Lunch at Riviera, Mayfair

Riviera, located in the heart of Mayfair, opened just last year. Since then, it’s made a name for itself as a restaurant offering exceptional southern French cuisine in a vibrant atmosphere.

Earlier this month, Riviera launched its exclusive d’Azur Feast Buffet – and I had to check it out. The culinary experience, which runs every Sunday, promises to transport diners to the shores of southern France. With its carefully-crafted menu, fresh produce and excellent champagne, I’m pleased to report that it does just that.

Charcuterie and salads

My partner and I began our meal at Riviera by piling our plates with salads and charcuterie.

The salads were wonderfully fresh and showcased the best of Europe’s seasonal produce: there was a courgette salad topped with pesto and feta, alongside the juiciest tomatoes with creamy burrata, alongside a perfectly balanced dish of bitter leaves and orange.

The charcuterie was similarly excellent. There was peppery saucisson (one of my favourite things in the whole world!), French coppa, creamy camembert, a wonderfully strong Roquefort and a wheel of 24-month-aged Parmesan which was delicious as it sounds.

Roast meats

If you’re like me and hanker after a roast on Sunday, Riviera has you covered.

The flame-grilled sirloin was flavoursome, but the absolute star was the chicken, slow-roasted in olive oil, lemon and thyme. The skin was salty and crispy, while the inside was juicy and tender, testament to the high quality of the produce used by Riviera’s expert kitchen team.

This was accompanied by oven-roasted potatoes and carrots and parsnips roasted in olive oil and maple syrup.

À la carte

Alongside the buffet, Riviera offers an à la carte menu, from which you can order organic eggs, crêpes, yoghurt, granola and more.

Feeling full after our roast yet keen to sample everything on offer, my boyfriend and I shared a plate of poached eggs with smoked salmon. Riviera’s expert cookery was again on display, with a perfectly-runny yoke and generous portion of smoked salmon.

At this point, we helped ourselves to a glass of fresh juice from the bar. My boyfriend opted for the watermelon while I went for the Detox, which had a fiery kick from the ginger. Both were perfect: not too sweet, and as refreshing and crisp as you’d hope.

And for dessert…

While we were too full to try any of the pastries on offer – though the croissant and pain-au-chocolat looked every bit as flaky as you’d hope – we did have room for a crêpe.

We opted for the crêpes suzette – a sauce of butter, sugar, orange and orange liqueur – which were absolutely delicious.

It was a classic September day, which meant it had been drizzling while we were dining, but the sun came out for our post-lunch stroll around St James’s Park. Feeling satisfied after a delicious meal at Riviera and with London looking perfect in the watery sunshine, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday.

Esther was a guest of Riviera.