More isn’t always merrier. Sometimes, wining and dining one-on-one is just what the doctor ordered – be it a long overdue catch-up with a friend or a much-needed date night with your partner. That’s why we’re taking “table for two, please” literally. And as the world’s leading luxury lifestyle group, we just so happen to have tried and tested London’s best cosy booths, secret spots, and tiny private dining rooms. So, here are all our favourites – perfected fitted to just the two of you.
45 Park Ln, W1K 1PN
Sushi Kanesaka at 45 Park Lane
OK, technically Sushi Kanesaka’s private omakase counter seats four. But as long as the minimum spend is met, it’s all yours. It’s pricey – but private. So, if intimacy is what you’re after, it doesn’t get more so than you and your plus one being served seafood and sake by sushi master Shinji Kanesaka, who selects ingredients from Japan’s 72 – yes, 72 – micro-seasons. Even the main restaurant is hidden behind a discrete doorway upstairs at 45 Park Lane. So, this tiny private dining room is certainly still on an IYKYK basis.
The Grill on Fifth at Harrods
Harrods is now home to two restaurants named The Grill. But the newly opened The Grill on Fifth is the one raising the steaks – literally. It’s the more ambitious and artsy younger sister to The Grill in the Dining Hall, where steak (other proteins are available) is seared then served with a side of city skyline. The two-person booths here are best for late-night date nights (and being bathed in the flattering amber ambience is an added bonus). Fancy splashing out on speciality steaks? Order the Harrods steakhouse taster board. Trust us.
87–135 Brompton Rd, SW1X 7XL
42 Albemarle St, W1S 4JH
Gymkhana
Getting a reservation at Gymkhana can be tough (without a Quintessentially membership, of course). So, securing one of its two-person basement booths for an intimate dinner over Michelin-starred Indian plates is pretty special. But its small vaults? Even better. Picture two tiny private dining rooms – one semi-private, one private – where everything is low (the ceiling, the lighting, you get the idea) except your expectations. They seat up to 10 people but taking them for two means more room for your feast. Warning: you won’t want to share the lamb shank rogan josh (but probably should).
Mount St. Restaurant
Here’s the inside scoop: the best seat in the house isn’t hidden – it’s right at the far end of the restaurant, tucked into a floor-to-ceiling bay window (and fondly referred to as the “turret table” by insiders). It’s a four-seater but the two playful red chairs are where you and your date should sit side by side, watching the uninterrupted view of Mayfair’s streets bustling below. When you’re digging into British dishes surrounded by museum-worthy art, you’d be forgiven for forgetting this prime location isn’t private.
41–43 Mount St, W1K 2RX
53 Park Ln, W1K 1QA
Table Lumière at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
Smack bang in the centre of Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester you’ll find Table Lumière. A semi-private table that’s hidden in plain sight. How? With a shimmering curtain of 4,500 glowing fibre optics cascading from the ceiling to the floor – the glow from which softly lights the seven-course tasting menu and sommelier’s expert wine pairings on the table in front of you. Not to mention the Hermès china, Puiforcat silverware, and Saint-Louis crystal that’s exclusively used here. It’s the best of both worlds: intimacy without losing any ambience.
