This booth table is the one to go for if you're here with a group
What do we need to know about abc kitchens?
This is the restaurant at London's swanky new all-suites hotel The Emory. In charge is chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten who's opened various iterations of his abc brand in New York over the years - each one had a different focus, farm-to-table, plant-based, and Latin-inspired. Now all three have come together in one place here in London.
Running the kitchen for Jean-Georges at The Emory is chef Ben Boeynaems, who's worked with both Gordon Ramsey and Eric Chavot, and he has a very chichi open kitchen overlooking Hyde Park to help him here. The space is beautifully designed, with two huge Damian Hirst paintings hanging over the dining room and loads of bronze-toned hues making this apparently a dazzling area in the evenings.
Where exactly is it?
It's not the easiest of places to spot from the street. If you know where The Berkeley is, head in that direction. This hotel adjoins that and you can get into abc kitchens either by passing through from Cedric Grolet's cafe or through the main Emory entrance which is tucked down a private street off Knightsbridge. There are two very close tube stations to get here - either Hyde Park Corner or Knightsbridge itself will work.
This is the main hotel entrance you're looking for
Where should we meet friends for a drink first?
Handily the Emory has not one but two bars at ground level (there's a rooftop one for guests only). In the restaurant itself, there's a bar with room for a handful of diners to gather for a pre or post-prandial tipple. But there's also an entirely separate bar called straightforwardly The Emory Bar, which leads out to the courtyard.
The Emory Bar which has its own separate bar menu and bar snacks
There's a courtyard?
The outside space at The Emory is notably great, and it's completely hidden from the hubbub of the main Knightsbridge thoroughfare. Beautifully landscaped and covered, this is going to a super popular place to hang out in the summer.
Expect this to get very busy over the summer
Where should we sit in the restaurant?
We liked our table by the window looking out to Hyde Park, plus there are going to be tables out on the narrow terrace here too when the weather warms up. But there's also a great group booth table that gives you a good view over the whole restaurant (pictured at the top).
What kind of food is on the menu?
You'll find everything from signature dishes that made an impact when various abcs opened in New York to dishes representing the three elements, locavore, plant-led and those with a Latin-American flavour.
We had a good roam through the menu to give you an idea of what to expect.
Spring pea guacamole (£17) - you may be thinking that's a lot to pay for guac, but this is one of those dishes that caused quite the stir when Jean-Georges premiered it in New York. If you're not a guacamole purist you're going to absolutely love this.
Dorset crab toast (£19) - so pretty! This is a signature dish from abc kitchens topped with borage flowers and lemon aioli.
Diver sea scallop tartare (£28) - this is served up taco-style with leaves of shiso and slices of kohlrabi as the wraps.
Crispy Dover Sole tacos filled with cabbage, apple slaw and aioli (£19)
Char grilled beef tenderloin (£60) - a dish that really makes use of the amazing grill in the kitchen and topped with a punchy chimichurri.
What's on the menu for vegetarians?
There's so much on offer here, in addition to that pea guac, but don't leave ordering the many plant-focused dishes to the veggies as they're too good not to share.
Roasted cauliflower (£21) - drizzled with turmeric tahini and your table and served with red zhug, pistachio date molasses this might have been our favourite dish from our lunch here.
Heirloom beet carpaccio (£16) - an elegantly presented dish that (almost) converted one of us who is a confirmed beet-hater to the vegetable.
Room for dessert?
We ended up trying three of the desserts on offer. And while that cafe con leche dish of tres leches cake topped with toasted meringue was great, the slightly deconstructed ice-cream sundae with hot fudge sauce just pipped it to the post.
Clockwise from top right: Cafe con leche (£12); Gariguette strawberry (£13) and Salted caramel ice-cream sundae (£14)
What about drinks?
Anyone swerving alcohol is going to really enjoy the drinks list here which is packed with freshly pressed juices, house-made tonics and sodas and iced matcha lattes. That said, if you are going the boozy route, there's a lot to enjoy here and we thought both our cocktails were very well pitched.
Spring pea & herb martini (£20) - made with pea-infused sapling vodka, Cocchi extra dry vermouth and mint, dill, lemon
Overall thoughts
If you thought this sounded like a standard luxe international hotel dining experience you'd be so wrong. The menu may be one of the best we've seen in ages - good luck trying to decide what to have - and everything we tried was packed with flavour, but also beautifully presented.
What is very luxe hotel is the service which hits the perfect note. It may have helped that Jean-George's brother was heading up the front-of-house team during the lunchtime we were there! This all comes highly recommended.
More about abc kitchens
Where is it? Old Barrack Yard, Belgravia, London SW1X 7NP
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @maybournehotelgroup.
Hot Dinners dined as guest of abc kitchens. Prices correct at time of publication.
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