Be it a birthday, Christmas, leaving bash, welcome drinks, hen or stag do, promotion, New Year's Eve or just another Friday, there's no better way to celebrate than with a slap-up meal. After all, as Julia Child said, “People who love to eat are always the best people” – and who are we to argue with the inimitable Julia? The downside, of course, is finding space to gather together one's "best people", not to mention providing the food and drink. And then there's the small matter of having to clear up afterwards. If only there was somewhere that offered amazing food, a beautiful backdrop and a lovely, helpful team to take all the stress out of throwing a dinner party...
Well, look no further. We've searched high and low throughout London's restaurant scene to find the best secluded spots for a knees-up. Whether you're looking to dine in your own private garden, indulge in a barbecue feast in your own train carriage or quaff fine wine in a Victorian dining room, we've found the perfect places for you to celebrate, well, just about anything.
Trishna
What's on the menu?
Trishna's blend of classic, coastal Indian cooking and knockout flavours takes traditional Indian food to the next level. With a full vegetarian tasting menu and some of the best non-alcoholic cocktails we've ever tried, this is a perfect spot for a group that includes non-carnivores or teetotallers.
How many guests can you invite?
This private room seats up to 12 but if you're after an even bigger space, you can rent out the entire restaurant, which seats up to 80 guests.
What's special about the space?
Wood-panelled, lined with distressed mirror windows and lit by candles and hanging lanterns, this private room is a cosy hideaway in the heart of London. If you're looking to catch up with close friends, this is the perfect spot to share great food, delicious drinks and your very best stories.
How much will it cost?
Although there is no hire fee and guests may order from the set or à la carte menus, there is a minimum spend of £750.
15-17 Blandford St, London W1U 3DG
020 7935 5624
Caboose
What's on the menu?
Everyone loves street food and, thankfully, the days of having to eat on the street are long gone. At Caboose, you can hunker down in your own private train carriage to enjoy a three-course meal celebrating the best of British barbecue, including slow-cooked chicken, sweet maple slaw and beef brisket cooked over 12 hours. Don’t worry if you’re not a carnivore; their vegetarian burger includes a Portobello mushroom marinated in jerk dressing and smothered with cheese and guacamole.
How many guests can you invite?
Caboose advises you fill your carriage with a maximum of 11 guests but, if you like it cosy, you can squeeze in up to 13.
What's special about the space?
Did we mention that this is a wooden train carriage where the chefs prepare the food in front of you? The lovely staff are more than happy to string fairy lights and hang balloons; you can even bring your own playlist.
How much will it cost?
Perfect for those who can't afford to break the bank, Caboose offers a three-course barbecue feast for only £30. It’s also BYOB, so for an extra £5 per drinker you can bring along as much booze as you like – Caboose will provide a cooler for the evening. Ker-ching!
The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL
07437 209275
Photo: Courtesy of Caboose
Spring
What's on the menu?
Skye Gyngell became one of Britain’s best-known chefs after heading up the kitchen at Petersham Nurseries, using fresh, local produce to create simple yet stunning dishes. In her new home at London’s Somerset House, Gyngell continues to work her magic, creating dishes with few ingredients but packed with sensational flavour.
How many guests can you invite?
Depending on your table configuration you can fit from 12 to 36 people comfortably in this private space.
What's special about the space?
This space is a hidden gem. Nestled in one wing of Somerset House, the room is more like a garden, glass-roofed and bathed in natural light during the day or with a view of the stars at night. The outdoors theme extends to plants and potted trees, softening the cool marble floors and clean white furniture.
How much will it cost?
Spring is a magical experience but it does not come cheap. The hire cost alone is £1,000 and menus range from £25 to £85 per person. For the thrill of hosting a private party in one of London's greatest landmarks, however, it's worth every penny.
Somerset House, New Wing, Lancaster Place, London WC2R 1LA
020 3011 0115
Photo: Courtesy of Spring
The Harcourt
What's on the menu?
Even before hygge hit UK shores, true foodies knew that Scandinavian cuisine was something special. The Harcourt was way ahead of the game, with a Finnish chef and Swedish mixologist putting together a menu packed with home-cured delights accompanied by cocktails flavoured with cloudberry and akvavit.
How many guests can you invite?
As a former pub and Grade II listed building, The Harcourt offers three completely unique spaces for your next get-together. Gather 19 of your closest friends in the White Room or, for a cosier space that seats 8, choose from the Whisky Room and the Black Room.
What's special about the space?
The Harcourt has old-fashioned charm in spades. Upstairs, the Black Room and the White Room are lit with sparkling chandeliers, original fireplaces and huge picture windows overlooking Marylebone village. Downstairs, the wood-panelled Whisky Room offers a warmer, more intimate space far away from the hustle and bustle of London.
How much will it cost?
Guests have the choice of three courses, priced at either £35 or £60 and stuffed with fresh British ingredients and sharp Nordic flavours. For a less formal dining option, The Harcourt also offers a full canapé menu, priced individually from £2-£5.
