Amethyst

Ex-Xier chef Carlo Scotto’s tasting menu restaurant is a thing of carefully-crafted beauty, its cogs turning like a well-oiled machine. From the composed kitchen team honing their masterpiece plates so serenely you could hear a pin drop, to the impeccable service team who deliver each course in well-paced succession. Carlo stands at the front of the open kitchen, attentively finishing each dish to a degree he’s happy with. We watch all this from the view of a 10-metre-long, zigzag table, designed to allow diners to eat communally, but with the privacy of their own space. 

Carlo’s time spent globe-trotting around Japan, France and Sweden is evidenced in his dishes, as are subtle hints to his Italian heritage. His menu intends to challenge the diner; just when you think you’re getting your head around a particular dish, Carlo pulls you in the opposite direction. One minute we’re inhaling a heady paprika-spiked ragu with homemade cavatelli, the next we’re presented with an flawless plate of rose-tinted salmon, yuzu lime gel, apple, hazelnuts and a quenelle of fois gras. There are also characteristic sweet notes to every dish, from a syrup-soaked, spiced briouat to pigeon with a sticky plum sauce, to charcoal-black cod immersed in a caramel miso and dashi broth.  It is, in short, a gastronomic journey.  

Despite delivering a deluge of flavours, Carlo artfully retains a sense of balance throughout. These are dishes designed to probe the diner, but never to confuse, and part of his feat is Carlo’s ability to balance sweetness with salty, umami and sharp notes. After 12 courses, we did not feel stuffed at the end, nor were we left wanting. 

This multi-course extravaganza is yours for the price of £150, although you can opt for a slightly more modest six-course offering served in the wine cellar downstairs. Take it or leave it, but Amethyst delivers some of the best food you can get for your money in London. We imagine that Carlo has one of Michelin’s coveted stars in his sights, an ambition that seems very achievable if you ask us.

Amethyst is the second solo venture from acclaimed chef Carlo Scotto, who previously headed up tasting menu-focused Xier in Marylebone just around the corner. It was a venture that sadly had to close its doors during the pandemic, but nonetheless paved the way for this brand new project from the Neapolitan chef. Carlo brings his experience and signature style to the restaurant with an ever-changing tasting menu served around a real amethyst chef's table.

The dark and luxurious restaurant is split over two levels. The ground floor is where you'll find a zig-zag-shaped table made out of amethyst and quartz. It seats just 21 diners at a time for a truly intimate dining experience, while its ergonomic design ensures that each diner enjoys their own space without feeling cramped. Guests can also enjoy a full view of the open kitchen while they dine. The lower ground floor, meanwhile, plays to the Wine Cellar where you'll find a wealth of rare and vintage wines.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, with a choice of multi-course menus available. For lunch, both three and five-course menus are available, as well as a six-course tasting menu to be taken in the Wine Cellar downstairs. However, it is the 12-course tasting menu at the chef's table that is the star of the show. 

Examples of dishes include foie gras with rose petal salmon, yuzu and Piedmont hazelnuts, black cod with caramelised miso, naganegi dashi and daikon, beef with ras el hanout, medjool dates and nasturtium and a dessert of blackberry, vanilla oil and bronze fennel.

All tasting menus are matched with wines courtesy of sommelier Filippo Carnevale, with diners able to choose from the classic wine pairing or, for a truly elevated experience, the Prestige selection.