The Best London Restaurants for a Celebration

If you’re celebrating a milestone with friends and family – likely in a big group – the last place you want to be is somewhere small and intimate, where everyone speaks in hushed tones. You want a restaurant where you can really unwind and let the party commence – for which Amazónico might be perfect. In looks, it could be called jungle chic; in atmosphere, it’s loud, fun and a great place to knock back the cocktails. The food comes with a similar vigour, combining South American flavours with an unexpected sushi selection.

Of all London’s many great Indian restaurants, this is the most celebratory feeling. After all, it is inspired by Punjab’s ‘party mansions’ of old, with interior design that is luxe and lavish – think comfortable furnishings, rich colours and a pervading sense that no expense has been spared. The extensive and enticing menu lends itself to overeager ordering and sharing amongst friends, with the kitchen skilfully imparting the flavours of Northern India and Pakistan. Don’t want the night to end? The DJs in the Ambassy basement bar will see to that.

If “I love you” are the three words most people associate with a special occasion, then we’d like to propose “press for champagne” as an alternative. Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary, a promotion or your granny’s birthday, Bob Bob Ricard’s famous champagne ordering service is sure to get you in the party mood. Despite being known for its bubbly gimmick, there’s a lot to love about the restaurant in general, from its skilfully executed classic dishes to its elegant and glitzy interior.

It’s not just Hélène Darroze’s superlative restaurant that’s perfect for a celebration, but everything around it too. Few cocktail spots in London are more renowned than The Connaught Bar, beloved by top chefs in particular. Start here with one of their famous martinis before continuing the evening within the opulence of Darroze’s Three-Star restaurant, which quite simply serves one of the best meals in the country. And, if you’re celebrating something really special, you can splash out on a room upstairs in this Three-MICHELIN-Key hotel.

These days, many people’s go-to celebratory spot – particularly for a large group of friends – is one of those big, bustling, smoke-filled restaurants where the flavours are bold, the produce is grilled over flames and the room is filled with young, hip Londoners. Lita and Brat would be great choices too, but Mountain is the pick of the bunch for its size and central Soho location – ideal for continuing the revelry in one of the area’s many bars. If there’s a few of you, the signature lobster caldereta to share will make your visit feel like a real event.

There’s so much more to Park Chinois than its food: its interiors are among the most decadent you will find, full of old-school glitz and plush velvet furnishings; the service has a matching formality; and the cocktails, DJs and dancing in Club Chinois are an event in themselves. None of that’s to say you should overlook the cooking, which delivers a roll-call of classic Chinese dishes with skill and polish. Celebrations are the best time for going all-out with your ordering, and nothing says ‘big spender’ quite like the decadent duck de chine.

For many people, The River Café has been the special occasion restaurant in London for years. It has one of those clubby atmospheres that’s perfect for celebrating and a pervading air of quality – you don’t get to be a London icon for several decades without doing something right. The MICHELIN-Starred cooking has always stuck firmly to the Italian philosophy of less is more, with quality prized above frills. So sit back, relax and enjoy top ingredients cooked by a skilled hand. It helps that you can celebrate on the renowned terrace too.

If you want your celebration to feel extra special, then a restaurant on Savile Row is a good place to start. This legendary suit-making street has been welcoming London’s best-dressed citizens for decades, making it a perfect setting for this Two-MICHELIN-Star venture from Chefs Spencer Metzger and Jason Atherton. Row on 5 is a suitably luxurious affair, with a tasting menu featuring the likes of caviar, lobster and truffle in dishes that seamlessly blend European and Japanese influences in a clean, modern style.

We had to pick one of Gordon Ramsay’s suite of restaurants inside The Savoy – after all, the Three-MICHELIN-Key hotel has been at the pinnacle of British luxury for decades. The MICHELIN-Starred 1890 or The Savoy Grill, with its famous beef Wellington, would both be good choices – but there’s something about the seafood-inclined River Restaurant that makes it feel extra celebratory. Nothing says ‘special occasion’ quite like an attention-grabbing shellfish platter. The location is spot-on too, with the best seats providing a view of the River Thames and Victoria Embankment Gardens.

What more do we really need to say? It’s The Ritz. It’s Two-MICHELIN-Star French classics delivered by a charming team. It’s dining in one of the most beautiful restaurants in the country. It’s live music and dancing on a Saturday night. It’s marvelling at the sheer level of luxury before your eyes. It’s getting dressed up to the nines because you know you’re in a genuine London icon. It’s savouring the moment because few special occasions could really be as special as this... Like we said: it’s The Ritz.