On the corner of Mount Street and South Audley Street stands a red-brick Victorian pub with a clock above the bar since 1888. The Audley Public House looks like a classic London local, and in many ways it is.
Look up, though, and you’ll see a ceiling by one of Britain’s best-known sculptors, a neon sign by a Turner Prize winner, and a menu that takes pub food more seriously than most.
Here’s a look at the building’s story, what’s on the current menu and what it costs, the dishes worth ordering, how to get there, and the practical details, including the one rule that catches people out.
What is The Audley Public House Mayfair?
The Audley Public House Mayfair is a Grade II listed pub run by Artfarm, the hospitality company founded in 2014 by the gallerists Iwan and Manuela Wirth of Hauser & Wirth.
They reopened it in September 2022 after a full restoration. It’s a proper pub at street level, with the more formal Mount St. Restaurant on the first floor and private rooms above.
History, art and atmosphere at The Audley
The pub was designed by Thomas Verity, the Victorian architect behind the pavilion exterior at Lord’s Cricket Ground. When Artfarm took it on, the Paris-based architect Luis Laplace led a careful restoration that kept the original ceiling clock and the carved wooden fireplace inscribed with salve, Latin for “welcome”.
Then came the art, which is what sets The Audley Public House apart from every other pub in London:
- Phyllida Barlow: a collaged ceiling of hand-painted paper over the main bar
- Martin Creed: a neon “FRIENDS” sign above the bar
- Rashid Johnson: a floor mosaic in the Mount St. Restaurant upstairs
- Photographs and prints: works by Don McCullin and Rodney Graham, plus Georgian cartoons by George Cruikshank
If you’d like to see more of the Wirths’ world, the Hauser & Wirth gallery is one of several art galleries in Mayfair within walking distance.
The Audley Public House menu: what to expect and prices
When the pub reopened, chef Jamie Shears built the menu around British pub classics made with good produce, and that approach hasn’t changed.
Here’s what The Audley Public House menu looks like as of autumn 2026:
| Section | Plates | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Bar snacks | Scotch egg, sausage roll, London rarebit, oysters | £5 to £33 |
| Pub favourites | Burger dip, pies, bangers and mash, fish and chips | £16.50 to £26 |
| Sides | Chips, cheesy chips with curry sauce, mash, peas | £6.50 to £8.50 |
| Puddings | Sticky toffee pudding, lemon and raspberry posset | £9 |
| Sunday roasts | Chicken, beef sirloin, pork belly | £30 to £36 |
On tap, there’s beer from Sambrook’s Brewery in Battersea, London Pride and Guinness. The Audley was named in the first Guinness Harp Guide in 2026 as one of nine London pubs pouring the best pint in the country.
The wine list runs from about £10.50 a glass to Champagne by the bottle.
Best dishes to order at The Audley
If it’s your first visit, these are the plates we think are the most worth trying:
- Scotch egg (£10): the classic bar order with a pint
- Chicken, ham and leek pie with mash (£25): proper comfort food
- Cornish haddock and chips (£26): with mushy peas and tartare sauce
- Lamb shoulder suet pudding (£24.50): rich, slow-cooked and very British
- The Audley burger dip (£18): add Koffmann fries for £6
- Sticky toffee pudding (£9): served with vanilla ice cream
There are plenty of options for vegetarians too, with mushroom and beetroot sausages and mash (£19.50) and a market vegetable plate with dip.
On Sundays, the kitchen serves its roasts until 5 pm, and every plate comes with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, leek and cauliflower cheese and seasonal greens. If you’re comparing pubs, however, The Audley feels a little smarter than London’s oldest pubs. On the other hand, if you’d rather have a more casual plate of fish and chips, you can always head to The Mayfair Chippy instead.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Real art in a genuine pub setting | No bookings, so peak times mean waiting |
| Excellent Guinness and London beers | Prices are high for pub food |
| Strong vegetarian options | Card only, so no cash |
| Food served until 10 pm most nights | Can be crowded on Friday evenings |
Where is The Audley, and how do you get there?
The pub sits on one of Mayfair’s smartest corners, where Mount Street meets South Audley Street, close to Grosvenor Square and Mount Street Gardens.
- Bond Street station: Central and Elizabeth lines, about a 10-minute walk south
- Green Park station: Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria lines, around 10 minutes north-west
- Marble Arch station: Central line, a walk down Park Street
- Hyde Park: a few minutes away, so you can easily pair a drink with things to do in Hyde Park
It’s also handy for the area’s other dining rooms. 34 Mayfair is just up South Audley Street, so The Audley makes an easy spot for a pre-dinner drink.
Opening hours, walk-ins and practical tips
| Pub open | Food served | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday | 11 am to 11 pm | 12 pm to 10 pm |
| Sunday and bank holidays | 11 am to 10.30 pm | 12 pm to 9 pm |
Tip: The one rule to know is that you can’t book. The Audley Public House is walk-in only, so timing is everything.
Make sure to:
- Arrive just after midday on Sundays to get a table for the roast
- Bring a card, as cash isn’t accepted
- Order a pint of Guinness and look up at the Barlow ceiling
- Find the original clock and the “salve” fireplace
- Book Mount St. Restaurant upstairs separately if you want a more formal meal
Make The Audley Public House your Mayfair local with Urban Retreat Apartments
This is one of London’s pubs worth planning a Sunday around. Go for the Guinness, stay for the pie, and leave a little time to take in the art over your head.
Urban Retreat Apartments is based on North Audley Street, a short walk from the pub, and has boutique apartments in Mayfair right in this corner of the neighbourhood.
Spend a weekend in Mayfair and enjoy dining at The Audley.
