With its vast glass frontage and towering ceilings, this St James’s restaurant is something of a chameleon, able to transform from upmarket West End eatery to a stylish weekend wedding venue. Famous in the 1990s for its classic minimalist design, Avenue these days sports a warmer, more up-to-date look.
Smaller wedding parties in search of a central London venue for a civilised wedding lunch or dinner should consider Avenue’s glass-fronted private dining rom, which can seat from 8 to 18 people. The room blends the traditional styling of an antique wooden dining table with contemporary design flourishes such as a floor-to-ceiling plastercast of a bookcase that would not look out of place as an installation in one of the art galleries of St James’s.
Lunch (two/three courses £25/30) might begin with pressed chicken with chicken croquette, baby gem lettuce and Caesar dressing ahead of salmon and smoked haddock fishcake with poached egg and creamy leeks and strawberry and vanilla cheesecake, while well-priced European wines include Picpoul de Pinet for £32 a bottle. Dinner, meanwhile, is £38 for three courses, with a similar modern European menu: crab salad, confit pork belly, dark chocolate fondant and, as at lunchtime, no minimum spend.
The main dining room, meanwhile, is designed to look like a Manhattan loft-style space, with modern art, clever lighting and high ceilings tricked out by the renowned restaurant design outfit Russell Sage Studio.
It can accommodate up to 130 seated with a dancefloor and 300 standing. There’s a dedicated events manager to take care of all the arrangements, from helping you to plan your menu to sourcing florists, DJs and AV equipment and running the event on the day.
With clients including the London Film Festival, Chanel, O2, the BBC, Marks & Spencer and UBS, you can rest assured that your wedding reception is in safe hands at Avenue.