Exceptional culinary experience in London

“All my piercings done with Kd have been very good. Does clear markings before piercing and asks you if the placement is good. Cleans the area to be pierced so very hygienic. He is my go to piercer. I always have a very good experience”

“This was an incredibly positive experience. I came here for lunch today with five friends, which we booked online. The waiters were very attentive,friendly and talked through the menu which was fresh, featuring mainly local or UK-sourced ingredients. The food was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. I loved the creative fusion and the clever multi-use of the space as both a local atelier and a restaurant. Definitely a five-star experience.”

“Authentic and truly delicious Indian food right here! The ambience is lovely, the staff are friendly, and the drinks are great — definitely try their cocktails. The special prawns and the different varieties of chicken tikka are a must-try; you’ll love them. They have loads of tasty curries and a good range of soft drinks too. We tried the mango lassi — it was superb! The kids really enjoyed the desserts, and the portion sizes for every dish were generous. Highly recommend this place if you’re looking for genuine Indian flavours and a warm, welcoming atmosphere!”

“We went around 7:15 PM for dinner, it was quite at the time, mostly empty. More people joined afterwards but was not overly crowded being a Wednesday night. Service was prompt and food was excellent. We are vegetarian so ordered only vegetarian food and both the items from mains were good. We also ordered two deserts and they were good too. It had calm vibes of small town Mexican dinner.”

“What an incredible find! If you're looking for genuine Italian food made with passion, this is the place. The homemade lasagna, straight from a family recipe, was absolute perfection—rich, flavourful, and clearly made with love. The wine list was superb, and our server's recommendation was the perfect pairing. We finished with a fantastic dessert that was the ideal end to the meal. The best part was seeing the owner in the kitchen, pouring his heart into the food. That passion is the secret ingredient. We're already planning our next visit!”

“What looks both from the outside and the inside like a standard greasy spoon cafe in fact serves the most fantastic food For breakfast and lunch with a very friendly owner, a dedicated team of staff and is spotlessly clean. My veggie option for £10 had two poached eggs on mashed avocado on sourdough, old style baked beans, a piece of hash brown, mushrooms, halloumi and a good size fresh salad. Unbelievably good. My friend had roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and described it as absolutely perfect With the meat being very tender.”

“I had the most amazing stay here for my birthday. The hotel was unique with stunning decor - highly unusual but brilliant. The hotel had made every effort to recognise the occasion - the room was aptly decorated with balloons and a handwritten message on the mirror. Staff were friendly and welcoming. Breakfast was nice - a lovely buffet selection. My dietary needs were catered for (gluten/dairy free). The hotel is situated in Islington - a very short walk to the canal. A morning walk along the canal to Canary Wharf and back along the Thames Path was the best start to the day! There are some beautiful spots along the canal to stop for a coffee or bite to eat - these are within a 5 minute stroll from the hotel. I would highly recommend this hotel - it made a really nice change to stay somewhere a little different/unique.”

“The best we ever had in London, despite being here at least 3-4 times. Comfortable beds, cozy rooms, great service and amazing location. We moved here in the middle of the night from a nearby hotel, as it was noisy and we weren’t able to rest properly. It was the best decision we ever made! Five stars.”

“We went on Wednesday evening, we were greeted with a smile and showed to our table. The staff were extremely friendly and polite, and guide you with the menu. The setting is very nice and parking is easy to find. The food was quite tasty. We got the Calamari, Wings and the Prawn Tempura for starters. For the mains we got the lamb chops, wagyu surf and turf, wagyu sirloin and the wagyu t-bone steak.. and we enjoyed our food. Would I go back there again? YES! Our steaks were amazing and full of flavour,the customer service was amazing, and the overall experience was very personal. So yes, gets a 5 outta 5. Good hidden gem.”

“A lovely café/restaurant with traditional Italian food and produce. I had a delicious pancetta and pistachio creme pasta and my mum had a seafood risotto which she loved. Both pastas dishes were fresh and well priced. The staff were friendly and attentive, helping us to decide which cannoli to share afterwards!”

“We had an amazing prosecco lunch today. A great catch up with dear friends, and an amazing singer. The food was amazing, service superb and the bubbles readily replenished, thank you xxx”

“I had the 6-course menu for lunch, and everything I ate was delicious. I drank a glass of champagne and was pleasantly surprised to have received a cake for my birthday. The service was impeccable, and the setting was beautiful. I absolutely loved it.”

“The New waitress was amazing today. It was her first Day and she did everything perfectly. Congratulations for the Hard work!”

“Went for a birthday breakfast at the Royal Lancaster hotel, I had the breakfast buffet and was very happy with everything, the service was great, the breakfast options were plenty, with sweet and savoury there was something for everyone, please note if you’re Muslim you’ll have to request halal sausages from the kitchen as the ones out aren’t halal but glad there’s an option for that. The French toast was also amazing. Marcelina, Mounir and Ayska were lovely and very attentive throughout our breakfast, thank you again.”

