Sessions Arts Club

In London, the number of great restaurants and bars to choose between is so vast that it’s sometimes challenging to make a decision. Each neighbourhood has its own classics as well as a selection of up-and-coming places for the most trend-conscious crowd.

Sessions Arts Club in Clerkenwell is a combination of both old and new. Housed in an old judge’s dining room at Sessions House (hence the name), the building’s rich history creates a rich, beautiful framework for the more creatively designed menu.

The dining room is surrounded by three terraces with fireplaces, rooftop bar, and garden, but in addition, the restroom is also lavish, with a view of the magnificent internal staircase.

The style of the dining room is a combination of grandeur and nonchalant bohemia, the latter being further enhanced by the nice-looking workers’ jackets worn by the staff, with splashes of paint as though they actually just left their artist studio (rather than serving you dinner).

If you’re inspired, a version of the jacket can be yours, sold by the exit if you’re in the mood for workwear sold for an exuberant amount. 

The one-time courthouse has both been restored and left untouched, with stripped-back plaster, sweeping staircases, old service lifts, humongous houseplants, velvet curtains and faded armchairs. The result is a combination of shabby, sexy, and cinematic, similar to being on a film set, possibly in a film directed by Peter Greenaway.

The food is simple, often based on only a few ingredients, beautifully put together. They’re also famous for their drinks, bellinis in particular. 

Sessions Art Club is, as implied by its name, frequented by a creatively inclined clientele. It leans towards younger, but is still quite mixed and varied in regards to age. 

To dine here you first have to find it, which is not easy, as it’s hiding in plain sight behind a red door on a side street, instead of being accessed through the building’s main entrance. 

Sessions Arts Club

London, UK