Duddell’s London: inside the city’s new culinary temple

Two Michelin-starred Hong Kong restaurant Duddell’s has opened its first London outpost – and it’s interiors are as delectable as the food.

Duddell’s London takes over the Grade II-listed St Thomas’ church in London Bridge. The Queen Anne-style building’s ornately carved wood-panelled walls and towering 8-metre high ceiling provide the framework for the Cantonese London restaurant – designed by practice Michaelis Boyd – which blends old and new.

The studio inserted a freestanding volume into the ground floor to houses the dim sum kitchen and bar. Its vibrant green tiles recall the 1960s Cantonese tea houses found in Hong Kong. The retro vibe continues via leather banquettes and brightly coloured geometric rubber flooring, laid over the church’s existing timber floors, which peek through in parts.

‘When designing the space, we wanted to celebrate the building’s rich history and highlight the difference between old and new,’ says Alex Michaelis, cofounder of the practice. ‘We maximised the natural light that comes into the building to accentuate key heritage features and now the former church has a new lease of life.’

The mezzanine level – which wraps around two sides of the restaurant – offers new perspectives of the space, with views down into the kitchen and bar below, while colossal chandeliers crown the dining hall.

As with its Hong Kong sibling – founded in 2013 by Alan Lo, Paulo Pong and Yen Wong – Duddell’s London is pitched as part restaurant, part gallery. Its walls are hung with contemporary artworks (which will be changed on a regular basis), while the menu is contemporary Cantonese, helmed by chef Daren Liew. Peking duck, dim sum and wagyu beef baskets are the order of the day.