At London’s best restaurants for art lovers, the worlds of art and dining collide offering a feast for the eyes, ears – and the tastebuds.
Autumn days in London are best punctuated by art, culture, food, and drink – and London has it all. From dining spaces filled with pieces from Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse and Damien Hirst, to restaurants situated within dedicated gallery spaces – at these art-meets-dining restaurants you can have it all. And eat it too.
These are nine of London’s best restaurants for art lovers.
1. Mount St. Restaurant
With £50 million worth of art adorning its walls, floors and tables, Mount St. Restaurant in London’s Mayfair is perhaps best described as an immersive art gallery that just so happens to also serve really good food. Here, you’ll find pieces from Lucian Freud, Henri Matisse and Andy Warhol on the walls, with more than a fair few pieces notably depicting food scenes: look for Freud’s A Plate of Prawns (1968), Matisse’s Eperlans (1920), and Warhol’s Lobster (1982). Alongside these, find Rashid Johnson’s Broken Floor Mosaic (2022) under your feet, plus lamps by Sophie Taeuber-Arp and salt and pepper shakers by Paul McCarthy standing front and centre of your table. This is a space designed for more than just appreciation, it’s a place to spark interaction, connection and conversation. The space is also home to some of London’s best private dining rooms which, along with the main restaurant, serve up dishes inspired by London’s culinary traditions. Think sausage sandwiches for breakfast, lobster pies for lunch, and beef wellington, oysters and caviar for dinner.
View this post on Instagram
2.Bacchanalia
Sculptures by Damien Hirst hover over diners at Bacchanalia: a unicorn ridden by winged lovers, a winged lion, Medusa and Bacchus – each in keeping with the Greek and Roman mythology theme that runs throughout the space, art and food. The theme is executed so well that you’ll also be dining with 2,000-year old statues that pay homage to Greek gods and goddesses. Food follows suit too; the Feasting Menu is a good place to start and comes with shared dishes including lobster with black truffle, Greek-style meatballs and a bread basket served with olive oil and 25-year aged balsamic. Owned by Richard Caring and designed by Martin Brudnizki, it’s no surprise that this is one of the most fun places to dine in London. The private room is also a great spot to hire out for a special occasion.
View this post on Instagram
3. Ochre at The National Gallery
Old meets new at The National Gallery’s Ochre which opened in April 2022, but maintains many original features of the early 1800’s building. From the team behind Muriel’s Kitchen, expect contemporary European cuisine and an extensive menu that develops throughout the day. The afternoon tea served with champagne is a big hit, as are their creative cocktails, each inspired by the influential and historical artworks displayed in nearby rooms: Sunflower Sours and Starry Night Over The Rhone take their lead from Van Gogh’s lauded Sunflowers (1888) and The Starry Night (1889). In 2023, a new addition to the gallery was added – Larry’s – a cocktail bar located in a vault that used to store coal.
View this post on Instagram
4. Spring at Somerset House
Seasonal dining takes on new meaning at Spring, where the menu changes daily. By evening the restaurant is an elegant choice for long dinners, but dine in the early evening (between 5.30PM and 6.15PM) and you’ll be eating yesterday’s leftovers – yes, really. In an effort to prevent waste chef Skye Gyngell, formerly of Petersham Nurseries and master of creative cooking, whips up ingenuous new dishes on a menu named Scratch, where everything is made from leftovers and perfectly repackaged into a three-course meal. The restaurant’s location at Somerset House also promises an ever-evolving and ever-inspiring list of exhibitions to browse. From the 10 – 13 October, this includes the return of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair.
View this post on Instagram
5. José Pizarro at the Royal Academy of Art
The single-artist shows at the Royal Academy of Art never disappoint; past exhibitions include showcases from Ai Weiwei, Anish Kapoor, Antony Gormley and performance artist, Marina Abramović. This winter it’s a colourful retrospective showcasing 60 years of Sir Michael Craig-Martin’s creations. Once you’ve taken in the exhibition, head to chef José Pizarro’s Spanish restaurant, located in the Senate Room on the first floor of Burlington Gardens. Dine on his jamón ibérico, before taking time to digest both your meal and the important cultural work you’ve just explored.
View this post on Instagram
6. Tate Modern Restaurant
The Tate Modern Restaurant offers seasonal menus inspired by exhibitions showing in the adjacent gallery. Until 20 October it takes direction from The Blue Rider – a collection of early 20th century modern expressionists. After exploring the exhibition, this restaurant experience is an inspiring place to ponder what you’ve seen over lunch dishes such as the ‘expressionists-inspired’ garden vegetable terrine or an afternoon tea of finger sandwiches, macarons, earl-grey scones and tea (did you know Wassily Kandinsky’s father imported tea?).
View this post on Instagram
7. Brasserie of Light at Selfridges
Damien Hirst and his larger-than-life statues are back again, this time with a crystal-encrusted, 24-foot tall sculpture of Pegasus at Brasserie of Light. Located in central London, on the first floor of Oxford Street’s Selfridges and accessed directly from Duke Street, the restaurant decor follows Hirst’s daring lead: it’s bold and colourful, contrasting blue booths with yellow chairs inside a spacious room that seems to have stepped straight out of the 1940s art-deco era. The menu is extensive and dishes range from the Goan monkfish curry to a plant-based burger and a stilton salad, with seasonal menus often drawn up to celebrate notable dates and events.
View this post on Instagram
8. Barbican Brasserie By Searcys at The Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre needs no introduction but, while browsing their celebrated film, music, theatre, dance and visual arts programmes, take time to visit Barbican Brasserie by Searcys. The latest in a succession of brilliant restaurants hosted within the centre, find it on the second floor overlooking the Barbican’s lake. Expect seasonal British and European dishes such as the Scottish salmon fillet, honey and thyme roasted carrots and the pork belly with hispi cabbage and apple ketchup. Visit for lunch or an early dinner: the restaurant closes at 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays and 7pm on other days. On Sunday, it’s closed.
View this post on Instagram
9. The Great Court Restaurant at the British Museum
On a parapet in the roof space of The British Museum’s Great Court, access to the museum’s eatery is granted only by walking through several exhibits. Add to this the fact that The Court Restaurant is barely advertised, and this restaurant can be considered one of London’s more hidden dining spaces. With no fanfare, but occupying an enviable position among the overstated grandeur of the British Museum, the space has a serene vibe at odds with the popular museum’s inevitable bustle. Led by an accomplished service that is speedy but not rushed, the restaurant is open for lunch and afternoon tea with a menu that includes dishes such as Yorkshire grilled asparagus, pan-fried sea bream, and the classic British fish and chips.
View this post on Instagram
We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site.
Any Questions or Tips to add?