A new London hideaway transports diners into the woods

Reborn from an old back-lane steakhouse surrounded by Mayfair establishment businesses, Silva couldn’t be more in a more urban, urbane location. Yet its inspiration is ancient woodland – ‘silva’ comes from the Latin for ‘forest’ – and cooking reflects a return to simple, fresh dishes beloved for centuries.

The new all-day restaurant is stashed away in a quaint mews house designed anew by Atelier Wren with sinuous banquette seating that gently curves its way down the length of the space. They’ve coated the walls, floors and ceiling in natural fabrics, framed with bent wood and beading and offset with moss and pine green accents to mimic the changing seasons. The aim was to create a complement to the woodland-inspired theme and seasonal menu.

A Garden Room is decorated with dripping foliage, herringbone parquet flooring and flower castings on the walls. Upstairs is a snug bar and private dining room with a floral relief on the walls and around the coffered ceiling. A terrace will also be open in warmer weather.

Owner Daria Grebenyuk has developed an earthy day-to-night menu with head chef Slawomir Sawicki, showcasing raw Japanese-style seafood, a potato waffle topped with beef tartare, seasonal salads and, for dinner, a sea bass casserole with Basque cheesecake for dessert. The atmosphere will shift from bright and airy by day to amber-lit and intimate by night.

www.silvarestaurant.co.uk