Move aside, Salt Bae: These are the most expensive dining experiences in London

Londoners are no stranger to shelling out premium prices to eat out in luxury

El restaurante se ha visto obligado a cerrar poco más de una semana después de su debut. (YouTube)

It takes a lot to truly shock Londoners, who are numb to soaring prices (see: rent, transport, the cost of living, etc) – but one restaurant has been making jaws drop since it opened its doors last month.

Salt Bae’s new London restaurant in Knightsbridge set the Internet alight after it was revealed that patrons were paying hundreds of pounds for gold leaf-covered steaks and burgers.

The luxury steakhouse, Nusr-et, has become notorious for its £630 tomahawk steak and £100 golden burger. Last week, former TOWIE star Gemma Collins admitted she spent £1,450 on steak during her visit.

But while Salt Bae’s establishment has the audacity to boast downright vulgar prices, it’s far from the only overpriced eatery in the capital’s iconic restaurant scene.

With many celebrity chefs, hotels and luxury restaurateurs choosing London, paying a premium price to eat out at such establishments hardly comes as a surprise.

We’ve rounded up some of the most expensive dining experiences in London:

Tea for two at The Rubens at the Palace, £500

It’s afternoon tea, but make it ultra luxe. The Rubens Hotel, located on the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace, offers its Golden Tips Tea for £500 for two people to enjoy tea, scones, cakes, pastries and finger sandwiches served by a “white-glove service”.

However, it’s not just any old tea that you will drink here. According to The Rubens, this dining experience involved Ceylon Golden Tips, which is weighed with “golden scales”.

“Each tip is placed into the silver teapot individually with golden tweezers,” says the hotel’s website, adding that the exceptionally fancy tea is then presented “in a mahogany box lined with velvet”.

The hefty price tag includes a bottle of Lanson Champagne that will be sabred at the table, for extra flair.

Hélène Darroze at the Connaught’s wine pairing menu, £498

With three Michelin stars under its belt, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught showcases haute cuisine at its finest.

Diners are wined and dined in a blush-hued room, complete with deep velvet and leather seating and exposed wooden tabletops to really kick the romance up a notch.

Darroze, an acclaimed chef hailing from The Landes in southwestern France, helms this accomplished establishment with luxurious ingredients and classic cooking techniques.

The restaurant’s latest Autumn Menu includes a seven-course wine pairing menu priced at £498 per person, allowing patrons to “explore some of the most enduring and iconic producers” available in The Connaught’s wine cellar.

Sushi omakase at The Araki, £310

The Araki is famous for being one of the most exclusive restaurants in the capital, allowing just ten people to dine per sitting, twice a night.

It also boasts only one menu – its sushi omakase chef’s set menu, priced at more than £300 per person, excluding drinks.

Those who have been lucky enough to bag a reservation at one of these special seatings know that the doors are locked 30 minutes after booking time to allow both diners and head chef Marty Lau to focus purely on the matter at hand: the sushi.

Lau uses a 200-year-old sushi technique from Tokyo to guide his guests through the exclusive eating experience. Diners at The Araki get to watch him expertly prepare and serve the dishes immediately, guaranteeing freshness.

Experimental gastronomy at Dinner by Heston, £200

Heston Blumenthal is one of Britain’s most celebrated chefs, especially beloved for his experimental approach to food and flavours. His quirky, scientific style of cookery has earned his first restaurant, The Fat Duck, three Michelin stars and the coveted title of World’s Best Restaurant more than once.

Blumenthal’s London restaurant, Dinner by Heston, boasts two Michelin stars and is one of the top eateries to see and be seen in. His highly-Instagrammable Meatfruit (chicken liver parfait disguised as a Mandarin orange) is a firm favourite among his fans.

You can book an eight course menu at Dinner by Heston for £200 per person, which is available for both lunch and dinner. The discretionary service charge will push this price up to £227 – and if you opt for a wine pairing, the bill could surge to £500 per person.