The Best Places for Lunch in London
10 months ago
Out for a spot of lunch?
Lunch – it’s the most underrated meal of the day. Breakfast gets called ‘the most important’, and dinner is the one for date nights and special occasions (after all, you wouldn’t propose over lunch, would you?). However, we love lunch. It’s the one that gets you through the day. And there’s an art to the perfect lunch – whether it’s lounging, brief, payday indulgent or cheaper than chips – these restaurants nail it. Read on for our guide to the best spots for lunch in London.
The Best Places For Lunch in London
Best For… A No Waste Lunch
Apricity
Where: Mayfair
What’s the vibe: All the vibes of a shabby chic East London pop-up, but in the heart of Duke Street, Mayfair. The menu is deliberately designed to minimise waste wherever possible, and all the more creative for it. Head chef Chantelle Nicholson frequently uses one recipe’s byproduct as a core component in another, meaning the food offering is part of a little circular economy.
For Chantelle and her team, talks of a ‘circular economy’ are not just talk, as one recipe’s byproduct will form a core component in another. Read our full review here.
Hero dish: Surprisingly early on in a meal here, the amuse bouche – a savoury chickpea donut with a heavy-umami caramelised red onion filling.
Best For… A View at Lunch
Mei Ume
Where: Tower Bridge – at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square
What’s the vibe: Ultra-luxe fine-dining Chinese and Japanese fusion, with direct views of Tower Bridge. They’ve got a fabulous set lunch menu which offers up food as delicious as the views (no, seriously – you’ll not know whether the plating or the view deserves to feature on today’s BeReal).
Hero dish: Wagyu dumplings, which positively melt in your mouth.
Best For… Farm To Table Lunch
Rabbit
Where: Chelsea
Our full review: Rabbit is a little haunt on King’s Road run by the Gladwin Brothers (also of the Fat Badget, Nutbourne, and the Shed) – and it’s more than worth heading here for brilliant food that doesn’t need to shout to be heard. Enter the space and feel as though you’ve been transported to a local gastropub in the countryside, thanks to its all-wood, all-leather look. Banquettes rink the space, sitting comfortably under stag skulls and stuffed birds. The staff here will be quick to expertly inform you that the menu is built around what is currently ripe to harvest, and prepared and plated within 24 hours – so you can guarantee everything here is uber-fresh. For farm-to-table food, this is the place, and its interiors certainly reinforce that fact.
We particularly recommend the plant-led set menu, if you’ve the time on any weekday barring Monday; this offering is plant-led rather than plant-based, taking its cues from the dinner menu (avoiding waste, it uses a similar set of ingredients). Whilst it might be three-courses, this is surprisingly light and feels very healthy. You’d be remiss if you didn’t choose the marmite mushroom eclairs snacks – which, for those who love or hate alike, will be a hit. Follow with the lunch and dessert offering of the day, and plenty of wine sourced from vineyards also owned by the Gladwin brothers.
Hero dish: Marmite mushroom eclairs, which don’t actually contain any marmite. Their secret? Mushroom mayonnaise with a strong hit of umami.
Best For… Loosening Your Belt at Lunch
Isla
Where: On the ground floor of uber-cool hotel The Standard, just over the road from King’s Cross
What’s the vibe: Guy Betteridge was recently appointed Isla’s new executive chef, and with him – as well as his wealth of experience – comes a stunning new menu. You could head to Isla for dinner – it’s moody, and cool, and the delicious cocktails pack a punch – but if you find yourself knocking around King’s Cross at lunch time, why not treat yourself to one of (or many of) Betteridge’s delicious dishes?
Uniting seasonal British produce with European and Asian techniques and flavours, the dishes are flavourful, moreish and excitingly big. Your eyes are definitely bigger than your stomach, here – but don’t let that stop you trying a little bit of everything that piques your interest.
