Restaurant at The Refinery Bankside

The restaurant at The Refinery Bankside is the venue’s main ground floor space — an open-plan room with industrial bones, warm lighting, and the kind of varied furniture zones that let a single hire work across multiple formats. Natural light through floor-to-ceiling windows, colourful textures against exposed surfaces, and a visible open kitchen give the space a character that shifts through the day, from bright working lunches to atmospheric evening events.

Layout and Zones Within The Refinery Bankside Restaurant

The room isn’t one uniform space. A cosy lounge area with armchairs, sofas, and intimate booths sits to one side, handling 30 seated or 70 standing with direct access to both the bar and the alfresco terrace. The main restaurant floor accommodates 220 seated across flexible configurations — round tables, long communal layouts, or a mix depending on the event format. Standing receptions spread across the full space for up to 350 guests. Above the restaurant, a semi-private mezzanine overlooks the main floor, seating up to 15 for private dining. It’s physically separate enough to host a small client dinner while a larger event runs below, yet visually connected to the room’s energy. The elevated perspective makes it work well for intimate group meals where guests still want to feel part of something bigger.

Open Kitchen and Culinary Experience

The open-plan kitchen is a genuine feature of events here, not just a catering operation. Chefs prepare food in full view, and the activity creates a backdrop that makes receptions and seated dinners feel more dynamic. Drake & Morgan’s in-house catering covers seasonal British and European menus — sharing boards, gourmet mains, bowl food, and brunch formats — with the Enomatic wine system adding a self-service global wine element that works particularly well during networking events and receptions. Cocktail masterclasses are available for groups wanting interactive entertainment, using the main bar as a working stage with the restaurant providing overflow seating and standing room. The cocktail programme draws on creative recipes designed by the group’s in-house mixologists, and the masterclass format works for corporate team building, birthday groups, and engagement celebrations alike. Groups of ten can be accommodated for dedicated sessions.

Summer Terrace at The Refinery Bankside

From June through August, the alfresco terrace extends the restaurant outdoors with space for 120 standing or 60 seated. A built-in screen supports outdoor presentations or ambient content during summer parties. The terrace connects directly to the lounge, creating a natural indoor-outdoor flow that works well for receptions and social events where guests want to drift between settings. Bi-fold doors open up the boundary between inside and out. The terrace sits close to the Thames Path, and the walk from Blackfriars passes Tate Modern — guests arriving from the north cross the river into the cultural quarter.

Events and Practical Details

The restaurant format suits events where food and drink are woven through the experience rather than confined to a formal sit-down slot. Corporate receptions, after-work gatherings, product launches in a media-neighbourhood setting, birthday celebrations, and private dining on the mezzanine all work within the space. The industrial-chic aesthetic provides a photogenic backdrop for PR events and corporate content without needing additional styling. The Blue Fin Building location places the venue within Bankside’s concentration of media and creative businesses — the neighbourhood context suits events targeting those industries. Wheelchair access and disabled facilities are available throughout. The alcohol licence runs until midnight with extensions possible. Southwark tube is the closest station, Blackfriars a short walk north, and the surrounding Bankside neighbourhood — Tate Modern, the Globe, the Thames Path — gives events a cultural context that most bar-restaurant venues don’t carry. A weekend DJ is part of the venue’s regular programming, and private events can arrange their own music.