7 Immersive Dining Experiences In London
Chambers of Flavour
As masters of clandestine dining, Gingerline keeps all the details of their Chambers of Flavour adventures under a tight lock and key, so there’s not much we can tell you about their dining quest that's been a favourite on the London food scene since 2007. Lest the surprise be spoiled, they even insist you don’t use your phone during the experience. What we can say, though, is this is the last chance you'll get to experience the current format as it finishes in December. Expect six parallel realities, six courses of delicious, inventive food, a welcome drink and 130 minutes of immersive mischief. Let’s just say, there’s a reason why people book despite not knowing anything.
Tickets are on sale for November and December now and there are Saturday matinee performances available for families with children 7+.
A secret location near Hoxton Overground Station from Thursday 8th November
Visit ChambersOfFlavour.co.uk
The Gastrophysics Chef’s Table
A multisensory and immersive dining experience, chef Jozef Yousser and Oxford gastrophysicist Professor Charles Spence are on a quest to show how aroma, texture, colour and sound affect the way you experience flavour. And the best part? You’re their guinea pigs. Does food taste different when you’re listening to the ocean? Can dessert taste sweeter if served on a white plate? These theories will be put to the tested over 13 courses.
Alston Works, Unit 9A Falkland Road EN5 4LG; Friday 26th Oct – Saturday 1st Dec (Fridays and Saturdays only)
Visit Gastrophysics.co.uk
Medieval Banquet
Based at the Ivory House in St Katherine's Dock, the Medieval Banquet invites guests to be part of 1000 years of rich history in this dinner-theatre experience. Get ready to chow down on a turkey leg, Henry VIII-style, as you’re surrounded by kings, queens, knights, acrobats and jesters. The feast takes place in the building’s vaulted cellar, lit by torchlight. If you really want to get involved, you can join in with the actors and hire a costume on arrival – and stick around for ye olde disco after dinner.
Ivory House, St Katharine Docks, London E1W 1BP; Wednesdays to Sundays
Visit MedievalBanquet.com
The Murder Express
For Agatha Christie enthusiasts, this dining experience is the ultimate in ‘fan fare’. Taking diners back to the early 20th Century – when people took trains for fun and no one had to be squashed in by the toilet – the expedition created by restaurant group Funicular takes off from ‘Pedley Street Station’ and features drinks from the Seven Sins platform bar, a selection of dishes from a menu carefully crafted by MasterChef 2016 finalists, Billy and Jack – and, of course, a murder mystery to really get your teeth into.
Arch 63 Pedley Street E1; from Thursday 17th January 2019
Visit FunicularProductions.com
Taste Film
Have you ever watched a film filled to the brim with delicious food and wished you could just try a little bit? Well, now you can – Taste Film allows you to watch what you eat. The pop-up – which has a regular spot at The Parlour in Kensal Rise – is an eat-along experience that allows you to get a taste of the meals from your favourite films. Want to know what the sadness brownie from Notting Hill tastes like? Now you can. Want to experience all the flavours from Hook’s invisible food fight? Or the lickable wallpaper in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory? Now you can! With all your foodie favourites, from Matilda, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Alice in Wonderland, Ratatouille, Chocolat and many, many more, this is the unique experience that’ll up your standards from just plain old cinema popcorn.
Across London
Visit TasteFilm.co.uk
The Literary Hour: Treasure Island
Book lovers unite: The Literary Hour’s novel-themed supper clubs have gone down a storm since its fruition. This time around they took on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, Treasure Island. A four-course menu and a welcome cocktail were punctuated with readings from the book to contextualise the menu – and as far as the actual food goes, grilled meats had to be on the agenda, considering Long John Silver’s nickname is ‘Barbecue’. But judging by the culinary surprises from previous events (a Turkish Delight flavour guessing game for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Willy Wonka’s three-course dinner chewing gum), when it comes to these events, you should still expect the unexpected. Keep your eyes peeled for their take on the next classic.
Palm 2, E5 0QJ
Visit TheLiteraryHour.com
Journey to the Underworld
From the creators of The Murder Express and with a menu curated by MasterChef 2017 finalist Louisa Ellis, guests journeying to the Underworld will join shackled conductor Claude and his lowly assistant Gordy on a quest for redemption. You’ll encounter gatekeepers and demons of hell – but don’t worry, it’s less terrifying and more… darkly comic. And with Ellis known for her bold and interesting food combinations, guests are sure to have a memorable ‘last meal’.
Pedley Street Station, Arch 63, Pedley Street, London E1 5BW; until Saturday 10th November
Visit FunicularProductions.com
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