The Refuge

You'll feel properly small walking into this converted banking hall, where towering ceramic pillars stretch up to a glass atrium that floods the space with natural light. The Refuge takes the grandeur of its Principal Hotel setting seriously – this isn't just hotel dining, it's theatre. The international menu swings confidently from Korean fried chicken to proper Sunday roasts, with cocktails that match the room's ambition. Whether you're here for weekend brunch with the papers or a proper evening out, the buzz is constant but never overwhelming. The staff know their stuff, and the kitchen delivers consistently across a menu that could easily feel scattered but somehow works. It's the kind of place that makes you sit up straighter without feeling stuffy.