Jump to: West End | Victoria | South Bank | Tower Bridge
We've already told you where to get the best set lunch deals in London - but another way to eat well at a bargain price is through the humble theatre menu. Available for a short period pre (and sometimes post) the curtain going up, these menus offer great value at some of London's top dining destinations. We've kept our choice centred around London's main theatre districts.
West End
Aquavit
St James's Market 1 Carlton Street, London SW1Y 4QQ
This all-day St James's Market restaurant serves up Nordic cuisine and the pre-theatre deal is a great way to try it out, even if you're not going on to the theatre.
Offer: Two courses £29, three courses £32
Times: 5.30-6.30pm, Tuesday - Saturday
Balthazar
4-6 Russell Street, London WC2B 5HZ
Originating in New York, the London Balthazar has become a big Covent Garden destination. Expect brasserie-style food in an impressive dining room.
Offer: Mon - Fri until 9.45pm
Times: 2 courses £21.50, 3 courses £24.95
Bocca di Lupo
12 Archer St, Soho, London W1D 7BB
Jacob Kenedy's longstanding Soho spot is a top place for seasonal Italian food. Best place to perch? Up at the counter.
Offer: £17.5 for starter, main & salad, +£10 for dessert, wine & coffee
Times: Until 6pm
Brasserie Zedel
20 Sherwood Street, London W1F 7ED
This huge basement restaurant is from Corbin and King, the people behind The Wolseley, Delaunay and more, and is surprisingly affordable for such a central and lavish restaurant. The prix fixe isn't strictly a theatre menu, but still represents a great deal - and it's available all day.
Offer: 2 courses £12.25, 3 courses £16
Times: All-day
Cafe Murano
36 Tavistock Street, London WC2E 7PB
This is Angela Hartnett's sister restaurant to Mayfair’s Murano. An instant hit, it serves regionally focused Italian dishes in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. They also do theatre packages which include tickets.
Offer: 2 courses for £19, 3 for £22.
Times: 5-7pm
Clos Maggiore
33 King St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8JD
Clos Maggiore is often touted as one of the most romantic restaurants in London and is blessed with a fantastic looking (and heated) courtyard. Expect a classic French menu and a huge wine list too.
Offer: 3 courses for £39.50,
Times: Mon - Sun, 5-6pm
Cora Pearl
30 Henrietta Street, London WC2E 8NA
This restaurant comes from the same people behind Kitty Fishers. Expect a modern European menu - and maybe get their famed cheese toastie as an added extra.
Offer: 3 courses for £23, 3 courses for £27.
Times: 5.30pm - 6.15pm
The Delaunay
55 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BB
One of the ever-reliable Corbin & King restaurants, this is extremely handy for a pre or post-theatre visit, with a classic central-European menu on offer.
Offer: 2 courses £27.50, 3 courses £32
Frenchie
16 Henrietta St, Covent Garden London WC2E 8QH
This is the London outpost of the popular Parisian restaurant. Expect a French/European menu, specifically using local British ingredients.
Offer: 2 courses for £32 or 3 for £37
Times: Weds-Sun, 5.30 - 6pm and 10 to 10:15pm
Hawksmoor Air Street & Hawksmoor Seven Dials
5a Air Street, London, W1J 0AD and 11 Langley Street, London WC2H 9JG
Hawksmoor's two central steak emporiums aren't usually considered the most affordable affairs, but their express menu does give you a taste of Hawksmoor at a very good price, leaving you more to spend on their cocktails...
Offer: 2 courses £23, 3 courses £26
Times: Air St: 4.30pm-6.30pm, Seven Dials: 5-6.30pm and 9pm.
More about Hawksmoor Air Street
More about Hawksmoor Seven Dials
Ivy Market Grill
1 Henrietta Street, London WC2E 8PS
A spin-off of the London institution, The Ivy, this Covent Garden spot serves up all the usual brasserie fare.
Offer: Pre-theatre - 2 courses £16.95, 3 courses £21.50, Post-theatre - 2 courses £23.50, 3 courses £27.95
Times: Pre Theatre Mon-Fri 4.30-7pm, Post theatre Sun-Thurs 6.30pm - close
Kerridge's Bar and Grill
Corinthia Hotel, Whitehall Pl, Westminster, London SW1A 2BD
This is Tom Kerridge's London outpost, inside the Corinthia London. The menu is packed with classic Kerridge-style food and even if you don't visit the restaurant, the bar snacks are worth a look.
