The London Eye sits on the South Bank of the Thames, and within a 10-minute walk you’ll find a riverside terrace on the 8th floor of the OXO Tower, Mexican street food in recycled shipping containers, and a Raymond Blanc brasserie. The 10 best restaurants near the London Eye run from £15 casual plates to fine-dining tasting menus, spread along the Southbank, Belvedere Road and the County Hall building right beside the wheel. After a flight on the Eye, the last thing you want is to hunt for a table or carry the evening home on the Tube. A Westway Ride chauffeur sets you down at the door, waits through dinner, and runs you on afterward. This guide ranks the spots worth booking, names the dishes locals order, and shows how a private driver makes a riverside dinner effortless. Call +44 20 8044 0939 to plan the evening.
Why book a chauffeur for dinner near the London Eye
Dinner by the London Eye comes with two catches: parking near the South Bank is scarce and expensive, and the area floods with tourists from late afternoon. A chauffeur removes both. The driver drops you at the restaurant entrance, finds somewhere to wait, and returns when you’re ready, so a two-hour dinner never turns into a 40-minute search for the car.
Westway Ride runs a best chauffeur service across central London with drivers who know the South Bank’s set-down points: where Belvedere Road allows a brief stop, which side of County Hall sits closest to Gillray’s, and how to reach the OXO Tower without circling Stamford Street. For couples marking an occasion or groups heading on to a show, that local knowledge saves the evening’s mood. Visitors arriving the same day can pair dinner with an airport transfer straight from Heathrow or Gatwick to the Southbank.
The restaurants below are ranked by the dining experience they offer, from the riverside fine dining of Skylon to the relaxed pub plates of The Wharf. Skylon opens the list because it pairs a serious kitchen with the best wheel-side view.
1. Skylon: modern European with a Thames view
Skylon sits inside the Royal Festival Hall, a 5-minute walk from the London Eye, and frames the river through a wall of floor-to-ceiling glass. The kitchen serves modern European cooking across a grill section and a more formal restaurant, with grilled meats, fresh seafood and a weekend brunch that draws South Bank regulars. The bar between the two rooms pours cocktails worth arriving early for.
Skylon suits a special lunch or an unhurried dinner where the view matters as much as the plate. The Royal Festival Hall has limited drop-off, so a driver sets you down on Belvedere Road and waits nearby. Waterloo is the closest station, about 8 minutes on foot. Book a window table to put the Thames and the wheel in full view.
Skylon’s river outlook sets the tone, and the next spot lifts it eight floors higher.
2. OXO Tower Restaurant: fine dining on the 8th floor
OXO Tower Restaurant occupies the top floor of the OXO Tower Wharf, with a riverside terrace looking across the Thames toward St Paul’s. The kitchen plates modern British dishes built for a celebration: this is the place for an anniversary, a milestone birthday or a proposal. Prices match the setting, so expect fine-dining figures rather than a casual bill.
OXO Tower rewards the chauffeur most among the riverside names. The building sits along the pedestrianised river path, parking nearby is near impossible, and you’ll likely want a drink with dinner. A driver drops you on Upper Ground and collects you after dessert. Blackfriars and Waterloo stations are both around a 10-minute walk. Reserve the terrace in warmer months and a window table the rest of the year.
OXO Tower aims squarely at the special occasion, while the next entry welcomes the whole family.
3. Giraffe: a family menu near the Royal Festival Hall
Giraffe sits near the Royal Festival Hall and builds its menu around variety, which makes it the easy pick for families. The all-day card runs through burgers, salads, tacos, fries and global plates, so children and adults order happily from the same page. The bright, busy room handles pushchairs and large tables without fuss.
Giraffe works for a quick, no-stress meal between sightseeing stops. A chauffeur means tired children skip the Tube stairs and the walk back, set down and picked up at the door. Waterloo is the nearest station. Go before 6pm on weekends to beat the family rush.
Giraffe keeps things casual and quick, and the next spot brings colour and Mexican street food to the riverside.
4. Wahaca Southbank: Mexican street food in shipping containers
Wahaca Southbank trades from a stack of recycled shipping containers on the river path, a design that has become a South Bank landmark in itself. The kitchen serves Mexican street food at pocket-friendly prices: slow-cooked pork tacos, black bean quesadillas, Mexico City nachos piled with guacamole, and margaritas to match. The colourful setting and riverside tables pull in tourists and locals alike.
