After a truly memorable culinary experience over Easter at Gordon Ramsay’s Restaurant in Chelsea, my girlfriend and I found ourselves, over a long lazy coffee this afternoon, debating a very important subject: our five all‑time favourite places in London to be thoroughly wined and dined. And by “wined and dined,” I mean the full experience – starched linen, perfectly chilled champagne, waiters who appear the moment you think you might need something – the kind of evenings where you most definitely are not the one anxiously checking the total on the bill at the end. At those prices, let’s be honest, somebody else is almost always picking up the tab.
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, with its three Michelin stars, is a perfect example of that rarefied world. It’s a temple to classic French cuisine: every detail choreographed, every plate like a little work of art. The room is elegant without being stuffy; conversations stay low and intimate, the clink of crystal and silver providing a discreet soundtrack in the background. It’s also the sort of place where you very often spot a certain type of couple: an older, distinguished gentleman and a much younger, impeccably turned‑out lady. Over the years, I’ve learned that many of these young women are escorts in London, just like me. You can usually tell by the way they hold themselves, the designer heels kicked off briefly in the ladies’ bathroom, the whispered phone calls between courses. Some of them I’ve come to regard as colleagues and even friends – we swap stories at the mirrors and compare notes on chefs and clients – while a few are, frankly, a bit of a pain in the backside… but that’s a whole other blog post waiting to be written.
But I digress. Back to our list of favourites in this endlessly cosmopolitan city. Besides Gordon Ramsay’s, there are several other celebrity chef restaurants that my friend and I rate very highly. Our only rule when compiling the list was that we had to have eaten at each place at least twice; a single spectacular dinner might just be luck, but returning and having another exceptional experience earns a permanent spot.
Classic French Elegance: Le Gavroche
High on that list is Michel Roux Jr.’s iconic Le Gavroche in Mayfair. It’s another bastion of refined French fine dining, but with its own distinctly warm, old‑school charm. Holding two Michelin stars, it manages to feel both indulgent and reassuringly traditional. I adore the sense of occasion there: the deep, comfortable chairs, the soft lighting, the way the dining room seems to murmur rather than buzz. One of my favourite details – and one that never fails to make me smile – is the dress code. Male diners must wear a jacket and a proper shirt; if they turn up looking too casual, they simply won’t be served. There’s something deliciously old‑fashioned about that level of formality, as if you’ve stepped into a time when elegance was non‑negotiable.
And then there’s Michel himself. Tell me I’m not the only one who finds him utterly charming? There’s a twinkle in his eye that suggests an easy sense of humour and just a hint of mischief. When he glides through the dining room, checking in on guests, those kind eyes of his seem to promise all sorts of fun – or at the very least, an evening you’ll remember long after the last sip of wine.
Party Vibes and Comfort Food: Wahaca
Of course, life isn’t all white tablecloths and hushed conversations. Sometimes you want a place that’s a little louder, a little messier, a lot more playful – which is where Thomasina Miers’ Wahaca comes in. It’s one of our absolute go‑to spots when we’re craving something comforting and unapologetically satisfying. Who doesn’t adore hearty, starchy, stick‑to‑your‑ribs Mexican food after a long week? Think piles of tacos, bowls of guacamole that you swear you’ll share but never quite do, and margaritas that keep appearing at the table as if by magic. The atmosphere at Wahaca is always lively, colourful, and relaxed – the kind of place where you can arrive in high spirits and leave in even higher ones. If you’re in a party mood, it’s perfect: the music is upbeat, the staff are cheerful, and nobody looks twice if you’re laughing a little too loudly or leaning in a little too close to your date.
Intimate Italian Romance: Locanda Locatelli
And speaking of comfort, no list of indulgent London dining would be complete without a mention of my favourite Italian haunt, Locanda Locatelli in Mayfair, presided over by the wonderful chef Giorgio Locatelli. While it has its own well‑deserved Michelin star and an excellent reputation, what makes it stand out to me is how it combines elegance with warmth and intimacy. The room feels cosseting rather than grand, with tables spaced just enough for privacy and gentle lighting that flatters everyone. It’s an ideal setting for a romantic evening – whether it’s a first date, an anniversary celebration, or one of those quietly charged dinners where everything unsaid hangs deliciously in the air.
The food, of course, is pure Italian comfort with a refined twist. Giorgio’s home‑baked pasta is the stuff of dreams: silky sheets of lasagna, perfectly al dente tagliatelle, rich, slow‑cooked ragùs that seem as if they’ve been simmering for days. There’s something deeply nurturing about his cooking; it feels like being invited into someone’s family kitchen, if that kitchen just happened to be in Mayfair and backed by an award‑winning wine list. The bread arrives still warm, the olive oil is fragrant and peppery, and you quickly lose track of time between courses.
And let’s be honest: as one of the more well‑known escorts in London, a quiet evening at Locanda Locatelli is rarely just about the food. There is almost always a little ripple of flirtation running underneath the polite conversation, a subtle playfulness in the way I order the wine or suggest we share a dessert. The intimate surroundings make it so easy to lean in closer, to let fingertips brush across the table, to let the mood shift from polite to gently suggestive. By the time the coffee arrives, the combination of good food, fine wine, and unspoken possibilities usually has its own kind of magic.
A City of Endless Indulgence
So there you have it: a handful of the places that, for me, define the joy of being wined and dined in London – from the formal splendour of three‑star French gastronomy to the lively chaos of modern Mexican and the soft, romantic glow of Italian comfort. Each one has its own personality, its own stories, and its own memories attached, and I suspect my list will keep evolving as I discover even more corners of this endlessly indulgent city.
