It’s quite simply not enough for new London hotels to offer just one restaurant these days. Instead, they need to have as many cuisines, menus and tables as possible – and Mayfair’s highly-anticipated Chancery Rosewood is no exception. Having opened exactly one month ago, Rosewood’s second act in London describes itself as a “cultural and culinary destination”. Told you. The label ‘hotel’ just doesn’t cut it anymore.
In a bid to keep pace with the number of new ‘culinary destinations’ that seem to open in London every few seconds – approximately 250 opened in 2024 alone – the Chancery Rosewood has squeezed no fewer than eight restaurants into the historic former US Embassy on Grosvenor Square. Alongside a flurry of casual eateries, including dedicated tearoom and dessert salon Jacqueline, and the London debut of celebrated Japanese chef Masayoshi ‘Masa’ Takayama, sits Serra. This was the eatery chosen to herald the opening of the swanky hotel, cause a bit of a stir among foodies, and build up buzz around what this architectural, Grade I-listed behemoth will eventually offer. Safe to say it did just that.
Throughout September, anyone who was anyone wanted a slice of Serra. Developed by AvroKo Design, the interiors, from the off, are impressive. The same gilded gold accents that frame the entrance to the Chancery Rosewood can be found inside the restaurant, further complemented by a natural palette of stone, rattan and hues of emerald green and yellow gold, all bathed in natural light (even at 6.30pm on a Tuesday evening). At the helm is chef de cuisine Alex Povall – formerly of Berenjak in Soho and Angela Hartnett’s Michelin-starred Murano – who was tasked with bringing the soulful spirit of Southern Mediterranean cooking to the heart of Mayfair.
I know what you’re thinking: does the capital need another Mediterranean restaurant? Of course not. The city is, after all, a melting pot of diverse cuisines from across the world but Mediterranean – think flavours from France, Italy, Greece and Spain – is definitely not the one the city is lacking. It’s a popular cuisine with other five-star hotels in the capital too: Raffles at The OWO opened in 2023 with Italian-inspired Paper Moon and Mediterranean Saison by Mauro Colagreco, The BoTree in Marylebone followed suit with “Italian cuisine with coastal flair” at Lavo in the same year, and the Six Senses will debut later this year with a Mediterranean restaurant paying homage to the Aegean coast. You get the picture.
It’s a seriously safe-bet – but one I don’t turn my nose up at. When hotels open under such a bright spotlight, like the Chancery Rosewood did, they just want people through the doors and to be (or perhaps look) busy. Evidently, one surefire way to do that is by offering piping hot plates of pasta, sharing flatbreads and grilled meats.
When I took my seat on the plush green velvet banquette, I wasn’t expecting a groundbreaking menu – but that’s not to say it was unenticing. In fact, quite the opposite. As aromas of freshly-baked buttermilk pittas and sesame koulouris filled the restaurant, and whipped tahini with confit garlic and taramasalata topped with toasted seeds are placed on my table, any preconceptions of this being just another average Mediterranean restaurant are quickly dispelled.
The menu isn’t split into the usual starters, mains and desserts, but channels anItalian vibe, with sections similar to primi and secondi. Diners are encouraged to begin with a selection from the ‘raw and cured’ offering, think smoked Cantabrian sardines and gorgeously fresh tuna crudo, before moving onto sharing starters. Here the crispy and salty pancetta flatbread, topped with smoked burrata and preserved tomato doused in olive oil, seriously steals the show.
Next up, the refined but simple pasta offering is perhaps my favourite, nailing all the classics with rich twists in the form of rigatoni alla zozonna with smoked beef sausage and egg yolk, and ricotta gnudi with spinach, cream and seeds – all available in two sizes. Opt for the smaller if you’ve got your eye on one of the larger sharing plates or grills.
The latter follows a theme that dominates the rest of the menu: hearty, approachable food. Think whole day boat fish (mine was turbot) simply grilled in plenty of lemon and olive oil, Middle White pork ‘souvlaki’, spiced lamb shoulder with tzatziki, and whole Devon chicken flavoured with Calabrian chilli. What is a decadent dinner without a portion of chips? Don’t let the menu’s simply labelled ‘fried potato with seaweed salt’ fool you; this is a crispy, layered potato fried in clarified butter to ensure perfect softness on the inside and crispiness on the outside. Ta da.
As those dish descriptions suggest, Serra takes provenance seriously. Povall has partnered with local farms and purveyors in the Mediterranean, whether that be 12-month aged barrel feta from Greece (served with datterni tomato and black olives as a starter) or Italy’s finest San Marzano tomatoes and Sicilian lemons. Menus here are set to change in accordance with seasons, as does the wine and cocktail list.
Service is personable and efficient, but it does seem the team’s feet haven’t touched the ground since Serra’s doors opened and I’m told there is, at the time of visiting, only one sommelier for the whole hotel. With that in mind, they’re doing a marvellous job; food is prompt, as are wine and cocktails.
If you do manage to speak to the single sommelier, you’ll learn just how extensive the cellar is. Garnered during many trips to vineyards spanning Crete to Catalonia, these bottles have been handpicked for good reason; simply relay what you like in a wine and the sommelier will perfectly pair one to your food. Aperitifs and digestifs can be found in the concise cocktail section which, of course, channels the Mediterranean; opt for the Aegean G&T or Sangria, made with brandy, sangria reduction and plenty of fresh fruit.
Waning appetites aside, it would have been rude not to at least try something from a dessert menu featuring dark chocolate budino with cherries and mascarpone, date and sesame sponge pudding, and pistachio and honey cheesecake. I can confirm the budino, meaning ‘sweet dessert’ in Italian, provided a fitting finale.
As the first all-day dining restaurant to open at the Chancery Rosewood, Serra had a lot weighing on its shoulders and yet, it managed to tick all the boxes for me. Yes, the hotel may be playing it safe with a cuisine the capital knows and loves – but what’s more important is that Serra executes it well, from the interiors and ambience to the food on its menu. If you want a fail-safe dinner at one of London’s most lavish new addresses, book Serra now.
Visit rosewoodhotels.com
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Dining and Cooking