Last Updated on October 15, 2026
The Riviera Comes to The Lanesborough at Le Café LPM
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Those of you familiar with London’s restaurant scene will know of La Petite Maison, the classic Mayfair fixture that opened in 2007 with a menu inspired by the French Riviera. Since it opened there have been many other copycat restaurants in London, but La Petite Maison engenders a fierce loyalty amongst its clientele and is still as successful as ever. There are now offshoots in Dubai, Miami and Hong Kong but their latest opening is the all-day Le Café LPM in The Lanesborough hotel that straddles Hyde Park and Knightsbridge.
Le Café LPM opened in early September, and we visited on a balmy evening a couple of weeks later. Le Café LPM has its own entrance accessible from the street opposite The Peninsula hotel. You don’t need to do the long hike through The Lanesborough which we did to get in!
I hadn’t taken on board that Le Café LPM was situated in a posh conservatory to the side of The Lanesborough and with its retractable ceiling and doors you feel as if you’re outside even when they are closed. On a warm evening such as this it was a lovely space to be in with the security of electric heaters if needed.
The design is very attractive with dark wooden floors, black bistro style chairs and white linen tablecloths contrasting with colourful fabric banquettes, wall art and an abundance of greenery. There is a small but perfectly formed menu which we perused to the sound of a disco funk playlist.
La Petite Maison is known for its cocktails so it would have been a dereliction of duty not to try a couple. The tomato and olive oil sour was a real taste of the south and was a very smooth blend of Ketel One vodka, vermouth blend, cherry tomato, lemon and olive oil. A fig leaf Negroni brought together Tanqueray gin, vermouth blend, Campari bitters and fig leaf. It was lighter than a traditional Negroni and was infused with fig flavour which was surprisingly good.
With our cocktails we snacked on a rich, salty tapenade served with a crisp flatbread. I loved the intensity of its olive flavour. We also had a dish of aubergine caviar, similar to a Baba Ganoush, which was deliciously smoky, light and creamy, coming with the crunch of garlic croutons.
We moved on to the elegant red berry notes of Laurent Perrier Rosé and the peach and citrus flavours of a 2023 Mâcon-Villages, Vignerons des Terres Secrètes.
A tuna carpaccio in a soy citrus dressing was tender and delicious. This was one of several standout dishes.
Hand-cut fried squid had a lovely smoked paprika-infused spicy batter and a delicate saffron aioli.
Tasty slices of grilled octopus were slathered with an excellent olive oil and served with confit potatoes and olives.
Meaty grilled prawns were doused in a herb butter. The crustaceans had a deep, rich, funky flavour. Of course, sometimes you just need chips. They were crisp and fluffy. Little spears of broccoli had a pleasing snap and were cheered up by a chilli, olive oil and lemon dressing.
From “Les plaisirs sucrés” section of the menu, the crème caramel was simply fabulous. The vanilla custard was light and creamy and the caramel sauce rich and sweet.
When you’re in Mayfair you pay Mayfair prices. However, Le Café LPM impressed me with its consistent quality and charming service. It’s about simple dishes delivered to a very high standard in an informal and attractive space. Perfect for ladies who lunch, groups of friends and family, and hot dates!
Le Café LPM at The Lanesborough
Hyde Park Corner, London, SW1X 7TA
+44 20 7259 5599
For another Mayfair restaurant option you could try Italian restaurant Bocconcino.
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