Restaurants are not simply knocked together overnight. We know that a dining experience extends far beyond the kitchen and the dishes – from the farms that produce the ingredients to the material on the table we sit at – there is much else to consider. The art chosen on the walls plays a part in the feasting production and some restaurants in London have put art at the forefront. To catch sight of what role this is, we speak to the masterminds and curators putting on a show for our eyes as well as our tastebuds, and discover art’s role in our dining experience.
Cool Restaurants in London with the Best Art
Words by
Izzy Schaw Miller
4th September 2026
Art is no longer simply eye-candy, but is increasingly woven into the identity of restaurants themselves. SPHERE takes a look at the cool London restaurants with the best art, discovering the intentions behind the artsy dining room selections.
Which are the best art restaurants in London?
Some might say the dining experience is like a film production. A film isn’t just credited to the director and actors. There’s the script, set design, costumes, sound, lighting and framing - the credits roll on. Directors think of everything from the number of blinks – whether it's Coen brothers’ 'No Country for Old Men' – to the time on the clocks cameras sweep over – as witnessed in Kubrick’s 'The Shining' in a ploy to create a nonsensical, dreamlike atmosphere. So too for art restaurants in London, where the curators impose their own taste. Hence selecting a few of the best art restaurants in London, where the sensory lends to the visual. This includes the emotional, such as in Jose Pizarro's new restaurant Lolo in Bermondsey, where Norman Acroyd's last artwork features in a beautiful landscape painting.
Mount St. Restaurant (Manuel Salamanca, Art Ambassador)
THE APPROACH TO ART
Art is at the heart of Mount St. Restaurant, acting as a showcase for extraordinary works alongside specially commissioned site-specific art. This extends into the dining experience itself, from the table lamps to the chairs and even the mosaic floor. When it comes to food, the menu reflects this contemporary setting, inspired by the capital’s culinary history with a modern twist.
From top to toe, Mount St. Restaurant is a true feast for the eyes
WHO CURATES IT
The extraordinary art collection is curated by Artfarm’s sister company, Hauser & Wirth and features some incredible original artworks by some of the world’s most celebrated artists. There are also several works specially commissioned for the space, which is rare.
KEY ARTISTS ON DISPLAY
The restaurant and private rooms are filled with over 200 artworks, including Lucian Freud’s A Plate of Prawns (1958), Andy Warhol’s Lobster (1982), and Henri Matisse’s Éperlans (Smelts) (1920). Our art even extends to the salt and pepper shakers, inspired by Paul McCarthy’s provocative Tree (2014) sculpture, adding a playful yet artistic touch to the dining experience.
A portrait by Lucien Freud at Mount St. Restaurant
MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE ART
Rashid Johnson’s Broken Floor mosaic is undoubtedly one of the most striking features at Mount St. Restaurant. Crafted from Palladian marble, its interactive nature transforms the dining experience, inviting guests to explore, stand on, and physically interact with the artwork in ways that are traditionally not possible. The piece draws inspiration from Johnson’s Broken Men series, exploring themes of human vulnerability, societal roles, and self-reconstruction.
American artist Rashid Johnson’s Broken Floor (2022) lines the floor of Mount St. Restaurant
OWNER / MANAGER’S FAVOURITE PIECE AND WHY
One of my favourite pieces in the restaurant is Frank Bowling's Shallowtrench (2014). It’s hard to miss, with its bold, bright colours that seem to glow. What I love most is how its composition seems to transform throughout the day. When the sunlight streams through the windows, the colours come alive, and the texture, creases, and staple marks add a depth to it. It’s a piece that catches my eye every time I walk by. (Carolin Rist, VIP relations manager)
When it comes to artistic detail, Mount St. Restaurant spares no effort
abc kitchens at The Emory (General Manager, Mike Walker)
THE APPROACH TO ART
With a farm to table approach, abc kitchens’ menu showcases Chef Jean-George Vongerichten’s creative and forward-thinking, with plant-focused dishes, tonics, and cocktails celebrating the best of mother nature. The cuisine and artwork on display almost match perfectly, as Damien Hirst created a series of artworks called The Secret Gardens Paintings (2023). Made up of four pieces, The Garden of Rainbows, The Paradoxical Garden, The Sharing Garden and The Garden of Indifference, the vibrant colours and plants depicted in the artwork reflect the freshness of the produce being served.
WHO CURATES IT
Vongerichten spotted Damien’s The Secret Gardens Paintings artwork at Frieze and instantly fell in love with them. It just so happened that at the time he was working on the designs for abc kitchens with designer Remi Tessier.
MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE ART
The Sharing Garden (2023) artwork is our most photographed painting of the series due to its location in the restaurant.
