Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal
London, United Kingdom




∗2 Stars
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
In a discreet, intimate environment inside the grand Hotel Café Royal, the eponymous chef has the perfect canvas in which to showcase his impressive and accomplished cuisine. Alex's dishes are exquisite in appearance and, like a seasoned orchestra, everything on the plate adds its own note of flavour to produce something harmonious and exhilarating. Whether Cornish sardines, Scottish girolles or Kaluga caviar, the kitchen knows how to bring the best out of its exquisite ingredients.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
- Intimate Dining Experience: The restaurant offers an exceptionally intimate dining experience with only 34 seats, making it a unique setting for fine dining.
- Chef's Table Experience: Alex Dilling provides a chef's table experience in the kitchen for up to six guests, where chefs personally serve each course.
- Rapid Michelin Star Achievement: Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal achieved two Michelin stars just months after opening in September 2022, a rare feat in the culinary world.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
- Kaluga Caviar
Used liberally across several dishes, including a cloud of potato cream with smoked sturgeon and aged Kaluga caviar, and as a garnish on rolled Dover sole. The caviar adds a luxurious, briny pop and is a recurring motif in the tasting menu. - Confit Potato
Featured in the elevated clam chowder, confit potato is glazed with crème fraîche and paired with Dorset cockles, razor clams, and clam velouté. The potato provides a rich, creamy texture and anchors the dish’s complexity. - Bresse Pigeon
Served with Pea à la française, the Bresse pigeon is a standout main course, praised for its depth of flavor and elegant presentation. It is considered one of the best iterations of pigeon in London’s Michelin scene. - Oak-Smoked Salmon
Paired with girolles and a beurre blanc sauce, the oak-smoked salmon is described as buttery and indulgent, with a pronounced smoky flavor throughout the dish. - Black Winter Truffle
During truffle season, featured in the “oeuf noir” dish: a Clarence Court egg glazed in black winter truffle gelee, with Fumaison fromage foam and Perigord jus. The truffle adds earthy, aromatic depth.