London and secrets don’t usually mix.
A new opening drops, it lands on social media, and suddenly you need a booking strategy, a backup plan, and possibly a spreadsheet just to get a table.
Which is why Secret Garden at The Ritz London feels like a rare exception, at least for now.
The place
Opened in June of this year, this seasonal terrace is tucked behind one of the city’s most recognisable hotels.
The space itself has had quite the transformation. What was once a fairly unremarkable back-of-house area has been reimagined as an English garden-inspired hideaway. It doesn’t try to reinvent the idea of a London terrace. Instead, it leans into something more familiar and, honestly, more charming: structured greenery, soft lighting, and a sense of calm that feels slightly unexpected in this part of the city.
It’s elegant, but not intimidating.
What makes it work is the contrast. One minute you’re on busy central London streets, the next you’re inside a garden that feels like it belongs to a much slower version of the city. Not escapist in a dramatic way, just gently removed from everything outside its walls.
It’s also very clearly a seasonal space, which adds to its appeal.
This isn’t designed to be “the new all-day dining destination” or a year-round concept with endless reinventions. It exists for summer. For long afternoons that turn into early evenings. For drinks that turn into “shall we have one more?”
At the time of our visit, it still had that early-stage softness to it. Walk-ins were possible, tables weren’t impossible to find, and it hadn’t yet reached the fully booked, slightly stressful phase that most London openings inevitably fall into. Whether that lasts is another question, but right now, it’s part of the charm.
The experience itself sits firmly in The Ritz universe: calm, polished, and quietly confident. Service is attentive without being overbearing, everything runs smoothly, and there’s a sense that you’re in a space that knows exactly what it is doing.
Our recommendation
We’d recommend keeping things simple here. Come for drinks, maybe a few nibbles, and let the setting do most of the work. A full meal is available, but the space really shines when it’s approached lightly rather than formally.
There is currently a £50 minimum spend per person, which is fairly easy to reach once you’re into cocktails, but still worth knowing before you go. Pricing is in line with what you would expect from The Ritz, you’re very much here for the setting as much as the menu.
During our visit, a few small inconsistencies appeared in the food service, though the team handled everything professionally and with care. It’s worth noting this is still a very new opening, and like most seasonal concepts, it’s clearly finding its rhythm.
And that feels important to say.
Our take
The Secret Garden feels like a space that will evolve over the course of the summer, slowly settling into itself as more people discover it.
The foundations are already strong. The location is exceptional. The design is thoughtful without being overworked. And the idea of transforming a hidden part of The Ritz into a seasonal English garden simply works.
More than anything, it feels like one of those places you should go slightly before everyone else does.
Not because it’s a secret in the dramatic sense.
But because it won’t stay like this for long.
And in London, that window is usually very small.
Save this one for your next sunny afternoon in the city.
