By Katie Wilson
This five-star restaurant from Michelin star chef Ollie Dabbous is deceiving from the outside, all grey and industrial.
But step inside and the interior, inspired by nearby Green Park with a twisting tree-like staircase running through it, is a spectacle.
And it’s no small space. Hide is split into three parts; Hide Above on the top floor, basement cocktail bar Hide Below, and Hide Ground, a more casual all day dining spot at the heart of the restaurant.
It is on the Ground level at the bottom of Hide’s famous sweeping staircase that we are seated when we visit.
Before we even look what is on the Michelin star menu, we are impressed. The staff are immaculate, unflappable, and you can tell that everything runs like clockwork.
One of the waiters even gives me a small stand to place my handbag on as he comes to take our order.
We’re here on a Monday afternoon, so opt for the three-course set lunch menu, priced at a very reasonable £38.
The menu changes, but when we visit the starters are Lightly Smoked Organic Salmon Tartare with Avocado and Pickled Blueberries, and Ripe Tomato on Toast with Basil and Black Olives.
I order the tomato, which comes decorated with edible nasturtium petals and is almost too pretty to eat. It’s simple but delicious, and the charcoal-baked flatbread, made in-house like so much of Hide’s produce, is next level.
For mains my friend and I both opt for the Roast Cornish Cod with Warm Potted Shrimps, which is light and perfectly cooked.
In a nice touch, our waiter holds off pouring the potted shrimps over the dish until I’m back at the table so it is served as intended.
For dessert I order the Chocolate, Saffron and Sunflower Tartlet, which is like sunshine on a plate. Everything in this restaurant looks too stunning to eat, but eat we do.
However, the surprise pièce de résistance is the humble cheeseboard.
Wheeled over in a very decently-sized trolley, with each cheese stored individually in its own glass cloche, we feel like we’ve gone to cheese heaven.
There is a choice to pick five from the extensive selection. It’s the kind of display we wish we had in our own house, if only we could eat that much fromage.
We weren’t drinking when we visited, but Hide not only does excellent food, it’s also got the largest wine list in Europe thanks to its partnership with Hedonism Wines.
Next time we’d like to try Hide Above, which serves a separate à la carte menu or tasting menu, priced at £110 for five courses or £140 for eight courses.
Wine pairing is extra and there are three different levels to choose from, depending on your palate and price tag; classic, iconic and hedonistic, which range in price from £80pp to £545pp.
Hide, at 85 Piccadilly, Mayfair, is open Monday to Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Prices start from £38pp for a three-course set lunch
Book a table at Hide restaurant here
Photos courtesy of Hide
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