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Few Mayfair restaurants can claim an address quite as remarkable as Lilibet’s. Occupying 17 Bruton Street, the birthplace of Queen Elizabeth II, the restaurant draws on its royal heritage to create an elegant setting for seafood dining, cocktails and special occasions.
Named after the late Queen’s childhood nickname, Lilibet’s combines imaginative interiors with an ambitious seafood-focused menu. Elaborate sharing platters, inventive whole-fish preparations and an extensive wine cellar are among its highlights, complemented by the atmosphere of a grand private residence.
With its distinctive character and thoughtful approach to dining, Lilibet’s brings a fresh perspective to one of London’s most established culinary neighbourhoods.
A Royal Address Reimagined
The history of 17 Bruton Street gives Lilibet’s an unusually personal connection to the British monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II was born here on 21 April 1926, when the address was the London home of her maternal grandparents, the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne.
The young princess was affectionately known as Lilibet, a childhood nickname that remained with her throughout her life and now lends its name to the restaurant.
Drawing inspiration from this heritage, Lilibet’s imagines the address as a grand Mayfair townhouse that continued to welcome fashionable society. The concept carries through to its interiors and approach to entertaining, giving the restaurant a sense of history without feeling constrained by it.
Seafood at the Heart of the Menu
Seafood takes centre stage at Lilibet’s, with a menu that celebrates fresh catches, traditional preparations and more inventive combinations. Oysters, raw seafood and elaborate sharing platters feature alongside grilled fish, pasta and meat dishes, with tasting menus offering a more comprehensive introduction to the kitchen.
Oysters, Raw Seafood and Sharing Platters
The Marenarium showcases the restaurant’s selection of seafood, with oysters including Spéciales de Claire, Louët-Feisser and Carlingford varieties. These can be enjoyed traditionally with red wine shallots and house hot sauce, or in more elaborate preparations, including cucumber, apple and gin, fire-roasted seaweed butter, and fried oysters with yuzu kosho.
Sharing platters are a particular highlight. The Petite combines oysters, prawns, crab, octopus and sea bream, while the Deluxe introduces langoustines, scallops and bluefin tuna. The Fishes Royale offers the most indulgent selection, adding lobster, wild red prawns and tuna toro to an extensive assortment of shellfish and raw seafood.
The raw bar features red prawn carpaccio with chilli and lime, sea bass crudo with lemon and verjus, and hand-dived scallops with basil and pine nuts. Other options include tuna tartare with pickled cucumber and shallots, and sea bream with Oscietra caviar, cucumber and dill.
Smaller dishes are equally interesting, particularly the crab tart with grapefruit and coriander, anchovy éclair with parfait and sweet-and-sour sauce, and lobster brioche roll topped with Oscietra caviar.
Signature Dishes and the Grill
One of Lilibet’s most distinctive offerings is the Fish Triptych, a three-course preparation of a whole fish, with sea bass, sea bream and gurnard among the recommended varieties. The experience begins with crudo served with dog sauce, followed by a grilled fillet with mojo verde. The remaining bones are then used to prepare a freshly made soup, making thoughtful use of the entire fish.
The grill offers turbot on the bone with pil pil sauce, whole Dover sole with Café de Paris vinaigrette and wild tiger prawns with chilli butter and lime. Sea bream fillet comes with grilled tomatoes, capers and basil, while hand-dived scallops are served with seaweed butter.
Pasta and rice dishes include lobster spaghetti with chilli and basil, sea bass paccheri with bottarga and white wine, and baked shellfish rice with Spanish prawns. Ricotta agnolotti with sage provides a vegetarian alternative.
For meat lovers, the menu features bone-in ribeye, aged beef fillet and sirloin steak, alongside lamb chops and Iberico pork T-bone. Accompaniments include sprouting broccoli with colatura vinaigrette and the signature Lilibet’s Mash, enriched with lobster and bisque.
