The design of Flat Iron Southbank is shaped by its setting within the Grade I listed Royal Festival Hall, designed by Leslie Martin and his team as the focal point of the 1951 Festival of Britain. 

Recognising the building’s architectural significance, we introduced British mid-century references in the restaurant’s proportions, detailing, and materials, while keeping the overall aesthetic simple, confident, and unmistakably Flat Iron. 

A 27-metre-long, floor-to-ceiling glazed shopfront faces Festival Square, set beneath the Hall’s overhanging balcony, and opens onto an 80-seat external terrace. Complete with heated umbrellas, architectural planting and festoon lighting, the terrace extends the restaurant out onto Festival Square. 

Inside, guests are greeted near the central island bar, which has a deep green marble top and a rich oak-panelled front, flanked on either side by large, tiled columns. These are finished in stack bond cream and brown tiles from H&E Smith; the specialist maker long associated with London Underground tiles.

A brighter, more informal bar area features high-level tables and stools set on reclaimed Staffordshire blue quarry tiles, while the dining room is visible through a back bar screen crafted in oak and partially glazed with reeded and warm-hued glass.

The main restaurant combines oak-framed booths and banquettes upholstered in dark grey, deep green, burnt orange leather and textured woven fabrics. Black and red marble tabletops sit alongside chunky oak tables and vintage dining chairs, including notable mid-century design classics.

Throughout the restaurant, vintage light fittings with coloured glass shades sit alongside Flat Iron’s familiar Holophane globes, adding subtle layers of tone and texture. The artwork selection marks a gentle shift from the Flat Iron norm, introducing colourful, abstract pieces that quietly animate the space.

The walls blend oak panelling, green gloss painted boarding and tiles, their style and proportions nodding to the mid-century modern era. In the main dining area, deep toned oak boards are combined with quarry tiles, offering a more functional and simple aesthetic. 

Flat Iron Southbank opened in April 2025, at Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road London SE1 8XX.