From Manhattan To Mayfair: Dante Mayfair Open June 2026

Sit back, relax and savour the tale of London’s must-have reservation of the season. Dante Mayfair has arrived at Claridge’s, bringing a century-old New York institution into the embrace of one of the capital’s grandest dames.

Caffe Dante opened on MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village in 1915. In an Italian neighbourhood, it drew Campanians and Calabrians pursuing the American dream of a better life. Later came writers and musicians: Bob Dylan’s front door was across the road. The neighbourhood forged Caffe Dante, but Dante in turn nurtured the neighbourhood. The owner everyone remembers is Mario Flotta Senior, who took his place at the espresso machine in 1971 and stayed for forty-four years. As with all good Italian operators, he put pictures of famous guests on the wall: Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft, Woody Harrelson, Jerry Seinfeld, Stanley Tucci.

But by 2015, Flotta wanted out. ‘Our broker said, “Look, I’ve got an off-market deal,” says Linden Pride. Originally from Sydney, he and his partner Nathalie Hudson were intrigued. ‘But the broker said, “Flotta’s been there for forty years. He won’t negotiate, and he wants the brand to live on.”

‘By that point it was a real dive,’ Pride continues. ‘Nathalie said, “Are you sure you want to do this?” He reminded her of the Italian and Greek delis they grew up with in Australia. ‘I said, “Let’s elevate the coffee, introduce a spritz and negroni programme, and start doing really beautiful, simple Italian food.”

The first six months - ‘Hell,’ they shudder - were a trial-by-fire from regulars. But word of a revival spread. ‘We had this melting pot of coffee drinkers from the old days, kids drinking negronis, and a dinner crowd after,’ says Pride. Laudatory notices appeared in The New Yorker and Time Out. In little over a year, the new Dante made the World’s 50 Best Bars at number thirty-four. In 2019, a year after the debut of a sibling site in the West Village, it hit number one.

“Around then, the Dante duo met the bar team from The Connaught, Claridge’s sister hotel. ‘We were sparring to be number one over those years,’ says Pride. ‘Then Claridge’s reached out when they were launching their cocktail book in America.’

The Maybourne Beverly Hills approached Pride and Hudson about a pop-up, an idea that evolved into something permanent: Dante Beverly Hills. On the hotel’s ninth floor, it offers food as spectacular as its rooftop views. ‘I think it’s one of the most popular restaurants in Maybourne,’ beams Pride, ‘which is amazing, when you think Hélène Darroze and Jean‑Georges Vongerichten are in the group. Those are my idols.’

For the summer of 2025, Dante was invited to London for a brief residency in what is perhaps the capital’s grandest dining room. After years of big‑name chefs - Simon Rogan, Daniel Humm - Claridge’s decided to simply open a great restaurant. Dante’s role was to smash preconceptions. Out went soft jazz and shimmering mirrors. In came low lights, soul and sixties rock ’n’ roll. Huge black and white prints dripped with sex appeal.

Dante brought its signature hits - the Garibaldi cocktail and a towering burger - and an impish sense of fun. ‘Claridge’s is the sort of place where you think, “Maybe I should put a jacket on,” muses Pride. ‘But luxury is ever‑evolving. We wanted to create an environment that was fun and friendly, not intimidating.’

The host says he saw guests loosening up, settling in and staying longer. ‘No one was judging the room. They were just enjoying it; wanting to come back in a few days, rather than treating it as a special occasion thing.’

‘We’re offering freedom; that mix of high‑low. If I want a four‑hundred‑dollar bottle and a Dover sole, that’s available. But the baseline is a decent Martini and snacks. It’s open to everybody.’

Dante Mayfair is continuing that sensation, albeit amped up. The handsome, art deco bones of the building will remain, but there’ll be a decor update so it feels more Dante. The menu will untether itself from Britain and lean towards New York. With a new Josper grill in the kitchen, expect fish, meat and seafood seared over fire, Mediterranean‑style. The wine list will skew towards Italy, and seating will be ‘more lounge‑y, more accessible’.

‘I’m really looking forward to bringing that vibrant, neighbourhood energy into Claridge’s,’ says Elizabeth Forkuch, Dante Mayfair’s General Manager. ‘It’s about building that sense of belonging over time, getting to know our guests, welcoming them back, and creating something that becomes part of their routine.’

Thomas Kochs, Claridge’s managing director, puts it rather neatly: ‘Our wish is to make this the living room of Mayfair,’ he says. ‘I think all of us involved just have this overarching desire to create a really lovely restaurant - and, actually, not much more. Just great food, great people and great atmosphere.’

‘We want this to be somewhere people feel they can come to, whenever. We’re removing the idea of it being a “big deal”. That thing of, “Oh darling, we’re going to Claridge’s!”? No. Dante Mayfair is wonderful, but it doesn’t have to be formal to be wonderful. The room is here for whatever you want, in all different ways, and you will always have a reason to come back.’”

“Kochs and Pride are happily like-minded. Both impress that the experience is intended to be for everyone, whether you’re seeking cocktails with the live piano going, late-night snacks or simple aperitivi. ‘Food will just be about ingredients from the UK’s amazing local farms, simply prepared over the wood,’ Pride declares. There will also be a raw bar, lots of freshly-prepared pasta, and ‘bright, fresh salads’.