The Pem

Hotel restaurants are often charged with feeling directionless or uninspired, but the moment you step foot into The Pem, it’s messaging is clear - this is first and foremost, a celebration of women.

The restaurant is found inside the Conrad London St James and takes its moniker from the pet name of prominent suffragette Emily Wilding Davison. Chef Sally Abe has recruited an almost entirely female team and the dining room feels innately feminine without falling victim to cliche: shiny black and white flooring, rosy hues and cosy tub chairs all set the stage for a night of fine dining. This is not to say that men are not welcome here, as proven by our visit which saw the dining room populated with couples on dates, solo hotel guests and small groups of friends catching up.

The Pem’s menu is ever-evolving, making the most of in-season produce, but you can always expect a commitment to quality, technique and presentation that is seriously impressive. Following a full kitchen refit in the second half of 2023, we were intrigued to see whether the experience would live up to the post-refurb hype.

Abe has always brought drama and deliciousness to even the dowdy and the ordinary but her tasting menu on our most recent visit showed off dishes that respect and reinvent their ingredients while sharpening the senses. Dressed Dorset Crab is a delicate, aromatic starter served with buttermilk and Violino pumpkin, and paired perfectly with a light but flavoursome Assyrtiko. The next dish packed more flavour with Saddleback pork belly lardons melded with black pudding, Wiltshire truffle and a rich St Ewe egg yolk, matched for weight with a refined, aromatic Torontel Orange wine from the Maule Valley in Chile.

Pan-seared Cornish monkfish followed, providing a delicious canvas for chickpea fritters artfully arranged like mini chunky fries and served with an unctuous tomato-based sauce. The tastiest dish of the evening was Lake District Shorthorn and Porthilly Oyster, which showcased two different styles of beef and was accompanied by a plummy Corvina blend from the Veneto.

Desserts have always been an Abe speciality, and the finishing salvo was billed as a Blackcurrant Tea Cake which pitted the acute sweetness of a marshmallow ice cream with a delightfully dialled down, medium-sweet custard.

This level of quality certainly does not come cheap but neither are prices greedy, even for the area. That being said, The Pem’s attentive service, beautiful dining room and commitment to seasonality all make a visit worthwhile - it is the kind of restaurant which reminds you why London is the best city in the world for dining out.

The Pem is the flagship fine-dining restaurant at the Conrad London St James hotel, run by chef Sally Abe - one of London's most acclaimed young chefs. Abe acts as consultant chef for the hotel and also oversees its in-house pub, The Blue Boar.

Having previously been head chef of Michelin-starred The Harwood Arms in Fulham, Abe now brings her culinary knowledge to The Pem, which serves a dinner menu that champions top-quality British produce and reworks classic dishes with innovative new spins. The menu changes seasonally, but on your visit, you can expect to find dishes that are underpinned by fresh produce from trusted suppliers - think poached native lobster with shellfish cream, heritage tomatoes and sweet olive or roasted John Dory with brassicas, lemon and sauce Choron. Desserts meanwhile, include the classic likes of black forest gateau topped with chocolate curls and served alongside English cherry ripple ice cream.

The Pem takes its name from suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, whose family used the pet name ‘Pem’ for her, and a commitment to showcasing female talent is reflected in Abe’s exclusively female senior team. The restaurant’s look is also distinctly feminine - the dining room boasts an art deco inspired design, including soft lighting and comfy banquettes and tub chairs, all decked out in romantic rosy hues. The main dining room seats up to 70 guests, while a private dining space has room for 24.

The Pem’s wine list combines highly sought-after fine wines with lesser known bottles from independent producers and has been curated from sommelier and wine consultant Emily Harman.

Speaking about the opening, Abe said: “I have the freedom to serve the food I’ve always wanted to cook. It’s me on a plate. I’m taking classic combinations and really making them my own, like steak and oyster, cheese and onion – I won’t be messing with the framework but trying to put a new spin on them without creating challenging or modernist dishes. I want to bring a sense of familiarity and transfer those flavours to high-end restaurant dining.”