TH@51

Restaurants hidden inside hotels are a funny one, not least because they don’t exactly broadcast themselves to the world. But scratch beneath the surface of London’s hotel scene and you’ll discover a wealth of surprising secret spots, including TH@51 tucked inside St James’ Court hotel in Westminster. We visited in the evening, although we can well imagine that this all-day spot transforms rather seamlessly from day to night. The Conran-designed interiors don natural pinks and greens, giving it an Instagram-happy look and feel in natural daylight (the glass conservatory-like windows augment this element), while in the evening, the lights are dimmed and the mood becomes mysterious.  

We entered through the bar on arrival to sample one of its signature, highly inventive and unusual cocktails. Don’t feel bad if you don’t recognize any of the ingredients (we didn’t either), but do opt for the Ikemba, a bitter-sweet orangey drink that’s a bit like a less-punchy negroni. For dinner, we were seated in the main, semi-circular dining area under the aforementioned glass ceiling. The menu is globally-inspired and mindbogglingly eclectic, hence why we ended up chomping down tofu and marmalade bao buns, skewered prawns with chunky fries, salmon risotto and Lebanese-style tacos stuffed with boiled eggs, aubergine, houmous and spicy mayo. The dishes aren’t refined, but they are very tasty and bring big flavours to the fore. Almost like home-cooking - done better than at home. 

Our attentive waiter swept away our plates as we ate, and made a strong recommendation when it came to choosing dessert: apple mousse that was artfully shaped like a real apple, and served with a crunchy oat crumb. The fruity element could have shone through a bit more, but it was still really delicious and an elegant ending to an otherwise informal meal. Although dishes are generous, they do feel expensive for what they are – small plates are all around £15 while larger dishes are £25. There is an overarching feeling that TH@51 is catering for the masses, offering a lot of style and a decent amount of substance.

TH@51 is tucked away inside St James’ Court Hotel, part of Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences, and welcomes customers to pique their palate with a globally-inspired food menu and a unique cocktail list. Designed to reflect London’s myriad culinary influences, expect flavours and ingredients from far flung locations, packed with vibrancy and inventiveness.  

The restaurant has been designed by Conran and Partners, and painted in soft hues of pink and green to bring a natural feel to the dining room. This focus on nature is amplified by a glass dining room that floods the airy space with natural light, and with the purpose of bringing the outdoors inside. Meanwhile, buttery, pale wooden cladding and a cool grey tiled floor instil the space with further calming colours and textures, and give the overall décor a stylish feel.  

In the centre is an open kitchen with a theatrical grill and chef’s table, while the striking bar area features intimate booth seating.  

Focusing on global food with a creative spin, the menu draws inspiration from flavours around the world via small and large sharing plates. Kick off with burrata and kale chaat with mint and tamarind chutney and onion tomato salsa, or bao buns filled with tofu, orange marmalade, sriracha soy glaze and pickled cucumber. Main dishes feature paneer wellington made with a spiced tikka masala, garlic, baby spinach and mascarpone makhana, plus coronation malai chicken, a Korean roast and fish and chips.  

Don’t miss the inventive cocktail list, where the menu has been split into different sections, each representing one of the earth’s unique biomes. Examples of the cocktails include Breath of Fresh Air (Ginepraio, pine cordial, swiss herbs, gentian and juniper, elderflower cider) and Glowing Jelly (Ketel One, sea fennel, orange liqueur, glowing powder).