A lunch at Kudu, Marylebone comes with expectations. That is partly because of the reputation Kudu built in Peckham, and partly because this newer, far more accessible location makes it much easier to visit.

We went as a group, including someone who had eaten at the original Kudu in Peckham restaurant many times and loved it. I had never been, but I had always wanted to go. Still, who really wants to trek to Peckham from West London on a Sunday?

So, hopes were high.

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A quick word on Kudu’s roots

Before getting into the meal, it’s worth setting the scene. The restaurant Kudu first made its name in Peckham, building a loyal following for its South African influenced cooking. The original Kudu earned a lot of affection, which is why memories of it loom large.

Now, Kudu in Peckham had closed (rumours around the location being hard to get right), and Kudu in Marylebone has open. Naturally, that raises the question – does the new Kudu restaurant live up to the Peckham version, or has something been lost along the way?

Arrival and first impressions of Kudu Marylebone

We arrive at Kudu, Marylebone for a 2pm Sunday lunch booking. The reservation was easy to secure a few weeks in advance, which indicates that the restaurant hasn’t yet gone viral on TikTok. As a result, the place feels busy but controlled, with a few tables free throughout service. There is a clear Sunday lunch crowd, and the atmosphere feels pleasant enough. Drinks arrive quickly, which helps.

However, the food does not follow at the same pace. In fact, after the bread course, proper main dishes don’t land until almost 3pm. By then, our first round of drinks is nearly finished. As a result, hunger very much shapes what we order next.

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Bread first. And then more bread.

Because we are starving and waiting for food to come, we order the bread twice.

The bread arrives in a skillet, which looks promising. Presentation-wise, it works. Unfortunately, the eating experience does not quite follow through. The bread itself is akin to a soft bun, and it lacks chew and depth.

We try it first with the melted shrimp butter. This is the better of the two, but even then, it fails to excite. The flakes of almond add an odd gritty texture that distracts rather than enhances. The melted Cape Malay butter fares no better. It is fine, but forgettable.

At this point, it feels fair to say that a chewy sourdough with whipped butter would have been a far stronger start. Instead, the bread feels like filler rather than a highlight. It does its job, but only just.

Mains finally arrive

Eventually, the mains appear. Unfortunately, this is where the experience starts to feel uneven rather than improving.

We order the half Somerset Saxon chicken. It arrives cooked nicely, with juicy meat and crisp skin. However, the flavours feel muted. The dish tastes like something you might make well at home, rather than something you would specifically come out for. It is comforting, but not memorable.

Next, the 1kg T-bone steak, ordered to share. Again, it is cooked competently. The meat is decent. The cooking is correct. Yet something feels missing. Perhaps expectations are simply too high. We recently shared a Galician steak at Lurra, and that steak still lingers in the memory. This one does not.

When a dish costs this much and is meant to be a centrepiece, you want it to linger in your thoughts. This one does not quite manage that.

Sides carry on the story of highs and lows

The sides tell a clearer story.

The fingerling potatoes are excellent. Crisp, crunchy skins give way to fluffy interiors. They are deeply moreish, and we immediately wish there were more. These feel like proper Sunday potatoes, and they easily rank among the best things on the table.

The carrots look beautiful when they arrive. Sadly, they taste of very little. The presentation promises more than the flavour delivers, which feels disappointing.

The spinach salad, however, works nicely. It feels fresh and balanced, and it does what a side should do. It supports rather than distracts.

Service starts to rush

Just as we settle into our mains, the service shifts. Plates start disappearing quickly. Servers hover and glance at the table. Eventually, plates are cleared less than twenty minutes after they arrive. This feels rushed, especially after such a long wait for the food in the first place.

That imbalance is hard to ignore. Waiting almost an hour for mains, only to feel hurried through eating them, breaks the rhythm of the meal.

Kudu desserts save the day

Dessert, thankfully, turns things around for our lunch at Kudu.

The Kudu “Kit Kat” arrives with proper theatre. Its marshmallow top gets torched tableside using a piece of coal, which immediately draws attention. The flavours work beautifully. Sweet, smoky, and textural, it genuinely tastes like a Kit Kat in the best way.

The chocolate malva pudding follows. Again, tableside service adds drama, as warm chocolate sauce pours over the pudding and runs into every crease. The texture stays loose and comforting. It feels indulgent without being heavy. Both desserts land exactly where the savoury dishes sometimes miss.

Final thoughts on lunch at Kudu Marylebone

A lunch at Kudu Marylebone is, overall, enjoyable. However, it is hard to escape the feeling that this is not quite the same restaurant my sister remembers so fondly from Peckham.

Some dishes shine, particularly the potatoes and desserts. Others feel underwhelming, especially given the price point. Service timing also lets the experience down, swinging between slow and rushed.

As a Kudu Marylebone restaurant review, this sits firmly in the middle ground. Pleasant, but not exceptional. With a bill nudging £100 per person, there are probably better ways to spend that money in London.

Still, if you are curious about a South African restaurant in London and want somewhere central, Kudu Marylebone is worth trying once. Just go in with measured expectations.

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Sunday lunch at Kudu Marylebone
Address – 7 Moxon St, London W1U 4EP
Nearest Tube – Bond Street