Courtyard at 51 Buckingham Gate

Follow the cobbled mews next to the five-star 51 Buckingham Gate hotel & the drone of traffic is quickly replaced by the sweet tinkle of a cherub-adorned fountain as you enter the tranquil, leafy courtyard. Decorated with a magnificent terracotta frieze depicting scenes from Shakespeare, the open-air garden & terrace is the perfect spot for romantic assignations. During the week, the barbecue cranks out succulent plates of char-grilled Lebanese, Moroccan & Turkish specialities ranging from skewers of marinated lamb to chermoula sea bass, while the hotel’s Michelin-starred South Indian restaurant Quilon provides fragrant inspiration on Friday nights. The new raised veranda is proving popular with cigar aficionados & cocktail lovers alike. It’s also an excellent vantage point for special ‘opera under the stars’ evenings, when singers enthral diners with arias from La Traviata & Carmen