You’ll be devouring the views at Glass Room.
We’ve had restaurants in the sky, restaurants in the dark, and even restaurants on buses – so a restaurant on the river really shouldn’t be much of a surprise to anyone anymore. Still, the arrival of Glass Room should make some waves, as this stylish, glass-fronted restaurant sails straight into the oft-perilous waters of the London restaurant scene.
Having gone to the trouble of launching a floating restaurant, you can bet Glass Room are going to make it as pretty as possible. They roped in designer Tom Dixon to create the interiors, embracing an upmarket nautical theme – think polished wood, shades of blue and white, and a grand piano in the centre of the restaurant. In using an all-glass structure for the boat, the ship boasts unobstructed river views, with landmarks including the London Eye, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament in your eyeline.
The whole boat is built for style over speed, and why not, when these kind of views are on offer? Glass Room also makes use of a balcony at the prow of the boat, and a charming private terrace at the bow, giving you even more options to be Extra Fancy during your voyage.
Food skews towards the British with European influences; lunch options include smoked salmon with celeriac remoulade, and chicken with pumpkin purée and braised leek. Dinner takes the form of a three-hour, five-course cruise, winding your way past the twinkling lights of the capital as an increasingly decadent array of food arrives before you.
Still, the Glass Room’s ace in the hole comes on Sundays. That’s when they unleash their three-course Sunday roast, served with all the trimmings and lashings of live jazz. I’d reckon it’s your best option, so long as the whole adventure isn’t sunk by the pricing – dining on the water does not come especially cheap, you know…
Location: Embankment Pier, Victoria Embankment, WC2N 6NU. Nearest station is Embankment. See it on Google Maps.
Opening hours: they set sail at lunch, dinner, and for afternoon tea experiences.
Prices: lunch sittings are £39pp, or £49 for better seats and a half bottle of wine. Dinner packages run from £79-149, and Sunday lunch is £49, or £59 with wine.
More information: on their website.