Tasting Menus, Set Lunch and Desserts
The Signature and Royale tasting menus provide a more structured way to explore the kitchen’s specialities. The Signature features dishes such as tuna loin gilda, crab tart, sea bass crudo, ricotta agnolotti and grilled sea bream, finishing with Lilibet’s crêpe and Grand Marnier parfait.
The more elaborate Royale incorporates red prawn carpaccio, baked shellfish rice, hand-dived scallops and the three-course Fish Triptych. Both menus are served to the entire table, with a minimum of two guests.
For weekday dining, two set lunch menus offer a choice of two or three courses. Options include sea bass crudo, fried gurnard with tartare sauce, bluefin tuna and crab paccheri, followed by desserts such as vanilla cheesecake or fig baklava.
The à la carte dessert selection includes Guinness sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, Princess Cake with raspberry, sponge and almond, and choux à la crème with dark chocolate sauce. House-made ice creams and sorbets offer a lighter finish.
The Art of Mayfair Entertaining
The interiors at Lilibet’s, designed by Russell Sage Studio, draw on Mayfair’s history of grand family residences. Antique-inspired furnishings, decorative finishes and carefully layered textures give the restaurant a sense of lived-in elegance, with enough theatrical detail to make the surroundings memorable.
The main Dining Room combines plush seating, ornate accents and intimate dining areas, creating an atmosphere suited to both leisurely lunches and celebratory evenings. The design feels deliberately residential, reflecting the restaurant’s imagined history as a fashionable private home.
Guests can also dine on the all-weather Garden Terrace overlooking Bruton Street, while the Oyster Bar provides a more informal setting for seafood and drinks. The Cocktail Bar offers another inviting space, particularly for an aperitif or an evening spent exploring the drinks menu.
Each area has its own character, allowing the restaurant to accommodate different occasions while maintaining a cohesive sense of style.
Cocktails and the Wine Cellar
Lilibet’s cocktail programme draws on the imagined social life of 17 Bruton Street, using botanical ingredients and inventive takes on classic drinks.
The Oystershell Martini is a natural companion to the seafood menu, combining oystershell-infused Belvedere vodka with dry vermouth and lemon and parsley oil. Other distinctive creations include the Burnt Tomatini, Velvet Margarita, and Golden Canopy.
The wine cellar is equally impressive, with Champagne from houses including Deutz, Krug, Louis Roederer and Dom Pérignon, alongside English sparkling wines and selections from smaller producers.
Burgundy features prominently, with Chablis, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Montrachet among the highlights. The wider list explores established European regions and producers across the Americas, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Wines by the glass offer flexibility, while rare vintages and mature bottles cater to more elaborate occasions. Dessert wines, including Château d’Yquem, and aged tawny port provide further options for rounding off a meal.
Private Dining and Special Occasions
Lilibet’s private dining offering centres on the Hartnell Room, named after Sir Norman Hartnell, the celebrated royal couturier whose studio once stood opposite 17 Bruton Street.
Accessed by a dedicated staircase, the room seats up to 22 guests and offers an intimate setting for private celebrations, family gatherings, and corporate dinners. Its decorative character reflects the wider restaurant while offering greater privacy.
Several semi-private spaces are also available, including the secluded Nook, the Fireplace Area and the Cocktail Bar. The all-weather Garden Terrace provides an alternative for group dining and receptions, while exclusive restaurant hire is available for larger occasions.
Dedicated event menus range from canapés and seafood platters to multi-course dining and celebration cakes, allowing gatherings to be tailored to different preferences.
A Mayfair Address with a Story to Tell
Lilibet’s makes thoughtful use of its remarkable Bruton Street address, bringing together royal history, imaginative design and a seafood menu with plenty of character. The Fish Triptych, generous sharing platters and extensive wine selection are particular highlights, supported by surroundings that encourage guests to settle in and enjoy the occasion.
For an elegant lunch, an evening of cocktails or a special celebration, Lilibet’s offers a distinctive addition to Mayfair’s dining scene.
Location: 17 Bruton St, London W1J 6QB
