Lilli By Akira Back, the signature restaurant at Montcalm Mayfair, announces the launch of an inventive new menu that further cements its position as one of Mayfair’s most exciting dining destinations. Led by head chef Roger Hutchinson, the restaurant continues its distinctive dialogue between British produce and refined Asian influences. Opened in May 2025, as part of the hotel’s meticulous two-year restoration, Lilli by Akira Back is now the Chef Akira’s only London outpost, bringing his elegant and adventurous culinary style to Mayfair alongside a global portfolio of 27 acclaimed restaurants. This May will mark the first birthday of Lilli by Akira Back, and will see a special limited edition menu served throughout the month to celebrate the occasion, showcasing Akira Back signatures dishes alongside one playful, exclusive dish created especially for the anniversary, along with a limited edition birthday cocktail.

Signature dishes

The menu welcomes new additions of Akira Back’s signature plates, blending meticulous Japanese technique with bold, modern flavour. The centre is the iconic AB Tuna Pizza, a crisp base topped with thinly sliced tuna, umami aioli and white truffle oil, designed to be shared over an aperitif or glass of bubbles. Light, textural and instantly recognisable, it has become one of his most celebrated dishes worldwide. Also now available is the Jidori Chicken, a deceptively simple plate whose preparation is highly technical, resulting in exceptionally tender meat paired with silky potato puree and balsamic teriyaki. Plant-led plates like the Eggplant Miso, Grilled Avocado and Garden Wellington also feature heavily in the menu, demonstrating equal levels of care and complexity as their meat and fish-led counterparts. On Saturdays and Sundays, their two or three-course Roast Menu offers hearty mains like Grass-Fed Beef Wellington, all served with Yorkshire Pudding, sautéed spring greens, glazed baby carrots, roast potatoes, honey parsnips.

New Brunchtime Favourites

Available from 11am-2pm daily, the Brunch Menu taps into London’s apprentice for globally inspired plates, spotlighting bold ferments, Korean heat and Japanese umami, offering elevated interpretations of indulgent classics alongside lighter, flavour-packed dishes. A must-try is the Kimchi Shakshuka, where baked St Ewe eggs sit in a spiced tomato and pepper base enriched with kimchi and fresh coriander. Other standouts include Teriyaki Beef Sliders paired with a sweet-savoury glaze with crisp kimchi cucumber and melting provolone, and plant-based winners like Grilled Avocado with Togarashi, paired perfectly with a Ponzu and Gochujang Bloody Mary. Across the menu, these punchy ingredients bring a contemporary edge, positioning brunch as a vibrant melting pot between comfort and cutting-edge flavour.

Afternoon Tea — A Botanical Mother’s Day Experience

For Mother’s Day and beyond, the restaurant’s Into the Garden Afternoon Tea offers a dreamlike culinary homage to Georgian gardens and the pioneering creativity of Constance Spry. Inspired by botanicals, forest heritage and Spry’s philosophy of intertwining food and flowers, the experience blends classic English tradition with playful imagination. Guests can enjoy refined pastries and savouries - including a sophisticated reinterpretation of the Coronation Chicken sandwich - alongside a bespoke loose-leaf tea selection curated in partnership with Camellia’s Tea House. The curated menu showcases a range of distinctive varietals, including Milky Oolong, Jasmine Pearls, Lung Ching, Darjeeling Goomtee Estate, White Prakesh and Oolong-Kangra, reflecting a growing appetite for nuanced green and botanical teas, in a contemporary yet nostalgic take on one of Britain’s most cherished rituals.

Cocktails inspired by Georgian gardens

A standout destination in its own right, Lilli’s Bar, is found in the lush hand-painted lobby area, and offers an inventive cocktail collection inspired by a journey through England’s Georgian gardens, a theme which runs throughout the hotel’s interiors and sensory touchpoints. Moving through the seasons,from spring blossoms to autumn orchards, the drinks programme blends classic English horticulture with punchy Asian accents.  Ingredients like sakura vermouth, shichimi spice, hibiscus, quince and sake are woven in the narrative-driven menu. The Blossom Americano pairs gin with sakura vermouth and honeyed notes, while the Neroli Sour combines The Lakes The One, neroli, kumquat and lime in an elegant and floral highball that pays tribute to richly scented rose gardens and aromatic herbs. A thoughtful selection of mocktails, including the Holloway, with Everleaf Mountain, quince jelly, lavender, lemon and Saicho Jasmine, ensures the same creativity and surprising moments extends in equal measure to the non-alcoholic options.

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