Counter Culture: Why the Best Seat in the House Is Now the Closest One
Once overlooked, counter seats are now the front row — closer to the kitchen, the craft and the action.
For years, counter dining carried a certain stigma. A compromise for solo diners. A last resort when tables were full. Somewhere to perch, rather than properly sit. Today, that perception has quietly but decisively shifted.
Across London, the counter has become one of the most deliberate ways to dine. It offers immediacy without informality, insight without intrusion. Sitting closer to the kitchen changes the experience: food arrives with context rather than choreography, and the focus moves from the room to the decisions being made behind the pass.
This is not about informality for its own sake. Nor is it theatre. At its best, counter dining reflects a broader change in how — and when — we choose to eat. Fine dining has grown lighter on its feet. Lunch has regained importance. Dinners start earlier, end earlier, and are judged less by endurance than by clarity and intent.
In that context, the counter makes sense. It suits solo diners and groups equally well. It encourages return visits rather than once-a-year occasions. And it allows chefs to present their cooking with fewer layers between plate and guest.
What’s striking is how many of London’s most interesting restaurants now treat the counter not as an add-on, but as the point. From Michelin-starred omakase counters to hotel dining rooms rethought around open kitchens, the best seat in the house is increasingly the one closest to the action.
The restaurants below are not linked by style or cuisine, but by a shared understanding: that where you sit can matter just as much as what you eat.
SUSHI KANESAKA AT 45 PARK LANE
Mayfair
Counter focus: Omakase counter
Menus to know: Omakase experience (multi-course, typically featuring around 18-20 seasonal dishes £420)
Club privilege: Complimentary welcome glass of sparkling, see details
Set gracefully above Park Lane, chef Shinji Kanesaka’s first European restaurant is where your intimate Michelin-starred dining experience begins, inviting you on a refined culinary journey that showcases the disciplined techniques of traditional Edomae sushi.
PAVYLLON
Mayfair
Counter focus: Open kitchen counter
Menus to know: À la carte; Taste of Pavyllon (three courses £55); Immersive menu (four courses £95 / five courses £120); Pavyllon menu (six courses £175)
Club privilege: Complimentary Man’ouche, see details
A counter designed for interaction – Michelin-starred, seasonal British dishes and global influences, served in a relaxed, neighbourhood-style setting.
MUSE BY TOM AIKENS
Belgravia
Counter focus: Chef’s counter
Menus to know: À la carte (two courses £160 / three courses £195); Lunch Tasting Menu (six courses £105/ ten courses £195); Dinner Tasting Menu (ten courses £195)
Club privilege: Complimentary welcome glass of William Saintot, BdN, 1er Cru, see details
Experience-led, Michelin-starred tasting menus served from the chef’s counter, where technique and narrative unfold up close.
THE COCOCHINE
Mayfair
Counter focus: Seven-seat Chef’s Counter on the first floor
Menus to know: Lunch (two courses £29 / three courses £39); Signature Menu (eight courses £189)
Club privilege: Complimentary additional course, see details
An intimate counter designed for close interaction with the kitchen — ideal for watching dishes come together in a more informal, fluid dining setting.
KIOKU BY ENDO
Whitehall
Counter focus: Japanese dining counter
Menus to know: Multi-course (eleven-dish tasting menu £175)
Club privilege: Complimentary drink, see details
Overlooking the kitchen, the chef’s table invites guests to embark on a culinary journey. designed to become a lasting memory.
BEHIND
Hackney
Counter focus: Chef-led seafood tasting counter
Menus to know: Tasting Menu (ten courses £125 served Saturday lunch, and dinner Wednesday to Saturday); Lunch (six courses £64, served Thursday & Friday)
Club privilege: Complimentary glass of Champagne, see details
An 18-seat kitchen-table restaurant where Michelin-starred seafood cuisine takes centre stage and chef patron Andy Beynon works the room throughout service.
DIM SUM BY CHINA TANG
Harrods – Knightsbridge
Counter focus: Dim sum preparation counter
Menus to know: Set menu (£58); À la carte
Club privilege: Complimentary pot of tea from the Tea Cellar Menu, see details
Sister restaurant to China Tang at The Dorchester, offering a front-row view of Cantonese craft, where speed and precision are part of the appeal.
THE FUJI GRILL AT BEAVERBROOK TOWN HOUSE
Chelsea
Counter focus: Sushi and grill counter
Menus to know: Temaki; a la carte; Omakase (twelve courses £100); Tasting Menu (six courses £85); Lunch Set Menu (two courses £35/ three courses £42); Bento Boxes
Club privilege: Complimentary cocktail, see details
Modern Japanese flavours served in a relaxed counter-led setting, balancing precision cooking with a shareable approach.
CHAI WU
Harrods – Knightsbridge
Counter focus: Bar and kitchen counter seating
Menus to know: À la carte; Louis XIII Moments (eight courses £248 – minimum two guests); Seasonal Festive Menu.
Club privilege: Complimentary glass of Champagne, see details
A refined counter experience option showcasing pan-Asian cuisine – ideal for shorter visits where atmosphere and polish take the lead.
BENTLEY’S OYSTER BAR & GRILL
Mayfair
Counter focus: Oyster and seafood bar
Menus to know: À la carte (lunch and dinner); Late Night Raw Bar
Club privilege: Two complimentary oysters, see details
One of London’s oldest oyster bars, serving from its original marble-topped counter since 1916 — a front-row seat for oysters, classic seafood and easy conversation.
NIJU
Mayfair
Counter focus: Four seater ‘At the Counter’ Chef’s Choice, sushi experience
Menus to know: Multi-course including sashimi, nigiris, produce of the day tamaki and further chef dish selections (£85)
Club privilege: Complimentary cocktail of the week, see details
A compact sushi counter offering an intimate perspective on Japanese craftsmanship in the heart of Mayfair.
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