level of inattentiveness is simply unacceptable.

All in all, we left disappointed. For the price point, we expected much more – in terms of both service and food quality. A shame, as the setting has potential, but sadly, the experience was neither polished nor...

We booked The Pem for our anniversary and an early birthday trip after our reservation at St James Wild Honey was cancelled. After reading all the good reviews we were excited to try it, but honestly it was such a let down.

When we arrived, the waitress asked what the occasion was. We said it was my birthday, our anniversary, and our first night away from our newborn daughter. She then referred to her as “it.” Not exactly the kind of start you want to a special evening.

We were barely sat down before being asked what food we wanted, without even being given a chance to order drinks. The sommelier turned rude as soon as we said we didn’t want wine, even muttering something under his breath as he walked off. I’ve since read other reviews mentioning the same attitude so it seems to be a theme. To top it off, they took my partner’s drink order and completely forgot about mine until I had to ask.

The food was just as disappointing. The canapés and starter were totally bland – the only flavour on my plate came from a single strawberry. The bread was honestly the best part of the whole meal, which says it all. After one bite of the starter we decided to leave.

The restaurant itself looks lovely, but the food and service don’t come close to matching the price. I’ve eaten at Michelin restaurants for the same cost that were miles better. This place just isn’t worth it – I’d avoid and spend your money...