In the capital, weird and wonderful restaurants abound — we’ve picked out the best three.
With a famously eclectic selection of restaurants offering almost every cuisine in the world and catering to every preference, London is a foodie paradise. You rarely have to travel more than a few stops on the Tube to visit the newest dining hotspot or sample the latest TikTok trend.
Even so, too much choice can overwhelm us — and often, we end up gravitating toward old favourites when we think about treating ourselves to dinner out.
Reliable and consistent they may be, you might be missing out on a growing wave of venues that aren’t just about food, but offer distinctive, novel dining experiences — from unorthodox locations to one-of-a-kind concepts.
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Supperclub.tube, Walthamstow
The underground isn’t the usual scene for a pleasant evening out. But Supperclub.tube asks visitors to leave their prejudice at the carriage door and arrive curious and hungry for a six-course, Latin American tasting menu aboard an (out-of-service) train.
This particular tube carriage is a refurbished, red-fronted 1967-stock driving motor (DM) unit, built by Metro-Cammell, which entered service in 1968. All the original features of the carriage have been retained, but now linen-covered tables with fine silverware and set menus sit between its banquette seats. The double-facing seats for two (the kind you’ll be familiar with if you frequent the Bakerloo line) make for the ideal dinner booth. In a far cry from typical tube etiquette, you can even join a large communal table and chat with strangers during your meal.
To begin each sitting, head chef Beatriz personally introduces the first dish to diners. A QR code at the table leads to a detailed story behind each course on the menu, which includes dishes like pozole (hen of the woods broth), pastel de choclo (beef casserole), ceviche and churros. The food is excellent, but what’s most striking is the homely, conversational mood that gathering in such a novel setting can create.
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Juno Omakase, Notting Hill
The former storage cupboard of Los Mochis Notting Hill, Juno Omakase is London’s smallest restaurant, with only six seats available. Now open for nearly a year, its snug, counter-style dining — with just one counter — and Mexican-Japanese fusion cuisine have made it one of the most sought-after dining experiences in the city.
Inspired by the Japanese custom of omakase, which translates to ‘I leave it up to you’, there is no set menu. Instead, guests place their trust in executive chef Leonard Tanyag, who personally creates a 15-course tasting menu as you watch on, counterside. Each dish marries traditional Japanese techniques and vibrant Mexican flavours, paired with a curated selection of sake or wine. A visit here is a special, albeit intimate, one — and you’d best be prepared to meet your dining neighbours.
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The Candlelight Club, Hoxton
In a ‘secret’ location in the sinuous streets of south London, The Candlelight Club hosts award-winning pop-up parties with a 1920s speakeasy theme — and a three-course dinner option. Live cabaret, burlesque, jazz bands and DJs play music from the era, while you enjoy a menu of cocktails and American-inspired dishes.
For an evening spent here, you’ll be expected to look the part — not just formal, but in glamorous 1920s vintage garb, as guests are encouraged to dress accordingly. Regulars attest that no other venue boasts such dedication to a theme as this club. You’ll often find a tarot reader or a sketch artist inside.
To preserve the period fantasy, the club only reveals the location of each party to ticket holders a couple of days before the event, and there are no tickets available on the door.
Feature image: Supperclub.tube
