Restaurant in London, United Kingdom · Inside Blakes Hotel

Blakes

Name: Blakes
Address: 33 Roland Gardens, South Kensington, London SW7 3PF, United Kingdom, London, GB
Telephone: +44 20 7370 6701

180Pearl Points

Credentialled, low-key, worth the booking.

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About Blakes

Blakes is an OAD-ranked Asian Fusion restaurant in South Kensington, operating dinner-only from Tuesday to Saturday under chef Mariano Russo. Easier to book than most credentialled London restaurants, it suits diners who want considered cooking in an intimate hotel-adjacent room rather than a high-decibel fine-dining experience. A practical first choice if Asian Fusion is your format and the Kensington neighbourhood is your base.

Is Blakes worth booking for dinner in London?

Yes, if you are looking for Asian Fusion cooking in South Kensington that sits outside the usual fine-dining circuit. Blakes ranked #601 in Opinionated About Dining's Casual Europe list in 2024 and climbed to #746 in 2025 — a wider list with more entrants, so the persistence of a ranking across two consecutive years signals a kitchen that is performing consistently rather than peaking and fading. For a first-timer, the practical headline is this: it is easier to book than most London restaurants at this recognition level, dinner-only, Tuesday through Saturday, with last entry at midnight.

The Room and What to Expect

Blakes sits at 33 Roland Gardens in South Kensington — a residential street that keeps the restaurant feeling deliberately low-key from the outside. The address is connected to Blakes Hotel, one of London's more characterful boutique properties, the dining room carries that DNA: intimate, designed with intention, scaled for conversation rather than spectacle. For a first-timer, the room will feel closer and more enclosed than the big-room London restaurants; this is not a place for large group celebrations that need visual drama, but it works well for two or four people who want the meal to be the event itself.

Under chef Mariano Russo, the kitchen runs an Asian Fusion programme, a format that, at this level, rewards sitting where you can see the pacing of the kitchen rather than being tucked at a corner table. If bar or counter seating is available, take it: Asian Fusion cooking at this standard benefits from watching the sequence of dishes come together, the closer you are to the pass, the more the format makes sense. Ask when you book whether counter positions are accessible.

Booking and Practical Details

Reservations: Booking difficulty is rated Easy, you are unlikely to need more than a week or two of lead time, though weekend slots will fill faster than mid-week. Hours: Dinner only, Tuesday to Saturday, 19:00 to midnight; closed Sunday and Monday. Dress: No dress code is published; given the hotel setting and the OAD recognition, smart-casual is a safe read. Budget: Price range is not published in available data, contact the restaurant directly or check the current menu online before you go. Getting there: South Kensington Underground (District, Circle, Piccadilly lines) puts you within a short walk of Roland Gardens.

Who Should Book Blakes

Blakes makes most sense for diners who want a credentialled, lower-profile alternative to the high-decibel fine-dining rooms that dominate London's restaurant conversation. If you are visiting South Kensington already, for the museums or the hotel neighbourhood, it is an obvious dinner choice that does not require crossing the city. It also works for occasions where you want the meal to feel considered without the formality of a tasting-menu-only room. If you need a large table, a buzzy atmosphere, or a kitchen that is currently pulling maximum critical attention, look elsewhere. If you want a well-executed Asian Fusion dinner in a room that rewards the food rather than the scene, Blakes earns its OAD ranking.

How It Compares

Blakes operates in a different register from London's most-booked fine-dining addresses. CORE by Clare Smyth and The Ledbury are harder to book, significantly more expensive, built around multi-course tasting menus, the comparison is relevant only if you are deciding how much formality and spend you want. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library both sit at the higher end of London's price tier and carry more theatrical room energy. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal offers comparable accessibility but is a Modern British kitchen, not Asian Fusion, draws a more tourist-facing crowd. Blakes' nearest international peers in format and cuisine type are Dos Palilos in Barcelona and Aalto in Milan, both OAD-recognised Asian Fusion operations in European hotel or boutique settings. The clearest booking logic: if Asian Fusion at a credentialled but accessible level is what you want in London, Blakes is the default recommendation in its category.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I eat at the bar at Blakes?