Wahaca suits a lively, low-cost meal that still feels like an event. Tables aren’t always bookable, so a driver waiting nearby lets you head straight on once you’re done rather than queuing for a taxi. Waterloo and Embankment (across the river) are the closest stations. Arrive off-peak, since the walk-in queue builds fast at weekends.
Wahaca brings the heat of Mexico, and the next restaurant moves to delicate Asian small plates.
5. Ping Pong Southbank: dim sum and Asian-inspired cocktails
Ping Pong Southbank serves dim sum in a relaxed riverside room, building a meal from steamed dumplings, fluffy buns and small sharing plates. The cocktail list runs Asian-inspired and is worth exploring on its own, which makes the spot a favourite for friends and couples who want to graze and drink rather than commit to a full sit-down dinner. Vegetarian options run right through the menu.
Ping Pong fits a casual catch-up or a pre-theatre bite. The Southbank’s foot traffic makes a kerbside taxi hard to flag, so a chauffeur on call is the simpler exit. Waterloo is the nearest station. Order a spread of dumplings to share rather than individual mains.
Ping Pong keeps the plates light, while the next name brings serious British beef to the table.
6. Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar: British steak beside Big Ben
Gillray’s Steakhouse sits inside the London Marriott Hotel County Hall, the building right beside the London Eye, with windows facing Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament across the river. The kitchen specialises in British beef, including a 280g Aberdeen Angus ribeye sourced from Yorkshire farms, served with béarnaise or peppercorn sauce. Vegetarians get a wild mushroom and spinach wellington, and the bar stocks more than 100 gins.
Gillray’s earns the chauffeur for its address: County Hall has almost no public parking and the views deserve a proper evening with a glass of wine. A driver sets you down at the County Hall entrance and waits. Westminster and Waterloo stations are both close, Westminster being just over the bridge. Book a window table for the Big Ben outlook, especially at dusk.
Gillray’s is the steak-and-view choice, and the next restaurant turns to rustic Italian cooking.
7. Locale Southbank: Italian pasta and wood-fired pizza
Locale Southbank cooks Italian-inspired food along the river, with a menu of fresh pasta, wood-fired pizza and Mediterranean plates. The room carries an easy, welcoming atmosphere that suits a relaxed dinner without the formality of the fine-dining names further along the bank. Portions are generous and the wine list leans Italian.
Locale fits a casual midweek meal or a low-key group dinner. A chauffeur handles the run in and out, useful when you’re carrying on to a Southbank show afterward. Waterloo is the nearest station. The pizzas are the standout, so start there.
Locale keeps it relaxed and Italian, and the next entry brings a Michelin-pedigree French kitchen.
8. Brasserie Blanc Southbank: French cooking from Raymond Blanc
Brasserie Blanc Southbank carries the name of Raymond Blanc, the chef behind the two-Michelin-starred Le Manoir, and serves classic French brasserie cooking on the river. Expect steak frites, moules, confit duck and a daily plat du jour, plated in a room that balances casual and sophisticated. The set lunch and pre-theatre menus offer the kitchen at gentler prices.
Brasserie Blanc works for both a relaxed lunch and a dressed-up dinner. A driver makes the pre-theatre timing simple, dropping you in time for an early sitting and collecting you for the show. Waterloo is the closest station. Take the fixed-price pre-theatre menu if you’re heading to a performance nearby.
Brasserie Blanc brings French polish, while the next spot pours a proper riverside pint.
9. The Wharf: a riverside pub with British classics
The Wharf is a riverside pub on the Thames serving British pub classics: beer-battered fish and chips, pies, burgers and Sunday roasts. The outdoor terrace overlooks the water, which makes it a draw on warm afternoons, and the relaxed setting fits families and groups who want hearty food without a tablecloth. The bar pours a solid range of ales and lagers.
The Wharf suits a casual lunch or an easy group dinner. A chauffeur removes the after-pint logistics, so nobody has to drive or wrangle the Tube home. Waterloo is the nearest station. Grab a terrace table early on a sunny day, since they go fast.
The Wharf keeps it traditional, and the final entry closes the list with global flavours and a designer room.
10. Sea Containers: global plates in a designer riverside room
Sea Containers sits inside the Sea Containers London hotel on Upper Ground, serving globally inspired dishes in a striking, design-led room with Thames views. The kitchen draws on flavours from across the world, and the adjoining bar has become a destination for cocktails and river-watching. The setting feels sleek and modern, a contrast to the area’s pubs and brasseries.
