Welcome to London x London’s Mayfair Guide: your guide to the best bars, restaurants and things to do in this Central London neighbourhood.
Mayfair sits within the City of Westminster, bordered by Hyde Park to the west, Piccadilly to the south and Oxford Street to the north.
Mayfair is London’s poshest postcode, home to red-carpet hotels, Michelin-starred tables and some of the priciest real estate on the Monopoly board.
Behind the polish lies a genuinely surprising history, running from a rowdy medieval fair to a red-light reputation that would raise eyebrows at today’s address.
Mayfair grew from open fields at the turn of the 18th century into the most desirable postcode for London’s upper classes. Its name comes from the raucous annual “May Fair” once held here, a festival eventually banned on the grounds of public scandal. That gritty past of disorderly celebrations and debauchery sits at odds with the wealth and reputation the area carries today.
What remains is a mix of red-brick mansions, upscale restaurants, high-end boutiques and historic landmarks. Whether we have cash to spend or are simply happy to window-shop, there is plenty worth the walk: bars, cafes and restaurants to try, historic shops to browse, and galleries and museums worth an afternoon of anyone’s time.
