Alternative Restaurant Experiences in London

Looking to escape the formal dining scene amongst London’s best hotels? Not to worry London boasts a vibrant and eclectic dining scene offering patrons a host of differing experiences. Below are some of our favourite unusual restaurants in the city.

Lima

31 Rathbone Pl, London W1T 1JH

Lima is extraordinary in the fact that it is London’s first Peruvian restaurant to win a Michelin Star. The menu is quite unlike any other in the city, with thoroughly original dishes crafted by one of Heston Blumenthal’s understudies - Bunmi Okolosi. From sea bream ceviche to Peruvian scallops, roast guinea pig to slow cooked suckling pig, each dish dances with colour and bewilders with taste.

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Dans Le Noir

30-31 Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0DU

Diners in Dans Le Noir (In the Night) enjoy their meals in complete darkness. Escorted to your table and served by blind people, the unique experience was created in order to enhancing visitor’s sense of smell and taste – by making them rely on them. The obscurity also helps to aid social interaction too according to the owner by ‘killing shyness and bringing an open minded conviviality.’

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Archipelago

53 Cleveland St, London W1T 4JJ

Bored of the usual steaks, fish and chicken? Archipelago is an exotic and mysterious restaurant serving unfamiliar meat from all over the World. Expect to find crocodile, wildebeest, garlic crickets and seared zebra. The decorations are just as wacky as the menu with a maze of funky Buddha’s, fertility idols and peacock feathers creating a strangely intimate space.

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Inamo

134-136 Wardour St, London W1F 8ZP

Probably the most technologically advanced restaurant in London, Inamo aims to put diners in firm control of their entire experience by letting them order from illustrated menus projected on their table surface. The interactive system allows guests to set mood, browse the local area and even order a taxi home. Cuisine wise a host of Pan-Asian dishes are on offer.

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Sarastro

126 Drury Ln, London, Greater London WC2B 5SU

Sarastro brings theatre to the dinner table, quite literally – the inside is flamboyantly decorated with ten individually styled opera boxes complete with velvet drapes, rainbow colours and all the other theatrical quirks. It is highly recommended to book a table on either Monday evenings or Sunday when a live opera and string quartet preform.

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Circus

27-29 Endell St, London WC2H 9BA

Having dinner in here is like having dinner in a washing machine, in a good way. Superb pan-Asian cuisine is served whilst fire eating dances bring wine to your table and acrobats swing from hoops on the ceiling – quite an experience that has guests dancing on their own tables by the end of the evening.

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La Bodega Negra

16 Moor St, London W1D 5NH

Visitors to La Bodega Negra will arise plenty of suspicion as they enter – the outside of the restaurant is decorated loudly with Neon Lights advertising a sex shop containing ‘Adult Video’ & a ‘Peep Show’. Upon entry guests are escorted down some dingy narrow stairs by an eccentric character, adding to the confusion, before entering an excellent Mexican restaurant full of atmosphere and burritos.

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Beach Blanket Babylon

45 Ledbury Rd, London W11 2AA

As the strange name suggests there is nothing ordinary about this place. The eclectic Georgian townhouse that it occupies is split into distinctive areas each as peculiar as each other; ‘The Crypt’ – hidden away in the buildings vaulted cellars, ‘The Chapel’ – an arched sanctuary, and ‘The Scullery’ - a dungeon like nook. The seasonally changing menu is reflective of Beach Blanket Babylon's colonial British heritage.

The Best Hotel Party Suites in London

Despite being a favourite of the rich and famous for many years there can be no hiding from the fact that London really has lagged behind other global cities in terms of hotel suites built for a party. Thankfully the city is quickly catching up with a series of ‘hip’ hotels opening their doors in the past couple of years - namely the W, Café Royal and Me hotels. We guess you could say that London has just turned up late to the party.

1. E Wow – W Hotel

Dining Room | Jacuzzi | DJ Booth | 1 – 3 Bedroom | Jacuzzi | 150sqm+

Taking inspiration from London’s movie, music and fashion scene, the W-hotel have done a formidable job of making this arguably the best suite in which to host a party in London. The party piece is a giant revolving chesterfield sofa in front of a bespoke Union Jack wall – at the touch of a button the whole sofa (and its occupants) spin round 360 degrees, presumably so everyone can get a view out of the floor to ceiling windows towards the stars in Leicester Square. Music is provided by a top of the range DJ booth, drinks by a fully stocked bar and on demand butler, and cleaniness? by a four person shower and Jacuzzi. For the Hugh Hefner's of this world limited edition William Tempest Pyjamas are thrown in too.

