London is one of the best global capitals for gastronomes in search of fine dining establishments, but the appeal doesn’t stop on the plate. These are London’s best-dressed restaurants where the décor is as good as the cuisine—if not better.
Dressed in gold, velvets and cobalt blues, Bob Bob Ricard in Mayfair is a study in Russian-meets-British elegance done just right. Each Art Deco-inspired booth is outfitted with a champagne button for bubbles on demand. Order the ultra-decant Beef Wellington For Two (yes, please) and—as if that wasn’t indulgent enough—for dessert, sip Napoleon’s favorite sweet wine, Vin de Constance Klein Constantia.
Oscar Wilde Lounge
The Oscar Wilde Lounge, in the famed Hotel Café Royal, is a mirrored jewel box with a long history. Come for the killer Instagrams, but stay for the darling afternoon tea. Be sure to look up to admire the exquisite frescoed and festooned ceiling.
Berners Tavern
Don’t be fooled by the name, there’s nothing tavern-like about this hotspot housed in the super-chic London Edition hotel. With soaring gallery walls, cozy booths and a see-and-be-seen scene, this is London at its trendiest.
Bryn Williams at Somerset House
Glass-dome light fixtures; earthy, masculine tones; wood and leather. These are just some of the cool-but-restrained design points at Bryn Williams in the oh-so-British Somerset House.
Dandelyan
This glamorous, Tom Dixon-designed cocktail den in the Mondrian along the River Thames evokes an old-world luxury cruise liner mixed with a popping retro color palette of rosy pinks and minty greens.
With sky-high ceilings and a blend of glass, wood and marble, La Chapelle presents classic taste with a modern twist—and you could say the same of its fine French dishes.
Housed in a former gym (no surprise there), German Gymnasium is a modern emporium that coasts over two floors and serves Mittel-European dishes.
Featuring epic views of London, Hutong (in the Shard skyscraper) serves up dark, sexy interiors with pops of lit-from-within scarlet reds, as well as some seriously good dim sum. Go during sunset for a real treat.
Sketch
Cool and creative Sketch in Mayfair is filled with lots of pockets to explore. Upstairs, there’s the sumptuous Michelin-starred Lecture Room & Library, but the most famous room is probably the millennial pink Gallery room. (But then again, the pod-like, rainbow-lit bathrooms are also pretty memorable.)
The old-world Wolseley is a classic spot for British afternoon tea. Immaculate and imposing with polished marble and dramatic chandeliers, the Wolseley is simply brimming with European sophistication and grandness.
