July Round-up

👋 Fellow Foodie

Welcome to our July newsletter

First up, if you read to the bottom you will notice this months newsletter is a lot shorter, hopefully no longer than 5 minutes to read. My newsletters were getting longer and longer, so I've reigned it in; a lot quicker to read.

I’m in the process of re-thinking my newsletter format; more will be revealed next months newsletter.

🍽️ This Month's Restaurant Reviews

Three cracking restaurants reviewed this month.

1. Masala Zone – A review of their Grand Trunk Road menu, showcasing regional dishes from right across India; if you enjoy exploring beyond the usual curry-house staples, you'll love this one. Read my full review here →

2. Lanesborough Hotel – Lunch in the newly opened Garden Room, and, as you'd expect from The Lanesborough, it was exquisite from start to finish. Read about my lunch here →

3. Miko Mei Fair – One of the best Thai meals I've had fora long while, from the fragrant curry, jumbo prawns from the grill to a knockout dessert menu; it's now firmly on my list of go-to Mayfair spots. Read my thoughts here →

I quick mention about my first visit to Bacchanalia in Mount Street, where I was invited to a party to celebrate the launch of their new cocktail range. The restaurant pays homage to Ancient Greece, and the decor needs to be seen to be believed — the cocktails were just as impressive.

🗞️ Word on the Street

Crust Bros x Black Bear Burger

Available now · Limited edition · £17.50

Crust Bros — the two-time National Pizza Award winners with sites in Waterloo, Covent Garden and Earls Court — have teamed up with Black Bear Burger for a limited-edition pizza: a San Marzano burger-sauce base topped with smashed beef patty, guanciale, pickled onion and Red Leicester, served with miso mayo for dipping. Available for a limited run only.

A taste of the Cyclades opposite Green Park

With Greece having a cultural moment this summer, Fenix Mayfair's timing is spot on. The contemporary Greek restaurant opposite Green Park has launched The Summer Edit, a five-chapter tasting menu inspired by the islands — think tzatziki and feta dip through to sea bass with smoked pepper cream. £65pp.

Stratton House, 80 Piccadilly, London W1J 8HX

James Blunt opens a new pub

James & his team are taking over The Carpenters Arms in Hammersmith. I loved my June lunch at their Chelsea sibling, The Fox and Pheasant — if this follows suit, it'll be well worth a visit.

Estiatorio Milos News

Milos has been busy. The Sunday Roast tradition gets a Hellenic makeover with pit-roast spring lamb, seasonal salads and house-made spreads, served weekly from 12pm–4pm. Meanwhile, the new "Meet Me at Milos" menu leans into island-life escapism — think oysters, octopus crostini and a full spritz line-up, all built around that slow, sun-drenched Aegean feeling.

15-17 Berkeley Street, St James W1J 8DT

🔥 6 of the Best With... Michael Turner

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It's a real pleasure to finally launch our new chef Q &A feature, and I couldn't have asked for a better guest to kick things off. Michael Turner is Executive Chef at Willett's, the neighbourhood British bistro at The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel on Sloane Street, which opened in April to well-deserved acclaim — regular readers will remember my review, and yes, those sourdough crumpets really are worth a visit in their own right.

Michael's route to Chelsea is quite the pedigree: hooked on kitchens after work experience at 15, he began with an apprenticeship under Jamie Oliver at 17 while training at Westminster Kingsway College, before a 13-year run with the Gordon Ramsay Group — most notably as Executive Head Chef at The Savoy Grill and The River Restaurant at The Savoy. At Willett's, his mission is refreshingly simple: honest, classical British cooking, the best seasonal produce, and the sort of warmth that turns first-timers into regulars. So, without further ado, over to Michael...

Favourite sandwich?

A steak sandwich with caramelised onions and horseradish cream.

Favourite restaurant (other than your own)?

Elystan Street. Phil Howard has been a huge inspiration throughout my career and has also been a great supporter of what we're doing at Willett's.

Go-to cookbook?

The Pie Room by Calum Franklin. It's an incredible book and a constant source of inspiration.

Best foodie getaway?

The south coast of England. There are so many fantastic places to eat, and the quality of the local produce is incredible.

Oysters or snails?

Oysters, every time.

Sunday roast: beef, chicken, lamb, pork, or veggie?

A bit of everything! I can never decide, which is exactly why we've created the Sunday Roast Sharer at Willett's – so you can enjoy them all in one sitting.

A huge thank you to Michael for being our very first guest — and if the Sunday Roast Sharer isn't reason enough to book, I don't know what is.

Read my full review of Willett's →

If that Q&A has whet your appetite, Michael's running a Crumpet Making & Tasting Masterclass on Saturday, August 8, 2026, 11am–1pm. Join him for a hands-on session uncovering the secrets behind Willett's sourdough crumpets — whether you're team toasted-and-buttered for breakfast or team savoury snack, you'll leave a crumpet convert. The masterclass includes a tasting of three crumpet variations, plus a complimentary glass of Chapel Down sparkling wine to start things off.

