A refined review of Lita Marylebone, one of London’s most sought-after Mediterranean restaurants. Discover design-led interiors, seasonal cooking and an atmosphere made for long, memorable dining.
REVIEW: Lita Marylebone — The Restaurant I Didn’t Want to Leave
A Michelin-starred restaurant in Marylebone where Mediterranean cooking, curated art and quietly exceptional design come together under the direction of chef Kostas Papathanasiou.
There are restaurants you enjoy, and then there are those you quietly hope will never end. Lita Marylebone is firmly the latter.
Photography courtesy of Lita Marylebone.
Set within the heart of Marylebone Village, Lita Marylebone restaurant has quickly established itself as one of the most compelling Michelin-starred restaurants in London. It is a space that feels both deeply considered and entirely effortless, where design, art and food exist in complete alignment.At its core is a simple but powerful idea: to create a restaurant that feels like home, yet operates at the highest level of contemporary dining. The result is a design-led London restaurant that invites you to settle in, stay longer and return often.
Together with a close friend, and with a busy morning behind me, I had carved out an afternoon to pause, catch up and enjoy something truly memorable. From the moment we stepped into the softly buzzing space, we were met with an immediate sense of warmth, the kind of genuine, effortless hospitality that sets the tone from the very beginning.
A Room That Feels Collected Over Time
Lita’s interiors are not just a backdrop, they are part of the experience itself.
The space unfolds with an ease that feels almost accidental, yet every detail is deeply intentional. Blood-orange mohair banquettes bring warmth and depth, set against reclaimed terracotta flooring laid in a herringbone pattern, grounding the room in something tactile and enduring. Above, exposed wooden joists, salvaged from a Victorian school, introduce a quiet sense of history, giving the space a lived-in authenticity that cannot be replicated.
There is a deliberate rejection of uniformity here, there is a genuine vibe. Mid-century dining chairs, restored and reupholstered, sit alongside bespoke cabinetry and antique finds sourced over time. Distressed wall finishes soften the space, while deep green drapes and bronze-accented lighting create moments of contrast and intimacy.
At the centre of the room, the red travertine bar anchors the space, both visually and socially. Behind it, carefully considered cabinetry houses spirits and glassware, while the nearby wine cellar becomes part of the experience itself, not hidden, but integrated.
Even the details carry narrative. A horseshoe from a Grand National-winning racehorse sits within the cellar, positioned upwards to catch good fortune. Elsewhere, antique artefacts appear unexpectedly, reinforcing the sense that this is a space assembled through time, not designed in a single moment.
You are not just seated here; you are placed within one of the most thoughtfully realised restaurant interiors in London.
True comfort, true style.
Where Art Becomes Part of the Room
Art at Lita is not decorative, it is directional.
A bold work by artist Jack Penny anchors the main dining space, immediately setting the tone. His work, described as serious but never self-serious, introduces a tension between control and spontaneity, a theme that subtly mirrors both the kitchen and the atmosphere of the room.
Throughout the restaurant, artworks and objects feel instinctive rather than overly curated. They bring movement, humour and energy, reinforcing the idea that Lita is not static. It evolves, shifts and responds, just as the best design-led restaurants in London should
Kostas Papathanasiou and the Discipline of Simplicity
At the centre of Lita Marylebone restaurant is chef Kostas Papathanasiou, whose career has been shaped by some of the most exacting kitchens in the world.
Chef Kostas kindly greeted us apron arrival and couldn’t have been a warmer person. Born in Greece and raised within a culture deeply connected to land, produce and tradition, his early understanding of food was grounded in simplicity and seasonality. That foundation has been refined through an international career spanning The Fat Duck, where precision and innovation define the experience, and The Ledbury, where produce and immediacy take precedence.
Further experience across global restaurant groups and luxury hospitality environments has given him not only technical expertise, but a clear understanding of how a restaurant operates, from kitchen to guest experience.
Now as Culinary Director at Lita, he brings these influences together with restraint. His cooking is not about demonstrating technique, but about knowing when to hold back. Ingredients are treated with respect, dishes are built with clarity, and flavours are allowed to speak without distraction.
Since joining, he has maintained Lita’s Michelin star while subtly evolving the menu, ensuring consistency without stagnation. It is this balance that positions Lita among the most exciting Michelin-starred restaurants in Marylebone and London. There is a quiet confidence to his cooking. Nothing feels overworked, yet everything is precise.
For a deeper insight into his philosophy, approach and creative process, read our full feature: In Conversation With Kostas Papathanasiou on The Fluxx
A Menu That Moves Between Precision and Comfort
The menu at Lita Marylebone London is shaped by seasonality and guided by fire, rooted in Mediterranean tradition but expressed through a contemporary lens.What defines it is not complexity – it’s delicious fulfilment.
After a brief conversation with Chef Kostas, he curated the menu for us and what followed was nothing short of exceptional. We were, unmistakably, being very well looked after.
The Kaluga caviar by N25 with avocado and focaccia toast sets the tone immediately, indulgent yet measured, perfection. This is followed by a green vegetable salad layered with Piedmont hazelnut, truffle praline, blood orange and parmesan, a dish that moves between texture and flavour with ease.
The grilled Orkney scallop, paired with pumpkin and lobster sauce, delivers depth and warmth, while the Sussex beetroot with stracciatella, grapefruit and Bronte pistachio introduces a lighter, more expressive contrast. My guest found this to be exceptional, and we raved about it on the train home.
For mains, the Grilled monkfish, clam & crab beurre Blanc, fennel salad was deliciously delicate, reinforcing Lita’s position among the best fine dining restaurants in London - it was sublime. Pink Fir potatoes and a tomato salad completed the table, grounding the experience in something familiar, yet elevated. I was fortunate enough to take some of the remaining tomatoes home, and if anything, they were even more exceptional the following day.Desserts continue this balance. A caramelised Pink Lady apple with almond crumble and jasmine mousse, paired with a 2010 Sauternes, feels quietly indulgent, while a chocolate tart with coffee crumble, hazelnuts and blackcurrant sorbet delivers a more structured, confident finish. I simply can’t resist coffee when it finds its way into dessert (and I would come back for this alone).
A Restaurant That Extends Beyond the Plate
What Lita achieves is not simply a strong menu or a beautifully designed space, but something more difficult to define.
It creates an environment where everything feels aligned. The room, the food, the service and the atmosphere move together, creating a sense of ease that is rare at this level.It is equally suited to a long lunch, a celebratory dinner or a spontaneous evening that unfolds into something more.
I will remember this visit, shared with a dear friend. A quiet reminder that the most meaningful experiences are shaped not only by where we are, but who we share them with.
A Restaurant You Stay For
Lita is more than a restaurant. It is somewhere you arrive for dinner and find yourself reluctant to leave, not because of any one element, but because everything moves in harmony. A place where conversation flows, time softens, and moments become lasting memories.
Read The Fluxx In Conversation With: Kostas Papathanasiou, Interview Here
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