Pearl Restaurant

Glamorous Pearl on High Holborn is perfect for an after work midweek date for those who work in the City or Holborn, or for a special Saturday night for those venturing in from further afield.  The restaurant and bar are housed within the old Pearl Assurance Company building, which makes for an impressive backdrop to the stunning modern interior design.

We recommend you head first to the bar as there are some amazing cocktails on offer, not to mention an award wining wine list. The inspired "shakers for sharing" are perfect for a date (you get a huge cocktail to share with a tray of fruits to chose from as a garnish) and, although it's hard to choose, surely it's got to be the Aphrodite Martini?

            

If you can, try and book one of the wooden booths in the bar, which are secluded and romantic. If not, the seating areas, which are divided by strings of pearls, are still pretty intimate. Speaking of pearls, this is a date that you can definitely dress up for - why not aim to be as opulent as your surroundings?

After drinks, move through to the restaurant, which has a wonderful feeling of sleek elegance (you've come to the wrong place if you're after cosy romance though). The atmosphere is serene, not buzzing, and it's really all about noticing the exquisite modern French food rather than all the other guests.  

If you're really aiming to impress then go for the tasting menu for £120 with wine. Otherwise go à la carte and you'll still have a fantastic dining experience. Pearl is all about the quality and ingenuity of the food. The flavours are surprising and clever and can sometimes take you out of your comfort zone! It doesn't pay to pretend to be a know-it-all. Talk to the waiters and the sommelier because they really know their stuff and you'll appreciate your meal a lot more after a little explanation. Just remember, no one likes a show-off…

Assuming you are not too full after the dinner we suggest a ten minute walk via Lincoln's Inn Fields to Baranis for a nightcap. This quirky bar carries on the French theme perfectly (you can even play a game of pétanque indoors) but beware, it's only open during the week.

Pearl is a wonderful restaurant and deserves all the accolades it receives, however, it's not one for a first date unless you are super confident of your success! You need to feel comfortable with your date because you don't have a buzzing atmosphere to fall back on. Our advice would be to use Pearl as an impressive early days date or for a special occasion and you wont be disappointed.