Best Fine Dining in City of London

"We won’t lie to you, going to The Gallery at Sketch isn’t about the food. This central-London spot is all about the pink dining room. The service is theatrical while the toilets aren’t to be missed for a photo op."

"Sketch kept popping up (from other sites, friends, IG) but the site doesn’t seem to let me make reservation for one. were you traveling alone, and did you have that issue?"

"A real sought-after restaurant in Mayfair, Sketch initially grabs attention with its unique decor. Then the grub takes over. Is it an art gallery?"

"This West End institution takes its name from market trader Josef Sheekey, who, in the 1890s, was granted permission by Lord Salisbury to serve fish and seafood in St Martin’s Court provided he supply after-theatre meals to Salisbury’s guests. More than a century on, it remains an established favourite with the capital’s glitterati, who you can often spot slurping oysters or tucking into the famous fish pie post performance. In 2008 it expanded to include the J Sheekey Atlantic Bar next door for a slightly less formal experience, featuring a buzzing open kitchen and ample outdoor seating for relaxed al fresco dining."

"If it’s enduring love you’re looking for, J Sheekey’s passion for prime seafood has burned for more than 100 years. The West End restaurant has hosted many a star of nearby stages over the last century, and images of some of those famous faces line the walls. The Champagne bar makes a glamorous spot for two to linger, accompanied by shellfish aplenty and J Sheekey’s famous selection of oysters."

"Not only are you getting a mind-blowing scientific experience at quirky Heston’s, but you’ll also be wowed with a British food history lesson, through a menu that explores the origins of the UK’s classic dishes. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal66 KnightsbridgeLondon SW1X 7LAVisit website: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. And just because, here’s a load more iconic London restaurants with well known chefs at the helm:"

"Heston Blumenthal’s wickedly inventive cooking won over the critics yet again, earning him a second Michelin star rating in 2019. Dining at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will cost well over £100 excluding drinks, but you can opt for a three-course lunch for £45 during the week. Address: 66 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7LA, United Kingdom"

"Slow roasted for five hours with sweet apple caramel, Heston Blumenthal’s world-famous ‘Tipsy Cake’ is the stuff that dreams are made of. This unique take on a traditional pineapple upside down cake can be found at his revered restaurant ‘Dinner by Heston’."

"Restaurants British King’s Road. Given its name, you’d expect this horticulturally themed venue to tick all the alfresco boxes, and the Ivy’s terrace doesn’t disappoint. By day, its leafy trellises, bloom-filled terracotta pots, water feature and velvet chairs will put you in an off-duty mood faster than you can order an Ivy Garden Royale; at night, fire pits, roaring hearths and lap blankets keep diners toasty and the vibe as chic as can be."

"It would be wrong not to include this ever-popular Chelsea haunt, one of the prettiest outdoor restaurants in town. Come rain or shine, few places beat The Ivy’s garden. theivychelseagarden.com"

"The Ivy Chelsea Garden dazzles a chic crowd of diners with its venue, light-filled space on King's Road with an orangery and leafy garden terrace in the back ideal for warmer-weath..."

"For more than a decade, customers have been visiting Min Jiang for its spectacular view of Kensington Gardens and staying for its delicious Szechuan and Cantonese cuisine. Located on the 10th floor of the Royal Garden Hotel on Kensington High Street, the restaurant’s chefs specialise in a medley of cooking styles and techniques that have been passed down through generations. If you order one thing, make it the Beijing duck, which is roasted for 45 minutes and presented in two servings: first the skin is crisped with granulated sugar and served with pancakes, and then the meat is served with your choice of noodles, rice, soup or lettuce wraps."

"Find traditional Chinese cookery updated for the modern age at Kensington's Min Jiang. Although a great place for provincial Chinese dishes; many come simply for its wood-fired duck, which is served over two courses. Perched on the 10th floor of the Royal Garden Hotel, this stylish restaurant boasts views of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens."

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"You don’t need to be taken out to the ball game to enjoy a half-time hot dog. At Bubbledogs, you can enjoy the finger-food thrills of the fast food snack in a considerably more upmarket setting, with dozens of types of Champagne available to quaff while you scoff at this Fitzrovia bar. The hot dog menu boasts eight different options, ranging from the New Yorker with beef fat-caramelised onions and creme fraiche, to the French Connection with shaved foie gras and sherry vinegar jelly."

"It's not just the fact that the hot dogs here are paired with an extensive selection of champagnes that makes them fancy (although, clearly, it helps) – it's the array of toppings that really get people swooning. Choose from the likes of the Mac Daddy –slathered with macaroni and cheese – or the BLT, a pimped-out version of the classic with truffle mayo."

