It was Frank Lloyd Wright who once said: “Dining is and always was a great artistic opportunity,” and where better to find this artistic opportunity than on the eighth floor of Leicester Square’s honorary boutique hotel. Much true to Wright’s quote, 8 at The Londoner offers guests a dining experience that can be described as soul-satisfying and eternal. Remove from your mind any preconceived ideas of what Japanese cuisine is, here it is completely reimagined, and one will taste flavours that are neoteric and will leave guests’ tastebuds in awe.

8 at The Londoner is a top-notch establishment, it’s a snazzy izakaya rooftop bar that is truly a place of sanctuary from the humming streets below. The restaurant can be found on the eighth floor of the The Londoner, the world’s first super boutique hotel consisting of 16 storeys of 350 bedrooms and suites as well as six concept eateries and bars. Located in an ultramodern and sleek building, the exteriors of The Londoner have been designed to respond to the neighbourhood’s history and creativity and the place is radiating with class and elegance.

The Executive Head Chef at The Londoner is Matt Downes. The chef and his team spent close to two years developing the vibrant menu for 8 at The Londoner with the aim of creating new flavours that hadn’t been done before, this means using exciting and high-grade ingredients to create simplistic dishes which are magical. Just as the food is Japanese inspired, the drinks are too, ultimately allowing guests to not only come in for this exclusive dining experience, but also for the selection of perfectly curated cocktails.

The Londoner hotel itself opened in September 2021, unveiling six unique hospitality offerings that honour and reshape the legacy of the West End. Before becoming a luxury hotel, the site used to be the Odeon’s “overflow” cinema which had been built in 1930 as a stage theatre, after many renovations and incarnations, it was acquired by Odeon in 1946 and converted to a single screen cinema in 1968 before finally becoming the Odeon West End in 1988. Now standing tall as the deluxe Londoner hotel, the building is somewhat of a beacon and an anchor of the West End and celebrates London’s history, aesthetic, and individuals.

The restaurant consists of three venues: Shima Garden, The Lounge and Terrace and The Bar. Shima Garden is the place for a different drinking experience under the mesmerising London sky which is accompanied with élite dishes from the 8 at The Londoner menu. It’s a minimalist vibe here at the garden and in the centre, a striking fireplace creates the perfect setting for guests to drink, dine and socialise under London’s celestial sphere. Over at the Terrace and Lounge, dark wood and foliage decorate this place and ceiling decorations made of woven rope give a shout out to the ancient Japanese art form of shibari.

The whole place looks beautifully dramatic and with the retractable skylight providing an alfresco option, dining here is a sleek and modern experience, taking guests on a journey forward in time. And finally, clad in remarkable accents of chiaroscuro and located on the rooftop, guests are invited to admire the city’s skyline with uninterrupted views at The Bar, all whilst experiencing the izakaya style of drinking and dining with elegance, style, and good views.

The à la carte menu offers an assortment of sharing dishes such as the King Crab with butter, pepper and garlic, the lobster tempura with ama ponzu and the A5 Wagyu with Gorgonzola dolce crème. The velvety texture of the beef and the fluffy and rustic flavours of the Gorgonzola dolce crème go hand in hand, leaving guests wanting more.

For those who want to enjoy smaller bites alongside an extended cocktail list, the menu at Shima Garden features beef tataki with black truffle ponzu and a choice of gyoza tacos such as a succulent seared beef with truffle chilli dressing and the chef’s signature grilled lobster with chilli and cilantro. And of course, pairing these artistic creations with just the right drink will create a meal to remember and luckily, there’s an insane range here at 8 at The Londoner.

Alongside an impressive selection of wines and champagnes, there is a list of reserve sake and Japanese whisky. From the list of sake, the ones to try are the Yamato Shizuku, a fruity but elegant drink with hints of marzipan, nuts and koji, and the Junmai Ginjo, a drink with fresh aromas of apple, grape, pineapple, banana, and pear with notes of citrus.

The tangy taste of the citrus and the sweet fruity flavours will have guests feeling rejuvenated and refreshed, and for those who prefer something a little more nuanced, a variety of whiskeys await such as the twelve-year-old Yamazaki and Hakushu. There are options of Single Malt, Blended, Single Grain or by the bottle.

For a truly magical culinary experience, 8 at The Londoner will be remembered by all. It’s blend of dramatic design and strong poignant ambience along with its divine cuisine and drinks makes it a place to definitely add to your list of hottest dining adventures.