Lino is one of the hottest restaurants on London’s dining scene, so we popped down to check out its private dining capabilities.
Many restaurants have been born of a past life – take the former fire station which now houses celeb-mecca Chiltern Firehouse, or the old Midland Bank which is now home to sprawling hotel and restaurant complex The Ned. Of all the venues that have potential for a second life as a restaurant, a disused carpet and linoleum warehouse is not the first that comes to mind.
That’s exactly where Lino has set up shop though, and the restaurant's chic, industrial-leaning interiors act as a subtle nod to its former life. Large iron doors at the entrance and exposed pipes across the ceiling hint at an industrial past, but elsewhere the interiors fall in line with modern design trends – think dusty pink chairs, burnt orange banquettes and hanging pendant lights.
At the restaurant’s rear, you’ll find the Back Room, which is available for private hire. Away from the buzz of the main bar, the Back Room is a semi-private area which is ideally suited to standing drinks receptions or more casual events. The room features rustic details such as oak wood dining tables and a steel-topped bar and in our opinion, it’s a great backdrop for young, dynamic companies with shrewd clients.
The best thing about the Back Room area is that it can be combined with Lino’s intimate private dining room, with the two spaces separated by a sliding partition. That means you can host a cocktail hour in the Back Room bar, before sitting down for your dinner. The private dining room is a relaxed, minimalist space with barely any interior details. Its pared-back style means it’s somewhat of a blank canvas space, able to host 12 guests for a sit-down dinner.
The food at Lino is a timely snapshot of London’s restaurant scene, with the kitchen specialising in fermenting, pickling and the like. The events menus is stellar and consists of a choice of of canapés, bowl food or a set menu which hones in on the best of the à la carte. Must-orders include the lusciously fatty pork belly with hispi cabbage and caramelised choucroute, while a dessert of croissant bread and butter pudding dispels all the school dinner nightmares of the past – this much-welcomed updated arrives glazed with shimmering marmalade and is the perfect blend of sugar and stodge.
So many restaurants in the Square Mile are a case of style over substance – boasting extravagant interiors and with every dish on the menu finished off with showers of truffle shavings. At Lino though, the restaurant’s outwardly edgy style is backed up with a well-thought-out menu and charming service.
It's the place for companies with real cool-factor.
Group menus start from £35 per person and a minimum spend of £500 applies. To enquire about an event, get in touch with Lino’s team at eventsmanager@linolondon.co.uk or call 020 8016 5199.