Quirky restaurants in London for a unique meal out

Open since 1967, you’ll find Tiroler Hut down a rickety staircase on Westbourne Grove. Can’t see the sign? Then simply follow the sound of dinging cowbells and the smell of hot, liquid cheese. A fever dream of an Austrian restaurant, it’s Disneyland as penned by Hunter S Thompson. Octogenarian host Josef holds court. A one-man band in a felt hat and full lederhosen, he works the small, low-ceilinged room like we’re in Las Vegas, playing keyboards, sax, accordion and clarinet, before his infamous, and largely indescribable cowbell show. Oh yeah, and there’s also food; fondue, all manner of wurst and plenty of booze.

Set in the basement of the Broadwick Soho, Dear Jackie is all grinning doormen in bowler hats and bowties (think The Grand Budapest Hotel), a glossy pink front door, dark neon-lit stairs and camp-y glamour with crimson silk walls and Sicilian ceramic table tops. It’s pleasingly kitsch, flamboyant and fabulous, like a more sophisticated version of the Big Mamma restaurants and the whole interior is like a maximalist’s wet dream: floral patterned cosy banquets, hand-painted plates all over the walls, candy-striped lamps in Murano glass, red velvet chairs and lavish golden trimmings. And be sure to pay a visit to the red terrazzo toilets.

The fact that Barge East is a floating restaurant on a canal is perhaps the least interesting thing about it. Instead, what's great about this Hackney Wick spot is the fact that most of the veg is grown at the adjacent Barge East Gardens meaning it's got some serious sustainability chops. Sit in the breezy canopy up top, or get all cosy in the hull. Want a private dining room with a difference? The eight-seater captain’s cabin comes with a phone line straight to the bar.

You'll find the endlessly adorable Cafe Pier in a Grade II listed cabmen's shelter just at the foot of Albert Bridge in Chelsea. It's no longer a place for drivers of hansom cabs and hackney carriages is take a load off, but rather a sweet spot to grab a bit of brekkie or lunch. Open from Thursday to Sunday from 9am-4pm, swing by for breakfast plates of ham, Comte, fudgy egg, capers and whipped butter, or cheese toasties with Red Leicester, Montgomery Cheddar, Ogleshield and spring onions and cheese and charcuterie plates with salami and figs or ham with preserved pineapple. Weekends sometimes see special chef pop-ups, too. 

The interior of this highly-instagrammable Italian restaurant is a hectic blend of Catholic kitsch, bright red tiles and zebra stripes. But the food is as straightforwardly delicious as the aesthetic is complex: satisfy your carb cravings with carbonara ravioli, sumptuously pillowy pizzas, or a slice of its mammoth 60cm tall stracciatella ice cream cake. 

Anyone who’s ever had that ‘what would your last meal be?’ conversation will get a thrill out of dining at HMP Brixton’s training restaurant, where the professional-level kitchen and smart, buzzy dining room are staffed by prisoners working towards qualifications in catering and hospitality. Alcohol doesn’t feature anywhere on the menu, so go for the mocktail of the day instead. 

Already a hit in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, Albert’s Schloss has finally opened in London, taking over the site of the dearly departed Rainforest Café on Shaftesbury Avenue with a two-storey, 600-cover beer hall and ‘cook haus’ featuring five bars, daily live music daily and shuffleboard. Gimmicky it might seem, but the Alpine-themed fun palace has some genuine foodie credentials. The all-day menu features a genuinely impressive roster of classic Alpine fodder made fresh to order, from meat-heavy breakfasts and chicken schnitzels to fondue and bratwurst, plus pretzels, kaiser rolls and other baked goods made fresh in-house each morning. Take a big group and get absolutely schlossed – it’s wunderbar!

Over the top and audacious, but also completely delightful, this restaurant by ‘Masterchef: The Professionals’ finalist Adam Handling was awarded a Michelin star in 2022. Think of it as a grown up version of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, complete with a little bit of magic. There's a hefty £195 a head price tag, but for your dosh you'll get a four hour long tasting menu and some serious culinary wizardry. 

As the name suggests, Attendant’s previous incarnation was an altogether different place to spend a penny. Abandoned since the 1960s, this former WC has been repurposed as a hip café with urinals as single-seater booths and an admirable (and perhaps wise) absence of scatological puns. Grab brekkie, brunch or lunch here too. 

Step aboard a barge named Poppy and you'll find yourself in a floating restaurant that's (mostly) free of nautical kitsch, though there is a stained glass window of a pigeon eating a ciggie butt. The food is a run of delicious, playful takes on modern European and classic British dishes. Its romantic decor makes it perfect for a date if you want to really push the boat out.

Located in the crypt underneath St Matthew’s Church in Brixton, Gremio takes the idea of underground quite literally. Churches always offer their own unique atmosphere, and the vaulted brick roof and flickering candlelight inside this tapas bar doesn’t hurt matters either. The menu is crammed with porky delights such as jamón croquetas, butifarra (Catalan sausage) and cochinillo segoviano (roast suckling pig).

