The ultimate in gastronomy: haute cuisine aboard a panoramic double-decker bus

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About 20 people queue at the 40B bus stop on London's Victoria Embankment.

It is 12 noon and they await the arrival of the

, a huge double-decker bus typical of the British capital, although this time it is black, not red.

In the distance from the busy avenue parallel to the Thames, the great vehicle appears.

Once parked, a smiling uniformed chauffeur gets out, spreading a rug between two elegant posts in front of the side doors that delimit the boarding of the passengers.

The huge letters

together with a fork on the body provide clues that, despite the panoramic and glass roof at the top, it is not (only) the typical tourist bus that tours the most emblematic enclaves of the city.

This one goes further.

In fact, it is the ultimate in dining in London:

that offers a unique dining experience every day while enjoying a journey between iconic monuments of the British capital.

The best views of Big Ben, the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral or Westminster Abbey, among others, are accompanied by

(depending on whether it is dinner or lunch), wine and champagne .

This original and innovative concept was born in Paris in 2014 by French entrepreneurs Jean-Christophe Fournier and Bertrand Mathieu, who decided to

a bus that combined French haute cuisine, a luxurious space decorated with wood paneling, designer chairs and tables and fine cutlery and glassware and a tour of the most beautiful places in the French capital.

After the enormous success in Paris, where they have four

, the young businessmen did not hesitate to take the idea to London.

The pandemic made the process difficult, but finally, since May 2021, a minimum of two Bustronome vehicles (one for lunch and one for dinner) travel every day through the most touristy streets of the capital.

According to its founder and director, Jean-David Guyard,

: "There is a long waiting list," he says.

The lunch service lasts one hour and 45 minutes and consists of four courses, two glasses of wine and coffee or tea (price: £90), while the dinner service, which takes two and a half hours, includes six courses , wine and a glass of champagne (£150).

Among the proposals are lobster in creamy sauce, salmon with vegetables or stuffed chicken.

"Our

," says Guyard.

According to the manager, the dishes are prepared in the company's kitchen in the British capital, but they are finished and the last touches are given on the bus.

"We change the menus every two months."

Thought to detail

Everything is thought out and designed in detail in the Bustronome.

In each bus, in addition to the driver, two waiters and the chef work.

On the ground floor are the kitchen, whose large windows allow the cook to prepare the dishes to be seen from the outside, and the toilets, while on the second floor,

.

The tables, with four and two seats (for those who get dizzy easily, it is advisable to sit in the direction of travel), have supports to prevent the drink from spilling out of the glasses with the rattling and braking of the bus, and some magnets hold the cutlery next to the plate to place them while the customer calmly takes photos of the most beautiful monuments.

Pleasant music accompanies diners during the tour, but you can also make use of the

that tell you about the history and most interesting anecdotes of the enclaves through which the bus passes.

They are available in nine languages ​​and work with the route map that appears on the back of the menu.

For those who prefer an even more British experience, Bustronome plans to launch a tour of London shortly that will offer typical afternoon tea, according to Guyard.

They also

.

More information and reservations at bustronome.com.

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