Best Private Dining Rooms In London – The City

A wealth of private dining rooms is to be found in the exclusive restaurants located in The City of London. These event spaces enable discerning diners to savour the experience of a restaurant whilst enjoying the exclusivity and privacy that private dining provides. Being located in the centre of one of the UK’s major financial and commercial districts where banks, law firms and insurance companies rule the roost, venues in The City are well versed in providing discrete areas for group dining events including breakfast meetings, client lunches, corporate dinners, hen & stag meals and company Christmas parties.

1 Lombard Street

The Red Room at 1 Lombard Street seats up to 40 guests and the The 1776 Restaurant can accommodate up to 55 for dining events or up to 90 for receptions. The venue itself is the site of a Grade II listed former bank, opposite the Bank of England and close to the Mansion House. For larger group bookings, 1 Lombard Street provides exclusive hire for private dining events of up to 200 with standing room for up to 450. More information here

Chamberlain’s Restaurant

Chamberlain’s Restaurant has four exclusive dining rooms as well as a terrace overlooking historic Leadenhall Market which is ideal for al fresco dining events in the fairer months. Situated in the heart of The City – just a stone’s throw from Lloyd’s of London – the restaurant’s location enables guests to experience the traditional feel of the old City whilst enjoying a selection of Modern European cuisine including the freshest seafood, supplied daily from its own Billingsgate wholesale fish company. More information here

Hawksmoor Guildhall

Hawksmoor nestles in Basinghall Street, close to The Guildhall and has a traditional mahogany panelled private room with seating for up to 22 dining guests. The venue prides itself on the finest quality of its steaks and is available for private breakfasts, lunches and dinners. The main dining room at Hawksmoor Guildhall is also available to exclusively hire for up to 160 seated guests or for standing receptions of up to 100 at the bar. More information here

The Don Restaurant & Bistro

Situated between Cannon Street and King William Street, The Don’s location is equidistant between Bank & Cannon Street underground stations. The venue provides three private rooms for group dining events. The Sanderson Room, which in an earlier time was a cellar for port of the same name, is a brick vaulted private area seating up to 25 dining guests in what is one of the most atmospheric private rooms in The City. The White Room is an art adorned space that seats up to 40. Overlooking The White Room is The Wine Study which contains a wall of wine and seats up to 16 private dining guests.

Lutyens Restaurant

Prescott & Conran owned Lutyens at 85 Fleet Street is situated in what was the Reuters news agency building, designed by the celebrated architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens. The restaurant has four private dining spaces; all named after buildings designed by the same architect responsible for the building in which they are located. The private dining rooms are all available for breakfast, lunch and dinner events. The Viceroy’s House seats up to 16, The Reuters Room seats up to 10 guests and The Great Dixter up to 6 for more intimate events. Two of the rooms can be combined to seat up to 26 for larger events. More information here

The Mercer Restaurant & Bar

The Mercer is situated in the centre of The City’s financial area in Threadneedle Street. This popular City venue has a private dining room seating up to 30 guests and accommodates up to 40 for standing receptions. For semi-private events The Library seats up to 12 dining guests or up to 20 for receptions. The Mercer restaurant is also available to hire exclusively for larger events of up to 100 seated guests or up to 180 standing.  More information here

Threadneedles

Another private dining venue in Threadneedle Street is Threadneedles, home to Bond’s Restaurant and located in a former Midland Bank building. Threadneedles Hotel is part of the Eton Collection and expertly combines modern design with the traditional bank architecture of the site. The hotel has three private rooms; The Traders Room and The Sterling Room are ideal for more intimate dining events, both seating up to eight. The larger Capital Room seats up to 16 (35 for standing receptions) and can be combined with the Sterling Room to accommodate private dining events of up to 50. Bond’s Bar & Restaurant can also be hired for seated events of up to 80 or receptions of up to 200. More information here

The Brewery

The Brewery in Chiswell Street is the site of the old Whitbread brewery. The venue, equally well served by Moorgate and Barbican tube stations, is the perfect venue for larger banqueting events in The City of London, being equipped with six private dining rooms seating between 72 and 700 guests. The Porter Tun is the largest, seating up to 700 with standing capacity of up to 900 for receptions. The King George Room can seat up to 390 (700 standing) and The Queen Charlotte Room seats up to 160 private diners (180 standing. The Sugar Rooms, The Smeaton Vaults and James Watt private rooms can respectively seat 100, 160 and 72 guests and are also available to hire for standing receptions. More information here

Chiswell Street Dining Rooms

Chiswell Street Dining Rooms is a City venue operated by the acclaimed ETM Group. Another venue within the famous old Chiswell Street brewery, the restaurant has two private spaces available. The Grubb Street Room is totally private with seating for up to 12 and is also suitable for standing receptions for up to 20 guests. The Snug is a semi-private dining room able to accommodate up to 18. Group dining is available for breakfasts, lunches and dinners prepared by Richard O’Connell, Head Chef, who specialises in classic British cuisine.

Green’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar

Green’s Cornhill has a stunning view of the Bank of England and boasts its own history with the building having once been the headquarters of Lloyds Bank. The restaurant has four private areas available to hire for breakfast, lunch and dinner events. The Bank of England Room is so named for its view and accommodates up to 32 dining guests or up to 40 for standing receptions. The smaller Cornhill Room has private dining for up to 14 with the Mezzanine area accommodating up to 22 diners. For more intimate private meals the Library Corner seats 4 guests. More information here

Herbert Berger at Innholders Hall

Michelin award-winning chef Herbert Berger is the man behind the scenes at Innholders Hall, located between Cannon Street and Upper Thames Street. The venue is one of The City’s ancient livery halls, dating back to 1670. Innholders Hall can accommodate smaller private dining events in The Old Court Room which seats 26 (30 standing) and The New Court Room which accommodates 30 seated diners (40 for standing receptions). For larger banqueting events, The Great Hall provides seating for 100 as well as being the ideal venue for City receptions of up to 250 standing guests.

Taberna Etrusca

Taberna Etrusca is an authentic Italian restaurant located off Cheapside in Bow Churchyard and equally well reached by underground from St. Paul’s and Bank stations. Established in 1967, this popular restaurant buzzes with City businessmen and has a private dining room which is perfect for a range of events including corporate lunches and dinners. The room’s long table seats up to 22 with alternative seating on separate tables for private events of up to 30.

The Oyster Shed

The Oyster Shed is situated just off Upper Thames Street, close to The Monument and has hard to beat views of The Shard from its Thames side location. Operated by the high quality gastro pub chain, Geronimo Inns, the venue has five private event spaces. The Observation Deck seats 60 (120 for standing receptions) with The Captain’s Table, The Crow’s Nest, The Bunk and The Stern each seating up to 30 private dining guests. More information here