Whether you’re looking for a special place to celebrate your recent engagement or simply a super romantic supper, our editors have you covered. From Belle Epoque beauties to sky-high tables with twinkling city views, we’ve rounded up the most romantic restaurants in London.
Tried, Tested and Reviewed by TWE
Le Comptoir Robuchon
By Isabella Foulger, Co-Founder & Editor
For a dose of Parisian magic, look no further than Le Comptoir Robbuchon. This new restaurant opened its doors for the first time in 2019 and the energy of the young team is electric. James Thurstan Waterworth was the interior mastermind behind the design – there’s gold hues throughout, a marble bar with live DJ in the evenings and rich finishings, think burnt orange velvet sofa seating and copper pans on show. On arrival, enjoy a glass of bubbles from the Champagne trolley (which features bottles from less trampled vineyards as well as the big names) wheeled over to your table by the Sommelier. Nibble on little entrees and delight in the artistry of the bread basket, in both presentation and taste. To start, order the Lobster Spaghetti served in a light bisque. This dish is a personal favourite of mine – and they take it to the next level here. Next, share the Cote De Boeuf served with the signature Robuchon mouth-wateringly creamy mash, bone marrow and classic Béarnaise sauce. Puddings are not to be missed, classic French plates are served in a theatrical manner. As my husband correctly said, booking a table here is the way to show someone you really love them.
Hot tip: book a table for two at the counter, soak up the vibes of the open kitchen watching the masters at work.
Website: www.robuchonlondon.co.uk/
LaLee, Chelsea
By Rosalyn Wikeley, Travel Editor-At-Large
Chelsea has never been short of illustrious characters such as Lillie Langree, the 19th century actress, socialite, theatre manager and royal mistress who entertained London’s glitterati from her Pont Street address. The same postcode now forms part of The Cadogan, a Belmond hotel which has fully embraced this marvellous history, as well as Lillie’s penchant for a party.
Every inch of the Lalee, the hotel’s Grand Café-themed restaurant-cum-café, studiously reflects Lillie’s (sometimes naughty) joie de vivre, the Belle Epoque era she and her elite circle revelled in and the golden age of travel she so enthusiastically embraced. Interiors riff on the building’s grand bones – its sweeping ceilings, elaborate cornicing and vast flowing spaces, yet the design is fresh. Contemporary glass ceiling lights echo old world chandeliers, smooth marble tables and plum leather chairs paint the colours of a bygone era but trace clean, simplistic shapes of a new one. Ferns (the ultimate Belle Epoque hallmark) tickle ornate wall panelling which is duly thrust into 2022 with playful modern art. Lillie would approve of the lighting: soft but theatrical, much like the flawless Montgomery cheese soufflé that is highly recommended to open the show.
An all-day menu of Lobster bisque and burger fare invites long, lazy lunches (the Lalee’s salon sensibility is designed to devour a full afternoon), while oyster sharing plates and Grand Café classics such as Wiener Schnitzel and ribeye steak with those gloriously thin chips summon dinners á deux. Couples can channel Lillie’s adventurous spirit on the wine list, courtesy of an unusually large number of wines available by the glass (the Rathfinny sparkling wine is dry, fizzy reverie), or follow her on her escapades around Europe with a Milanese Mimosa, a Dutch gin and tonic and a Rome-groni. Breakfast at the Lalee is frequently served with Champagne – Lillie would approve.
Hot Tip: Arrive unfashionably early for a pre-dinner drink at the Deco-style bar.
Website: thelalee.co.uk
Shangri-La: Ting
By Kendra Leaver-Rylah, Co-Founder & Editor
As the door pings open at The Shangri-La London, your Valentine’s night starts: greeted by 360-degree vistas of the capital, with a split-level, marble-clad lobby that sings with the overawed delight of guests poring over the floor-to-ceiling widescreen panoramas. Kickstart the night at Gong, on the 52nd floor, which offers an impressive rotating menu of themed cocktails. We suggest The Yuza cocktails with Tanqueray Ten and cedarwood notes it makes for the zesty’s kick-start to your evening. Then it’s off to the restaurant, Ting, which is European fine dining with an Asian twist; we love the beef Tataki or Seared King Scallops onto dishes like mouth-wateringly yummy Hainanese Chicken Rice and to finish Coconut Sesame Choux with staff are discreet but on the ball. This place is extreme luxury high up in the clouds.
