Japanese haute cuisine brand 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant is opening its first UK venue in January 2026, choosing a prestigious location inside the London Hilton on Park Lane. The move is being billed as “99 London 2.0”, a redesigned flagship version of the brand, with elevated design, new creative direction, and a scaled-up menu.

The interior design is led by Mónica de Hostos (Borco Group), under a broader creative oversight from 99’s CEO Jaime Castaneda. Expect dramatic material choices – black marble with ink-like veining, emerald and sable limestone, crimson velvet banquettes, moss walls, sculptural chandeliers—and spaces crafted for both theatre (outdoor terrace, sushi counter) and intimacy.

On the culinary side, the concept leans into 99’s signature strengths: sustainable, season-led Japanese fare with standout dishes including Atlantic bluefin tuna in various forms (flambéed nigiri, tartare), robata skewers, carpaccios, and other creative plates blending precision with indulgence. There will be a luxe bar area, indoor and outdoor dining, and a design strategy that places visual drama and restraint in equal measure.

Mayfair’s dining scene gets another contender of polished excess and refined nuance, well suited to the area’s appetite for signature cuisine in design-rich spaces.

Mayfair has a new landmark: The Chancery Rosewood, a luxury all-suite hotel that reopened on 1 September 2025, housed in the former US Embassy at 30 Grosvenor Square. The landmark Grade II listed modernist building -designed in 1960 by Eero Saarinen – is now restored and reimagined under the care of Sir David Chipperfield Architects, blending its heritage elements with contemporary refinement

The hotel offers 144 suites, ranging from junior suites through to sprawling penthouses, several with terraces and views over Hyde Park or the London skyline. It also has eight dining venues, including Southern Mediterranean-inspired Serra, the classic tea lounge Jacqueline, and a rooftop Eagle Bar. Guests will also find a subterranean wellness space, Asaya Spa, complete with a 25-metre pool and treatment rooms, plus additional amenities such as personalised butler service and flexible check-in/check-out.

Design details are especially striking: Joseph Dirand’s interiors use rare materials (including the last slabs of green Indian marble), dramatic walnut panelling, and references to Saarinen’s architectural motifs (like restored facades, a restored concrete diagrid ceiling, and new rooftop additions that echo the original O-frames). Symbolically, the gold eagle sculpture by Theodore Roszak—originally forming part of the embassy—still presides over Grosvenor Square.

More than just a luxury hotel, The Chancery Rosewood seems designed to serve as a cultural destination: art curation (with 700 art pieces by Cramer & Bell), ritual-like arrival experiences (guests are escorted directly to their suite), and elevated spaces for dining, wellness, and gathering mark it out not just as a place to stay, but a new hub for Mayfair’s hospitality and creative life.

One of Stockholm’s most talked-about restaurants, Punk Royale, is set to bring its notorious “brutal bistro” concept to London when it opens on Friday 12 September 2025 in Mayfair. The new outpost at 6 Sackville Street, W1, promises a multi-course tasting menu full of playful theatrics, free-flowing champagne and an after-hours vibe.

Founded in Sweden, Punk Royale has built a cult reputation for blending high-end ingredients with deliberately chaotic presentation, turning dinner into an immersive party. London diners can expect bold flavours, creative twists, and the same irreverent energy that has made its Nordic locations famous.

The choice of Sackville Street puts Punk Royale right in the heart of London’s luxury dining scene, steps from Regent Street and Piccadilly. With its eccentric tasting menus and late-night atmosphere, it looks set to make a memorable mark on Mayfair’s already eclectic restaurant landscape.

On Sunday 21 September, Oxford Street – the world-famous shopping stretch on Mayfair’s northern border – will go completely traffic-free for the first time in years. From 12 noon to 8pm, buses, taxis and private cars will be replaced by pop-up food stalls, live music, wellness spaces and family-friendly activities as part of a one-day event called This Is Oxford Street.

The initiative, organised by the Mayor of London and Westminster City Council, is designed to showcase what a pedestrianised Oxford Street could look like in the future. Local retailers and major brands are taking part with special in-store events and promotions, while visitors will be able to move freely along the entire length of the street without traffic congestion.

