I love exposing the kids to the world outside of Chicago, and part of doing that is exposing them to some of the world’s best food. After our amazingly epic experience at Cocina Hermanos Torres in Barcelona on our last trip to Europe with the kiddos, I was confident that they could handle just about anything at a Three-Michelin-Starred restaurant. It was really difficult to choose just one in London, as the city chock full of fancy eateries, but I decided on Sketch Lecture room & Library, with renowned French Chef Pierre Gagnaire at the helm.

Sketch is actually a massive place, with multiple different types of eateries and lounges throughout, and there is no less funk in the Lecture Room & Library than anywhere else in the place. From the website where you book your table, to the actual dining spaces including The Glade and The Gallery, the design details are obvious and almost overwhelming! When we visited in July of 2024, Sam Cox, or Mr. Doodle of internet fame, had doodled his way around the entirety of the entry space as well as the funky pod loos that we visited following the meal. These pods are a completely unique way to set up a bathroom in a restaurant, and Mr. Doodle did his doodling all over the walls and each pod in different, bright colors. The kids knew who he was and were excited to take a lot of photos!

The Lecture Room & Library is Sketch’s three-star Michelin restaurant, and boy, is this a cool space. As you walk in, you feel as though you have literally been transported into a very plush jewelry box with bright velvet colors lusciously draped everywhere. Even the restroom has jewelry box music playing! The room literally shines and sparkles, and we were seated in our own little alcove off to the side of the main seating area. Our cushiony velvet chairs were beyond comfortable, and thank goodness, because this seven-course dinner took four hours to complete! (The kid’s drinks are zero proof, in case you were curious!)

Service here was excellent and attentive, but I really do have to complain a bit about the pacing of the courses, which was extraordinarily slow. I appreciate time to enjoy food, as well as device-free time at the table with my family, but one course every 30 minutes is far, far too slow. I was really getting restless by the end, and I think this meal would’ve been just as spectacular if it took under three hours to complete, rather than the four that we sat there. The rest of the family seemed fine with the pacing, but I was really ready to get out by 11pm when we finished up. Rather than relaxing and having an after dinner drink or coffee as we normally would, we skedaddled.

That said, the food was truly phenomenal. This is french cooking at its peak, and the kids had never experienced anything like this before. While the dishes weren’t super flashy or even entertaining like they are at many Michelin-starred establishments, each element of each dish was superb and perfectly planned. Nothing was bad, or even weird here, and I have to say I loved every single course.

Seven courses doesn’t sound like much, especially when I tell you that it took four hours, but each course was multi-faceted. We started off with a whole bunch of very cute and delicious snacks, followed by bread service, that featured amazing brioche rolls. Yes, we ordered extra for the table!

The next few courses really sang, including Scottish Langoustine, Crab, and Pollock. We honestly couldn’t decide which courses were our favorites, because they were all spectacular in their own way.

The final savory course was a multi-plated extravaganza. No boring A5 Wagyu here, just incredibly tender veal served with a beet-infused chantilly cream, alongside a wild mushroom and pea stew.

The finale, called “Pierre Gagnaire’s Grand Dessert” was truly epic! There were at least five different desserts per person, ranging from a light citrus palate cleanser, to berries and nuts, to chocolate. Everything was super rich and delicious!

This overview of our experience at Sketch seems to be as much about the decor and atmosphere than the food, but really, they both were an integral part of our evening here. Sketch has so many different ways to enjoy the space and the food, that you don’t have to spend an entire paycheck on eating at the Lecture Room & Library, although I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. Definitely make sure you let them know, though, if you have any time constraints! If you want some superb cooking in a super-cool and unique atmosphere, check out any of the different spaces at Sketch and enjoy a fabulous evening here!