Wiltons is London's oldest restaurant, having opened, quite extraordinarily, in 1742, almost 300 years ago when George II was King and a couple of decades before the industrial revolution began. It started out as a shellfish-mongers located next to Haymarket when this area was one of the capital's main market. At the time it was just a stall specialising in oysters, but it grew in popularity and size and became a fully fledged restaurant in 1840 when it acquired a licence to serve alcohol.
To suit its current address on Jermyn Street (where it moved in 1984), the home of quintessential British homewares and men's tailoring, the interior has very much the vibe of a men's private club, an air it has no doubt preserved as its USP and that has won it plaudits from politicians and royals. Fish and shellfish are still the stars of the menu, as well as the lunchtime carving trolley featuring a different roast each day.
