If you enjoy eating lunch in very pointy buildings, floating high above ant-sized Londoners, well you really can’t go far wrong with Oblix
A dazzle-swank brasserie and rotisserie on the 32nd floor of a very tall building, Oblix is a high-altitude restaurant serving grilled Western comforts, steaks and fine seafood with impressive panoramic views of London all around. Sit by a window and you’ll feel like an omniscient god in some top-down strategy video game.
WHERE? Easily the pointiest building you’ll ever eat lunch in, The Shard is a notable towering glass monolith that you’ll recognise from such skylines as the one right outside your window. To get inside this shiny beast without paying any tourist tax, you’ll need to go to the lowest floor by Guy’s Hospital and agree to have your bags searched by a crack team of security experts. From there, a deliriously quick elevator will blast you to your destination.
WHO? German foodie superstar Rainer Becker runs the altitudinous show. His previous ventures include the critically acclaimed Japanese restaurant Zuma in Knightsbridge, which he launched with his business partner Arjun Waney in 2002, and Roka on Charlotte Street. He launched Oblix in 2013, breaking his run of opening street level restaurants.
ORDER THIS… The aubergine, feta and hummus flatbread is an unexpectedly notable starter dish disguised as a fairly familiar appetiser, a tasty harbinger of what’s to come: perfectly cooked porterhouse steak from the fancy josper oven and spring truffle linguine that demands a decent champagne pairing. Go for small plates and pick at fried octopus on avocado.
BUSINESS OR PLEASURE? If your client is unendingly impressed by the novelty of watching ant-sized Londoners scuttle about far below, Oblix and its extensive sharing menu make the ideal spot for some serious one-on-one wooing. It is, however, perhaps a little too extravagant for the weekly team debrief.
NEED TO BOOK? Unless you fancy scaling the side of the building, yes you do. The restaurant and lounge take reservations for parties of up to five at oblixrestaurant.com. For larger bookings, call them on 020 7268 6700.
THE VERDICT… You can’t really be allowed to operate a restaurant halfway up London’s most iconic building without doing absolutely everything right. From the impeccable service to the food and the Scandinavian sauna-style decor, Oblix more than lives up to the view from its windows.
ONE MORE THING… Oblix has started serving weekend brunches, featuring truffled devilled eggs, parma ham and artichoke bruschetta. The brunch is priced at £62 per person, which includes three courses and a glass of champagne. served on arrival.