In celebration of its 160th anniversary, Café Royal Grill now welcomes guests for lunch and dinner, with a seasonal menu by chef Kevin Gratton

To mark 160 years of heritage, Hotel Café Royal and long admired for its afternoon tea, the restaurant now also
welcomes guests for lunch and dinner, a return to its original purpose.

|Established in 1865, Café Royal Grill was inspired by the grand brasseries of Paris. Once frequented by people such as Winston Churchill, Oscar Wilde, Brigitte Bardot, and Princess Diana, it now blends historic grandeur with a fresh take on classic dining.

Its mirrored walls, gilded detailing and ornate ceiling form a backdrop for its culinary offering.

At the helm is chef, Kevin Gratton, who has collaborated with the Hotel Café Royal team to create an ingredient-led, seasonal menu that champions exceptional British producers, including:

• Glenarm Estate: Hotel Café Royal is the only London hotel to serve salt-aged beef from this
  Northern Irish estate, prized for its depth of flavour and unique ageing process.
• Keltic Seafare: Scottish shellfish delivered daily on the night train to Euston.
• Wright Brothers: Wet fish sourced directly from Brixham market.
• Spillman Farm: Offering six hand-selected varieties of English asparagus.
• Annabel’s Deliciously British: Seasonal British strawberries from Harrogate.
• Paxton & Whitfield: London’s oldest cheesemonger and supplier to Winston Churchill.
• Abernethy Butter: Hand-rolled butter crafted by Alice Abernethy in Northern Ireland’s
  County Down.

The menu places emphasis on grilled meats and fish, echoing the dishes that once defined its character and still anchor its offering today.

Signature dishes include steak tartare; lobster bisque with cider brandy and chive Chantilly; and the house speciality, chicken and bacon pie ‘Café Royal’ with black truffle sauce and mashed potato. This time-honoured recipe has been passed down by word of mouth for many years, from chef to chef since the restaurant’s inception.

In addition, a rotating selection of seasonal dishes will be refreshed every four weeks to showcase the produce of the moment

The wine cellar, originally conceived by Hotel Café Royal’s founder, Daniel Nicols, and once regarded as the finest in the world, has been curated to complement the new menu.

Two hero cocktails feature on the menu, selected from the original Café Royal Cocktail Book, first published in 1937.

The Grill Martini showcases Café Royal’s own gin, ‘Café Royal Gin’, alongside Bottega Cinzano, while the Café Royal Appetizer is a modern take on a traditional Negroni, blending No.3 Gin, Grand Marnier, Campari and Bottega Cinzano Rosso.

As in the restaurant’s golden era, live music returns as part of the experience. Classical piano, jazz,
and acoustic sets will accompany lunch, afternoon tea and dinner,

Pre-theatre menu available Monday-Friday 5-7pm. Two courses £35, three courses £40.
Seatings: Lunch 12-2pm, Afternoon Tea 4-6pm. Dinner 5-10pm (last seating at 10pm).