A new restaurant is coming to the British Museum – and you’re the only guest

Ever been too embarrassed to eat alone in public? You’re not the only one, but now you can do it in style.

Launching this autumn, itsu [grocery] is opening a one-table, one-diner pop-up called ‘Restaurant For One’, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. One guest. One table. One deeply peaceful bowl of noodles. And the setting? Not some gimmicky pod or food truck, but the British Museum’s Japanese Galleries, no less.

The idea is simple: to make solo dining feel less like a social faux pas and more like a main character moment. New research shows 24% of Brits wouldn’t dream of eating out alone, often due to the feeling of being watched or judged. But at the same time, a solid 63% of people say dining solo is actually pretty great, peaceful, liberating, and a rare slice of ‘me-time’.

So itsu decided to lean in and take the solo table to the next level.

Running for just two nights (29th September and 9th October), Restaurant For One offers 20-minute solo sessions from 6:30pm to 9:00pm, hosted in the museum’s serene Japan Room, surrounded by centuries-old art and zero chatty brunchers.

The menu is a curated selection of noodle pots and Japanese beers (with alcohol-free options too), including standout flavours from itsu’s new ‘noodles & broth’ range co-created with Monica Galetti, the MasterChef icon now serving as Chef & Recipe Consultant. Expect comfort food done stylishly, from Katsu Korokke Curry to Chashu Pork Ramen.

Best of all, it’s all completely free. So if you’ve ever faked a phone call to avoid eye contact mid-solo lunch, now’s your chance to dine alone and love it. Bookings are open now. Just don’t bring a plus one.

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