There’s something pleasingly unexpected about finding one of Holborn’s most colourful dining rooms hiding inside a hotel.
Midtown Bar & Dining, tucked inside NYX Hotel London Holborn, is not interested in the typical anonymous hotel-restaurant beige. Instead, think velvet seats, glossy interiors, vibrant art, statement lighting and floor-to-ceiling windows which cry out for Central London people-watching over a long lunch.
There’s almost a touch of Vegas about it – glamorous, playful and a bit OTT – which makes a refreshing change in a part of London better known for offices, theatres and commuters marching purposefully towards the Tube.
The restaurant recently refreshed its menu with a collection of globally inspired dishes and small plates, alongside an outdoor terrace serving an Edinburgh Gin cocktail menu. We visited to put it through its paces – and were more than pleasantly surprised.
First up, the wild mushroom and truffle arancini. Served with basil pesto and Parmesan, they arrive piping hot, cheesy and crisp, making exactly the kind of bar snack you want sitting beside a cold drink.
Even better are the spicy king prawns. Served with avocado salsa and grilled focaccia, they’re easily one of the standout starters: generous, punchy – and we can confirm, a dish that disappears from the table remarkably quickly.
While much of the new menu lends itself to sharing and grazing, Midtown is also very good at the opposite approach: ordering one enormous thing and devouring it with glee.
Case in point: the herb-marinated halloumi burger is genuinely excellent. Halloumi can be a risky burger filling – but here it’s not rubbery at all, instead, arriving stacked with crushed avocado, amarillo yoghurt and roasted Padron peppers inside a brightly coloured beetroot bun. Add fries and it makes for a properly satisfying central London lunch.
Across the table, the Cowboy Burger is equally unsubtle, piled high with onion rings and requiring both hands and a certain amount of structural planning.
A side of truffle Parmesan fries is predictably difficult to stop eating, while dessert brings another joyfully maximalist moment in the form of salted caramel cheesecake, complete with butterscotch and caramelised popcorn – sweet, rich and unapologetically indulgent.
Drinks-wise, the Edinburgh Gin terrace adds another reason to linger here, with G&Ts, Negronis and spritzes joining pours featuring the brand’s fruitier expressions. A classic gin and tonic proved an easy match for the food and, when the weather behaves, the terrace makes an appealing spot for an after work drink.
Service throughout was warm and attentive, but Midtown’s biggest strength may simply be how versatile it feels.
You could come here for a pre-theatre dinner, grab cocktails after work, settle in with friends over several small plates or order a giant burger during a shopping day in town. With Holborn Tube moments away, Covent Garden within strolling distance and prices that feel reasonable for such a polished central London setting, it makes a convincing case for visiting whether you’re staying at NYX or not.
Come for the burger, stay because Midtown makes Holborn feel a lot more fun. After all, Midtown is the kind of hotel restaurant you’d happily visit without ever seeing a room key.
Visit Midtown Bar & Dining, 50-60 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4AR. Book your table here.
Midleton has been named Most Awarded International Distillery at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) for the second consecutive year, with 41 medals awarded and three earning coveted Platinum recognition. The SFWSC is recognised as one of the spirits industry’s most prominent international competitions. Entries are assessed through blind tastings by an expert…
English sparkling wine has come of age. Popping corks to celebrate two decades of production, Gusbourne recently held a unique tasting of 13 vintages from the last 20 years, including an extremely rare sampling of its 2006 bottling. The idea behind the retrospective was to examine the evolution of its sparkling wines, vineyards, and winemaking…
Monkey 47 has revealed oyster mushroom as the unusual 48th botanical in its latest limited-release Distiller’s Cut gin, bringing savoury umami notes to its traditional Black Forest spirit. Now in its 16th year, the annual Distiller’s Cut sees Monkey 47 search for a Species Rara: an exceptional ingredient that adds a new dimension to its…
There’s something pleasingly unexpected about finding one of Holborn’s most colourful dining rooms hiding inside a hotel.
