13 Of The Best Private Dining Rooms In London
For Up To 15
The Tent (at the End of the Universe)
Chef John Javier is now hosting private chef studio experiences at The Tent (At the End of the Universe) on Little Portland Street. Up to 12 diners can be led by Javier through an eight-course menu served family style. Signature dishes include wagyu beef rib with malt pickled onion and shio kombu; pork and prawn siu mai; and lobster noodles with ‘master’ fried rice. After the meal, guests can continue the night in the basement for live music and vinyl sessions on the surround sound system.
17 Little Portland Street, Fitzrovia, W1W 8BP
The Wolseley, St James’s
Private diners at the Wolseley get their own discreet vantage point above the main restaurant. This dark and alluring space feels elegant and sophisticated; indeed, it’s often described as one of the most beautiful in London. Available to book for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it’s a decadent location for a special occasion. The restaurant’s new sister restaurant, The Wolseley City, also offers private dining across two rooms that seat nine or 12 people respectively. Both are kitted out with top sound systems.
160 Piccadilly, St James’s, W1J 9EB
Visit TheWolseley.com
Pie Room at Holborn Dining Room, Holborn
Previously headed up by ‘pie king’ Calum Franklin and now overseen by head pie maker Nokx Majozi, Pie Room is arguably the best spot in the capital for this British classic. The space serves hungry Londoners via the pie hatch in the day before the kitchen is transformed into an intimate space in the evening for up to ten. Diners can tuck into pies stuffed with fillings like chicken with chestnut mushrooms and leeks; slow roasted lamb; or pork shoulder with smoked bacon – all served with sides like creamy mash and seasonal veg.
252 High Holborn, Holborn, WC1V 7EN
Visit HolbornDiningRoom.com
For Up To 20
Hide, Mayfair
There are multiple private dining spaces on offer at Michelin-starred Hide, headed up by chef Ollie Dabbous. The Broken Room, The Shadow Room and The Reading Room are all in subterranean vaults in The Bar Below, serving dishes from the main menu – ideal for smaller gatherings. Meanwhile, the Hide & Seek Rooms on the first floor offer a larger private dining experience and can be joined together for up to 20 guests, serving menus from the Above at Hide kitchen.
85 Piccadilly, Mayfair, W1J 7NB
Visit Hide.co.uk
The Vaults at Brunswick House, Vauxhall
Jackson and Frank Boxer’s Vauxhall restaurant Brunswick House has a private dining room in the renovated basement space of its 18th-century building. Between 12 and 24 diners can enjoy a meal in the candlelit room, complete with flowers and tablescapes. Menus feature a selection of the restaurant’s classic and seasonal dishes: imagine raw Dexter beef with smoked bone marrow and crispy shallots; pork and prawn stuffed chicken wings with truffle; cod with rainbow chard, squash and girolles; and chocolate pots or plum cakes for dessert. There’s an extensive wine and drinks list, plus regular live jazz sessions in the adjoining cellar.
30 Wandsworth Road, Vauxhall, SW8 2LG
Visit BrunswickHouse.London
Kol, Marylebone
Kol, the fine-dining restaurant from Mexican chef Santiago Lastra, won a Michelin star last year and entered the UK’s National Restaurants Awards at number 20. But we really love its downstairs mezcaleria where up to 35 can try over 80 varieties of tequila and mezcal sourced from small-scale and independent distillers. There’s also a private dining room overlooking a separate kitchen with seating for 20. Current menu highlights include langoustine and smoked chilli tacos, scallops with quince and meadowsweet, and slow-cooked short ribs with fresh tortillas.
9 Seymour Street, Marylebone, W1H 7BA
Visit KolRestaurant.com
For Up To 30
The Twenty Two, Mayfair
To impress family and friends, book The Twenty Two’s green-panelled dining room, which you’ll find tucked away from the main restaurant on the lower-ground floor. A relatively new addition to the London scene, this hotel and members club has already established itself as a slick venue to know. Its private dining room can host 24 sitting or 40 standing – we’d use the adjoining terrace for a drinks reception. Once inside, groups can tuck into modern European dishes alongside an array of inventive drinks – choose from the restaurant menu or work with the chefs for something bespoke.
22 Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, W1K 6LF
Visit The22.London
The Pelican, Notting Hill
The Pelican on All Saints Road is a 150-year-old pub that quickly became one of Notting Hill’s buzziest spots when it reopened last year. Head chef Owen Kenworthy has some impressive names on his CV (Sketch and The Wolseley among them) and his talent shines through in the menu. There’s a private room on the first floor overlooking Tavistock Gardens with room for 30, where guests are served sharing menus with bespoke cocktails from the adjoining private bar.
45 All Saints Road, Notting Hill, W11 1HE
Visit ThePelicanNW11.com
Bistrotheque, Bethnal Green
The private dining room at Bistrotheque is known for its pared-down aesthetic and pianist, who plays for diners as they enjoy a menu of European classics. Groups can add on champagne and oysters to any set menu. A bright blank canvas, the space can be decked out however you like to create a one-off dining experience. Guests can order a three-course meal including the likes of leeks vinaigrette with toasted hazelnuts; cod with confit potatoes and salsa verde; and sticky toffee pudding with smoked butterscotch sauce.
23-27 Wadeson Street, Bethnal Green, E2 9DR
Visit Bistrotheque.com
For 30+ People
Scott’s, Mayfair
In the private dining rooms at Scott’s, you’ll enjoy the same exceptional service and fine selection of seafood the restaurant is known for – only in a more intimate setting. The Platinum Arowana Room (large enough for six to eight guests) and The Private Room (which can take 40 seated guests) are on the ground floor of the main restaurant and the lower ground floor below the main dining room, respectively. The restaurant’s sister site in Richmond also has numerous options for private events.
20 Mount Street, Mayfair, W1K 2HE
Visit Scotts-Restaurant.com
Gymkhana, Mayfair
Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Gymkhana has two secluded private dining vaults on the lower ground floor. There’s a range of set menus to choose from – or you can create bespoke menus with wine pairings. We like the sound of the ‘Vault Feast’ which includes some signature dishes like Kasoori chicken tikka, goat keema, and marinated shrimps, alongside sharing starters, poppadoms, raita and chutneys, followed by a selection of Indian desserts.
42 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, W1S 4JH
Visit GymkhanaLondon.com
Speedboat Bar, Soho
Speedboat Bar is the second Thai restaurant from critically acclaimed chef Luke Farrell and JKS Restaurants. The fun bar aims to bring a taste of the Thai-Chinese restaurants on Bangkok’s neon-lit Yaowarat Road to London: think wok-flamed cooking of sticky meat braises, drunken noodles, and seafood salads. Guests can hire the top floor to enjoy sharing dishes with zingy cocktails and Thai beers – a great option for larger, casual occasions.
30 Rupert Street, Soho, W1D 6DL
Visit SpeedboatBar.co.uk
Spring, Covent Garden
Set within the New Wing of Somerset House, Spring has a dedicated coordinator to ensure every detail of your event is covered. The Salon, its garden dining room, sits up to 36 guests in an enclosed interior atrium, allowing for year-round dining, while the entire restaurant is also available for hire. Skye Gyngell’s current menu includes dishes like langoustines with citrus butter, grilled leg of lamb with chilli jam and labneh, and poached pear with toasted almond ice-cream and bitter chocolate sauce.
Somerset House, Lancaster Place, Covent Garden, WC2R 1LA
Visit SpringRestaurant.co.uk
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