Wiltons

Wiltons, the second oldest restaurant in London and a notable Mayfair institution, is the epitome of old-school dining. The story goes that British merchant banker and chairman of Hambros Bank, Captain Ronald Olaf Hambro, would lunch every weekday in the same restaurant on Jermyn Street during the Second World War, a time of scarcity and rationing. One day, while he was dining, the lady proprietress who was serving him informed him that she was terribly sorry, but it would be his last lunch there, as they couldn’t afford to keep it going. When he inquired about the problem and how much it would cost to buy the place, he simply requested she add the amount to his lunch bill. He bought it and allowed the lady to continue running it. Traditions run deep at this St. James’s spot. Think Beef Wellington served at the table, grilled fish and meats, and of course, oysters shucked at the oyster bar (which is my favourite place to dine).