Blakes does not publish bar-seating details in available venue information. Given the address at 33 Roland Gardens and its deliberately residential, low-key format, this is a sit-down dinner restaurant first. check the venue's official channels before arriving expecting counter or bar dining.

How far ahead should I book Blakes?

Booking difficulty at Blakes is rated easy — a week or two of lead time is typically sufficient. Weekend slots between Tuesday and Saturday will fill faster, so aim for 10–14 days out if you have a specific Friday or Saturday in mind. Blakes is closed Monday and Sunday.

Does Blakes handle dietary restrictions?

No dietary policy is documented in the venue record for Blakes. The Asian Fusion format can involve complex sauces and multi-ingredient preparations, so flag any restrictions clearly when booking rather than assuming they will be visible on a menu at the table.

Is lunch or dinner better at Blakes?

Dinner only — Blakes operates Tuesday through Saturday from 19:00, with no lunch service listed. If you need a South Kensington lunch option with comparable credentials, you will need to look elsewhere.

Is Blakes good for a special occasion?

Yes, with a caveat on format fit. Blakes ranked #601 in the Opinionated About Dining Casual Europe list in 2024, rising to a parallel ranking in 2025, which gives it genuine credibility without the theatre of a full tasting-menu room. It suits occasions where the food matters more than the ceremony — anniversaries or birthday dinners for people who find high-decibel fine dining exhausting.

What are alternatives to Blakes in London?

For higher-stakes occasions with more formal structure, CORE by Clare Smyth or The Ledbury are the benchmarks, but both are significantly harder to book and priced above Blakes. For a similarly low-profile, credentialled dinner in London, the OAD Casual Europe list is a practical filter for finding comparable rooms. Blakes is the better call if you want Asian Fusion specifically and do not want to plan months ahead.

What should I order at Blakes?

Specific menu items are not documented in the venue record for Blakes, the Asian Fusion format under chef Mariano Russo is subject to change. Ask the staff on arrival what is current — at a restaurant of this profile, the team should be able to steer you without much prompting.

Location

33 Roland Gardens, South Kensington, London SW7 3PF, United Kingdom

London, United Kingdom

Compare Blakes

Recognized Venues: Blakes and Peers

Venue	Awards	Price
Blakes	Opinionated About Dining Casual in Europe Ranked #746 (2025); Opinionated About Dining Casual in Europe Ranked #601 (2024)
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay	Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best	££££
CORE by Clare Smyth	Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best	££££
The Ledbury	Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best	££££
Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library	Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best	££££
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal	Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best	££££

How Blakes stacks up against the competition.

Also Consider

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Contemporary European, French, ££££
CORE by Clare Smyth, Modern British, ££££
The Ledbury, Modern European, Modern Cuisine, ££££
Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library, Modern French, ££££
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Modern British, Traditional British, ££££

Blakes sits in a different tier from London's most competitive dinner reservations. CORE by Clare Smyth and The Ledbury are both harder to book, more expensive, built around structured tasting menus with full-table commitment, the right call if you want maximum technical ambition and have the time and budget to match. Blakes offers an accessible entry point to OAD-recognised cooking in London without that level of logistical planning.

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library both carry more room drama and higher price points, better choices if the occasion needs visual scale or if French-influenced cooking is your priority over Asian Fusion. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is similarly accessible on booking and sits in the same hotel-restaurant category, but serves Modern British rather than Asian Fusion and draws a notably tourist-facing crowd.

The clearest decision logic: if you want OAD-recognised Asian Fusion in an intimate South Kensington setting without weeks of lead time, Blakes is the default recommendation in its category. If you want a grander room, a French or Modern British kitchen, or a tasting menu that runs the full table for three hours, one of the alternatives above will serve you better.