Morning:
14°c
New Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of it
Some fares could fall by more than a third when Oyster is extended to every national rail station in London, it has emerged
More...
Romantic restaurants for Valentine's night
06.02.08
Bibendum Oyster Bar: one of the nicest places to eat shellfish in London
Skylon: one of the best views of the Thames you will find
A bastion of France in England: one of the capital's best venues for escargots
Full-on flavours: Madhu's is one of Southall's best established restaurants
Blisteringly fashionable: Locanda Locatelli has won plaudits galore
Look here too
Planning to take your loved one out for a meal on Valentine's night. Then take a look at our guide to some of the most romantic restaurants in town.
Bibendum Oyster Bar
Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, SW3. Tel. 020 7589 1480
An elegant former garage with its lofty ceiling and antique tiling, this is one of the nicest places to eat shellfish in London. There's a particularly fine plateau de fruits de mer (for minimum two people), which has everything: crab, clams, langoustines, oysters, prawns and shrimps, as well as winkles and whelks.
Click here for full review
Cambio de Tercio
163 Old Brompton Road, SW5. Tel. 020 7244 8970
This Spanish restaurant uses the very best ingredients, showcasing flair, excitement and invention all at once. It boasts a definitive range of Spanish fine wine, the selection from the Ribero del Duero being particularly fine.
Click here for full review
Skylon
Southbank Centre, SE1. Tel. 020 7654 7800
If it's a view you want to impress your date with, you'll struggle to beat Skylon. With windows that reach from the six-metre high ceilings to the floor, there's no place better from which to gaze at the Thames. The restaurant is truly stylish, with graceful cutlery designed by David Mellor and Nick Munro Skylon-inspired silver coffee pots. Enjoy the fine food and then go for a romantic stroll along the Southbank.
Click here for full review
La Poule au Pot
221 Ebury Street, SW1. Tel. 020 7730 7763
A bastion of France in England for more than three decades, candlelight ensures that La Poule is a favourite for romantic assignations. One of London's top venues for escargots, plenty of garlic and herbs deliver classic French authenticity.
Click here for full review
Roast
The Floral Hall, Borough Market, SE1 1TL. Tel. 020 7940 1300An outstandingly beautiful dining room overhanging the busy Borough Market, Roast can offer a view of floodlit St Paul's by night. The food is unashamedly British with dishes like Carmarthen ham, Dorset dressed crab, black pudding hash, or sirloin steak from a pampered Welsh Black steer appearing on the menu.
Click here for full review
Kiku
17 Half Moon Street, W1. Tel. 020 7499 4208
A Japanese restaurant deep in the heart of Mayfair that serves top-class sushi with a classical ambience - but doesn't charge the earth. It might sound too good to be true, but take your partner down to Kiku and you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Click here for full review
Scott's
20 Mount Street, W1. Tel. 020 7495 7309
An elegant seafood bar, Scott's has been brilliantly revived with the help of Swedish-born designer Martin Brudnizki. Oscar Wilde was once supposed to have remarked "I can resist everything except temptation" while dining at the Mayfair landmark.
Click here for full review
Madhu's
39 South Road, Southall, UB1. Tel. 020 8574 1897
This well-established Southall restaurant serves predominantly East African-Asian food, well spiced with good, full-on flavours. From the smart white asymmetric china to the serried ranks of gleaming cutlery, it provides a fine setting for a romantic evening.
Click here for full review
Locanda Locatelli
8 Seymour Street, W1. Tel. 020 7935 9088
Blisteringly fashionable, Locanda Locatelli is a chic modern Italian restaurant which has won plaudits galore. An elegant dining room with a real buzz, one of the biggest problems is the waiting list when it comes to booking a table.
Click here for full review
Le Gavroche
43 Upper Brook Street, W1. Tel. 020 7408 0881
An awesome French restaurant, it's virtually impossible to make a bad choice when ordering. The dress code is formal (jacket and tie) and prices accordingly high, but if it's super slick service and exceptional cooking you are after, this is the place. Cheese lovers will be in heaven when confronted by the restaurant's monster trolley, laden with cheeses all in perfect condition.
Click here for full review
Related articles
