Having dined at 1771 just the other night, it is clear that this establishment will soon become a bastion of the Chelsea crowd if it hasn’t already.

With Mark Jarvis at the helm (it’s his third venture in London), he is well-known for setting up restaurants that subtly indicate ‘it’s the food that counts’, although the ambiance of 1771 hits you straight away. To a certain extent, it’s unassuming but delightfully chic and certainly a romantic spot for dinner à deux.

The dining room is shaded in green and tan, with marble-topped tables. On a good day, floods of light stream through the windows, making it bright and airy yet still sophisticated. Seating is banquette style with comfy cushions that you sink into. The restaurant team, with their impeccable taste, chose fabrics by Rose Uniacke, known for her luxurious fabrics, to create that cool and chic interior décor. The artwork adorning the walls is very 20th-century and reminiscent of the pop art era, which also extends down into the trendy basement bar. The name 1771 comes from when the area was first founded, but the décor and artwork evoke the 1950s and 60s, with Warhol and Lichtenstein-inspired pieces.

The menu showcases Jarvis’s talent and whilst open only for dinner, offers the proverbial sharing plates or tasting menu options. What remains constant, however, is Jarvis’s daily bread—his famous cheese and onion malt loaf—which was served with beautifully poached turbot and mustard greens. A word of advice: if you love potatoes, you will melt into the side of potato soufflé—pure magic.

There is an à la carte menu featuring koji-aged beef, both in fillet and sirloin versions, both soft, tender and perfectly charred. We thoroughly enjoyed our beef, and the perfect wine flight was served throughout should you choose that rather than just one kind. Vegetables are imaginative, particularly the grilled Padrón peppers. I would have loved to try the mushroom custard, but there is only so much you can devour! It seems custard has had a resurgence in recent times and certainly doesn’t resemble the ones we have with an apple crumble.

I don’t remember the last time berries actually tasted like berries here in the UK, but at last, my favourite soft fruit was deliciously recognisable as a blackberry. Served with a bergamot cheesecake, it was a perfect duo.

1771 will attract many in the months to come and it won’t just be the Chelsea set—I certainly will return.

Address: 1771, 18-22 Holbein Place, Belgravia, SW1W 8NL
Telephone: 020 7881 0886
Website: 1771 Restaurant

Written by Rafa Zurita for Luxuria Lifestyle London and International