Upstairs on Berkeley Square, in the heart of Mayfair, Benares has been one of London’s reference points for modern Indian cooking for more than two decades. Named after India’s spiritual capital, it takes the best British produce and treats it with Indian spicing and classical technique, and it holds a Michelin star for the result.
At a glance
Location: 12a Berkeley Square House, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom
Cuisine: modern Indian with British ingredients; one Michelin star
Chef: Sameer Taneja
Menu: tasting menu, vegetarian tasting menu and à la carte
Price: tasting menu around £139, lunch tasting menu from £89
Best for: a special-occasion dinner, business entertaining and vegetarians who want a full tasting menu
Reviewed: October 2026
8.8 out of 10
Setting and arrival
Berkeley Square is as Mayfair as it gets, and Benares sits on its eastern side, a short walk from Green Park and Bond Street. The entrance is discreet. You are greeted at the foot of the stairs and escorted up past a pool filled with floating flowers and a stylish bar before reaching the dining room.
The restaurant is larger than it first appears, with a lounge, several private dining rooms and a chef’s table. That makes it popular with business groups, though the main room is just as suited to a quiet dinner for two.
A warm welcome at reception and a stylish interior set the scene.
The menu
Executive chef Sameer Taneja won the restaurant its Michelin star back in 2021 and has kept it since. His cooking is rooted in regional Indian dishes and street food, built on British ingredients: hand-dived Scottish scallops, Welsh lamb, fallow deer and Carlingford oysters all appear on the menu.
The tasting menu is the fullest way to see what the kitchen can do, and there is a vegetarian version of equal length. The à la carte is priced firmly for Mayfair, with starters from around £23 to £44 and main courses in the mid-£40s. At lunch, a shorter tasting menu and a two-course thali bring the price down considerably.
The thali presentation was fun and creative.
Wine and drinks
A wine pairing is offered with the tasting menu, and the bar is a destination in its own right for a cocktail before dinner.
Service
The team at reception could not have been warmer, and service throughout was efficient and professional. In the large main room on a busy day, though, it felt less personal than we had hoped, and the floor staff were more focused on keeping things moving than on getting to know their guests. A table in one of the smaller spaces may well offer a more intimate experience.
The verdict
- Food: 8.8
- Wine and drinks: –
- Service: 8.3
- Atmosphere: 9
- Value: 9
Benares, 12a Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 6BS, United Kingdom. Open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday, dinner only on Sunday. Visit the restaurant website.
Based on a visit in October 2026. Menus and prices change with the seasons.
