London restaurant

[ShuddaBeenMe]

We want to celebrate a few occasions we've missed with a family meal in London.

It's for adult early twenties DCs, DH and I and MIL.

We don't mind splashing a bit but would rather not go too crazy, looking for a place we will feel welcome (mil doesn't like too posh) but also maybe a bit of fun/ novelty.

It'll be a Saturday early evening if that makes a difference.

Can anyone recommend somewhere please?

Any cuisine except Indian as one of us (guess who ) doesn't like it.

Thank you

Sky Garden for views, food is great too!

Ivy Chelsea Garden. Ask to sit outside in the heated terrace in the garden area.

Beautiful setting. Not sure why you've heard it's not any good anymore. I've been twice in the last few months and loved it. Food was delicious, service was great and the cocktails were divine!

Placemarking!

Galvin La Chapelle is lovely - quite high end (city)

Blacklock - Great meat, best Sunday roast you'll ever eat (city/soho)

Barrafina is phenomenal tapas but its bar seating only and always a queue (soho)

Pollen Street Social - Very special food (Mayfair)

The Frog by Adam Handling - possibly the best meal I've ever had (Cov Garden)

Cecconis / Circolo Populare / Gloria - Good Italian, good atmosphere, cool decoration

Angus Steakhouse in Leicester Square is great. Has such a nice vibe so you can't really go wrong. Definitely recommend

The menu at Duck and Waffle looks a bit unusual and I'm worried the portions won't fill up DS22 but location looks great

Sorry for this but it's now changed to lunch

Do these recommendations work for lunch? Thanks very much

Brasserie Zedel does. You can reserve a table for 12pm onwards.

The Ivy and Oxo Tower do. And Sushi Samba is a lot more sedate at lunchtime.

The Brasserie at the Oxo Tower is nice. For a view, Aqua Shard is excellent although I've only ever been for breakfast (which is cheaper than buying a ticket to go up the Shard ironically)

If you want a view, I would book one of the restaurants in the shard. Think there are 4 to choose from.

I won’t go to sky garden on principle as they asked me to breastfeed in the toilet!

The Darwin brasserie at the sky garden
Lovely views, food is good, smart but not too smart, nice buzzy atmosphere.
Then you can sit on the garden levels and have coffee or more drinks
Its a bit clichéd but still the place I take visitors.

For more discrete try the national portrait gallery restaurant... You get a view over to st Paul's rooftop

Or the restaurant at sea containers on southbank is good, ask for window seats and you can see up and down the Thames..

I am off to www.sarastro-restaurant.com/ my friend loved. Not sure but will let you know what it is like.

Delauney is fun and good for star spotting but i think expensive for what I would class as 80s style food. The Gherkin and Sky Gardens are lovely for a special birthday as to is www.vintryandmercer.com/

@Verite1

I won’t go to sky garden on principle as they asked me to breastfeed in the toilet!

I've found the bar/restaurant staff at Sky Garden to be generally unhelpful. And the service can be 'variable'. I live locally so I take visitors there for the free view but eat and drink elsewhere (usually somewhere that actually appreciates the business from us!)

Sorry just seen you have changed to lunch...i would definitely opt for a place with a view. They usually do lunch time deals too...so it would be gherking, shard, sky garden for me

I went here at the weekend and had the bottomless brunch. It was fun and a nice spot too...megans.co.uk/locations/megans-at-the-sorting-office/

Ivy Asia, looking out onto St. Paul's is fab. Not too expensive, beautiful food (providing you like oriental), and is extremely instagrammable

Six by nico! Contemporary venue. 6 course instagrammable menu for £36.

I am taking note of some of these suggestions too!

@Restlessinthenorth

Ivy Asia, looking out onto St. Paul's is fab. Not too expensive, beautiful food (providing you like oriental), and is extremely instagrammable

We're going there tomorrow so good to hear that!

I have sent a list over...

We now wait with baited breath.

@ShuddaBeenMe I see Bill Nighy around quite often in Fitzrovia / North London, so if you hang around for long enough, you might be lucky ...

For lunch recommendations you can usually get a good deal, so head more upmarket than you would do for dinner. And maybe plan to go for coffee afterwards somewhere else, just to add to the experience.

Ivy all the way for celebs?

Petersham Nurseries / La Goccia in Covent Garden is lovely though -amazing courtyard and lovely food.....

All the former Conran ones (pont de la tour, chophouse etc) near Tower Bridge are good for views too?

[quote Odoreida]@ShuddaBeenMe I see Bill Nighy around quite often in Fitzrovia / North London, so if you hang around for long enough, you might be lucky ...

For lunch recommendations you can usually get a good deal, so head more upmarket than you would do for dinner. And maybe plan to go for coffee afterwards somewhere else, just to add to the experience.[/quote]
That could be rather awkward. Bill! It's me, Maureen, we meet in Lanzarote....