After an extensive refurbishment, the former Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley has reopened as Marcus.
The new interiors masterfully reflect and complement the modern, fresh approach that Marcus Wareing has taken across the board with the relaunch of his eponymous two Michelin starred restaurant. The new ‘look’ exudes cool sophistication; a carefully considered blend of timeless elegance, clean, classical lines and a refined colour palette provides a fresh, inviting and relaxing backdrop for Marcus and his team to thrill and enchant their guests. Marcus remains at the helm, working closely with Head Chef Mark Froydenlund.
The essence of the food has been retained but has been updated. The menus deliver modern European food with a British influence characterised by the finest produce, exacting execution and creative flair. Tasting plates are an innovative new offering, as is the option of ordering just one course at lunch (from £12).
The À la carte now priced at £85 for three courses.
The Lunch menu is now priced at £55 for five courses.
The Taste menu starts at £105, both available for lunch and dinner.
Marcus
Two Michelin stars
10 / 10 from 7 reviews
The Berkeley
Wilton Place
Knightsbridge
London
SW1X 7RL
020 7235 1200
British
Knightsbridge
Mon-Sat: 12pm-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm
Disabled Facilities
Children Welcome
Credit Cards Accepted
Booking Advisable
Marcus Picture Gallery
All In London Review
Excellent food, warm and luxurious surroundings and faultless service
Once in the Berkeley lobby, the restaurant is accessed via a dark door at the end of the Caramel Room; I knew the restaurant was there, but still felt as though I was entering a private members club or mysterious rendezvous point; perhaps that’s the idea and is meant to add to a sense of exclusivity.
We plucked up the courage to enter the door (was Narnia beyond?!) and were warmly greeted by all members of staff that were present between the entrance and our table, which was five I counted! Only a quarter or so of the tables were occupied on our arrival for a 7pm reservation; somewhat of a surprise given that it was such a struggle to get a table. When the restaurant was fully occupied about an hour and a half later the penny dropped; this isn’t the kind of place that tries to turn the tables half-way through the evening. You come here to linger, to soak the atmosphere, to feel flattered by the oh-so attentive service; oh yes, and to eat.
The table and the surroundings were beautiful; elegant rather than kitsch chandeliers, rich and warm (read opulent!) plum colours rather than clinical white, and bold circle motifs and flower arrangements rather than a clinical backdrop that one may have expected of a restaurant in this class. I noticed the table cloth; just white, but so crisp, so perfectly ironed, so symmetrical; there had clearly been much attention paid to even such a relatively small detail.
Moments after we sat down the beautiful, grand, even theatrical champagne trolley made its entrance, accompanied by the young but knowledgeable and friendly Sommelier. Three champagnes were on offer, the cheapest at a ‘mere’ £14.50 a glass (we indulged) going up to a Bollinger special cuvée (I didn’t ask the price, but doubt my credit card would have gone the distance!). Not really a champagne expert, but having been to quite a few well-to-do weddings and enjoyed a trip to the Champagne region a few years ago, I feel that I’m qualified enough to say, this one really was absolutely delicious. The Sommelier had selected his offering well.
The wine list (perhaps more accurately the unwieldy volume/bible/encyclopaedia) arrived shortly after with a vast selection of fine wines from across the world, including lesser known vintages and varieties, as well as regions. It was like standing in front of the toothpastes at the supermarket; far too much to choose from to make a fully informed decision. We decided to go with the Sommelier selection to match each part of the meal instead. Just FYI though, I did spot quite a few bottles at £35, which for well-selected wine in a restaurant such as this seemed to be pretty decent value to me.
I had the vegetarian menu (which I realise is rather inappropriate in a French fine-dining restaurant!), whist my companion had the standard menu. To get the minor criticisms out of the way early, I found two courses (‘Goat’s curd, shallot, bread’ and ‘Wild mushrooms, cauliflower textures, almonds’) barely luke-warm so much so that I wasn’t clear if they were being served as cold salads or hot dishes. In addition the bread served with the former was burnt and so detracted from some of the other delicate flavours, whilst the shallots were quite tough and therefore difficult to cut with a standard knife. The burnt bread issue was replicated on the clusters that were served on my companion’s ‘Quail, goats curd, girolles, peas, caper butter’. He also said that this course was rather lacking in strong flavours (other than the bread!), which was a shame, given that his first two had been so deliciously full of flavour. The Foie gras to start for example, can be rather metallic and overbearing; here it was perfectly balanced with the accompanying blackberries and cobnuts, delicate and perfectly judged.
