Restaurant in London, United Kingdom
Serious cooking, Mayfair prices, solid wine list.
Dovetale at 1 Hotel Mayfair delivers sourcing-driven European cooking — named estates, whole-bird sharing dishes, and a World of Fine Wine 2-Star wine programme — at £££ pricing that suits the address. The Michelin Plate kitchen is well-executed rather than technically ambitious. Book two to three weeks ahead; set a wine budget with the sommelier before you start.
Getting a table at Dovetale takes moderate effort — book two to three weeks ahead for dinner, and you should be fine. The harder question is whether it earns the spend. At £££ per head before wine, this is Mayfair pricing without apology, and the wine list (1,200 selections, 7,500 bottles in inventory, priced at $$$) can push the final bill significantly higher. For a food-and-wine enthusiast who wants sourcing-driven European cooking in a well-considered hotel setting, the answer is yes. If you want Michelin fireworks or a more distinctive point of view, look elsewhere.
Dovetale occupies the ground floor of 1 Hotel Mayfair, a sustainably oriented property on Dover Yard off Piccadilly. The room is warm and material-led: natural textures, plenty of plants, and enough light to make the space feel generous rather than enclosed. There is a terrace worth requesting in the current season — outdoor tables at this address book quickly and add a dimension to the meal that the interior, comfortable as it is, cannot replicate. The scale is civilised rather than cavernous, which keeps the atmosphere from tipping into the corporate formality you get at some hotel dining rooms in this postcode.
Tom Sellers (known for Story in Borough) and executive chef Tom Anglesea run a kitchen that positions itself around European classics updated with high-provenance British produce. That framing is not marketing copy , it shows up directly on the plate and in the sourcing decisions that define the menu's character. Somerset Saxon chicken is a whole-bird dish, shared at the table, with a bourguignon garnish and creamed potatoes. Fallow deer comes from Lockinge Estate in Oxfordshire, served as a rack, sausage and pie alongside Tokyo turnips and elderberry. Dover sole arrives as faultlessly steamed fillets paired with scallop mousse, cauliflower, grapes and tarragon , a recognisable take on sole véronique. John Dory from the Josper grill with Café de Paris butter is another dish that demonstrates the kitchen's preference for letting quality sourcing do the heavy lifting rather than layering on technique for its own sake.
The sourcing logic at Dovetale is what separates it from the broader category of hotel fine dining in London. Named estates and specific breed designations on a menu are easy to print, but the cooking here substantiates those choices. The mushroom tart , rye custard, pickled mushrooms for acidity , reads like a dish written around a specific ingredient rather than a concept. That attention to provenance is consistent across the menu and is the clearest justification for the price point. At £££, you are paying for produce quality as much as technique, and for a diner who reads those sourcing details as signal rather than noise, that is a reasonable exchange.
The wine programme, directed by Tara Ozols with sommelier support from Nasif Kanyike, Silvia Martin and Diego Flumian, holds a 2-Star accreditation from the World of Fine Wine awards (2024 and 2025) and consecutive Star Wine List top-two placings. Champagne, Bordeaux, France, Italy, California and English wines are the declared strengths across a list of 1,200 selections. The corkage fee is £50 if you prefer to bring your own. The inventory depth here is genuinely serious , this is not a list assembled to complement the food as an afterthought. That said, the pricing is steep. Taking a budget to the sommelier upfront is the right move: the team here are experienced enough to work within a number rather than push you toward the expensive end.
On the dessert end, the Knickerbocker Glory element , where diners can compose their own , offers a deliberate shift in register that works better in practice than it sounds on paper. Classic soufflés, French opera cake and pear-and-frangipane tart are the more formal options. Neither direction disappoints, and the dessert course here is stronger than at several comparably priced rooms in the neighbourhood.
For the explorer diner who tracks provenance, wants a wine list with genuine depth, and is happy to spend accordingly, Dovetale delivers a coherent and well-executed meal. The Michelin Plate recognition (2025) is the right level of acknowledgement: the cooking is sound and the sourcing is serious, but this is not a destination for technical boundary-pushing. It is a destination for a very good dinner with outstanding wine, in a room that does not make you feel like you are eating inside a hotel lobby.
