Lilli from Akira Back launches new menus at Montcalm Mayfair | News
Lilli By Akira BackMontcalm Mayfair’s signature restaurant, announces the launch of an inventive new menu that further cements its position as one of Mayfair’s most exciting dining options. Led by Chef Roger Hutchinson, the restaurant continues its signature dialogue between British produce and refined Asian influences. Opened in May 2025, as part of the hotel’s painstaking two-year restoration, Lilli by Akira Back is now Chef Akira’s only London outpost, bringing his elegant and adventurous culinary style to Mayfair, alongside a global portfolio of 27 critically acclaimed restaurants. Celebrating the first anniversary of Lilli by Akira Back in May, a special limited edition menu will be served throughout the month to celebrate the occasion, featuring Akira Back’s signature dishes alongside a playful, exclusive dish created especially for the anniversary, along with a limited edition birthday cocktail.
Signature dishes
The menu welcomes new additions of Akira Back’s signature plates, combining meticulous Japanese technique with bold, modern flavor. The centerpiece is the iconic AB Tuna Pizza, a crispy base topped with thinly sliced tuna, umami aioli and white truffle oil, designed to share with an aperitif or a glass of bubbly. Light, textured and instantly recognizable, it has become one of his most celebrated dishes worldwide. Also now available is the Jidori Chicken, a deceptively simple plate whose preparation is highly technical, resulting in exceptionally tender meat combined with silky smooth mashed potatoes and balsamic teriyaki. Plant-based dishes such as the Eggplant Miso, Grilled Avocado and Garden Wellington also feature heavily on the menu, showing an equal level of care and complexity as their meat and fish dishes. On Saturdays and Sundays their two or three course Roast Menu offers hearty main courses such as Grass-Fed Beef Wellington, all served with Yorkshire Pudding, sauteed spring vegetables, glazed carrots, roast potatoes and honey parsnips.
New brunch favorites
Available daily from 11am to 2pm, the Brunch Menu taps into London’s apprentice for globally inspired cuisine, spotlighting bold ferments, Korean heat and Japanese umami, offering elevated interpretations of delicious classics alongside lighter, flavoursome dishes. Highly recommended is the Kimchi Shakshuka, which contains fried Saint Ewe eggs in a spiced tomato and pepper base, enriched with kimchi and fresh coriander. Other highlights include Teriyaki Beef Sliders paired with a sweet-savory glaze with crunchy kimchi cucumber and melting provolone, and plant-based winners like grilled avocado with togarashi, paired perfectly with a Ponzu and Gochujang Bloody Mary. Throughout the menu, these spicy ingredients add a contemporary touch, making brunch a vibrant melting pot of comfort and sophisticated flavor.
Afternoon Tea — A botanical Mother’s Day experience
For Mother’s Day and beyond, Into the Garden Afternoon Tea restaurant offers a dreamlike culinary tribute to Georgian gardens and Constance Spry’s pioneering creativity. Inspired by botanicals, woodland heritage and Spry’s philosophy of interweaving food and flowers, the experience combines classic English tradition with playful imagination. Guests can enjoy exquisite pastries and savory treats – including a sophisticated reinterpretation of the Coronation Chicken sandwich – alongside a bespoke selection of loose-leaf teas, curated in collaboration with Camellia’s Tea House. The curated menu showcases a range of distinctive varieties, including Milky Oolong, Jasmine Pearls, Lung Ching, Darjeeling Goomtee Estate, White Prakesh and Oolong-Kangra, reflecting a growing appetite for nuanced green and botanical teas, in a contemporary yet nostalgic take on one of Britain’s most cherished rituals.
Cocktails inspired by Georgian gardens
A standout destination in its own right, Lilli’s Bar can be found in the opulent, hand-painted lobby and offers an inventive cocktail collection inspired by a journey through England’s Georgian gardens, a theme echoed throughout the hotel’s interiors and sensory touchpoints. The drinks program cycles through the seasons, from spring blossoms to autumn orchards, and combines classic English horticulture with spicy Asian accents. Ingredients such as sakura vermouth, shichimi herbs, hibiscus, quince and sake are woven into the narrative menu. The Blossom Americano combines gin with sakura vermouth and honeyed notes, while the Neroli Sour combines The Lakes The One, neroli, kumquat and lime in an elegant and floral highball that pays tribute to richly scented rose gardens and aromatic herbs. A thoughtful selection of mocktails, including the Holloway, with Everleaf Mountain, quince jelly, lavender, lemon and Saicho Jasmine, ensures the same creativity and surprising moments extend equally to the non-alcoholic options.
montcalmcollection.com/montcalm-mayfair
