Seek Hide in London

Taking cuisine to the next level, and the next . . . 

photo credits Joakim Blockstrom

Which newly opened restaurant has the biggest wine list in London and the sleekest most sinuous of stairways? It’s HIDE, chef Ollie Dabbous' follow-up that has foodies and oneophiles all atwitter.

This all-day restaurant in Mayfair is a three-story, industrial-chic space with tons of natural light pouring in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. On the ground floor is casual restaurant GROUND, serving seasonal, British dishes, as well as an in-house bakery that supplies the tasty goods for the Aussie-inspired breakfasts. Downstairs, in BELOW, is a dimly lit cocktail bar and hidden wine cellar. But if you’re a hard-core foodie, you’ll want to try the nine-course tasting menu, then head up the sweeping staircase to ABOVE, a huge mezzanine level with views of Green Park.

Though the smart décor and atmosphere are reason enough to go, it’s Dabbous’ (relatively) unfussy food that steals the show. In GROUND, the charcuterie is made in-house and served on a feather, for a touch of drama, and there’s rich butter to slather on the homemade bread. Toasted asparagus, grilled langoustines, and charred octopus all feature here too, as well as a dish of chestnut parcels in duck broth, which is full of big flavors and has a wonderfully silky-smooth texture. Upstairs, on the tasting menu, the steamed ikejime turbot (using a Japanese fish-butchery technique) is cooked to glistening perfection, served in a sauce made from the bones. Other highlights include the roasted king crab with camomile honey, slow-roasted goose with birch sap, and barbecued Herdwick lamb. For dessert order the lavender and wild-pea-flower religieuse (two choux buns filled with crème pâtissière); it’s light, dainty, and divine.

As HIDE touts having the largest wine list in London, you can expect to be well taken care of by one of its 15 sommeliers (!). Thanks to the collaboration with nearby Hedonism Wines, there are more than 6,800 bottles on offer. In BELOW, cocktails are mixed up by Oskar Kinberg, Dabbous’ go-to mixologist. The drinks list includes the Green Park Cabaret, made with BarSol Pisco, rhubarb, pink peppercorn and soda, and the refreshing Summer Solstice with Ketel One vodka, melon, shiso and olive oil.