Café Royal Grill celebrates its 160th anniversary with a menu that transforms the art of nostalgic dining

For 160 years, Hotel Café Royal has been one of London’s coolest locations – a stalwart of style and glamour, hosting literary greats and celebrities alike, from Oscar Wilde and Virginia Woolf to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The Café Royal Grill, established in 1865, has long been a central part of the venue’s draw – it was here that David Bowie hosted his ‘Last Supper’ party to bid farewell to his Ziggy Stardust persona in 1973, with guests including Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr, Barbra Streisand and Salvador Dalí. 

For more than a century this was not a place to be seen so much as a place to indulge in great food, fine wine and unapologetic opulence. In recent years, the Grill had become better known for its acclaimed afternoon tea – but now it has returned to its roots, offering indulgent lunch and dinner services with a fantastic mix of classic, seasonal dishes by chef Kevin Gratton. 

It’s the end of the last of the summer heatwaves when we enter the cool opulence of the Grill’s mirrored dining room, accented with gilded detailing that could be gaudy if not for the convivial atmosphere and sense of fun. This is a room with a Wildean touch, celebrating the glamour and celebrity of its past with a tongue-in-cheek good humour that keeps itself firmly rooted in the present. Naturally, we begin our lunch with a glass of champagne, as well as a new sparkling tea that our server recommends to beat the heat, as we peruse the menu.Chef Kevin’s menu continues the theme. Focusing on seasonal and, wherever possible, local ingredients, he has created an a la carte that not only puts simple but perfectly cooked grilled meats and fish back at centre stage, but revives and reinvents nostalgic treats to delight diners today.

We begin with a range of starters including roasted beets with Marcona almonds and horseradish crème fraiche, smoked salmon ‘Café Royal’ with soda bread and dulse butter, and a mouth-wateringly beautiful lobster cocktail with crushed avocado. 

We finish with the Grill’s twice baked cheddar cheese soufflé, a dish so phenomenal it was all we could do not to order another straight away. Served with spinach, it’s fluffy lightness of texture is perfectly balanced by the cheddar’s maturity of flavour. This is a ‘last supper’ dish worthy of the greats.Emboldened by our invigorating starters, we decide to remain with the house specialities for our mains: a perfect minute steak with green peppercorn sauce, accompanied by creamed spinach and an indulgently creamy mashed potato to complete the meal.

As we linger over our meals, debating the pros and cons of ordering another soufflé, and observe the dining room beginning to fill and bring the joyous ambience even higher, we can’t help but admire Chef Kevin’s ability to balance the allure of nostalgic dishes with his own signature style. From steak tartare to lobster bisque with cider brandy and chive Chantilly, to the chicken and bacon pie ‘Café Royal’ with black truffle sauce and mashed potato – a house recipe that has been passed down from chef to chef since the restaurant’s inception – the chef has replated each for today’s audience.Part of his skill is championing British producers. Hotel Café Royal is the only London hotel to serve salt-aged beef from Northern Irish Glenarm Estate; Keltic Seafare delivers Scottish shellfish daily via an overnight train to Euston; wet fish is sourced from the Wright Brothers at Brixham market; English asparagus is hand-selected from Spillman Farm and seasonal strawberries are provided by Annabel’s in Harrogate. London oldest cheesemonger, Paxton & Whitfield, supplies the Grill, while hand-rolled butter is crafted by Alive Abernethy in County Down, Northern Ireland.

The seasonal menu means a refreshed choice of classics are served every four weeks – current late summer highlights include Dorset blue lobster, sole véronique, and woodland mushroom velouté with Madeira and Tarragon. 

With these new menus, the Café Royal Grill reminds us why it has always been London’s grandest dining experience.

Read more food and drink news with Tempus