If you are building a London trip around dining, Dovetale sits comfortably alongside other sourcing-focused European rooms. For broader context on the capital's dining options across all price points, see our full London restaurants guide. Elsewhere in the UK, kitchens with a similar commitment to named-estate sourcing include L'Enclume in Cartmel, Moor Hall in Aughton, and Gidleigh Park in Chagford, though all operate at a different register. Closer to London, Hand and Flowers in Marlow and The Fat Duck in Bray are worth the short journey if technique-led cooking is the priority. Within London, Arlington and Bar Valette offer European cooking at a lower spend if the budget is a factor. Six Portland Road is a strong alternative for wine-focused dining with less formality. For European cooking in other contexts, 1 York Place in Bristol and hide and fox in Saltwood are worth noting for future trips.
The venue is set within 1 Hotel Mayfair and includes a terrace, but the database does not confirm a standalone bar counter for dining. Your leading approach is to contact the restaurant directly to ask about bar seating before booking. If informal seating flexibility matters to you, Bar Valette and Arlington both offer more relaxed counter or bar-adjacent options in the same general price bracket.
Yes, with the right expectations. The combination of a Michelin Plate kitchen, a World of Fine Wine 2-Star wine programme, and a warm, well-designed room in Mayfair makes this a credible choice for a significant dinner. The pricing is high, the service is formal without being stiff, and the whole-bird dishes and composed desserts lend themselves to a celebratory pace. It is not the most technically theatrical room in London , for that, consider CORE by Clare Smyth , but if the occasion calls for great produce, serious wine, and a room that does not feel like a performance, Dovetale is a strong choice.
No dress code is confirmed in the venue data, but the setting , ground floor of a Mayfair luxury hotel, £££ pricing , implies smart casual at a minimum. A jacket for men is unlikely to be required, but trainers and streetwear would feel out of place. The room's natural-materials aesthetic skews contemporary rather than traditional formal, so well-dressed casual works well here.
Two to three weeks is the realistic lead time for a weekday dinner booking. Weekend slots and terrace tables in the current spring and summer season will go faster , aim for three to four weeks out if your date is fixed. Lunch may offer more flexibility on shorter notice. Dovetale is not as difficult to book as CORE by Clare Smyth or Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, both of which require significantly more lead time, but do not assume availability will hold if you leave it late.
For European cooking at a similar price in a less formal setting, Arlington and Six Portland Road are the most direct comparisons. If you want to spend more and want stronger Michelin credentials, CORE by Clare Smyth and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay are the logical next step, though both are harder to book and more expensive. For wine-led European dining with a lower bill, Bar Valette is worth considering. See our full London restaurants guide for a wider view of the market.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dovetale | Situated in the sustainably driven 1 Hotel Mayfair, Dovetale restaurant – “To join together harmoniously and precisely by means of a Dovetale” according to chef Tom Sellers – merges fine dining with p...; Like the hotel in which it sits – 1 Hotel Mayfair – Dovetale makes good use of natural materials and plenty of plants to create a warm, bright environment. It also has a great terrace and a welcoming atmosphere. The menu looks to Europe for its contemporary dishes; go for one to be shared, like the whole roasted 'Somerset Saxon' chicken. If you’re after a bit of nostalgia, you can design your own Knickerbocker Glory for dessert.; {"wbwl_source": {"slug": "dovetale", "page_type": "star_accreditation", "category_slug": "2-star-accreditation", "award_result": "Accredited", "is_global_winner": "False"}, "scraped_details": {"hero_image": "", "page_title": "2-Star Accreditation", "page_url": ""}, "source_row_snapshot": {"raw_name": "Dovetale"}}; In a stylish, warm-toned space on the ground floor of 1 Hotel Mayfair (one of the latest in London’s luxury constellation), Tom Sellers and his executive