The latest hot ticket to open on Mayfair’s Dover Street, The Dover is a riot of golden-age glamour and dining decadence. The eatery evokes the splendour of old-school New York paired with classic Italian charm – an ode to ‘Sophia Loren in 1970s Brooklyn’, according to former Soho House group COO Martin Kuczmarski, whose debut restaurant this is.
Promising respite from the workweek hustle and a haven for weekend rest, The Dover is an exercise in traditional elegance – and securing a table here requires mastering the time-honoured art of making a phone call.
It’s golden hour at The Dover
The Dover menu subtly illuminated by a vintage lamp
Architect and design firm Quincoces-Dragò & Partners infused the space with understated sophistication. After stepping through the sumptuous velvet curtains, guests find themselves in an intimate dining room adorned in rich red and pink hues, accented by the heady scent of Mysore sandalwood. It sets the stage for glamorous evenings accompanied by the dulcet tones of vinyl records. Curated music selections, spanning classic soul, funk and disco, transport diners to different eras.
The Dover is an exercise in traditional elegance and golden-age glamour, decked out in a quietly refined material palette of wood, brass and glass, enhanced by ambient lighting
The starting point for designers David Lopez Quincoces and Fanny Bauer Grung was ‘to tell a story of the past and the future, where traditional hospitality meets novelty in an intriguing mix that’s welcoming and not intimidating’.
They continue: ‘We wanted to match simple materials with precious pieces, a lot of wood with patina against velvet, Murano glass chandeliers by Venini, and small hints of brass. These materials never age and make the space feel like it’s always been there, timeless. The Dover is an extremely special place, intimate but open, naughty and polite all at once.’
Under the guidance of head chef Valentino Pepe, who trained with Alan Yau and Gennaro Vitto, the menu pays homage to timeless classics such as prawn cocktail, beef tartare and lobster ravioli. Drinks-wise, there’s an enticing array of martini options, New York and Italian classics, and a signature creation crafted from Konik’s Tail vodka, Cocchi vermouth and orange bitters.
See more of our favourite Italian restaurants in London.
A version of this article appears in the April 2024 issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today
-
A Dubai ‘sky palace’ debuts developer Omniyat’s new Bespoke categoryOmniyat Bespoke, the developer’s new ultra-luxury arm, launches with the Luna Sky Palace penthouse at Orla, Dorchester Collection
-
Cantiere delle Marche is an Italian shipyard with a speciality: the high-end explorer yachtWe talk to Vasco Buonpensiere, CEO of Cantiere Delle Marche, about the rise of ultra-self-sufficient, multi-purpose, long distance explorer yachts
-
The Architecture of Seduction: how Horace Gifford built a modernist, queer paradiseFire Island is explored through a new edition of Christopher Rawlins’ seminal architectural and social history book on the life and work of Horace Gifford
-
Now boarding Air Anya: Anya Hindmarch’s ode to aviation’s golden ageAnya Hindmarch’s new London concept store and travel accessories collection celebrate the glamour of 1970s air travel
-
‘A place for carnivores’ – Ibai is a London restaurant that celebrates Basque Country beefA Clerkenwell restaurant where unhurried steak is the star of the show
-
La Môme London finds its home at The Berkeley hotelAll the razzle-dazzle of Cannes and Monte Carlo is wrapped up in this one fabulous dining room and terrace in London
-
The new dawn of the London sandwich shopThe appeal of a quick meal between two slices of bread has long held sway in the UK. We look back on the rise of the sandwich shop and explore the new wave of London venues that are making it a more stylised experience
-
London's coolest design-led coffee shops for your Fashion Week fixCoffee shops are the heart of London’s neighbourhoods, discover those fusing speciality beans and stylish interiors for the perfect brew
-
Shakara is a stylish new addition to London's West African dining sceneShakara, a new Marylebone bar and dining room, adds to the city's ever-more impressive high-end West African dining scene
-
First a fishmonger then a restaurant, how Applebee’s became a Borough Market stapleIn line with the London seafood restaurant’s 25th anniversary, Applebee’s is reopening with a new menu and a new look courtesy of design studio A-nrd
-
Mayfair restaurant Silva is a dainty ode to the MediterraneanEnvisioned by Studio Wren, Silva is a dynamic, textural restaurant that reflects nature’s rhythms through its cuisine and design
