Mayfair’s hottest new neighborhood restaurant

When chef Jonny Lake and sommelier Isa Bal opened Trivet in 2019 — now a two Michelin-starred restaurant in London’s Bermondsey — the pair finally realised their ambition of creating something entirely their own. “When you’re running someone else’s restaurant, you treat it like it’s yours; that’s what keeps you motivated,” Lake reflects. “But eventually you realise it isn’t, and to do the things you truly want, you need your own place.”

Where Trivet has flourished as a classic, refined-dining restaurant, Labombe by Trivet — their new opening at COMO Metropolitan London — comes from a slightly different impulse. “Jonny and I have always loved wine bars,” Bal says. “We’d often talk about what our version might look like. We even experimented with it on Mondays at Trivet, but it was still framed within the restaurant. When the opportunity with COMO Hotels and Resorts came along, the timing was right, and the space felt perfect. It gave us the chance to bring that idea to life.”

That space was the former Met Bar, a Mayfair landmark in its own right. “We’ve known the owner of COMO Hotels and Resorts for years, and admired many of the venues. When we saw the old Met Bar, it already had the bones of what we wanted: intimacy, a natural flow between guests and the team, and a layout that encouraged conversation.” With the help of designer Umay Çeviker of renowned international architecture and design firm Derin Yeşil, Lake and Bal reimagined the room into something elegant yet easygoing. “It’s the kind of place you want to walk into, even if you weren’t planning to,” Bal adds. Rather than feeling like a hotel restaurant, Labombe by Trivet has its own streetside access and identity: “you can see from the outside exactly what’s inside. It’s open, visible, and welcoming, which I think is so important,” says Lake. “Too often, restaurants can feel daunting if you don’t know what’s behind the door.”

Though impeccably presented, the food and wine match the atmosphere: relaxed, playful even, in keeping with its name — Labombe by Trivet — which has a decades-old origin story. The name came from a French class project Lake completed as a 13-year-old in Burlington, Ontario. The assignment was to invent a restaurant menu, and Lake’s was called Restaurant Labombe. “I completely forgot about it until years later, when I found it in my parents’ basement,” Lake recalls. “I showed it to Isa, and he immediately said, ‘That’s it.’ I still don’t know why I chose it back then, but it fits.” 

So how does Labombe sit alongside Trivet? “It’s a completely different concept,” says Lake. “Trivet is classic in structure — starters, mains, desserts — while Labombe is built around sharing: snacks, small plates, big cuts for the table. But the ethos is the same. Once you’ve worked with the best ingredients, you can’t do it any other way.” Bal agrees: “At Trivet, people come for the full restaurant experience. Labombe is more casual, more flexible. You could just stop by for a glass of wine and a snack, or settle in for a whole meal.”

The menu, Lake explains, isn’t defined by one cuisine but by an “emotional thread.” Influences from Spain, Italy and Turkey appear throughout; echoes of the team’s own experiences. “Evan Moore, our Head Chef, spent years working in Spain, and has brought those touches. I spent much of my early career in Italy, and Isa, being Turkish with his own international background, brings his influences too. It’s about weaving those together in a cohesive way."

Certain dishes already stand out. “The duck heart and pickled cherry skewer, cooked straight off the grill, is a highlight,” says Lake. “The mushroom pici pasta with Madeira sauce is another. For mains, the large cuts are exciting. The large pink bream on the grill looks incredible, and the veal sweetbread is a favourite. Then there are the fries, inspired by a Canadian chain called New York Fries that both Evan and I grew up with. We’ve made our own spice mix version, and I hope every table orders them. For dessert, we’re rethinking ice cream. Churned daily, it’s turned into playful mini-desserts instead of just scoops.”

Alongside the food is a wine list that reflects Bal’s light-handed approach. “It’s rooted in Europe but also gives attention to historic regions like Turkey, Georgia, Armenia and Greece,” he says. “There are classics alongside discoveries, and plenty by the glass. For me, a great wine list doesn’t need to be huge. It just needs to reflect the philosophy of the place. Some bottles match the menu, but others are there simply because they’re fantastic wines.” The list has flashes of irreverence, for example its ‘A’ and ‘B’ list format; a double-sided menu that nods to the red rope culture of the old Met Bar. The ‘A List’ offers everyday wines, while the ‘B List’ features more unusual wines from select regions — often rare, and always exceptional.

Asked what he’d recommend for someone wanting something unexpected, Bal doesn’t hesitate: “Madeira. It’s been neglected in recent years, but it carries centuries of history in each bottle; geography, winemaking, and story all in one.” For him, though, a Barolo from Burlotto in Piedmont best captures the spirit of Labombe. “They’re structured, pure wines that speak of exactly where they come from. That’s what we want Labombe to do as well.”

The goal, both Bal and Lake insist, isn’t simply about chasing accolades. “Our philosophy has always been to believe in what we’re doing and keep making it better,” Lake says. “If recognition comes, that’s amazing. But we don’t build restaurants for Michelin stars; we build them to create something we’re proud of.” And ultimately, it’s about how guests feel. Bal sums it up simply: “If people walk out happy — having enjoyed food, wine, and the company around them — and want to come back, then we’ve succeeded.”

For more information, or to make a reservation at Labombe by Trivet, please contact our concierge team at COMO Metropolitan London.