Looking for a dinner unlike anything you’ve had before? Where you can sail along the Thames enjoying the finest food, drink and views of the city? You need to try Bateaux London Glass Room…

London is a city that looks different from every angle and there are continuous new perspectives to see it from. Head up The Shard to see it from above, take to the secret underground tunnels and discover its history far below the surface. Or take your experience up a notch and head to the Thames for a front-row view of the city from the water. The new Bateaux London Glass Room dining experience offers five-star luxury under the glittering backdrops of some of the capitals most inspiring architecture.

On the evening of our trip to discover this new dining experience on the Bateaux London Glass Room, it is early autumn and the evening is still warm. We emerge from the hustle and bustle of Embankment Station and make the short two-minute walk to Embankment Pier. With large glass windows in the waiting room, it gives us a perfect view of the vessel and we are impressed. In fact if it weren’t for the sounds of the water gently lapping against at the sides it would be hard to tell it was a boat. The Glass Room exudes sheer luxury, with floor to ceiling glass windows, a large grand piano and tables draped in white tablecloths – it offers the air that you are somewhere truly special.

Not too long later we are led to the boat and shown our seats where a cold glass of champagne is placed in front of us while we peruse the menu for the evening.
There are a few different dining experiences you can select when you purchase your tickets, so be sure to look through them before you book. At the moment the packages on offer include Sunday lunch, afternoon tea, lunch, dinner and two special packages – New Years Eve and Christmas on the Water. There are also different options within this, for example for dinner you can select from the Deluxe which is a three-course set menu, Superior – a five-course set menu and Premier which includes a welcome drink, five-course set menu, half a bottle of house wine and half a bottle of mineral water per person, tea and coffees. The top package is the signature one which includes the best seats, an a la carte aperitif of your choice, a five-course a la carte menu, a wine pairing with each course, a digestif, barista coffee and live entertainment. You can read more on all these packages here. (We opted for the Premier package which is priced at £109 per person.)

As we begin to move the boat is smooth and we glide gently down the river. The sun is beginning to set and a warm orange glow is cast over the sights we pass. It’s a beautiful and hassle-free way to take in the best of London all in one go. We pass the Shard and the London Eye, heading under Tower Bridge before our amuse bouche arrive. Live music begins to play from the piano in the centre of the floor and this combined with the rhythm of the boat and the champagne makes for a really relaxing experience. The ambience is chilled, yet it has all the makings of a truly special experience.

As the food is brought out through the sailing on the Bateaux London Glass Room, it’s clear to see that they offer both style and substance. Too many venues focus on the look yet forget a large portion of experiences are based on the nitty-gritty bits beneath the surface. It’s fine dining and luxury without any pretentiousness. The food is cooked to perfection and the staff are efficient and friendly. To begin, we feast on a butternut squash and sage veloute as an amuse-bouche & maple glazed beetroot and root vegetables salad with feta crumble and kale pesto to start. The mains are roast chicken with a celeriac puree, tomato salsa, winter vegetables and confit rosemary potatoes. As we sail gently along, we are continually impressed by all the flavours and precision that had gone to the food. Dessert consists of a Bateaux mess – their own take on the Eton Mess and is both delicious and flavoursome. The final course is cheese, which means we end the sailing enjoying the flavours of Somerset Brie, Lincolnshire Poacher, Oxford Blue, Winter Chutney and crackers.

It’s a sad moment when we spy the lights of Embankment Pier coming into view. The Glass Room by Bateaux London has us utterly hooked and we don’t want to leave. It is the perfect venue to get dressed up and take your partner for a special date or occasion and is a memorable way to see the sights of London. We couldn’t recommend it enough. It’s truly the best way to be Seen in the City.