Art-Filled Dining: London Restaurants Where Art Is Part of the Experience
- Alla Yaskovets
- Jul 26
- 4 min read
In London, restaurants are no longer just places to eat — they’re spaces of cultural expression. From curated art collections to collectible design, the capital’s most visually striking dining rooms are shaped with the same attention as a gallery or a private residence.
At Visualista, we’re researching the concept of aesthetic dining — where atmosphere and visual storytelling are integral to the meal. These restaurants prove that art in hospitality is more than a backdrop — it’s part of the experience.
Here are six destinations where food, design, and culture come together with intent — and where we think you should book a table soon.
Interior Design: Yabu Pushelberg
Art Collection: Over 200 framed photographs, paintings, and prints in salon-style hang
Cuisine: Modern British by Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton
Location: Fitzrovia, on the edge of Soho, The London EDITION Hotel
Dining beneath soaring ceilings, ornate plasterwork, and two bronze chandeliers — replicas of those in New York’s Grand Central Station — guests are enveloped in an opulent gallery space where walls become canvases. The curated wall-to-wall art makes Berner’s one of the most visually arresting rooms in London.
Interior Design: Laplace (Paris)
Art Collection: Works by Lucian Freud, Andy Warhol, Matisse, and more
Cuisine: Elevated British dishes by chef Jamie ShearsLocation: Mayfair
Artfarm — the hospitality company founded by gallerists Manuela and Iwan Wirth — brings museum-level curation to Mayfair dining.
The experience unfolds across four floors: a heritage pub at street level, the refined Mount St. Restaurant above, and private dining rooms on the upper levels. Each space is steeped in art — from Phyllida Barlow’s expressive ceiling installation to Rashid Johnson’s marble mosaic floors.
On the plate: elevated British cuisine that nods to London’s culinary history, served with a collector’s eye for detail. This Mayfair address sets a new standard for aesthetic dining in the capital.
Interior Design: Stafford Schmool
Art Collection: vintage furniture, large photograph by Wolfgang Tillmans and vintage posters from significant art exhibitions spanning the last 50 years
Cuisine: Mediterranean and seasonal, chef Chris Shaw
Location: off The Strand
A true meeting point of gastronomy and contemporary culture, Toklas is set within the Brutalist landmark 180 The Strand — home to creative studios and world-class exhibitions. Founded by the minds behind Frieze, the space draws inspiration from the legendary art salon of Alice B. Toklas and Gertrude Stein. Art is woven into every detail: from Wolfgang Tillmans’ playful food photography to a collage of rare exhibition posters. This is where London’s cultural crowd gathers post-preview — to eat well, talk art, and take in the modernist vibes.
Interior Design: India Mahdavi
Art Rotation: Seasonal exhibitions and collaborations (currently Summer Exhibition curation)
Cuisine: Eclectic artistic dining, chef Daniel Stucki
Location: Mayfair
Every room at Sketch is a scene. With its ever-evolving art programme and theatrical interiors, the venue has become a true cultural destination. Seasonal exhibitions and immersive installations make it one of London’s most "Instagrammable" — and conceptually rich — dining spots. Currently on view is From Sun to Flame, an installation by David Aiu.
Interior Design: Pattern Haus
Art Setting: Tracey Emin self-portrait, photographs by Peter Meades, glass wall art by Peter Layton
Cuisine: Spanish small plates by chef José Pizarro
Location: Bermondsey Street
Just steps from the White Cube, Lolo blends rustic Spanish charm with a quietly confident art collection. Tracey Emin’s self-portrait watches over diners, while works by local artists — like a watercolour by Norman Ackroyd — line the lime-washed walls. Designed by Pattern Haus, the interiors mix terracotta, rattan, and red-veined marble, echoing both Pizarro’s Extremaduran roots and Bermondsey’s industrial past. A cultural gem with bold flavours and soft lighting.
Interior Design: Shayne Brady Studio
Art: Illustrations by Le Corbusier; photographs by Ti Foster (son of Sir Norman Foster), Michael May, and Horst P. Horst
Cuisine: American
Location: Hyde Park, just off Queensway
Blending Manhattan glamour with London restraint, The Park channels the golden age of American modernism. Interiors by Shayne Brady feature curvaceous limba-wood panelling, alabaster sconces, and a cinematic palette of burnt orange and bronze. Art is integral: from Horst P. Horst’s iconic photo portraits to a ceiling fresco of Central Park by artist Michael May, it’s all curated with a collector’s eye. A tribute to elegant urbanity, The Park feels as much like a design destination as a restaurant — timeless, theatrical, and quietly grand.
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