Ognisko Restaurant

Just one of the positive side effects of opening an exclusive community club’s restaurant to the public is that diners can enjoy some of the cool things that go on inside. Critically-acclaimed Polish and Eastern European restaurant Ognisko shares the same Exhibition Road premises as London’s Polish Hearth Club, meaning it’s entirely possible that you can have dinner before or after watching an example of Polish cinema’s compelling output. Classic such as Ida, or Polanski’s Repulsion, shot on location in and around Knightsbridge. Then again, most people who wish to take full advantage of Ognisko’s facilities opt instead for either casual dining or private hire in part or in full: for canapes or buffets, set party menus, not to mention fabulous wedding receptions and corporate functions, organised with the assistance of a dedicated team of party planners.

Dining at Ognisko is a special experience. Set in a stunning Victorian-era terrace along South Kensington’s Exhibition Road, diners step through the imposing entrance into a foyer dominated by a sweeping, filigreed staircase. The light-filled dining rooms echo, in more traditional fashion, the spacious atmosphere of Ognisko’s sister restaurant Baltic (an equally renowned Eastern European eatery in Southwark). On sunny days, the rear terrace, open to Prince’s Gardens, is ideal for al fresco dining. There’s an incredible array of dishes to sample here, from Poland, Hungary, Russia and elsewhere. Needless to say, it’s absolutely essential to book a table far in advance – this is one of London’s most popular fine dining restaurants.