Few things feel more quintessentially London than dining steps away from the Royal Opera House on a random Wednesday evening. With its Covent Garden location, Twenty8 NoMad, the recently revamped, dazzling bistro of five-star luxury hotel NoMad London, makes for a cinematic meet-cute.
I have only just rewatched the Oscar-winning 1988 romantic comedy Moonstruck when I visit the New York City-inspired London restaurant with a friend. While we are far less elegant than the movie's protagonists, Nicolas Cage and Cher in that iconic Metropolitan Opera House scene, when we meet at 28 Bow Street at 7:30 PM, dressed-to-the-nines theater-goers rushing to their seats, we can't help but feel a little chic.
Located within the British capital's former Magistrates' Court, Twenty8 NoMad reveals itself to diners past a winding staircase tucked beyond the building's original stone front. Since May 2025, it has taken the place of the London hotel's Atrium eatery, thoroughly reinvented by prolific interior designer and architect Martin Brudnizki's namesake studio into a New York City-inspired hangout sharing the familiar feeling of a French brasserie. So, what's the story behind it?
Inside the New Twenty8 NoMad
"Twenty8 NoMad already had a strong identity and a beautiful architectural framework, so completing this project was very much about refinement rather than reinvention," he tells me.
Seeking balance, in that sense, was key — something they achieved by juxtaposing marble with timber, and incorporating rattan for lightness, stone for grounding.
"We were drawn to the opportunity to give the space renewed energy while respecting what was already there: NoMad London has a particular elegance and romance. The task was to bring clarity and warmth without disturbing the underlying character."
Leaving our coats in the cloakroom, I am taken by how, past an elevated front desk, guests are invited to descend into a spectacular palm court dotted with live, trailing trees, and with ceilings seemingly stretching to infinity.
More than an eatery, Twenty8 NoMad feels like a hidden-away inner courtyard, one you have to be lucky to stumble upon while sojourning at the best design hotels in the world — or exploring overlooked corners of your chosen destination. This lets the charm of al fresco dining restaurants indoors.
This airiness was always part of the address's rebrand. By softening the restaurant's formal scheme, where two central rows of acid green banquettes fractured the space into two identical halves, "we introduced a more relaxed rhythm, allowing the space to breathe," Brudnizki recounts.
Through a cream-rich, grounding palette and subtle, tactile notes — wildlife and flowers-inhabited, upholstered chairs, intricate rugs, and softly glowing, textured glass — the dining room "nods to the palm court tradition without becoming literal," he adds. "The idea was familiarity with lightness, rather than nostalgia."
Echoing the “Great Dining Rooms of Paris and NYC”
Rather than borrowing from specific hospitality institutions, Brudnizki strived to imbue Twenty8 NoMad with a distinctive "atmosphere".
Sipping an Oaxacan Old Fashion under the eatery's right-hand portico, it is easy to picture ourselves in the original NoMad hotel, one of the most coveted New York hotels, replaced by private members' club Soho House & Co.'s The Ned in 2022, and yet, still impressed in people's minds for its old glamour and grandeur.
To craft Twenty8 NoMad's golden-y ambience, Brudnizki thought "of the great dining rooms of Paris or New York, where people linger for hours; spaces that feel layered, collected, and alive."
"Those places aren't about spectacle alone," he explains. "They're about comfort, confidence, and a certain social energy."
It is that very energy that, together with an appreciation for the location's legacy, has brought the stay's new culinary destination to life.
"The building's history adds a certain gravity, and Napoleon Sarony's portraits introduce a human counterpoint to its storytelling," the designer says of the numerous 20th-century photographs placed on the eatery's mirrored surfaces, styled into gallery walls. "His subjects were performers, thinkers, people with presence and wit — from playwright Oscar Wilde to actress Sarah Bernhardt."
Mimicking the plastered-in-art feel of an intellectual salon, "the works are not simply hung, but woven into the environment, curated to feel as though they have been collected gradually over time," Brudnizki adds. Displayed within a former place of judgement, "they bring levity and personality, adding a quiet thread of charm that catches the eye and encourages diners to stay a little longer."
A Gathering Around the Fire
But Twenty8 Nomad's artistry isn't the only aspect of the eatery to convey a home-like feel; its eight-foot wood-burning hearth, too, decorated in leaf-shaped motifs carved onto stone, hints at a more domestic dining experience.
In Brudnizki's view, the fireplace occupied a powerful focal point already. So, instead of competing with it, "we focused on softening the perception of it, using lighting, textures, and seating so it feels inviting rather than imposing," he says. "Fire has a natural pull, and our role was to let that warmth be felt emotionally as well as visually."
That same fire can also be experienced or, better, tasted, in Twenty8 Nomad's kitchen, led by executive chef Zak Gregoire, where feel-good dishes like generously sized, silky pastas, mac & cheese, and chicken Milanese are served alongside choreographically plated crudo, indulgent salads, and moreish, seasonal sides.
A Place That Morphs Like — and With — Daylight
I am not that hungry, so I stick to an American evergreen: steak frites. It comes bathed in a smoky, peppercorn sauce with rosemary-sprinkled chips.
Service is both fast and attentive, with multiple waiters checking in on us throughout the night. Plus, as only a handful of tables are taken across the dining room, we don't feel pressured to leave — not after an hour, nor after two.
In fact, immersed in chat and the picturesque atmosphere, I end up canceling on a photography exhibition launch I had been planning to attend for months. But, hey, what can you do? With so much to take in between vibes, food, and decor, it feels a shame to go.
It turns out, the plants may have something to do with it. Placed inside wavy terracotta vases for a dynamic, multi-height effect, each "introduces softness and movement, offsetting the architectural scale," Brudnizki weighs in. Not only does the foliage inject life into the space, but it also prompts "people to relax into it", making the room feel generous and welcoming.
Just like leaves wither and thrive, Twenty8 Nomad, as well, changes from morning through late into the night. "The room evolves quietly, in tandem with how guests use it," the designer explains. "Lighting gets warmer, while comfy seating encourages longer stays."
At last, we make our way to the exit. It's 11 PM, we are in high spirits, our tummies full — meaning "the space is doing exactly what it should".
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Twenty8 NoMad isn't the sole London restaurant to set the tone for the renaissance of bistro-style interiors: as we explored in a recent feature, these French-inspired eateries pair essential furniture with an absorbing atmosphere designed to foster a long(er)-lasting experience, connection, and fun. Dive into it to find out more.
