A Christmas party in the dark: rethinking the office Christmas dinner in London
Written on 2.10.2026
Planning the team Christmas dinner this year? At Dans le Noir? London, your team spends the evening in complete darkness, guided by our blind and visually impaired team, with a surprise menu nobody can guess. Here is what the evening involves, how to plan it, and how to book an original team outing in London this December.
Every year, someone in the office is handed the Christmas party. They need a venue that takes the whole team, that everyone can get to, that is not the same place as last year, and that nobody complains about in January.
If that person is you this year, here is a different option: a Christmas dinner in complete darkness at Dans le Noir ? London, in Clerkenwell, a short walk from Farringdon station.
We have been serving dinner in the dark in London since 2006. Discover what to expect from the experience, how to prepare for your evening, and everything you need to know when planning a December date for your team.
What happens on the night ?
Your team arrives at the restaurant on St John Street. Coats, bags, phones, watches and anything else that gives off light go into lockers. This part matters: the dining room is completely dark, and a single phone screen would change the evening for everyone.
If you add an aperitif, your group starts with a drink and canapés in our lit bar area. It is a chance to settle in and get the group together before the dark.
Next, you meet your guide. Every guide at Dans le Noir ? is blind or visually impaired. Your group forms a line, each person with a hand on the shoulder of the person in front, and your guide leads you into the dining room and to your seats.
Then dinner is served. The menu is a surprise, and nobody at the table knows what they are eating until the end. Allergies and dietary requirements are taken care of on the day. Guessing the dishes quickly becomes the conversation. Is it meat or fish? Is that sweetness fruit or vegetable? Who at the table is confident, and who is completely wrong?
At the end of the meal, your guide leads everyone back into the light, where you see photos of the dishes you have just eaten. This is usually when the table finds out who guessed right.
What makes it different from the usual Christmas party
Most teams have a version of the same Christmas party every year: a function room, a buffet, and the same small groups standing together all night. Dinner in the dark is not that.
Nobody can see the Christmas jumper, phones are in lockers, and there are no photos circulating on Monday morning. What people take home is a story rather than a camera roll.
Your guides are blind or visually impaired, and in the dark the usual roles reverse: they lead, and your team follows. For a Christmas party, it adds something a standard venue cannot offer: an evening your team enjoys.
Not only for office teams
The same format works for university societies, student groups, sports clubs and client dinners. Anyone organising a Christmas meal for a group of people who do not all know each other well faces the same challenge, and the dark helps with it.
Make it more than dinner
If you want to turn the evening into an unusual teambuilding event, you can add an activity before or after the meal.
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The 15 Everyday Challenges: takes your group into complete darkness with a blind or partially sighted facilitator, who sets 15 collaborative challenges based on daily life with a visual impairment. It is also a chance to ask your facilitator questions about their own experience.
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Blind Recipe: asks your team to work out every ingredient in a surprise drink, with a few misleading clues along the way.
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Our 30-minute perfume workshop: held in the dark, introduces the notes and story behind Eau de Parfum de Nuit. As part of our corporate packages, the workshop can also include a 30ml bottle of Eau de Parfum de Nuit for each participant, which works as a Christmas gift for the team.
Practical questions from organisers
How many people can you take?
Groups of up to 18 can book tables in the main dining room. For larger groups, you can hire a room for up to 25 guests, a room for up to 50, or the whole restaurant for up to 75. Private hire includes exclusive use of both the lit and dark spaces, and the staff to host your event.
What about dietary requirements?
Allergies and dietary requirements are accommodated on the day, so everyone has a complete meal.
What if someone is nervous about the dark?
It is a common question and a fair one. Guests are never left to find their way alone: the guides lead you in, look after your table, and lead you out. If anyone in your group has concerns, mention it when you enquire and we will talk it through with you.
Where are you?
Dans le Noir ? London is at 69-73 St John Street, Clerkenwell, EC1M 4AN. Farringdon station, on the Elizabeth line, Thameslink and the Underground, is a short walk away, which makes the restaurant easy to reach from the City, King's Cross and Canary Wharf.
Can we do lunch instead of dinner?
Yes, lunch in the dark is available for groups.
Price for the group
Menus in the dark, per person including VAT:
- Two-course set menu: £58
- Three-course menu: £68
- Chef's menu, five courses with two glasses of surprise wine: £105
An aperitif in the light starts from £17 per person excluding VAT. Packages combining a meal in the dark with an activity start from £135 per person excluding VAT.
Book early for December
December has a limited number of evenings, and group bookings take some planning on our side, particularly for larger teams. The earlier you send us your numbers and preferred dates, the more options we can offer.
You do not need a final headcount to start. A rough group size and two possible dates are enough for us to come back to you. Call us on +44 20 7253 1100 or send us a message through our enquiry form.
If you are still comparing ideas, you can also read about an original teambuilding experience in London.