9 London Restaurants Where the Decor is as Instagramable as the Food
These gorgeous eateries are a feast for the eyes.
The UK capital is not short on photogenic eateries. For every juicy, artisan olive oil-drizzled burrata, or outer space-inspired chocolate bomb dessert, there’s a neon artwork or dazzling mirrored display in sight vying for your phone’s attention.
This list could be limitless, but we’ve pulled together the most show-stopping London restaurants when it comes to decor. Some are shouty, others do it oh-so nonchalantly.
Either way, you won’t be disappointed by what you and your eyes are feasting on. Bon appetit!
One sip into your glass of Franciacorta fizz and you’ll be Googling cafe-style curtains and polished plaster walls. Luca has ‘good taste’ artfully covered off; it’s refined without being snobby, elegant without pretension. A savvy bet for a date night, the ‘express’ lunch menu is also worth booking in for if you simply want to enjoy the surroundings but don’t have a bottomless budget.
If extravagant, OTT Art Deco is your thing, then book yourself a table inside the iconic Selfridges department store. Mirrored walls emanate Gatsby glamour, but it’s the Pegasus, a Damien Hirst-designed, 24ft crystal-encrusted statue with an enormous wingspan that will have you reaching for your phone.
Hot, newly opened Socca (named after a chickpea flatbread famed across the Côte d’Azur) celebrates the artistic heritage of the French Riviera in Mayfair. This chic bistro features banquettes for intimate moments, but it’s the illustrated walls – daubed in the style of Jean Cocteau and Raoul Dufy – which incite the phone cameras. The bar is also a moment, with a handsome slab of breccia violetta marble flanked by bronze finishings. The food is just as pleasing.
Housed in a former power station and coal store, Wild by Tart is a lofty, lush and industrial escape from the hustle of tourist-laden Victoria station which is just moments away. A convivial brunch spot to head to with friends, the painted brick walls, rattan seating and indoor greenery make for the most Insta-friendly backdrops. Enquire about the private dining area, located on a mezzanine overlooking the main action, for extra-special occasions.
No London restaurant listing is complete without a nod to Sketch. The institution – famed for its egg-shaped loo ‘pods’ – is turning 20 this year, and still pulling all the decor punches. Every room offers a multi-sensory experience, but the spot to have afternoon tea is the Gallery, which was overhauled by revered interior designer India Mahdavi last year. Evoking the richness of Africa rather than working around a colour scheme, Mahdavi has created a room so golden and warming, you’ll forget what the English weather is doing outside.
No, this is not a rogue entry located in a sleepy French village, but a romantic retreat tucked away in Belgravia. Its website assures that its cornucopia of dried flowers and bric-à-brac has barely changed since the 1960s. Along with generous portions, it provides just the sort of easy-on-the-eye nostalgia we’re craving.
The sort of restaurant people head to simply to be seen in, Ave Mario is the larger-than-life take on Italian glamour by the French-owned Big Mamma group (if you can’t get a booking here, the decor at Circolo Populare, Jacuzzi, Carlotta and Gloria Trattoria is just as thrilling – though good luck, reservations fill up fast). In this Covent Garden outpost, you’ll get neon-lit basement loos, mirrored walls, and rather conversely, a charming trattoria-style set-up out at the back.
If Ave Mario is like an impeccably coiffed blow-dry, then Le Cafe du Marche is a week-old head of uncombed bed hair (in the best possible way). This independent French restaurant is housed in a 130-year-old converted warehouse, the rustic interior (think wood-panelled walls and hanging globe lights) will transport you to a hidden pocket of rural France.
There is perhaps nowhere as enchanting as the NoMad’s atrium, a vast, glass-topped atrium which once upon a time served as a Magistrates’ Court and police station. Plant life, plush upholstery and twinkly candlelight collide to create a truly memorable meal. If you’re watching the pennies, book in for an indulgent breakfast and a spot of people-watching, or the pre-theatre fixed menu in the early evening.
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