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.
The Last Drop has unveiled a 22 year old Barbados rum created by Foursquare Distillery’s Richard Seale, marking two milestones for the independent spirits bottler and the celebrated Barbadian producer. The Last Drop Release No. 43 is the brand’s first Rum Signature Creation, and notable as the oldest rum ever released by Foursquare. Just 566…
Salford Distillery is marking 100 years of Salford’s city status with a limited-edition aged rum inspired by the Caribbean trade that helped shape the city’s industrial history. Blended and bottled at Salford Distillery’s railway-arch home on Viaduct Street, the Salford Centenary Edition Rum brings together a blend of aged Caribbean rums, for a flavour profile…
Royal Salute is looking to Dubai and Abu Dhabi for the eighth release in its Polo Collection, a 21 year old blended Scotch whisky finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The limited-quantity release is a bespoke blend of Scotch whiskies aged for at least 21 years, created by Royal Salute Master Blender Emeritus Sandy Hyslop.…
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.
The Last Drop unveils 22 year old Barbados rum, Foursquare’s oldest release to date
The Last Drop has unveiled a 22 year old Barbados rum created by Foursquare Distillery’s Richard Seale, marking two milestones for the independent spirits bottler and the celebrated Barbadian producer. The Last Drop Release No. 43 is the brand’s first Rum Signature Creation, and notable as the oldest rum ever released by Foursquare. Just 566…
Salford Distillery Centenary Edition Caribbean rum marks 100 years with limited edition bottling
Salford Distillery is marking 100 years of Salford’s city status with a limited-edition aged rum inspired by the Caribbean trade that helped shape the city’s industrial history. Blended and bottled at Salford Distillery’s railway-arch home on Viaduct Street, the Salford Centenary Edition Rum brings together a blend of aged Caribbean rums, for a flavour profile…
Royal Salute 21 Year Old Polo Edition adds Pedro Ximénez finish for a taste of the Middle East
Royal Salute is looking to Dubai and Abu Dhabi for the eighth release in its Polo Collection, a 21 year old blended Scotch whisky finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The limited-quantity release is a bespoke blend of Scotch whiskies aged for at least 21 years, created by Royal Salute Master Blender Emeritus Sandy Hyslop.…
Share this: