From Oyster Platters To Fried Chicken, Idalia Redefines Fine Dining
Over the past several months, chatter has been swirling around London, whispers and rumours of a 1.3 billion pound renovation of Olympia, a historic exhibition centre and Grade II listed building. Most exciting, and most anticipated, is the introduction of Pillar Hall, which plays host to Idalia, one of London’s hottest new openings, which laid the ground for a particularly fabulous outing for myself and my colleagues last weekend.
In Partnership With Pillar Hall
Whilst there is a historic grandeur that you must respect about the space, the food is playful, the dishes slightly whimsical, almost like the irony of having Korean fried chicken in this palace made for an amusing disjunction, one that made so little sense that it ended up being completely logical.
Mallory, Food & Lifestyle Writer/Creator
What sets it apart
Olympia is known for its striking Victorian architecture with barrel-vaulted roofs and its loud displays of grandeur. Idalia does nothing to stray away from that reality. A stately ascent up a short flight of stairs leads to the unveiling of a 300-seat dining room, one thoughtfully broken into smaller, more intimate sections, where trees tower over tables, and chairs rise high like temporary thrones.
Staff waltz around you, topping up champagnes and offering martinis, women in stilettos and men in blazers, me with my work bag and trainers, completely out of place, completely welcomed.
This is a place for diners who love hotels, despite the lack of rooms. It is extravagant, over-the-top, opulent, a pillar of glamour, but also personal and swimming in an ambient atmosphere. The heels of shoes click-clack on the marble floors, the way we all remember them doing in our childhood Barbie films. If I hadn’t known better, I’d think that a satin cape billowed behind me as I flew down the halls, or down the stairs, or around the corner. This is an intimate banquet hall, the site for a feast.
Staff waltz around you topping up champagnes and offering martinis, women in stilettos and men in blazers, me with my work bag and trainers, completely out of place, completely welcomed.
What we ordered
We began with a bread basket and a glass of Coates & Seely, their partnered bottle, a magnificent choice and just another reason to love English sparkling. Alongside gorgeous warm dinner rolls, seeded and engulfed in a perfume of rosemary, this was more than my ideal beginning.
This was followed by a beef sausage roll with kimchi ketchup. I will tell you this much: it was impressive, somehow a shock that this would be a standout. A beef sausage roll, for one, is unconventional in itself; a kimchi ketchup alongside? Unexpected. But the pastry was warm, the sausage filling out its bready case entirely. It was flaky, juicy, nearing on cheeseburger-esque.
I was really impressed with the food and general atmosphere, perfect for a Thursday girls’ night dinner. My standout dish was the kombu-brined sea bream, which was beautifully fresh and full of flavour.
Harriet, Head Of Partnerships
The herb-crusted lamb was a favourite of staff, as we let them control our order (of course), they balanced pastas with steaks, oysters with crudos. While an herb-crusted lamb with a courgette flower was a more than beautiful, fabulously pink dish, it was the oysters that made a simple thing special. They were dressed not with your classic mignonette, but instead with salmon roe and yuzu dressing; a fun twist, a common theme.
The above is an aspect I thoroughly enjoyed about Idalia: the twists. Whilst there is a historic grandeur that you must respect about the space, the food is playful, the dishes slightly whimsical, almost like the irony of having Korean fried chicken (and very good Korean fried chicken) in this palace made for an amusing disjunction, one that made so little sense that it ended up being completely logical. Why wouldn’t I want 12 oysters with a side of Sri Lankan chicken curry? Why wouldn’t my lobster linguini be followed by an Eton mess? Dreams do come to fruition; princesses have fried chicken in their castles.
Pillar Hall is my new go to spot for girls night. Not only are the interiors fab, the food is also great. My favourite dishes are the Lobster Linguine and Miso Crusted Black Cod.
Elle, Senior Venue Partnerships Manager
The verdict
Idalia is not subtle, nor does it try to be. Set within the revived grandeur of Olympia, it leans unapologetically into spectacle with its high ceilings, theatrical service, and a dining room that feels closer to a ballroom than a restaurant, all the while avoiding any cavernous aspects. And yet, what could easily have tipped into gimmick is thoughtful, even joyful.
What ultimately makes Idalia worth your time isn’t just the setting, but the contrast it embraces. The food refuses to be confined by the formality of its surroundings; there is humour, creativity, and a refreshing lack of pretension in dishes that swing from classical to experimental.
This is a place that understands dining as theatre. You come not just to eat, but to feel something, to be momentarily whisked away into a version of London that is glossier and grander. Whether you arrive in stilettos or trainers becomes irrelevant; Idalia meets you where you are and invites you into its world regardless.
It won’t be for everyone. Those seeking low-ceilinged intimacy or restraint may find it overwhelming. But for anyone craving a night of escapism, indulgence, and a touch of absurd glamour, Idalia delivers in full.
What ultimately makes Idalia worth your time isn’t just the setting, but the contrast it embraces. The food refuses to be confined by the formality of its surroundings; there is humour, creativity, and a refreshing lack of pretension in dishes that swing from classic to experimental.
