Winter Garden at the Landmark

There’s nothing faintly ridiculous about the Winter Garden – this is full-on architectural madness, in the tradition of grand railway hotels whose vast internal spaces are filled with marble staircases, soaring columns & palm trees. Under its glass roof, The Landmark’s lobby is also a restaurant that keeps extremely civilised, 21st-century hours but also charges robustly all day long, including at wine time. Because of the glass canopy, the mood changes with the weather, but there’s always buttoned-up service (quite appropriate, given the clientele) plus an abundance of internationally pleasing salads, pastas, grilled Casterbridge steaks & dishes such as herb-crusted rack of lamb with peas & broad beans or fish & chips. Afternoon tea is an obvious must-do, although at £40, it’s priced alongside the top offerings in the capital.