Eat at London’s Best Restaurants for Less
Michelin-star food without the Michelin-star price tag
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You may be surprised to hear that you can eat at London’s finest restaurants every day if you want to – without breaking the bank. We take a look at the city’s Michelin-starred hotspots and world-renowned restaurants with the best set menus.
Where The Royals Eat in London / The Most Fashionable Restaurants in London
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![Muse]()
Muse by Tom Aikens
One of this year’s hottest openings comes from Britain’s youngest ever two Michelin star chef, Tom Aikens. Housed within a Georgian townhouse in Belgravia, the restaurant has space for just five tables seating a total of 26 diners, with a choice of two tasting menus available featuring a selection of dishes inspired by experiences and events in his life to make up what’s described as a ‘gastronomic autobiography.’ Naturally, this calibre of fine dining comes at a price: the ten-course tasting menu will set you back £125. But go at lunchtime Wednesday-Friday, and you can try three signature dishes for £50. musebytomaikens.co.uk
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![The Ritz Restaurant Interior]()
The Ritz
Head to The Ritz’s restaurant for failsafe haute cuisine. The lunch menu is more expensive than most, but then you are eating in one of the most glamorous dining rooms in the world. For £61 you can enjoy three courses, featuring the likes of Isle of Mull scallop, bresse duck, halibut and lamb – made with only the most luxurious ingredients. Three-course set lunch, £61. theritzlondon.com
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![Claridges' Hotel London.]()
Davies and Brook
The first London restaurant from renowned chef Daniel Humm, Davies and Brook opened in December last year after much anticipation. Being located in one of the city’s most prestigious hotels, Claridge’s, dinner here is inevitably a pricey affair – but go at lunch, and you can enjoy two courses for just £38pp. Dishes on the set menu include celeriac veloute with mushrooms; and roasted cauliflower with labneh and sesame, and you can be in and out within an hour – perfect for a quick and glamorous business lunch. Two-courses for £38pp. claridges.co.uk
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![Nobu]()
Nobu Mayfair
Even ‘the world’s sexiest restaurant’ needs derrières on seats at lunchtime, hence the Erabu Lunch Menu featuring starters like tuna tataki with ponzu, mains such as roasted Atlantic cod with red chilli shiso salsa, and dessert for £32.50. While the set menu sadly doesn’t include the infamous black miso cod, the day’s deliciously fresh sushi selection served between appies and mains will ease your woes. Lunch menu, £32.50 per person for appetiser, main and dessert. noburestaurants.com
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![The Goring Siren]()
Siren at The Goring
A well-known favourite of the royal family, The Goring is one of the city’s most high-end hotels – but you can still dine there without breaking the bank. Michelin-starred chef Nathan Outlaw recently opened a new seafood restaurant there, where you can get three courses and a glass of Champagne for just £39pp. Dishes on the set menu include cured monkfish with ginger, fennel and yoghurt; battered hake with herbs and warm tartare sauce; and a clotted cream rice pudding with gingerbread ice cream. Two courses for £32pp or three courses for £39pp. thegoring.com
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![Table lumiere, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester]()
The Dorchester
The legendary London hotel has three famous restaurants within its walls – China Tang which exudes Art Deco glamour, the impossibly elegant Alain Ducasse which boasts three Michelin stars, and the newly renovated Grill at The Dorchester, headed up by their youngest ever chef Tom Booton. China Tang has a lovely set lunch menu for just £35 including a selection of dim sum and a classic Cantonese main, Alain Ducasse offers three courses for £70 including two glasses of wine, and The Grill has a two-course lunch menu available for just £23pp. Worth every penny. dorchestercollection.com
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![Interiors at Aquavit]()
Aquavit
Experience a taste of Michelin-starred Nordic dining in St James’ for less than a pair of Topshop jeans. The buzzy restaurant is great for special occasions, so why not head there for a birthday lunch with friends to enjoy indulgent dishes such as pork chop with cauliflower and hazelnut or poached cod with black potatoes? Two courses for £27, three for £30. aquavitrestaurants.com/london
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![COMO The Halkin Belgravia]()
Ametsa
The Basque country has more Michelin stars per mile than you can shake a stick at. Luckily you need only head to Hyde Park Corner to experience the region’s cuisine at Ametsa in The Halkin hotel. The set lunch menu is less than £30 and includes a selection of exquisite tapas and a main. Not bad for a Michelin-starred restaurant, run by Veuve Clicquot’s 2012 World Best Female Chef, Elena Arzak. Two courses for £29, £7.50 supplement for dessert. comohotels.com/thehalkin
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![Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Interior]()
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge is home to the restaurant to one of the world’s most famous and cutting-edge chefs, Heston Blumenthal. Supper at The Fat Duck will set you back a couple of hundred pounds (without the wine pairing), but the lunch menu at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is only £48. That’s not bad for one of the top restaurants in the world, giving you a three-course taste of the menu inspired by historical dishes. A highlight is the chocolate tart, which dates back to 1820. Three-course lunch menu, £48. dinnerbyheston.co.uk
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![Quaglino's Restaurant Interior by night]()
Quaglino’s
The legendary venue off Piccadilly has long been the go-to for the upmarket St James’ crowd who crave a bit of glitz – think 1920s style interiors, golden central bar, live jazz and overflowing champagne flutes. But the venue has recently opened itself up to a wider crowd, by offering set menus for both lunch and dinner – and a devilishly good Saturday brunch menu, accompanied by live music and a party atmosphere. Having become surprisingly affordable as of late, it’s one of London’s best-kept secrets. Set menu from £23 for two courses with a glass of wine; Saturday brunch from £33. quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk
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![Isabel Mayfair]()
Isabel Mayfair
Loved by stylish locals and foodies alike, Isabel’s Mayfair offers an Business Lunch Menu to fit into the lives of busy Londoners. Enjoy an array of famed classics on the South American menu, from roast cod with peas and broad beans to blackened chicken with sweet potato. Spend your next business meeting or speedy catch-up with friends in front of the iconic mirrored ebony bar, with everything from the plates, menus and even the scent designed by the founder, Juan Santa Cruz. £25 for two courses, £30 for three courses. isabelw1.london
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Fenchurch Restaurant, Sky Garden
Located on floor 37 of the Sky Garden, the Fenchurch Restaurant boasts breathtaking views of the capital and beyond. Inevitably, this comes with a price tag to match – but if you head up there for lunch from Sunday to Wednesday, you can dine on two courses for just £37.50, or three for £42.50. Dishes on the set menu include lamb tartare with sweet potato crisps, North Sea cod with mussels, and vanilla almond crumble with strawberry sorbet. skygarden.london
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![Indian Accent]()
Indian Accent
The original Indian Accent in New Delhi is widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in the world, so the excitement surrounding its London opening last year came as no surprise. Unsurprisingly, dining at this decadent Mayfair spot doesn’t come cheap – unless you go for their express lunch menu, priced at £24 per person for a starter, a main and five sides. These could include Kerala seafood stew, pistachio chikki, and roast beet and goat’s cheese raita, with the option of adding on a dessert for an extra £5. Express lunch menu, £24pp. Available daily from 12-2.30pm with a guaranteed 45-minute turnaround. indianaccent.com