Hot Tip: The lounge is also ideal for reclining in with a nightcap after dinner at its adjoining restaurant, which has a grand piano at its centre.
Website: www.shangri-la.com/london/shangrila/
Madera at Treehouse London
By Isabella Foulger, Co-Founder & Editor
Up in the sky but down to earth, Madera is a vibey Mexican restaurant with panoramic city views. The lifts transport you up the tree trunk, into the canopy, which is Madera on the 15th floor. Plants and greenery hang from an industrial warehouse ceiling and combine with rustic bird boxes and rattan lampshades to complete the treehouse aesthetic. The music is upbeat, with a DJ at weekends, making it a really fun and lively setting for a date. Food is experimental and served from an open kitchen – which always excites my taste buds. Start with a few small plates to share; try the tacos (which are a petite, canapé size) and the ceviche from the raw bar is a must. For the main course, try one of the the signature Rocks dishes, where a ribeye of beef is served over hot lava stones with all the Mexicano zingy trimmings. To finish, it has to be the finger-licking chocolatey churros. Madera also has an extensive vegan menu. To continue the date, head upstairs to The Nest bar for a nightcap.
Hot Tip: book a table by the window and it’s a great place for cocktail lovers – order the fiery Los Muertos.
Website: treehousehotels.com/london/eat-drink/madera
Ducksoup
By Alexandra Dudley, Lifestyle Editor
A tiny restaurant in the heart of Soho, with a weekly changing menu that follows the tune of the seasons, and a vinyl player that hums from the corner, Ducksoup has an energy to it that is perfect for a date night. The best seats are at the bar where you can rub shoulders with each other as you enjoy sharing plates of fettuccine with rosemary, lemon and parmesan; spiced yellow bean fritters with garlic yogurt and curry leaves; or roast poussin with braised artichoke and coco beans. Dishes arrive in a relaxed fashion, ordered as and when they are best enjoyed, which I have always found creates a wonderful rhythm to the evening. Whenever people ask me what the food is like at Ducksoup, I describe it as ‘food you really want to eat’. It’s the sort of food that makes you ‘ooh’ and ‘mmm’ and is near impossible not to talk about. The menu takes inspiration from all over the world, paying particular attention to the Mediterranean and Middle East. It’s worth noting the wine too. A wonderful and well-researched list of organic and biodynamic wines are available by the bottle, but also by the glass. If you are new to low-intervention wines it is a wonderful opportunity to experience something new.
Hot Tip: if there are fritters on the menu, order them immediately! And always ask for an extra plate of bread to mop up the wonderful juices and sauces.
Website: www.ducksoupsoho.co.uk/
Petersham Nurseries Cafe, Richmond
By Isabella Foulger, Co-Founder & Editor
A little slice of Mediterranean bliss in the quintessentially British borough of Richmond. Not many know the story behind this trendy spot, owned by the Boglione family, it all started just over twenty years ago as a greenhouse at the bottom of their garden. Now, the famous nursery turned restaurant is a firm favourite of mine for a special lunch or dinner date. The glasshouse cafe setting is unbeatably romantic; wooden mix-matched tables and chairs sit on dusty floors, beneath a ceiling of flowering foliage, climbing jasmine and towering fruit trees. Table decor is effortlessly chic, you’ll find scripty hand-written menus, terracotta pots of herbs and a colourful stems in vases. Menus are forever changing with each season but retain a fine-dining standard with an Italian twist, a nod to the family’s heritage. You must start with a signature Rose Petal Bellini – refreshing and delicious. Enjoy people watching and soak up the al fresco dining atmosphere all afternoon or evening.
Hop Tip: if you’re booking lunch, walk from Richmond town over the hill and stop off at The Roebuck, a cosy pub with the best river views in London (especially at sunset).
