Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in London

OpenTable

Updated January 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best ambiance in London? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Pedro's Wine Bar

4.8

4.8 (162)

£25 and under

Portuguese

London Bridge

About the restaurant

At Pedro's Wine bar, our mission is to bring the best wines of Portugal to the UK - affordable, higher-quality alternatives to the well-known wine varieties that fill supermarket shelves and restaurant menus.

Welcoming space, dog-friendly, serving unique, and hand-selected Portuguese wines & spirits, as well as traditional Portuguese bites, just 1 min away from Maltby Street food market. We are bringing a new concept to the of the Bermondsey beer mile. Book your table, and sample some of the wines before you buy.

We want London and the wider UK to open their minds, fill their glasses and drink with us, and enjoy a taste of the best in Portugal.

Top review

Sophie

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

Excellent service from the very beginning. We had booked a table, but when we arrived, we were given the choice to sit further into the restaurant away from the door. Pedro was very helpful with choosing wines, providing an at table tasting service. The food was all delicious, as were the drinks. All of the waiting staff were very attentive and helpful. There was a good, lively atmosphere without being too noisy, and our table were all able to easily converse with one another. A really wonderful afternoon!

The Water House Project

4.9

4.9 (37)

£41 and over

British

Bethnal Green

About the restaurant

The Water House Project is a modern British tasting menu experience in Bethnal Green, East London.

Chef Gabriel Waterhouse opened The Water House Project with his wife, Patricia in Bethnal Green in Autumn 2021 aiming to bridge the gap between fine dining elegance and a more relaxed, comfortable atmosphere.   Here the team serve a seasonally evolving tasting menu which changes every three months.

We rely on local, seasonal ingredients using these when at their best.    We believe in using small amounts of ethically and sustainably reared meat and fish, and partnering with suppliers who share in our values. Our drink pairings are made up of either wines, sourced from small scale producers or a non-alcoholic pairing of teas, tonics and ferments made by our kitchen team.

Seasons Discovery menu - Wednesday 7pm & Saturday 1pm
(£125pp including alcoholic or non alcoholic pairing)

Seasons Signature menu - Thursday - Saturday 7pm
(£155pp including alcoholic or non alcoholic pairing)

Top review

Ben

Dined on Dec 20, 2024

Excellent in every way. Really brilliant meal, and service was exceptional. We will be back!

Oi Spaghetti

5.0

5 (355)

£41 and over

Contemporary Italian

Peckham

About the restaurant

My name is Francesco and I cook spaghetti in this cabin restaurant with 3 tables, since 2015. I work solo. I don't serve more than 15 diners a day, and I will take care of your dinner like I would for my mother.

You can watch me LIVE on Twitch under "Francescocooksspaghetti".

Top review

Dined on Dec 11, 2024

Really delicious food prepared in front of you. The menu may seem simple but the quality (and size) of the dishes is amazing. Pleasantly intimate setting with attentive but not overpowering service. The live stream / commentary can be distracting in such a small space but it's part of the package so no complaints. Would definitely return.

The Northall at Corinthia London

4.8

4.8 (2735)

£26 to £40

Contemporary European

Covent Garden

About the restaurant

The relationship between producer and plate is the essence of The Northall, offering a seasonal menu which showcases the best of modern European cuisine. With award-winning Executive Chef André Garrett at the helm, you are guaranteed a taste experience to remember.

Top review

MarshaVIP

Dined on Dec 26, 2024

Absolutely beautiful dining room, our server was very on point and the food was incredible. I had a Caesar salad which I loved along with Dover sole. My husband had a filet which he said was the best he had ever eaten.

Kebab Queen

4.9

4.9 (31)

£41 and over

Middle Eastern

Covent Garden

About the restaurant

KQ is the critically acclaimed fine dining project of Manu Canales, Ed Brunet & Stephen Tozer. Drawing from their vast knowledge in modern Middle Eastern cookery and their tenure in multiple Michelin starred kitchens, they've created a culinary masterpiece. Currently hosting the renowned chef Pamir Zeydan, KQ stands as a beacon of extreme creativity in the world of gastronomy. It challenges and disrupts the conventional norms of what it means to "fine dine". Forget what you know, and join us for a very unusual dinner.

At the heart of the Kebab Queen dining experience is our meticulously crafted menu. Chef Pamir's eight course tasting menu revolves around immersion and connection. Drawing inspiration from humble origins, he skillfully elevates traditional Turkish dishes to create an unparalleled dining experience. The menu celebrates the essence of Mediterranean cuisine, thoughtfully featuring dishes that blend comfort and ingenuity.