“My wife and I dined here in August 2025 and were served by the very witty and extremely professional Gawl.The food was very tasty, the experience is truly unique and like nothing we have done before. When you read its pitch black, it really is. Like you can hold your own hand an inch in front of your face and you still will not see it. This did not put us off in any way, but please do bear it in mind before booking. If it's not for you, that's ok, just know what you are signing up to. Before you enter the room they do take for safekeeping anything that can be reflective (like a wristwatch), but not things like diamond earrings and/or rings (so image how dark it really is if they are not worried about the diamond absorbing and reflecting the light back)! Also, if you need to, you can leave the dark dining space and visit the restroom during the dining experience, but we didn't as that would have "broke up" the atmosphere of truly dining in the dark. All in all, I highly recommend this to anyone who does not have issues with "the dark". I would not repeat the experience as it really is the element of surprise which made it so fascinating for us (like how will you "see" what you are eating - spoiler alert - you dont, and sometimes have to resort to helping yourself with your hands to ensure food is on the cutlery, which sounds counterintuitive, I know!), but I am very happy we did it once. Also, we were told that the menu changes every six months or so, so you can visit twice a year to surprise your taste palette, if you would like. In summary, I would definitely recommend at least one visit in your life and hopefully you get Gawl who made the whole two plus hours fly by! P.S. 1 I have not taken any photos so not to spoil your experiences. P.S.2. Kudos to the restaurant owners for employing blind and visually impiared people. On a very serious note, this restaurant experiences is really exceptionally informative of what it is like for blind and visually impaired people. Of course, the fact that the customer gets to return to their everyday life, whilst those who are blind or visually impaired do not leave this "darkness" is not lost on anyone who gives it a bit of a thought. Really makes you appreciate the "givens" in life!”

“Stopped by for brunch and was more than impressed! The food was incredible every ingredient was perfectly plated and full of flavor. The coffee and smoothies were so good (I even grabbed one to go.) A special thanks to Subhra, who greeted us with a warm smile from start to finish and gave us the best drink recommendations. Thank you, Subhra we will definitely be back.”

“It was my first time here and I really enjoyed it. I’ve been living in this area for so many years, and I can’t believe I hadn’t noticed such a place before. It’s truly wonderful — both the food and the warm welcome from the staff. Thank you very much for everything, everything was perfect. I look forward to visiting again.”

“I had the most lovely afternoon tea here to catch up with a good friend. The location (next to Marble Arch) was just lovely. Martha was a fantastic server. I felt so welcomed. The food was delicious. I loved the sunflower dessert the most!”

“We attended a wedding on Saturday the 26th of July. The food was amazing. We had such a wonderful time. Beautiful couple, beautiful venue.”

“I heard about the chorba at this place from an elderly gentleman - so I made it my mission to go. The chicken soup was piping hot and tasty ( home style ). Well priced - super clean and no frills - clean display cabinet - nice music and clean toilet. I loved it so much I stayed to read my book and have another beverage. These are the local places we need to support!!! Next time I’ll go for breakfast.”

“Part of the St. Martin's Hotel experience, this lovely little Cafe is connected and situated next door. The ambiance is relaxing and chill. There is a nice selection of coffees as well as a small selection of baked goods and sandwiches. The cappuccinos that I had during my stay were delicious! The best part of the experience were the staff. Alex and Tetiana were outstanding! Their commitment to excellence and professionalism were amazing. They were personable, helpful and just very nice people. They were the main reason that my group kept coming back. The level of service was top shelf. When I return to London, I will definitely make a point to stop by Ella's Mia!”

“Really good day lovely food and drinks very friendly staff”

“We loved our dining experience! The food in England is often really bland and coming from SA we were in desperate need of some spice! Thank you.. you ticked all the boxes”

“I was here for the first time for an early afternoon dinner. This is one of the pizzas I had in London.It’s real Italian and very tasty. The straciatella and spicy salami pizza is just the best. Burrata must be good but I will try that next time. The cocktails are also great. One of the few places which has campari spritz on their menu. The value is also good. If you’re coming for dinner at prime time you should book but otherwise you’re OK. I will be coming back.”

“I didn’t notice there was such a good, authentic chinese restaurant at elephant and castle. it easily became one of my favourites, with actual high quality chinese food. it was so good we couldn’t help but order more despite being so full!! the wonton soup is a must try (you could request for noodles with it). the salt baked french beans was new to me but so delicious and refreshing. the shrimp in kung po sauce was amazing (and authentic too). the crab fried rice was my favourite tho, the dryness of the dish was just right. finally they gave us desserts on the house, the chocolate cake was really good, not too spongey nor too sweet.”

“Superb coffee! Their bean selection is on-point and great roast. And the park and surroundings couldn’t be more perfect! You can grab a snack from this cafe or pack a picnic and enjoy while camping on the grass.”

“Excellent service!! Staff were very friendly with a great sense of humour. Menu was had just enough options and wasn't too overcrowded. Perfect location. When I asked about gluten free information they were very helpful. Would definitely come here again!”

“Everything was awesome staff was amazing and very knowledgeable and helpful”

“This hotel is perfect for a family with little kids. We traveled with our 2 and 3 year old boys for a week exploring London. Everyone working at the hotel from housekeeping to restaurant staff were top notch, making us feel so warm and welcome. The location is great as well, right by the Elizabeth and Jubilee line, and is a straight shot to heathrow and central London. Even Gatwick is an easy two train ride away. The are plenty of places to eat within a short walk of the hotel. As a Hilton gold member, I received the free buffet breakfast for the family and we loved it. A custom omelet station and a kids corner with kid friendly cutlery was also part of the breakfast. They had coloring pencils and drawing worksheets that also kept the kids busy. A special bonus for me was the steam and dry sauna that is attached to the gym. Lastly a special shout out to all the amazing staff. Literally each one. But I'll mention the ones I remember. Simon, Pradeep, Ayomide, Abbas and all the others, thank you thank you. We look forward to staying with you again on our next visit.”

“We love visiting Dukes. The service, cocktails, restaurant… everything is five stars. A slice of elegance in London”