Quirky restaurants in London

Floating restaurant Caravel sits on a traditional Dutch barge moored on Regent’s Canal. This cute and compact restaurant serves dishes with international inspirations – expect sesame prawn toast, duck croquettes, and risotto. Wine, beer, and a small choice of signature cocktails help you to relax and enjoy your time on board.

Considered one of the world's most unusual restaurants, at Dans Le Noir? you eat in total darkness. Pick a mystery menu made with meat, fish, or plant-based ingredients and let your blind server guide you to your table. Enjoy gourmet cuisine before heading to the bar to find out what you ate.

Put Karen's Diner on your restaurant bucket list if you've got a thick skin and enjoy unusual dining experiences. In this 1950s-style diner you can sample burgers, wings, shakes, and cocktails, alongside famously rude service. Customers are expected to give as good as they get too at this notorious eatery.

For dining with unparalleled views of the London skyline, Aviary is worth a visit. This bustling rooftop is an escape from the city streets, where you can enjoy an aromatic botanical cocktail or tuck into seasonal British cooking. Expect oysters, Cornish turbot, and braised pork cheeks, plus sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

For a meal with an unusual view, check out Aqua Shard on the 31st floor of The Shard. Take in panoramic views of the city whilst enjoying award-winning contemporary British cooking. The menu includes venison carpaccio, grilled halibut, and leek and potato ravioli. A creative spin on afternoon tea is also served.

At Inamo's two branches you can try Asian fusion food in a high-tech setting. You can use the state-of-the-art touch-screen tables to order an assortment of dishes from all over Asia, play games such as air hockey or pool, and more. You can also book unique private rooms equipped with giant gaming screens.

Immerse yourself in the tropics at Amazónico, a luxe rainforest-themed restaurant. Surrounded by lush greenery, diners try fresh sushi and Nikkei cuisine, fusing Latin American and Japanese cooking traditions. Enjoy with a cocktail or wine and listen to live music in the restaurant or tropical DJ sets in the bar and lounge.

Bustronome offers sophisticated dining along with a sightseeing tour of London. Seated on a glass-roofed double decker bus, you'll enjoy a tasting menu and uninterrupted city views during a two hour long trip. A special menu for children is available too. Private hire of Bustronome is also available for special occasions.

For a Chinese meal with a difference, head to Feng Shang Princess. This floating pagoda restaurant is permanently moored on Regent’s Canal – enjoy your favourite dishes whilst taking in the peaceful views. There’s an extensive menu full of classic Chinese and Asian cuisine, as well as a fully-stocked bar on-board.

There’s no doubt that Circus has a fitting name. Expect to see acrobats, contortionists, fire-breathers, and cabaret performers entertaining you as you eat. Set menus are on offer here, tailored to individual group sizes and drawing inspiration from across Asia. You’ll uncover lots of flavour and plenty of surprises at this lively restaurant.

Prison food may not have the best reputation but you can enjoy higher standards at The Clink. This unique restaurant is based in HMP Brixton, where prisoners cook and serve meals as they work towards catering qualifications. Prisoners also make some of the furniture. Lunch, dinner, and afternoon tea are all served.

There’s one thing in particular that sends diners looking for an unusual experience to Bob Bob Ricard – the infamous "Press for Champagne" button at every table. Press it and the bubbles will come! If you fancy some food to go with all that champagne, the menu includes caviar, oysters, soufflé, and steak.

Opened in 1972, The Jam is a unique Italian restaurant that's full of fun. There's a one-of-a-kind seating arrangement comprised of multi-level booths. If you're sitting up high the only way to get there is up a ladder! The Jam is well-known for pizza but other small and large plates are also served.

Bunga Bunga in Covent Garden is London’s immersive Italian experience inspired by Silvio Berlusconi. Visit the family-friendly pizzeria for a more sedate experience or let loose downstairs with a lively sharing feast and entertainment. Expect pizza by the metre, dough-tossing chefs, and a cabaret show to get the party started.

Seafood fans can enjoy a unique meal with London Shell Co. This place is made up of two restaurants on boats – one static and one that cruises along Regent’s Canal. The menu celebrates British cooking with a focus on fish and seafood, but both the drinks and food offerings change regularly.

Garlic & Shots does what it says on the tin - at this Swedish import there are 101 shots available from the bar and food that's packed with garlic. You can request extra garlic but never less. This low-lit, gothic venue offers pasta, steak, and tacos, plus a wide range of shots and cocktails.

The Gherkin is a London landmark and also an unusual place for a meal. Visit Searcy’s at The Gherkin and you can try a British and European menu that celebrates top quality British ingredients. You’re guaranteed 360 degree views whilst you eat. This is also a sought-after location for events, including weddings.

Kebab Queen sounds like somewhere you go at the end of the night but it's anything but. This secretive venue hides a theatrical chef's table experience, reimagining your typical drunken kebab. Food is prepared and served right atop the counter, which is cleaned between each of the courses on the tasting menu.

A meal at Hunan is for the adventurous! This laid-back Chinese restaurant has no menu – tell your server your likes and dislikes, and your preferred spice level, then let the chefs do the rest. You’ll get a bespoke 12-18 course tasting menu. Dishes that sometimes pop up include dumplings, fried chicken, and clams.

