London’s most unusual dining experiences
Anyone hungry for adventure should tuck-in to London’s selection of truly unusual eateries
All aboard for a fancy feast on the British Pullman / Image: Belmond
Victoria Beardwood
Tired of eating at the same old restaurants time and time again? From dining in the pitch black to going gourmet in prison, London’s menu of oddball restaurants are guaranteed to feed your curiosity.
A champagne welcome on the British Pullman, A Belmond Train / Image: Belmond
Wes Anderson fans should board this restored train, which has a carriage designed by the famous film director. Passengers can live out their ‘Darjeeling Limited’ fantasies with a meal in Anderson’s whimsically decorated Cygnus carriage or any of the British Pullman’s other beautifully appointed carriages. There are plenty of destinations and dining experiences to try, such as The Golden Age of Travel – a round trip to Kent that includes a champagne welcome and a five-course gourmet lunch.
Departures from Victoria rail station (Victoria St, London SW1E 5ND)
www.belmond.com
Dining with a difference at The Clink / Image: Paul Griffiths Photography
Food in prison isn’t usually associated with fine dining, but at Brixton Prison’s restaurant, The Clink, the meals are positively gourmet – think za’atar-spiced poussin and pork rillettes. Run by a charity, The Clink’s dishes are cooked and served by inmates working towards gaining hospitality qualifications that will help them find employment when they leave.
HMP Brixton, Jebb Ave, Brixton, London SW2 5XF
theclinkcharity.org
Eat your way through 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' at Taste Film
If you’ve ever watched a movie and wished you were eating what’s being munched on-screen (is it weird that we salivate over Bruce Bogtrotter’s chocolate cake?), Taste Film is for you. The experience combines a film screening at a pop-up cinema with a timed set menu inspired by the film’s food and most memorable moments.
Various locations
www.tastefilm.co.uk
It looks great, but you won’t see it: Dans Le Noir / Image: Dans Le Noir
An oldie but a goodie, this central London restaurant has been delighting visitors for nearly 20 years with meals served in total darkness. Pick between the meat, fish or veggie menu, and dine on mystery dishes in pitch black, based on the idea that limiting the sense of sight heightens the other senses. Supposedly this means you’ll enjoy the taste and textures of your meal all the more.
You may have seen Dans le Noir in the Richard Curtis film ‘About Time’. Fitting, since we think it’s about time you tried out this unusual dining experience.
69-73 St John St, London EC1M 4AN
london.danslenoir.com