Everything on the menu at this bizarre Soho restaurant (which hides a heavy metal bar complete with crypt downstairs) contains garlic – ‘you can always order extra garlic, but never less,’ warns the blurb. Expect to be fully marinated by the time you’ve polished off the desserts (yes, they contain the pungent stuff too). At least five of the shots on the 101-strong list have also succumbed to garlic overload.

Like the rest of this luxe Mayfair extravaganza, Sketch’s velvet-clad, dandy-esque Gallery is a lesson in more-is-more eclecticism, complete with semi-permanent exhibitions from high-profile artists like David Shrigley and Yinka Shonibare. Its sunshine yellow and copper interior makes it one of the quirkiest places in town. Don’t miss a trip to the cluster of egg-shaped toilets, where birdsong piped into each pod will preserve your dignity as you do your business.

The neon sign outside reads ‘sex shop’; the mannequin in the entrance wears a PVC gimp suit. But the real excitement begins when you descend the stairs into the bowels of this nightclub-like restaurant. It’s so dark and loud you’ll need a moment to adjust (the light bulbs have been blacked out): your reward is homely, delicious takes on classic Mexican dishes.

Take your seat in the greenhouse, enjoy the herb-laced, petal-strewn dishes, and don’t let the dirt floor scuff your shoes. While you’re there, have a stroll around the gardens, with an obligatory selfie stop.

Here, the art deco interiors are so lavishly decorated that you feel like you’re on a film set. And on top of that, there’s a special ‘press for champagne’ button by each table that can be used to summon up fizz. Just don’t nudge it by mistake. 

Musicians from London’s opera houses come here to perform some of the most popular arias and there are also shows of Latin, swing, jazz and 1980s music. Enjoy a three-course set menu while listening from the comfort of one of the boxes arranged around the walls. It’s a decadent setting, with each box furnished in a different style (rococo, gothic, ottoman) and drapes and theatre props in abundance. Food is of the Turkish-Mediterranean inclination.

This Soho take on the Hong Kong phenomenon had fans queuing around the block when it opened. But what exactly is a bubblewrap? Essentially, it’s a freaky egg waffle: the bobbly batter forms a cone that’s filled with ice cream, fruit, chocolate and whatever else takes your fancy. Expect to queue, take out and eat on the street. With a weekly rotating menu, you can gobble up everything from matcha to strawberry cheesecake (plus toppings and sauce). It’s also in Spitalfields and Westfield, Stratford. 

It’s a whole damn restaurant dedicated to the good stuff: dairy. Go wild on baked camembert, queso fundido and more oozing toasties than you can shake a mozzarella stick at. Or plump for the poutine with chips, cheese curds, a fried egg, candied pancetta and bacon gravy. Sweet cheesus, it’s going to be gouda.

Not only are all the staff at this Clerkenwell restaurant registered blind, but your entire meal takes place in pitch darkness. Even locating, let alone using, your knife and fork can be a challenge. Also, you’ll need to switch off all light-emitting devices: no selfies here. Opt for the surprise menus, which will leave you guessing what’s on your plate (you can look at the menu on your way out).

East London’s pre-eminent novelty café surely needs no introduction – its USP is its band of resident prima donnas (sorry, cats), who may or may not choose to approach you during your visit. Until then, there are strictly no unsolicited advances. Make sure you pop into the gift shop for all your moggie-themed needs, from latte-art stencils to kitty nail transfers.

When 24-hour licensing was introduced in the UK, we looked forward to round-the-clock craic. Not much actually changed – but at least it meant London could welcome this swanky, sky-scraping restaurant and bar with its 24/7 opening hours and spectacular 360-degree views of the capital. Decadent favourites include the spicy ox-cheek doughnuts with apricot jam, the foie gras crème brûlée or the signature salty-sweet duck and waffle.

The sight of ice cream frozen to order amid billowing clouds of nitrogen-generated steam is always an eye-opener for locals and tourists who crowd into Chin Chin’s experimental lab-café. The flavours are straight, but it’s all about pimping them with sprinkles, sauces and powders from a veritable chemistry set of DIY extras. There’s dairy-free ice cream too, like mango lassi and pandan leaf.

Long before we all had devices chock-full of apps on the go 24/7, there was Inamo. Its touch-screen table menus still offer a dose of fun, especially for kids – you can view and order dishes electronically or even alter the restaurant’s playlist. Check out the Asian-leaning fusion dishes such as sizzling chilli tofu – perfect candidates for a bit of bragging on Instagram.

Unlike 99 percent of London restaurants, this cut-price lunchtime bolthole couldn’t give a toss about its looks. There’s a strong staff canteen vibe about the place, which is favoured by in-the-know office workers who come for the freshly prepared, astonishingly cheap and pleasingly authentic curries. It’s all about the veggie delights here, such as dahi vada and egg curry.

Take your average ice-cream cone, add some lurid green matcha soft-serve ice cream, top with Oreos, choc chips, sprinkles and the like. And then – here’s the good bit – watch as the servers weave a web of candy floss around it all. This Taiwanese invention has had tourists tripping over themselves to get through the door. It’s all very Insta-savvy.