The Ledbury has become a byword for fine dining in London, perhaps no surprise given that its doors have been open for 15 years and that it has held two Michelin stars for more than half this time. However, the world has moved on. While the Ledbury was once, arguably, in a class of its own, others can now match and even beat the venue at its game.
Last weekend marked the third time my dining comrade and I have been (the last two occasions were in 2013 and 2016) and although we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, there was a palpable absence of the wow element that had characterised previous visits. There was nothing either actively bad or disappointing with our experience; just that for service, Core now champions over the Ledbury. Meanwhile, in terms of a truly decadent dining splash-out, then my vote would go to the Lecture Room and Library at Sketch.
Perhaps the Ledbury is in slight need of a formula revamp? The room has remained almost unchanged since its inception. There are no bad tables since the back walled mirrors help create both extra light and viewing opportunities. Meanwhile the décor speaks of confident wealth: muted cream and coffee furnishings throughout. All the servers could not be faulted for their professionalism (and we were particularly impressed with the charismatic sommelier), but there was not quite that joy of working there or sense of trying to make you, the diner, feel truly special that we have witnessed elsewhere.
In terms of the food, on a weekend it’s tasting menu or nothing and we went for the full eight-course experience with paired wines, omnivorous for me, vegetarian for my comrade. As is the current vogue, there is a strong element in terms of both seasonality and provenance with all the dishes also prepared with the inevitable Instagram snapper in mind. Amuse-bouches with a beautiful Brut Nature Laherte Freres NV champagne set the tone for what was to come. There were several ensuing highs (my roast cod – pictured – and also the fallow deer were both amazing), but there were likewise some equally forgettable offerings (the winter salad or pumpkin dessert). My comrade felt similarly. There is always a danger in a review such as this of not wanting to appear either spoilt or unappreciative – tables need to be booked 2-3 months in advance and the bill tops £250/head – and to reiterate, we had a wonderful evening; it’s just simply that the Ledbury is no longer first among equals.