Carnivorous readers will be very pleased to find out that London’s oldest steakhouse, a Mayfair institution for more than 70 years once frequented by Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, has reopened. Even better there is now more chance of nabbing one of its coveted tables as The Guinea Grill has expanded its dining space, and has done so with great care to ensure the revamped interior matches the interiors of the original pub.
As the accompanying pictures show, the refurbishment is spectacular: this beautiful space has dark oak paneling, tartan flooring and eclectic mix of artwork along with white-clothed tables and high-backed chairs. The pub’s trademark meat counter and wall of wines remains along with its fully stocked bar, dispensing perfectly poured Guinness, Young’s Original and an excellent array of fine wines by the glass.
And as for the food, there are reasons that some dishes acquire the word “classic” and sometimes they are exactly what you want. The Guinea Grill sesibly does not miss this point, and rather doubles down on it with a gastronomic journey backwards in time where there’s silver service and an unchanged à la carte menu from Head Chef Thiago Brigidi. There are traditional dishes of Prawn and Crayfish Cocktail, perfectly sliced Scottish Smoked Salmon and Devilled Kidneys on Toast, alongside the pub’s award-winning homemade pies, served since the 1940s, which includes the steak and kidney pies with suet pastry lids using offcuts from dry-aged beef. Suet pastry lids – now we’re talking.
However, the star of the show remains The Guinea Grill’s steaks, dry-aged by Frank Godfrey of Highbury, served in a special room it reserves for the pub as it has done for nearly 60 years. Offering prime cuts of grass-fed British beef, diners can take their pick from Sirloin to Fillet, along with sharing cuts of Porterhouse, Chateaubriand and Côte de Boeuf, which can be paired with a choice of sauces and sides including beef-dripping chips and baked Gruyère Creamed Spinach (Gruyère creamed spinach! I’m feeling hungry just writing this….).
Still a pub at its heart, Sundays are home to the roast with a choice of rump of dry-aged beef, slow-cooked pork belly, grilled sirloin joint or blue cheese, truffle and walnut gratin, served alongside an abundance of crispy-on-the-outside-fluffy-on-the inside beef-dripping roasties, double-egg Yorkshires and plenty of gravy. Pair with some perfectly made spicy Bloody Marys and that’s the day done.
The pub’s wine cellar has always been a strong one and pre-dates WWII with an extensive collection featuring bottles from some of the top regions in the world, from Tignanello in Tuscany to Vega Sicilia in Ribera Del Duero. There’s also a dedicated red wine selection spotlighting wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux, featuring some grand cru Châteaux.
Upstairs plays host to two new private dining rooms to add to the original Boardroom, which seats 24 guests. They are The Gallery and The Wine Room seating 12 and 16 respectively. The interiors match downstairs with original features, wood-paneling and white tablecloths and are ideal for intimate celebrations and dinners.
More generally the pub itself, which dates back to 1675, remains the same and is open for drinks at the bar, with space outside for an evening pint (or two) with friends and colleagues – back in the day it was always packed inside and out and I suspect this will continue……
Led by General Manager Cristiano Pellizzari, The Guinea Grill is now open for bookings and walk-ins seven days a week from 11am-11pm (Sundays from 12pm). To book a table, please visit www.theguinea.co.uk.
The Guinea Grill, 30 Bruton Place, Mayfair, London W1J 6NL – 02074091728
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