Wondering where to go for a romantic date night this Valentine’s Day – or any other night for that matter? These are some of London’s most romantic restaurants.
With unforgettable food, delicious cocktails and an ambience sure to impress your date, these 16 restaurants and resto-bars are fit for romance – whether you are looking for an intimate, romantic dinner, a rooftop dining experience or a casual-cosy brunch spot. Discover them all here, along with drink selections and must-try dishes in each.
Park Chinois, Mayfair
Park Chinois in Mayfair has got it all: glitz and glamour, plus delicious food and cocktails. This contemporary, high-end Chinese restaurant is the perfect place to impress your partner with an exciting and romantic date this Valentine’s Day. The restaurant evokes an early 1900s Shanghai speakeasy or gentlemen’s club with opulent interiors; expect golden scaling on the pillars, royal red velvet furnishings, sultry lighting and chandeliers, music, and dance performances.
The menu offers a large selection of appetisers, dim sum, caviar, meat and seafood. For starters, the crispy chilli chicken drowned in fried peppers is a table favourite, the soft-shell crab in a curry leaf and bird’s eye chilli is equally crunchy as it is deliciously succulent, and the black truffle morel mushroom dumpling served in chilli oil always goes down well. It might be hard to pick a main course: the sweet and sour pork loin is another table favourite and pairs well with the fried rice; the slow braised beef ho fun noodles exude flavour; the Chilean wagyu in black bean sauce is cooked to perfection; and the steamed sea bass is silky and soft served with soya, ginger and spring onions and will not disappoint. The Park Chinois tart with a buttery almond shortcrust, caramel and miso served with ice cream is the best way to end the meal. Continue into the night sipping on cocktails, watching the performances and enjoying each other’s company in the restaurant’s sexy and inviting atmosphere.
Daphne’s, Chelsea
For a romantic and authentic Italian meal, Daphne’s in Chelsea is ideal. This restaurant’s gorgeous interiors with chandeliers, artwork, rattan chairs and brightly-coloured upholstery will transport you straight to Italy. On entrance, you’re greeted with an open bar that leads to the indoor dining area, a private dining hall and then into a beautiful conservatory-style dining room flooded with natural light.
Start your evening at the bar serving signature, Italian inspired, cocktails; the negroni is a crowd favourite. For starters, opt for the tiger prawns served with delicious chilli, garlic and parsley. The soft burrata with crunchy datterini tomatoes is a refreshing palette cleanser. For mains, the spaghetti with lobster is always delicious and the chargrilled lamb cutlets are cooked until perfectly tender and served with a lemon, capers and herb dressing. To finish off the meal, the crumbly buttery-based cheesecake with blood oranges is creamy and zesty and the homemade tiramisu always hits the spot.
Hutong at The Shard, London Bridge
If you are looking to impress your partner with scrumptious food and stunning views of London’s skyline then Hutong, on the 33rd floor of The Shard, is the perfect spot for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day date. The beautifully-designed interiors are complemented by traditional red Chinese lanterns and dark wood hand-carved screens add to the romantic, sexy and futuristic-yet-ancient aesthetic of Hutong. Taking inspiration from the Lu cuisine of Shandong Province, Hutong offers a delicious and masterfully-curated menu that delivers Northern Chinese cooking and flavours.
You can choose from the Hutong signature dinner for £98pp which offers three starters, three mains and a dessert, or you can opt for the eclectic à la carte menu. The crispy prawn rolls offer the perfect crunch into the butter soft prawn filling, while the wagyu beef stuffed with marinated purple cabbage and a garlic-chilli dressing is always a must, as are the pork dumplings. The pan seared succulent lobster ginger bao are mouth-watering and will leave you wanting more. The seabass red star noodles and the aromatic beef rib in lotus leaf are the top choices for mains. After dinner, slink across to the Shanghai Bar and indulge in some signature cocktails or champagne overlooking London’s impressive skyline.
Il Borro Tuscan Bistro, Mayfair
With stunning white marble and wooden interiors, this rustic and elegant restaurant is perfect for an intimate Valentine’s Day date. Set in the heart of Mayfair, Il Borro Tuscan Bistro is a refined Italian bistro offering a farm-to-table experience using quality ingredients. Il Borro translates the Ferragamo family and their Tuscan Il Borro estate‘s vision through an authentic dining experience. Serving up a contemporary interpretation of Tuscan classics, the dishes incorporate Il Borro’s own products and use select organic home-grown produce from the estate’s organic farm. The restaurant also boasts a unique selection of wine that represents the estate’s vineyard.
