These Are London’s Best Pre-Theatre Menus For Dinner & Show

Whether you’re a theatre geek who sneaks into the stalls as often as is possible, or a night out on the West End is an occasional family treat, you know that your night out begins well ahead of curtains up – with the dinner that comes before the show. Pre-theatre menus can be a minefield: will they deliver on their speedy promise; will the food be rushed out at expense of quality? The perfect prix-fixé will fill you up (no expensive snacks at the interval!), and set a tone for your evening in theatreland. We’ve gathered the best food-focused pre-theatre menus across London. 

Dinner & A Show: London’s Best Pre-Theatre Menus

The West End

J. Sheekey

There’s been a seafood restaurant at J. Sheekey’s since the 1890s, and, thanks to its prime Covent Garden spot, it’s a favourite dining destination for thesps looking for a quick pre-show snack. Expect a seasonal set menu that delivers well above its price tag – three courses are £38 a head – with classic British fare. Whipped creamed salt cod and poached egg is followed with a morel and artichoke risotto, and, as curtains approach, you’ve got just enough time to stuff the rhubarb and custard choux bun before making tracks. From Sunday to Wednesday, the set menu runs all day, but come Thursday, Friday and Saturday, you’ll need to be in for last sittings at 4:30PM.

Where: 28-32 St Martin’s Ct, London WC2N 4AL

Book via j-sheekey.co.uk

Brasserie Zédel

Styling itself as a Parisian diner, Brasserie Zédel’s three-course menu will set you back minimally at £19.95. Rest assured, though, the food here is Michelin Guide-vetted, so you can relax into the live music, amid art deco chic interiors. If you’re leaving it a little close to showtime, plump for the steak haché and finish a chocolat delice – the team promises to get you in and out full on two courses in as little as 45 minutes. 

Where: 20 Sherwood Street, W1F 7ED London 

Book via brasseriezedel.com

The Lane at Drury Lane

Restaurants in theatres are seeing significant investment, which is certainly true for The Lane at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The 17th-century venue’s Grand Saloon offers pre-show dining at £39.50pp, featuring classic British dishes like fish pies and sticky toffee puddings, but its afternoon tea also easily defends its position as one of the best afternoon teas in London. Even if you’re not seeing Hercules at the theatre, it’s worth the booking.  

Where: Catherine St, London WC2B 5JF

Book via sevenrooms.com

Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay 

No surprise, the Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay is particularly well located if you’re seeing Paddington: The Musical at the Savoy Theatre. Dinner’s last sittings are 5:45PM, and you have a choice of two courses for £57, or £64 for three, with dish highlights including a ‘Smokin Brothers’ salmon tartare with horseradish cream and granny smith apples, as well as a salted caramel tart with prune purée, chocolate soil and malted milk ice cream, as well as a selection of tasty mains. If you’d like to keep on theme – the little bear wears wellington boots, after all – you can add the signature beef wellington onto your set menu for a £26 surcharge. 

Where: 100 Strand, London WC2R 0EZ

Book via gordonramsayrestaurants.com

Kensington & Chelsea

Food theatrics – a collaboration between The Kensington Hotel and the Cirque du Soleil

Town House at The Kensington 

Executive chef Isabela Vaz has found inspiration in OVO, the Cirque du Soleil spectacle at the Royal Albert Hall. Among her starters are copper maran heritage eggs, which are served with artichoke purée, parma ham and winter leafs, while the denouement of her pre-theatre set menu is created in explicit collaboration with the circus troupe, a plum and grape white chocolate egg set on a bed of moss-like cake. Three hearty courses are £36 and will put you in good stead for the 15 minutes stroll to the Royal Albert Hall. 

Where: 109-113 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, London SW7 5LP

Book via doylecollection.com

Kahani

If you’re seeing a show at Cadogan Hall, you’re fairly spoiled for choice. Chelsea has many spotless restaurants but many of its dining spots are not geared up to get you out ahead of a 7PM show. Fine-dining Indian restaurant Kahani, though, offers a mouthwatering three-courses in the early evening at £38. Highlights include the stone bass and octopus curry with raw mango, turmeric & coconut, and a pineapple and banana pudding, served with butternut squash and cranberry. 

Where: 1 Wilbraham Pl, London SW1X 9AE

Book via kahanilondon.com

Coda By Éric Chavot at the Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall has three sit-down restaurants within its premises. The fine-dining option is brought by Éric Chavot (Bob Bob Ricard, Bob Bob Cité), and sits pretty on the third floor of the South Kensington venue, replete with sparkling Swarovski chandeliers. The set menu starts at £69 for two courses, but you can add a dessert on for another £12, which is enjoyed at the show’s interval. The menu is large, and current highlights include a tomato ponzu dressed sea bream ceviche as well as a blackcurrant basque cheesecake. 

Where: Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7 2AP

Book via royalalberthall.com