Website: petershamnurseries.com/
Il Borro Tuscan Bistro London
By Rosalyn Wikeley, Travel Editor-At-Large
Tuscan food in London: hardly a novel concept – except it is at Il Borro, the Mayfair outpost of the Ferragamo fashion dynasty’s boutique hotel and restaurant, where everything is fresh from ‘the farm.’ The farm being a sprawling bucolic estate inhabiting the old bones of an ancient village in Tuscany’s soft, undulating landscape – where eggs taste like real eggs and the olive oil’s deep tang is a potent reminder that the stuff we lather on our vegetables is nothing on Tuscany’s liquid gold. Then there’s the wine, deep reds and crisp whites which also benefit from the estate’s mineral-rich soil, being 300-400 meters above sea level.
And while copying and pasting authenticity into a different setting threatens to undermine the concept altogether, the migration of Il Borro’s produce and sumptuous classics, its warm wholesome decor and even warmer hospitality has somehow worked. This is mainly courtesy of the dizzying standards of cooking and presentation – light and fluffy chicken liver line crispy crostini, the estate’s own fresh tomatoes are whipped into a divine papa al pomodoro, and enormous sharing plates of fish are deboned next to the table with ceremonial swagger. A standout dish, the simple and flawless Pici all’aglione (handmade Tuscan spaghetti folded into garlicky tomato sauce) is testament to a Tuscan knack for prioritising quality of ingredients over elaborate plates or cooking techniques.
A palatable dose of Mayfair glamour sits alongside the creamy Tuscan hues and rustic, wrought iron ceiling lamps, lifting it from a rustic family haunt into something a little more polished (special occasion territory). From martinis next to the bar’s wide handsome fireplace to candle-lit suppers alongside in-the-know Italian families here for authentic Tuscan fare, this is a tasteful, well-tuned take on romance – one for the foodies who put substance over prevailing trends.
Hot Tip: leaving without trying at least a slither of the Torta al formaggio fresco (vanilla cheesecake with blueberry compote) is a big mistake
Website: ilborrotuscanbistro.co.uk
Tokii, Marble Arch
Rosalyn Wikeley, Travel Editor-At-Large
The Prince Akatoki’s Japanese minimalism sets the bass note for the hotel restaurant, Tokii – a sultry, den-like spot where cocktails feel mandatory. Symmetrically placed tables and chairs echo Japanese perfectionism, and glazed, ink-splattered crockery honours its ceramic prowess. This Marble Arch space recalls cool, New York Asian fusion haunts, which build from sleepy starters to DJ-fuelled soirees, à table. While that’s not quite Tokii’s style, a clubby soundtrack suggests this is a little more than a restaurant.
Indeed, it’s not about the music here either, it’s all about the food, with fabulously fresh sushi taking centre stage. Theatre-lovers can perch up at the counter for the full sushi-chef performance – slices of sashimi on ice, sushi animated with edible flowers. Couples angling for more privacy can cosy up in the booth-style corner tables and fawn over plates of tuna tartar, miso-glazed black cod (a must-try) and ox cheek croquettes. Even the less puritan plates have Japanese riffs: buttermilk fried chicken is dipped in gochujang mayonnaise, octopus skewers are lathered in seaweed butter and shichimi, and lashings of yusu sesame perk up a mushroom salad. The agony of indecision hits precisely on page two of the menu: with its endless variety of sushi and sashimi formats, fish and fillings (expect eel, fatty tuna, yellowtail, and the rest). Carnivores should beeline for the hot stone wagyu beef – a tender, juicy and conversation-stopping dish, best washed down with a Kerria (a cocktail of Roku gin and Amaretti biscuit syrup).
Hot Tip: book into the Prince Akatoki, then roll up to bed after supper, maki style.
Website: tokii.com
The Connaught + LPM Bar & Restaurant
By Alessandra Frame, Contributing Fashion Editor
I’ve always thought that pulling up outside The Connaught and being helped out of your taxi by the doorman makes you feel like you’re in a movie. Enveloped by clouds of mist erupting from the large granite-edged water feature in front, there is an air of magic outside the hotel that is especially palpable in the cooler months. Inside, the Connaught Bar with its low lighting and old-world charm is an incredible place to begin a date night. After a couple of cocktails, my husband and I love to take the beautiful ten-minute stroll to one of our favourite places to eat in London; LPM Bar & Restaurant (formerly La Petite Maison). Whilst The Connaught is all about quintessential British charm, LPM feels like spending a night in France. Located at the end of a Mayfair cul-de-sac the French Mediterranean cuisine is absolutely exceptional. From their famous whole-roast, black-leg chicken (pre-order essential), to their simple yet mouthwatering warm prawns with olive oil, here it’s all about good food, good wine and of course… good company.
