Where To Eat This Week: Harrods Dining Hall

The launch of Harrods Dining Hall marks the third phase of a vast restoration of the famous department store’s food halls. Formerly known as the Meat & Fish Hall, the Grade II*-listed space has been sensitively brought up to date by David Collins Studio, the team behind Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, Ella Canta and Brasserie Zedel. The fish fountains and mermaid statues might be gone, but thankfully most of the hall’s recognisable décor, such as its colourful art-deco tiles and roundels, remain. Across the ceiling, you’ll spot traditional meat hooks and the original vast chimney alongside new elements such as statement lighting, counter-top dining and an abundance of elegant leather stools.

Harrods Dining Hall is a live experience celebrating the talent of the store’s 150 in-house chefs and the quality of the produce that fills its world-famous food halls. Across six different restaurants in the same grand space, modern menus offer shoppers, tourists and foodies alike a seasonal take on traditional dishes. But where to try first? Here’s what each of the six restaurants have to offer…

The Fish Bar

At The Fish Bar, the menu champions the best of British fish and seafood from the Fresh Market Hall, ethically caught and directly sourced by Harrods fish buyers and fishmongers. Guests can opt for a tour of the British coastline with Scottish scallop carpaccio, Hampshire smoked trout and English rock oysters, while classic dishes include fish and chips with the crispest batter, smoked salmon from the Faroe Islands and lobster thermidor. Don’t forget to order the lobster toastie – Instagram’s dish of choice. Alongside the main menu is a curated drinks selection, featuring champagne, cider and a range of gin cocktails.

The Grill

The Grill showcases locally sourced produce from Scottish Highland beef (dry-aged in a Himalayan salt room) to English rotisserie chicken as well as worldwide picks such as melt-in-the-mouth wagyu from Japan and Chile, all prepared to order over a charcoal grill. This celebration of the finest cuts available is accompanied by ultimate comfort foods, such as truffled mac and cheese, triple-cooked chips and buttered corn on the cob, with a drinks selection of beers, cocktails and bold red wines.

The Pasta Bar

Fresh, handmade pasta gets a seasonal spin at this restaurant, which highlights the best ingredients delivered each morning to the Fresh Market Hall. The menu changes daily based on the produce available. Offering seasonal takes on traditional Italian recipes, expect to try the likes of moreish veal cheek ragu served in a tangle of mafalde; rigatoni cacio e pepe, pecorino and kampot pepper; and linguini with Cornish crab, chilli and garlic. This is Italian comfort food at its finest, with portions designed to share among your table.

The Wine Bar

Centre stage is The Wine Bar, where guests can choose from more than 100 wines by the glass. The menu has been curated by style, not by terroir to allow guests to explore wines within a flavour profile they're familiar with. Using the Coravin preservation system for still wines and the Genii preservation system for sparkling, exclusive bottles are served by the glass and can be experienced in perfect condition for up to 12 months. Wine connoisseurs can also select any bottle from a list of more than 1,000, via an iPad that connects directly to the Fine Wines & Spirits department. Additionally, customers are able to purchase a bottle of their choice from the department while shopping. Bar snacks and special dishes from Caviar House & Prunier are available to complement the wide range of cuvées. 

Kama by Vineet

Vineet Bhatia’s 26-seat restaurant, Kama by Vineet, serves up modernised regional Indian classics. Here, world-renowned Michelin-starred chef Bhatia has curated a menu of dishes from all over India: think the signature thali — available as a meat or vegetarian option — or a variety of curries from butter chicken to lamb rogan josh, along with wines, cocktails, lassi and more. Make sure to sample the pistachio lamb chops with saffron mash and pomegranate, and the indulgent lobster chettinad biryani.

The Sushi Bar

The Sushi Bar by Mango Tree’s Eddie Lim offers speciality sashimi served with truffle yuzu and traditional soy, alongside grander options such as blue lobster nigiri, an eel and foie gras signature roll and tataki of wagyu beef. For the full experience, let the expert sushi chefs decide for you – just ask for the ‘omakase’ option. An expansion of Lim’s Asian offering is available at the new Bao Kitchen on the fourth floor of the department store, where customers can enjoy a selection of dim sum, bao and rice bowls.

87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, SW1X 7XL; The Dining Hall is open from 11:30am to 9pm Mondays to Saturdays and 11:30am to 6pm on Sundays. Book in advance online, or at one of the two front of house desks in the Dining Hall itself.

Visit Harrods.com