The last time we visited The Ledbury was just after they had received their third Michelin star. That dinner was magical. At the time, it was the best restaurant in London for us and a new favourite. A little more than a year had passed since that visit, and of course, we booked again.
Was it still as good? Not quite.
Snack service
The evening started out really well. First, two snacks arrived, followed by five more, and we were glad to see the cold cuts still part of the snack offering. The sausage remains a favourite.
A plate of trout with apple, tangelo, and jalapeño arrived next, topped with fresh English wasabi. Oh my, what a dish—it truly captured the spring that was in full swing in London.
Next up was the bread service, featuring their excellent brioche alongside the now-standard round sourdough cut in four. And, of course, their signature butter.
Trout – Tangelo – Jalapeño – Apple Marigold – English Wasabi
Brioche – Round Sourdough
We were still working on our Champagne, but the pace felt too fast after the snack service and the first two dishes—like they were aiming for a Guinness World Record in speed-serving 15 dishes. So we asked them to slow down. And they listened.
You could almost hear Chef Brett Graham in the kitchen at the start, shouting, “Push, push, push!” like a racehorse waiting for the gates to open.
Sole – White Asparagus – Mussel – Hoshigaki – N25 Kaluga
But then something else happened. Even though the pacing improved, the restaurant was filling up, and they were struggling to keep up. Wine glasses stood empty. I could see the sommelier running around, trying to keep up.
At one point, I asked a waiter for the next wine, and the answer was, “What do you want?” I replied, “I am having the wine menu—you tell me.” In the end, I just said, “Anything.”
Mushroom Cabinet
Plates sat on our table long after we had finished, and we had to point them out. It was not a staffing issue—the room was full of servers. It felt more like they were overwhelmed or swamped.
We could not help but wonder if they had squeezed in more tables since last time. The atmosphere certainly felt more hectic. Back then, Brett Graham even had time to visit each table.
All right, the flow was off, but let us move on to more important matters—how was the food?
Compared to our last visit, there was more happening on the plates. Perhaps too much. The lamb dish, for example, came with what felt like every offal part of the animal—sweetbread, tongue, heart, liver. It was all a bit much. As always, we passed on the heart.
The quail with peas and wild garlic was a delight, and of course, the mushroom from the cabinet, shiitake, accompanied by English asparagus.
Quail – Basque Teardrop Peas – Vin Jaune – Wild Garlic – Smoked Mis
Shiitake – English Asparagus – Tamari – 36 Month Aged Parmesan
Same dish, topped with a generous grating of black truffle
Lamb – Amela Tomato – Pistachio – Yuzu – Black Sesame Amazake
Lamb Heart – Tongue tucked behind
Mango – Aynhoe Park Honey – Kaffir Lime – Long Pepper – Black Winter Truffle
Rhubarb – Wuyi Oolong Tea – Tonka – Sauternes – Yorkshire Parkin
In the end, the restaurant manager came over and apologised for the evening. He tried to sweeten us up with a millefeuille dessert to share. We were too full and had to pass—and we felt slightly guilty for the pastry chef who had prepared it.
They were clearly out of sync that night. For us, it was obvious—this was a one-off. Still the best restaurant in London? Yes, but the edges have been slightly nudged. But we will certainly go back for a third visit. Time will tell. Hopefully, the magic from the first time will be back.
Some of the standout wines from our pairing at The Ledbury.
Second visit
Three-star
Dinner
Excellent
Moderate ambiance, though guest chatter can sometimes hit 70–75 dB.
Absolutely
Yes, despite the occasional stumble.
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