SUSHISAMBA Covent Garden

SUSHISAMBA crowns the Opera Terrace on the top floor of Covent Garden's Grade II listed Market Building, the spot once occupied by the old Floral Hall. The dining room sits beneath Eric Parry's glass roof, with black-and-white marble floors, a living canopy of South American and Japanese foliage trailing overhead, cobalt-blue banquettes and burnt-orange chairs. A spiral staircase wrapped in a riot of hand-painted tropical murals carries guests up to the room. The kitchen plates the brand's signature blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cooking, from robata-grilled skewers and ceviche to sushi sent out from a busy counter.

For private events the venue gathers four distinct spaces under one roof. The Piazza Terrace runs along the east side above the square, an al fresco room dressed seasonally (a blush of cherry blossom for the Sakura Spring Terrace) with its own bar and views down onto the buskers and crowds below. Tucked into the South Pavilion, one of the oldest parts of the market building, the Private Dining Room seats a single circular table behind reversible Japanese screens and opens onto a private balcony. A hidden Speakeasy bar handles standing receptions, and the full restaurant can be taken exclusively.

The exclusive hire is the one built for a party: a long marble-floored room with a generous bar, an open robata kitchen as a backdrop and a layout that clears for a dancefloor once dinner winds down. SUSHISAMBA programmes DJs and live bands here, and the late licence runs past 1am, so a dinner can carry on into a proper night. Open daily from noon, to 1am Sunday through Thursday and 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays.