Business lunches, team dinners, client receptions and summer parties for 20 to 250 guests can be organized at The Waterway, a restaurant and bar beside the Grand Union Canal in Little Venice, west London. Groups can book a semi-private dining room or garden for up to 50 seated, a summer conservatory for 30, or the whole venue for up to 250 guests.
Seminars and company events
The restaurant and bar can be divided to suit the size of the group, from a small business lunch to a full cocktail party. Corporate events, team celebrations and group bookings take place in the dining room, the garden or the conservatory, and the events team handles exclusive hire of the entire venue. Event bookings run in two sessions, from 12:00 to 4:30 p.m. and from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m., with an earlier finish of 10:00 p.m. on Sundays. The venue has no dedicated meeting room, so it suits lunches, dinners and receptions rather than working sessions.
Rooms and capacities
The Dining Room seats 50 and takes 60 standing. It has plenty of daylight, neutral decor, small balconies over the canal-side garden and its own service bar for arrival drinks and wine service. It can be partitioned from the bar and lounge to create a semi-private area. The Canalside Garden also seats 50 or takes 60 standing, with picnic-style benches, a retractable sunshade and a mix of tables and standing space, and it can be hired exclusively. The Summer Conservatory on the terrace seats 30 or takes 35 standing, and it can be fully covered, heated and protected from the weather. The terrace with its barbecue and the bar and lounge complete the venue, which holds up to 250 guests when hired in full.
Accommodation
Three boutique bedrooms are available in Little Venice for guests who want to stay close by. Each has a king-size bed, air conditioning, a smart TV and a Nespresso machine.
Catering
The kitchen serves a seasonal British menu. For events, the options include a choice of six canapés per guest, a party set menu of two or three courses, bowl food with a choice of four bowls, and sharing platters of antipasti, Italian charcuterie, British cheeses or seafood. Canapés and bowl food require a minimum of 20 guests. Vegetarian and other dietary requests are handled on demand. Drinks packages cover wines, beers and soft drinks, with optional cocktail and premium spirit upgrades.
History and setting
The Waterway has operated as a neighborhood restaurant in Maida Vale since 2002 and belongs to First Restaurant Group. Its large outdoor terrace overlooks the canal and is open all year round. In winter the interior takes on the feel of a ski chalet, with a fireplace, and live music plays every other Friday.
Getting there
The address is 54 Formosa Street, London W9 2JU, on the canal in Little Venice, between Maida Vale and Paddington. Warwick Avenue Underground station on the Bakerloo line is a short walk away.
