Famous London restaurants: Skylon

Our guide to the London restaurants with big reputations. This time we visit Skylon, a South Bank favourite that’s no tourist trap.

The backstory Skylon opened in 2007, replacing the existing People’s Palace restaurant on the third floor of Royal Festival Hall. It takes its name from a sculpture erected by the river as part of the Festival of Britain back in 1951 — the event for which the Southbank Centre was constructed. It is now run by D&D London, the restaurant group which is also behind Quaglino’s in Mayfair and Le Pont De La Tour at Shad Thames.

What’s on the menu? Seasonal British cooking is the focus of Skylon’s menu, overseen by head chef Tom Cook, who has previously worked at Le Pont De La Tour and Le Gavroche. His background in French kitchens is evident in many of the rich and intricate dishes served.

Highlights include a fresh-tasting medley of Cornish crab with pureed dollops of apple, cucumber and salmon roe; a meaty fillet of wild halibut with girolles, bordelaise sauce and a glaze of bone marrow; and tender roasted lamb rump with puy lentils.

A la carte is available alongside a six-course tasting menu for £59. Add £49 extra for paired wines.

The atmosphere Relaxed sophistication sums up the setting at Skylon, which makes the most of its river setting with a wall of glass on its Thames-facing edge. What is most rewarding is just how calm it is despite being set slap bang in the middle of a massive tourist attraction like the Southbank Centre — even after all these years, it seems word hasn’t spread too far beyond Londoners in the know.

Who goes there? It’s a mixed crowd, but the clientele does lean towards old school, which perhaps stops the menu edging too far into experimental territory. You’re likely to rub shoulders with a fair number of theatre luvvies, and you may just spot a familiar stage face too.

Cheque out Starters from £9.50, mains from £19.50, desserts from £6.50.

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