I had a six course meal on a London Underground… it’s the only time I didn’t have to fight for a seat

Most Londoners will be all too familiar with the fact that taking the Tube is not always a pleasant experience.

It’s hot, it’s stuffy, you’re crushed between the curved door and the backpack that the tourist doesn’t want to take off.

A dozen raised arms and hands gripping the bars produce that all-too-familiar end-of-day aroma as the subway hurtles into the tunnel.

You’ll be dealing with the London Underground more than enough during the working week, so why would you want to spend any more time inside its doors?

The only reasonable explanation is that the Tube is turning into one of London’s coolest and most exclusive fine dining restaurants.

It sounds like a scene from a spy movie, but it’s actually something I experienced at Supperclub Tube last weekend – and it was very different from the usual Victoria line work.

Most people don’t feel comfortable having to arrange a £3.50 meal deal on the Tube, let alone having a meal. six-course Latin American inspired menu.

As the only metro car in Britain, it offers guests a unique experience that they cannot experience anywhere else.

Just three nights a week, with seating for just 35 people, the abandoned carriage comes to life and transforms into an upper-class eatery.

Not being the biggest fan of the subway anyway, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the bizarre dining concept.

On arrival we sat in a stationary 1967 Victoria Line tube carriage, located in the Pumphouse Museum in Walthamstow.

I sat at the communal table for ten people. We all sat close together in regular Tube seats – it was an odd social experience compared to the usual lack of eye contact with commuters studying their phones.

Luckily, I was able to ignore my instinct to race and claim my seat during rush hour, as this time it was already reserved.

My partner and I took our seats just before the service started at 7pm, and the carriage doors slid shut as normal, closing us inside.

By then, the carriage had been turned into a fully functioning 35-seat restaurant, complete with tables, linens and first-class service.

Mood lighting and soft music were a stark contrast to what the hustle and bustle of rush hour usually is.

The six-course dining experience starts from £67 per person, and vegetarian and vegan options are also offered. If you want a little more privacy, you can pay £73 per person for a private table.

Before the first dish arrived, the room fell silent as Chef Beatriz Maldonado Carreno, known to her guests as Bea, gave a speech about what to expect from the evening and her menu.

She introduced the first dish of the tasting menu, “Sopa Azteca,” a tomato and chipotle soup with blue corn tortilla, yellow corn, chicken, sour cream and cilantro.

The chef explained that her dishes combine elements from numerous cultures, including recipes from her home country of Colombia, mixed with British seasonal produce.

Next on the menu was ‘Carimañolas de queso’: cassava and white corn croquettes filled with mozzarella and chedder cheese, yellow chili sauce and cavolo nero.

Other dishes included lime-cured hake and Cuban-style shredded beef brisket.

Dessert consisted of chocolate earth and a corn and passion fruit cake with coconut and lime ice cream, but the menu changes with the seasons.

The whole experience had an air of luxury to it, something I never thought I would say when I was on the Victoria line.

Inspired by ‘old-school glamour’, Supperclub Tube’s interior aims to combine ‘vintage charm’ and contemporary elegance, complete with TFL’s iconic Moquette chairs.

The immersive restaurant has been operating for almost eight years at The Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum, which is centered around a Grade II listed Victorian pumping station.

Looking around the metro was like being frozen in time: from the maps on the walls to the signage, all the original features had been retained, making the experience more authentic.

The tube carriage itself is a 1967 DM (Driving Motor) unit which came into service in 1968 and now seats up to 35 people for dinner three times a week.

With such a small number of people compared to the usual restaurants, it created an intimate dining atmosphere, forcing people to meet people that reflect the ‘supper club’ element.

Although the food was a wonderful gastronomic experience, for me it was the atmosphere that really made the experience special.

The diners were chatting and laughing with each other throughout the carriage, creating the inverse of the usual fashion on the London Underground.

From first dates to special occasions, there were all kinds of people stopping by to experience the strange dining concept – we even sang happy birthday to a few people who were there to celebrate.

Overall, it certainly revolutionized the classic tube experience and was an evening I won’t forget for a while.

It is still relatively undiscovered and is a hidden gem that not many people know exists.

The delicious food combined with the bizarrely fun setting makes for a great evening for any Londoner – although it will now make my daily commute a lot more boring.

It is open three evenings a week from Thursday to Saturday and you can reserve your space here.