Midtown Bar & Dining, tucked inside NYX Hotel London Holborn, is not interested in the typical anonymous hotel-restaurant beige. Instead, think velvet seats, glossy interiors, vibrant art, statement lighting and floor-to-ceiling windows which cry out for Central London people-watching over a long lunch.
There’s almost a touch of Vegas about it – glamorous, playful and a bit OTT – which makes a refreshing change in a part of London better known for offices, theatres and commuters marching purposefully towards the Tube.
The restaurant recently refreshed its menu with a collection of globally inspired dishes and small plates, alongside an outdoor terrace serving an Edinburgh Gin cocktail menu. We visited to put it through its paces – and were more than pleasantly surprised.
First up, the wild mushroom and truffle arancini. Served with basil pesto and Parmesan, they arrive piping hot, cheesy and crisp, making exactly the kind of bar snack you want sitting beside a cold drink.
Even better are the spicy king prawns. Served with avocado salsa and grilled focaccia, they’re easily one of the standout starters: generous, punchy – and we can confirm, a dish that disappears from the table remarkably quickly.
While much of the new menu lends itself to sharing and grazing, Midtown is also very good at the opposite approach: ordering one enormous thing and devouring it with glee.
Case in point: the herb-marinated halloumi burger is genuinely excellent. Halloumi can be a risky burger filling – but here it’s not rubbery at all, instead, arriving stacked with crushed avocado, amarillo yoghurt and roasted Padron peppers inside a brightly coloured beetroot bun. Add fries and it makes for a properly satisfying central London lunch.
Across the table, the Cowboy Burger is equally unsubtle, piled high with onion rings and requiring both hands and a certain amount of structural planning.
A side of truffle Parmesan fries is predictably difficult to stop eating, while dessert brings another joyfully maximalist moment in the form of salted caramel cheesecake, complete with butterscotch and caramelised popcorn – sweet, rich and unapologetically indulgent.
Drinks-wise, the Edinburgh Gin terrace adds another reason to linger here, with G&Ts, Negronis and spritzes joining pours featuring the brand’s fruitier expressions. A classic gin and tonic proved an easy match for the food and, when the weather behaves, the terrace makes an appealing spot for an after work drink.
Service throughout was warm and attentive, but Midtown’s biggest strength may simply be how versatile it feels.
You could come here for a pre-theatre dinner, grab cocktails after work, settle in with friends over several small plates or order a giant burger during a shopping day in town. With Holborn Tube moments away, Covent Garden within strolling distance and prices that feel reasonable for such a polished central London setting, it makes a convincing case for visiting whether you’re staying at NYX or not.
Come for the burger, stay because Midtown makes Holborn feel a lot more fun. After all, Midtown is the kind of hotel restaurant you’d happily visit without ever seeing a room key.
Visit Midtown Bar & Dining, 50-60 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4AR. Book your table here.
Midleton named Most Awarded International Distillery for second year, as experts pick their favourite whiskies
Midleton has been named Most Awarded International Distillery at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) for the second consecutive year, with 41 medals awarded and three earning coveted Platinum recognition. The SFWSC is recognised as one of the spirits industry’s most prominent international competitions. Entries are assessed through blind tastings by an expert…
Beyond Champagne: Why Gusbourne Is leading England’s sparkling wine revolution
English sparkling wine has come of age. Popping corks to celebrate two decades of production, Gusbourne recently held a unique tasting of 13 vintages from the last 20 years, including an extremely rare sampling of its 2006 bottling. The idea behind the retrospective was to examine the evolution of its sparkling wines, vineyards, and winemaking…
Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut 2026 adds oyster mushroom to gin recipe for savoury umami twist
Monkey 47 has revealed oyster mushroom as the unusual 48th botanical in its latest limited-release Distiller’s Cut gin, bringing savoury umami notes to its traditional Black Forest spirit. Now in its 16th year, the annual Distiller’s Cut sees Monkey 47 search for a Species Rara: an exceptional ingredient that adds a new dimension to its…
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