London


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where">WHAT? WHERE? </h2>



<p>You might know <a href="https://sketch.london" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sketch</a> for its legendary pod loos (probably the most Instagrammed toilets in London), but there&#8217;s way more to this Conduit Street restaurant-come-bar-come-club than a futuristic powder room. Just off Piccadilly in the heart of London, it&#8217;s a magical masterpiece of showmanship, from the fake snow fluttering down at the entrance to the pirouetting ballerina in The Parlour. Think Alice In Wonderland, if Alice was older, in Mayfair and on mushrooms. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-the-vibe">WHAT&#8217;S THE VIBE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="771" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_172640455-1024x771.jpg" alt="The Art of Apres at Sketch " class="wp-image-17105" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_172640455-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_172640455-300x226.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_172640455-768x578.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_172640455.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Maribel-meets-Mayfair, with a glade of Xmas trees leading to reception, where a chairlift seat and fur throws set the Aprés scene. In the Neo 90s Parlour a disco balls spins above a real ballerina en pointe, downstairs in The Gallery an orchestra plays while diners nibble afternoon tea beneath hanging stars. And hidden behind a pair of velvet curtains you&#8217;ll find The Glade, a decadent room dominated by an enormous, illuminated tree. Curiouser and curiouser, as Alice would say. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scoff-amp-quaff">SCOFF &amp; QUAFF </h2>



<p>Go for the Afternoon Tea, stay for the cocktails. Muddy tucked into a selection of bites from The Art of Aprés Afternoon Tea in The Parlour, a pink boudoir with a bar laden with cakes as well as booze, neon signs and comfy booths. </p>



<p>Our waiter recommended a plate of finger sandwiches, which looked so glazed and gooey we assumed they were desserts. Not so on tasting, for these shiny slithers of beetroot, cucumber and egg and truffle, turned out to be a savoury sensation so good we ordered another round. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="771" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_160051452.PORTRAIT-771x1024.jpg" alt="afternoon tea at sketch " class="wp-image-17108" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_160051452.PORTRAIT-771x1024.jpg 771w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_160051452.PORTRAIT-226x300.jpg 226w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_160051452.PORTRAIT-768x1020.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_160051452.PORTRAIT-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_160051452.PORTRAIT.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sandwiches as pretty as patisserie </figcaption></figure>



<p>Dinky warm scones topped with clotted cream and jam were just right &#8211; normal-sized scones can leave you too full for patisserie, but Sketch&#8217;s mini bites were ideal (Alice would approve). </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="771" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_161506210.PORTRAIT-771x1024.jpg" alt="afternoon tea at Sketch " class="wp-image-17104" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_161506210.PORTRAIT-771x1024.jpg 771w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_161506210.PORTRAIT-226x300.jpg 226w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_161506210.PORTRAIT-768x1020.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_161506210.PORTRAIT-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_161506210.PORTRAIT.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">How cute is the Christmas tree?</figcaption></figure>



<p>Our highlight was a plate of small Xmas-themed cakes including a Christmas tree, chocolate log and seasonal Battenberg that were so cute it seemed a shame to cut into them. However after admiring and photographing them for possibly longer than was necessary, we eventually tucked in and each was a mouthful of sweetness that instantly added more joie de vivre to the season to be jolly. Oolong tea served in china cups and teapots for one was the ideal pairing, and a glass of Champagne&#8217;s also included in the price. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="992" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-17-at-06.02.36-992x1024.png" alt="ballerina at sketch " class="wp-image-17102" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-17-at-06.02.36-992x1024.png 992w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-17-at-06.02.36-291x300.png 291w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-17-at-06.02.36-768x793.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-17-at-06.02.36-1488x1536.png 1488w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-17-at-06.02.36.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A ballet dancer in The Parlour </figcaption></figure>



<p>Midway through our festive feast a ballerina in a tutu appeared and pirouetted around the room, which caused a momentary pause in the cake scoffing for admiration and applause. Not your average Tuesday afternoon. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-anything-else">ANYTHING ELSE? </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="771" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_153931113-771x1024.jpg" alt="Pod toilets at Sketch " class="wp-image-17103" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_153931113-771x1024.jpg 771w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_153931113-226x300.jpg 226w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_153931113-768x1020.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_153931113-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/12/PXL_20251216_153931113.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Alpine toilet! </figcaption></figure>



<p>Yes! Sketch is eccentric and experiential, so you can&#8217;t help but want to roam from room-to-room. Don&#8217;t miss the tiny gift shop, selling Sketch chocolate bars and tea towels, or the chairlift photo opp. Peek behind the velvet curtains of the The Glade, and, when night falls, you can sip cocktails at the UFO-looking circular East Bar. </p>



<p>And of course you HAVE to go to the loo. This year the spacious white powder room has been transformed into an Alpine wonder with a miniature ski lift and chalet set on a mountain peak beneath the colourful roof. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-muddy-verdict">MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<p>Ideal for meeting up with friends and family during the Xmas holidays, Sketch is a complete break from reality &#8211; which is just what you need when the present shopping / organising gets too much. Nor is it style over substance, serving genuinely delicious food that&#8217;s as inventive as its surroundings. </p>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong> Anyone who enjoys quirky, memorable restaurants and loves a merry kitsch-mas vibe. </p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong> If the thought of eating a mini Christmas tree while watching a ballerina plié beneath a mirror ball sounds like a saccharine overload, walk on by. </p>



<p><em><a href="https://sketch.london" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Art of Aprés</a> Champagne Afternoon Tea is £115 at Sketch and runs until 5 Jan. </em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-food-for-thought-here">More food for thought here…</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://london.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/chef-adam-handling/">Meet Michelin-starred chef Adam Handling&nbsp;</a></li>



<li><a href="https://london.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/londons-best-supper-clubs/">London’s best supper clubs&nbsp;</a></li>



<li><a href="https://london.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/cafes-afternoon-tea/best-hot-chocolates/">The best hot chocolates in London&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>


Review: The Art of Aprés, Sketch

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