74 Charlotte Street Sets a New Standard for Modern British Dining

74 Charlotte Street is new. It gleams as you walk in from the rain-splashed, bustling streets of Fitzrovia. Undulating, unadorned white walls with soft uplighting accentuate booths filled with cosy diners, served by impeccably dressed staff. It signals a chef with serious culinary credentials. Ben Murphy, formerly of The Berkeley and Launceston Place, has created an oasis of calm that quietly celebrates the craft of cooking.

The dishes are rooted in British tradition, executed with classical technique and lifted by a modern, playful touch. It is clear this is a man who knows exactly what he is doing. Attention to detail is everywhere, from the curve of a steak knife echoing the sweep of a wall, to the angle of a chair, even the easy assurance of the sommelier. Everything speaks of care and intention at 74 Charlotte Street.

The tasting menu aka Ben’s Table, at £110 is, and I hesitate to say it, a tour de force. I have rarely enjoyed a meal so completely. Milk bread with pumpkin seed hummus and noisette butter sets the tone. I could have left happy on this alone. Absolute perfection. Eggs and soldiers with bacon and butternut is already a signature. Bluefin tuna with ponzu, apple and radish arrives as a visual delight. The jelly, lightly tinted with beetroot, encasing wafer-thin tuna, is handled with such precision it would trouble even the most exacting sushi chef.

A Hen of the Woods mushroom tartlet with slow-cooked egg and parmesan follows, before BBQ monkfish with vin jaune, coco bean and mussel. However, it is the venison steak with celeriac, quince and Earl Grey that steals the heart. The pudding course offers a meringue of cherry yoghurt and olive oil, but it is impossible to ignore the sweet trolley, with an ice cream and gelato vendor wheeling his cart through the dining room. On this visit, the ice cream was mince pie, rich, gently spiced and wonderfully judged, capturing the warmth of the season without excess. The theatre of the cones, quite apart from the quality of the ice cream itself, would be worth the price of entry alone.

If your tastes lean more towards the main menu, it gives ample reason to return. The Beef Wellington of fillet and short rib at £90 for two, the Taco 9 fish and chips, or the poached trout at £29 can wait for another visit. And there will be another visit.

This is a meal that deserves thoughtful accompaniment. Ayala Champagne by the glass is an inspired choice, reminiscent of the best Cristal, and at a fraction of the cost. Much has already been written about this wine, so I will add little beyond a simple recommendation: have a glass. For whites, the Isabey 2024 Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and dry at £13 a glass, while the Macon Villages Depuis Chanson 2022 (£32) is a fine bottle to share. The venison calls for something deeper, answered well by the Fraser Gales Estate Cabernet Merlot (£42). To finish, a Linden Estate late harvest Ortega at £18 a glass makes a fitting close. Perfect.

Down in the basement kitchen, we met the man himself. Chef Ben Murphy took the time to greet us mid-service, composed and attentive despite the demands of a full restaurant. Urbane, relaxed and quietly confident, he leads a focused, disciplined team with evident ease. There is no bluster here, just assurance. This is a chef entirely at home in his kitchen, and it shows on the plate.

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