Les 110 de Taillevent

The Verdict

If you are looking for serious French cooking paired with one of London's most accessible high-end wine programs, Les 110 de Taillevent is worth booking over most alternatives at the £££ price point. It is not trying to compete with the £££££ Michelin temples nearby; it sits in a more practical, repeatable category: a formal French brasserie where the wine list is the star and the kitchen keeps up without overshadowing it. For wine-focused diners who want depth without the full tasting-menu commitment, there is little else in central London that comes close.

About the Restaurant

Les 110 de Taillevent occupies a converted Coutts bank on the corner of Harley Street and Cavendish Square, a few minutes from Oxford Circus. The setting does the work before the menu arrives: ornate high ceilings, deep green banquettes, the kind of polished room that signals occasion without requiring black tie. The atmosphere runs warmer than the formality of the bones might suggest; service is described as relaxed and the energy leans brasserie rather than hushed fine dining.

This is the London outpost of the Parisian institution Le Taillevent, which holds Michelin recognition in Paris, the London address carries a Michelin Plate (2025) alongside consistent multi-year recognition from Star Wine List. That awards trail matters: Star Wine List has ranked this address in its leading positions every year from 2021 through 2025, which makes it one of the most consistently decorated wine destinations in the United Kingdom. For a wine enthusiast visiting London, that track record is the primary reason to come here over alternatives.

The Bar Counter and Wine Program

The name tells you the editorial angle: 110 wines by the glass, served in 70ml and 125ml measures. For anyone who takes wine seriously, that format changes the calculus of a meal. Rather than committing to a bottle, you can move across regions, producers, vintages course by course, which is exactly how the menu is structured. Each dish is matched to four wines across four price brackets, presented in a grid format that is designed to be usable rather than intimidating. A sommelier is on hand when the grid feels like too much.

The depth behind the by-the-glass program is not just volume. The cellar includes Château Lafite Rothschild back to 1897 and Château d'Yquem back to 1924. Those bottles exist for special occasions and serious collectors, but their presence signals the seriousness of the buying behind the more accessible pours. For an explorer who wants to work through a progression of wines matched to each course, sitting at or near the bar counter here is one of the better ways to spend an evening in London's West End. You get proximity to the service team, access to the sommelier's conversation, the full benefit of the by-the-glass format.

If you are coming primarily to drink well and eat secondary, a weekday lunch is the better call, quieter room, more sommelier attention, the same list available. If the wine program is your main reason to visit and you want to work through several pairings, arrive before the evening rush to secure counter or bar adjacency rather than a standard table deep in the room.

The Kitchen

The cooking at Les 110 is described by Michelin's assessors as modern French, more food-oriented than the Paris original, executed with precision and care. Sauces are noted as a particular strength, the kind of technically demanding work that distinguishes kitchens operating at this level from those simply plating competent bistro food. The kitchen's register is understated by design: this is not a menu that competes for attention with the wine list, which is the correct editorial decision for this format.

Dishes noted in verified assessments include mushroom-stuffed Cornish turbot in a light bonne femme variation, a lobster dish using pickled pumpkin against a foaming bisque, roasted venison loin with a coffee-tinged sauce alongside parsnip preparations. These descriptions are drawn from published assessments and give a reasonable picture of the kitchen's sensibility: classical French foundations with modern precision, not theatrical novelty. Lunch service opens with benchmark gougères, housemade sourdough, generously salted butter, a reliable signal of a kitchen that attends to the small things.

Practical Details

The address is 16 Cavendish Square, W1G 9DD, directly accessible from Oxford Circus. At £££, this sits below the full fine-dining price tier of London's Michelin-starred rooms, a meaningful difference if you are deciding between a one-off special occasion and a repeatable option for business lunches or wine-focused evenings. Booking difficulty is rated moderate, which means planning two to three weeks ahead for preferred times is sensible, particularly for Friday and Saturday evenings.

For context on London French dining more broadly, see our full London restaurants guide. Wine-focused visitors should also consider checking our full London bars guide and our full London wineries guide for adjacent recommendations.

Quick reference: £££ price range | Oxford Circus location | book 2–3 weeks ahead | Michelin Plate 2025 | 110 wines by the glass.

Nearby and Related

If you are building a wider London food and wine itinerary, Galvin La Chapelle offers a comparable French register at a similar price tier in the East. Chez Bruce in Wandsworth is worth the journey for French-influenced cooking with an equally serious wine approach. Le Gavroche is the historical reference point for formal French cooking in London. Pétrus by Gordon Ramsay occupies the higher price bracket with a wine-forward identity in Belgravia. For a different register entirely, 64 Goodge Street is a short walk away. Beyond London, comparable French precision at higher commitment levels can be found at The Fat Duck in Bray, L'Enclume in Cartmel, Moor Hall in Aughton, Gidleigh Park in Chagford, and Hand and Flowers in Marlow. Internationally, the wine-focused French fine dining tradition is also represented at Hotel de Ville Crissier in Crissier and L'Effervescence in Tokyo. For regional UK finds in the same wine-attentive category, hide and fox in Saltwood is worth noting. Complete London planning resources: our full London hotels guide | our full London experiences guide.