Eating out is no longer just about the food. Social media savvy diners are increasingly choosing restaurants not only based on how the food looks and taste, but also picking locations with eye-catching interior design. If your Instagram feed needs a bit of perking up, head to one of these London restaurants with an interior that’s dying to be photographed.
1. Sketch
Sketch is on the must-visit list of every Instagrammer visiting London and its marshmallow-like pink velvet sofas and David Shrigley artwork features in many a feed. The restaurant bathrooms are also probably the most photographed in London, with a rainbow stained glass ceiling and futuristic egg pod toilets.
9 Conduit St, Mayfair, London W1S 2XG
Open 8am – 2am Monday to Saturday, and 8am – 12.30am on Sunday
2. Bob Bob Ricard
The “press for champagne” buttons are probably the most photographed feature at Soho’s Bob Bob Ricard, but there are plenty of other Instagram opportunities in the rest of the interior such as the cobalt blue seating and gold features, inspired by the Orient Express.
1 Upper James St, Soho, London W1F 9DF
Open 12.30 – 3pm Monday to Sunday, and 6pm – 12am Monday to Wednesday, 5.30pm – 1am Thursday to Saturday, and 5.30pm – 12am Sunday
3. Clos Maggiore
Straight out of a film set, the dining room at Clos Maggiore has a blossoming canopy of branches and twinkling fairy lights hanging from the ceiling providing a distinctly romantic atmosphere, not to mention a scene worth uploading to Instagram. Another dining room has an indoor hedge growing from the walls and is decorated with flying pig statues.
33 King St, London WC2E 8JD
Open 12 – 2.30pm and 5 – 11pm Monday to Sunday (closing one hour early on Sundays)
4. Palm Vaults
Hackney’s Palm Vaults has a definite pink theme going on with its floral arrangements, hanging macramé plant holders, and beetroot lattes. The palm-print wallpaper in the bathrooms makes for what one Instagram user calls “the most beautiful toilet in the world”. The whole place has a retro Miami vibe, the perfect match for those muted Instagram filters. The food options provide plenty of photo opportunities too, with smoothie bowls and rainbow pancakes galore.
411 Mare St, London E8 1HY
Open 9am – 6.30pm Monday to Friday, 9am – 6pm Saturday, and 10am – 5pm Sunday
www.palmvaults.com
5. Coppa Club
Riverside Coppa Club not only has a stunning view of Tower Bridge, but also a dreamy outdoor sitting area wrapped in vines and a canopy of hanging flowers in an ombre effect of white through shades of pink to purple. In the winter the outdoor space is transformed with private heated igloos complete with sheepskin rugs and speakers.
3 Three Quays Walk, Lower Thames St, London EC3R 6AH
Open 7.30am – 11pm Monday to Thursday, 7.30am – 12am Friday, 9am – 12am Saturday, and 9am – 10.30pm on Sunday
www.coppaclub.co.uk/towerbridge
6. Shaka Zulu
The tribal-themed Shaka Zulu boasts one of London’s most unique restaurant interiors, with a zebra-print bar, 20ft high warrior statues, and carved wooden murals. The food is also pretty unusual and photogenic with menu items including braai grilled ostrich, crocodile, and zebra.
Stables Market, Chalk Farm Rd, London NW1 8AB
Open 12pm – 12am Sunday to Thursday, and 12pm – 2am Friday to Saturday
7. Pharmacy 2
Designed to look like a pharmacy or chemistry lab, Pharmacy 2 is part restaurant, part Damien Hirst art installation. Open shelving with a colourful display of medication fills one wall and the windows are decorated with a giant representation of DNA strands.
Newport St, Lambeth, London SE11 6AJ
Open 10am – 12am Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 6pm Sunday, and closed on Monday
www.pharmacyrestaurant.com
8. Berners Tavern
The architecture and interior design at Berners Tavern are opulent enough, but what really lifts it into Instagram gold star material is the framed artwork that covers the walls from floor to ceiling. The ornately moulded ceilings and unique globe chandelier are also popular photo subjects.
10 Berners St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3NP
Open 7am – 12am Monday to Friday, and 9am – 12am Saturday and Sunday
9. German Gymnasium
The giant German Gymnasium restaurant at King’s Cross scooped the title of “most beautiful restaurant in the world” in the 2016 international Restaurant & Bar Design Awards. It’s particularly photogenic viewed from above with its symmetrical geometric arrangement of tables and seating and a central cherry blossom tree.
King’s Blvd, Kings Cross, London N1C 4BU
Open 8am – 11pm Monday to Friday, 10am – 11pm Saturday, and 10am – 10pm Sunday
www.germangymnasium.co.uk
10. Bourne & Hollingsworth
Combining several popular Instagram trends including white walls, mismatched vintage furniture, and plenty of indoor foliage, This Clerkenwell restaurant is a favourite spot of London Instagrammers.
42 Northampton Rd, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 0HU
Open 11am – 12am Monday to Thursday, 11am – 1am Friday, 10am – 1am Saturday, and 10am – 6pm Sunday
