The story
Muse brings story-driven modern European dining to a converted Georgian townhouse in Belgravia. Tom Aikens established the 23 cover space after training under Pierre Koffmann and Joël Robuchon, drawing heavily on childhood foraging trips in Norfolk with his mother Tania. Head Chef Andrei Avrinte now executes these concepts using strict seasonal sourcing from British farms like HG Walter for beef and Old Hall Farm for dairy. The meticulous approach earned immediate critical attention and secured both a Michelin star and a Good Food Guide rating early in its run.
The ten course tasting menu titles each plate after a specific moment from the chef’s life, showcasing how modern European techniques adapt to British seasonal produce. “Swim for your life” presents Sika deer venison alongside clementine and parsnip, while an horseradish-infused ajo blanco accompanies sliced scallops with cauliflower and grapes. The final course, “An apple a day”, recreates winter baked apples using cider, caramel and a torched meringue.
Twenty three covers fill the narrow entrance lobby and main dining room, creating a pace that feels more like a private home than a commercial restaurant. General Manager Sébastien Pé oversees a front of house team trained in Parisian three Michelin star environments, ensuring service remains unobtrusive yet precise. Head Sommelier Elisa Marchini designs wine selections that highlight organic and biodynamic vintages to complement the British produce focus. Guests can also join weekly Tuesday wine cellar events where the pairing shifts to match regional Mediterranean grapes.
Recognition
Details
History
5 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
The name is the first of many plays on words. Muse is a Georgian townhouse in a secluded Belgravia mews, the latest chapter in the development of inspirational chef Tom Aikens. Step into the tiny entrance lobby, and be enveloped by the refined domesticity of the place, a refreshing alternative to urban grandiosity. The concept, for such it is, draws its energy from various biographical details of the Aikens story – from youthful tree-climbing to some long-remembered maternal reproof. While the narrative structure may weary those who just want to get on with eating something, one can hardly fault the insistence on distinctiveness – especially when the food is distinguished by such ingenuity. An appetiser of sliced scallop comes with cauliflower and grapes at various stages along the spectrum (from dried to partly hydrated), all lubricated by a horseradish-fired ajo blanco of cashews. Presentation tends towards the surreal: a langoustine appears perched on a twig mounted on a porcelain plinth trowelled with lardo and burnt apple purée. The Indian spice repertoire is mined for a dish of skate with a spinach pakora, a cumin-spiked purple carrot and some pickled fennel. For the main course, a dual serving of beef (a braised nugget of short rib and a roast piece of Denver steak) is robustly accompanied by bone marrow, buttered salsify, puréed turnip, chargrilled onion and chunks of braised tongue. Our pre-Christmas visit was sparkled up by a pre-dessert of white chocolate variations, including a pure white bombe filled with mincemeat – a more enjoyable assemblage than the following torched apple-meringue tart and matching millefeuille with a caramel ice-cream sandwich. The opening price point on the wine list is as high as a Belgravian elephant's eye, but quality is of course very fine, and the tasting selections are worth the extra – after all, this is one of the district's more characterful dining spots.
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