The menu will take you on a culinary journey: the artichoke salad is a perfect opener served with crunchy toasted pecan nuts and green apple for a subtle sweetness; the simple and delicious Josper grilled prawns are seasoned with garlic and lemon zest; and the beetroot carpaccio served with goats’ cheese and pistachio is a hero dish. The menu also offers a range of wood-fire pizzas, mouth-watering pastas, and tasty risottos including a creamy mushroom-parmesan and a rich roasted langoustine and courgette version. For dessert, the classic tiramisu is a favourite, the rich chocolate tart is served with caramelised banana, or opt for one of the daily ice creams, gelato or sorbets.
Sessions Arts Club, Clerkenwell
If you’re looking to be infatuated not just by your partner, but also by the atmosphere, then Sessions Arts Club in Clerkenwell is the perfect restaurant for romance. Founded by artist Jonny Gent, chef Florence Knight and architect Russell Potter of Soda x Soda, this regal-historical restaurant sits in the old Judges’ dining room, on the fourth floor of Sessions House. The distressed-chic dining room with art-covered walls has battered armchairs, an open fireplace, and horseshoed dark leather booths, and is surrounded by a rooftop bar, a garden, and three terraces.
The staff are warm and attentive, ever-ready to top up your wine glass and always making your experience their priority. Chef Florence Knightly, previously the head chef at Polpetto, has carefully curated a broadly European menu with a selection of elegant small plates and mains that are perfect for sharing. Dishes include the rich but subtle brown shrimp croquette, the aesthetic yet delicious crisp confit potato layered with smoked eel, crème fraîche and roe, and the Panisse, crisp chickpea churros served with lemon, thyme and sea salt. For dessert, a must-try is the decadent chocolate tart. Filled by plenty of natural light during the day and by sultry candle light at night, Sessions Arts Club is the perfect place for a romantic day date to enjoy good food, wine, art and each other’s company.
Seabird, Southwark
Set on the 14th floor of The Hoxton hotel in Southwark, Seabird is the perfect rooftop resto-bar with an electric atmosphere and panoramic views of London’s skyline. Contrary to its rooftop location, the Mediterranean inspired furnishings infused with delicious Mediterranean flavours will transport you to a coastal experience in Southern Europe; Seabird is home to the longest oyster list in London, Spanish-style tapas and an insanely delicious seafood selection. The menu is filled with mouth-watering dishes of crab, lobster, clams, langoustines and more, each available as small or large plates, the latter perfect for sharing. The octopus roll is vibrant and full of flavour, the scallop ceviche is zesty and refreshing, the calamari is always a table favourite, and the carabineros prawn is a treat to your palette.
You can also enjoy the impressive open bar which serves the famous Martini mountain, a Botanist Gin martini and a carefully curated range of cocktails while grooving to the live in-house DJ. With the combination of impeccable service, music, drinks and delicious food, Seabird is the perfect destination for a fun, flavourful and romantic date.
Los Mochis, Notting Hill
Los Mochis in Notting Hill is a Pan-Pacific restaurant and bar that perfectly marries Japanese elegance and techniques with Mexican art and flavours. The restaurant sits across two levels; the ground floor offers an indoor-outdoor dining experience and the first floor houses a bar along with another dining area filled with cosy booths and tucked-away couches, making it perfect for an intimate date. The bar offers a range of cocktails celebrating home-grown and other favourite alcoholic options – must try cocktails include Los Mochis Tommy’s, Terra Incognita, and the Shingo Negroni.
The menu offers small plates of ceviche, sashimi, tostadas, tiraditos and tacos. The rich and smooth guacamole comes in four renditions; classic, superfood, shrimp or crab. The tuna tartare and ceviche are seasoned to perfection, the prawn kushiyaki taco with perfectly grilled tiger prawns is a house favourite, and the pato carnitas – a teriyaki duck taco – is the perfect combination of tangy, sweet and spicy. End the meal with the decadent chocolate fondant, yuzu lemon chilli tart or the Dulce de leche cheesecake.
Colonel Saab, High Holborn
With its regal, colonial-inspired interiors, majestic chandeliers across the ceiling, and large portraits adorning the walls, Colonel Saab in High Holborn is a contemporary Indian restaurant ideal for lovers of Indian food or for lovers, full stop. The restaurant greets you with an open bar leading to the impeccably decorated main dining hall as well as private dining rooms, and a more intimate dining area on the first floor, both complete with museum-worthy interiors. The menu at Colonel Saab is perfectly curated by Karen Anand, founder of Gourmet Kitchen who some would call a “food guru.” Chef Sohan Bhandari showcases his expertise adding a ‘modern twist to classic Indian flavours and textures.’
