Alfonso La Cava opened St James Restaurant in Bushey Village in 1997 and since 2019, his nephew Giammarco Angelilli has taken over the kitchens. Giammarco worked in the city for a while and became head chef of Friends restaurant in Pinner (I also dined here a couple of times in the past) where he won a 1 rosettes award. In 2014 he moved to New York where after 6 months moved to Chicago for a new project. In 2015 he came back to London and in March 2016 opened Osteria Modigliani in Pinner which he sold in 2018.  St James feels like an exciting place to dine at right now and we kicked off our tasting menu with an amuse-bouche of mushroom soup with a truffle foam which was so inviting and warming – the perfect start to our lunch.

The restaurant offers a lighter lunch menu during the day, an a la carte menu for dinner, Sunday roasts, afternoon tea, delicious cocktails and bottomless brunches – the choices are endless and there’s something for everyone. Our tasting menu comprised of six courses priced at £45 which I thought was a steal (plus there’s a slightly toned-down version for £35) and in London for this quality – you’d be paying double that and more. Plus, there is a private dining room for those business affairs or celebrations.

I think my favourite dish here (well one of many) was this pan-fried scallops, served with red Thai curry sauce, samphire and cashew nut salad. The scallops were honestly cooked to pure perfection. I’ve had far too many tough and chewy ones in my life (even in some of the best establishments) – but this didn’t let us down. The Thai curry sauce was silky and smooth and the samphire cashew nut salad was a much-welcomed texture. A really beautiful dish, but if I’m being extra picky (because it was so good), the sauce could have had just a little more depth and intensity to linger on the palate.

Indulge in a culinary masterpiece with the slow-cooked grass-fed ox beef cheek here at St James. Impeccably prepared through slow-cooking techniques, the tender beef is bathed in a velvety port wine reduction, creating a symphony of rich flavors. Served atop a bed of parsnips, apples, and celeriac pearl barley risotto, each bite offers a harmonious blend of sweetness, tartness, and nuttiness. Visually stunning and generously portioned, this dish is a triumph of taste and presentation, providing such a memorable dining experience. The reduction was so glossy and beautiful – it wasn’t the easiest to photograph, reflecting into the lens. I could eat it all over again.

Let’s talk about the exquisite pan-fried cod. This delectable dish features perfectly cooked cod, paired with chorizo croquettes, cod brandade, and a tantalizing tomato relish. The crowning glory is the wild garlic béarnaise, adding a burst of aromatic flavors. With a perfect balance of textures and a medley of flavours, this culinary creation is a stunning blend of seafood excellence and creative gastronomy. Who knew such a stellar restaurant was in Bushey!

I know every dish sounds like my favorite, but as we got further into the tasting menu, portions increased – but we somehow managed to finish all (but one last bite!) of the rump of lamb. Yet another culinary delight, featuring tender slow-cooked lamb, dauphinoise potato, borlotti beans, and honey-glazed carrots. The dish reaches perfection with the addition of a rich chestnut puree and crowned with a luscious tarragon jus. A lifetime on the hips and is worth every single mouthful.

To finish, we indulged in a decadent chocolate cremeux, a velvety and rich chocolate custard, accompanied by a luscious peanut butter and hazelnut mousse. The dish is elevated with the addition of honeycomb for a delightful crunch, and a scoop of salted caramel ice cream for a perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness. To add a touch of complexity, we top it off with a sprinkling of dark chocolate soil. Prepare for a sensory journey that combines the smoothness of cremeux, the nutty notes of mousse, the crispiness of honeycomb, the creaminess of ice cream, and the depth of dark chocolate soil. Delicious!

All of Giammarco’s restaurant experience has certainly paid off because some of the cooking techniques and flavor combinations here really were beautiful and I only wish I knew such a triumph of a restaurant, that I had passed for years – was a place I didn’t pass, but dine in. St James Restaurant in Bushey is a true haven for those who love food, using some of the finest ingredients available. With its commitment to authenticity, exceptional flavors, impeccable service (thanks to the attentive Tommaso Sassanelli who served us), and charming ambiance, it stands out as a destination where diners can indulge in a memorable and delightful culinary journey. Would we return? We absolutely will be doing so – in the very near future.

Now when you walk through the door you'll find a caffetteria, pasticceria and gastronomia inside. In the first, it'll be all about the various different coffee ranges on offer alongside tiramisu, coffee sponge cake and even expresso transformed into 'coffee caviar'. At the pasticceria they've roped in chef Marco Pedron who comes here via Princi and Craco in Galleria in Milan. He's created a range of pastries designed to work brilliantly with coffee including a Neapolitan caprese al cioccolato cookie.

The big change will be the arrival of the gastronomia restaurant. Start your meal here with one of the various coffee-based cocktails like a Negroni Cold Brew or Coffee Spritz before trying dishes by chef Federico Zanasi which will include:

• Focaccia with Stracciatella cheese, Mortadella and pistachio pesto
• Homemade savoury Maritozzo with Burrata and crispy Octopus
• Cream of lemon-scented pumpkin with chickpea balls, sweet potato, crispy bread, pumpkin seeds and saffron oil

Zanasi won a Michelin star for Condividere, his restaurant at Lavazza's headquarters in Turin, so it should definitely be worth checking out what he's come up with for the London space.

More about Lavazza

Where is it? 23-24 Great Marlborough St, London W1F 7HU

When does it open? Open now

Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @lavazzauk

During lunch there are three choices of carte blanche menus, starting at 90euroes for a short 3 courses and going all the up to 190euroes for the six course menu Le Clarence. In the evening, there is the epic 8 course which can be had for 320euroes. I went for the 6 courses plus the white truffle supplement (60euroes), and arranged a little wine flight comprised of Haut Brion’s 2nd wines and their non first growth labels.

Every course here is delivered as sequential multi-plates a la Gagnaire, and as a surprise. In some regard, the spontaneity of Pele’s creative cuisine feels much like a grand version of Parisian bistronomy, played out in a most opulent setting. I think it is every bit worthy of its two star rating and I would compare Pele’s idea of a carte blanche to that of Passage 53. Both Chefs’ frame their menus around a string of balanced and light dishes that flow from the start to finish.

What really makes Le Clarence rather unique of course are that you can opt for the HM and LMHB first wines – both the whites and the reds – by the glass, and indeed fashion a wine flight based around them. They would still cost a ton, at 130 – 200 euroes a glass, but not thousands if you were to pop the cork on 4 bottles of each of the white and red Graves.

Is it a candidate for 3 stars today? Probably not, as I feel that Pele is still tweaking his ideas about Cantonese flavours in his cuisine. Also, a couple of docked points for presenting tourists with a sub-standard white truffle that is at the moment showing very well near its peak season. However as it stands, his cuisine is very attractive, the cuisson is generally spot-on and I would love to revisit to see how he is progressing in due time.

Restaurant details: website , IG