The Ledbury
A Michelin three-star fine-dining restaurant on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill, London.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The Ledbury is a fine-dining restaurant on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill, London. It opened in 2005 as a sister restaurant to The Square, the Mayfair restaurant that had established a strong reputation under chef-patron Phil Howard. The two restaurants shared financial backers, although The Ledbury developed its own identity under Australian chef Brett Graham, who became its chef-patron and co-restaurateur. Graham had previously worked at The Square as a sous chef and brought a technically ambitious, produce-led style to the new restaurant. The restaurant earned a Michelin star within its first year of operation and added a second star in 2010. That year also brought the Square Meal BMW Restaurant of the Year Award. Its critical reputation grew during the late 2000s and early 2010s, when reviewers emphasized the restaurant's refined atmosphere, ambitious cooking and high pricing. In 2010 and 2011, it was voted the United Kingdom's leading restaurant in Restaurant Magazine's National Restaurant Awards. It was also recognized by London and national dining guides, including Zagat, Harden's and The Sunday Times. The Ledbury became a regular presence in The World's 50 Best Restaurants ranking, reaching the top ten in 2014 and being identified as the list's highest climber in 2012. The restaurant's operation was severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2020, Graham announced that The Ledbury would remain closed indefinitely because the social-distancing requirements then in force were considered impractical for the restaurant's layout and service model. Because it was closed and therefore unavailable for Michelin inspectors' assessment, it lost its two Michelin stars from the 2021 Guide. The closure lasted almost two years. The Square, its former sister restaurant, closed permanently in early 2020. The Ledbury was refurbished and reopened to the public in February 2022. The redesign reduced seating capacity from 55 to 45 and introduced a central table intended for use by the serving team. The restaurant returned to the Michelin Guide in 2023 with two stars and was elevated to three stars in the 2024 Guide. Graham continues to lead the kitchen with head chef Tom Spenceley. The Ledbury's positioning remains centered on high-end tasting-menu dining, detailed service and critically recognized contemporary cuisine rather than on a broad multi-site restaurant chain or packaged consumer products.
History
The Ledbury opened in 2005 on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill, London. It was established as a sister restaurant to The Square in Mayfair, and the two businesses had the same financial backers. The Square was already known as a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, while The Ledbury began building an independent reputation under Brett Graham, an Australian chef who became its chef-patron and co-restaurateur. Graham was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, in 1979. He began his training as an apprentice at the fish restaurant Scratchleys and later worked at Banc in Sydney. After winning the Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year Award, he moved to London in the early 2000s. He worked at The Square for three and a half years as a sous chef under Phil Howard and won the Restaurant Association's Young Chef of the Year award in 2002. His experience at The Square provided a direct professional link between the two restaurants, but The Ledbury developed its own culinary and critical profile. The Ledbury obtained a Michelin star within its first year. Its commercial performance strengthened later in the decade, with sales increasing by 2009, and a second Michelin star followed in 2010. The restaurant also received the Square Meal BMW Restaurant of the Year Award in 2010. Contemporary reviews generally described it as a polished and ambitious destination. Critics commented on its quiet, affluent atmosphere, strong cooking and expensive pricing, while some reviews identified individual weaknesses alongside broad praise. During the early 2010s, The Ledbury became one of the United Kingdom's most prominent restaurants. It was named the country's top restaurant in Restaurant Magazine's National Restaurant Awards in both 2010 and 2011. In 2011, it was also recognized as London's best restaurant by Zagat, Harden's and The Sunday Times. Its international reputation was reflected in appearances on the S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants list. It was described as the list's highest climber in 2012 and placed among the top ten restaurants in 2014. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted this trajectory. In June 2020, Graham announced that The Ledbury would stay closed indefinitely because one-metre social-distancing rules made the restaurant's operating model impractical and raised concerns about the safety of staff and customers. The restaurant's closure meant that Michelin inspectors could not assess it. It consequently lost its two Michelin stars from the 2021 Guide. The Square, its sister restaurant, closed permanently in early 2020. After almost two years away from public service, The Ledbury reopened in February 2022 following refurbishment. The renovation reduced the number of seats from 55 to 45, with the additional space used for a central table serving the restaurant team. The restaurant regained two Michelin stars in the 2023 Michelin Guide and was promoted to three stars in the 2024 edition. Graham remains actively involved in the kitchen alongside head chef Tom Spenceley. The restaurant therefore combines a long-standing London fine-dining identity with a post-pandemic format shaped by refurbishment, a smaller dining room and a renewed focus on chef-led tasting-menu service.
- 2024
Three Michelin stars awarded
[1]The restaurant is promoted to three stars in the 2024 Michelin Guide.
- 2023
Two Michelin stars regained
[1]The Ledbury returns to the Michelin Guide with two stars.
- 2022
Reopening after refurbishment
[1]The restaurant reopens in February after almost two years, with capacity reduced from 55 to 45 seats.
- 2021
Michelin stars lapse during closure
[1]The Ledbury loses its two Michelin stars because it is closed and unavailable for inspection.
- 2020
Indefinite pandemic closure
[1]The restaurant closes during the COVID-19 pandemic and announces that it will remain shut because distancing rules are incompatible with its operation.
- 2014
Top-ten international ranking
[1]The Ledbury is included among the top ten restaurants in The World's 50 Best Restaurants.
- 2012
Highest climber on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list
[1]The restaurant is identified as the highest climber in its second year on the S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants list.
- 2011
Repeated national recognition
[1]The Ledbury is again voted the UK's top restaurant and is also recognized as London's best restaurant by Zagat, Harden's and The Sunday Times.
- 2010
Second Michelin star and national restaurant award
[1]The restaurant earns a second Michelin star and receives the Square Meal BMW Restaurant of the Year Award.
- 2010
Named the UK's top restaurant
[1]Restaurant Magazine's National Restaurant Awards vote The Ledbury the leading restaurant in the United Kingdom.
Products and positioning
High-end, chef-led fine dining focused on ambitious contemporary cuisine, formal hospitality and tasting-menu service.
Fine dining
Tasting menu
The Ledbury's principal offering is a chef-led, multi-course tasting-menu experience. The format presents contemporary restaurant cooking through a sequence of composed courses and is supported by detailed table service. Publicly available reference material identifies the tasting menu as the restaurant's defining offering, but does not provide a stable current menu or dish list.
Restaurant cuisine · 2005
Seasonal contemporary cuisine
The restaurant's broader product is its seasonal, contemporary fine-dining cuisine, developed under chef-patron Brett Graham and served in an intimate London dining room. The cuisine is presented as part of a full hospitality experience rather than as a standardized packaged product.
Brand decisions
2022
Refurbishment and reduced-capacity reopeningStrategyBackground
After almost two years of closure, the restaurant returned with a redesigned dining room and service operation.
Action taken
The Ledbury reopened after refurbishment, reducing capacity from 55 to 45 seats and adding a central table for serving staff.
Aftermath
The restaurant regained two Michelin stars in 2023 and reached three stars in the 2024 Michelin Guide.
2020
Indefinite closure during the COVID-19 pandemicStrategyBackground
The pandemic and the one-metre social-distancing requirements created operational and safety concerns for the restaurant's dining room and service model.
Action taken
Brett Graham announced that The Ledbury would remain closed indefinitely rather than operate under conditions he considered impractical.
Aftermath
The closure made the restaurant ineligible for Michelin assessment and was followed by the loss of its two Michelin stars from the 2021 Guide.
Sources1 sources
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