Botanist Sloane Square — Restaurant in London

We had lunch yesterday at their terrace in Sloane Square (Pizza on the Square), the experience wasn't great but I'll start with the worst of all: we're in the middle of a pandemic, the waiter should wear a mask. That's enough for us to not come back, but overall the service was very poor and I want to describe our experience for the owners.

We booked our table weeks ago and yesterday the weather was miserable, way too rainy and windy to have lunch in a terrace. We wanted to call and reschedule, but they only respond by email (which they didn't), and their cancellation policy is to charge you £20 if you don't come (even if you get Covid...). Fine, we'll go, but it wouldn't hurt you to pick up the phone or respond to the customers.

When we arrived, nobody told us that we should order online. We spend 20 minutes trying to get their attention with no luck. Actually, two of the people working in the bar (two guys around 30-35) stared and laugh at us while they talked to the waiter who wasn't wearing a mask. Now that I think about it, they weren't wearing a mask either, but they weren't close to the customers either. To be honest, I'm not sure what their role was, they spent the whole time behind the bar, drinking and laughing. If they were the bartenders, they did a great job serving me a beer in a broken plastic cup. The cup was leaking beer so I asked to changed the cup. They "kindly" took it back and put the broken plastic cup inside another plastic cup... Wow. So much so for a $$$ restaurant.

Lastly, I wouldn't write this in the review if it was the only thing that happened, but it's long already so what the hell. The female waiter brought to us the two pizzas in their boxes on one hand, while holding an umbrella on the other. Of course, she dropped them, but that can happen to anyone. Bad luck she hit my girlfriend with the umbrella while dropping them, but that's an accident, can happen to anyone. BUT, when the customers say that it's alright, at least check if the food was alright! She run away before we could even open the boxes!

The pizzas were good, expensive but good. We would have enjoyed them more under different circumstances, but yesterday we only wanted to quickly eat them and go back home, safe from the rain.

Our intention was to come back to the terrace during summer or book a table at the original restaurant. Sadly,...

Upon entry, the doorman, Luca, sat us next to the only other occupied table. Tables are not socially distanced, so we asked to move. When the next customers entered, he insisted again on seating them next to us - again, not socially distanced. We moved ourselves to a new table and Luca then approached and began arguing with us, claiming we were being unreasonable. As he did so, he leaned over our table and got right up in our faces to the point where he was literally about 30cm away from us. After repeatedly telling him to back up, he repeatedly leaned in.

We pulled up the UK Government's official guidelines, to which he responded that these are mere suggestions and not things he actually needs to follow. I don't know why Luca thinks he is above a life-threatening global pandemic, but he certainly wasn't apologetic about it and insisted that we were being unreasonable for wanting to socially distance. Keep in mind - the restaurant is pretty big and with only 3 tables occupied, Luca wanted them to be right next to each other.

Our waitress was actually quite pleasant and I feel sorry for her having to work with someone like Luca. The food was good, but certainly did not outweigh Luca who insisted on putting lives at risk to suit his own personal agenda. Under normal circumstances, Botanist isn't the best restaurant in the area but is still decent; however, given we are in the midst of a global pandemic, I really would not recommend going here. There are a lot of people in the hospitality industry sadly losing their jobs due to this pandemic, maybe one of them should replace Luca and help bring back some sense of safety, intelligence, and respect for customers'...

My two friends and I had the most wonderful Sunday lunch experience at The Botanist in Sloane Square, and we left feeling utterly charmed and incredibly satisfied!

From the moment we stepped in, the atmosphere was simply lovely – bustling yet relaxed, with beautiful decor that lives up to the 'Botanist' name. The ambiance was perfect, creating a warm and inviting ambiance that made us feel right at home.

The food was, without a doubt, a highlight. We indulged in their bar bites, and each dish was perfectly cooked, generously portioned, and bursting with flavour. The chicken with satay sauce was tender, the freshly made padrons, and the truffle fries were a triumph! We also enjoyed some delicious cocktails that rounded off our meal perfectly.

What truly elevated our experience, however, was the exceptional service. Nico was an absolute star – attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely friendly. He ensured our drinks were always topped up and anticipated our needs with a smile. And Anda was equally fantastic, providing personal touches and had a lovely chat with her about her background, language and food (Mămăligă & sarmale) and adding to the warm, welcoming vibe. Both Nico and Anda are a credit to The Botanist team; their professionalism and pleasant demeanour made our lunch even more enjoyable.

We couldn't have asked for a better way to spend our Sunday afternoon. The Botanist offers a fantastic combination of delicious food, a vibrant atmosphere, and outstanding service. We're already looking forward to our next visit!

Highly recommended for anyone looking for a top-notch dining experience in...