Granger & Co Marylebone

Granger and Co’s Marylebone site is Bill Granger’s fifth London location, the latest step on his apparent mission to takeover the British capital. After experiencing the fine food, fun cocktails and generous service, we can wholeheartedly say that we support this mission.  

If there’s one word to describe the décor, it’s elegant. Granger and Co is understated and effortlessly trendy, with muted tones and chic touches like gold accents, contemporary wall art and golden pepper cellars. The venue is deceptively big, with a curtain obscuring the back section, which features a large skylight and mirrors, giving the space a light and airy feel.  

Cocktails first: a flavoursome yuzu and lemon sour and a decent passion fruit bellini were sipped leisurely before starters. Salty marcona almonds arrived lightly dusted with flour, while squid was complimented well by a garlicky aioli. The standout starter however was the labneh, dukkah and sourdough; tearing apart the crisp crackly crust and scooping the lemony creamy labneh and cumin-heavy was nothing short of sensational.  

Portions here are very generous, as we discovered when our tofu and squash coconut curry and chicken schnitzel with creamed corn arrived. The curry was well-balanced, with enough spice to tingle the tastebuds without overpowering the creamy flavours, while the schnitzel took on a bold task in combining the flavours of lemon, sauerkrout and creamed corn - a risk which paid off. A fresh leafy side salad and some spicy and garlicky blistered green beans were the ideal accompaniment.  

There’s always room for dessert, and we managed to cram in tiramisu which was a perfect blend of darkness, thanks to the coffee and chocolate, and lightness from the fluffy texture, as well as some fudgy peanut brittle. 

Faultless food was accompanied by faultless service - friendly and attentive without being overbearing. Granger & Co is a welcome addition to Marylebone's fun restaurant scene.

Granger and Co restaurants are the product of mastermind restaurateur Bill Granger. The Australian food writer has built a brand based on a sunny, relaxed approach to great dishes that began back in 1993 when he dropped out of art school and opened his first restaurant in Sydney. It quickly became adored for its breakfasts, fresh produce, and friendly atmosphere and eventually went international in 2008, starting with Tokyo and then branching out to London, Honolulu and Seoul.

This particular restaurant is an 85-seater venue with a double-height, sky-lit atrium - bringing a hint of glamour, finery and modernity. Bill Granger aims to capture the local spirit of the former restaurants that have filled the space but also to revive it with a grand mid-century Italian design as its inspiration. 

The Marylebone restaurant is Granger's fourth site in London and brings a similar style seen in the other restaurants across the city. As with the other restaurants, the menu features all-day dining plates based off of international flavours that have a touch of playful, Australian tastes. A popular place for lunch and weekend brunch, the ricotta hotcakes will be the signature dish, served with fresh banana and an indulgent honeycomb butter. 

At lunchtime, diners can expect a range of small plates as well as the signature classics of pancakes, sweetcorn fritters, sandwiches and creative takes on classic burgers. The dinnner menu features a similar selection of small plates as well as a range of vegetarian, fish and meat dishes. For dessert, guests can indulge in bill's neapolitan slice that combines layers of sour cherry, chocolate and pistachio ice cream. 

In keeping with the ethos of fresh produce, Granger and Co has a huge variety of fresh juices, smoothies and shakes that are filled with fruits, vegetables and plenty of raw ingredients.