Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library)
Pierre Gagnaire's three-Michelin-star room upstairs at the theatrical Sketch in Mayfair, as known for its design as its cooking.
The call
Worth it if you're traveling as a couple and you care about the visual experience.
Short answer
Is Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) worth it?
Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) deserves a place on most first itineraries.
The answer depends on your budget, time and travel style; the breakdown below shows who gets the most value.
Why
- 01
Opulent, maximalist and very Instagram — the Gallery (reworked in 2022 from its old Mahdavi pink into a sunshine-yellow room hung with Yinka Shonibare's masks and quilts) and the egg-pod loos pull the crowds, while the upstairs Lecture Room & Library delivers serious, formal Gagnaire dining at a steep price.
Is it a fit?
Go if
You're traveling as a couple
As a couple, Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) is an easy yes.
You care about the visual experience
Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) rewards a trip built around beauty & photography.
Food is a reason to travel
Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) rewards a trip built around food & drink.
Think twice if
You're traveling with kids
With kids, skip Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library).
You're watching the budget
Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) can strain a tight budget. Go only when it is a priority.
You only have one day
Keep Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) only when it outranks a half-day elsewhere.
You're traveling solo
Solo, Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) needs the right timing and tolerance.
The plates that decide it
- Gagnaire's langoustine, served several ways — the signature multi-plate opener upstairs in the Lecture Room
- The 'Grand Dessert' — Gagnaire's spread of miniature sweets — the classic finale to the tasting menu
- Afternoon tea in the yellow Gallery — the design-forward, lower-key way in
Plan it well
- Cost
- £150–250 per head (Lecture Room)
- Allow
- 2.5–3 hours