Full Venue Hire at Colonel Saab

Modern Indian dining inside a Grade II listed former public library on High Holborn — with private dining rooms dressed in Tanjore paintings and Persian silk, a mezzanine overlooking the main restaurant, and full venue hire for up to 130 seated guests. Colonel Saab is one of the more striking event venues in central London, combining heritage architecture with museum-quality Indian art and a kitchen running a nine-course tasting menu. The building dates to 1894, originally Holborn Town Hall’s public library. Owner Roop Partap Choudhary has filled it with artworks and antiques collected during his parents’ travels across India — chandeliers imported from the subcontinent, Tanjore paintings in the private dining rooms, Persian silk carpets underfoot. Natural daylight runs through the main spaces, which is unusual for a venue with this level of decorative intensity.

Private Dining: Memsaab Rooms

The Memsaab rooms — two connecting private dining spaces — seat up to 26 for a formal dinner or take 60 for a standing reception. Sliding partitions between the rooms allow flexible configuration: use one for an intimate dinner of 12, open both for a larger group, or set up drinks in one and dining in the other. The rooms are lined with Tanjore paintings and dressed with Persian silk carpets, creating an atmosphere that feels more private gallery than private dining room. It’s a distinctive setting for corporate entertaining, client dinners, and celebrations where the room needs to make an impression without relying on generic hotel décor.

The Mezzanine at Colonel Saab

The mezzanine sits above the main restaurant floor, offering an elevated vantage point over the room below. It seats 36 for dining or takes 50 standing. The position gives it a semi-private feel without full enclosure — guests are part of the restaurant’s atmosphere while occupying their own distinct space. For events that want energy and spectacle rather than seclusion, the mezzanine works well. The views down to the main floor, the chandeliers, and the full scope of the building’s architecture are all on display from this level.

Full Venue Hire

A complete buyout of Colonel Saab seats 130 across the main restaurant, mezzanine, and private dining rooms. At that scale, the venue operates as a single event space — the grand proportions of the former library, the art collection, and the 1920s Asprey’s bar all become part of the experience. The Asprey’s bar dates to the 1920s and anchors the drinks offering. For larger events, it serves as a natural reception and pre-dinner drinks area, giving guests somewhere to gather before moving through to the dining spaces.

Dining and Catering

Catering is in-house only, with Chef Sohan Bhandari running a modern Indian menu that includes a nine-course tasting option. The kitchen can work with event planners on bespoke menus, and the breadth of the offering — from sharing-style starters through to elaborate tasting sequences — gives flexibility across formal and informal event formats. The food is modern Indian rather than traditional — refined technique, contemporary presentation, but grounded in regional flavours and spice profiles. Dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan, and allergen-specific menus are handled as standard.

Location and Access

Colonel Saab sits at 193-197 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BD — directly on one of central London’s main east-west routes. Holborn station is the closest Tube, with Chancery Lane and Tottenham Court Road also within comfortable walking distance. The central location makes it accessible from most parts of London, and the Holborn area’s mix of legal, media, and professional services firms means corporate guests often find it conveniently close to the office.