"Hot dogs are an all-American classic and a junk food favourite. Bubbledogs fuse champagne and sausages to form a sizeable menu. The meat in each dog can be customised — be it pork, beef or a veggie substitute — and there are 11 types to choose from."

"Selfridges’ all-day restaurant Brasserie of Light stays true to its name. Illuminated by glowing orbs, the centre-piece is a 24ft crystal-encrusted statue of Pegasus by Damien Hirst, which soars over diners with its colossal 30-ft-wings outstretched – Hirst’s largest piece of artwork in London to date. Another of Martin Brudnizki’s projects, the restaurant was created as the final part of the department store’s £300 million investment in its London flagship."

"It’s not everyday you see a sparkling Pegasus adorning the ceiling while you’re tucking into a meal, but then again it’s not everyday you’re dining at Oxford Street’s Brasserie of Light. Designed by the legendary Damien Hirst, you’ll find this crystal-encrusted Pegasus tucked inside Selfridge’s. Oh, and the food isn’t half bad either."

"Found in the heart of Selfridges, it's no wonder that Brasserie of Light had to look just as impressive as the building it's housed in. Boasting a menu put together by Portuguese chef Emanuel Machado, not only can you expect elevated dishes, you can dine under a giant crystal horse put together by the notorious Hirst."

"Situated on the 28th floor of the London Hilton on Park Lane, Galvin at Windows boasts some of the city’s best views – but it’s less flashy than many of London’s sky-high restaurants. There’s a feel of old-school, understated elegance, with 30s-inspired décor and impeccable service. Ex-Ritz chef Marc Hardiman heads up the kitchen these days, and the food is excellent."

"This Michelin star restaurant is situated on the 28th floor of the Hilton Park Lane Hotel in Mayfair. It boasts 360 degree views of the city from its floor-to-ceiling windows. You can dine in style while overlooking Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace and even St. Paul’s Cathedral."

"The Bankside Gallery in London was opened in 1980 by Her Majesty, the Queen. The public gallery, located near the Thames, houses the Royal Watercolour Society and Royal Society of Painter Printmakers. The gallery displays rotating exhibits focused on modern watercolours and prints."

"The Cinema Museum in London was founded in the 1980s by Ronald Grant and Martin Humphries. Grant and Humphries filled the museum with objects from their private collection of cinema memorabilia. The museum is housed in the workhouse where Charlie Chaplin lived during his childhood."

"London’s Cinema Museum is devoted to keeping alive the spirit of cinema from the days before the multiplex. Admission is only via joining one of their regular guided tours, which costs £10."

"The Wallace Collection is a national museum which exhibits art collections that were compiled by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and the illegitimate son of the fourth Marquess, Sir Richard Wallace. In 1897, Lady Wallace, the widow of the late Sir Richard Wallace, handed the museum to the British Nation. The museum is housed in the historic Hertford House located in Manchester Square, Westminster."

"The Wallace Collection is a London art gallery made up of the collection of the Marquess family. The art all dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries and was gathered by five generations of the Marquesses along with Sir Richard Wallace, who was an illegitimate Marquess son. Today, the collection contains more than five thousand pieces."

"With its Great Gallery stunningly refurbished, there's even more reason to visit this exquisite gem of an art gallery—although housing…"

"Originally home to one of London’s largest fruit and vegetable markets, Covent Garden now broadly refers to the West London district famous for its high-end shopping, theatres, entertainment complexes, and the Royal Opera House of London."

"Although it only opened in 1982, the Barbican is regarded as a home of London arts, showcasing the best in dance, film, music, theatre and visual arts. When the building first opened, it was labelled a “concrete pyramid” due to its looks, but was renovated with statues and decorations to look prettier and stand out from buildings around it. See a show at the Barbican"

"The Barbican is Europe’s largest performing arts centre, located right in the City of London. Its Brutalist styled architecture offers lots of opportunities to take some unique photos, like the one below by Chris Martin Scholl. Make sure to plan enough time to explore all the hidden corners of this fascinating landmark."

"Another of London’s brutalist structures, the Barbican Centre hosts regular film screenings, art exhibitions and other events. It is surrounded by the Barbican Housing Estate, making it tricky to navigate round its multiple entrances but giving it a unique architectural feel."

"Railway Fields was first established as a nature park in 1986. Originally, the area functioned as a goods yard, or a freight station, on the Tottenham and Hampstead Junction Railway. It was declared a local nature reserve in 1990 and, since then, it has become an open space area where children can learn directly about nature; there is even a classroom in the centre."