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2. Dome Suite – Café Royal

1 – 3 Bedroom | Kitchenette | Terrace | 121sqm+

Created under the copper domed rotunda of the Café Royal’s original building the Dome suite truly is a unique venue. The historical space has been transformed into one of the best entertainment suites in London – its Edwardian designers probably didn't envisage an over-sized mirror ball bouncing light off the spherical roof, nor the spectacular sound that the roof creates when concert standard speakers are set to full volume. The outside is just as dramatic with an 85sqm terrace overlooking the dazzling lights of Piccadilly Circus – any guest would remember a party here for a long time.

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3. Suite Me – ME hotel

Panoramic Views | Butler | 99sqm

A new entry into London’s luxury hotel scene, The ME Hotel was designed from the ground up for young, trendy guests looking to have fun. It’s no wonder why London fashion week uses it as one of their main venues. Suite ME, located on the 9th and 10th floors, topped by a spectacular glass dome that has 360 degree views over London plus a sound system that’s just as immersive. The lounge not only has its own in room self-service bar but also direct access to the hotels superb Radio Bar.

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4. De Montfort Suite – Town Hall Hotel

2 Bedroom | Dining Room | Butler | 180sqm

Any guest invited to a party at the De Montfort Suite will struggle not to be impressed - Its soaring triple height vaulted ceilings give the suite a cavernous feel, which is flooded with colour from the huge arched stained glass windows. The Architects, unwilling to dissect the monumental interior, installed a series of glass partitioning and a mezzanine level to give privacy to the two bedrooms – this keeps the suite open plan and great for entertaining. What’s more the space contains one of the largest dining tables of any suite in London.

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5. The Penthouse Suite – The May Fair Hotel

2 Bedroom | Kitchenette | Roof Terrace | Views | 199sqm

Long one of London’s go to places for celebrities, the jewel in the crown of The May Fair hotels is its Penthouse Suite, featuring one of the best private roof terraces in London. The swish inside is bright and modern, with a Bang and Olufsen sound system and huge corner sofa, in fact even the guest bedroom is out of the ordinary with its circular bed. The hotels 40 seat cinema, available for private hire, provides a great way to get over the next day’s hangover too. 

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6. Penthouse – Sanderson Hotel

2 Bedroom | Kitchen | Dining Room | 158sqm

The chic Sanderson hotel, in one of London’s trendiest areas, Fitzrovia, is a home from home for all fashionista’s. The penthouse suite is the UK’s first designed by the Philippe Starck and Ian Schrager design partnership and is universally acclaimed to be one of the coolest in London. Both absorbingly weird and wonderful, the room contains a real sense of fun with its clean straight lines, industrial materials, oversized furniture and colourful oddities. Its minimalist open plan design bodes its self well for entertaining the masses.

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7. The Hamilton Penthouse – Corinthia Hotel

1 – 2 Bedroom | Kitchenette | Dining Room | Terrace | Jacuzzi | 160sqm+

Not the biggest but any penthouse with an outdoor Jacuzzi, open fire place and giant chess board on its roof terrace has to make this list, especially when it looks over Trafalgar square. Throughout the inside of the suite guests will be impressed by the lavish use of sumptuous surfaces (Especially the drink friendly Skiros marble flooring). Stars such as Justin Timberlake and Will.I.AM, Beyoncé and Jay-Z are known to stay at the hotel, and in all probability this suite, who can blame them.

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8. The Infinity Suite – Langham Hotel

2 Bedroom | Butler | Club Lounge | 236sqm

Built in the turret of London’s oldest luxury hotel the 2 bedroom Infinity Suite enjoys a spectacular lounge with high ceilings and wraparound bay windows. A 72 inch flat screen and Bose sound system bring the 19th century room into the 21st century plus a complimentary butler will be on hand to serve a martini or two. The pride and joy of the bedroom meanwhile is the hand crafted four poster bed that’s sure to keep any VIP happy once the party is over.

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