Hamish Kilburn and Gareth Thomas were among the guests ‘first in’ to review the interior design intention and experience of MR PORTER London, a new subterranean restaurant in the heart of Mayfair, designed by Baronwitz + Kronenberg, expected to become London’s new celeb hangout…
Beneath the storied streets of Mayfair, hidden from the city’s familiar hum, a singular copper door marks the threshold of London’s most compelling new dining destination and celeb hangout. Welcome to MR PORTER London – a bold and immersive restaurant experience designed by internationally acclaimed studio Baranowitz + Kronenberg in collaboration with THE ENTOURAGE GROUP. Located below the iconic Hilton Park Lane, the 700-square-metre sanctuary – meant in every sense of the word – redefines in so many ways the modern steakhouse through a design narrative that is equal parts theatrical as it is thoughtful.
Here, design is a descent – both literal and poetic. Guests pass through a monochrome foyer and descend a sculptural spiral staircase, leaving behind the rational world above. Below, they emerge into a space where architecture, light and sound merge to evoke the sensation of being submerged in something secret, ancient, and entirely transporting.
While the menu quite literally melts in the mouth, the real success of MR PORTER London lies in the details of the design – it is a sensory cocoon. Few things disrupt a dining experience more than poor acoustics, and Baranowitz + Kronenberg approached this challenge with ingenuity. They introduced a custom-fabricated, curtain-like backdrop that envelops the perimeter of the restaurant. More than a functional acoustic solution, though, it subtly embraces the space and its guests, amplifying the sense of intimacy and sanctuary that defines MR PORTER London.
Adding to this immersive experience, mirrored ceilings play with perception – reflecting ambient light and elegant interiors to double the drama. It’s not just overhead décor; it’s a mirror-stage where dinner takes a surreal encore.
Image credit: Stevie Campbell
The conceptual heartbeat of MR PORTER London is its homage to the Tyburn River, a subterranean stream that still courses beneath the city’s surface – a hidden lifeline and a perfect metaphor for this immersive interior.
“We wanted every detail – from the palette of copper and velvet to the rhythm of reflection – to enhance the way people gather, taste, and feel,” said Alon Baranowitz and Irene Kronenberg, Co-founders of Baranowitz + Kronenberg. “At its best, a restaurant becomes more than a place to eat – it becomes a story that unfolds in real time.”
The material palette is richly layered, offering an orchestrated tension between dualities: surface and subterranean, public and private, sensual and cerebral. Brushed metals, natural stone, and velvet upholstery create a dialogue between texture and glow, anchoring guests in a world that feels both expansive and intimate.
At the core of the restaurant’s social choreography is a 360-degree bar, inviting spontaneous moments of connection. Seating throughout is carefully curated to suit every rhythm and mood—cushioned nooks for whispered conversations, banquettes that draw the eye across the room, and sculptural forms that seem to emerge from the architecture itself. The entire composition is suffused with a quiet confidence; nothing screams for attention, yet everything invites engagement.
Image credit: Stevie Campbell
This is not the steakhouse of mahogany bravado and masculine excess. MR PORTER London is what Baranowitz + Kronenberg call a “ladies’ steakhouse” – lighter, sleeker, and unapologetically elegant. The modern indulgence filters into the menu: fine cuts served in a space that encourages lingering glances and soft laughter, underscored by a curated soundtrack delivered via a high-fidelity audio system and live DJ performances.
MR PORTER London, designed by true masters of their craft, is a masterstroke of emotional architecture, where hospitality becomes theatre and design becomes narrative. It doesn’t aim to impress in obvious ways; it lures, envelops and stays with you long after the dishes have cooled. Every glint of copper, every hush of sound, every carefully orchestrated shadow is part of an experience designed to seduce the senses and haunt the memory. Like the Tyburn River flowing silently beneath Mayfair, its power lies in what’s felt more than what is seen.
Main image credit: Stevie Campbell
