Whilst we’d never want to be presumptuous without first exchanging greetings and pleasantries, let’s cut to the chase; can we assume you’ve arrived here because you’re looking for a particular type of London restaurant in which to enjoy a leisurely Christmas lunch?
One with a private dining room large enough for a decent gaggle, perhaps to enjoy a festive, fine-dining flecked feast, but without it actually being roast turkey, pigs in blankets, and the rest?
Are we in the right ballpark? Or rather, in the right restaurant…
Because no group of friends wants to convene in the weeks leading up to Christmas for a massive roast. It somewhat ruins the spectacle of the big day, don’t you think?
Instead, there are a whole host of London restaurants accommodating large groups in a dedicated space, serving precise, celebratory plates to satisfy the whole squad in the lead-up to Christmas. And not a cranberry sauce in sight.
With that in mind, here are 6 of the best private dining rooms for large groups in London.
City Social, City of London
Part of chef Jason Atherton’s growing restaurant empire, City Social offers a private dining room that can accommodate up to 22 guests or a Chef’s Table experience for 11 lucky diners.
The restaurant boasts a Michelin star above the door, and commands a hefty £95 per person festive menu, accordingly, but that price tag opens the door to some serious indulgence, from duck and truffle terrine with pickled dates all the way to a huge centrepiece Lake District rib eye steak with glazed carrots and triple-cooked chips.
With the interior combining noir furniture with gold trimmings and a reflective ceiling, you’re in for a sophisticated/Scarface-inspired soiree at City Social. The dining room also offers stunning views of the inner-London skyline, making this experience particularly worth doing in the evening for the ultimate view of the city’s twinkling lights.
Address: Tower 42, 25 Old Broad St, London EC2N 1HQ
Website: citysociallondon.com
Quo Vadis, Soho
This legendary restaurant boasts not one, not two, but three private dining rooms on its second floor, with a capacity of over thirty guests in each. There are two festive menus here; £65 or £95 per person, featuring chicken pie on the former and roast sirloin on the latter as their main courses, respectively. All the trimmings are, of course, included.
Formerly a brothel and home to Karl Marx – not at the same time – this location has a colourful past that’s carried through in its decor, with stained glass windows and bright wallpaper tinting creating a distinctive interior.
Address: 26-29 Dean St, London W1D 3LL
Website: quovadissoho.co.uk
Brigadiers, City of London
For something a little different, why not try this excellent Indian barbeque joint? With four private dining rooms, free-flowing beers, giant sports screens, and a party atmosphere all year round, if the family enjoys their festive celebrations on the frivolous side, this could be for you.
The Christmas menu here, running from the 21st of November to the 30th of December, is £65 per person; a relative steal in the city. For the table, you’ll enjoy a turkey tikka masala pot pie, pork and prawn biryani, pumpkin missi rotis, and so much more.
Although the interior doesn’t look distinctively ‘curry house’, with it instead being more royal and regal looking thanks to its dark leather seating and deer busts mounted to maroon walls, the taste is as authentic as it comes and sure to wow you this festive period.
Address: 1-5 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8AR
Website: brigadierslondon.com
Bao, Fitzrovia ***now sadly closed***
Bao Fitzrovia offers a unique Taiwanese dining experience in their semi-private space that overlooks their open plan kitchen in their basement area.
Able to seat between 6-12 people on their grand marble table, the private dining experience provides Ping Paan Platters, a mix of seafood and fragrant and delicately flavoured meats. You can also get their signature stir fry noodles, which are enriched with various flavours native to the Taipei region and, of course, a selection of bao buns.
To ensure a merry old time, grab some of their Taiwanese-inspired guest cocktails that have been sourced and curated from some of the restaurant’s favourite bars. These include negronis with an East Asian twist and their Kaji Coffee blend of bourbon, coffee and miso butter. Yep, it’s as good as it sounds.
If you’re not one for groups (which leads us to wonder why you have landed on this page), then pull up a solo dining seat at the central wooden kitchen counter in their main restaurant inspired by the Edward Hopper painting Nighthawks.
Though Bao Fitzrovia is now sadly closed, three branches of the restaurant group – Bao Battersea, Bao Shoreditch and Bao Borough – offer karaoke rooms that serve up both the restaurant’s signature dishes and some serious good times, for a maximum of 14 people.
Read: 5 IDEAL places to eat the best bao buns in London
Address: 31 Windmill St, London W1T 2JN
Website: baolondon.com
Bocca Di Lupo, Soho
The phrase ‘Bocca di Lupo’ loosely translates as break a leg in Italian. Typically a phrase to offer luck, you would have hit the jackpot when dining at the restaurant. The interior of the private dining room in this confident Italian restaurant is supremely cosy, using delicate tones and lighting to craft a warm environment reminiscent of an upper-class living room from the early 1920s.
The private dining experience can host between 12 and 32 people, with the sweet spot being 20ish, so you’re not feeling crowded and the kitchen isn’t overwhelmed. With a set menu price at £52, it’s a good value option for the quality of the cooking here. You’ll get access to an expertly crafted wine list and a personal chef dedicated to your event only, creating memorable dishes over the evening that draw from the full catalogue of classics from Bel Paese, from hat to heel and everything in between.
From the main menu, the sea bream baked in salt and ceremoniously cracked open at the table is a real treat, paired thoughtfully with the bitter hit of grilled treviso, whilst in the depths of game season, partridge braised with chestnuts and marsala sees chef Jacob Kennedy’s cooking truly shine, boasting the requisite festive flourish to boot!
Should your group have their heart set on pushing the boat out, you can also get a roast suckling pig to feast on, which creates a brilliant showpiece and adds to the spectacle of the private dining experience. Perhaps not one to order with veggies in the squad, though?
Address: 12 Archer St, London W1D 7BB
Website: boccadilupo.com
Sketch, Mayfair
If you have a small party of people with particularly luxurious tastes, you can enjoy a seriously indulgent private dining experience at Sketch. It’s in these illustrious surrounds that Millicent Fawcett gave her first speech for women’s enfranchisement in 1869, laying the foundations for women to get the vote – and what better reason to raise a glass or two of the restaurant’s signature Fantasmargarita than that?
Today it offers triple Michelin-starred cuisine (one of only five restaurants in the capital to hold this honour) in the Lecture Room & Library, serving some of the most extravagant meals that the capital has to offer, all prepared by chef Daniel Stucki.
It’s an intimate experience, only having room for eight guests, yet it offers its diners a lavish experience, with the room decorated with gorgeous bouquets and draping curtains.
The food is served set menu-style, where you can choose from the tasting or a la carte. Here you can enjoy delights such as pumpkin gnocchi served with white truffle and squid with olive oil, or sample some pan-fried Scottish scallops glazed with an orange reduction.
Be warned, it’s going to cost you; the tasting menu costs £190 per person, although that price is subject to change.
Address: 9 Conduit St, London W1S 2XG
Website: sketch.london