You Can Now Dine In This Stunning 18th Century Church

If you’re looking for Cantonese cuisine in a designer setting, your prayers have been answered. The new Duddell’s London in Southwark delivers Michelin-starred Asian cuisine inside a stunning 18th-century church that’s been given a thoroughly modern makeover by award-winning architects Michaelis Boyd.

Designing a restaurant interior to satisfy the Instagram-hungry audience is one thing, but to come up with a concept that fits an Asian-inspired restaurant seamlessly into a Grade-II listed church is another.

Duddell’s London is set within a fine example of a Queen Anne church

Architecture firm Michaelis Boyd stepped up to the plate, however, creating an environment that would keep the building’s ecclesiastical features intact while transforming the interior into an ultra-modern restaurant that also references Duddell’s Cantonese heritage.

St Thomas Church is an impressive Queen Anne building in the heart of Southwark. Sandwiched between the Shard and Borough Market, it was built by Sir Christopher Wren’s (St Paul’s Cathedral‘s architect) master mason Thomas Cartwright between 1680 and 1703.

The original church building was constructed by Sir Christopher Wren’s master stonemason

Practice co-founder Alex Michaelis said: ‘We wanted to celebrate the beauty of this listed building so a great deal of thought went into elements that would enhance the ambience of this unique environment.

‘We connected super-sized modern chandeliers using lightweight fixtures as a contemporary interpretation of traditional church illumination. Furthermore, we applied modern materials such as brass and bright geometric tiles to contrast with the existing timber cladding lining the perimeter of the space.’

The chandeliers are a modern take on traditional ecclesiastical light fittings

On the ground floor, the layout is focused towards the existing decorative altar that sits against contrasting crisp white walls, which allow the dark oak panelling to sing while also accentuating the sheer volume of the church’s interior.

A mezzanine level also makes the most of this unique space, with clear glass balustrades allowing for views across the vast eight metre-high building and towards the four impressive stained-glass windows.

The glass balustrade provides an uninterrupted view over the rest of the church’s interior

While the scale of the church and its original features is part of its charm, the firm also wanted to ensure that Duddell’s was relatable and inviting. Michaelis Boyd introduced pendant lights over the banquette seating to bring the space to a more human scale and make it more intimate.
‘The design was inspired by the traditional 1960s Hong Kong tea restaurant, making use of colour and pattern to create a retro interior with a contemporary twist,’ adds Michaelis. ‘Most of all we wanted to ensure that eating at Duddells’ feels like an adventure.’

Suspended lanterns re-create the Hong Kong tea room aesthetic

There are undoubtedly playful and on-trend details incorporated into the design, from the geometric rubber flooring that’s protecting the original parquet underneath, to the pink terrazzo and metro-tiled cocktail bar.

The new Duddell’s will also act as a gallery space to showcase contemporary art, much like its Hong Kong counterpart, which opened back in 2013 as a dining destination for people with a keen interest in the arts and culture.

The bar has a contemporary feel with brass and sea-green finishes

Michaelis Boyd is also currently working on the interiors for the new residential properties at Battersea Power Station, plus it was behind the design for the trendy Soho Farmhouse renovation, Victory House on Leicester Square and also New York’s hip Williamsburg Hotel.

On-trend touches of millennial pink have been incorporated into the design

Duddell’s, 9a St Thomas St, London, SE1 9RY. Nearest tube: London Bridge.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.