Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at Mandarin Oriental

Heston Blumenthal remains one of the most famous names (and faces) in UK food and his sole London restaurant woos heritage-hungry gastro-tourists with a cornucopia of culinary delights gleaned from the annals of British food history.

Inside, the rather masculine dining room comes with “perfect” daytime views of Hyde Park to match its brown-toned foodie-themed interiors – note the glass-walled kitchen (complete with covetable chef’s table) and the cute jelly-mould light fittings. Readers also like the “little food facts wrapped around each napkin” on the properly laid bare tables.

Once the preambles are over, deep-pocketed diners are more than happy to pay top dollar for a freewheeling inventory of “incredible” date-stamped reboots cooked with flair and precision – although everyone still talks about the standout ‘meat fruit’ (a sphere of velvety pâté encased in mandarin jelly). “One taste and you’ll be a convert.”

We’re also big fans of the gorgeously juicy ibérico pork chop and the signature pudding of tipsy cake – brioche soaked in Sauternes, brandy and vanilla cream, served with slices of the pineapple you can see spinning on roasting spits in the kitchen.

Elsewhere, the ever-evolving repertoire ranges from ‘rice and flesh, c. 1390’ (almond, saffron, veal sweetbreads and smoked eel) or ‘eggs in verjuice, c.1730’ (verbena and coconut pannacotta, coffee parfait, verjuice and citrus) to ‘cod in cider, c. 1940’ (with chard and flamed mussels) and ‘chocolate drops, c. 1790’ (chocolate cream, coconut cake, sour cherry and pear). This is compelling stuff – “like nothing else I’ve ever eaten”, raves one fan.

Despite the odd gripe about disinterested, robotic service, staff are generally accommodating, courteous and highly knowledgeable “without being overbearing”. Dinner’s other attributes include a masterly all-embracing wine list, clever cocktails and even a nitro-fuelled ice cream cart, all of which add up to a simply “superlative” experience.

Dinner by Heston has been one of London's most in-demand bookings since it opened in 2011, and the appetite for Heston's wild sensory creations shows little sign of abating. Dinner was initially headed up by Ashley Palmer-Watts, but Jon Miles-Bowring has been head chef since 2019 with Palmer-Watts left.

Nestled inside one of London's most opulent hotels, and the Dinner by Heston dining room is certainly a sight to behold. The dining room is subtle and elegant, with floor-to-ceiling windows providing ample natural light. A glass wall separates the kitchen and dining room, so diners can see the chefs at work and also, the unique pulley system that operates the open-fire and spit - a design lifted straight from the 16th century. Ivory walls are adorned with custom-made porcelain wall sconces in the shape of antique jelly moulds - another detail that brings Dinner by Heston's historical connections round full circle.

The menu follows a similar tack, with many dishes based on historical British dishes from the Tudor period and beyond. The kitchen at Dinner works with food historians and the British Library to make sure dishes are accurate to the history. The 'meat fruit' for example, is based on a recipe from the 1300s, but Dinner brings it into the modern day by creating a chicken liver mousse with mandarin jelly that looks exactly like an orange. Other dishes include 'Rice and Flesh' - almond, saffron, veal sweetbread and smoked eel, 'Frumenty' - octopus, spelt, smoked sea broth, pickled dulse and lovage, and 'Salmon Dressed in Champagne' with buttered leek, parsley, caviar and seaweed. 

Desserts follow a similar vibe, with the brown bread ice cream and a superb cheese board also proving popular.