‘It’s atmosphere’: is noise of London’s restaurants just part of the charm?

For some younger diners, restaurant noise is just part of the atmosphere and the vibe. Photograph: Geber86/Getty Images

Cutlery clanging on plates, chairs scraping across a hardwood floor, the boisterous anecdote of a half-cut raconteur: when it comes to restaurants, one person’s idea of a “good atmosphere” has another reaching for their earplugs.

But for those who like their food served up along with the decibel levels of a motorbike or lawnmower, London is the place to be. Data released this week reveals that the capital’s restaurants are the loudest in Europe, and second only to San Francisco worldwide. A random survey by SoundPrint, a global app measuring noise levels, found 80% of 1,350 London restaurants were too loud for conversation.