Mary’s Review | “You Can’t Argue With the Execution of the Food”

In a very busy 2024, Jason Atherton also found time to flip his Pollen Street Social restaurant into something new

In between Hotdogs by Three Darlings at Harrods and Sael in St James’s, and ahead of Three Darlings in Chelsea and Row on 5 on Savile Row, in came Mary’s, shacking up at Atherton’s Mayfair restaurant Pollen Street Social. He was inspired to change tack at the fine dining spot and move in a more casual direction by one of his regulars Mary Rawlinson, who, before the restaurant started doing tasting menus, would pop in for a steak and a martini. 

So Pollen Street Social is no more and it’s now Mary’s, a grill house complete with a burger bar, plus Atherton’s Blind Pig concept added into the original bar space for good measure. The restaurant will be getting a full refit at the end of the year and open with a new look in the spring of 2025, so what we currently have is a Mary’s-lite – it looks pretty much the same as Pollen Street Social, save for some new art, more casual uniforms and a neon burger sign above the old chef’s counter at the side of the room. 

Eat This

The visual identity of the place may still be up in the air – though this doesn’t seem to have affected bookings as the place was packed on our visit, including some sizeable group tables – and the menu has a little of that mismatched energy about it. It’s split into two sections with an undefined array of dishes at the top and then wood-fired grills underneath. There’s no doubt however about the quality of food coming out of the kitchen. 

Alex Parker, formerly Executive Chef of Social Eating House, is leading the kitchen at Mary’s and there’s a real richness to his food, mainly expressed through the medium of sauce. A terrine of Lincolnshire potato, cabbage and onion is coated in a thick cream cheese sauce spiked with roe, finished with a dollop of caviar in case that wasn’t luxurious enough; a meaty duck croquette is surrounded by a lake of moreish satay sauce; monkfish tempura, aka a fish finger for the Mayfair crowd, is bathed in a buttery, almost hollandaise-esque warm tartare sauce; and an already indulgent Lyonnaise onion agnolotti is served with a cheese custard and a chive beurre blanc.

Though the walk-in burger bar has been billed as the only place to get a burger at Mary’s, it actually appeared on the main menu so we felt obliged to give it a go. And it’s quite a burger; two juicy Cumbrian beef smash patties topped with cheese, bacon, crispy onions, and chilli mayo, crowned with a deep-fried pickle. If you’re in a group, you could easily split the burger and order some of the sharing grills as well. And there are more hearty crowd-pleasers, like toffee apple doughnuts and chocolate Basque cheesecake, on the dessert menu. 

Drink This

If you truly want to imitate Mary, stop off at the Blind Pig for a martini (there’s even a vodka and yuzu one named after her), otherwise there’s a great wine list on offer in the restaurant. As well as by the glass and pint options, there’s a spotlight on female winemakers all priced at £50 or under, and a bottle list. The sommelier recommended us a lovely aromatic San Marzano Talò Verdeca from Puglia, so definitely ask for some direction. 

Why Go

Mary’s might not be fully fledged yet (we’re certainly keen to see what changes will be made, especially regarding the burger bar) but you can’t argue with the execution of the food. The wheel isn’t being reinvented here, it’s just getting poshed up a bit. The dishes are really tasty, you’ll leave full, and, if you go for the excellent value prix fixe offering  (£29 for two courses or £35 for three), at a bit of a steal too. 

Key Information

Address | 8-10 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NQ
For more information maryslondon.co.uk


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