First look at Samba Room, London’s innovative cocktail lounge packed with Brazilian energy
London’s Samba Room, an extension of SushiSamba, is a dynamic bar, lounge and private dining space designed by Fabled Studio

Taking in the vast London views from the Heron Tower, SushiSamba has had a decade of success in the city, and has now expanded into the 39th floor with the launch of Samba Room, a dynamic bar, lounge and private dining space.
Continuing SushiSamba’s vibrant Brazilian energy, Samba Room immerses guests in its South American charm. With a striking gilded canopy, it lures visitors through a corridor lined with ten golden palm trees, which leads to a mirrored walkway before opening up into a sweeping sky-bar.
First look inside Samba Room, London
Fabled Studio was asked to design the 2,500 sq ft space. Known for designing London restaurants such as Mayfair’s Murano, The Wolseley City and French bistro Josephine, the local studio took on the brief to captivate and mesmerise those who enter the new London cocktail bar.
To begin, the selected tones create a warming atmosphere, while metallic detailing, plush red carpets, and deep brown finishings add a visually seductive touch. Lighting is hung low, creating small pockets of hushed intimacy throughout. Bespoke furniture is distinguished by its soft curves in an array of orange and copper crafted from indigenous walnut, injecting dynamic movement and creating an intricate balance of playful sophistication.
The bar itself is the crowned centrepiece, with a vast liquor display that shimmers under the reflective ceiling, backdropped with expansive cityscape vistas. The lounge and private events space is set just off the bar, with a custom-designed sculptural table suspended from the ceiling, which acts like a decorative art piece, and is also easily lowered to accommodate guests.
The vision came from an archive of inspiration from midcentury Brazilian interiors, while nodding to SushiSamba’s Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian heritage. 'We wanted Samba Room to serve as an iconic destination, offering guests an immersive experience unlike any other,' said Omar Gutierrez, co-CEO of SushiSamba Group. 'Samba Room represents the evolution of the brand and ignites our creativity even further – a one-of-a-kind space where exceptional design and breathtaking views meet exquisite cocktails and unparalleled service.'
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Tianna Williams is Wallpaper*s staff writer. Before joining the team in 2023, she contributed to BBC Wales, SurfGirl Magazine, Parisian Vibe, The Rakish Gent, and Country Life, with work spanning from social media content creation to editorial. When she isn’t writing extensively across varying content pillars ranging from design, and architecture to travel, and art, she also helps put together the daily newsletter. She enjoys speaking to emerging artists, designers, and architects, writing about gorgeously designed houses and restaurants, and day-dreaming about her next travel destination.
-
Revamped National Gallery Sainsbury Wing unveiled: Annabelle Selldorf gives us a tour
The National Gallery Sainsbury Wing redesign by Selldorf Architects is ready to open its doors to the public in London; we took the tour
-
Sylvain Rieu-Piquet flits between jewellery and design in a Carpenter’s Workshop Gallery show
‘Design is a way to think,’ says Rieu-Piquet ahead of his London exhibition ‘Chimaera’, featuring 40 pieces of sculptural jewellery and ceramics
-
Five tranquil suites by Patricia Urquiola suspend visitors ‘between sea and sky’ in Capri
Patricia Urquiola dreams up a study in contrast and tradition for the next chapter of Jumeirah Capri Palace
-
Sketch transforms into an English garden in celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday
The 11th edition of ‘Sketch in Bloom’ nods to the most notable works of Jane Austen with budding floral installations and a quintessentially English afternoon tea
-
At the Regent Street Sensorium, architectural jelly sculptures are designed to ignite the senses
Delve into the history of London’s Regent Street through a jellyscape, a fragrance cloud and more – plus, for the event’s final week, two new immersive workshops (ends 27 April)
-
Burns Night 2025: where to celebrate in London
It is time to raise a wee dram to Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns on Burns Night (25 January). Here is our pick of places to enjoy an evening of generous speechmaking, toasting, and drinking around London
-
Grand English glamour vs the Italian dolce vita? Why Il Pellicano's Claridge’s takeover is a sun-kissed delight
Claridge's welcomes Hotel Il Pellicano with open arms for a one week restaurant residency of laid back luxury and Tuscan charm
-
Lunar New Year in London: where to celebrate the Year of the Wood Snake
Do you want a year of good fortune and happiness? Then it is time to tuck into some of London’s cult favourite hotspots, devour decadent treats, and toast the Lunar New Year, and we have you covered with our guide to all things going on in the city (from 29 January until 8 February 2025)
-
Celebrate Día de los Muertos at one of London (and the world’s) finest Mexican restaurants
Día de los Muertos will arrive at KOL in Marylebone on 2 November, with a collaborative menu including dishes from the chefs behind Endo at The Rotunda to The Connaught, wrapped up with a mezcal fiesta
-
Mark’s Club’s interior refresh brings British countryside charm to the heart of Mayfair
Located in a classic Mayfair townhouse, Mark’s Club unveils its new interiors, from greenhouse extensions to a new open-plan layout full of trinkets and charm
-
Frogs legs to fromage: Café François is London’s newest French canteen, serving up all the classics with a contemporary global twist
The founders of Mayfair's Maison François have opened a new addition, Café François. The Borough-based canteen offers an array of French classics from dawn to dusk