Marylebone wears its Michelin stars like cufflinks. Lita wears its like a comfy knitted sweater. Walk in on a Monday at 6pm and the room already feels like somewhere you’ve been coming for years – the staff, the handful of tables tucked in early and everyone acting very much at home.
You might expect some of the pretentiousness of London’s Marylebone neighborhood and the puff-chested pomp that comes with a Michelin star plaque plastered outside, but as soon as you walk through the door at Lita (7-9 Paddington Street, Marylebone), it feels like you’ve arrived at the neighborhood local.
Not the greasy, sticky carpet, sad-angry belligerent man in the corner pub kind (though those can be fun too), but in the sense that everyone here, from the staff to the few tables of diners already tucked in at 6pm on a Monday, seem to already know each other, have been here before and are acting very much at home.
They’re seated at their usual table seeing what Chef Kostas is offering today – something seasonal, as usual, from an ever-changing menu that rewards return visits. Or maybe it’s their first time and they’ve succumbed to the unique way the team here at Lita has of making guests feel welcomed, rather than the huffy and stuffy vibe expected of a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Or maybe that’s just what Lita does to people.
Flow States
Or maybe we’re projecting. But that’s because it’s happening to us too. We already feel like a regular. Fully initiated and getting that feeling like we belong as well. Maybe it’s because we’ve asked to meet Bar Manager Danil Sidorenko to talk about the cocktail menu and we’ve shimmied up the pecking order of staff priorities. But no. Looking around, it’s apparent that at every table, the team pays attention. Pauses. Chats. Moves in a synchronous state of flow while engaging in conversation that appears effortless and is undoubtedly genuine.
They not only nailed a star within a year of opening in 2024, in a very saturated market, in a very high-end neighborhood, in a very foodie city – and then kept that star when the apron changed hands and Chef Kostas Papathanasiou took over in late 2025, but they also pack the house (it’s spilling over by the time we’ve ordered our second Verdant, but more on that shortly), and deliver the excellence expected from a star, while maintaining a calm, cool finesse in a space to relax and enjoy being treated to the finest of dishes.
Nestling In
We’re seated at the bar counter. It’s what we’d argue is the prime real estate of Lita. You get the best of both worlds. To chat with the team. To watch their melodic dance and get uninterrupted views of the behind-the-scenes prep for that exquisite concoction that normally would magically appear in your hand. To people watch, and chat with the other assorted characters seated next to you at the bar. And to appreciate the immaculate dishes and drinks that find their way to you as eagerly as guests find their way to Lita every day (from 12pm except on Sunday, when, understandably, Kostas and Danil are permitted a little longer in bed. Then, they open at 12:30pm).
The bar counter is arguably our favorite seat in any bar or restaurant, but it doesn’t always work. Sometimes they’re the overflow seats – ringside for a bartender’s back, the service well and somebody else’s dirty glasses landing by your elbow. Here it’s the best seat in the house – its own subdivision of the restaurant, but situated smack dab in the middle of the action. Snug in the chaos, we’re nestled in.
‘Bar Manager’ doesn’t quite encompass the job title, or the personality, of Danil. He’s the creative direction behind the cocktail program, and the modest but definitely not shy personality of the bar at Lita. He’s part of the Lita team since the start and the easy been-here-since-we-flipped-the-open-sign confidence shows. His knowledge, craftsmanship and presence are what we begin to imagine draw newcomers to linger a little longer with a second and maybe even a third round, and regulars to come back to see what he’s been up to lately.
The Reassess-Your-Values Vodka Martini
Our first libation of the evening, and first on the Curated Classics menu, is the Vodka Martini. So standard in ingredients and description, and yet so easy to mess up. We’d normally default to a Gin Martini, but Danil assures us we’ll change our minds after trying his. And we do. It’s made with alpine spring water with a freeze-distilled concentration process, alongside a double dose of vermouth. All of which feels like a gulp of crisp mountain air on top of a ski run when dusk hits and you remove your goggles and relax your eyes to see the sun setting. It’s paired with their Kaluga caviar, avocado and focaccia toast, and it’s the perfect start to the evening.
Danil has carefully picked fifteen cocktails for his menu (nineteen if you count some very underrated mocktails). Alongside the Curated Classics, he’s created menus called ‘Garden’ (fresh, herbal) and ‘Harbour’ (strong, spicy) which are riffs on some tried and true beloveds. Verdant is the standout, and so good it warrants a second order. Its lush green ingredients are meant to complement each other without one flavor taking over another. The apple, sage and oversized Spanish olive do just that, each sip increasingly moreish, with spot-on presentation to match. If the Martini was to intrigue, then the Verdant is the green light (literally) to continue onward.
Heading Harbour Side
We move on to the enticing Platano from the Harbour side, which shows how a cocktail can be thoughtfully refined without being overworked. Danil reimagines the Manhattan by using a special Spanish sherry made from sun-dried grapes, Banane du Brésil liqueur for a “what is that?” gently sweet flavor, and walnut bitters and pistachios to balance the sweetness.
We ask Danil how he keeps a bar this consistent from going stale. He doesn’t pause. “Have no weak spots,” he says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the room. And he means all of it. Intentional stemware that resets the mood drink to drink. Pairings mapped to each of Kostas’s dishes.
His thoughtful use of seasonal ingredients without incorporating them for the sake of being ‘sustainable.’ Partnering with neighborhood roasteries for local coffee-inspired concoctions. And above all, staying true to Lita’s Mediterranean roots without relying too heavily on them or allowing them to stifle his creativity. Although he’s been there since the beginning he is in no way getting too comfortable – Danil and his team have created a standalone bar culture here.
We came in expecting the pomp of the plaque outside. We’re leaving already checking which night next week we’ll be back in our usual seat at the bar – which, by now, feels like it was always ours anyway.