Hero dish: The Cornish Red Chicken with Ricotta, Nduja, Sprouting Broccoli is divine and bursting with flavour – but don’t underestimate the Heritage Carrot salad. By Olivia Emily.
Image: Cornish Chicken with ‘Nduja (c) Anton Rodriguez
Best For… Great Value Fine Dining
Leroy
Where: Shoreditch
What’s the vibe: One of the best-valued Michelin starred lunches you can get your hands, knives and forks on in London. A cosy and unassuming bistrot tucked away in Shoreditch and a menu created by head chef Simon Shand, you can expect thoughtful food that excels in its simplicity. Plus, it’s oh-so-cool: enjoy a seasonal meal to the sound of classics on vinyl, while peeping in on the kitchen thanks to the restaurant’s laidback open-plan.
Hero dish: Raviolo of chicken, sweetcorn and girolles, a classic done well.
Best For… A Regenerative Lunch
The Culpeper
Where: Whitechapel
Our full review: During the summertime, The Culpeper’s roof garden and bar, typically named one of the best of its kind in the city and Europe, is all-doors-open and welcoming visitors to spectacular views of East London. The garden team champion rooftop growing and regenerative agriculture, and indeed the food that sprouts above diner’s heads is incorporated into its menu.
But even though it might not be the weather for a leisurely rooftop meal right now, it’s still pretty perfect inside, in the downstairs Victorian bar-restaurant. The garden feeling doesn’t go away; plants still hang above your head, sprouting in every corner, like your cool mate’s menage of house plants/urban jungle.
A stone’s throw from Spitalfields Market, you’ll notice that even on a weekday for lunch, the space is full. A central bar is well-stocked, light streams in through huge industrial windows, and the pub is chocka with suits in lunchtime meetings (but also their more fashionable East London carhartt-clad peers). They drape brollies, bags and blazers over green leather banquettes, and chat excitably about the menu, and probably also work.
It’s no wonder it’s so popular, though. The lunch menu is neat and small, demonstrably focused, and shouts about its local suppliers and regenerative growers; and it is empowering to know that every bite you take will be contributing to a better food economy. The options are mouthwatering: you could eat a bavette steak sandwich (with lyonnaise onions, chips and, of course, bearnaise sauce plus a smattering of rocket) – or pan fried gnocchi with wild garlic watercress and pistachio… And either choice is brilliant, so you’d be hard-pressed not to want to visit twice.
Hero dish: Comté cheese croquettes, which are molten but brilliantly gooey.
Best For… A Pub Lunch
The Tamil Prince
Where: Islington
What’s the vibe: A pub lunch with a twist – think typical British pub fare crossed with the flavours of Tamil Nadu. This is a recent opening in North London that’s been met with rave reviews from food critics across the capital, and rightfully so: the small plates are perfect for sharing and a particular standout are very exciting cocktails which utilise South Asian spices.
Hero dish: The Mango Lassi. All the dishes are inspired by Head Chef Prince Durairaj’s childhood in Southern India, and the desserts are amongst his favourites.
Best For… An Arty Lunch
Townsend
Where: Whitechapel (specifically, its gallery)
What’s the vibe: An understated and focused menu of seasonal, produce-led plates, prepped by head chef Chris Shaw, previously of the Petersham Nurseries. Plus, it’s perfectly located in the Whitechapel Gallery, so it truly hits the happy intersection between foodies and art lovers. We think it’s perfect for an inspiring and well-earned weekend lunch, following a long peruse of the exhibitions upstairs. Read our full review here.
Hero dish: The fried wensleydale with pickled walnut ketchup – tangy and oh-so-moreish.
Best For… A Client Lunch
Piazza Italiana
Where: The City
What’s the vibe: A well-dressed restaurant with palatial interiors in the heart of the City and occupying the former home of the British Linen Bank. And despite the location, it’s not filled to the brim with finance types. With a solid seasonal Italian menu, Piazza Italiana is a brilliant place to talk shop – without the food sinking into the background. Read our full review here.
