Hélène Darroze at The Connaught

Set within one of Mayfair's most storied hotels, this restaurant pairs French chef Hélène Darroze's refined, ingredient-led cooking with the quiet grandeur of The Connaught's dining room. Its 4.5 rating across more than 900 reviews includes plenty of travellers describing it as their first Michelin-starred meal, suggesting a warmer, more approachable style of formality than some of London's other tasting-menu temples.

It works well solo, as one reviewer notes treating themselves after arriving in London alone, as well as for couples wanting a proper celebratory dinner. Expect a long, leisurely evening built around multiple courses.