• Home
  • General
    • Features
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Cocktails
    • Interviews
  • Contact
  • Reviews
    • The Mayfair Chippy
    • Veeraswamy
    • sketch London
    • Ginza St James
    • Tendril
    • Mercato Mayfair Food Hall
    • Afternoon tea at The Beaumont Hotel
    • Kanishka by Atul Kochhar
    • The Footman
    • Officina 00
    • The Guinea Grill
    • Kiln Soho
    • Chesterfield Arms
    • Rüya Mayfair
    • Bar Antoine
    • Breakfast at the Barley Mow, Mayfair
    • Piccolino
    • The Farm Shop, Mayfair
    • Sunday Lunch at 108 Brasserie
    • Bistrot at Wild Honey
    • Sofra, South Molton Street
    • Novikov
    • Delamina Marylebone
    • HIDE Restaurant
  • Latest News-Mayfair Foodie
  • Foodie Walking Tours
    • Private Foodie Walking Tours
    • Bespoke Foodie Walking Tour
  • Wines of the Season
  • The Mayfair Foodie
  • Latest News-Mayfair Foodie
    • London Oyster Championships
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
  • Login
The Mayfair Foodie
  • Home
  • General
    • Features
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Cocktails
    • Interviews
  • Contact
  • Reviews
    • The Mayfair Chippy
    • Veeraswamy
    • sketch London
    • Ginza St James
    • Tendril
    • Mercato Mayfair Food Hall
    • Afternoon tea at The Beaumont Hotel
    • Kanishka by Atul Kochhar
    • The Footman
    • Officina 00
    • The Guinea Grill
    • Kiln Soho
    • Chesterfield Arms
    • Rüya Mayfair
    • Bar Antoine
    • Breakfast at the Barley Mow, Mayfair
    • Piccolino
    • The Farm Shop, Mayfair
    • Sunday Lunch at 108 Brasserie
    • Bistrot at Wild Honey
    • Sofra, South Molton Street
    • Novikov
    • Delamina Marylebone
    • HIDE Restaurant
  • Latest News-Mayfair Foodie
  • Foodie Walking Tours
    • Private Foodie Walking Tours
    • Bespoke Foodie Walking Tour
  • Wines of the Season
  • The Mayfair Foodie
  • Latest News-Mayfair Foodie
    • London Oyster Championships
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • General
    • Features
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Cocktails
    • Interviews
  • Contact
  • Reviews
    • The Mayfair Chippy
    • Veeraswamy
    • sketch London
    • Ginza St James
    • Tendril
    • Mercato Mayfair Food Hall
    • Afternoon tea at The Beaumont Hotel
    • Kanishka by Atul Kochhar
    • The Footman
    • Officina 00
    • The Guinea Grill
    • Kiln Soho
    • Chesterfield Arms
    • Rüya Mayfair
    • Bar Antoine
    • Breakfast at the Barley Mow, Mayfair
    • Piccolino
    • The Farm Shop, Mayfair
    • Sunday Lunch at 108 Brasserie
    • Bistrot at Wild Honey
    • Sofra, South Molton Street
    • Novikov
    • Delamina Marylebone
    • HIDE Restaurant
  • Latest News-Mayfair Foodie
  • Foodie Walking Tours
    • Private Foodie Walking Tours
    • Bespoke Foodie Walking Tour
  • Wines of the Season
  • The Mayfair Foodie
  • Latest News-Mayfair Foodie
    • London Oyster Championships
No Result
View All Result
The Mayfair Foodie
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Contact
  • Foodie Walking Tours
  • Blog

The Footman

January 11, 2024

1 Fine dining at “Upstairs in the Footman” we visit the footman Mayfair.

The Footman exterior

We hear almost every day about pubs closing down, and there is no doubt that pubs are generally experiencing tough times. However, you must be innovative and open to change to survive tough times. One innovation I’ve noticed is pubs adding a fine dining restaurant to their offering, and today, I’m lunching upstairs at The Footman to experience their restaurant.

I know of at least five pubs in Mayfair that now offer a separate restaurant upstairs. Downstairs, it is a regular pub serving pub snacks, but venture upstairs, and you are in a restaurant environment with a different menu. 

It makes sense to turn an under-used part of a pub into a restaurant; usually, upstairs in pubs thas been traditionally used this area as an overflow area, soleless and away from the main pub.

 I know and understand why a lot of pubs, have turned their pubs in to restaurants with only the smallest of bar areas but this way you keep the pub and gain a restaurant, a win win in my book.

It is worth noting the bar menu at The Footman looked excellent with usual pub classics; I was caught paying particular interest to the tables next to our lunch offering. It was a club sandwich, and I don’t think the recipient of the aforementioned sandwich appreciated my eagar glares. The things I do for research for this website.

So, on a wet Thursday in November, Leigh and I make our way to lunch at The Footman restaurant; it would not be me without saying that I have had a good study of the menu beforehand and even gone on to their Instagram page to look at dishes; hey kids look at me!

