This block of flats from the 1930s has an incredible hidden feature inside (Picture: Google)
If you were to take the Tube to St John’s Wood station, head down Wellington Road towards Regent’s Park, then turn left onto Prince Albert Road, eventually you’d come across Oslo Court.
From the outside, it’s a rather unremarkable-looking block of flats, designed by architect Robert Atkinson in the 1930s.
It contains 125 one-bedroom apartments and is hiding a very unexpected feature – a restaurant on the ground floor that visitors say feels as if it’s ‘stuck in a time warp’.
Oslo Court Restaurant was launched by Tony and Jose Sanchez in 1982 and remains a family restaurant, serving classic dishes from another era, including melba toast, deep-fried mushrooms, lobster bisque, melon and Parma ham, lamb cutlets, halibut, pavlova, and crêpes suzette.
Some say the restaurant is ‘stuck in a time warp’ (Picture: In Pictures via Getty Images)
Tony, who was born in Galicia, Northern Spain, trained as a chef in Geneva before moving to the UK in 1968. He spent years working in high-end restaurants and exclusive locations in London throughout the 70s, before deciding to go into business with his brother.
The French restaurant seems to have remained largely unchanged over the last 44 years, still sporting pale pink linen tablecloths, matching pink napkins, and plates with delicate pink roses on them. This is all paired with blue velvet bucket chairs and a deep blue fitted carpet.
Waiters wearing black ties charm you throughout your meal, and one member of staff, Neil Heshmat, has been working there since its opening, doing such a slap-up job that he was named Britain’s most-loved waiter in 2021.
Everything is very traditional, with staff jotting down orders using a pen and notepad, and bringing around a dessert trolley at the end of the meal.
The food is straight out of the 80s, with melba toast, lobster bisque and pavlova on the menu (Picture: Google)
As we’ve ascertained, the menu is similarly old-school, serving up classics from the 80s for lunch and dinner. Customers can choose from a set menu for their food, and this includes several courses and plenty of side dishes for £50 per person for lunch, and £59.50 per person for dinner.
There are a few extra charges, including a £3.50 cover charge and a 10% service charge that will be added to the bill at the end, and it’s also worth noting that a few of the main meal options have ‘supplement’ prices.
And when it comes to drinks, there’s a wine list but no cocktail menu – but the bartender is reportedly able to whip you up a drink of your choosing.
Many guests like to go for a classic martini, served with two olives on a cocktail stick.
While you might not expect much from looking at Oslo Court Restaurant, reviews online suggest it’s a really brilliant place to eat at, albeit a little quirky.
Food writer and podcaster, Henry Southan (@iamhenrysouthan), previously visited and captured the experience in an Instagram reel, which went viral on social media, garnering more than 71,000 likes.
The foodie branded the restaurant ‘absolutely bonkers’ after witnessing a bar mitzvah and several birthdays taking place during the meal.
He praised the ‘delicious’ lobster bisque and veal chop, revealed that Neil is still very much there and still very much the ‘star of the show’, and claimed that in a world of sleek, minimalist restaurants, Oslo Court is a ‘welcome throwback to simpler times’.
‘We were feeling a bit delirious by the end, but I can’t get this place out of my head,’ Henry proclaims as he leaves the restaurant.
Similarly, on TikTok, foodie Chris Savva shared a review and hailed Oslo Court a ‘hidden gem’.
‘You’d never guess a restaurant was here,’ he tells viewers. ‘But the moment you step inside, you’re welcomed into a plush dining room, which I doubt has changed much since the 70s. I loved it.’
Chris was a big fan of the ‘velvety’ creamy aioli served with a crudité platter, as well as the melba toast. He also enjoyed ‘perfectly cooked’ king scallops wrapped in bacon, and crispy roast duck with a cherry sauce.
‘I savoured every bite,’ he adds.
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Posts on TripAdvisor share similar sentiments. Brian M described it as a ‘glimpse of years gone by’, saying it was a ‘gloriously decadent restaurant’ that offers ‘fair value’, while Kirsty M highlighted that ‘kindness exudes from this place as soon as you arrive’.
She continued: ‘Beautifully presented, a snapshot from a wonderful time in food and dining (you had to be there). The service is beyond exemplary, and the food utterly divine.
‘I’ve lived in London for 36 years, and this place shot straight on to my favourites list, and that is a competitive list. Truly a very special place.’
A user known only as Myrtle confidently claimed it was ‘better than the Ritz’, while BarryAScot thought it was ‘one-of-a-kind’ and ‘stuck in a fascinating time warp’.
This story was first published on January 21, 2025.
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