Scott's is another Mayfair phoenix rising from the ashes, echoing the story of last year's New Restaurant Award winner, Bentley's, and sharing a similar history as one of London's long established fish restaurants.

First opened in 1851 as an oyster warehouse by a fisherman named John Scott, it has recently been given the Midas touch by Caprice Holdings. The restaurant's past has been carefully considered throughout the relaunch, with the reintroduction of the oyster bar that was so popular in its heyday and a menu that stays true to its ‘fruits de mer' origins.

“It was important to retain an identity with Scott's history, and we took that right through from the design of the restaurant to the menu,” explains head chef Kevin Gratton, who collected the Craft Guild award on behalf of the restaurant.

Previously head chef at La Caprice, Gratton spent more than a year working on the relaunch with Caprice Holdings' chef director Mark Hix and executive head chef Tim Hughes.

Wood panelling, mosaic tiles, coloured mirrors and leather banquettes provide the backdrop to the restaurant's main focal point – an oyster bar bedecked in stingray skin and topped with green onyx, complete with a three metre long showcase of seafood. Diners choosing to eat at the bar can watch the chefs preparing the shellfish from a display that is replenished daily.

“Scott's was always famous for its oyster bar but the previous owners scrapped the idea. We reintroduced the bar and it has become a big feature. Designed by Future Systems the display is a fully working unit,” says Hix, who at the time of going to press had just announced his departure from the group with the intention of opening his own restaurant.

He describes the menu at Scott's as European, with 90% comprised of fish and the remainder meat, poultry and game when in season. As well as a few of Hix's signature dishes including the rabbit and crayfish stargazy pie that formed part of his Great British Menu featured on BBC2 recently, Scott's menu mixes the simple and straightforward with the more modern and adventurous.

“We always feature Dover sole and we have six different oysters in season from Wild Colchester Rocks and Spèciales de Claires from France,” says Gratton. “But there are also a few modern, edgy dishes such as cod's tongues Bordelaise. We have the classic and traditional, but there is an element of diversity. You can come and treat yourself to lobster in the restaurant or have a beer and a shrimp burger at the bar.”

With a 29 strong brigade, the restaurant caters for around 300-350 a day and the menu is tweaked each week. “A lot of the dishes will change according to season. With all the fruits de mer, different shellfish, soles and oysters, we probably offer around 70-80 different species of fish here. We'll usually have around six meat main course dishes – we'll always have a rib steak on the menu, and then game in season. For example we'll have grouse, which we'll treat traditionally with bread sauce, parsnip chips, game jus and so on,” says Gratton.

Sourcing is done through a number of suppliers, with daily deliveries coming from all over the UK.

“Someone in north Scotland supplies us with smoked salmon and we have a trawler in the south bringing in Dover sole every day, coming to us directly from the boat. As a company we've got great relationships with suppliers. They know what we want and the specifications we're after. Also, I've found that people are keen to supply Scott's; to be on our menu.”

At a time when sustainable seafood is a hot topic, are there any species that Scott's won't serve? “Our suppliers, the fishmongers themselves, are on the ball about what should and shouldn't be used and we talk to them every morning. We don't use any tuna, it's not right for the menu anyway. Our cod is from Icelandic waters, which I understand to be a sustainable source. We're very European and British led. We use lots of pollack and hake – there really are plenty of fish in the sea.”

When the Craft Guild judges visited Scott's, they described the menu as “well executed” with “an excellent quality of seafood” and praised the restaurant for its attention to seasonality and provenance. One judge said: “There was nothing disappointing at all right through to the dessert, which can often be overlooked in a restaurant focusing on seafood.

“Essentially it was the quality of everything they do – from food to service – that won it for them. We don't just judge the food but the whole experience – from when you book and how you're treated, to when you first walk in the restaurant; how helpful and knowledgeable the waiting staff and sommeliers are. In this case there was a certain level they'd reached – they'd got the balance of service and customer care right and the ambience also made for an enjoyable eating experience.”

Did the reputation of the company behind the relaunch of Scott's give the judges any preconceptions?

“Expectations were certainly high given the involvement of Mark Hix and, from the Caprice point of view, you do come to expect good things. But it really did deliver,” said a judge. So what does the award mean to Scott's? “To be part of the relaunch of a place with such a history was a great opportunity,” says Gratton.“To win an award for best newcomer was a proud moment on top of what was already a very proud experience. We've only been open eight months so it's still early days for us. It's very rewarding to get such positive reviews so soon.

“Furthermore we were up against exciting competition with St Albans and Arbutus ... I wouldn't have dared pick between the three.”