Chelsea Grill Gets Scorching Review
A brutal review of London's Chelsea Grill described the bill as 'as painful as finding a scorpion in your trunks', serving as a sharp reminder that not every splashy new fine dining opening meets the hype. The critique highlights how rising ambition and prices in the restaurant world can lead to equally sharp criticism when execution falls short.
The Chelsea Grill is the latest restaurant from the Wild Group, which is also behind London establishments such as Goodman and Beast. It opened on King's Road in November 2025, taking over the site of the former restaurant Fantomas. The restaurant's concept is centered around a bespoke grill, with a focus on "fire, smoke and top-quality ingredients." The kitchen is led by head chef Anton Vasilyev, who previously worked at the Basque restaurant Sugaar in Paris. The menu features high-end meat and fish, with cuts butchered and aged on-site. A signature dessert is the house-made cherry pie. The restaurant positions itself as a "neighbourhood" spot, but with an average price of over £80 per person, it falls into the upper bracket of London dining. One early review noted the high price of starters, such as a Spanish Octopus Niçoise for £27. The critic, William Sitwell of The Telegraph, is well-known for his harsh reviews and has been described as a "controversialist". He resigned as editor of Waitrose Food magazine in 2018 following comments he made about vegans. Interestingly, Sitwell is in the process of opening his own "chic hotel and Italian restaurant" in Somerset, a move that has been widely reported in the food press. This has led to discussion about how his own establishment will fare under the scrutiny of other critics. While Sitwell's take on the Chelsea Grill was overwhelmingly negative, other critics have been more complimentary. One review praised the restaurant for delivering on its promise of high-quality grilled food, calling the cocktails "exceptional" and finding it difficult to find fault. The opening comes at a competitive time for the London restaurant scene, with a number of other high-end restaurants launching in the city. In Chelsea specifically, new establishments like Beef & Bass and Willett's at the Cadogan Hotel are also vying for the attention of discerning diners.