For the starters, mini samosas served with masala chickpeas is a perfect opener, the curry marinated Mangalorean fried chicken is akin to a festival of flavours, and the Prawn Chimichurri is cooked to perfection. The Chicken Chettinad, or the house butter chicken, goes perfectly with a choice of rice or breads. It’s only right for you to finish the meal with dessert; the rose gulab jamun and the rasmalai milk cake will not disappoint.
Lusin, Mayfair
Lusin in Mayfair will take you on a gastronomic journey, serving Armenian specialities and delivering the most flavourful dishes. Relishing Armenian culture with its evocative cuisine, music and history, Lusin, translating to ‘moon’, celebrates age-old traditions with a sultry ambience and enticing food.
Curated by two Michelin-star chef, Marcel Ravin, the menu offers a variety of cold and hot appetisers that are a treat for the senses; hummus with wagyu beef, signature eggplant rolls, the house special Muhammara, and the Armenian Toushka are all incredibly flavourful and deliciously sinful. The mains are no less enticing, Lusin’s famous cherry kebab is a spectacle of flavours, Lavash-baked seabass, Lamb gigot and the red pilaf with truffle are all a must-try. Don’t miss the lavash bread where you can taste the subtle culmination of flavour and culture. The drink and cocktail menu is carefully created and brought to life by mixologist, Giancarlo Mancino. The menu also offers a variety of Armenian wines to bring together the entire traditional experience.
Sachi at Pantechnicon, Belgravia
For a cosy Japanese restaurant with great food and drinks, the legendary Sachi at Pantechnicon in Belgravia is ideal. The minimal yet sleek and sophisticated design of Sachi is inspired by the ‘Japandi’ trend which draws from the design aesthetic of both Japan and Scandinavia. The open dining hall decorated with exposed brick walls and atmospheric lighting is accented by a sushi counter, cozy hidden vaults, intimate private dining areas and a highball bar. Enjoy an incredible sake selection, explained by the in-house sake sommelier and curated by one of the UK’s only Sake Samurai. Sachi also has one of London’s most extensive and exclusive Japanese whisky collections and the cocktails are created with rare spirits by the in-house mixologist.
The perfectly curated menu offers delicious dishes that will leave you wanting more: the seabass carpaccio and wagyu tataki are incredibly seasoned and refreshing; the lobster tempura has the perfect balance of soft and crispy; and the aubergine sweet miso salad has the perfect combination of sweet, tangy, zesty flavours. You cannot leave without trying the maki rolls, we particularly favour the enoki tempura maki roll and the Cornish crab maki roll.
Le Petit Beefbar, Chelsea
Le Petit Beefbar in Chelsea is the perfect place for a steak date. The Beefbar’s first venture was in Monaco and has since opened in Italy, France, Greece and Brazil, to name a few. Now it’s London’s turn, and here it boasts a modern and luxurious vibe, while maintaining a cosy and elegant ambiance. As you enter, you’re greeted by a chic dining room complemented by an uplift horseshoe bar serving a selection of refreshing cocktails – including the highly-recommended signature Ely x Beefboy tea-infused cocktails.
The menu offers a combination of sharing plates and Beefbar classics as mains. Try the Jambon D’entrecote, a 45-day dry aged beef ribeye cooked to absolute perfection. The miso spinach salad is also a good palate cleanser and the steak and frites main is served with a sensational, buttery entrecôte sauce. From the beautifully made drinks and the perfectly cooked steak to the inviting and chic atmosphere, London’s Le Petit Beefbar is a great spot for a daytime date or date night.
Aqua Kyoto, Soho
If you are looking to impress your date, then look no further than Aqua Kyoto. Set in the heart of Soho, Aqua Kyoto is on the fifth floor of the famous former Dickins & Jones department store building. This rooftop restaurant and terrace bar offers stunning views of central London while serving delicious high-end Japanese dishes. The restaurant opens up to the central bar leading to a dim-lit, romantic, almost-Asian dynamic, ambient dining hall and an outdoor patio-style dining area.
The menu offers contemporary and eclectic dishes to choose from including sharing and large plates such as sushi, sashimi, tempura, maki robata and wagyu options. The tuna and salmon tartar served with oscietra caviar and lotus chips is a great opener; the salmon and prawn chirashi roll served with yuzu mayo is delicious; the black cod and mizuna miso gyoza is an usual yet incredible appetizer; and the rock shrimp tempura, soft-shell crab maki roll and lobster tempura maki roll are always table favourites. For mains, the matcha green tea soba noodles and the pan-fried Chilean sea bass are a perfect way to close out the meal – after which, you can continue the date on the outdoor patio complete with bar.