£60pp

Willett's at The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel, 75 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9SG

🆕 New Restaurant Openings

MAYFAIR

Pearl
Opening Autumn 2026 · Mediterranean · Mayfair
The Beaumont's new opening in Brown Hart Gardens, right in front of the hotel — the big draw is chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen on the Mediterranean menu.
Brown Hart Gardens, London W1K 6WP

Le Perroquet
Opening Autumn 2026 · French · Mayfair
The new restaurant at the St Regis London (the old Westbury) has landed American chef Daniel Rose for a proper French affair — exactly my kind of Mayfair arrival.
37 Conduit Street, London W1S 2YF

Salone
Opening Autumn 2026 · Italian · Mayfair
The Lita team take over the former Thomas's Café on Vigo Street for Italian, with a big-name chef behind the stoves — high hopes given how well Lita's been received.
5–6 Vigo Street, London W1S 3HB

Kiji
Opening 2026 · Korean BBQ · Mayfair
A big one: Ellia and Junghyun Park, the acclaimed duo behind New York's Atomix, are bringing Korean BBQ to Curzon Street. Atomix in London, essentially.
60 Curzon Street, London W1J 8PG

MARYLEBONE

Soraya
Opening July/August 2026 · Persian · Marylebone
Pachamama's largest opening yet (the team behind Zephyr, Nina and Bottarga), spanning 6,000 sq ft with all-day dining from saffron eggs benedict to lamb koobideh.
96 George Street, London W1U 8AF

Cup of Joy
Opening July 2026 · Café · Marylebone
A big hit in Istanbul, this is Cup of Joy's first outpost outside Turkey, bringing its coffee, cakes and pastries to Blandford Street.
28 Blandford Street, London W1U 4BZ

SOHO

Homer Lobster
Opening 2026 · Lobster rolls · Soho
The Parisian favourite brings its lobster and crayfish rolls to D'Arblay Street — simple, done well.
5 D'Arblay Street, London W1F 8DJ

Saltwater
Opening Summer 2026 · Sushi · Soho
The Milk Beach team turn to sushi with this counter-based, handroll-focused spot on Berwick Street.
3–4 Berwick Street, London W1F 0DR

COVENT GARDEN

Mr Fogg's Market Tavern
Opening July 2026 · Bar · Covent Garden
The beloved Crusting Pipe has closed after 45 years, replaced by the latest Mr Fogg's — complete with a dedicated Guinness Saloon.
27 The Market, London WC2E 8RD

CHELSEA

Brasserie Olivia
Opening July 2026 · French brasserie · Sloane Square
French group La Nouvelle Garde's first international opening brings classique Parisian fare — cassoulet, steak frites, a seafood bar — to Sloane Square.
1 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8EE

🥗 Best Value Offers

Gaucho’s

It was my second visit to Gaucho’s for their lunch menu; we had a lovely lunch overlooking the Thames in Richmond, great value especially on Mondays when you can BYO wine, no corkage, you will not be surprised we took them up on the offer.

Gaucho’s lunch offer 2 courses £18.95, 3 course  £20.95 .

Miko Mei Fair

Miko offer three set lunch & early evening menus start at £21, if you enjoyed my review of Miko this is a great way to experience this excellent Thai restaurant at a budget price.

Aces Foodcraft
Michelin Guide recommended · Contemporary · Fitzrovia

Alex Craciun's Fitzrovia debut — marrying British produce with Japanese precision — is now running one of the best early-dinner deals around: The Mindful Summer Experience, a four-course tasting journey for £50 (Tuesday–Saturday, 5:30–6:30pm), with a wine pairing available for a further £40. Aces blew me away and would highly recommend. If you have not read my review read it here.

8 Pearson Square, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3BF

👩‍🍳 In The Kitchen

Despite the hot weather, I have been in the kitchen with three Wylde Market-inspired recipes for you to try, see recipes below;

Asian Pork belly slices

Slow-cooked chilli con carrne

Broad Bean & Bacon Risotto

I also finally finished my “Complete Guide to Brining Meat "; if you have never brined meat, it's worth a look, as it transforms meat, especially when cooking poultry and pork.

👀 What's Coming Up

I kick off with a visit to Michelin-starred Labombe by Trivet on Friday; we have a Greek-inspired Sunday lunch in St James planned along with an opening party of a new Pizza Pilgrims restaurant in Wimbledon, which should be fun. Finally looking forward to a seafood experience in Soho.

I will endeavour to finish and publish the “My four favourite foodie streets in London “ article, its been sitting on my laptop waiting to be completed, I’m also writing a complete guide to cooking risotto, no promises but I will try to publish both in August.

In the kitchen, I have a few ideas for new recipes, including a Sea Bass ceviche inspired by my lunch at the Garden Room at The Lanesborough.

🙏 Sign-off

Time to go; hopefully the shorter read works for you. Thanks as always for making it this far. Have a good August, and if you're going on holiday, have a great time 

Best,

Martin (The Mayfair Foodie)

mayfairfoodie.com · @themayfairfoodie