Hélène Darroze at The Connaught

“Since I’ve never dined at a French 3-star before, it would be presumptuous to claim that anything here reminds me of one, but the dining room, the welcome, and the service as a whole exude a classic atmosphere. The restaurant’s pricing is interesting. The 7-course menu is listed at £225; reducing it to 5 saves £15, while adding a cheese course and selecting three alternative courses (Caviar and Wagyu) immediately brings the total to a whopping £490 for the 7-course option. Crazy. I decide to stick mostly with the “entry-level” option. About the food (my subjective opinion! The rating reflects my expectations of a restaurant in this category and price range. +/0/– should be self-explanatory): The meal begins with an appetizer—cucumber juice with pepper. The flavor lingers on the palate for a long time. Immediately afterward, we move on to the chef’s welcome—three breathtakingly crafted little treasures—seabass, basil & cream, and anchovies (0) The first course begins immediately afterward—an homage to the tomato. Perhaps precisely because I’m not a fan of cold tomatoes, there’s a lot to discover in terms of flavor. The tomato’s texture is extraordinary, the focaccia is fantastic, and a coupe glass with a tomato essence rounds out the start. (0) No sooner has the last plate been cleared than the second course arrives. A lovely combination of heat and sweetness—mackerel, almonds, radish, and apple. It all goes well together, but it doesn’t blow me away either. (0-) The bread course is worth mentioning. The butter is artfully presented, and the accompaniments—salt and a touch of heat—are a good match. The third course is one of Hélène’s signature dishes: poached lobster from Cornwall with an Asian twist (tandoori spices and cilantro), paired with the sweetness of carrot purée—a very unusual course for classic French cuisine, where Asian spices are rarely used. I’m very impressed (0) Just as I’m waiting for the fish course, a surprise delights my palate—it’s also unusual to insert a course at this point in the menu that isn’t mentioned. Hake throat enriched with a vinaigrette. Very intensely seasoned (0-) As good as the lobster was, the turbot is, unfortunately, just as forgettable. Every now and then, a pleasant citrus note comes to the fore, and the addition of razor clams complements the texture well, but this can’t make up for the bland fish and the one-dimensional sauce, which is poured on generously (-) It’s time for the pigeon. It’s a bold dish—pigeon paired with a beetroot variation. But it’s executed with extraordinary precision. My palate detects foie gras, and indeed, it had been incorporated into the crust. On a separate plate, a thigh served with beetroot purée. Very refined (0) Before the dessert course, I’m offered the chance to visit the kitchen located in the basement—about 20 chefs are working there during this lunch. Thank you for this insight. The first dessert is one of the courses that would be omitted from the 5-course menu: variations on strawberries. The strawberries taste fantastic, but it’s not so exciting (0-). That changes with the only course where I chose the “luxury” option. The signature Baba, for which I’m allowed to choose one of three Armagnacs, served with a cherry sorbet of incredible intensity and a few pieces of fruit—somewhat decadent, but overall highly enjoyable and certainly low in calories *smile (0) An extensive selection of petit fours rounds out the lunch. The service is precise but—with the exception of Luca and the colleague who ushered me into the kitchen—too reserved for my taste. After most courses, the only thing said while clearing the table is “thank you very much”—perhaps that’s part of French style, but I prefer when the staff takes an interest in the guest’s opinion of the dish. Conclusion: worth a visit? It depends—the more you’re into classic interpretations, the higher the chance you’ll feel at home at Darroze. And if you skip the outrageously expensive options (£125 for Wagyu!), you’ll get a comparatively affordable 3-star menu. Recommended.”

“An unforgettable dining experience. I’ve been fortunate to visit many excellent restaurants in London, but Hélène Darroze at The Connaught truly stands out. What impressed me most was not only the quality of the food, but the complete experience from start to finish. The new à la carte lunch menu is a wonderful addition, making a three-Michelin-starred restaurant feel more approachable while still delivering the creativity, precision and attention to detail you would expect at this level. Every dish felt thoughtfully composed, the service was warm and professional, and the atmosphere managed to be elegant without ever feeling intimidating. One of the highlights for me was the opportunity to see behind the scenes and appreciate the incredible teamwork and craftsmanship that go into every aspect of the restaurant. A truly memorable lunch and a restaurant that fully deserves its reputation. I look forward to returning in the future.”

“My partner, after much thorough research picked this place for our first Michelin Star experience. We’re from Australia and I can easily say that it was so worth every cent for our experience (even with the exchange rate!). The staff have a wonderful way of presenting you with the most upscale food, but you somehow feel like you’re family and welcome you so easily. Simply so warm, attentive and kind. The food is something I’ll never be able to recreate. Each dish offered a different flavour profile that was so interesting, I was never bored tasting something. It felt like it brought my tastebuds to life!! Flavours we didn’t think would work melted to well together. This one in a lifetime experience was so incredible. Thank you to everyone who was so kind to us!”

“We visited this three-Michelin-star restaurant in London as a party of two and both chose the seven-course tasting menu. Overall, the experience was excellent and thoroughly enjoyable. The standout dishes were undoubtedly the crab and the lobster. They were exceptional and, without exaggeration, the best seafood dishes I have had at any Michelin-starred restaurant in London. The flavours were clean, refined, and perfectly executed, allowing the quality of the seafood to truly shine. My friend opted for the additional supplements of caviar and wagyu beef. The caviar paired beautifully with langoustine, creating a harmonious and luxurious combination, and was very well executed. The wagyu was also of high quality and very satisfying; however, the portion was quite generous. For some diners, especially women, it may be difficult to finish. A smaller portion at a reduced supplement price would make this option more balanced and appealing. Desserts, in comparison, were slightly underwhelming. The signature baba requires an additional charge and is served in a fairly large portion. While the cream was beautifully made and technically excellent, the overall flavour of the dessert was not particularly distinctive or memorable. Despite this, the meal as a whole was outstanding, with particularly strong savoury courses and impeccable execution throughout. The tasting menu was £225, and with some supplement courses, one drink per person and service charge, it was around $450 per person.”

“One of the best Michelin-starred experiences we’ve ever had. The evening started beautifully — a table just for the two of us with a great view — and from start to finish everything felt effortless, balanced, and quietly elegant. Nothing was overly flashy or experimental for the sake of it, just perfectly executed fine dining. The staff were genuinely the kindest and most attentive I’ve encountered in England. Every small detail was thought through: food served at the same time, the exact temperature of the dishes and plates, the precision with which two waiters would place or clear dishes simultaneously. Their attentiveness never felt intrusive — just seamless. We were celebrating a work milestone, and it was so kindly acknowledged with a small cake. Throughout the evening, there were small touches that made it even more special — interlude dishes between courses, a vintage camera photo of us tucked into a red envelope with a handwritten note, and even a few extra desserts to take home. The tasting menu itself was extremely well-balanced. With seven courses, I worried we’d be full too soon, but the pacing was perfect — rich yet never overwhelming. The Fig dessert (Sollies – France, fig leaf, Espelette pepper) was easily one of my favorites, and the Davrik crab from Cornwall was stunning. We ended the evening around 11 pm with tea, French music softly playing in an almost-empty dining room — a perfect, quiet moment to close an unforgettable night. This is proper fine dining at its finest.”