Sketch is known for its distinctive decor, combining four restaurants and a bar in one venue. Visit the neon Parlour, the enchanted forest in The Glade, the Art Deco style Gallery, or the plush surroundings of The Lecture Room & Library. Whichever you choose, you can enjoy a meal in surroundings just made for Instagram.

Barge East offers casual dining and a modern rustic setting aboard a 120 year old Dutch barge. This award-winning restaurant dishes up seasonal British set menus, including plant-based options. Barge East's canal-side garden is one of the city's largest outdoor dining spaces, where you can enjoy drinks and street food.

At Pick & Cheese you'll discover the world's first cheese conveyor belt. The belt here carries small British cheese plates, each with their own special accompaniment. Pick the plates you like the look of as they cruise past you and top it off with a choice from the carefully-selected wine list.

Relaxed Bermondsey venue The Doodle Bar serves generous burgers and fries but you're also free to have a doodle on the walls. A huge range of drinks are on offer at this bar and restaurant as well. The Doodle Bar hosts a wide variety of creative events and workshops too.

Enter what appears to be a Soho sex shop – make sure it’s the right one – and you’ll find La Bodega Negra, one of London’s classic Mexican places. It’s over 18s only, and a place for sophisticated street food like truffle and black mole quesadillas. Cocktails and Mexican spirits are on the menu too.

Eat in a Bedouin tent under a faux-night sky at Fitzrovia's The Tent (At the End of Universe). This intimate and bohemian restaurant gives off major festival vibes. The food is contemporary Middle Eastern cooking including loads of plates to share, plus live music performances are on regularly to enhance a meal.

Fans of anime, manga, cosplay and Japanese culture in general, rejoice! After closing its original location in Holborn, Uzumaki opened a new venue on Great Russell Street in 2022. This genki café serves anime-inspired takes on Japanese classics such as ramen, sushi and bubble tea, and invites guests to bring their favourite series to life with the help of cosplay.

Naked Soho is London's first erotic-themed restaurant, celebrating the body and sexuality in seriously NSFW surroundings, from the art decorating the walls to the punny menu and the naughty plate arrangements. A ceramic dong sticking out of your pasta – or the wall, your cocktail or anywhere else, really – is par for the course here. The uncensored fun and comforting international fare on offer are aimed primarily at parties or groups of friends looking to have a good time.

Be transported to ancient times at Bacchanalia in Mayfair. This immersive restaurant recreates a decadent Greco-Roman feast with sophisticated Mediterranean dishes and elaborate interiors that retell ancient myths with antique decor and original artwork by Damien Hirst. Many dishes are finished at your table to make the experience even more theatrical.

CHŪŌ Sushi introduced state-of-the-art food service automation technology to the UK, marking the next stage in the evolution of the renowned sushi conveyor belt using a custom-made monorail system. Situated on Paul Street, CHŪŌ Sushi serves approximately 40 sushi and izakaya-style dishes at affordable prices, providing both counter-style seating and group booths for its customers.

Savour a gourmet meal aboard a vintage Victoria line train with Supperclub.tube. This exclusive dining experience offers a six course fine dining menu filled with Latin American flavours, enjoyed in the unique surroundings of a refurbished train carriage from 1967. The space is surprising and there's a social atmosphere too. Booking in advance is essential.

Billing itself as the show after the show, Sarastro is a rich and vibrant place for Mediterranean cuisine. Heavily influenced by the theatre, this venue boasts OTT decor with Art Deco touches and gold details, plus diverse genres of live music to entertain you. Mezze and other Mediterranean-influenced dishes are served here.

Alongside “the stagiest place in town”, the Theatre Cafe, this theatre-themed eatery is decorated with exclusive memorabilia, props and costumes from some of the West End's most popular productions such as Cats, Kinky Boots and & Juliet. The entertainment doesn't stop there, as the talented waiters are ready to serenade you with classic musical bangers, and the diner-style menu is full of winks to theatrical productions as well.

Garum is a place for fine Italian food, as well as a bit of fun. This place is known for great hospitality and for offering crayons to diners so you can draw on the walls. This collective artwork gives the space a quirky feel. The menu focuses on authentic Roman dishes, including pasta and plenty of small plates for sharing. Cocktails and fine wines are served too.

The Rosarium, located within the immersive Alice-in-Wonderland-themed Labyrinth beneath Waterloo Station, offers a unique take on the quintessential English garden through various suitably decorated spaces. Drawing inspiration not only from Lewis Carroll's works but also from across the British Isles, the menu features a range of sophisticate dishes. Guests can also enjoy afternoon tea and cocktails during their visit.

Probably the quirkiest kebab shop around, Last Stop Kebab in Edmonton is housed in a converted double decker bus. Affordable food is available here to take away or eat-in whilst sitting on the bus. The straightforward menu includes kebabs, burgers, wraps, and Mediterranean sides, including a variety of vegetarian-friendly dishes.

You won't find any chefs at Saba, apart from the robot chef making the fried chicken. Opened in 2024, this is the UK's first Korean DIY ramen bar. The walls are lined with packets of ramen - more than 50 types are available. Choose the one you want as well as an extra toppings then let the machines prepare your food for a fun and satisfying meal.