Idalia at Pillar Hall: Where London’s Grand Past Dines in Decadent Present

In a city that rarely pauses for reinvention, West London has found a new rhythm. With the unveiling of Idalia at Olympia London, a storied architectural landmark steps gracefully into its next act, this time with a coupe glass in hand and a decidedly modern appetite.

Set within the soaring grandeur of Pillar Hall, Idalia arrives as the first taste of Olympia’s ambitious £1.3 billion transformation, helmed by restaurateur Des Gunewardena. But to speak only of Idalia would be to miss the larger picture: Pillar Hall itself is poised as a 30,000 sq ft cultural playground, where dining, music, and performance collide with a distinctly London sense of occasion.

Originally designed in 1886 by architect Henry Edward Coe, the Grade II* listed hall has lived many lives, hosting everything from early film screenings to the debut runway of Vivienne Westwood. Now, some 140 years later, it reopens with its original spirit restored: a place to gather, to celebrate, and, crucially, to be entertained.

Pillar Hall unfolds across three distinct yet interconnected experiences. Idalia is its glamorous centrepiece; below, Pepperbird offers a seductive, speakeasy-style bar steeped in Olympia’s jazz-soaked past; while Upstairs at Pillar Hall promises a 500-capacity stage for live music and events, an ambitious addition set to cement the venue as West London’s new cultural nucleus.

Designed by Robert Angell and his studio, Idalia is nothing short of cinematic. Marble-clad pillars, dressed in delicate foliage motifs, rise like statuesque guardians, while a verdant, garden-inspired palette softens the hall’s monumental scale. Lighting is layered to a flattering glow (the kind that forgives and flatters in equal measure), and a commanding central bar anchors the room with quiet confidence.

The name Idalia, an alias of Aphrodite, and a moniker fashionable in the 1880s when the hall first opened, feels entirely apt. There is romance here, yes, but also a whisper of theatre, a knowing nod to both mythology and memory.

At the helm, Executive Chef Samantha Williams and Executive Pastry Chef Lorena Tommasi form a quietly formidable, all-female leadership duo. Their menu reads like a love letter to modern British dining with an Asian twist, seasonal, assured, and subtly global, reflecting the eclecticism of London itself.

We began with Porthilly oysters, briny and pristine, elevated by bursts of salmon roe, a delicate Japanese dressing, and a bright yuzu granita that cut through with icy precision. The crab salad followed, a vibrant composition of sweet crab, mango, chilli, ginger, coriander and shaved coconut, sunshine on a plate, if you will, though infinitely more refined.

For mains, the lobster linguine delivered exactly what one hopes for: silken pasta tangled with datterini tomatoes, garlic, basil and a gentle heat of chilli, luxurious without excess. The miso-crusted black cod, meanwhile, was a masterclass in balance: meltingly tender, offset by bok choi and lifted with chilli and spring onion. It’s the sort of dish that lingers in memory, quietly insisting on a return visit.

Dessert arrives with equal poise in the form of a pistachio cheesecake, silky, nutty, and just indulgent enough to feel like a reward rather than an afterthought. It’s the kind of finale that doesn’t demand attention but quietly earns it.

If the dining room is the stage, the bar is undeniably the star. The Cocktail Tailor concept reimagines mixology as haute couture, with a menu structured like a fashion house: foundations, tailored classics, and statement pieces.

The Zandra Royale, named for Zandra Rhodes, arrives sparkling and unapologetically glamorous, while the D&G cocktail (a cheeky tribute to Dolce & Gabbana) is served in a glass handbag, equal parts wit and craft.

Idalia is designed to evolve with the day, breakfast (from June) drifting into languid lunches, aperitivo hour, and evenings underscored by live jazz and soul. But the wider Pillar Hall elevates the proposition entirely.

Pepperbird, tucked discreetly below, channels the moody glamour of the 60s and 70s with live music and a guest-list-only allure, while Upstairs at Pillar Hall promises soaring ceilings, Victorian detailing, and a shapeshifting “white box” space for everything from concerts to late-night dining.

This is not merely a restaurant opening, it is the first chapter in Olympia’s transformation into a fully-fledged cultural destination, complete with hotels, theatres, immersive art spaces and a roster of future dining heavyweights.

And at its heart, Idalia sets the tone. Because when London reinvents itself, it rarely does so quietly. Here, it does so with candlelight, cocktails, and just the right amount of spectacle.

www.pillarhall.co.uk

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