Seminars and company events
Clarke's can host a private lunch or dinner for up to 26 seated guests, or a drinks reception for up to 40, in its private Wine Room. The restaurant, led by its founder, the chef Sally Clarke, stands at 124 Kensington Church Street in London W8, between Notting Hill Gate and Kensington High Street.
The room suits client lunches, board dinners and small corporate celebrations where the conversation matters more than a screen. It is reached discreetly from the main bar, has its own private facilities and stays apart from the dining room. The restaurant presents it for intimate meals, cocktail parties and small corporate events rather than working sessions: no AV is listed, so plan a dinner rather than a presentation.
Weddings and receptions
Clarke's does not sell wedding packages. The Wine Room is offered for cocktail parties and receptions of up to 40 standing guests, which can work for an engagement dinner, a milestone birthday or a family celebration.
Rooms and capacities
The Wine Room is a panelled room painted in the house powder blue, with art, antiques and seasonal flowers. For seated meals it takes up to 26 guests at two round tables of eight and one of ten, or 16 guests around one large oval table when a set menu is served. Sliding doors can open onto the working kitchen, so guests can watch the cooks at work if the host wishes. For standing receptions the room holds up to 40.
Catering
The food is the reason to book. The menu changes every day and is built on what the season and the market bring in, a formula the restaurant has kept for decades. For private parties, the team usually proposes a set menu or a short choice, tailored to the host's requests or favorite dishes. Groups of ten or fewer can order from the day's à la carte menu, or leave it to Sally Clarke and her team to compose a menu on the day. Alternative dishes are prepared for guests with dietary restrictions, seasonal canapés can open the evening, and the sommelier helps choose from an extensive cellar. Sample menus for each season are published on the restaurant's site, which gives hosts a clear idea of the style before they call.
History and setting
Sally Clarke opened Clarke's in 1984, and the restaurant became one of the London addresses most associated with seasonal, market-led cooking. Her shop, run by the same company, sells the house breads, pastries, cakes and pantry goods, which some hosts use for guest gifts. The restaurant serves lunch from Tuesday to Saturday and dinner from Monday to Saturday, and is closed on Sundays, so plan private events within those days.
Getting there
Notting Hill Gate station, on the Central, Circle and District lines, is about a five-minute walk north. Kensington High Street station is around ten minutes south on foot. Heathrow airport is about 45 minutes away by car, depending on traffic.
