The best private dining rooms at restaurants in Windsor
Windsor in Berkshire is one of those towns that arrives with its introduction already written. The castle, of course, dominates: rising above neat streets and the river, a reminder that this has been a royal backdrop for centuries rather than a recent marketing invention.
Yet step a little away from the postcard views and Windsor softens into something more human – cobbled lanes, handsome Georgian and Victorian frontages, and a riverside that feels made for stretching your legs between meetings.
For anyone planning group dining, it helps that Windsor is compact and well connected. Trains from London arrive within strolling distance of most central hotels and restaurants, and the town is easy enough to navigate even for those who only ever glance at maps on their phones. Many of the smarter hotels offer private rooms that double as boardrooms by day and dining spaces by night, often with glimpses of the castle or the Thames to remind you where you are. Out towards the Great Park and the surrounding countryside, country-house hotels and estates provide more expansive options, with panelled rooms, long tables and the sort of gardens that make a post-lunch walk feel almost mandatory.
In the centre, The Ivy Royal Windsor Brasserie does what the group has made its signature: a gently glamorous dining room, familiar crowd-pleasing classics on the menu, and well-drilled group dining options that make light work of mixed parties of colleagues, clients and families.
Beyond that, Windsor has quietly assembled a range of restaurants that work hard for groups. Contemporary brasseries and modern British spots offer group menus that keep service brisk without feeling mean, covering everything from steak and fish to considered vegetarian dishes, alongside wine lists designed more for ease than showmanship. Some of the most appealing rooms sit in older buildings near the castle and guildhall, where private spaces upstairs or to the rear can host smaller teams or celebration dinners without losing the atmosphere of the main restaurant.
Out in the nearby villages and along the river, there are pubs and dining rooms with private spaces – sometimes wine cellars, sometimes glassy extensions – that suit more intimate gatherings, especially when paired with good weather and a terrace.
Pubs remain part of the local rhythm, and several are adept at carving out corners for relaxed group suppers: generous plates of British comfort food, a decent pint, and staff used to folding tourists, locals and business visitors into the same evening without fuss. The overall impression is of a town that knows it is on show, but has had centuries to get comfortable with the role.
Taken together, Windsor offers an appealing proposition for group dining events: a historic setting, straightforward transport, and a spread of private and semi-private spaces that run from polished hotel rooms to characterful pubs, all within a town that feels both special and surprisingly easy to use.
Read our blog for more information on Michelin starred restaurants in Berkshire with private dining rooms.