Duck & Waffle

Duck & Waffle, London: Worth Booking?

Duck & Waffle is one of the most practical fine-casual options in London — and one of the few restaurants in the city where you can eat a serious Modern British meal at 3am. Perched on the 40th floor of 110 Bishopsgate in the City, it runs 24 hours a day, every day of the week, which makes it genuinely unlike almost anything else operating at this quality level in London. If you are a night-owl, an early riser, or arriving on an overnight flight, book here. If you want Michelin-level tasting menus, look elsewhere.

The Space

The dining room sits high above the City of London with floor-to-ceiling glass on multiple sides. The scale is substantial — this is not an intimate room, the view over the Gherkin and the wider skyline does real work. At night, the effect is more dramatic; at breakfast and early morning, the light shifts completely, making it a different experience spatially. If you are planning more than one visit, the time of day is the most important variable to consider. The room reads as bustling and social at dinner, quieter and more focused at off-peak hours. Solo diners tend to do well here because the bar seating and counter positions give you the view without the awkwardness of a table for one.

Multi-Visit Strategy

Duck & Waffle rewards repeat visits structured around three different occasions. First visit: dinner on a weeknight, when you get the full City skyline lit up and the kitchen running at pace. This is the core Duck & Waffle experience and the one most frequently referenced in coverage. Second visit: a late-night or early-morning run, specifically to take advantage of the 24-hour format, this is what genuinely separates it from peers like Dinner by Heston Blumenthal or CORE by Clare Smyth, neither of which are accessible outside standard dining hours. Third visit: weekend brunch or late breakfast, when the room is less pressured and the format is more relaxed. For food and travel enthusiasts who want to understand what this kitchen can do across different dayparts, this three-visit arc covers the range.

Awards and Standing

Duck & Waffle carries Opinionated About Dining Casual Europe recognition in consecutive years: ranked #440 in 2024 and #481 in 2025, with a Recommended listing in 2023. OAD Casual Europe rankings are crowd-sourced from serious diners and food professionals, so this is a credible signal, not a PR award. The movement in ranking (up in 2023 and 2024, slightly back in 2025) suggests steady but not accelerating momentum. Chef Elliott Grover heads the kitchen.

Booking and Logistics

Booking is easy relative to most restaurants at this level in London. The 24-hour format absorbs demand across more time slots than a conventional restaurant, so you rarely need to plan weeks in advance for off-peak sittings. Prime dinner slots on Friday and Saturday evenings book faster, but mid-week dinner and any off-hours sitting should be available with a few days' notice. Walk-ins are possible, particularly during overnight and early morning hours when the room is quieter. The address is 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY, direct from Liverpool Street station.

Practical Details

Pearl Picks: If You Like Duck & Waffle

For Modern British cooking at different price points and formats around the UK, the following are worth your attention: Cornus and Dorian in London for contemporary British without the tourist-facing format; Ormer Mayfair if you want Mayfair-level polish at a somewhat lower price point; The Ritz Restaurant for the formal end of the spectrum. Outside London: Waterside Inn in Bray, L'Enclume in Cartmel, Moor Hall in Aughton, Gidleigh Park in Chagford, Hand and Flowers in Marlow, hide and fox in Saltwood, 33 The Homend in Ledbury, and Artichoke in Amersham.

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