Located in the beautiful Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street - towering over the city, 36 floors up - Darwin is a stylish brasserie with a lot of responsibility on its shoulders; delivering food and drinks to match what is quite simply one of the most breath-taking spaces in London.
The Venue
Darwin is housed in the upper reaches of the tropical Sky Gardens, a glassed floor-to-ceiling lookout at the top of the Walkie Talkie sky scraper, situated in the heart of the City. To get to Darwin you meander through a rain-forest inspired pathway, whilst constantly marvelling at the city lights below you. Darwin is minimalist, and has a brasserie feel which keeps the décor simple, allowing the views to take centre stage rather than distracting with fussy interior design.
Sky-high views of London's skyline at Darwin Brasserie.
Food and Drink
The menu is inspired by contemporary British and European cuisine, packed with plenty of options to suit any taste. We took on one of the specials for our starter, a Ceviche crab and caviar dish which was punchy, fresh and the perfect way to kick off the dinner. My date plumped for the Roast Stone Bass Fillet (£18.75), and wasn’t disappointed by the taste or the size (it's massive), and I was just as happy with my plate of Confit Duck Leg and Toulouse Sausage (£18). Considering the location, both dishes coming in under £20 is very good value, meaning those footing the bill can still get that Uber home. The food was excellent and we washed it down with a tasty bottle of South African Chenin Blanc (£37, so maybe the tube after all...). If you don't fancy wine on the night, the cocktail list also looked tempting, with plenty of experimental and classic mixes to choose from.
The Darwin offers fresh, contemporary British-European fusion fare.
Atmosphere
Surprisingly laid back, casual and of course packed out; Darwin is full of couples and after work diners, who all find it hard to stop gaping at the landmarks around them. Don’t come dressed in cocktail dresses, Darwin isn’t fancy, which is refreshing considering the location, and the owners deserve praise for not being tempted into making this a bankers and celebrity-only hotspot.
The beautiful Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street.
Summary
This is a date night winner. Reasonably priced, delicious food, and a setting that will keep the conversation flowing all night long; Darwin at Sky Garden has to be on your restaurant bucket list for 2016.
