Helene Darroze at The Connaught

Hélène Darroze at The Connaught on Carlos Place in Mayfair W1 is a three Michelin star restaurant by Basque-born French chef Hélène Darroze, operating within the landmark Connaught hotel. It is one of only a handful of three-Michelin-star restaurants in London, and among the very few run by a woman. Darroze's cooking is rooted in the Basque-Gascony tradition but interprets it through the finest seasonal produce from Britain, France and Spain. The experience is deeply personalised: guests indicate their preferences and the menu is built around them, with a signature baba au rhum trolley at the end. Hardens describes it as "an incredibly personalised experience — one of London's great gastronomic destinations." The Connaught hotel has stood on Carlos Place since 1897, and the dining room is one of London's most beautiful.

Available for dine-in at The Connaught, Carlos Place, Mayfair W1K. Phone 020 3147 7200. Book well ahead. Own website: the-connaught.co.uk.