Got a milestone birthday coming up? Just received a promotion at work? Booking a surprise bash for your best friend? When it comes to marking a special occasion, nothing beats coming together over fantastic food and drink in a totally exclusive space. That's where our guide to the best private dining rooms in London comes in, which features gorgeous spaces all over London perfect for your next event or private dinner.
Hiring a private dining room can be a spectacular way to mark an occasion, whether it’s an important client lunch, birthday or anniversary. That’s why our round-up of London’s best private dining rooms includes everything from Michelin-starred restaurants to sky-high spaces with exclusive rooms for hire. Many offer dedicated set menus for the table at a fixed price per head, but if you have any dietary requirements or a meal in mind, then simply ask the team who are usually very happy to accommodate special requests.
That being said, it’s a common misconception that private dining rooms are purely for big-moment events. Sure, they’re a great way to impress a client or toast a special occasion, but booking an exclusive room is also a really lovely way to spend some quality time with your nearest and dearest. You’ll find plenty of casual private dining rooms in this list suited to those spur-of-the-moment occasions, when you just want a space all to yourself to enjoy some tasty food and drink.
Whatever your reason for searching for a private dining room in London, you’ll be glad to know that the capital has options to suit every style, function and budget. To help you get to the bottom of what the capital has to offer, we’ve rounded up some of the best private dining rooms in London, from luxury spaces to more casual options.
The Library at The Royal College of Surgeons, Holborn
What: Fancy hosting a dinner with friends or colleagues in your very own private library? This book-lined space at The Royal College for Surgeons is steeped in history and home to one of the finest medical science literary collections in Europe. Boasting a dramatic dark green colour scheme, high ceilings and towering shelves featuring hundreds of rare books, there really isn't another private dining room like it in London. We'd recommend it for larger groups, offering space for up to 70 seated guests or 120 for a standing event.
Where: 38-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, WC2A 3PE
Book now: The Library at The Royal College of Surgeons
Cinnamon Kitchen, City
What: A more casual spin-off of chef Vivek Singh’s high-end flagship the Cinnamon Club, popular Cinnamon Kitchen benefits from an al fresco terrace, as well as industrial-chic interiors. The 16-seat private dining room features striking patterned wallpaper and a large glass panel which acts as a window into the goings on of the kitchen. If you’re looking to book out the room for a corporate function, the team can include a plasma screen television and other audio-visual elements to help bring your event to life.
Where: 9 Devonshire Square, EC2M 4YL
Book now: Cinnamon Kitchen City
Duck & Waffle, City
What: Taking the title of the highest private dining room in the country (just one floor above SUSHISAMBA’s), Duck & Waffle serves a slice of awe-inspiring views alongside sharing menus which champion some of the restaurant’s most loved dishes, like its eponymous signature and the ox cheek doughnut. Daytime meetings are easily accommodated thanks to an in-house audio-visual system, while evening soirées could mean a standing cocktail reception or a sit-down meal, all while drinking in those unforgettable views.
Where: 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY
Book now: Duck & Waffle
Al Mare, Belgravia
What: Set inside the Jumeirah hotel in Belgravia, Italian restaurant Al Mare boasts an elegant dining room available to hire all day, from smart breakfasts to business lunches and celebration dinners. Low-level lighting, comfortable seating, vibrant art and wood-panelled walls contribute to the warm but luxurious ambience, with guests able to enjoy modern Italian plates cooked by executive chef Marco Calenzo here. Choose between three-, five- or nine-course menus, which feature the likes of king crab fusilli with basil pesto, tomato and balsamic vinegar; and pan seared wild seabass with artichokes and clams.
Where: On Cadogan Place, SW1X 9PY
Book now: Al Mare
Norma, Fitzrovia
What: Sicilian restaurant Norma's private dining room is on the top floor of a townhouse on Charlotte Street, which is so luxuriously cosy you'll feel as though you've stepped inside someone's very swish living room. It seats up to 14 guests with a variety of group and feasting menus available. Dishes take influence from Sicily and the island's Moorish roots, with creations such as stuffed courgette flower with ricotta, lemon chilli and truffle honey; grilled lamb chops with za'atar, friggitelli peppers peperonata, cumin, lemon and chilli; and a cherry blossom panna cotta to finish.