Damien Hirst’s magnificent The Sharing Garden (2023), abc kitchens’ self-professed most Instagrammable piece ©Damien Hirst and Science Ltd
FAVOURITE PIECE AND WHY
My favourite piece of artwork is also by Damien Hirst, entitled The Head of Gorgon (2019) which is positioned at the entrance to the restaurant and is there to greet diners as they enter.
The Portrait Restaurant (Beth Harding, Restaurants Director at Searcys, The Portrait Restaurant collaborator)
THE APPROACH TO ART
For me, The Portrait Restaurant is an extension of The National Portrait Gallery. Our chefs are artists in their own right – they balance flavours like a painter balances colours, craft plate dishes to be visually stunning, and create experiences that stimulate the senses. With an open kitchen, they are also performers – a live artist at work.
This bronze bust sculpture of artist and writer Adrian Stokes features in The Portrait Restaurant.
WHO CURATES IT
The restaurant’s photo wall of portraits was carefully selected by Richard Corrigan Junior in collaboration with curators from the NPG. The sitters are a mix of inspirational and creative women and men such as Edna O'Brien, Benjamin Zephaniah and Brendan Behan who have left a mark on music, literature and the arts across Britain and Ireland over the last 100 years.
KEY ARTISTS ON DISPLAY
Three of the seven portraits are by the legendary photographer Ida Kar, featuring Brendan Behan, Shelagh Delaney, and Dame Iris Murdoch.
MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE ART
The food and the view steal the show – with beautifully plated dishes and the sweeping views of London, guests can’t resist capturing the moment.
London skyline display, Beth Harding’s favourite viewing
FAVOURITE PIECE AND WHY
My favourite piece in the National Portrait Gallery is Laura Knight’s Self-Portrait. I find it a striking work – not only for its size and vibrant use of colour but for what it represents. At a time when nudes were traditionally painted by men, she created a formidable and confident painting of her model and made the active choice to include herself in the composition.
I've also always been drawn to Alessandro Raho’s portrait of Judi Dench. I find it incredibly powerful – it is so peaceful to me and yet it carries such quiet strength.
Elsa (Solyknka Dumas, Co-Founder)
Elsa’s husband and wife team opted for an intimate and jovial atmosphere, as a painting of Dumas’ parents sits on the wall ©Safia Shakarchi
THE APPROACH TO ART
WHO CURATES IT
Julian [Dumas’ husband and co-founder] and I did all the art curations. We also asked our friend Lucinda Bellm, who owns LAMB ART if she could lend us some pieces to fill some walls that needed extra loving.
KEY ARTISTS ON DISPLAY
The restaurant displays a mural by Orfeo Tagiuri and a ceramic sculpture by Katy Stubbs. We also feature various works by Tiago Mestre, decorative plates by Alma Berrow, tapestry by Andrew Pierce Scott, paintings by Renata de Bonis and Michael McGregor, and a beaded sculpture by Beya Gacha, to name a few.
MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE ART
Either Orfeo Tagiuri’s mural or Katy Stubbs’ ceramic.
West London-based artist Orfeo Tagiuri’s mural adds a splash of warmth and camaraderie to Elsa’s sunlit back dining room ©Safia Shakarchi
FAVOURITE PIECE AND WHY
I love all the pieces in the restaurant but the ones I love the most are all the ones I have an emotional and personal connection to. There’s the portrait of my parents that a friend of theirs painted in the eighties, the vintage poster of the Alsace my dad gifted me, the beaded sculpture my amazingly talented cousin Beya Gille made, and the hanging vegetal installation made by another cousin who is a wonderful florist.
Lolo (José Pizarro, Chef and Founder)
THE APPROACH TO ART
I believe art and food are deeply connected, as both have the power to evoke emotions. Just as a great meal can bring immense joy – or a bad one can ruin your mood – art has the same ability to move and inspire us.
From left to right: Zephyr platters by Peter Layton, Herma Ness, Shetland by Norman Ackroyd, and Companion by Sam Henning
WHO CURATES IT
Peter [Meades, Pizarro's husband] and I curated the collection together – we both share a deep love for art.
KEY ARTISTS ON DISPLAY
Tracey Emin, Norman Ackroyd, Peter Meades, Liu Susiraja, Harland Miller, Sam Henning, Peter Blake and Peter Layton.
Peter Meades' Brillo Rojo in Lolo on Bermondsey Street
MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE ART
The Tracey Emin piece.
Ominously overlooks diners and Pizzaro’s most Instagrammable selection is No! This Is Sad by Tracey Emin
OWNER / MANAGER’S FAVOURITE PIECE AND WHY
Every piece is special to me, but if I had to choose, I’d say Norman Ackroyd’s work and, of course, all of Peter Meades’ photographs.
