Skylon

Great find

21 Apr 08, 14:22 Above expectations

I was recently taken here and I have to say that I was very impressed - what a hidden gem this is.

It has the most amazing views of London (think Oxo Tower) and food for a reasonable price.

I would agree that the view does a lot for this place and makes up for the food which is good but not outstanding.

I would definietly recommend this place though and will be returning.

Nice, but the space deservces better

06 Dec 07, 17:37 As expected

Anywhere else in London Skylon would easily be getting four if not five stars from me. There is little to complain about when it comes to the food. A well rounded menu and equally strong wine list provide little to complain about. But for me that was just it, it was nothing hugely exciting. Pork belly -check, pumpkin foam or soup -check, seared scallops -you guessed it- check.

Glance over your shoulder however, and you get a vista few cities in the world can compete with.

And therein lies the problem with Skylon, you leave talking about the view and not the food.

Uber Modernist Restaurant

24 Sep 07, 16:28 Above expectations

Beautiful restaurant as part of the Royal Festival Hall's recent refurbishment.

While not cheap (£37.50 for three courses), thanks in part to the beautiful decor it is worth a visit regardless. Sadly, we did not have a window seat, but the huge wall of glass which runs the length of the restaurant means you're unlikely to miss its stunning river view across the Thames.

The food itself was excellent - though the menu is very fish-heavy and vegetarians would struggle to find any real choice. Nonetheless, for a restaurant that is setting itself out on the 'finer' side of dining, the overall atmosphere relaxing and never stuffy, - indeed thanks to the uber-50's modernist design, low lighting and a lot of wine its a great place for a long relaxing meal.

eating for aesthetes

03 Aug 07, 15:22 As expected

Skylon is the new restaurant in the Royal Festival Hall - named after the towering splinter sculpture erected on the South Bank during the 1951 Great Exhibition. The 50s futuristic scale of the space is sympathetically echoed in the muted colours of the new decor: it screams quality, attention to detail (the wonderful staff uniforms) and a certain chilly formality.

Looks aside, I found the dining experience disappointing in small ways. Skylon has the feel of somewhere special: the beautiful flower arrangements, perfect place settings and that fabulous view across the river (most tables are well placed for this) - but that seems to be as far as it goes. There are lots of staff hovering around and each seems to have a highly specialised role - you can't ask waiter A for more water because he's there to take your food order, and waiter B can deliver water but not wine... If you ask for tap water in a carafe they won't leave it on the table because it "doesn't look nice" regardless of how thirsty you are. The food (when it finally arrives) is beautifully presented, but nothing out of the ordinary. And don't expect value for money, you're paying for the view.

Overall, I was left with a feeling of superficiality - if you want the undeniably spectacular view and an impressive space to eat in, this is a good place to come (I can imagine having business meetings here), but don't focus on the food and be prepared to pay more than it's worth.