The Colony Grill welcomes new Head Chef Ben Boeynaems (previously of Petrus, The Goring and most recently The Zetter Group), who will be cooking his take on the transatlantic favourites the restaurant is known for such as shellfish, grills, steaks and tableside salads, all with a large focus on seasonal and locally sourced, quality ingredients. These dishes are served within a beautifully refreshed, glamorous grill room with a clubby 1920s New York feel, and walls now adorned with striking large-scale murals and maximalist artworks.
New dishes include the Raw Orkney scallop with Waldorf salad with green apple vinaigrette for starters, followed by Monkfish Wellington with roast celeriac, braised salsify and hen-of-the-wood; Scottish Gigha halibut with buttered Dorset crab, saffron gnocchi, fennel and crab bisque and Sunchoke risotto with sunflower seed & truffle pesto and pickled golden sultanas for mains. These will be served alongside Colony Grill favourites that have been given a new twist, such as the Belted Galloway steak tartare with pickled radishes, fresh horseradish and game chips; Buttermilk fried spring chicken with new roast chicken emulsion and xo; South Coast Dover sole, grilled or meunière, with miso brown butter and potato dumplings and of course, their famous Bananas Foster and Colony Sundaes.
Meat comes from small farms and passionate producers across the UK. Beef is hand-selected for the best fat content and marbling, then matured in the restaurant’s own salt maturing chamber for at least 42 days. Steak and chops in the Grills section come cooked over English charcoal and oak, served with roasted bone marrow, a parsley and shallot salad and a sauce of your choice, such as Beaumont horseradish or the new Café de Paris snails. Provenance is key, with a new Wagyu beef grill section from Suffolk, and lettuce from Crate to Plate, who grow nutrient dense, sustainable, chemical and pesticide free produce in hydroponic tunnels in Elephant and Castle.
Open for breakfast seven days a week, the new menu features dishes such as Buttermilk pancakes with smoked maple syrup and cured bacon; Fresh fruit salad with a chamomile infusion; Sweetcorn fritter with avocado and a fried duck egg and ‘The English’, with a choice of fried, poached or scrambled Burford Brown eggs with bacon, sausage, tomato, Mangalitsa black pudding and mushroom.
The restaurant will also serve a concise weekend brunch menu, alongside the full à la carte menu, including dishes such as The Full New York: Over-easy eggs, salt beef, hash brown and Portobello mushroom; Grilled 7oz New York strip, Café de Paris snails and a fried duck egg and Sourdough waffles, with sour cherry compote and clotted cream.
Le Magritte has been moved to a new home within the hotel, and as such has totally new interiors and furnishings designed for 30 guests. This intimate, nook of a space will be run by newly appointed Bar Manager Antonino Lo Iacono (previously of Rules, Dukes, and most recently of Mark’s Club in Mayfair) serving perfectly prepared classic cocktails in this upscale location. Inspired in part by 1920s New York it will specialise in bourbons, American whiskies and cocktails. Food comes from Boeynaems and includes an Oyster and Caviar menu, as well as bites such as French Toast, bacon, truffle and jam and Corndogs and stout mustard.
Backlit alabaster columns frame the entrance and the seductive, sophisticated interior is lined with European fiddleback cherrywood and centres on the granite-topped, leather-edged, ebony bar, behind which hangs the Magritte that gives the room its name.
Le Magritte's Terrace
Brand new to the hotel, this chic, sheltered terrace overlooks Mayfair’s tranquil Brown Hart Gardens. With 1920s-style rattan armchairs and café tables enfolded by lush greenery, The Terrace will serve drinks alongside a light all-day menu.
Gatsby's Room
Formerly the bar, this has been entirely redesigned and will offer a new afternoon tea menu. Also perfect for a light bite, or pre and post dinner cocktail, this comfortable space at the heart of the hotel will also serve breakfast and a selection of light dishes throughout the day.
In addition to refurbishments of The Colony Grill and Le Magritte, a new 2 bedroom suite has been added to the hotel. The Beaumont’s sleek Art Deco public areas have been refreshed by leading New York-based designer Thierry Despont and London-based architects Reardon Smith, adding new layers of comfort and luxury. As part of the refurbishment, the hotel’s already rich collection of 20th-century art has been carefully restored and rehung, alongside intriguing acquisitions that have been added to the display.
Originally opened in 2014, The Beaumont embodies the spirit of the grand hotels of 1920s London and New York, set on a quiet garden square in Mayfair. It has established an enviable reputation for its thoughtful, friendly service as well as its beautifully appointed accommodation, and aims to offer some of the best food and drink in the city with these newly launched venues.
The Colony Grill and Le Magritte will open on 27th August.
