The Pass - (Near , london)

5 /5 Andy: This was the best European tasting menu weve had for a very long time, maybe ever, cant remember enjoying one this much. The flavours of every course were exceptional, the tuna, oyster and smoked venison were favourites but my goodness that treacle bread was out of this world! We enjoyed it so much we went twice on consecutive days. We also tried both wine pairings (signature and prestige) which were again excellent. The signature was more complementary, the prestige more contrasting. I loved the signature, my partner loved the prestige (although we both preferred the red in the prestige). The whole team clearly really care about the food and drink theyre offering and it shows. Thanks Ben, Monika & Chris for two exceptional evenings!

3 /5 P S: Whilst staying at South Lodge we headed to the Pass (recommend to pre-book in advance) for which we were excited for. We have some very good courses including the warm oyster, turbot and celeriac. We found the lamb a little tough and tomato and peach courses underwhelming. Overall as a tasting menu itself was still very delicious and you can tell the work that went into the food. Unfortunately the atmosphere, lighting, chairs, and music just didn’t work. The lighting was far too bright, and the silver and purple decor looked like something stuck in 2001. The high chairs were not particularly comfortable and I found myself swinging around like I was at a pub bar. The service was OK, I found myself pouring/topping up my own water and would’ve liked a bit more energy from the staff. We came out a little disappointed as the ambience just didn’t exist. The food is the star of the show by far, but rethink is needed creating an exception space to dine, rather than feeling like you’ve walked into a diner.

5 /5 Levi Dance: There are restaurants that want to impress you, and then there are restaurants that simply expect you to pay attention. **The Pass** falls firmly into the second category. This is a chef’s table in the truest sense — not a gimmick, not a performance space, but a working kitchen that happens to seat you close enough to feel the heat and hear the rhythm. You sit facing the pass, watching Ben Wilkinson and his team move with quiet precision. No shouting. No ego on display. Just a brigade that knows exactly what it’s doing. The tasting menu unfolds deliberately. Courses don’t arrive to shock or confuse; they arrive to build. Early dishes are clean, restrained, almost gentle — seafood handled with respect, vegetables treated like they matter, sauces used to underline flavour rather than drown it. As the meal progresses, things deepen. Earthier notes. Darker sauces. Meat that tastes like it’s been thought about for days, not minutes. What stood out most was the confidence. Nothing felt rushed onto the plate to meet a trend. No unnecessary flourishes. This is modern British cooking with its feet planted firmly on the ground — technical, yes, but never precious. Comfort and finesse coexisting without apology. Desserts were given the same care as the savoury courses, which is rarer than it should be. They didn’t feel like an afterthought or a sugar bomb to finish things off, but like a proper final chapter — considered, balanced, and satisfying. The wine pairing deserves real praise. It wasn’t about flexing famous labels or chasing big names. Instead, it was intelligent and purposeful — wines chosen to sharpen, soften, or deepen what was on the plate. Each glass felt like part of the conversation rather than background noise. Someone here understands that wine is a tool, not a trophy. Service matched the food: calm, informed, and genuinely engaged. Questions were answered clearly, without rehearsed scripts or unnecessary theatrics. You felt looked after, not managed. Yes, it’s expensive. And no, this isn’t somewhere you casually wander into. But it’s also honest about what it is. You’re paying for focus, discipline, and a kitchen operating at a high level every single service — not just on “good nights.” You leave full, but more importantly, you leave satisfied — the kind of satisfaction that comes from knowing you’ve eaten somewhere that takes its craft seriously. It’s the sort of meal you find yourself replaying the next day, not because it tried to dazzle you, but because it respected you enough to cook properly. That, in the end, is the highest compliment. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

4 /5 Jay Newman: The food was fantastic with the turbot course my particular highlight. In general the service was great and the chefs delivering each course a nice touch; however we did find the sommelier a little disinterested and that he was just going through the motions at each wine pairing course. The other reason we didn’t score 5 stars was due to the sterile feel of the restaurant. Part of the experience is seeing the chefs in the kitchen which is great, but the tables being so close together with little or no ambient music made you feel every word you said was listened to by the table next to you. Some people don’t mind this I get, but not for us. As you would expect this restaurant is exceedingly expensive, but the food just about justified the price.

3 /5 Stefano Lucherini: Our dinner at The Pass was enjoyable. Service was perfect and probably the best we have experienced. The staff really couldn’t have done anything more to make us feel comfortable and looked after. The tasting menu was very nice. We particularly enjoyed the turbot dish and desserts, which were sublime. We did not enjoy the pigeon (which came with liver parfait). We found the consistency to be slimy and the taste to be off putting. It was a shame that the main protein course was not really to our taste, although I’m sure that others appreciate it more than us. The cheese course, which was an extra, could have been a little more generous in terms of portion size and presentation, considering its cost. We found it a little underwhelming. The atmosphere is not great. They chose high chairs and high tables which are not that comfortable after 3 hours, and given the very small space available, tables are very close together, which doesn’t give you a high end restaurant feel, but more a pub feel. The bill was aligned with expectations.