Tucked away in many high-end restaurants, out of sight from regular patrons, are private dining rooms where large groups can gather for an exclusive and intimate culinary experience. Whether it’s for a special occasion among family or friends, a hospitality event for corporate clients, or a business meeting, private dining offers a chance to savour gastronomic excellence in a secluded setting.
A private dining room owned by Malmaison Hotels in London (Photo: Malmaison Hotels via Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0)
London’s restaurant scene is unquestionably one of the finest in the world and a large number of its best and most prestigious eateries offer exclusive private dining spaces. For anyone seeking such a venue in the UK capital, we’ve done some research and picked out 12 of the best private dining opportunities currently available in London.
Private Dining Room at Bob Bob Ricard
One of London’s most cherished restaurants, Bob Bob Ricard is acclaimed for its Russian and English-style menu served in a glamorous all-booth dining room. The venue also has its own sumptuous private dining room, modelled on the Royal Dining Carriage and offering seating for up to 16 guests. Minimum spend is £900 for lunch and £1,400 for dinner, and phone bookings can be made up to 1 year in advance.
LOCATION 1 Upper James Street, Soho
(Photo: Bob Bob Ricard)
China Tang at the Dorchester
Chinese fine dining has really taken off in London in recent years and consistently featuring on lists of high-end Chinese eateries has been China Tang. Located within the historic and ultra-opulent Dorchester Hotel, the restaurant’s 1930’s-style splendour and opulence helps to make it a highly popular event space and party venue, with three private dining rooms available for hire. Concealed behind sliding lattice doors, these rooms – called ‘Ping’, ‘Pang’ and ‘Pong’ – are both versatile and glamorous, and are able to accommodate a combined total of 80 guests, or a standing reception of up to 100. Specially curated lunch and dinner menus serve up delectable treats such as Iberico Pork Siu Long Bao, Classic Peking Duck and Stir-Fried Beef in Black Pepper, while the China Tang Bar is on hand with an eclectic drinks menu featuring exotic cocktails, plus spirits, beers and wines.
LOCATION 53 Park Lane, Mayfair
(Photo: China Tang London)
The Executive Suite at Villa di Geggiano
Villa di Geggiano is a quaint Italian eatery serving up upscale Tuscan recipes & organic wines, all set against the backdrop of eye-catching local wall art. Billed as perfect for corporate awaydays and off-site meetings, the restaurant’s Executive Suite is also awash with impressive artwork, a drawing room with comfy seating, a breakout space, a well-equipped boardroom and a small meeting room. The space can host up to 18 guests and is available as either the entire suite on a half-day or full-day basis, with prices starting from £280.
LOCATIONS 66-68 Chiswick High Road, Chiswick
The Foyer & Reading Room at Claridge’s
The epitome of timeless elegance, Claridge’s is a veritable institution on London’s hotel and dining landscape, and it boasts two distinctive private dining areas. Cocooned in the heart of the property, The Foyer is the ultimate setting for a private banquet, recalling the glamour of the roaring 1920s with a striking sculpture hanging like a chandelier, walls adorned with original art deco mirrors, and grand piano providing a soothing backdrop for diners. The Reading Room, meanwhile, is a more intimate space thanks to its secluded banquette-style seating.
LOCATIONS Brook Street, Mayfair
(Photo: Claridge’s)
Private Dining Room at Trishna
Situated in the heart of London’s Marylebone Village and a holder of a coveted Michelin star since 2012, Trishna is quite simply one of London’s most distinguished Indian restaurants, specialising in coastal Indian cuisine with a strong emphasis on seafood. The restaurant’s private dining room is nestled on the lower ground floor and offers a discreet setting with a view overlooking the wine cellar for up to 12 guests.
LOCATION 15-17 Blandford Street, Marylebone
Private Dining Rooms at Corrigan’s Mayfair
Serving modern British gourmet cuisine in a timeless gentleman’s-club setting, Corrigan’s has four individual private dining rooms. The Lindsay Room accommodates up to 30 guests and is decorated with personally selected photographs by the restaurant’s founder, Richard Corrigan, as well as featuring a concealed flat screen monitor for presentations or to display a live link in to the kitchen. The Kitchen Library is the most intimate space, with oval fixed banquette seating up to six guests and excellent views of the bustling action on the pass. The Poet’s Corner has a table for 10 and is separated from the main dining room by a choice of transparent gold silk curtain or bronze thick velvet curtain. Finally, the Chef’s Table seats up to 12 guests, with a glass wall looking into the kitchen, allowing guests to watch the culinary magic unfold.
LOCATION 28 Upper Grosvenor Street, Mayfair
(Photo: Corrigan’s Mayfair)
The Pie Room at Holborn Dining Room
A brasserie-style, chandelier-decked restaurant located within the Rosewood Hotel, Holborn Dining Room also offers an innovative private dining room centred around one of Britain’s most iconic dishes: the pie. Fittingly called The Pie Room, the space is a treasure trove of savoury delicacies that is open for daytime drop-ins, but is also available for evening private hire for up to ten guests. A choice of two menus are specially tailored by Executive Head Chef Calum Franklin, including a five-course Pie Tasting Menu available from £100 per person or £150 per person with pairing wines.
LOCATION 252 High Holborn
(Photo: Holborn Dining Room)
The Conservatory at Daphne’s
A quintessential neighbourhood restaurant, Daphne’s has acquired a dedicated fan base thanks to its classic Italian dishes and stylish interior. The elegant confines of the Daphne’s Conservatory can accommodate up to 40 private guests and is also licensed to host wedding or civil ceremony events. In summer, the bright space creates an alfresco feel, while in winter a blazing fire turns it into an intimate retreat. Head Chef Michael Brown creates a choice of four seasonal menus that highlight the best of each season’s produce. The room also comes with candles and place cards.
LOCATION 112 Draycott Avenue, Chelsea
Grubb Street at Chiswell Street Dining Rooms
Situated within the famous Grade II listed old Whitbread Brewery and Montcalm London City five star hotel, Chiswell Street Dining Rooms has gained wide acclaim for its contemporary British menu and swanky dining space that’s bedecked with lime green leather chairs and wooden tables. The restaurant’s private dining space has seating for 12 guests and features Georgian panelled walls, vintage distressed mirrors, handcrafted oak flooring and artwork by notable artists including Tracey Emin.
LOCATION 56 Chiswell Street
(Photo: Chiswell Street Dining Rooms)
The Private Room at Scott’s
Despite its distance from the sea, London is home to a handful of exceptional fish restaurants, among which Scott’s is perhaps the most venerated. The upscale eatery also has its own opulent private dining space, called The Private Room at Scott’s, which can accommodate up to 40 guests and has as its centrepiece attraction a tropical fish tank with a marble top, along with walls clad with pieces of verre églomisé, gilded and painted glass mirror, and wall panels painted with fish, flora and fauna to complete the marine-life theme.
LOCATION 20 Mount Street, Mayfair