The Lalee is a slightly confusing place. As in, after I visited in early spring, I spent several weeks being confused about how I feel about it. Nestled in the notoriously posh area that is Belgravia, the restaurant belongs to The Cadogan, a suitably notoriously posh hotel that greets visitors with a tartan-clad doorman and has a private park only accessible by hotel guests with a key card (a feature that has arguably annoyed me more than anything else, as someone who deeply cares about public access to green spaces and who just wanted a sit-down in the park before their meal – really, guys?)
The restaurant is said to be inspired by one of The Cadogan’s past residents, British socialite Lillie Langtry. Langtry, who was also an actor and producer, has a rather rich and fascinating history. She rubbed much more than just her shoulders with royalty, having conducted affairs with Albert Edward, who later became King Edward VII; the Earl of Shrewsbury; and Prince Louis of Battenberg, who became Admiral of the Fleet Louis Alexander Mountbatten – the maternal grandfather of Prince Philip.
