There is no shortage of fine dining options when it comes to London, but how about a 6-course meal on a bus that takes you to London’s most iconic sights?
Bustronome offers a high-end dining experience aboard a bespoke-designed double-decker bus, with the top floor converted into a classy restaurant. A sleek black exterior, glass roof, and panoramic windows make this vehicle feel worlds apart from a standard city bus and more sophisticated compared to the vintage 1960s Routemaster serving afternoon tea.
Restaurant on wheels
The Bustronome bottom features a cloakroom with space for luggage and a luxurious lavatory. The top deck, accommodating 38 diners in table configurations of two to eight, boasts a wood-panelled floor and soft, comfortable seats in a neutral colour scheme resembling first class on plane. The glass roof and large windows give a bright and airy feel, like being outside.
Downstairs, head chef Ignazio Nuccio and his team craft seasonal, contemporary French and British cuisine. Unlike on a flight, where the crew simply reheats meals, the Bustronome proudly serves freshly made dishes on board.
Upon arrival, guests are greeted with a glass of champagne and directed to their seats. Excitement builds as you ascend the stairs. Before you even wonder where to place your glasses, the waiter effortlessly slides each one into a custom-made holder, which firmly holds several glasses throughout the evening – a handy feature, especially if you opt for wine pairing. All the furniture is thoughtfully adapted for a moving environment, including magnetic placemats that keep cutlery secure.
Voyage gourmand
Guests can scan a QR code to access the menu and see a live route of the gastronomic journey. The app also offers brief descriptions of each stop in nine languages. Meanwhile, the bus slowly departs from Embankment, traveling eastward with relaxing music playing in the background.
By this point, we had already been served warm bread and butter, followed by a salmon mosaic with creamy avocado purée, pickled onion, and French radish. As we enjoyed the second course – prawns and asparagus girasole with homemade lobster sauce – we approached Tower Bridge.
Navigating through the city’s traffic is usually tedious, but this time, you find yourself wishing the bus would move even slower to savour everything at once – food, wine, views, and the opportunity to take pictures. The sunset makes London more romantic than ever.
Sightseeing in style
Even if you’re a Londoner, you’ll see something wonderfully familiar in a completely new light. Somewhere between St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Royal Courts of Justice, we were served chicken ballotine with roasted cauliflower, asparagus, sweet corn purée, and chicken jus. Each course was seamlessly delivered throughout the evening, and we were particularly impressed by our waiter’s skill in pouring wine on a moving bus.
It was difficult not to feel privileged while literally looking down on envious tourists and next to commuter buses from our comfortable, cosy restaurant with 360-degree panoramic windows and soft lighting.
We were enjoying Brie cheese with baby gem lettuce, apple and pear chutney, and brioche while passing the Natural History Museum and the Royal Albert Hall. Dessert – a lemon curd meringue tartiflette – arrived as we neared Piccadilly Circus.
Best way to see London’s landmarks
Each dish was as impressive as the last, served on uniquely designed plates, but the highlight remained the ever-changing views of London’s top attractions. The journey lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes, but it felt like a short dream filled with vibrant colours and absolute happiness.
We booked Bustronome at 7pm (mid-August) so we were lucky enough to experience daytime, sunset and evening during the journey, which was magical. However, we can imagine it still being fantastic even on a grey rainy day.
This is a truly delicious and unforgettable experience in every sense and when we arrived back at Embankment, like everyone else were reluctant to leave.
More information about Bustronome London can be found here.
Image credits: © Bustronome, Travel with Style
