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Hotel Café Royal has reopened the Café Royal Grill for lunch and dinner service as part of its 160th anniversary programme, marking a return to the space’s original use as a dining destination.
The relaunch forms part of a broader strategy to reinforce the hotel’s heritage offering, with the restaurant – originally opened in 1865 – undergoing a renewed focus on British produce and service-led hospitality.
Previously known primarily for afternoon tea, Café Royal Grill now offers a full dining schedule, with lunch, dinner and pre-theatre sittings available daily.
Chef Kevin Gratton, formerly of Hix and Mark Hix’s restaurant group, leads the kitchen. The new menu includes signature dishes such as steak tartare, lobster bisque with cider brandy, and the house pie of chicken and bacon ‘Café Royal’ with black truffle sauce – described by the hotel as a recipe passed down verbally through generations of chefs.
Hotel Café Royal said the refreshed offer is intended to reflect both tradition and innovation, supported by long-standing supplier relationships. Producers include Glenarm Estate for salt-aged beef, Keltic Seafare for Scottish shellfish, and Paxton and Whitfield for cheeses.
The wine programme includes both high-profile vintages – such as Krug Clos du Mesnil 2008 and Pétrus 1982 – and selections from smaller estates, while the cocktail list features recipes drawn from the original 1937 Café Royal Cocktail Book.
