"Escoffier's Savoy room reborn under James Sharp — one Michelin star, £175, eight courses; book it for a milestone in London."
About 1890
Twenty-six seats, £175, one tasting menu built around Auguste Escoffier. Restaurant 1890 opened inside The Savoy in February 2022 — the name marks the year Escoffier arrived to run the hotel's kitchens — and won a Michelin star in the 2024 guide, which it still holds in 2026. Executive head chef James Sharp cooks a modern French tasting that quotes Escoffier directly: his Turbot Veronique reappears as confit turbot under a champagne and caviar beurre blanc, and a lobster vol-au-vent carries a sauce Americaine.
The Kitchen
Executive head chef James Sharp runs the pass at Restaurant 1890, cooking under the Gordon Ramsay Restaurants banner but with the Escoffier songbook as the brief. The signature is the Turbot Veronique: turbot confit sous-vide to a firm, silky set and served with a champagne-and-caviar beurre blanc, sea herbs and a verjus gel — a direct update of the dish Escoffier built for the Savoy. The lobster vol-au-vent with sauce Americaine is the other set-piece, and the kitchen holds four AA Rosettes for the work.
The format is fixed: a tasting menu only, currently around £175 for the full progression with a shorter lunch on Fridays and Saturdays, served in a 26-seat room at The Savoy on the Strand. Wine pairings push the bill well past £300 a head. This is haute cuisine in the literal, historical sense — precise, rich, French — and the Michelin star awarded in 2024 and retained in 2026 confirms the level. Note the kitchen cannot strip out carrots, onion, garlic or black pepper, the spine of its sauces.
The Room
The 26-seat room looks out over the Savoy's courtyard entrance and the theatre next door, and it is hushed — tables generously spaced, conversation easy, the sound of service kept low. Lighting is dim and warm, the palette restrained, and the pacing slow across the full tasting. Dress is smart: the Savoy asks guests to skip shorts, tracksuits and hoodies, though smart trainers pass. With so few covers and a single nightly service from Tuesday to Saturday, the room feels private even when full.
Best for a Milestone Dinner
Book this room for a milestone — an anniversary, a significant birthday, a proposal — because it earns the occasion three ways: the Escoffier-at-the-Savoy history gives the night weight, the 26-seat room stays quiet enough to talk, and the tasting runs long enough to feel like an event rather than a meal. For the wider field, see our guide to London's best restaurants and the global list of restaurants for a special birthday.
Not for
Not for a quick dinner or a fussy eater — it is tasting-menu only, runs to three hours, and the kitchen cannot remove carrots, onion, garlic or black pepper from its sauces.
Frequently Asked
Is Restaurant 1890 worth it?
For the right occasion, yes. You are paying around £175 for a one-Michelin-star tasting that takes Escoffier's Savoy legacy literally, cooked by James Sharp in a 26-seat room with service to match. It is expensive and formal, and the value sits in the history and the precision rather than in portion or novelty. Go for a milestone, not a casual night.
How hard is it to book Restaurant 1890?
Hard, mostly because of size. With 26 seats and one service Tuesday to Saturday, dinner books up weeks out, especially Friday and Saturday. Reserve directly through Gordon Ramsay Restaurants and aim three to four weeks ahead; the shorter Friday and Saturday lunch is the easier way in. The restaurant is inside The Savoy on the Strand.
What is the dress code at Restaurant 1890?
Smart. The Savoy asks guests to avoid shorts, tracksuits and hoodies, but it stops short of requiring a jacket, and smart trainers are explicitly fine. In practice most diners dress up for the room and the price. A jacket or a dress will never feel out of place, but you will not be turned away in smart-casual.
What should I order at Restaurant 1890?
There is no a la carte — the menu is a set tasting — so the question is really what to expect. The Turbot Veronique, confit turbot under a champagne and caviar beurre blanc, is the signature and the dish to anticipate, alongside the lobster vol-au-vent with sauce Americaine. Add the wine pairing if the budget allows; the Savoy cellar is the point.
Is Restaurant 1890 good for a special occasion?
Yes — it is built for one. The Escoffier-at-the-Savoy story, the tiny 26-seat room and the multi-course pace all push toward anniversaries, proposals and landmark birthdays. It is less suited to a relaxed catch-up or a working dinner. For more rooms in this register, see our guide to special-occasion restaurants.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Restaurant 1890
Direct booking · 26 seats, book 3–4 weeks out
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
AddressThe Savoy, Strand, London WC2R 0EU
NeighbourhoodThe Savoy, Strand
CuisineModern French tasting menu
Tasting Menu£175 · pairings push past £300
SignatureTurbot Veronique; lobster vol-au-vent
MichelinOne star (2024, held 2026)
Dress CodeSmart (no shorts/tracksuits)
ReservationDirect · Tue–Sat, one service
