Alyn Williams

We went to a lot of fancy restaurants in London — this was our favorite.
The ambience was very classy and sophisticated, but also very comfortable and welcoming.
I loved that there was a lot of space between the tables, which provided a nice sense of privacy and allowed for relaxation.
Service was warm and friendly, yet professional. We even had a chance to meet Chef Williams himself, which was a treat!
The food was extraordinary and Very Good Value Indeed (for London) at 7 superb courses for 70 GBP.
(My favorite dish may have been the strawberry pavlova dessert with anise hyssop, but everything else was great too — the glazed pigeon with peach/​turnip/​truffle/​almonds, the beef with summer vegetables and herb gnocchi, the prawns, the sausage, the salmon, etc.
If I ever get back to London, this restaurant would be at the very top of my list of places to return.

I have to confess, I did not have very high expectations from Alyn Williams. Firstly, the interior is that sort of inoffensive, hotel foyer style that just screams zero personality. And Secondly, despite loving food and enjoying critiquing food, I actually have a pretty poor knowledge of the foodie scene. I never know what is in vogue or who is who. And I generally don’t enjoy fine dining as I prioritise taste above technique and presentation. Case in point Alyn Williams! Despite loving Marcus Wareing, I had no idea that Alyn was an ex-​head chef at Marcus’ until one of my friends told me afterwards when I commented «this is a lot like Marcus Wareing but cheaper»… cringe right?
But my ignorance aside, you will have to trust me when I say that this place is great. The food was obviously cooked perfectly and the presentation was beautiful as you would expect from an ex-​head chef at Marcus Wareing, but more importantly the food was all very delicious and we left fully satisfied. We went for the £35 set lunch menu plus a bottle of wine and it felt like excellent value for a special lunch date. In fact, we were so impressed, I booked us in for dinner to celebrate my partner’s birthday — and I cannot wait to come back.
This is exceptional food, like Marcus but much more affordable than Marcus.

Celebrating my belated birthday with my cousin, Vivienne, I’m glad that I made a good dinner venue choice this time.
I first had a taste of Chef Alyn Williams cooking at the Dinner in the Sky event last year in Canary Wharf, which I really enjoyed. Hence, I was confident that I had made the right choice for this special occasion.
We were sat at a nice, quiet corner at the far end of the room. I love cocktails as much as I love champagne, so it seemed logical to order a champagne cocktail — I ordered the Imperial Lavender whilst Viv had The Prestige. Both really nice apéritifs.
I also had a glass white wine, which was the recommended Slovakian wine, Château Belá Riesling.
We were shown both tasting menus and were informed that we could replace/​swap any of the dishes from the other menu should we wish to do so. It is nice to know that there are restaurants like these who are flexible and make an effort to accommodate different customer preferences.
We both however stuck to the regular tasting menu as all the dishes appealed to us.
We were served a nice selection of bread and butter to start with. This was followed by some mouthwatering amuse-​bouches.
I particularly really liked the cheese gougères. I had some really good ones just about a week ago at Medlar in Chelsea, but these were much lighter and moist and a delicious mouthful of cheese-​y goodness. Another favourite was the foie gras.
The first dish was the marinated sea bream, served in a cute transparent bowl. The flavours were really fresh, combined with the subtle sweetness of the cubes of fresh apple and jelly and saltiness of the caviar.
Next was the John Dory that I don’t often see in many restaurants. Lovely flaky flesh with quite a firm, meaty texture, which was quite flavoursome.
The aerated foie gras had an interesting combination with the nori and pickled vegetables. I have had foie gras in quite a few places, but never aerated, which was much lighter then usual. Definitely one of our favourites of the evening.
The barbequed Holstein tartare was another highlight for me. The meat was marinated just enough so that I could still taste the meat. I must say that having oyster and beef tartare was a first for me, not quite sure if it would work in most cases, but it certainly was different.
There were two options for the next course — Viv went for the Cornish hogget, whilst I chose the other option of roasted pigeon, as I do love game. Both really well-​executed dishes, and we both got to try each others dishes, so we didn’t miss out on either.
There was the option for the cheese selection for a supplemental £12, but unfortunately we were quite full at that stage and wanted to save space for dessert. However, if you are one who prefers cheese over sweet desserts, I would definitely recommend going for it, as the tray that they brought over really did look very tempting!
The first dessert was a Meyer lemon sorbet served in its skin and topped with grounded bits of caramel popcorn — refreshing and a great palate cleanser. The next dessert was just as satisfying — simple yet classy.
And to finish, some petit fours which were some petite brioche buns, and salted caramel and Turkish delight chocolate truffles.
The whole evening passed by really smoothly, without feeling rushed like the previous weekend. Service was calm and attentive, without being overbearing, and the friendly restaurant manager made an effort to come by our table to check on us during and after our meal.
This was my first time dining at the restaurant, and it certainly won’t be my last.
Check out my blog for the full post with photos x

Great restaurant in west bury hotel. Everything you expect from a high end restaurant — the setting is very cozy and comfortable. Each table is spaced very well with quite intimate setting. Good sound level for conversations. The staffs are amazing — slightly young but very attentive. Food is very good quality — I have tried many fine dinning places in London and this ranks one of the top. Really recommend it.
Friday and sat evening are tasting menu only and that is what makes the great execution. Tasting menu is £70, one of the best value. If you don’t like something or allergic, they are very happy to change so don’t be shy to discuss your concerns.

This is quite a really exquisite restaurant. My boyfriend and I went there on a Saturday night and the atmosphere was quite nice and relaxed. Service was top tier as it wasn’t full at around 10pm. We got a set course for £70pp and it was absolutely delicious, food is always exquisitely presented. The tables are also spaced out quite generously so that even when it is full, you don’t overhear conversations.

A wonderful meal from start to finish — with a grand venue, combining with top-​notch staff and a delicious, diverse menu. A key differentiating factor between Alyn Williams and other similarly minded establishments is the service — which was significantly more laid-​back (in a good way). Servers and managers clearly care about food in the same way that I do, and this was evidenced in their willingness to gush about the restaurant/​chef, engage on ingredients, and offer a tour of the kitchen. The touch of wait staff was never overbearing — but at the same time, offered a strong attention to detail and a clear care for making dinner a special event.
We opted for the Tasting Menu for our meal: the traditional set for me, the Vegetarian menu for my wife. Both were extraordinary: the highlights included a deconstructed «Onion Bhajee», a Lamb w/​smoked aubergine, spiced chickpeas, and tzatziki (the smell!), and a Baked Apple/​Hazelnut/​Rolo Bar dessert that was among the best things I have eaten this year. Each course offered a playful interpretation or a unique combination of flavours without being too contrived — a rare feat! I found the wine parings to be well executed, albeit a touch unimaginative (save a beer pairing with one of the courses). In sum, I would easily go back for exactly the same meal and be very, very happy.
I would safely rank Alyn Williams in the first cut of London restaurants. And at a price point at ro