Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in City of London

OpenTable

Updated May 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best ambiance in City of London? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

56 West Smithfield

4.8

4.8 (26)

£25 and under

Wine Bar

Farringdon

About the restaurant

56 West Smithfield was founded by a family of winemakers, with a passion for creating unique, hand-crafted wines.

Our family vineyard, Château De La Cômbe, is a small, boutique vineyard in Provence. Determined to make exceptional reds and whites in a region renowned for its rosés, we spent years lovingly restoring the chateau and estate, rebuilding the winemaking cave with state-of-the-art equipment and re-planting and tending to the vines. It wasn’t long before our organic wines began winning international awards – a testament to quality winemaking in Provence.

Eager to share our wines with the world, we partnered with like-minded, family-owned and boutique wineries to bring our rare and wonderful wines to you at 56 West Smithfield, without costly intermediaries.

Top review

NishaVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Had a great time, sommelier was friendly & knowledgeable. Charcuterie was great, would’ve love a slightly bigger portion for the group! The bar itself has a nice vibe. Would definitely recommend the wine tasting

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay - High

5.0

5 (18)

£41 and over

French

Liverpool Street

About the restaurant

Set atop London’s 22 Bishopsgate, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay – High is an exclusive chef’s table experience with just 12 seats.

This intimate, elevated dining room offers front-row views of the open kitchen and breathtaking city skyline. Guests are taken on a refined tasting journey that blends classical technique with modern British influence, paired with exceptional wines and impeccable service.

A bold and highly personal experience, both literally and gastronomically above the rest.

Top review

Matthew

Dined on Apr 29, 2025

The team of chefs were incredible, as was the service. Probably the best dining experience we have ever had.

Ken's Wine Bar

4.8

4.8 (26)

£26 to £40

Wine Bar

Clerkenwell

About the restaurant

Welcome to Ken’s!
A Good Time Cave à Manger.

See you soon x

Top review

Jack

Dined on May 8, 2025

Outstanding cooking, drinks range, and atmosphere. Highly recommended!

The Parlour at The Ned London

4.7

4.7 (499)

£41 and over

International

Bank

About the restaurant

For dinner or cocktails accompanied by jazz and cabaret, The Parlour is an intimate lounge adorned in dark floral wallpaper, where well-known industry names play alongside hotly-tipped new acts. Executive Head Chef Lee Kebble’s menu features Caviar, Steak Au Poivre, Chicken Kiev as well as a luxurious shellfish selection. Plus, there’s a sizeable wine and cocktail list.

For all dinner bookings, an entertainment cover charge of £20 per person will be applied and guests will also have special access to The Vault after dinner* – subject to availability. Fee does not apply to Ned's Club members.

Guests under the age of 18 are not permitted. Please note The Ned reserves the right to refuse or cancel any reservation either ahead or upon arrival.

Top review

Rachael

Dined 1 day ago

Excellent evening, would highly recommend

Discover more

Experience

A La Carte - £20pp Entertainment cover charge

Galvin La Chapelle

4.7

4.7 (1862)

£41 and over

French

Liverpool Street

About the restaurant

Critical acclaim has been heaped upon Galvin La Chapelle, a true destination restaurant and with good reason. This fabulous dining spot, just off of London’s famous Bishopsgate is the work of celebrated Chef-Restaurateur brothers, Chris and Jeff Galvin, and epitomises their approach to designing and running restaurants in every sense. Indeed, Galvin La Chapelle has all the wow-factor of Windows with the stylish refinement of Galvin Bistrot de Luxe while carving out its own very unique character at the same time. The interior is truly special, as is the food – cosmopolitan, continental and wholly elegant every step of the way, creative but familiar, special but unpretentious – no wonder Galvin La Chapelle was named Tatler’s Restaurant of the Year 2010 and AA Best London Restaurant 2010.

Top review

FundaVIP

Dined on Mar 19, 2025

Sure! Here’s a short and elegant review for A stunning setting matched by exceptional French cuisine. Galvin La Chapelle impresses with its soaring ceilings, refined service, and beautifully executed dishes. Every course is thoughtful and elegant—fine dining at its best in the heart of Spitalfields.

