I'm all for trying out new restaurants, and one that caught my eye recently was The Idler. Having opened in the summer of 2025, this stylish spot can be found inside The July hotel, a peaceful retreat from the bustling streets of Victoria. It's aim is to bring elegant, all-day dining to the city, with ingredients focused on British seasonality and plates inspired by both the Mediterranean and the UK. It's a refined spot that's great for catching up with friends over dinner, and that's exactly what I came to do.
DesignMyNight’s Review Of The Idler Victoria
The Idler can be found inside The July hotel.
Need To Know:
- Address: 282 Vauxhall Bridge Road, Victoria SW1V 1EJ
- Area: Victoria
- Cuisine: British, Mediterranean
Ambience & We Think Perfect For
- Atmosphere: I loved the simple elegance of this place: it had warm lighting and inviting booths running along the wall, great for relaxing with a drink or two. It also featured an open kitchen, and seeing the chefs work smoothly added to the peaceful vibe.
- Perfect For: this is a great shout for after-work drinks and dinner, with bar seats for a quick cocktail or comfy corners to lounge in if you're after a more refined meal.
Service & Price
- Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Value For Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cost: around £150 for two, including three courses and a bottle of wine
The Idler menu is full of British and Mediterranean flavours.
Menu Highlights
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Drink: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Leek and cheddar arancini (£9) - these were quite possibly the most flavourful arancini I've ever had - bright green in the centre and packed full of cheesy goodness, served with an extremely moreish confit garlic aioli and shavings of parmesan.
- Loch Duart salmon rillette (£15) - a sophisticated starter that featured a pate-like consistency of flaked salmon and dill, served on thin, crisp slices of baguette.
- Fresh handmade linguine (£24) - this was an ultra-indulgent pasta dish containing Jerusalem artichoke and autumn truffle, with a creamy, cheese-based sauce that cloaked each fine strand of linguine beautifully.
- Chocolate tonka mousse (£10) - a sweet end to the meal, this mousse was very thick and had an almost brownie-like consistency, topped with a crumbly thyme shortbread and Chantilly cream. The waitress warned me that this one was filling, and it was, but I couldn't get enough.
Our Overall Experience At The Idler
DesignMyNight Review Out Of 5: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I very much enjoyed my visit to The Idler, a relaxing experience full of good food and wine. The service was prompt but not rushed, and we were able to take the meal at our own pace. The arancini starter was a particular highlight for me, and I'd definitley recommend trying one of their desserts too. For refined British and Mediterranean flavours in a relaxed but classy setting, definitely give this place a try.
