Real Guides: Mayfair, London, UK by Tamta Mosulishvili
A glam guide by the founder of Quintet London.
Not long ago I was working in the luxury sector in London’s über glam Mayfair neighbourhood when I had the great fortune of meeting the beautiful Tamta Mosulishvili through mutual connections. She is a fashion brand founder originally from Georgia. It was when we met for coffee at Tbilisi inspired Entree Mayfair that I got to know both her and our shared neighbourhood better.
Tamta Mosulishvili is the founder of the fashion accessories brand Quintet London. The brand specialises in creating ‘personalised art on silk’, transforming it into wearable art such as scarves, pocket squares and twillys. Quintet takes pride in digitally drawing each stroke to create the most thoughtful personalised gifts that are made to be cherished forever. Explore some of the vibrant, luxurious bespoke designs and you will see the level of care put into every item, they’re truly gorgeous!
Tamta is also the flagship store manager for Moynat Paris. This is one oldest female founded brands and trunk makers still in existence, located right in the heart of Mayfair.
Mayfair is famous for a number of reasons. It has some of the most glorious hotels and restaurants in the entire country. It is also famously private and difficult to penetrate. What I didn’t realise was the fact that this neighbourhood was also still full of independent businesses and a network of creatively minded people. Thanks to Tamta I got to explore that special side of Mayfair.
Mayfair, London by Tamta Mosulishvili
To eat
The longer I live in London, I am realising it becomes harder and harder to have a list of favourite restaurants. Restaurants in this city are evolving so much, often moving with the trends. There are so many new entries all the time and sadly some closures.
There are many names that are wonderful restaurants and establishments that will be in Mayfair forever such as Scott’s and Le Petit Maison. Koyn and Mount St. Restaurant are relatively new and I love them both! Bacchanalia is worth a mention but I am more into hidden gems that have a relaxed feel to them.
My latest discovery and favourite place to eat is Apricity in Mayfair. I love the meaning of their name “the warmth of the sun in winter” but more than that they have Michelin Green Star due to the freshness of their sustainably sourced ingredients. I also love their selection of wines (a good variety of Orange ones). My family in Georgia used to make wines and orange wines were one of the main varieties we would make. It is always a plus to have good options even though I would never have believed it if someone had told me when I was younger that orange wine would become so popular! Apricitiy is unlike to other Mayfair restaurants (don’t get me wrong I love most of them) it has a lot more relaxed ambience, it has an earthy feel and super fresh and tasty.
Gaia Mayfair, a Greek restaurant, is the newest entry in the area. It has dining, bar and a club (you need to be a member of the club to enter). I loved the one in Dubai however I prefer the London location as it feels a lot more spacious and the kitchen seems to have a stronger team.
Finally, St. John in Marylebone has fresh ingredients daily and menu changes every single day. I love the relaxed look and feel. It is the perfect place for weekday evening dinners. [Note from the editor: Try their donuts! Plus they offer one of the best high quality, low cost cups of coffee in town.]
To drink
For quick casual drinks I like to head a little north to Marylebone. My go-to is Chiltern Firehouse’s outside seating (you need to arrive before 6pm to get a table outsider as they close at 9pm). Also, 108 outside or slightly casual places Clarette and The Italians. They all have great selection of wines and food.
When I fancy to dress up I love to go to Annabel’s back in Mayfair for pre dinner drinks, dinner and drinks or after dinner drinks and dancing. Annabel’s has that charm to always make you escape the reality as it is always summer there regardless of the season due to its jungle theme and ever green garden. And of course closure at 3am is a big plus if you want to have proper night out!
For a slightly more casual night out where you can dress down (relatively speaking) and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere there is a new entry in London’s members clubs with The Twenty Two. This place also stays open late, so you can have a proper night out.
As London (and especially Mayfair) is a hub of members clubs the best (albeit small) rooftop is definitely found at Maison Estelle. So for summer evenings to feel you are in Madrid or Rome and want to spend time in Mayfair definitely the best one up until new Soho House will open. Let’s see!
For a more mature and calm outing I would select The Donovan Bar at the Browns Hotel for its really special selection of cocktails or Dukes bar. It’s a must to order one of their famous martinis (they allow you to order a maximum of two so make of that what you will!)
To buy
My forever favourite store is Koibird on Marylebone Lane. I love how carefully curated their selection is and how well they do their visual merchandising. I love each brand they choose. Everything is beautiful and cohesive.
When shopping for books to read or inspo browsing through illustrations, my always favourite is Daunt Books back up in Marylebone. This is a very iconic shop and a must see. It is very picturesque and rich with an enormous amount of books on most any topic. I especially love the fashion and interior design sections.
BDDW by Tyler Hays on Mount Street is a must visit as they have most beautiful and unique objects d’art. The shop has an Americana rustic style with natural woods and iconic puzzle artworks.
To stay
I live in Marylebone and maybe I am biased but I believe if I was visiting London I would have stayed in Marylebone as it has the option to walk everywhere and appreciate residential plus the more touristic side of London. It is also the best area to appreciate London’s Victorian and Georgian architecture, as Marylebone is predominantly Georgian. In addition, Marylebone allows you to be in walkable distance to Mayfair, Soho etc. You’re also in a walkable distance to two of the most iconic London parks, Regent’s and Hyde (London parks guide here).
For an even more luxurious experience, I would have stayed in Mayfair. There are many hotels in the area that are so iconic and fabulous… however I am more into hidden gems and would advise the The Beaumont. It combines classic elegance with a modern twist. For 8 years now I have been going for cosy drinks during cold days at their bar then called the American Bar and recently rebranded Magritte.
To see
London is huge and there are many things to see. When advising my friends, I always recommend to see the Design Museum in Kensington. I know this is outside of the Mayfair area but I just love the minimalistic and futuristic architecture juxtaposed against the otherwise traditional neighbourhood. That's London!
I also love visiting galleries and Mayfair is home to a great selection. A few of my favourites are Eden Gallery, Phillips and Hauser & Wirth (more towards St. James’s).
Finally, I also believe simply visiting Berkeley Square and reading the remembrance notes on the benches is a must. The square also features sculptural installations that rotate on a quarterly basis. Very much so worth visiting.
All photographs by Tamta Mosulishvili.