The Footman is situated on Charles Street, a hop, skip and a jump from Berkeley Square, a short walk from Green Park station and 10 minutes from Bond Street station.

2 Pub

We arrived early and decided to have a drink in the pub.  Outside, the brick facade with the black window and shutters invites you in to see more.  The pub has a lovely cosy, homely feel, just the ticket after a damp walk from the station. The wood bar is framed by an interesting curtain of mirrors that gives an art deco feel.

It took 20 minutes to drink our drinks, and by the time we left for the short walk upstairs, the pub was full. 

The restaurant’s decor is classical with wood-panelled walls, three larger oyster shell padded seats with tables seating six people, and smaller tables for two, which is where we are seated. The room benefits from plenty of light from the large windows. This is a nice dining space.

Upstairs at the footman, oyster tables
Upstairs at the Footman
Restaurant tables

3 The Footman Menu

Once seated, we were handed the menus; I’m not sure why, but I looked slightly surprised as if I was seeing the menu for the first time, but I think our waitress knew better.

At the top of the menu are four signature cocktails; it’s a bit early for cocktails, so we skipped that section.

With eight starters, a grill mains section with three beef choices and a pork chop, add to that another seven mains offerings, including vegetarian and two fish dishes. There is a separate dessert menu, and I like it that under each dessert offering, they had paired dessert wine on offer. 

I realise that dessert wine does divide the crowd; well, that’s an understatement as amongst my circle of friends, it is only my friend Dan and me who like a pudding wine, but I appreciated the Footman’s efforts in that direction. 

I will add links to the menu at the end so you can compare our choices to yours.

4 Starters 

My research on the menu had left me no doubt of my choice: Haggis tart, baked Swede and crispy lamb belly.  I have always liked Haggis, and you very rarely see it on the menu, so I could not resist. The lamb belly was a great addition and a good partner to the tart.

Leigh went for Seared scallops, toasted Fragola, Apricot Harrisa and preserved lemon. It’s nice to see a different twist for scallops. They arrived perfectly cooked, and Leigh enjoyed Middle Eastern flavours of Harrisa & preserved lemon, which were subtle enough not to overpower the Scallops. Fragola was a new one for both of us, and it was little balls of semolina flour that looked like couscous. Another clever addition.

Haggis Tart
Scallops starter at the Footman
Scallops

5 Mains

So after enjoyable starters, we settle down and look forward to the Main course.

Leigh went with Cod supreme, garlic potato Kiev  (the Kiev intrigued as both), leeks and a lobster sauce. I had two decisions on my mains: rosemary and garlic pork chop, pork rosti, cider jus, cabbage and crackling or roe venison haunch and potato pie, caramelised cauliflower puree, served with a bramble jus. What a decision to make.

To start with Leigh’s mains, I always think with cod or hake is easy to tell if they are cooked well. The fish will flake on the fork and have a bright white appearance. No need to worry it did flake and had a crispy skin; the lobster sauce was deep and rich. One slight disappointment was the potato Kiev. The filling seemed slightly stodgy; maybe it was a bad day for the Kievs, but that aside, this was a very good plate of food.

Cod with Lobster sauce

It was decision time for me, and I sided with the Pork chop. It was a good choice; the pork chop was lovely and cooked perfectly (I think it is easy to overcook pork chops), and the rosti was an excellent addition. 

Pork chop with Rosti & cider jus at The Footman
Pork Chop Main
Side of green beans
Side of Green beans

6 Desserts

Warning: the portion sizes are generous, and we requested a break before dessert. Even after the break, we decided to share a pud. A unanimous choice was the coconut and tonka bean pana cotta served with a mango sorbet.

Panna Cotta dessert at the Footman

The Pana cotta was lovely, smooth and full of coconut and tonka bean flavour. The sorbet was the perfect partner.

In case you are interested, yes, I did go for the dessert wine pairing. Surprisingly, Leigh also liked it.

We left the restaurant and had half an idea of popping in downstairs to the pub, but we were both full and thought a stroll to walk off dinner would be the best option. On the way out, I took a quick glance at the bar was still full. 

We both agreed The Footman has a good thing going on with the duel pub and restaurant; both seem popular. 

7 History

The Footman is one of London’s oldest pubs, having been established in 1749. Originally known as The Running Horse, it was a popular spot for footmen who served the households of Mayfair. The footmen would run ahead of their master’s coaches to ensure a safe path was cleared. As the footman profession decreased in popularity, one footman purchased the pub and renamed it after himself and called it The Running Footman.

The Footman

5 Charles Street

Mayfair

W1J 5DF

www.thefootmanmayfair.com

The Footman Menu

Bar at The Footman

If restaurant reviews are your thing, check out our review section, which looks at a broad spectrum of restaurants in Mayfair. There is something to suit all tastes and budgets.

