Last Updated on September 23, 2025
Mediterranean sun, Chelsea shade at KORA Restaurant
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
The King’s Road has changed a lot since I used to frequent it, but it has never been short on glossy places to eat. The latest arrival at Beaufort House, KORA, has managed to pull off something rather charming: a
contemporary Mediterranean restaurant that feels both dressed-up and relaxed, without trying too hard to impress. It’s the kind of place that wants you to imagine yourself wafting around an Aegean island, Aperol in hand – only here, the backdrop is Chelsea traffic.
Beaufort House itself is something of a local institution, home to a cocktail bar, brasserie, private members’ club and events spaces spread across four floors, complete with a penthouse champagne bar and screening room. KORA, its newest addition, sits on the ground floor, opening directly onto the King’s Road. The space is light and airy, with big street-facing windows and ceilings hung with basket-weave lampshades. Pale wood furniture and blue-green tiles nod gently to the Med, while splashes of bright artwork keep things cheerful rather than themed.
The name comes from Kore, Persephone’s Pre-Underworld alter ego. The mythology may be a stretch, no one here is being dragged down to Hades, but there is something faintly mythic about Chelsea diners willingly sharing food. Sharing really is the thing here: the menu arrives in categories For the Table, Raw, Salads, Larger, and so on, and before long your table is buckling under terracotta bowls and pretty plates of sun-kissed something-or-other.
Cocktails, happily, come first. The Helios – tequila, oregano, lime, olive oil – sounds dangerously like something dreamt up at a health retreat, but lands as a sharp, lemony, herbal sip with a slick finish. The Agio, vodka with lychee and lavender, flirts with soapiness but stays just on the right side of fragrant, arriving with a little theatrical flourish. They’re fun, ideally suited to set the tone before the small-plates parade begins.
Things start with dips and flat bread, which arrive like a palette of Mediterranean paint pots on wooden platter: black sesame hummus (murky in colour but nutty and rich), whipped tarama topped with trout roe ( salty and sweet ), smoked aubergine with almonds (their nod to babaganoush, lifted with a touch of smoke), and the surprise star – a light whipped sweet potato and pumpkin seed dip, its vibrant orange colour brightening the spread.
From the raw section at KORA the ceviche was a highlight: stone bass, citrus, and just enough jalapeño to keep things interesting. Having fallen for ceviche on a trip to Costa Rica earlier this year, I’d put this one up there with the better versions – zingy, bright, and unashamedly fresh.
To accompany the meal, we tried a couple of their Greek wines, keeping on theme: the 2023 Notos Roditis, Kanakaris, Peloponnese, Greece, and the 2024 Mylonas Malagousia, Attica, Greece. Both were light, crisp, and approachable, pleasant companions to the dips and raw dishes without overpowering them.
Then the bigger plates. A shoulder of lamb, slow-cooked until it collapsed obligingly under a fork, paired with mint salata and labneh, generous and hearty without being heavy. Tiger prawns, meanwhile, arrived fat and fiery, the garlic, chilli, and ouzo sending you somewhere sunnier than SW3. Even the sides were worth the attention: charred hispi cabbage with yoghurt and dukkah was smoky and nutty, while crushed pink fir potatoes with tonnato dressing and herbs added a creamy, slightly tangy counterpoint.
For dessert, we shared the baked custard and Amarena cheesecake with cherry compote – a comforting and straightforward treat, its bright pink dusting giving it a playful lift. In contrast, the feta cheesecake was tangy, creamy, and quite dense in a nice way, a quietly satisfying way to round off the meal.
And service? Warm, friendly, and perfectly attentive. Stefano, the manager, moved through the room with genuine enthusiasm, making the whole evening feel relaxed and welcoming. It’s the sort of service that leaves you happy to be there, quietly enjoying the evening without fuss.
KORA isn’t reinventing the Mediterranean wheel, but nor does it need to. It’s breezy, generous, and just the right balance of stylish and easy-going – a little pocket of sunshine on the King’s Road.
354 King’s Rd,
London
SW3 5UZ
Phone: 020 7352 2828
Looking for something different in Chelsea? We also recommend Kutir Indian Restaurant
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