Celebrated table

The Barley Mow

Name: The Barley Mow
Address: 82 Duke Street, Mayfair, W1K 6JG, London, GB
Telephone: 020 4553 1414

A restored Mayfair landmark offering refined British cooking with French touches, recognized by the Good Food Guide for its thoughtful approach to seasonal ingredients.

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The story

The Barley Mow London: Refined British Classics in Mayfair

The kitchen and its influences

At The Barley Mow in London, the culinary team delivers refined British cooking that balances classic pub comforts with precise technique. Chef director Ben Tish and head chef Chris Fordham-Smith guide the kitchen with a clear-sighted approach to top-drawer local produce. Their menus blend traditional foundations with a deliberate touch of French decadence. This grounded philosophy has earned the venue recognition from the Good Food Guide for delivering high-impact cooking without unnecessary affectation.

Signature plates and desserts

Guests often begin with steamed cockles finished with parsley butter or a house terrine en croûte served alongside brown crab rarebit. The main courses highlight free-range roast chicken dressed with sage and truffle butter, while the daily roast showcases rare-breed meats carved tableside. Sweet endings lean toward comforting indulgence, featuring baked Alaska shared between two or a traditional sticky toffee pudding paired with salted caramel sauce.

The restored dining spaces

A handsome ground-floor bar retains its original darkly varnished wood and etched glass panels, drawing in locals for pints and live music on weeknights. Ascending to the first floor reveals a light-filled dining room draped in white tablecloths and designed for more formal suppers. The architecture preserves the building’s historic character while providing an intimate setting for weekend gatherings and private celebrations.

Recognition

Awards & accolades

2026

The Good Food Guide

Good

Details

At a glance

The Good Food Guide 2026 — Good

Cuisines British, French

Services Bar, Breakfast, Dinner, Gastropub, Live Music, Lunch, Outdoor Seating, Private Parties, Table Service

History

On the record

2026

The Good Food Guide — Good

From the Cubitt House group, this transformed Mayfair pub comes across as a genuine local, refreshingly free of affectation and resolutely faithful to its pub roots. The impressive ground-floor bar has held on to its darkly varnished wood and etched glass, packing in drinkers for pints of proper beer and a bar menu offering the likes of hot meat buns or sausage rolls with homemade brown sauce. However, the real action takes place upstairs in an intimate, richly decorated dining room. Here chef director Ben Tish and head chef Chris Fordham-Smith's influences are to be seen, their talents and food-loving instincts delivering high-impact, no-nonsense British cooking. It’s a clear-sighted, thoughtful approach that pays dividends all round, from starters of steamed cockles (with parsley butter), a house terrine en croûte or brown crab rarebit to desserts such as baked Alaska (for two) and sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel sauce. In between, the kitchen applies a respectful approach to top-drawer ingredients: native-breed beef pie with mash and parsley sauce; an exemplary free-range roast chicken, served with sage and truffle butter; a daily roast of rare-breed meats (the real deal). There’s an inspired cheese selection too, and wine is taken seriously – expect a thoughtful selection that accommodates all depths of pocket.

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Established

Location

Find us

82 Duke Street, Mayfair, W1K 6JG
London, United Kingdom
020 4553 1414
reservations@barleymowmayfair.co.uk
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