Discover more

Experience

Set Lunch Menu

Experience

5 Course Tasting Menu

Experience

7 Course Tasting Menu with a glass of bubble £145

Restaurant St. Barts

4.8

4.8 (146)

£41 and over

British

Farringdon

About the restaurant

A British Tasting Menu experience for Dinner, and shorter Set Menu for Lunch - tucked away in London’s Smithfield the dining room overlooks the historical Church of St Bartholomew the Great. We received our first Michelin Star in March 2023 and were awarded a Michelin Green Star in February 2024 - making us the only London restaurant to hold both awards.

Tues - Sat Dinner | Tasting Menu | £160pp
Tues - Sat Lunch | Short or Long Set Lunch | £70/£110pp

Restaurant St. Barts is the culmination of passion & hard work from three long-term friends Johnnie, Luke & Toby - the team behind NEST restaurant in Shoreditch. It is a celebration of British produce in the heart of historical London.

Top review

Rebecca

Dined on May 10, 2025

An absolute delight from start to finish. Incredible food, wonderful service, a beautiful thoughtful setting. Combining sustainability and quality fantastically.

Le Cafe du Marche

4.8

4.8 (1448)

£41 and over

French

Barbican

About the restaurant

Open for over three decades, Le Cafe du Marche remains a family run, independent French restaurant. Tucked down a cobbled mews on the corner of historic Charterhouse Square and a stones throw from the Elizabeth Line & Farringdon Stations, we offer honest French food in a convivial and characterful setting. Crossing the threshold, guests feel they escape the hustle and bustle of the Square Mile and instead are transported to the south of France. We have live jazz in the evenings

Top review

Anne

Dined 1 day ago

Delicious food and delightful service in great surroundings. Really enjoyable.

Cloth Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (293)

£26 to £40

Traditional French

Farringdon

About the restaurant

Having spent years supplying London’s top restaurants through their separate wine businesses, Joe Haynes and Benedict Butterworth have joined forces with Tom Hurst, who has worked at Brawn, The Marksman, Levan, and most recently as Head Chef at Lasdun, to launch the trio’s first restaurant together.

Located in a Grade II listed building on Cloth Fair, Cloth Restaurant is part of a historic row of buildings in the City of London that survived the Great Fire of 1666. Down this atmospheric alley opposite St Bartholomew church, Cloth is taking over a double fronted corner site that’s beneath the former home of poet John Betjeman and next door to the two oldest residential buildings in London.

Inside, low ceilings, wood floorboards with antique wall lights and artwork create a cosy, intimate atmosphere, while marble tables, long dark wood banquettes, antique crockery and cutlery will create the feel of a classic bistro.

Top review

Sharon

Dined 2 days ago

Fantastic food and wine, charming and helpful staff - can’t wait to come back!!

Stem and Stem - Restaurant and Florist

4.8

4.8 (63)

£26 to £40

Contemporary British

St Paul's

About the restaurant

Michelin-trained chef Edward Boarland along with business partner Dee Reid have launched a new concept restaurant, wine bar and florist at 12 Bow Lane in London, called Stem and Stem.

The concept of Stem + Stem champions British produce, both in the kitchen and the
florist, where possible sourcing as many local ingredients and products from South
East Farmers who advocate sustainability so they can bring the best product to the
table for their guests.

Guests should expect a dynamic menu at Stem + Stem, which changes more than
seasonally. Ed often seeks inspiration from everyday life transporting this straight to
the kitchen with new menu additions every few weeks.

Top review

OpenTable DinerVIP

Dined on May 7, 2025

What a fabulous restaurant! From the moment we arrived we were made to feel exceptionally welcome. The two ladies serving were very knowledgable about the food and drinks menu and helped us in our indecision! The food was incredible. I had the Asparagus and Goats cheese curd to start which was extremely tasty followed by the Monkfish which didn’t disappoint! I’ll be back next time I’m in town.

Quality Wines

4.8

4.8 (336)

£41 and over

European

Clerkenwell

About the restaurant

We take reservations for both lunch and dinner. At lunch we offer an a la carte menu at £29 for 2 courses or £35 for 3. At dinner, the menu is a selection of small and larger plates designed for sharing.

At dinner the table is yours for 1 hour 45 minutes if you book up to and including 7pm. Any time after that, it’s yours for the evening

Please note: reservations are for dining from our menu and bookings are predominantly seated at bar stools

Top review

DinoVIP

Dined on Apr 23, 2025

Fantastic food , wine and service. Continues to be one of my favourite restaurants in London.

Discover more

Experience

The large table

Experience

The large table for express lunch

Explore Diners' Choice best of City of London