Every year London's new restaurant openings reveal a raft of shiny new private dining rooms that are perfect for group get-togethers or company dos. Here's our pick of this year's party spaces.
Kudu
Marylebone - 7 Moxon St, London W1U 4EP
The move from Peckham to Marylebone has proved to be a great success for Kudu, with the new restaurant being a big hit. Part of moving to a bigger single building means that they've now added an impressive private dining room on the first floor. You can book this out for dinner, but as it's right next to their Smokey Kudu cocktail bar, you can also decide to take the entire first floor for drinks. The fantastic Kudu bread, as well as big sharing dishes of porchetta and Somerset Saxon chicken, are available to order.
Seats: Up to 12 seated, or up to 40 standing if you take over the bar.
Poon's
Temple - Somerset House, New Wing, Lancaster Place, London WC2R 1LA
Amy Poon's revival of her parents' restaurant is inside Somerset House, so you already know it's going to be an impressive looking space. The Drawing Room is their private hire offering, which they say is perfect for "cocktail parties, book launches, readings, talks, wine tastings, weddings and photo shoots" alongside more traditional dinners. They'll be able to adapt the restaurant's Chinese home cooking menu to any dinner in here and we love that the room includes a piano.
Seats: Up to 12
Alta
Soho - Unit G9, Kingly Court, Kingly St, London W1B 5PW
Rob Roy Cameron's Basque-influenced Alta is a surprisingly expansive place, spread over two floors and multiple rooms. The private room here looks out onto Carnaby and has the same beautiful stripped-back approach that you'll see throughout the restaurant. Special menus created for the dining room include signature dishes from the restaurant, including the house txistora sausage, 35-day-aged beef or pork chop and their La Vina-inspired cheesecake to finish.
Seats: 8
The Devonshire
Mayfair - 17 Denman Street, London W1D 7HW
The team at London's hottest pub have expanded next door, which has allowed them to open three private dining spaces this year. All of them are accessed by a separate door on Denman Street, and while you're waiting to go up, there's a handy hatch into the pub which allows you to order a pint of London’s best Guinness. There are three rooms in total - Winehouse (20), Bowie (28) Lennon (30). The latter two can be opened up to become The Blue Room. Menus include hits from the pub along with specials like caviar buns and Crêpes Suzette cooked tableside.
Seats: 20-90
Read our Test Drive of The Devonshire
AngloThai
Marylebone - 22-24 Seymour Place, London W1H 7NL
Baan is the gorgeous private dining space at Michelin-starred AngloThai. It's apparently inspired by co-owners John and Desiree Chantarasak's own dining room, hence all the mid-century Thai Art Deco design, along with some gorgeous Murano chandeliers. If your friends or clients are vinyl nerds, then this place is not only fitted out with a high-end sound system but includes a record player and a curated in-house vinyl collection.
Seats: Up to 16
Read our Anglo Thai Test Drive
Carbone
Mayfair - 30 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 6AN
Carbone's new London home has been created in a way that lets them carve off an entire portion of the dining room for parties, but if you're after something a little more intimate, then you need to book their main private dining room. With wooden panelling everywhere, it's certainly shouting opulence and with the attention Carbone puts on their service, you know you'll be looked after here. As for food, much of what's on offer is great for sharing, but make sure you order the spicy vodka rigatoni and the not-so-secret off-menu meatballs.
Seats: 14
Campanelle
City of London - 19-21 Billiter St, London EC3M 2RY
This new Italian restaurant in the City has taken over a Grade II listed building that used to belong to The London Shipping Exchange. As a result, much of the building is classically good looking, but it's the private dining room that really impresses. Just off the second-floor dining room, it looks down on the covered courtyard below and the window out to the rest of the room gives it a light and bright feel. Food-wise, you're looking at classic Italian cooking here, with the titular campanelle carbonara being a must-order.
Seats: 24
Read our Campanelle Test Drive
Lillibet's
Mayfair - 17 Bruton Street, London W1J 6QB
The Hartnell Room at Lilibet's draws inspiration from Sir Norman Hartnell, the legendary couturier whose atelier was opposite this restaurant and who dressed the late Queen after whom Lilibet's is named. It's a beautiful room, lined with fabric and softly lit by impressive chandeliers. There's a choice of menus, and diners here can try the restaurant's signature princess cake in additional flavours to the traditional option available in the main dining room, including pistachio and lemon and Black Forest gateau versions.
Read our Lillibet's Test Drive
Pyra
Queen’s Park - 6A-8A, Lonsdale Rd, London NW6 6RD
Tucked down the bustling foodie thoroughfare of Queen's Park's Lonsdale Road, Pyra serves up a winning mix of Spanish and Greek food. Upstairs, they've got an incredibly Instagrammable events space called The Loft. Best of all, if you need someone who'll take on every element of organisation for you, their team can do everything from flowers and decor, so you don't even need to hire a party planner.
Seats: Up to 60
One Club Row
Shoreditch - 1 Club Row, London E1 6JX
One of the hottest restaurants to open in London in the past year, One Club Row is, as a result, somewhat hard to get a booking at. But now they've also opened a new private events space on the floor above the restaurant. Called The Apartment (it used to be an actual living area), this impressive space has great views across Shoreditch. Up here, there's a private bar (perfect for their martinis) and space for up to 42 seated and 60 standing, so it's ideal for either a sit-down dinner or drinks party. The food all comes from chef Patrick Powell's kitchen downstairs, with signatures including their pork schnitzel, steaks, moules frites, and more.
Seats: 42-60
Read our One Club Row Test Drive
Serra
Mayfair - 30 Grosvenor Sq, London W1K
Most private dining rooms are to be found on the lower ground floors of restaurants, but if you want somewhere sunny, particularly for a lunch booking then the brand new dining room at Serra should be on your shortlist. This new restaurant at the Chancery Rosewood looks out onto Upper Brook Street, but if you want to create a more intimate atmosphere then simply draw the tapestry curtains.
Seats: 12
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