The talk of the town in London is the opening of the first André Balazs property outside of the U.S. The hotelier behind Chateau Marmont, The Mercer, and The Standard Hotels is taking the city by storm with the Chiltern Firehouse. His latest hotel—located in a Victorian-era red brick fire station on cool Chiltern Street—is already getting rave reviews for the restaurant, helmed by Chef Nuno Mendes (formerly at the Michelin-starred Viajante in the Town Hall hotel).
In-demand Paris designers Studio Ko created the knock-out interiors, and the menu features shared starters like crab doughnuts and signature dishes like the Firehouse Caesar, steak tartare, maple-glazed salmon with crispy skin, and slow roasted beef short rib. There is an open kitchen, so you can sit at the counter to watch the chefs at work. In the summer, the outside tables will be quite sought-after. The Telegraph points out that the Chiltern Firehouse is all about “who’s who,” with “a rigorous screening process to accept bookings.” The entrance for the beau monde is through a discreet gated garden. According to HotelChatter, the 26 hotel suites are not yet open for reservations.
Chiltern Firehouse, One Chiltern Street, London, W1U 7PA, Tel: +44 020 7073 7676, www.chilternfirehouse.com