WRITTEN BY REMI JAMES
I must confess, coming from a fashion design background, I’ve always associated Savile Row with impeccably tailored suits, not tasting menus. So imagine my delight, and slight confusion, when I discovered that London’s famed tailoring street, home to 290 years of timeless tailoring, has at last opened its first-ever restaurant: Row on 5. Well, if you ever wanted your dinner to be as “bespoke” as your dinner jacket, this is the place for you.
Michelin-starred Chef Jason Atherton needs no introduction among foodie circles, yet here he is, stitching together a brand-new masterpiece across two floors at No. 5 Savile Row alongside his partner-in-crime, his beautiful wife, Irha. It’s the culinary equivalent of commissioning a three-piece suit made from the world’s finest tweed: personal, precise, and utterly British at heart. The restaurant is their joint legacy, a dream finally realised on a street that has never before hosted a restaurant in its storied history. Cue the collective gasp from traditionalists, then applause from curious diners like me.
When I met Jason, it was an absolute treat. You could practically hear the joy in his voice and see the pride lighting up his eyes as he described opening such an iconic restaurant and what it means to him. His enthusiasm was infectious, setting the stage perfectly for what would prove to be an extraordinary dining adventure.
Equally captivating was my conversation with Irha Atherton, which felt like bumping into an old friend at a garden party, only the garden happens to be a gleaming new, fabulous restaurant on Savile Row. She greeted me with a smile that could outshine a perfectly pressed morning suit and happily recounted how it all began. Best of all, she revealed a cheeky “secret door” tucked away in the décor. No spoilers, but keep your eyes peeled for a delightful surprise. At the entrance, there’s even a dry-cleaning corner: pop in your coat on arrival, and your dinner jacket emerges freshly pressed after dessert. It’s the sort of clever service that says, “Yes, we know you care about details, and so do we.”
This attention to detail extends throughout the kitchen, where Jason has partnered with Spencer Metzger, who honed his craft as head chef at The Ritz London for 13 years before jetting off to Dubai as one of Jason’s opening chefs at Row on 45. Now he’s returned to helm Row on 5 London. When I later had the chance to speak with Spencer, it felt a bit like chatting with someone who’s witnessed both Buckingham Palace banquets and desert soirées, yet remains cheerfully, and very, down to earth.
Spencer’s expertise truly shines in the restaurant’s pièce de résistance: the 15-course tasting menu (£250), presented in three “acts” across separate venues within the restaurant. Think of it as a theatrical production for the palate, showcasing peak-season British produce with the occasional globetrotting cameo. During our conversation, Spencer guided me through a selection of miniature delights, each plate a wink to the landscape or heritage behind it. Here’s a flavour of what awaits:
Act I begins downstairs with dishes like:
- Cartagena blue fin tuna
- “Cheese and onion”
- Inverness langoustine
This opening act serves as an elegant prelude to the main event. From there, you’re escorted upstairs to a cozy, 28-cover dining room where half the space is devoted to a very large open kitchen. Watching chefs at work here feels a bit like seeing master tailors sewing a fine jacket in your presence—every move purposeful, every stitch (or in this case, sear) measured.
This upstairs setting hosts Act II, the mid-meal crescendo featuring:
- Orkney scallop
- Native lobster
- Cornish turbot
- Pyrenees lamb / Kagoshima wagyu
- Colston Basset stilton
- Alphonso mango
- Malaga strawberries
The intimate atmosphere allows you to witness the precision and artistry that goes into each dish, creating an immersive dining theater.
The final act brings you back downstairs to the bar for:
- Tea and cake
- Oswaldo 71%
- Petit fours
A fitting conclusion to this culinary journey. Vegetarian tasters follow a similar theme, though “Bluefin Tuna” on a vegetarian menu might raise an eyebrow. (In fact, it’s clever wordplay: expect plant-based reinterpretations that surprise and delight.)
What truly sets Row on 5 apart, however, is what lies beneath. Prepare to be dazzled by the wine cellar, where over 4,000 bottles reside, each in its temperature-controlled sanctum. Vintage Champagnes rest in one chamber, reds and whites in another, and a glass-walled cabinet proudly displays the Athertons’ own Romanée-Conti collection. Housed in Sorrells wine rooms built from sustainable British wood, it’s eco-chic meets oenophile’s paradise. I half-expected to find a Savile Row suit hanger in there somewhere, but the focus remained on the liquid treasures, my favorite part, and I suspect yours too.
If you crave an experience as thoughtfully curated as a Savile Row suit, and a tad less itchy than wool in high summer, Row on 5 is your ticket. It’s a rare union of tailoring heritage and haute cuisine, where service is as polished as the silverware and every dish is cut to measure. This isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a statement. Savile Row’s tailoring legacy now extends to your taste buds.
So, if you fancy something uniquely London, where each course is cut with precision and served with Michelin flair, book a table. You’ll leave feeling as though you’ve been measured for the ultimate gastronomic suit: impeccable fit, exquisite finish, and entirely made to order.
Images courtesy of Row on 5 marketing.
Row on 5
5 Savile Row, London W1S 3PB