Share157Tweet98
Martin

Martin

A dedicated foodie, bringing all Mayfairs culinary news via the website www.mayfairfoodie. com & organising fun foodie walking tours to Mayfair.

Related Posts

Tendril
Reviews

Tendril-A (mostly) Vegan Kitchen

May 26, 2025

Tendril’s £27 Prix Fixe menu is a steal, offering vibrant vegan dishes like charred mushrooms, grilled celeriac, and deconstructed banoffee pie. Chef Rishim Sachdeva’s flavour mastery shines, blending unexpected combinations that delight. A must-visit for vegans and food lovers...

Chicken nuggets Kaspia style
Reviews

A Night at Friends of Kaspia

May 19, 2025

An invite to Friends of Kaspia promised decadence, and it delivered. From chic vibes and soulful tunes to champagne and caviar-topped chicken nuggets, the night was pure indulgence. A bold, unpretentious addition to London’s nightlife, this monthly event is...

Asparagus Risotto at SILVA Maydair
Reviews

SILVA Mayfair

May 24, 2025

SiLVA, Mayfair’s newest Mediterranean-inspired restaurant on Bruton Place, offers a cosy, forest-themed dining experience. From vibrant crab raviolo to perfectly cooked poussin and indulgent Basque cheesecake, the lunch menu delights. Tucked away near Guinea Grill, SiLVA’s skylit ambience and...

Bocconcino Soho
Reviews

Bocconcino Soho Restaurant Review

April 22, 2025

Join us for a delightful dining experience at Bocconcino Soho, London’s vibrant Italian gem. Savour photogenic Sicilian prawns, perfectly seared scallops, and indulgent profiteroles. Nestled in lively Soho, this fine dining spot offers attentive service and a chic ambience....

Categories

  • Bespoke Walking Tours (1)
  • Blog (23)
  • Cocktails (6)
  • Corporate Walking Tours (1)
  • General (35)
  • Hotels (4)
  • Interviews (7)
  • Private Walking Tours (1)
  • Recipes (30)
  • Reviews (50)
  • Sponsored Post (2)
  • Travel (1)
  • Walking Tours Mayfair (1)
  • Wines of the Month (9)

About Me

The Mayfair Foodie getting in the way of a professional chef

The Mayfair Foodie

Foodie

Hello, and welcome to The Mayfair Foodie!
I'm Martin, a London-born food lover passionate about all things culinary. I've been lucky enough to have travelled the world, sampling some of the best food each country offers. But no matter where I go, I always find my way back to Mayfair, where I can indulge in my favourite dishes from around the world.
This website is an extension of my passion for food. Here, I'll share my reviews of the best restaurants in Mayfair and my recipes for recreating your favourite dishes at home. I'll also share tips on where to find the best food and drink deals, as well as upcoming events in the Mayfair food scene.
Whether you're a local or a visitor, I hope you'll find my website a valuable resource for all things food-related in Mayfair. Bon appétit!

The Mayfair Foodie

Popular

  • Impressive Frontage of Mercato Mayfair, North Audley Street

    Mercato Mayfair Food Hall

    3443 shares
    Share 1376 Tweet 860
  • Restaurants in Shepherd Market, Mayfair.

    2735 shares
    Share 1094 Tweet 684
  • Best Pubs In Mayfair

    1959 shares
    Share 783 Tweet 490
  • Michelin Starred Restaurants in Mayfair

    1500 shares
    Share 600 Tweet 375
  • Skate Wing with brown butter

    1242 shares
    Share 496 Tweet 310
  • Pubs in Shepherd Market, Mayfair

    1195 shares
    Share 478 Tweet 299

Follow Me

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Foodie Walking Tours
  • Blog

© 2025 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • General
    • Features
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Cocktails
    • Interviews
  • Contact
  • Reviews
    • The Mayfair Chippy
    • Veeraswamy
    • sketch London
    • Ginza St James
    • Tendril
    • Mercato Mayfair Food Hall
    • Afternoon tea at The Beaumont Hotel
    • Kanishka by Atul Kochhar
    • The Footman
    • Officina 00
    • The Guinea Grill
    • Kiln Soho
    • Chesterfield Arms
    • Rüya Mayfair
    • Bar Antoine
    • Breakfast at the Barley Mow, Mayfair
    • Piccolino
    • The Farm Shop, Mayfair
    • Sunday Lunch at 108 Brasserie
    • Bistrot at Wild Honey
    • Sofra, South Molton Street
    • Novikov
    • Delamina Marylebone
    • HIDE Restaurant
  • Latest News-Mayfair Foodie
  • Foodie Walking Tours
    • Private Foodie Walking Tours
    • Bespoke Foodie Walking Tour
  • Wines of the Season
  • The Mayfair Foodie
  • Latest News-Mayfair Foodie
    • London Oyster Championships

© 2025 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

Verified by MonsterInsights