Restaurants

The atmosphere in the Wolseley shimmers with glamour and excitement. Iron chandeliers hang from vaulted ceilings like in a central European castle; the gilded chinoiserie of the wall panels and fittings adds fun and lightness; and the dining room is filled with a lively social energy. It’s a sought-after venue at any time of day: breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea or dinner. Waiting staff are warm and professional, and the tables are laid out with good linen and silverware, as you’d expect. The quality of the food ranges from humdrum to excellent. On our last visit, the chopped chicken livers with dill pickles and cream crackers were simple and delicious, and a salad of fresh broad beans and peas with asparagus, radish and herbs just right for the season. The pièce de résistance was an astonishingly good piece of halibut, smoky from the grill and perfectly succulent, served with a fine béarnaise sauce. A dessert of butter-roasted pineapple seemed a little sad and soggy, though the rum and raisin ice-cream with it was lovely. Strangely, the one poor dish was a house classic: a wiener schnitzel they’d apparently forgotten to season. If you haven’t got a booking the friendly greeters may well be able to find you a place to eat in the cosy bar or cute café area, where a tempting display of cakes commands centre stage.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009