Top review

Victoria

Dined on Dec 7, 2024

Absolutely outstanding experience. Would highly recommend. Everything was executed perfectly, the food, the drinks and the ambiance.

The Library Bar at The Lanesborough

4.9

4.9 (129)

£41 and over

Cocktail Bar

Knightsbridge

About the restaurant

One of the capital's most celebrated cocktail destinations, The Library Bar – distinguished by its outstanding mixology and venerable "liquid museum" of spirits – offers the warm and intimate atmosphere of a private club accompanied by a vibrant ambiance that makes it a popular choice with Knightsbridge and Belgravia's well-heeled locals as well as hotel guests. The bar, located within Hyde Park Corner's Lanesborough hotel, is home to cognacs dating back to the 1770s, as well as spectacularly prepared cocktails by a team of award-winning experts including Bar Manager Mickael Perron.

Top review

Bernard

Dined 5 days ago

Good for a quick lunch, in a charming typically British bar. Excellent service.

Discover more

Experience

Live Nights with Perrier-Jouët

Experience

Library Bar Lunch Hour

Experience

Martini Sundays with Monkey 47

Bergamot Cafe

4.9

4.9 (87)

£25 and under

Café

Shepherd's Bush

About the restaurant

Welcome to our family-run cafe, where delicious home-style meals and warm hospitality are always on the menu.
Our exquisite foods is influenced by Persian cuisine and prepared by Shirin our chef.

Bergamot is a gorgeous new trendy boutique café that stands out with its elegant design and food.

We also offer a top-notch socializing experience with our supper clubs cooking classes and cultural events, starting with infused Persian food and expanding to other cuisines. Our classes will host renowned chefs and provide a break from the everyday routine. We are also environmentally conscious and strive to reduce waste by using recyclable materials as much as possible, even in our fit-out, mainly using reclaimed wooden furniture.

Top review

Chloe

Dined on Dec 11, 2024

Really lovely spot, with great food and helpful, friendly staff. Breakfast and coffees were delicious - will definitely return.

Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay

4.9

4.9 (157)

£25 and under

Unspecified

Covent Garden

About the restaurant

Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay has created a blend between unparalleled service, culinary creativity, and exquisite wines. Overlooking the famous Savoy Hotel entrance, Restaurant 1890 provides the perfect ambience and an unforgettable dining experience.

Top review

Steven

Dined on Dec 20, 2024

I was quite apprehensive at dining alone at such a prestigious high end establishment, but i was happily surprised as soon as i walked in. The staff were incredibly professional and attentive, but also so helpful and friendly. I didn't feel alone at all. Always a smile and a listening ear to hear how wonderful the food and drink were. The food was incredible. With little upfront knowledge of what the menu would contain, i was relieved it was full of dishes i would have ordered myself, with seasonal ingredients presented and cooked in excitingly new way - for me anyway. It was all so well presented and described. Thank you all for making me feel so comfortable, welcome and incredibly fed!

Afternoon Tea at Rosewood London

4.8

4.8 (802)

£41 and over

Afternoon Tea

Holborn

About the restaurant

Executive Pastry Chef Mark Perkins and his team have created a new vision for Mirror Room’s Art Afternoon Tea series established since 2017 by live collaborating with multidisciplinary London-based artist, John Booth, combining their separate visions for the first time.

A menu brimming with artistic expression.

Top review

NatVIP

Dined on Dec 20, 2024

Excellent and festive setting which is an important element for me for the afternoon tea great and creative food - a bit pricey for what is offered though

B E H I N D

5.0

5 (63)

£41 and over

British

Hackney

About the restaurant

Welcome to BEHIND. We are an intimate 1 Michelin star fish-focused tasting menu restaurant run by chef Andy Beynon. Situated on the edge of London Fields, Hackney, BEHIND has 18 kitchen-table seats for lunch and dinner sittings, as well as a relaxed wine bar.

BEHIND is Andy Beynon’s first restaurant, opened in October 2020. After just 20 days’ trading it was awarded its first Michelin Star. Andy spent 15 years working in some of the best Michelin star restaurants in the country, including with chefs Claude Bosi, Phil Howard and Michael Wignall.

Top review

Danean

Dined on Dec 28, 2024

One of the best dining experiences we’ve ever had!

Explore Diners' Choice best of London

Explore more Diners' Choice lists