All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Set atop the Royal Festival Hall, Skylon occupies one of the South Bank’s most distinctive dining locations. Floor-to-ceiling windows look across the Thames and London skyline, giving the restaurant a markedly different atmosphere between daytime and evening.
Its position within the Southbank Centre makes Skylon particularly convenient for dining around performances, while modern British cooking, a substantial drinks programme and established weekend offerings give it appeal beyond the cultural calendar.
A Dining Room Above the Thames
Skylon takes its name from the futuristic structure created for the Festival of Britain in 1951, a fitting connection for a restaurant housed in the Royal Festival Hall. Its elevated position remains central to the experience, particularly from tables beside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The contemporary dining room is spacious, with a prominent central bar and extensive glazing that keeps the Thames and skyline in view. The scale suits its landmark setting without detracting from the outlook that gives Skylon much of its character.
Modern British Cooking at Skylon
Skylon’s menu centres on modern British cooking, combining familiar dishes with more contemporary choices. Its breadth works equally well for a pre-theatre meal or a longer lunch or dinner, while the grill caters to those looking for larger cuts.
Starters
Seafood features prominently among the opening dishes. Dressed Crab comes with cucumber, apple, brown crab and soda bread, while Tuna Tartare pairs Isle of Wight tomatoes with green chilli, espelette and olive oil. Cumbrae Scottish Oysters are served with oyster mayonnaise.
Elsewhere, Steak Tartare combines egg yolk, bone marrow and Bloody Mary dressing, while the Marmite Tart comes with cauliflower and lemon salad. Plant-based choices include chilled Leek, Peas & Potato Soup and Garden Vegetable & Flower Bed Salad with carrot dressing and carrot top pesto.
Mains
Grilled Sea Trout is served with buttered Jersey Royals and horseradish sauce, while Railway Mutton Curry comes with fragrant pilau rice, crispy onions, cucumber and mint yoghurt, and grilled garlic flatbread. Pumpkin, Spinach & Chickpea Masala provides a vegetarian counterpart.
British comfort dishes include Fish & Chips with haddock, mushy peas and tartare sauce; Fish Pie with haddock, salmon, prawns and peas; and Shepherd’s Pie with slow-cooked lamb, cheddar mash, peas and red wine jus. The vegan Somerset Wild Mushroom, Artichoke & Lentil Ragu comes with truffle potatoes and vegetable crisps.
The grill includes Aberdeen Angus ribeye and rump steak, with dry-aged Black Angus Bone-in Rib Steak and Porterhouse Steak available for sharing. Sides range from truffled mashed potato to bacon-creamed spinach and grilled Hispi cabbage.
Desserts
Desserts lean towards familiar British favourites. Treacle Tart and Date & Molasses Sticky Toffee Pudding are served with vanilla ice cream, while Cherry Bakewell Tart provides another traditional option. Warm Rice Pudding comes with clotted cream and plum compote, and Coconut Tapioca with mango sorbet offers a vegan alternative.
The cheese board brings together Stilton, Pouligny Saint-Pierre and Twanger with lavash, onion relish and quince jelly. For sharing, Eton Mess combines berries, Chantilly, meringue and raspberry sorbet.
Cocktails and Wine by the River
The central bar gives drinks a significant place within the Skylon experience, whether before a performance or as part of dinner. House cocktails sit alongside an extensive selection of classics.
Sweet N’ Spicy combines chilli-infused Casamigos Blanco tequila and Lost Explorer mezcal with strawberry liqueur and lime. Mandarin Stag mixes Dalmore 12-year-old whisky with mandarin liqueur, Amaro Montenegro, maple syrup and rhubarb bitters, while Ember Glow pairs Renais Gin with Aperol, peach liqueur, ginger and lemongrass cordial, and ginger ale.
Classics include the Negroni, Vesper Martini, Espresso Martini and Old Fashioned, alongside sparkling choices such as the Hugo Spritz and Champagne Cocktail. Alcohol-free options are equally varied, including the Wild Idol Hugo Spritz, Skylon Diva and Coastal Fizz.
The wine list spans Champagne, English sparkling wine and still wines from established regions worldwide. Laurent-Perrier and Perrier-Jouët sit alongside prestige bottles including Dom Pérignon and Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle, while English producers include Nyetimber, Louis Pommery, Roebuck and Rathfinny. Fine wines extend to Burgundy, Bordeaux, Piedmont and Napa Valley, with English Bacchus, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir also represented.
Brunch and Sunday Lunch
Weekends introduce a more relaxed side to Skylon. Brunch starters include Poached Egg Florentine, Benedict or Royale, Scottish Smoked Salmon and Chopped Salad. Mains range from Avocado Poached Eggs and Wild Mushroom Ragu to Fish & Chips and a Fried Chicken Sandwich with Buffalo hot sauce, Cheddar, iceberg and pickles. French Toast with whipped cinnamon crème fraîche and raspberry sauce offers a sweeter finish.
Saturday brunch is accompanied by live music, with bottomless bubbles available as an addition. Sundays turn towards the traditional roast, with Gloucester Old Spot Pork Rack, Dry Aged Hereford Rolled Rib of Beef, Roast Half Chicken and Cauliflower Cheese. Each comes with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables and gravy.
Dining Around the Southbank
Being inside the Royal Festival Hall makes Skylon particularly convenient for performances at the Southbank Centre. Pre- and post-theatre dining is a natural part of its offering, with Waterloo and Embankment among the nearest Underground stations.
The location also makes it easy to combine dinner and a performance without travelling elsewhere in central London. For an evening at the Royal Festival Hall, having the restaurant and auditorium within the same building is a practical advantage.
Private Dining with a Thames View
The River View area provides Skylon’s semi-private dining option, accommodating up to 24 seated guests as well as standing receptions. Its position retains the restaurant’s Thames outlook, making it suitable for celebrations, corporate occasions and drinks receptions.
Larger gatherings can make use of the wider restaurant, with full and exclusive hire available for seated dinners and standing events. This flexibility allows Skylon to accommodate considerably larger occasions while retaining the river views that define the venue.
Skylon’s Place on the South Bank
Skylon’s strengths lie in a clear combination of Thames views, modern British cooking and its Royal Festival Hall setting. The menu balances familiar dishes with enough variety for different occasions, while the cocktail and wine programmes give the central bar a meaningful role of its own.
For dining around a Southbank Centre performance, a leisurely weekend lunch or an evening overlooking the river, Skylon remains a polished choice in one of London’s most recognisable cultural locations.
Location: Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX
