Mayfair has more than its fair share of upmarket restaurants catering for its high concentration of well-heeled visitors and locals. Some of these venues are decorated with deserved Michelin stars, however, tucked away in Bruton Place, just off Bond Street, is the Guinea Grill, a survivor and a refuge from the brash Mayfair which has emerged around it over the 72 years since it opened. Recent changes to the management of the pub and restaurant gave regulars and critics some concerns, yet it appears these were unfounded and The Guinea Grill remains at the top of its game doing what it does well and without any unwelcome surprises.
THE VENUE
The Guinea is a pub with a ‘silver service’ restaurant in the rear. This is not your usual Young’s boozer, nor is the food on offer standard pub fare. The pub is popular and when the weather allows most of the action is outside on the pavement. However, going into the restaurant is like stepping back into a more restrained and civilised era, woody, plush and with a sense of clubbable timelessness.
FOOD
The menu is strongly focussed on meat, sourced mostly from one of London’s oldest butchers Godfrey & Co of Finsbury Park who have been supplying the best organic meats to the Guinea for over 60 years. With such prime ingredients the food is superb, the kitchen team clearly know their business and the service is good too. While there is the odd nod to vegetarians on the menu the Guinea is probably not the best choice for them.
The Guinea Grill retains its status as a special place by virtue of knowing what its customers want, and delivering both on service and on the plate along with some good wine.
Managers of the Guinea have come and gone (Oison Rogers to open the Devonshire in Soho), but the Guinea continues, now under the guiding hand of Cristiano Pellizzari, improving like a fine wine without any unnecessary innovation, and it’s better for that.
THE FACTS
Main courses start at around £25 for their excellent pies, though steaks and other meat dishes start at about £45 which is fairly par for the course these days.
There is a good wine list with wines by the glass from around £10, though the list extends to fine wines at fairly sensible price points for their quality.
LOCATION
The Guinea Grill
30 Bruton Place,
London W1J 6NL
020 7409 1728