London restaurant Ikoyi softens the brutalist surrounds of 180 The Strand

David Thulstrup designed the interiors of this London restaurant on The Strand, using leather, copper and wood as a foil for the brutalist building it inhabits.

Although muted in tone, Ikoyi brings a definite warmth and sense of welcome to 180 The Strand – a concrete and glass building designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd and located in London’s West End. The building is a new home for the two-Michelin star restaurant, which was previously located in St James Market.

Thulstrup has used stainless steel mesh to give form to the space, bringing it across the ceiling and curving downwards to create the swooping restaurant, which feels like you’re cocooned within the earth. Walls are covered in robust copper panelling, and wooden tables are paired with butter-yellow dining chairs.

Light comes courtesy of simple ceiling pendants, as well as the glowing curved wall that sits behind a long banquette. Guests looking for a more intimate experience can seclude themselves in Ikoyi’s leather-lined private dining space, which is closed off from the main room of the restaurant by heavy double curtains.

The minimalist London restaurant is helmed by Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale, whose experimental and highly personal menu draws on West African spices and hyper-seasonal British ingredients. Ikoyi ’s tasting menu is £300 and features dishes such as smoked jollof rice, grilled lobster and lobster custard, and Peking duck, caramelised and grilled in suya tamari served with a sauce of liver, heart & hazelnut butter.

180 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1EA, United Kingdom