Hero dish: Stay for dessert and pick the firm tiramisu, which pairs perfectly with an espresso for the road.
12-3pm
Best For… An Ultra-Glamorous Lunch
Sucre
Where: Mayfair
Our review: Set in the 310-year old building that previously housed the London College of Music, Sucre is all old-school glamour. Its ballroom-cum-dining-room is the ultimate exercise in bijou – and its decorative coving and white limewash walls clad with mirrors almost make you feel as though you’re eating on the set of Bridgerton. The room is gently lit, too, by striking chandeliers, which seem to be made up of vintage crystal decanters. And even with all this glitz, the back of the restaurant still allows you the perfect view into the chef’s kitchen, so expect dinner with a bit of show.
The food is all sorts of glamorous too. Head chef Fernando Trocca aims to serve up ‘old-world’ Argentinean bites while championing seasonal British produce and ingredients. These dishes are seriously decadent, from the grown-up tostadas topped with fresh octopus, grapefruit and pomegranate, to the dripping Iberico Matambre cut of beef, doused in a peppery sauce after being seared on the open fire in front of your eyes.
Old school dining done right, with a Latin twist – in a gorgeous surround.
Hero dish: The Dulce de Lèche pudding – which is the Argentinean answer to a golden pudding and which contains the kind of sauce that spills out at the first prod of pudding.
Best For… Creative Cocktails
Bantof
Where: Soho
What’s the vibe: We all dream of long summer lunches whiling away a bottle of wine – but it’s the lunchtime cocktail that really excites me. Find some of Soho’s best at Bantof, an intimate and arty restaurant with the area’s storied history at its heart (though you’ll have to wait until the evening to sample ‘Soho Stories’ cocktails drawing on the local history, from LGBTQ+ culture to music). Led by director Endri Hoxha, step inside to be immediately immersed in a curated experience: the refined yet moody interiors (the centrepiece bar, scalloped sofa and pools of light from curved pink lamps) are married with the cocktail and food menus to emulate warmth and intimacy, creativity, and the eclectic Soho experience.
Speaking of food – we’re here for lunch, after all – expect creative twists on seasonal classics: start with the likes of beef carpaccio with parmesan and celery leaves, moreish grilled aubergine with yoghurt and pomegranate, or sea bream tartare submerged in refreshing avocado and yuzu, with an added entry crunch from smoked almonds. For mains, indulge in a Mediterranean classic (from beetroot ravioli to spinach and lemon risotto) or keep it simple with the sea bass – cooked perfectly, presented simply, and sprinkled with salsa verde – or the ribeye steak.
Hero Dish: Plunged in a pool of rich peppercorn sauce and sprinkled with maitake mushrooms, the Ribeye Steak is a masterpiece in elevated simplicity, with seasonal ingredients cooked to perfection. By Olivia Emily
Best For… A Michelin Starred Lunch
Trivet
Where: Bermondsey
What’s the vibe: A mid-century clean aesthetic packages up Fat Duck alumni Jonny Lake’s first restaurant, Trivet. Add in award-winning sommelier and co-owner, Isa Bal, and you won’t be surprised to encountered a wine list that is practically a bench press (and truly exceptional). Having achieved its first Michelin-star in 2022, the menu is a delight – it sports nuanced dishes that balanced contrasting flavours impressively well, and is ultra-seasonal. Dig into the lightly smoked girello of veal sat atop a fricassée of peas, or the incredibly tangy braised poivrade artichoke. For a quick lunchtime meal, the à la carte is exceptional, but they also boast a quicker, lighter terrace menu (on which starters begin at £14). Read our full review here.
Hero Dish: From the main menu, the ‘not a crispy duck’ is a masterclass in perfect poultry preparation. Doing exactly what it says on the tin, the duck is poached and roasted and dripping with juice, and paired with sweet honeymoon melon.
Featured Image: Leroy.
