Wild Honey St James

Verdict: Worth the Effort to Book, But Know What You're Getting

Wild Honey St James is a Michelin-starred Modern European brasserie inside the Sofitel on Waterloo Place, it earns its star without theatre or ceremony. If you've dined here before and are wondering whether to return, the answer is yes; the cooking under Anthony Demetre is consistent in a way that few restaurants at this level manage. Booking is genuinely difficult: Tuesday through Saturday evenings fill quickly, Wednesday is the only lunch service, the room is closed Sunday and Monday entirely. Plan at least two to three weeks ahead, especially for weekend evenings.

The Room

The physical space is worth understanding before you arrive, because it shapes the experience considerably. Wild Honey occupies a Grade II-listed former banking hall, which means high ceilings, substantial proportions, a grandeur that could easily tip into stiff formality. It doesn't. The room carries its architecture lightly; the scale gives you breathing space rather than pressure, the atmosphere lands closer to a well-run Parisian brasserie than a hushed London fine-dining room. For a second visit, consider requesting a table towards the centre of the room rather than the perimeter; the spatial drama of the banking hall reads better from there, the room is one of the more genuinely interesting dining environments in this part of London. If you're coming from HIDE or Corrigan's Mayfair, both of which carry a similar £££ positioning in the neighbourhood, Wild Honey's room is more architecturally arresting than either.

The Cooking and How It Progresses

Demetre's approach at Wild Honey is structured around a brasserie format rather than a strict tasting menu, but the kitchen builds plates with the kind of deliberate progression you'd expect from a more formal setting. The Michelin inspectors single out dishes like the duck, pork and guinea fowl terrine en croûte and Loire Valley rabbit, both are indicative of the house register: classical foundations, generous portioning, flavour that doesn't need explaining. This is not a kitchen that performs; it cooks. For returning diners, the custard tart has become something of a signature that the OAD write-up describes with enough conviction to suggest it belongs on the short list of dishes in London worth specifically revisiting. If you skipped it on your first visit, don't on your second.

The OAD rating places Wild Honey at #472 in the Casual Europe list for 2025, up from #420 in 2024, a meaningful upward movement that reflects sustained rather than declining quality. The Michelin star, held since at least 2024, confirms the kitchen is operating at a level above most of the surrounding St James's competition.

When to Go

Wednesday lunch is the practical insider option. The room is quieter, the pace is different, if you're weighing a business lunch against something like St. Barts, Wild Honey's address and room carry more weight for a client-facing meal. Evening service runs Tuesday through Saturday from 5 PM, the last sitting is 9:30 PM, arrive at or after 8:30 PM if you want the room at its most animated. The restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday, which is worth noting if you're building a wider London itinerary using our full London restaurants guide.

Know Before You Go

• Price range: £££, expect a spend in line with a serious London brasserie, below the £££ flagship tier of CORE or The Ledbury
• Booking difficulty: Hard, two to three weeks minimum for evenings; Wednesday lunch is the easiest booking in the week
• Hours: Tuesday 5–9:30 PM; Wednesday 12–3 PM and 5–9:30 PM; Thursday–Saturday 5–9:30 PM; closed Sunday and Monday
• Location: 6 Waterloo Place, SW1Y 4AN, inside the Sofitel St James; St James's Park and Piccadilly Circus tubes are both within comfortable walking distance
• Awards: Michelin 1 Star (2024); OAD Casual Europe #472 (2025); OAD Casual Europe #420 (2024)
• Chef: Anthony Demetre
• Dress code: Smart casual is the appropriate call; the room's architecture suggests effort, but the atmosphere doesn't demand it