For Mayfair residents and businesses, the temporary closure highlights the growing momentum behind proposals to reimagine the wider West End’s public realm. With pedestrian safety, air quality and retail vibrancy all under discussion, the success of this single day may influence longer-term changes to Oxford Street’s role at the heart of London.

Westminster City Council is moving to extend its Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to cover Mayfair and Soho, in an effort to tackle antisocial driving that has become a frequent nuisance in the area. The order would give council officers and police the power to fine drivers who rev engines, race, or play excessively loud music on the streets — behaviour often linked to late-night supercar meet-ups

Bond Street and surrounding Mayfair roads have long been hotspots for high-performance cars, with residents and retailers complaining about sleepless nights and disruption to shopping streets. By widening the PSPO, Westminster aims to protect both those living in Mayfair and the businesses that depend on a welcoming atmosphere for visitors.

The consultation is still open, but if approved, the new rules could come into force later this year. Similar measures in Knightsbridge and Belgravia have already led to a noticeable reduction in disturbances.

For Mayfair, the move is another reminder of the balance between luxury lifestyles and the peace expected by residents in one of London’s most historic neighbourhoods.

THE prestigious Burlington Arcade is hosting a new James Bond-themed bar from now until the end of the year.

Timed to mark the 60th anniversary of the release of Goldfinger – the third movie in the long running franchise – the 007 has two bars serving signature cocktails specially created in partnership with brands such as Belvedere, Blackwell Rum, Champagne Bollinger and Macallan.

There’s also the chance to see props from the 1964 classic including the lethal hat of henchman Oddjob, a Fort Knox gold bar, and Goldfinger’s golf shoes.

The arcade itself, which runs between Piccadilly and Burlington Gardens, has had a Bond markover with a bespoke 007 carpet and three handcrafted golden hanging sculptures, inspired by the iconic Aston Martin DB5.

The 007 is open every day December 31st.

The Maddox Gallery has opened another space in Mayfair.

The new gallery in Berkeley Street opened this month and comes in addition to their existing Mayfair spaces in Maddox Street and Shepherd Market.

“Our newest address since the opening of our Shepherd Market gallery more than five years ago, the gallery’s prestigious W1 location further establishes us as a market leader in the art world,” says John Russo, Group Chief Executive Officer. “We are excited to celebrate this next chapter at Maddox with our clients.”

Maddox Berkeley Street at 12 Berkeley Street opened with a new solo exhibition called “Storytelling” devoted to the internationally renowned photographer David Yarrow.

WESTMINSTER Council has given the go-ahead to a major new development by local landlord Grosvenor Estates.

The £500 million scheme, recommended by council officers and approved by councillors on December 22nd, will see two new office buildings, a hotel, retail units and 33 homes delivered by 2026.

The North and South Block office buildings – both rising to eight storeys – will require the demolition of several buildings in Brook Street, Davies Street.

Public realm improvements planned include repaving, tree planting, lighting, cycle parking, wayleaving of existing street lighting and the introduction of a new passageway between South Molton Street and South Molton Lane & Davies Mews.

Historic England said in its submission that the scheme would “result in harm to the significance of the Mayfair Conservation Area” but that should be weighed against the benefits of the project.

The South Molton Triangle is bound by Brook Street, Davies Street, and South Molton Street as well as including Davies Mews and South Molton Lane.

A month-long sculpture trail has gone live in the streets of Mayfair.

The curated trail showcases sixteen large-scale outdoor pieces of art blending existing permanent works with brand new temporary installations.

Eye-catching pieces to look for include: Elisabeth Frink’s stunning Horse and Rider sculpture outside Ralph Lauren in New Bond Street; Antony Gormley’s Cinch on top of the Burlington Arcade; and Kalliopi Lemos’s Bag of Aspirations outside Fenwick.

Permanent fixtures which have been included in the trail, an audio commentary for which can be found through the Smartify app, include Henry Moore’s Time-Life Screen and Lawrence Holofcener’s bronze statues of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

The Mayfair Sculpture Trail is a new initiative stemming from Mayfair Art Weekend (Friday 2 – Sunday 4 October) and is a partnership with Art in Mayfair, in collaboration with Westminster City Council, Burlington Arcade, Cork Street Galleries, Wander Art, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, and Art of London.

Find out more about Mayfair Sculpture Trail