There are hotel dining rooms that feel like an extension of the lobby: busy, generic, and designed for turnover; and then there is The Parlour at Great Scotland Yard Hotel. Tucked away behind one of Westminster’s most historic streets, this room feels intentionally removed from the city’s pace. It’s the kind of place you step into at 10am and immediately understand why people come here to think, meet, or simply catch their breath before the day begins.
I was invited to review the hotel’s new Swedish breakfast concept by Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt, and from the moment I walked in, I knew this was not going to be a typical hotel breakfast experience. It’s quieter, more considered, more elegant; and exactly the sort of place that suits Londoners who appreciate calm, good design, and genuinely high-quality food.
A Space That Already Feels Like a Meeting Point
The atmosphere in The Parlour is noticeably different from most central London breakfast locations. It’s not loud. It’s not rushed. It’s not trying to be trendy. Instead, it offers something much more valuable: a sense of ease.
The room is compact but spacious enough to feel private. Soft lighting, comfortable upholstery, gentle colours, and tasteful greenery give it a warm, slightly understated luxury. It’s cosy without being casual. Elegant without being intimidating. The sort of environment where you can have a business conversation at a comfortable volume, or sit alone with your notes and feel completely undisturbed.
If your day involves Westminster meetings, creative planning, or simply a calm start before tackling a full schedule, this room sets the right tone. You feel taken care of, but you also feel left alone, in the best possible way.
Breakfast by Niklas Ekstedt: Nordic Simplicity Done Right
You can feel Ekstedt’s influence the moment you look at the breakfast offering. It’s not overloaded with options or trying to cover every cuisine. Instead, it focuses on a handful of minimal, high-quality Swedish dishes where the ingredients are the centrepiece. Everything is fresh, light, well-seasoned, and prepared with the kind of attention that doesn’t shout, but speaks confidently.
The Swedish Breakfast Menu:
Smoked juniper salmon smørrebrød
Toast Skagen with dill-spiked shrimp
Cinnamon eggy bread with berry jam
Clarence Court Eggs
It’s simple by design. Nothing feels filler. Nothing feels like it’s there to pad out the menu. This is breakfast the Nordic way: clarity, quality, and a respect for produce.
I went for the Smoked Juniper Salmon Smørrebrød (£16) and added two Clarence Court poached eggs (£8), and from the first bite it was obvious why this menu works. The portioning is smart: enough to satisfy, light enough to keep you sharp for the day ahead. The seasoning is exact. And the flavours are clean but memorable.
The salmon itself was excellent: silky, fresh, lightly smoked with juniper in a way that added depth without overpowering its natural flavour. The rye and caraway bread had just the right firmness. The herbs were fresh. And the pickles, easily my favourite element, brought the kind of bright acidity that turns a good dish into a perfectly balanced one.
It’s the kind of breakfast you could eat before a meeting and still feel energised, focused, and refreshed rather than weighed down.
An Atmosphere That Supports Real Conversation
One of the things I appreciated most about The Parlour was how naturally it suits business. There is enough space between tables to speak freely. The service is attentive but discreet. Your coffee is topped up before you need to ask, but your conversation is never interrupted. And because the dining room is tucked away from the rest of the hotel, you don’t get that constant flow of foot traffic that can disrupt a morning meeting.
It feels like a place designed for people who think for a living: strategists, founders, executives, anyone who wants a calm environment where ideas flow more easily. It’s luxurious, yes, but it’s also practical in a way that luxury rarely is.
Design That Calms Rather Than Shows Off
Great Scotland Yard Hotel is known for its understated glamour, and The Parlour reflects that beautifully. The interior leans towards warm heritage rather than modern minimalism: gentle greens, soft golds, velvet seating, subtle patterns, framed art, and a general sense of “quiet confidence.”
It feels curated, not decorated. You can tell every detail was chosen to contribute to the mood rather than to impress. It’s the kind of room where you instinctively lower your voice, settle into your chair, and feel the pace of your morning slow down.
And if you’ve visited The Yard, the hotel’s busier restaurant, you’ll notice the contrast instantly. The Yard is vibrant, energetic, and perfect for casual dining or groups. The Parlour is its refined counterpart: intimate, polished, and clearly designed for people who prefer a more private, calm setting.
Service That Understands the Rhythm of Business
The staff at The Parlour strike a balance that’s surprisingly hard to find in London: warm, efficient, and aware of the guest’s pace. They anticipate needs but don’t hover. They move quietly. They respect the privacy of each table. And they understand that breakfast, especially at this address, often has a purpose beyond simply eating.
Nothing felt rushed. Nothing felt delayed. The entire experience flowed in a way that supports your morning, rather than intruding on it.
A Breakfast That Makes Sense for Professionals
The Swedish breakfast concept works: it’s light enough for a workday, energising rather than heavy, and refined enough to feel like a treat without being indulgent. It respects time. It respects ingredients. And it respects the kind of guest who chooses to start their day at a place like this.
If you need a breakfast spot in central London where you can hear yourself think, or hear someone else clearly, The Parlour is an excellent choice.
Final Thoughts
My morning at The Parlour felt like a pocket of calm in a part of London where calm is rarely found. The Swedish breakfast by Niklas Ekstedt is exactly what breakfast should be in a luxury hotel: high-quality ingredients, perfectly seasoned dishes, and a menu that prioritises clarity over excess. The smoked juniper salmon smørrebrød was fresh, balanced, and beautifully executed, and the entire experience felt thoughtful from start to finish.
If your idea of a great breakfast is a quiet room, excellent food, attentive service, and an atmosphere that allows you to start the day feeling both grounded and focused, The Parlour at Great Scotland Yard Hotel is a place you’ll want to return to.
