Best known as a casino for Mayfair's high-rollers with a plum position off Berkeley Square, Palm Beach also houses a restaurant and a lounge bar – and the food is well worth the gamble.
Glamorous, art-deco stylings suit the casino surrounds: think white tablecloths, velvet chairs and glittering chandeliers. Charming suited and booted staff will talk you through a long menu, pitched at the international clientele with a variety of different cuisines. Play it safe with steaks and pasta dishes from the European section or bet on the likes of Indian (samosas, kebabs, curries) or Middle Eastern (mezze and grilled meats). With so much choice you might not expect the same quality across the board, but everything we tried was good.
We ate from the Chinese section, and weren't disappointed either by crispy shredded duck paired with wafer-thin pancakes, julienned strips of cucumber and spring onion, or plump, fleshy prawns coated in a sugary sweet and sour sauce. Desserts such as fluffy vanilla cheesecake are less internationally inspired but hit the spot.
Unsurprisingly, this is also a great spot for people watching (the restaurant handily overlooks the casino floor) and if you happen to win big, there’s always the Champagne list to take advantage of, with bottles running up to £950 a piece.