The Shephard Mayfair Offers First Look at Fayre’s Signature Menu

Ahead of its highly anticipated opening this September, The Shephard Mayfair has offered a first glimpse of its culinary vision with the unveiling of the debut menu for its signature restaurant, Fayre. Set to become one of London’s most anticipated new dining destinations, Fayre will champion seasonal British ingredients through a refined, contemporary menu that reflects the boutique hotel’s understated luxury and sense of place, offering guests and locals alike an elegant new address in the heart of Mayfair.

Honouring four centuries of history

Standing on one of the most storied plots in London, the hotel occupies the site of Mayfair’s oldest house known as ‘The Cottage’, dating back to 1618, where a shepherd once tended his flock. The fields surrounding the cottage would later become home to the annual May Fair, before the architect and developer Edward Shepherd transformed the area into the intimate urban quarter that still bears his name today. It is a history that runs directly through the hotel’s identity and the neighbourhood it calls home.

Inside Fayre

Located on the ground floor of The Shepherd Mayfair, Fayre is a 62-cover restaurant serving seasonal dishes throughout breakfast, lunch and dinner service. The interior is defined by banquette seating, dark timber panelling and a rich berry-toned palette inspired by mulberry and blueberry hues, while wall coverings by urban artist Adam Ellis animate the space with theatrical scenes referencing the historic fair that once occupied Mayfair’s open fields. Ellis’ creations reinterpret the original May Fair gatherings, from livestock markets and theatres to jugglers and games of chance. Throughout Fayre, the history of Shepherd Market is reflected in both the design and the menu.

Like the hotel, Fayre has been conceived around warmth, familiarity and understated confidence. Rather than chasing trends, the restaurant draws inspiration from the great neighbourhood dining rooms of London, celebrating seasonal British produce, timeless cooking and an atmosphere designed to welcome both regular local guests and first-time visitors alike.

A celebration of seasonal British dining

The menu is built around seasonal British produce, celebrating familiar favourites and refined European classics designed to be enjoyed time and time again. Snacks include a lobster & prawn brioche roll and braised beef short rib croquette. Starters range from crispy duck confit salad and citrus-cured trout to scallops. Main courses include Gloucester Old Spot pork chop, a beef Wellington pithivier, dry-aged steaks and seasonal vegetarian dishes.

Puddings by the Glass

The menu closes with “Puddings by the Glass”, a signature concept at Fayre in which classic desserts are presented in a tall glass as a nod to the theatre and spectacle of the original May Fair. Launching the series is the strawberry and Champagne trifle, with a new Pudding by the Glass introduced each week inspired by recipes and flavours from the era of the historic fair. Other puddings on the opening menu include Paris-Brest with pistachio mousseline cream and chocolate chips, Baked Alaska with caramelised pear, hazelnut and honey, and blackberry Bakewell tart.

Three distinct dining destinations

Fayre joins The Lounge, a relaxed café-style space with 46 covers and an outdoor terrace, and Teddy’s, a hidden late-night cocktail bar on the lower ground floor. Together, the three concepts create a collection of spaces that evolve naturally throughout the day, from morning coffee and neighbourhood lunches to late-night cocktails. Designed to welcome both hotel guests and locals, they reflect The Shepherd Mayfair’s wider ambition to become woven into the everyday rhythm of Shepherd Market rather than simply another hotel destination.

A boutique London hotel with a neighbourhood spirit

Designed by Timothy Shepherd of Shepherd&, The Shepherd Mayfair comprises 82 rooms and suites across six floors. Conceived as a contemporary interpretation of Mayfair’s historic mansions, the hotel is rooted in the character of Shepherd Market, offering a neighbourhood-led alternative to the grand hotels traditionally associated with Mayfair.

Top image: Fayre at The Shepherd Mayfair by Harry Brereton