Every year, we at DesignMyNight are on the very edge of our seats, waiting to hear whose names will join The Michelin Guide's culinary constellation. And this February, one of the latest to join the ranks, earning a highly coveted 1 Michelin star, was Tom Brown at The Capital.
Led by, you guessed it, Tom Brown, the upscale Knightsbridge restaurant champions premium seafood, dishing it up with unique, creative flair. And it's no surprise, given Brown's background; hailing from Cornwall, and having worked at Rick Stein's before under Nathan Outlaw (who runs two Michelin star seafood restaurants), the hotly talked about chef opened Michelin-starred modern British restaurant Cornertstone in Hackney Wick (which closed in 2024), before his current venture Tom Brown at The Capital in Knightsbridge in early 2025.
Interiors at Tom Brown at The Capital.
DesignMyNight’s Review Of Tom Brown At The Capital
Need To Know:
- Address: 22-24 Basil Street, SW3 1AT
- Area: Knightsbridge
- Cuisine: seafood, modern British
Ambience & We Think Perfect For
- Atmosphere: it's fine dining from the outset; after being welcomed by the doorman, our server seamlessly delivered us to our table. The dining room was slick yet cosy, featuring tables topped with brilliant white, flowing tablecloths, and lighting that was low and intimate, not to mention decor that was in some ways reminiscent of a night out on the ocean - think a carpet emulating flowing waves, and dramatic ceiling lights that looked like glistening, evening stars. This, complete with leafy patterns along the walls and a subdued, natural colour scheme, created a calming yet upscale atmosphere
- Perfect For: date nights, special occasions, birthday dinners
Service & Price
- Service (Out Of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Value For Money (Out Of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cost: around £280 for two
The PQ and Seaside Sour cocktails (left) and red prawn toast (right).
What I Thought Of The Menu
You can either order off their a la carte or go for their six-course tasting menu (£120) – we went for the latter, and here's what I thought of some of the dishes:
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Red prawn toast, lardo, chilli oil – the waiter remarked that this was “their take on prawn toast”, and let me tell you - this was the most premium prawn toast I've ever had. The crisp but not oily deep-fried toast (the slow crunch of which would do bits on Insta ASMR), came topped with a single juicy, just-cooked jumbo prawn, which had been painted with a delicate brush of garlicky chilli oil. On the side, a shellfish and dashi ketchup - the slight tangy sweetness completed this excellent medley of textures and flavours.
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Sea bream tartare, quali egg, radish, soy – potentially my highlight of the evening, this dish was not only beautiful, but absolutely divine. A neat round of firm yet tender sea bream sat in a little pool of yuzu ponzu that added a delicious salty, tangy element, with a little spice from the jalapeno oil and crown of thinly sliced radish. And if it could get any better, the addition of a little quail egg yolk added richness to this otherwise delicate dish. We spooned this onto the accompanying nori crackers (which reminded me a tad of prawn crackers, but extra fancy of course), bringing extra umami flavour - although they were just on the edge of being too salty.
- Crab custard, winter tomato, wasabi oil – this one just didn't work for me, unfortunately - far too cold and set quite hard, it had become a little flavourless, with the exception of an odd cheesiness. But I liked the ingenuity of including crab cooked 3 ways (brown crab custard, steamed and pickled legs, and claws confit in crab oil).
- Cod, beetroot, roe butter sauce – the fine wrap of beetroot around the cod bled into the fish, making it look almost like a steak; a very creative and interesting way to present a dish. The cod itself was super soft and buttery, with a cod’s roe emulsion that added a delicious smokiness. There were also purees of golden and red beetroot, and a colourful beetroot velouté. It was delicately sweet, subtle and fresh.
- 70% Xoco chocolate tart, mint ice cream, Fernet Branca – this pretty little slice of chocolate heaven, which was cakey on the bottom but ganachey on the top, came topped with the most vibrant green mint ice cream: an indulgent After Eight-like dessert.
Cod (left) and chocolate tart (right).
Drink: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- PQ - a refreshing cocktail, made with gin, pickled vodka, sugar, egg white and lime juice, it was zesty with a creamy, frothy texture, although I didn't taste much pickle coming through
- Seaside Sour - featuring Sea Buckthorns, which are native to England's coast, Barsol pisco, lime juice, sugar and egg white, this was a beautifully smooth, sweet and vibrant orange tipple
My Overall Experience At Tom Brown at The Capital
DesignMyNight Review Out Of 5: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I had a very lovely time at Tom Brown at The Capital - while the crab custard wasn't quite to my liking, everything else more than made up for this - including that dazzling sea bream tartare. Our server was very knowledgeable in describing all the dishes, and the atmosphere was calming, intimate and upscale. Each dish felt like a true celebration of premium British seafood, shining a light on Brown's impressive creativity in flavours and presentation. If you're a fan of seafood and the finer things in life, Tom Brown at The Capital should be your next port of call.
