Harden's survey result
Summary
“Wonderful views and sense of space give a sense of occasion” to a meal in the flagship restaurant at the Southbank arts centre, overlooking the Thames. Originally built at the heart of this 1950s Brutalist venue as ‘The People’s Palace’ – with massive windows to make the best of the panorama – it is nowadays run by Evolv (fka D&D London), and although it’s not been on a high in recent years its ratings turned upwards this year. It still “takes a fair amount of flack” for its “simple, basic menu” and “very ordinary cooking”, but diners with more modest expectations can be pleasantly surprised (“I was sceptical about booking, but the staff were lovely, welcoming and friendly, the location was perfect: we had a window table!”).
Summary
“The location and setting are the stars” at this spectacular venue – the flagship restaurant of the Brutalist Southbank arts centre, with plate-glass windows offering “wonderful views” over the Thames. Part of D&D London, the restaurant has long struggled to do its surroundings justice, with an often-“mediocre” offering that leaves even supporters regretting the “well done, if rather unimaginative menu”.
Summary
“With spectacular views of London over the Thames, this is the place to bring out-of-towners”, say fans of this huge, Brutalist chamber, built in the 1950s as the South Bank’s original destination restaurant (when it was known as ‘The People’s Palace’). Supporters – particularly those on business – say the food is “perhaps a little formulaic, but reliably good too”. This is not a universal experience, though, and too often this D&D group venue suffers from “complacent service” and “below-average cooking”. (Some reports do also tip it as “a very nice spot to eat before a concert”. But others have had a bad pre-show trip… “what we ordered never arrived in time”).
Summary
“Great views over the Thames” and a vast interior (it was built as ‘The People’s Palace’ – the destination restaurant originally at the heart of the Brutalist South Bank arts centre), make this D&D London operation “good for both business and social” dining. The cuisine has often seemed like an afterthought here, but was mostly well-rated this year.
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Skylon, Southbank Centre?
Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX
Restaurant details
Skylon, Southbank Centre Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Touristy of course, but wonderful views, well-done food with some imaginative dishes, attentive service."
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch | £35.00 |  |
|
|
Traditional European menu
| Starter | Main | Pudding |
|---|---|---|
| £13.50 | £28.50 | £9.00 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £32.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £0.00 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £5.00 |
| Service | 13.00% |
Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 11:30 am‑12 am |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑8 pm |
Best British, Modern restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in Waterloo
British, Modern restaurant in South Bank
International restaurant in Strand
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in Waterloo
Japanese restaurant in Covent Garden
Italian restaurant in Covent Garden