Sea Containers fits a stylish dinner or a long evening that drifts from table to bar. A driver waiting nearby lets the night run on its own clock. Blackfriars and Waterloo stations are both around 10 minutes away. Arrive for sunset to catch the river at its best from the bar.
Ten restaurants, one riverside, and a chauffeur to link them to your hotel, the airport or a West End show. The next section shows how Westway Ride builds the evening around your booking.
How a chauffeur turns a riverside dinner into a smooth evening
Connecting dinner near the London Eye to the rest of your night is where a chauffeur earns its place. A typical evening runs a flight on the wheel, a table at Skylon or Gillray’s, then a West End theatre 10 minutes away, all stitched together by one driver who tracks your timings. No parking hunt, no taxi queue on a packed Southbank, no rush between the restaurant and the curtain.
Westway Ride builds the run around your reservation. Tell the driver the restaurant and the booking time, and the pickup, set-down and onward leg fall into place: an early collection for a pre-theatre sitting at Brasserie Blanc, a late return after a long dinner at OXO Tower, or a straight hotel run after Sunday lunch at The Wharf. The same service covers airport transfers at either end of a trip, and the fleet ranges from saloons to people carriers for larger groups. For more dining ideas across the city, Westway Ride keeps a guide to London’s best restaurants and nightlife.
To plan a dinner run near the London Eye, book a chauffeur online or call +44 20 8044 0939. More about the company sits on the about us page.
What are the best places to eat near the London Eye?
Skylon, OXO Tower Restaurant and Gillray’s Steakhouse top the list for special occasions, all within a 10-minute walk and all with Thames views. For casual dining, Wahaca serves Mexican street food, Giraffe suits families, and The Wharf pours pub classics on a riverside terrace. The South Bank covers fine dining to street food within a few hundred metres.
Are there family-friendly restaurants near the London Eye?
Yes, Giraffe and The Wharf are the two most family-friendly choices. Giraffe runs an all-day menu of burgers, tacos and salads near the Royal Festival Hall, built for mixed-age tables. The Wharf serves British pub classics with an outdoor terrace and easily handles groups and children.
Which restaurant near the London Eye has the best view?
Gillray’s Steakhouse and OXO Tower Restaurant offer the standout views. Gillray’s, inside the County Hall building beside the wheel, faces Big Ben and Parliament across the river. OXO Tower’s 8th-floor terrace looks toward St Paul’s. Skylon adds a third option with a floor-to-ceiling glass wall onto the Thames.
How far in advance should I book a chauffeur for dinner near the London Eye?
Book a chauffeur at least 24 hours ahead for a standard evening, and 48 to 72 hours for weekends, theatre nights or large groups. Westway Ride confirms the restaurant address and booking time so the pickup and set-down match your reservation. Call +44 20 8044 0939 to arrange it.
Do the restaurants near the London Eye take walk-ins?
Some do, but the popular ones fill fast. Wahaca and Ping Pong take walk-ins and often run queues at weekends, so a chauffeur waiting nearby saves the taxi scramble afterward. Skylon, OXO Tower, Gillray’s and Brasserie Blanc are best booked ahead, especially for a window or terrace table.
Can a Westway Ride chauffeur wait during dinner?
Yes, Westway Ride chauffeurs include waiting time, so the car stays nearby through your meal. This matters most around the South Bank, where parking is scarce and taxis are hard to flag on a crowded riverside. The driver returns to the restaurant door when you’re ready to move on.
Can the chauffeur take me to a show after dinner?
Yes, the West End sits about 10 minutes from the London Eye by car, so a chauffeur runs you from dinner straight to the theatre. Tell the driver the curtain time and the route is planned around it, with collection after the final bow. The same evening can finish with a run back to your hotel or an airport transfer.
Is fine dining or casual dining better near the London Eye?
Both sit within the same few streets, so the choice depends on the occasion rather than the location. For a celebration, OXO Tower, Skylon and Gillray’s deliver fine dining with river views and prices to match. For a relaxed meal, Wahaca, Giraffe, Locale and The Wharf cover street food, family plates and pub classics at gentler prices. A chauffeur reaches all of them in the same few minutes, so you can pick on mood, not distance.