Gold, Notting Hill
If you’re looking for an easy, cosy, comfortable but still elegant and tasteful restaurant for a date on Valentine’s Day, Gold on Portobello Road, Notting Hill is the perfect option. This resto-pub has the ability to be the perfect place for whatever vibe you’re hoping for – a stylish innovative European restaurant, a chic and sophisticated bar, a casual brunch spot, an intimate romantic date night spot – you name it. The restaurant greets you with a boho-chic modern conservatory style courtyard on the ground floor complemented by an open bar and a rustic-elegant dining room on the first floor.
The menu offers delicious, generous servings of European-style sharing plates. The seabass carpaccio with chilli, tomatoes and capers is zesty and refreshing, the burrata with charred pear, Tuscan ham and radicchio is a great combination of flavours and textures. The chargrilled squid is cooked to perfection with tangy and zesty flavours. The wood roasted red chicken with nduja and Parma ham is a great way to round off the meal. The bar holds an impressive range of wines, as well as signature cocktails such as the Roasted Pear Bellini.
Sparrow, Mayfair
The classic Italian dishes with a modern Mediterranean spin at Mayfair’s Sparrow will be sure to impress your partner. The restaurant greets you with a ground floor bar leading to two split-level dining areas adorned with sprawling olive trees, dim-sultry lighting and an adjoining cigar lounge. The bar serves a range of carefully-crafted cocktails, we love the refreshing Genovese and the smokey flavours of Apulia.
In addition to the wood-fire masterpieces with luxurious flavours, the menu offers a variety of freshly made pasta prepared in-house daily using sustainable and organic ingredients. The A5 carpaccio with pickled mushrooms, umami aioli and black truffle is a must-try aperitivo. The arancini is as equally dense as it is crispy, the bone marrow agnolotti with perfectly cooked meat in an exceptionally seasoned sauce is a house favourite and the lobster al forno is the best way to round up a delicious meal. To finish off, you can choose from the wide range of dessert selections – the bread pudding with honey caramel sauce is hearty and comforting, the tiramisu is a must, and the citrus olive oil cake served with orange marmalade is subtle yet delicious – ideal before or with after dinner cocktails.
Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay, Mayfair
With sexy lighting, decor, ambience and music, Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay, located in Mayfair, is a perfect restaurant for date night. With mood lighting in the dining area, an open bar and a semi-open kitchen serving the most delicious pan-Asian style combination of Chinese and Japanese flavours and textures, it sports a dark but sultry 1930s Tokyo atmosphere.
The eclectic menu offers raw and salads, dumplings and baos, maki rolls and tempura, and a selection of fish and meat dishes. The beef tataki with truffle ponzu is a delightful treat of texture, the bonito fried duck bao served with spicy hoisin is a must-try and the pork and kimchee gyoza has the perfect balance of flavours. The prawn and shiso tempura is the perfect combination of crispy-yet-soft, the gochujang marinated spicy black cod has the right balance of tangy and spicy, and the beef sirloin with smoked bone marrow will melt in your mouth. The bar has a beautifully crafted range of cocktails nodding to the Asian theme: try the shiso smash made with roku gin and shiso leaves.
Amazonico, Mayfair
With stunning equatorial and rainforest themed decor and foliage-filled interiors, Amazonico in the heart of Mayfair is a leading immersive dining experience and a perfect choice for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day date. Offering an experience far more than just a restaurant, Amazonico brings guests an immersive sight, sound and taste experience. The restaurant has a bar, lounge, dining area, DJ, sushi counter and private dining areas. Even with its over-the-top, over-dramatised environment, the staff will make sure you have a deeply intimate and personalised experience.
The high-energy bar offers an incredible range of cocktails created by some of the best mixologists. The menu delivers a bold mixture of Asian, Mediterranean and South American inspired flavours that are designed to be shared. The Nikkei-inspired sushi counter, with only six seats, offers an exclusive experience and allows you to personally interact with the beautifully created dishes. The Guacamole Con Erizo is rich and comforting, topped with sea urchin and hand-mixed at your table. The Ceviche de Camaron is a burst of flavour with purple prawns that is sensationally marinated and served with rocoto chilli, papaya and cancha corn. Amongst a wish selection of steak options, the chimichurri marinated skirt steak is cooked to absolute perfection.
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