Best restaurants in Knightsbridge

With two Michelin stars there’s no denying that Dinner by Heston Blumenthal offers up some of the capital’s best cooking, served in a fun and interesting way. There are little touches, like food facts wrapped around your napkins, that let you know you’re in for a treat from the off. Expect unusual pairings, like veal sweetbreads with smoked eel, and decedent desserts - malted cake with lemon and thyme barley cream, chocolate and ale ice cream, for instance.

Newcomers to the Knightsbridge dining scene aren’t too common, but Sette (the first London venture from American hospitality group Scarpetta) have managed to make themselves quite at home since opening. The new branch of this established brand serves up homemade pasta, as well as a concise offering of other Italian-focused dishes. State-side they’re famous for their tomato spaghetti, and we have to say it is very good. Al dente pasta, plenty of bright, rich sauce and a good hit of Parmesan make it our favourite kind of comfort food.

The effortlessly ritzy Brunello at the Baglioni is a swish space for very grown-up occasions when nothing but the best will do. Italian classics, afternoon teas, top cocktails...they're all there. You can even incorporate a walk in Hyde Park to complete the package. 

Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant was never going to be a flop now, was it? This luxuriously-decked out space plays host to fine dining French food. Another of our gold award winners, and holder of a Michelin star, Petrus serves up dishes like curried scallops and Herdwick lamb with beetrood and black garlic. To finish things off there are modern recreations of classic desserts, like a black forest gateau that combines kirsch mousse with dark cherry sorbet.

There aren’t many Russian restaurants in London, and fewer still in Knightsbridge of course (in fact, this might be the only one), so Mari Vanna offers  a truly unique experience. Expect kitsch interiors and robust Eastern European flavours. From the menu there's stroganoff, dumplings and pork fritters that hit the spot comfort-food-wise, and audience-wise there's a mixed crowd of curious diners in amongst wealthy Russians clearly hankering after their homeland.

We’re big fans of restaurants who don’t try to compete with the trends, and instead stay true to their roots, which Mr Chow does down to a t. This is the place to go for old school glamour coupled with accomplished Chinese cooking. We find it hard to pick a favourite from a menu full of fantastic flavours, but the sticky glazed prawns and spicy minced chicken wraps from the starter menu are particularly good.

Where other fine-dining establishments present stuffy service MARCUS allow diners to relax thanks to its staff’s calm and attentive manners. The cuisine is billed as British, with ingredients treated with the utmost respect. With one Michelin star, you can of course expect top drawer stuff, like a confit belly of lamb dish that is paired with heritage beetroot; or the playful pudding that presents itself as the poshest Aero the world has ever seen – salted milk chocolate and honeycomb flavour, in case you’re wondering.

The third floor, all-season Roof Garden at Pentechnicon, with retractable roof, really nails it for a glossy Kightsbridge crowd, serving Nordic small plates for breakfast, lunch and dinner – think crowd-pleasers like halibut with celeriac or chicken with lovage and chard truffle butter. Designed by Finnish horticulturalist Taina Suonio, The Roof Garden really comes into its own when the sun is out or on warm nights.

Whether you’re eating in the luxurious, well-upholstered dining room or alfresco on the pavement terrace, Zafferano remains a smart and most reliable address for delicious, sophisticated Italian cooking and top-notch regional Italian wines. Think veal Milanese with saffron risotto, chargrilled rib of beef with roast potatoes or their signature lobster linguine, all executed with aplomb. Staff are never less than charming and large windows onto Lowndes Square add a light-filled breeziness to the dining room.

For sheer indulgence you can’t beat the interiors at Celeste with their coupling of golden-yellow tones and Wedgewood blue, plus some pretty impressive chandeliers. Ingredients here are high end, matching the spend expected from its guests. Think lobster, roe deer and quail. Interestingly the wine list here isn’t as heady, price-wise, as you’d expect and offers up some impressive options. Look forward to slick and smart service to match the quality of the modern European menu.

Japanese and Italian might not sound like a natural pairing, but curiously the coupling seems to work at this Knightsbridge restaurant. There’s a satisfyingly crunchy rice pizza that’s topped with spicy salmon and a sea bass spaghetti to boot, that will pique the interest of even the most seasoned diner. At somewhere between £50-80 per person for dinner this isn’t a cheap experience, but for well-handled Japanese food with the odd Italian twist, you don’t get much better (however niche that bracket is).

Despite having been in situ for well over ten years now, Zuma somehow manages to still feel cutting edge and modern with its clean Japanese design and confident menu. There’s a sushi counter that allows views of the kitchen, and is perfect for solo-dining, or more traditional tables in the main space. Small plates like crispy squid and fried tofu kick things off, before dishes like black cod and barbequed filled of beef act as the main event.

As with many spots in Knightsbridge, you’re going to be looking at a meal costing near £100 per person at Adam Handling Chelsea, but dare we suggest that it’s worth the cash. This high-end, fine-dining spot serves up classic food with a twist, where everything is given a playful tweak for interesting plates, course after course. If you’re just looking for somewhere to start (or finish) your evening then there’s also a very good bar here, where you can get drinks and snacks in a cool, luxurious setting.

Seasoned Michelin-starred performer that for years has been enthralling Knightsbridge regulars with its sophisticated, refined, bite-sized cooking and sleek, slinky dining room, dominated by the theatrical open kitchen. Succulent and creatively spiced dishes, including brilliant vegetarians ones, come in all shapes and sizes – from tandoors, tawa hotplates and sigri grills – all matched with sexy east-west cocktails and accomplished spice-friendly wines. Service is the epitome of courteous hospitality.

Is there any better cuisine at crowd-pleasing than Italian, we wonder? We’ve tried to come up with an alternative but are struggling, and in this arena Harry’s provides. It serves up a winning combination of pizza and pasta, which makes this Knightsbridge restaurant the perfect place to take the whole family. If you don’t fancy carbs there’s also a list of other Italian staples, like crispy calamari and chicken Milanese. Plus, for the area this is one of the more reasonable dinner options when it comes to price-point.

Classic British dishes designed with fresh, seasonal produce in mind, and a very impressive collection of wines make this restaurant within the five-star Capital hotel in Knightsbridge a worthy choice for lunch or dinner.

The benefit of a chain is you know what you’re getting, and with Hawksmoor restaurants that’s failsafe steak and rich, indulgent side orders. This particular site is tucked away at basement level which gives it a cosy, secret-society-type atmosphere. Start with oysters, before moving onto some of London’s best surf ‘n’ turf, before finishing with a plate of their homamde 'Rolos', made from salted caramel, passion fruit, bourbon and pecans.