I don't know about you guys but I'm heading out for a bite... (photo by nicholasjon)
If you are on the lookout for somewhere fun to dine, London sure isn't short of them. Clare Carmichael lists down some of her favourite quirky restaurants in London.
Are you bored of eating in the same old restaurants? Are you tired of the lack of individuality and having nothing to visually inspire you whilst you chow down?
Why not try out one of London's unusual restaurants and see if one of them satisfies your craving for something a little out of the ordinary? Dining doesn't have to be all about the food – the décor and entertainment are also part of the experience!
The Wapping Project
Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, Wapping Hall, London E1W 3SG,
020 7680 2080
This restaurant is situated in an old hydraulic power station so the 'décor' is quite exceptional - think bricks and machinery. The food is modern European and you can expect to pay around £8 for a starter and £16 for a main so this place is probably more suited for special occasions. If you decide to celebrate here you're in luck as this restaurant caters for big groups.
Photo by stevecadman
Bunga Bunga
37 Battersea Bridge Road Battersea, London SW11 3BA
020 7095 0360
If you like a bit of quirky then this is the place for you! It's dedicated to all things Italian so you'll find pictures of the Colosseum, a gondola-shaped bar and even a few bikes hanging from the ceiling. In order to enter the restaurant you need to go through an Italian phone box. The place serves pizza (or course!) which costs around £9 and it also offers karaoke if diners want to embarrass themselves. You can brush up on your Italian with the language tapes playing in the toilets.
Les Trois Garçons
1 Club Row London, Greater London E1 6JX
020 7613 1924
Are you a fan of 'la cuisine française'? This restaurant promises the best of authentic French delicacies as well as stunningly-decorated rooms. You feel like you've stepped back in time when you see how the rooms are bedecked; beaded chandeliers, vintage signs and even handbags suspended from the ceiling homage to French fashion. The set menus cost £39.50 for 2 courses or £47.00 for 3 courses.
Photo by Ewan-M
Circus
27-29 Endell Street, London WC2H 9BA
0207 420 9300
This place has got food AND entertainment; what more could you want? The décor is both glamorous and kitsch at the same time with mirror balls, flamingo table legs and harlequin-patterned walls. The entertainment you'll receive on the night is always a surprise so you won't know what you're going to get, but you can be assured that it will be weird and wonderful. The food is Pan Asian so you can expect dishes such as 'baked Barramundi parcel with asparagus, coriander, lime leaf and lemongrass' and 'red pepper lamb chops with chilli and honey'.
Meat Liquor
74 Welbeck Street London W1G 0BA
020 7224 4239
This place is said to have the best burgers in London so why not try it and see if it's true? They are priced at around £8, but you have to order sides separately. Luckily they come in massive portions so you don't need to worry about going home hungry. The restaurant is quite dark, but that's all part of it. The ceiling is covered in tasteful graffiti-like scribbles, but at the same time the room has a boudoir feel.
Photo by Bex Walton
Sarastro
126 Drury Lane London WC2B 5SU, tel: 020 7836 0101
This is a great dining place for opera lovers! Enjoy Mediterranean/Turkish food surrounded by quirky objects and paintings. The place is stuffed to the brim, but that's a good thing as it adds to its cosy feel. Opera singers walk around and entertain you at your table. If you're lucky you might even see belly dancers!
Photo by Su-Lin
This list is just the tip of the iceberg so once you've got a taster from these and want to try more anomalous restaurants, there are lots more to be found dotted around London.
This has been a guest post by Clare Carmichael from My Passion For Food and hungryhouse, the UK's leading online takeaway platform that features restaurants across the country including London, Nottingham and Glasgow.
