As a bastion of fine French food served in unashamedly refined surroundings, The Ritz stands alone in the UK. Having stuck to its guns in the face of countless restaurant movements and trends – whether it be stripped back dining rooms, less formality or more rustic cooking – the restaurant was finally awarded a (long overdue in our opinion) second Michelin star at the start of 2025 and as a long-time regular on this list, it deserves its place at the top of the restaurant tree.
A meal at The Ritz must be one of life’s finest pleasures. To sit and eat among the gilt mirrors, ornate gold chandeliers and pink colour palette (designed to complement a lady’s blush make-up) is to have a dining experience like no other in the country.
Overseen by executive chef John Williams, the restaurant is a standard bearer for opulent dining, with its food nothing short of immaculate. Williams has cooked at The Ritz for almost two decades, having spent nearly 40 years working in the kitchens of some of London’s most prestigious five-star hotels, and has gained a reputation for being one of this country’s finest practitioners of classic French food.
Williams actively pushes back against the notion of ‘traditional’ cooking, which he sees as stuffy, with his approach at The Ritz to stay true to classic French dishes but modernise and lighten them where necessary. Diners can opt to eat à la carte or put themselves in the hands of Williams and his five or seven-course Epicurean menu where they can sample some of the most finely-tuned French cuisine this country has to offer.
Although if you really want to experience what the restaurant has to offer then the dishes it serves tableside (arts de la table), including beef wellington; hay-aged Bresse duck as well as the restaurant’s legendary crepes suzette, are a must-have. It’s not cheap but when eating at this level of luxury you wouldn’t expect it to be.
Dig out your best dress or jacket and tie and prepare yourself for something truly exceptional.
A meal at The Ritz must be one of life’s finest pleasures. To sit and eat among the gilt mirrors, ornate gold chandeliers and pink colour palette (designed to complement a lady’s blush make-up) is to have a dining experience like no other in the country.
Overseen by executive chef John Williams, the restaurant is a standard bearer for opulent dining, with its food nothing short of immaculate. Williams has cooked at The Ritz for almost two decades, having spent nearly 40 years working in the kitchens of some of London’s most prestigious five-star hotels, and has gained a reputation for being one of this country’s finest practitioners of classic French food.
Williams actively pushes back against the notion of ‘traditional’ cooking, which he sees as stuffy, with his approach at The Ritz to stay true to classic French dishes but modernise and lighten them where necessary. Diners can opt to eat à la carte or put themselves in the hands of Williams and his five or seven-course Epicurean menu where they can sample some of the most finely-tuned French cuisine this country has to offer.
Although if you really want to experience what the restaurant has to offer then the dishes it serves tableside (arts de la table), including beef wellington; hay-aged Bresse duck as well as the restaurant’s legendary crepes suzette, are a must-have. It’s not cheap but when eating at this level of luxury you wouldn’t expect it to be.
Dig out your best dress or jacket and tie and prepare yourself for something truly exceptional.