chef Tom Anglesea set about updating the European classics. It’s a continuation of a theme that began at Story Cellar in Covent Garden – though, this being Mayfair, the menu is priced for people who have no need to look at prices. There are no gimmicks, the cooking is sound and provenance is high on the priority list – perhaps Somerset Saxon chicken (with a bourguignon garnish and creamed potatoes, for the whole table to share) or fallow deer from Oxfordshire's Lockinge Estate (served as a rack, sausage and pie, with Tokyo turnips and elderberry). We began with a tepid (rather than the advertised 'warm') tart of mushrooms in a delicate rye custard – a welcome hint of acidity coming from a few pickled mushrooms concealed within – while faultlessly steamed Dover sole fillets, teamed with a light scallop mousse, cauliflower, grapes and tarragon was a delicious take on sole véronique. On another occasion, we enjoyed a wonderfully meaty John Dory 'chop' with smoky hints from the Josper grill, smothered in a punchy Café de Paris butter with plenty of warm spicing. To finish, classic soufflés, French opera cake or a delicate pear and frangipane tart are the highlights. The final tally is almost unavoidably high, not helped by an extensive wine list that is soberingly expensive. Take our tip and give the sommelier a budget if you want to get the best out of it.; Star Wine List #2 (2025); Star Wine List #1 (2025); Michelin Plate (2025); WINE: Wine Strengths: Champagne, Bordeaux, France, Italy, California, England Pricing: $$$ i Wine pricing: Based on the list\'s general markup and high and low price points:$ has many bottles < $50;$$ has a range of pricing;$$$ has many $100+ bottles Corkage Fee: $50 Selections: 1,200 Inventory: 7,500 CUISINE: Cuisine Types: British Pricing: $$$ i Cuisine pricing: The cost of a typical two-course meal, not including tip or beverages.$ is < $40;$$ is $40–$65;$$$ is $66+. Meals: Lunch and Dinner STAFF: People Tara Ozols:Wine Director Wine Director: Tara Ozols Sommelier: Nasif Kanyike, Silvia Martin, Diego Flumian Chef: Tom Anglesea Owner: CrossTree; Star Wine List #2 (2024); Star Wine List #1 (2024) | £££ | — |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | ££££ | — |
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | ££££ | — |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | ££££ | — |
| The Ledbury | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | ££££ | — |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | ££££ | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Dovetale has a terrace in addition to its main dining room at 1 Hotel Mayfair, Dover Yard. Bar seating availability is not confirmed in available venue data, so call ahead if counter or informal dining is your preference rather than assuming it.
Yes, with the right expectations. Dovetale holds a Michelin Plate (2025) and a World of Fine Wine 2-Star Accreditation, and the kitchen handles shareable centrepieces like whole roasted Somerset Saxon chicken well. The wine list runs to 1,200 selections and 7,500 bottles, so give the sommelier a budget ceiling upfront — costs escalate quickly. If you want a full-blown Michelin-starred occasion, The Ledbury or CORE by Clare Smyth operate at a higher tier; Dovetale sits a step below in formality but not in price.
Dovetale occupies a warm, material-led space inside a design-forward luxury hotel in Mayfair, so dress accordingly. There is no documented dress code in the venue data, but the neighbourhood, price point (£££), and setting make smart, put-together attire the sensible default. Trainers and casual clothes will likely feel out of place.
Two to three weeks ahead covers most dinner slots. Weekend tables and larger groups at this £££ Mayfair address will compress availability faster, so book earlier if your date is fixed. Lunch tends to be more accessible than dinner.
For a step up in prestige and price, CORE by Clare Smyth and The Ledbury both carry Michelin stars and operate in a similar west London register. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay suits those who want three-star formality. Sketch's Lecture Room and Library offers a more theatrical setting at comparable cost. If Dovetale's European-classics approach appeals but the Mayfair pricing feels steep, Story Cellar in Covent Garden — the earlier project from Tom Sellers — runs on a similar philosophy at a lower price point.
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