London Secret Garden

The first London restaurant to launch the phenomenon of dining in outdoor igloos was Coppa Club back in 2017. Since then, various other London haunts have followed suit, launching igloos by the river, on rooftops and even indoors in some cases. In Kensington, those looking to snap a selfie or two can head to London Secret Garden, an outdoor restaurant which features five standalone domes.

Guests are able to exclusively book one of the domes for a unique night out, with available experiences including a multi-course pan-Asian menu, a classic afternoon tea topped up with Champagne, and a Sunday brunch served alongside bottomless Prosecco. We visited during the evening, when the domes are lit up by fairy lights festooned around the interior, adding a whimsical, romantic touch.

Each dome is named after an iconic late popstar, such as David Bowie or George Michael. We dined in the Aretha Franklin dome, but to be honest, didn’t get a feel for how it was themed around the songstress, aside from a picture of her on the front of the menu. The domes are cute and cosy spaces though, and manage to avoid feeling cramped. It’s also worth noting that they come equipped with heaters and fur throws on chillier nights, so there’s no need to worry about being exposed to the elements.

Once you’ve settled in, amiable staff present you with a run of crowd-pleasing dishes from across Asia. You’ll start with the likes of prawn crackers served alongside a sweet chilli dip with a subtle flash of heat or bowls of edamame studded with rock salt. For your mains, expect a selection of curries – a fragrant coconut curry is studded with plump prawns, while classic Thai green curry comes with all of the expected punch and spice. Desserts meanwhile, might see banana spring rolls or a bundle of cardamom chocolates.

It’s clear that London Secret Garden isn’t reinventing the wheel when it comes to Asian food, but there’s no denying that this is a fun and relatively unique experience, offering something different on London’s ever-competitive restaurant scene.

In 2017, Londoners went mad for the ‘outdoor igloos’ that popped up in restaurants across the capital, and this year, Insta-enthusiasts can head down to Secret Winter Garden to snap a festive selfie or two. Tucked away in the back streets of Kensington, Secret Winter Garden consists of five imposing domes each named after legendary singers from recent times.

The see-through domes are available for exclusive hire, and are a perfectly quirky way to celebrate the festive season. Guests can choose to get merry in the Freddie Mercury, the David Bowie, the Aretha Franklin, the George Michael or the Prince, while an Asian-inspired dining menu features the likes of marinated chicken skewers drizzled with satay sauce and served with pickled cucumber, and crispy duck ready to be stuffed into pancakes and paired with plum sauce.

From the drinks offering, you can feel cosy by sipping on warm beverages such as a Hot Toddy or an Irish coffee, while classic cocktails including a Moscow Mule and a Tequila Sunrise should get the party started. Elsewhere, there is an impressive selection of wines and beers, as well as Champagne for celebratory toasts.