Licence to Dine: Three Spy-Inspired Experiences to Discover at Raffles London at The OWO

Few buildings in London can claim a history quite as remarkable as Raffles London at The OWO. Once the former Old War Office, the Whitehall landmark played a central role in British military intelligence during the Second World War and later inspired Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels. Today, many of those extraordinary stories live on – not only within its walls, but across its restaurants and bars.

This summer, guests can step into the world of espionage through three immersive dining and drinking experiences, each inspired by the building’s secret past. From a Michelin-starred tasting menu and theatrical cocktails to an afternoon tea celebrating one of Britain’s most famous wartime deceptions, here’s how to dine like a spy.A Michelin-Starred Menu Full of Secrets

At Mauro Colagreco, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, history is served alongside exceptional cooking with the new Espionage Menu.

The five-course tasting experience explores themes of disguise, coded messages and covert operations through imaginative dishes that tell the stories behind the OWO’s wartime past.

Highlights include Camouflage, a beautifully layered risotto combining lovage, pine, mushrooms and cereal with cep cream, parmesan crumble and smoked butter foam, while dessert arrives in the form of The Ultimate Spy – a playful tribute to James Bond’s Vesper Martini, featuring orange mascarpone cream, marinated citrus, gin sorbet, grapefruit liqueur foam and a crisp lime tuile.

The menu recently gained national attention when the semi-finalists of BBC One’s MasterChef were challenged to recreate the dishes in the restaurant’s kitchen, showcasing both the technical skill and storytelling behind the experience.

Descend into London’s Most Secretive Cocktail Bar

Hidden beneath the hotel in the original basement corridors of the Old War Office lies one of London’s most atmospheric drinking destinations: The Spy Bar.

Its latest cocktail collection, Volume III, continues the bar’s espionage-inspired narrative, drawing on real stories of intelligence officers, wartime missions and Cold War intrigue.

Created by Bar Manager Sotirios Konomi, the menu pushes the storytelling even further, with each cocktail inspired by figures and moments connected to the building’s remarkable history. Clever techniques, unexpected flavours and theatrical presentation combine to create drinks that feel as mysterious as the stories that inspired them.

Whether you’re a cocktail enthusiast or simply looking for one of London’s most unique bars, The Spy Bar offers an experience that’s unlike anywhere else in the capital.

Afternoon Tea with an Operation Mincemeat Twist

Afternoon tea also gets the espionage treatment in The Drawing Room, where Raffles has partnered with the hit West End musical Operation Mincemeat.

Building on last year’s Secrets and Spies afternoon tea, the new experience celebrates the extraordinary true story of the 1943 military deception that helped change the course of the Second World War.

Four signature cakes each represent a different chapter of the operation, transforming one of Britain’s most ingenious wartime missions into an elegant afternoon tea experience. Alongside the themed pastries, guests can enjoy the classic selection of finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones and fine teas expected from one of London’s grandest hotel settings.

A Building Where History Meets Hospitality

Few London hotels can draw so directly on their own history for inspiration. From the very corridors where intelligence officers once worked to the basement where covert operations were planned, Raffles London at The OWO has transformed one of Britain’s most significant historic buildings into a destination where history becomes part of the guest experience.

Whether you’re discovering inventive Michelin-starred cooking, sipping cocktails beneath the streets of Whitehall or enjoying an afternoon tea inspired by wartime espionage, these three experiences offer a fascinating new way to explore one of London’s most iconic addresses.