The story
At 20 Arlington Street, in the quiet heart of St James’s, a familiar welcome awaits. This is the address where Jeremy King and Chris Corbin opened Le Caprice in 1981. Decades later, after creating some of London’s most beloved restaurants—The Ivy, J Sheekey, The Wolseley—Jeremy King returned to these same roots to open Arlington. The restaurant describes itself as “contemporary since the forties,” reflecting the appetites of creative London with a menu of modern European classics.
The dining room is timeless. It offers a sense of occasion without fuss, a place equally suited to an indulgent first-night celebration or a restorative brunch the morning after. The kitchen’s seasonal approach is evident across the menus, from a weekend set lunch (a steal at £21 for two courses) to a Sunday fixture of sirloin of Hereford beef with all the trimmings. A typical seasonal menu might offer Heritage Tomato Panzanella or a Prawn and Avocado Cocktail to start, followed by Roast Corn-fed Chicken or Pan Seared Cornish Mackerel.
One of Arlington’s most celebrated dishes has a story. Their Bang Bang Chicken—tender shredded chicken in a peanutty sauce, served over julienned vegetables—first appeared on the menu of the original Le Caprice in the 1980s and quickly became a favourite of Princess Diana. Its origins are Sichuan, and the name derives from the Chinese word bàng, meaning a stick, traditionally used to pound the meat. The restaurant’s sauce remains a secret, but they share it has elements of peanut, soy, and sesame. The dish was inspired, as Jeremy King recalls, by a “rather dodgy” late-night meal in Earl’s Court that sparked the idea to bring a better version into Le Caprice.
Arlington moves with the pace of its neighbourhood. There is an early-evening cocktail hour—steak or tuna tartare with a martini for £12—and a late-night offer for those who dine after 9:45pm. It is a place that understands the appeal of a restorative lunch, a celebratory dinner, and the simple pleasure of a well-made drink. Its recognition by Michelin as a Recommended restaurant affirms what regulars already know: this is a dining room that has found its rhythm again, and it feels exactly right.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
More than three decades ago, there was nowhere quite like Le Caprice in London for high-glamour celebrity-spotting. With Jeremy King’s return to 20 Arlington Street comes a new iteration with a new name – ‘it's now touted as “not Le Caprice”, but you could have fooled me,’ noted a confirmed regular from the old days. The predominantly monochrome ‘Parisian brasserie’ look has been faithfully restored: the walls are still lined with David Bailey's iconic monochrome photos of (now half-forgotten) stars, and the piano continues to tinkle in the evening. Even Le Caprice's culinary legends still queue up on the menu, all delivered with great proficiency. The crispy duck salad, the calf’s liver with bacon, the house burger ('chopped steak Américain’ in Arlington-speak) and, of course, the iced berries with white chocolate sauce all have a legion of followers. Ditto the famous bang-bang chicken and the big-on-comfort salmon fishcakes with sorrel sauce, which we enjoyed. For something more interesting, look to the daily specials – maybe vitello tonnato, followed by chargrilled squid with pepper salsa and bacon. But it was desserts that hit the top note for us. Two could have made short work of our rich, buttery and delicious tarte tatin, while a light, delicate elderflower jelly with summer fruits was sublime in its simplicity. It's all matched by a wine list that leans towards Europe but offers little choice under £50. However, there’s a reasonable selection by the glass (from £9) and carafe (from £27). Arlington may serve a city vastly different from the one that its predecessor dazzled back in the day, but it can still deliver classy modern brasserie fare and it still has a certain ‘something for everyone’ appeal, while a seat at the bar by the entrance looks like a great spot for solo diners.
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