Where: 8 Charlotte Street, W1T 2LS
Book now: Norma
Galvin at Windows, St. James's
What: Semi-private dining spaces can sometimes lack the appeal of their totally secluded counterparts, but this area at Galvin at Windows is truly one of a kind. Twenty eight floors high at the Hilton Park Lane, this semi-private space blends in with the main restaurant’s wood and cream colour palette, diverting all the attention to the awe-inspiring view, which overlooks London landmarks such as Park Lane and Hyde Park. The menu here is just as jaw-dropping as the view, featuring hi-spec French-leaning dishes such as foie gras ballotine with date purée, vanilla and dried fig.
Where: 22 Park Lane, W1K 1BE
Book now: Galvin at Windows
YOPO at The Mandrake, Fitzrovia
What: If you’re on the hunt for an intimate space that’s equal parts slick and show-stopping, look no further than the dramatic private dining room at YOPO, The Mandrake hotel’s flagship restaurant. The room can accommodate up to 20 guests for a sit-down meal and is decked out with an abundance of red lacquer - the product of 28 different paint processes. It’s an arresting space and the perfect setting in which to enjoy YOPO’s modern European menu with flashes of South American influence.
Where: 20-21 Newman Street, W1T 1PG
Book now: YOPO at The Mandrake
SUSHISAMBA, Covent Garden
What: SUSHISAMBA City's endless views often grab the plaudits, but spare a thought for the beautiful Covent Garden location, which boasts a stunning, verdant terrace on top of the old market. Further in you'll find this striking 15-capacity private dining room, which can be hired for sake tastings, sushi-making classes, or just the fusion meal of a lifetime.
Where: 35 The Market, WC2E 8RF
Book now: SUSHISAMBA Covent Garden
Corrigan's, Mayfair
What: The eponymous flagship restaurant of Irish chef Richard Corrigan (who also owns Bentley’s in the same neighbourhood), Corrigan’s has four excellent private dining spaces to choose from. For intimate affairs, the Kitchen Library is a great way to see the inner workings of the kitchen up close. It seats just six guests who are placed in the kitchen and served a tasting menu by the chefs themselves. Planning something a little bigger? Opt for the Chef’s Table, which boasts clubby interiors and features a glass window into the kitchen.
Where: 28 Upper Grosvenor Street, W1K 7EH
Book now: Corrigan's
Aqua Nueva, Soho
What: Spanish-leaning Aqua Nueva features two 15-seater private rooms – El Salon and La Casita - which can be combined to make one large room for 30 guests. The jewel in Aqua Nueva’s crown though, is its stunning roof terrace, which can be hired along with the private rooms, and includes enviable views of the London skyline. Feast on an array of Galician-inspired plates such as shrimp tortillita with habanero alioli and black seafood croquettes.
Where: 240 Regent Street, W1B 3BR
Book now: Aqua Nueva
City Social, City
What: Unlike some sky-high restaurants, City Social sits among the area’s skyscrapers at 24 floors high, rather than looming high above them. We’d argue that this is part of its charm, as you can actually make out the buildings and people on the streets below. There are three private spaces on offer, which are certainly up there with some of the most luxurious private dining rooms in London, where you can dine on Michelin-starred food amidst art-deco interiors. A range of set and tasting menus are available, which feature dishes such as chicken with truffle mash, braised leek and Madeira truffle sauce, and Newlyn cod with shellfish ragu and bisque, seaweed butter and crushed potatoes.
Where: 4th Floor Tower 42, EC2N 1HQ
Book now: City Social
Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Mayfair
What: For sheer romance, it doesn’t get much better than Table Lumiere at Alain Ducasse’s three Michelin-starred restaurant, housed inside the grand dame of London hotels. The space is partially cut off from the buzz of the main restaurant via a luminescent oval curtain, which is decorated with 4,500 shimmering fibre optics which drop dramatically from the ceiling. If you’re after something less intimate, choose the Salon instead, which benefits from high ceilings and plenty of natural light.
Where: 53 Park Lane, W1K 1QA
Book now: Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
Looking for a space that promises to be fancy? Take a look at the best private dining rooms in Mayfair, where only the best will do.