Highlights for both of us were the main courses: ‘Falafel, onion, cornichon and pink peppercorn yoghurt’ in my case, and ‘Beef, cucumber, raspberries, nasturtium’ for my companion. Both dishes stood out as truly unique, beautifully presented and brimming with complimenting and delicious flavours. The pudding too was outstanding. We both had ‘Earl Grey tea parfait, milk, caramelised honey, sable’ which is something neither of us would ordinarily have chosen from a full menu. However the Earl Grey worked so beautifully and delicately in the parfait, never overpowering, and the whole dish was so much lighter than I expected; rounding off the delicious meal perfectly.
Over and above the wonderful flavours we enjoyed, I felt that the service during the entire evening was head and shoulders above anything I have experienced elsewhere. It was all seamless and faultless. Rather than being allocated a waiter to the table, each person clearly had areas of responsibility which meant that we had perhaps six or so different staff attending to our table. This could have made it less personal, less friendly, but instead each person took the time to engage in conversation with us when appropriate and treat us individually. At no point were we left waiting, was anything missed, anything brought twice or was a mistake made. To achieve that level of teamwork in what came across as an effortless way, was exceptional.
The seven course set menu with the addition of amuse bouche and petit fours came in at around £100 a head. With the wine selection and service this was around £200 per head. Add to that the champagne and coffee (the latter of which I did think it was rather stingy not to include in a near £100 set menu!) and it was closer to £250 a head. Clearly this isn’t a price level that would allow this to become a weekly fixture, but something that can be indulged in as a special occasion, and special it will certainly be.
p.s. I wanted to award a 9.5 out of 10
Reviewed by All In London
Published on Sep 12, 2011
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Marcus Wareing is a rather more relaxed man than Ramsay, therefore rather than throw his diners in at the deep end he allows them to oversee the kitchen’s goings-on without actually being in it, in an exclusive, air-conditioned room that caters to a maximum of ten people. Expect to pay upwards of £150 a head for dinner.
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What should one expect from a fine dining establishment? A super-plush interior? Service that makes you feel like royalty? Flavours so good they linger in the mouth for hours after the meal, and prices that make your eyes water? Wareing’s restaurant has all this in spades.
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Complicated dishes that are beautifully presented, wonderfully combined flavours, a plush dining room and eyebrow-arching prices are usual prerequisites where fine dining restaurants are concerned, and Marcus Wareing’s eatery ticks all the boxes.
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The list of awards is as long as your arm, but the most prominent ones include two Michelin stars, 5 AA Rosettes, number 3 in The Sunday Times Food List 2010, Chef of the Year for Marcus Wareing in the 2009 GQ Men of the Year awards, and of course, top place in our very first All in One Ultimate Restaurant List in 2011.
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Marcus has worked at Le Gavroche, L’Oranger and The Savoy Grill, but it was competing in The Great British Menu, where he prepared dessert for the Queen’s 80th birthday that brought him the most fame. Sample his modern European cuisine at award-winning Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley.
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The swanky Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge has a suitably impressive restaurant, with the talented Wareing at the helm. The double Michelin-starred eatery serves modern European cuisine with a nod to French influences.
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Providing faultless service with just a touch of theatre, the staff take such great care of the diners that a meal here becomes a flattering experience. The sumptuous dining room which was recently refurbished and the beautifully presented food is enough to make anyone feel like a VIP.
User Reviews
from London
Aug 8, 2013
from Dulwich
Aug 6, 2013
from London
Jul 31, 2013
from West Midlands
Jan 14, 2013
It was all faultless: plush surroundings; the staff were attentive, friendly, efficient and not at all stuffy (rare in a high-end eatery); the wine was well matched to the food and served at degree-perfect temperatures... and the food...? The Chef's Menu was a journey through incredible ingredients, flavours and textures... and despite 8 courses and being well fed, I didn't feel bursting at the seams at the end of it all - it was incredibly well-balanced.
Name: Paul
Location: West Midlands
from London
Jan 14, 2013
The waiting staff had an almost sixth sense, 5 or 6 different people were serving our table but each knew what was going on and they didn't put a foot wrong. They managed this level whilst being friendly and not stuffy, not easy IMO.
The meal was expensive yes, but this restaurant is an experience that will stay with you forever, and to me that's priceless.
Name: Gavin
Location: London
Sep 12, 2011
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