Jason Atherton has a restaurant empire that spans the globe but it all started at Pollen Street Social in 2011 when he took over a rundown Mayfair pub and turned it into one of the capital’s most enduringly chic dining rooms
Atherton took the street name for his restaurant because he says that even black cab drivers didn’t know how to find it and he wanted to get it on people’s radar.
Today, Pollen Street Social remains the jewel in the crown in what is a group of impressive restaurants in The Social Group and is the place Atherton holds dearest. As a result, the restaurant is constantly being finessed and refined, with Atherton leaving no stone unturned in search of perfection.
Alongside head chef Dale Bainbridge, who has worked at the restaurant since 2013, Atherton has created a stellar tasting menu of hit after hit using British-grown ingredients wherever possible. Numerous different menus are available, including those suitable for vegetarians and vegans, but all bear the hallmark of Atherton’s love of classical techniques and letting his fresh ingredients shine.
The use of the word social in the restaurant name is apt. On a culinary level it’s high reaching but as a dining room it has a more informal, laid back vibe that makes it the envy of many a Mayfair establishment. Now, people definitely know where Pollen Street is.