Hot Tip: when walking along Carlos Place on your way to dinner make sure to peek inside The Row’s flagship store, they have a James Turrell Elliptical Glass (2017) installation in the entryway!
Website: www.the-connaught.co.uk/ & lpmrestaurants.com/london/
The Kensington
By Kendra Leaver-Rylah, Co-Founder & Editor
There is a very skilled art in creating such an iconic experience as a romantic afternoon tea and The Kensington’s Love-struck Afternoon Tea with its quiet elegance, sense of timelessness, countless cups of tea, champagne, finger sandwiches, scones and macarons give the most delightful afternoon to celebrate Valentine’s this year. Super cute touches on arrival include sending in a personalised message to your loved one, which will be transformed by a Calligrapher into a handwritten love letter – signed, sealed and delivered with dessert. Highlights here (of course!) include the freshly-baked scones, plain, and raisin, with stick-to-your-spoon clotted cream and yummy jam. Finally, cakes – and the decadent dark chocolate fondant that will nearly finish you off and then it’s all too easy to let tea turn into evening drinks…
Hot Tip: Request the table next to the fireplace. So cosy you won’t want to leave…
Website: https://www.doylecollection.com/hotels/the-kensington-hotel
Nobu Portman Square
By Kendra Leaver-Rylah, Co-Founder & Editor
Nobu holds the mantle for London’s sexiest new hotel, with the restaurant (naturally) taking centre stage. Head chef Joao Alegria leads the kitchen with everyone’s favourite miso black-cod making an appearance alongside a selection of theatrical Japanese plates on an open sushi counter. The evening atmosphere is funky London-meets-Tokyo with Japanese arts and crafts referenced throughout. Not only is an evening here perfect for people watching, it’s just a hop, skip and a jump to London’s West End.
Hot Tip: order either sake or Veuve Clicquot Rosé to go with your plates.
Website: london-portman.nobuhotels.com/dining/
The Berkley Winter Cabins
By Alexandra Dudley, Lifestyle Editor
Following the sell-out success of their summer beach huts, The Berkeley has reimagined their elegant terrace for the winter months. As well as countertop seating, they have five cosy cabins (complete with blankets and heaters) that were made for cuddling. Tuck into their mountain-inspired menu of schnitzel and rostis and authentic raclette whilst you relax amidst golden-hued lanterns, flickering candles, and fairy-lit fir trees. For a warming Valentine’s treat, indulge in their special hot chocolate, made with Valrhona chocolate and a generous splash of either rum or whisky.
Hot Tip: Order an extra portion of their homemade flat potato rösti, Iberico ham, winter truffle, truffle cream, watercress. You won’t regret it.
Website: www.the-berkeley.co.uk
Six Portland Road – Notting Hill
By Serena Knight, Lifestyle Director
Tucked away off Holland Park Avenue, Six Portland Road is a charming and understated Notting Hill gem with a local, intimate feel. With just over a handful of tables and a tiny bar, it’s perfect for a cosy and romantic date night. The best tables are by the window, on a slightly elevated platform – giving you just that little bit more privacy and a view over the bustling restaurant beneath.
The menus are written daily and include delicate and buttery griddled scallops with polenta, perfectly cooked chateaubriand with a rich and delicious green peppercorn and brandy sauce, all finished off with clementine cake, pomegranate and tarragon ice cream. The wine menu is how I like it – concise but varied, plenty by the glass and something (including prices) for everyone. The team also makes a mean martini and will let you bring your own bottle for a corkage fee.
With ever-changing menus, you could absolutely make it a regular date night spot, but fingers crossed the chocolate fondant with blood orange sorbet is a constant fixture.
Hot tip: You can add truffles to almost anything on the menu for an extra fiver!