Home House (Louise Chignac, Curator)
The Approach to Art
Curating the spaces at Home House is always a fun challenge, as each space has its own characterful interior. Our overall approach has always been to celebrate the idea of art being a part of everyday life and to present a diverse array of artworks to reflect the breadth of the Home House membership.
Our collaboration with Home House encompasses a rotating programme of exhibitions, alongside acquisitions made on behalf of the club's permanent collection. The permanent salon hang in the stairway presents a joyful selection of works on paper by emerging artists including Thomas Cameron, Celeste, Anastasia Lopoukhine, Emerson Pullman and Irvin Pascal, shown alongside established figures such as Carla Accardi, Howard Hodgkin, Chantal Joffe, Barbara Kruger and Walter Price. The display celebrates the eclectic community of Home House, with a mix of abstract and figurative pieces.
Who Curates It?
Me – Louise Chignac, Curator of the art displays at Home House.
Key Artists on Display
In The Restaurant, a painting from Dan Rees’ celebrated Artex series is placed in dialogue with monumental oil paintings by Aethan Wills, which glorify the overlooked aspects of nature, translating delicate flowers and tree branches into abstract brushstrokes.
Emerson Pullman has a solo display in House 21’s Reception Room, featuring a selection of his vibrant figurative works.
The Kamaña bar features a display of textiles and works on paper by Mexico City-based artist duo Celeste (María Fernanda Camarena and Gabriel Rosas Alemán).
The staircase. ©Home House.
Most Instagrammable Art
There is a wonderful diptych titled Early Autumn (Noon Rendezvous) by Aethan Wills on view in the restaurant. It’s one of the largest works Wills’ has made, and a beautiful example of his interest in Japanese aesthetics. It’s the kind of painting that rewards close attention; there is always a new detail or aspect of the work to discover. It looks particularly spectacular against the opulent interior of the Home House restaurant.
Owner/ Manager's Favourite
It’s so difficult to choose a favourite, as naturally we love them all, but there is a fantastic textile piece by Celeste on view in Kamaña titled Jade Talisman, which was first shown as part of the duo’s institutional presentation at the Royal Society of Sculptors in October 2024.
Dear Jackie (Owner Noel Hayden)
The Approach to Art
The ceramic wall at Dear Jackie. ©Broadwick Soho.
For Dear Jackie the intent was to have an assemblage of artworks that felt collected by an Italian ‘nonna’ over the years of running this aperitivo café bar.
Key Artists on Display
Of the variety of art and media on display, some highlights include the Victor Passmore lithograph, Lynton Lamb's painting, a Chica seal drawing, the portrait of Rudolf Nureyev, alongside an assortment of photographs of Italian celebrities from the 1970’s.
Most Instagrammable Art
Alice Mizrachi neon artwork. ©Broadwick Soho.
Alice Mizrachi's neon piece.
Owner/ Manager's Favourite
The ceramic plates by Michaela Gall. ©Broadwick Soho.
It is certainly the ceramic plates that are hung throughout the room. Broadwick commissioned the artist Michaela Gall to create 170, all inspired by Soho and the history of the area. They include a mixture of subjects connected to Soho, from Tudor portraits and hunts to famous duels, courtesans to Karl Marx and 20th century Soho in the form of tickets to the Colony Room, Leigh Bowery and more
Lita (Restaurateur, Daniel Koukarskikh)
The approach to Art
Lita restaurant in Marylebone.
As art lovers increasingly look beyond traditional gallery walls for creative inspiration, fine dining spaces are stepping into the spotlight as unexpected curators of art. Lita captures this perfectly with an interior atmosphere that is curated with the same intentionality as a contemporary exhibition.
Who Curates It?
Lita's founders all contributed to the art curation process.
Key Artists on Display
Zarina Groevaya’s bright depiction of private dining at Lita.
At the heart of Lita’s dining room, the central wall is anchored by a striking, specially commissioned painting by artist Jack Penny. His work brilliantly captures the tension between order and chaos through a vibrant, kinetic energy, embodying his philosophy of creating "serious paintings that don't take themselves too seriously". Beyond Penny's focal piece, other specially commissioned pieces, including Zarina Groevaya’s bright depiction of what dining in Litas Private Dining Room might look like.
Most Instagrammable Art
The Jack Penny piece - his work is everywhere on social media.
Owner/ Manager's Favourite
The Jack Penny painting in the dining room.
Again, it's definitely the Jack Penny piece, which gently contrasts the restaurant's soft, subtle colours with a bold, contemporary style that captures the pace of hospitality. It has become Lita's signature painting at Lita, one that guests tend to take a liking to as well.
