The Hyde Restaurant & Bar in City of London, Westminster - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

We booked afternoon tea for a special occasion. The receptionist was cold and unwelcoming. Being led through at 115pm we were greeted by an overwhelming smell of paint. The skirting board in the first part of the bar / restaurant had a sheet down and an open tin of paint. Who does this at peak lunchtime ? Being asthmatic I struggled with the smell which is triggering but no apology made. Afternoon tea was good and so this has the opportunity to be an excellent find. The bar feels sumptuous and inviting and each area is small and intimate. Staff were not welcoming but functional in their operation. A few corrections would make it a wow

Entering from Westbourne Terrace through heavy doors of aged wooden slabs we were greeted by efficient staff who took our coats and showed us to our table which was adjacent to the magnificent curved wooden staircase leading to the upper floor. We were a table of six: grandparents visiting from South Africa, daughter and son-in-law and two young grandchildren (6 & 9). We ordered coffee (and hot chocolate for the youngsters). After 35 minutes nothing had arrived, prompting us to remind the delightfully polite floor manager, who offered apologies and bustled off to investigate. The coffee, when it eventually appeared, was arguably the best I have ever tasted - and without doubt, the most expensive. The meals should have been served simultaneously - sadly they arrived in relays. In terms of culinary excellence the food can only be described as standard restaurant fare with fancy names and hefty price tags. To be honest, I have had significantly better food at roadside diners and African bush lodges. However, to remain completely objective, I must say that the decor and ambience at Hyde is extremely pleasant. Certainly, the establishment was popular and several patrons would have looked great at a fashion event. The 'value' of the overall experience must be balanced between a combination of elements: the decor and ambience - great, the food - average, the service - not so great and the cost ... upper bracket. Perhaps this is the norm for up-market restaurants in central London, but the question of true value remains in question.

This dining experience exceeded my expectations in EVERY WAY, from greeting though cocktails, dinner (and my return for lunch the next day), and dessert -- food preparation, plating, and service were 5-Star rating. The setting is intimate, and when dressed for the holiday, you can enjoy the Spirit of Christmas in the special touches that invite you to dress up *and* relax into the season. The adjoining boutique hotel accommodations were entirely affordable and all but guarantee my return for a 2024 Christmas getaway. Crafted cocktails are inventive and made with finely distilled spirits -- the rhubarb margarita was my favorite. Fish and chips from the lunch menu were excellent, and my choice for dinner was the tomato and pesto pasta, which was absolutely wonderful. My choices for dessert were the Belgium dark chocolate tart and pear tart at lunch -- the cherry sorbet and chocolate would win for me on a repeat visit. Mr. Buddhika, the restaurant manager, can be trusted to keep a close eye on details while providing the measure of hospitality that is both pleasantly welcoming and entirely professional. The pride he has for both the restaurant and hotel are evident and informs his work in a wonderful way. Beyond these details, I encourage you to pay attention to the impressive sense of team work at play, which includes the hostesses at the front desk, the servers (Oksana makes a fabulous margarita, by the way), and the magic coming from the kitchen -- I offer my highest praise for the chef. If you are still reading, I will add just one more thing: I write this review with both the highest praise *and* a measure of reluctance -- glad to offer the recommendation but knowing that, if the Hyde Restaurant and Bar are discovered by too many others to be the incredible go-to spot for dining in the Christmas 2024 season (or any other time), I may not so easily find my own table. I'm nonetheless passing on my encouragement that on your next visit to London, you make The Hyde one of your -high-priority stops, and I'll trust my luck to early planning. Bon Appetit!

Really nice afternoon tea. Great presentation, very pleasant service. Did have to hunt them down for more tea as they left us alone after dropping off rea and biscuits but very pleasant. Lovely holiday music and calm intimate traditional vibe. Relaxing tea.

Great venue and absolutely amazing staff. The chef’s are brilliant. Special mention to Bhuddika who was very helpful and proactive in arranging our event with us. A big thank you and well done to the whole team.