STAFF REVIEW: MEDIEVAL BANQUET

On a Friday night in February, Charlotte and I were invited to go back in time and experience The Medieval Banquet, a historical night out featuring food, drink, and entertainment inspired by the Middle Ages! We were, of course, very intrigued to see what this experience has in store for us. The Medieval Banquet offer a full four course medieval dining experience, and their venue is handily located in central London.  

Charlotte and I arrived at the venue around 7pm, where the lovely Amanda greeted us and showed us around. The place was fully decorated, giving it an authentic medieval feel. The venue included a bar, and a wide range of medieval costumes that all customers are welcome to rent for the night. Charlotte and I wanted the full medieval experience, so of course this meant we had to look the part! The waiters working at The Medieval Banquet helped us choose our outfit. Charlotte wore a traditional long velvet red dress, with a white blouse underneath. I also wore a long traditional dress; it was a vibrant pink and purple colour. We were allocated our seats; the tables were all set up with 3 different plates and our cutlery. 

Once we were all seated, each table was introduced to their waitress, also dressed in authentic medieval attire. We were told if we needed anything, we must address them as “wench”. When we were all ready to get the evening started, we were told to bang our fists against the table as loud as we could. The evening began with a medieval chant, the lyrics of which were printed and displayed on our table, and everyone stood up while we recited the chant together. 

We began the evening the right way, with a large jug of red wine brought to our table. We were told to yell “wench” if we needed a top up. Shortly after, we were brought our meat and cheese platter. There was never a dull moment at The Medieval Banquet, and we were presented with amazing food and performances. The Medieval Banquet is very accommodating, as they also had some alternative vegan / vegetarian options for all four courses! Before we knew it, our starters had arrived at our table. We had lentil soup, along with a giant loaf of bread which was placed in the middle of the table for everyone to eat from. This gave the dining experience a true medieval feel.  

After our starters, the waiters brought another jug full of red wine! This went amazingly with our meal. I must admit, the dancing was one of my favourite parts of the night. As the music became more upbeat, we were all encouraged to get on the dance floor. We linked hands and skipped in a circle, then did the same in the opposite direction. This made the experience unique because it didn’t only include sitting down and watching the amazing performances, it also involved customers interacting with the staff and having fun. 

During the entertainment, we saw some extraordinary circus performances. The first lady who performed used several hoops, spinning and balancing them on her arms and legs. I had never witnessed anything like it! Shortly after, the jester graced the stage with her hand balancing performance, which left everyone in awe. Last but not least, we got to see a juggling act. The performer also walked around the venue after their performance, juggling and keeping the crowd entertained. 

We were finally ready to dig into our main course, which was roasted chicken with some boiled vegetables, and of course our glasses were never left empty. The waitress would stand in front of our tables to present the food we were about to eat, take a bow, and place the food in the middle of our table, ready for everyone to help themselves.

One of the most eventful parts of the evening was the sword fighting. Everyone was banging their fists against the table and cheering, and the whole room felt electric. There could only be one man standing at the end of the brawl. Each table was cheering for one of the fighters and booing for the other. The fighters would approach our table and encourage us to cheer for them. Everyone was on their edge of their seats!

Our final meal of the day was dessert – after all, there’s always room for some good dessert! It was a traditional apple pie, which was sliced and placed on our table.  Once we had finished our four-course meal, it was time to start the party. The middle of the room became a dance floor open to everyone to dance the night away. 

Charlotte and I had a wonderful time at The Medieval Banquet, enjoying all the delicious food and drink. I would definitely recommend this experience to fans of medieval history, or anyone looking for a unique London night out. I would like to say a huge thank you to Amanda for welcoming us, and The Medieval Banquet team for inviting us and providing excellent service.