Zoilo

Verdict

Picture a Buenos Aires parrilla transposed to a wood-panelled room on Duke Street, Marylebone: that is the clearest way to frame what Zoilo is offering. The room, with its checkerboard floor, red leather banquettes and bar-counter focal point, sets a mood that the kitchen backs up with a menu built around pampas-reared Argentinian steaks, properly constructed small plates and an all-Argentinian wine list that is one of the more considered single-country lists in central London. If you want serious Argentinian cooking in a room with some atmosphere, book Zoilo. If you want a direct steakhouse without the regional-ingredient detailing, Gaucho Piccadilly is the simpler choice; but you will be trading specificity for volume.

What the Kitchen Does Well

Zoilo holds a Michelin Plate for both 2024 and 2025, which signals consistent cooking without the theatre of a starred room. The menu earns that recognition through technique applied to Argentinian regional traditions rather than through fusion novelty. The small-plate section leans on deconstructed Argentinian flavour combinations: the provoleta arrives as baked provolone with oregano honey and almonds, a richer and more considered version of the grilled cheese starter you find at most Argentine restaurants. Sea bream ceviche and warm green asparagus with soft-boiled egg, almonds ajo blanco and bottarga di muggine demonstrate that the kitchen is working at a level above the typical grill-restaurant brief.

The main-course section is where Zoilo earns its comparison to the better Argentinian tables globally. Cuts include bife ancho (ribeye), lomo (fillet) and asado (grilled flank served with Roscoff onions, Taleggio cheese sauce and salsa verde); sourced from pampas-reared cattle and presented with sauce work that reflects a kitchen paying attention. For those who want something other than steak, grilled monkfish with braised white asparagus, a jamón-spiked ragout of green peas and chicken jus is a fish dish with the same structural logic as the meat plates: a central Argentinian or Iberian-inflected ingredient, a careful sauce, disciplined accompaniments. For context, Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann in Miami and Beba in Montreal represent what high-ambition Argentinian cooking looks like in North America; Zoilo is playing in a comparable register for London.

Desserts hold the line: warm cinnamon and rhubarb jam roll with spicy custard and Chantilly cream is the kitchen showing range, while dulce de leche appears in crème brûlée form for those who want the familiar Argentinian finish. The all-Argentinian wine list is worth particular attention. Bottles start from £32, the range extends across the country's regional vineyards with substantial by-the-glass and carafe options, which matters if you are a pair working through different courses at different paces. For a restaurant at the ££ price point, the depth of the wine programme is above what you would typically expect.

The Room and the Occasion

Zoilo works well for a date or a celebratory dinner where you want atmosphere without the formality that comes with the city's £££+ rooms. The U-shaped bar counter, red studded banquettes and wood panelling create a room that feels considered without being stiff. For a special occasion in Marylebone at the ££ price level, the room and the food quality combine in a way that is harder to find than the price suggests. If you need the full Mayfair-adjacent celebration format with a longer tasting menu and more service ceremony, the Sketch Lecture Room and Library or CORE by Clare Smyth operate at a different register entirely, but at a significantly higher price point.

Booking and Practical Details

Zoilo sits at ££ on the price scale, which makes it one of the more accessible Michelin Plate addresses in central London. Booking difficulty is rated easy, meaning you do not need to set a calendar reminder six weeks out to secure a table. A reasonable approach is to book one to two weeks ahead for a weekend dinner, you should find availability more readily than at the ££££ Marylebone and Mayfair addresses nearby. The venue is at 9 Duke Street, London W1U 3EG, centrally located in Marylebone and walkable from Bond Street or Baker Street underground stations. There is no dress code on record, but the room, with its moody Buenos Aires aesthetic, suits smart-casual without any obligation toward formal. For groups, the bar counter seating and banquette layout suggest the room can flex between couples and small groups of four to six; for larger groups or private dining requirements, it is worth contacting the venue directly to confirm what the layout can accommodate.

How It Compares

See the full comparison section below for how Zoilo sits against London's broader dining options at different price points.

For more options in the city, see our full London restaurants guide, our full London hotels guide, our full London bars guide, our full London wineries guide, and our full London experiences guide. If you are planning wider UK dining around this trip, The Fat Duck in Bray, L'Enclume in Cartmel, Moor Hall in Aughton, Gidleigh Park in Chagford, Hand and Flowers in Marlow, and hide and fox in Saltwood are all worth looking at depending on your direction.