London, United Kingdom — European Cafe / Grand Cafe
#54 in London

The Wolseley

Piccadilly's grand European cafe — the room where London's publishing, political, and film industries conduct breakfast.
Impress Clients Birthday Close a Deal $$$

About The Wolseley

The Wolseley opened in 2003 in a grade II-listed former Wolseley car showroom on Piccadilly, across from the Ritz. Founded by Jeremy King and Chris Corbin — the restaurateurs behind Le Caprice and The Ivy — and now operating under The Wolseley Hospitality Group, it is modelled on the grand cafes of Vienna, Paris, and Budapest: marble floors, black-and-white chequered tiling, vaulted ceilings, and a full-service programme that runs from 7am breakfast to post-theatre supper.

The menu spans the grand-cafe canon without trying to impose itself: Viennoiserie, omelettes, smoked salmon, eggs Benedict, wiener schnitzel, choucroute, steak frites, a pastry trolley, and one of the best tea services in central London. Pricing is surprisingly honest for the location — breakfast averages around £20 per person.

The Wolseley's cultural position is significant. London's publishing industry holds most of its author breakfasts here; the political class uses it as a neutral venue; the film industry treats it as a default. The room's volume, pacing, and service make it work for almost any type of business meeting.

8.7Food
9.5Ambience
8.5Value

Best Occasion Fit

The Wolseley impresses clients without trying. The grand-cafe staging, the Piccadilly address, and the cultural cachet of the dining room combine into a meeting venue that reads correctly to anyone familiar with London's professional classes. Equally strong as a breakfast meeting, a client lunch, or a low-stakes dinner.

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