32 Harcourt Street, London W1H 4HX
020 3771 8660
Photo: Via @the_harcourt
Blanchette
What's on the menu?
Anyone who's ever collapsed into a food coma following a French meal will love Blanchette. Mouthwatering morsels of regional French cooking such as confit duck leg, cheese beignets and frites with fresh béarnaise sauce are served as small plates, allowing guests to indulge without overstretching their stomachs.
How many guests can you invite?
Blanchette has two branches in London, one tucked away in Soho and the other at the top of Brick Lane. Both spaces comfortably fit 14 guests around the table.
What's special about the space?
Both of Blanchette's private spaces are famous for their murals, hand-painted onto the walls by artist Aldo Gigli. In Soho's Jungle Room you can dine in the rainforest, surrounded by tropical birds and lit by a crystal chandelier. The Shoreditch branch has a more Gallic feel, their Cote D'Azur room overlooking a painted Mediterranean and clifftop vineyards.
How much will it cost?
As all of their dishes are served small (but perfectly formed), Blanchette is a perfect place to share your food. You can choose from two set menus, priced at £35 or £40, which both offer starters and mains for the whole table to share, and desserts that you can have all to yourself. There's no minimum spend and the wine list is sure to please even the pickiest oenophile.
Locations in Soho & Shoreditch
Photo: Courtesy of Blanchette
Bernardi's
What's on the menu?
For a rowdy meal with friends, could you do better than going Italian? Beneath Bernardi's airy Marylebone restaurant is The Dog House, a cocktail and cicchetti bar which serves up not only mixed drinks and snacks but also full set menus, offering arancini, porchetta and Amalfi lemon cheesecake.
How many guests can you invite?
You can choose your level of privacy at The Dog House: take over The Snug with 10 people for dinner, drinks or snacks, or The Dog House has space for 40 to sit together.
What's special about the space?
Though located downstairs, you lose nothing of the light of Bernardi’s. Floor to ceiling windows open onto a private subterranean terrace. At night, the room is lit by candles which bring out the jewel tones of the walls and gold of the bar. Hidden away from the winter cold and bustling crowds, it's an Italian paradise all of your own.
How much will it cost?
Bernardi’s are incredibly welcoming and flexible. Whether you’re hosting a drinks party with snacks or a full Italian feast, which can cost up to £80 per person with six courses, they will provide everything you need. Minimum spends can apply so it’s best to give them a call and see what’s available.
62 Seymour Street, London W1H 5BN
020 3826 7940
Photo: Via @bernardislondon
The Quality Chop House
What's on the menu?
As you may have guessed from the name, and the fact that this restaurant boasts its very own butcher next door, this place knows its meat. While they do have vegetarian options, the highlight of dining here is their generous feasting menu, offering up such starters as scorched mackerel with buttermilk or truffled Tunworth cheese, followed by perfectly cooked beef, pork, lamb or seasonal game. This menu is all about eating, drinking and being very merry indeed.
How many guests can you invite?
The beautifully restored Victorian dining room seats up to 16 guests around one table, and throws in a private fireplace for good measure.
What's special about the space?
The Quality Chop House has operated as a restaurant since 1869, originally serving tea and chops to London's hardworking cabbies. Safe to say, with 147 years of experience they know their stuff. For some pre-dinner entertainment, book in for one of their butchery classes, embark on a breadmaking course or request a private wine tasting. If you're a lover of history, London or the finer things in life, then this is the place for you.
How much will it cost?
Set feasting menus here start at £44 per person for a three-course meal and can cost up to £75 per person if you opt for seasonal game. There's no hire charge but they do ask for a minimum spend of £350 at lunchtime and £500 at dinner.
88-94 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3EA
020 7278 1452
Photo: Courtesy of The Quality Chop House
The Safe @ Blixen
What's on the menu?
Whether their dishes are being served all year round from their Spitalfields base or from their roaming pop-up restaurant, which serves five star food from the UK’s best festivals, Blixen is known for combining traditional British favourites with fresh new flavours.
How many guests can you invite?
Blixen’s private room can hold up to 20 guests around the table, with a charming sofa booth if you fancy something cosier.
What's special about the space?
On the site of a former bank, this is likely one of the only dining rooms in London that was once a safe crammed with gold bars and sacks of cash. Today, gold candlesticks and polished brass hint at the restaurant's past life. It’s the perfect space for a non-traditional dinner party – we suggest taking it over for brunch, or utilising the drop-down screen for an intimate film showing.
How much will it cost?
Depending on the time of day, you can choose from lunch menus from as little as £24 per person or a feasting menu that costs £45 per person (although that does include welcome snacks and the legendary Blixen sweets platter to finish). There is a minimum spend of between £600-£800, so call ahead to see which time works best for your budget.
65A Brushfield Street, London E1 6AA
020 7101 0093
Photo: Courtesy of The SafeLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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