Offer: 2 courses £39.50, 3 courses £45
Times: Monday - Thursday “Dinner”
Margot
45 Great Queen St, London WC2B 5AA
This high-end Italian restaurant in Covent Garden has a strong focus on service and it's one of the smartest Italian restaurants in the area.
Offer: 2 courses for £35, 3 courses for £39.
Times: 5-6.30pm
NOPI
21-22 Warwick Street, London W1B 5NE
One of Yotam Ottolenghi's two main central London restaurants, it focuses on sharing dishes of Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine.
Offer: Five dishes to share, £27 per person, £42 with wine
Times: Mon - Fri - 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Social Eating House
58 Poland St, London W1F 7NR
This is Jason Atherton's Soho restaurant and is billed as a contemporary bistro. The bar here is well worth a look as is opting for the cocktail-included theatre menu given their strengths in that department.
Offer: 3 courses £35 (£42 with cocktail)
Times: Tues – Fri 5.45pm - 6.30pm
More about Social Eating House
Spring
Somerset House, New Wing, Lancaster Place, London WC2R 1LA
This is Skye Gyngell's restaurant at Somerset House where there's a strong focus on sustainability. The set menu is a "scratch" menu which specifically makes use of ‘Waste’ produce.
Offer: 3 courses - £25
Times: Wed-Sat 5.30pm - 6.30pm
Sushisamba Covent Garden
The Opera Terrace Covent Garden, The Piazza, London WC2E 8RF
It may not have the view of the City original, but this Sushisamba is in an impressive central Covent Garden position. Here, the food is a mix of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine.
Offer: 2 courses £28, 3 courses £32
Times: Monday – Friday, 3pm - 6pm
Wiltons
55 Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y 6LX
One of London's oldest and most prestigious restaurants, the seasonal menu here may be one of the pricier theatre menus but it does have an option of half a dozen oysters to start.
Offer: 2 courses £39.95, 3 courses £47.95
Times: Mon - Sat 5.30pm - 7pm
Victoria
Aster
150 Victoria St, Westminster, London SW1E 5LB
Part of the big Nova complex, this is a two-level D&D restaurant with a cafe downstairs and a more traditional restaurant upstairs. With this restaurant, they've gone Nordic for their influences.
Offer: Pre-theatre - 2 courses £25, 3 courses £29.50.
Lorne
76 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1DE
This restaurant in Victoria has an ex-sommelier from River Cafe and a chef from Brawn, so expect a particularly good wine list and a Modern British seasonal menu to match with it.
Offer: 2 courses £24, 3 courses £29.
Times: Two sittings - 6 and 6.15pm
Rail House Cafe
8 Sir Simon Milton Sq, London SW1E 5DJ
The Victoria sibling to the Riding House Cafe, this is a contemporary brasserie focusing on Modern European and Asian dishes. There's an extensive counter dining area, so well worth popping in, even if you haven't booked.
Offer: £28 for five dishes
Times: From 5pm
Stoke House
81 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0AJ
Nova Victoria spot Stoke House is all about the meat which is cooked in the wood fire smoker, but there’s also an in-house salad wall.
Offer: 2 courses for £16, three for £21
Times: Mon-Sat, 3pm-7pm
South Bank
OXO Tower
Barge House St, London SE1 9PH
One of the most recognisable buildings on the south bank of the Thames, the restaurants here are run by Harvey Nichols and if you can grab a table on the terrace there are spectacular views over the river.
Offer: Brasserie/restaurant - 3 courses and a cocktail £35/£40
Times: All week, check for times
Skylon
Belvedere Rd, Royal Festival Hall, London SE1 8XX
This D&D restaurant on the river is part of the Royal Festival Hall and has huge windows giving a very impressive view of the Thames. That's paired with a modern European menu.
Offer: 2 courses £30, 3 courses £35
Times: Mon - Wed until 9pm, Thu - Sat until 6.30pm
Tower Bridge
The Coal Shed
One Tower Bridge, 4 Crown Square, London SE1 2RZ
Originally from Brighton, this restaurant is mainly about steak and grilled food and even the set menu has a steak option available.
Offer: 2 courses £30, 3 courses £35
Times: 5-6.30pm
Gunpowder
One Tower Bridge, 4 Crown Square, London SE1 2SE
Gunpowder is an Indian restaurant that bills itself as "celebrating traditional family recipes with a modern twist" with lots of small plates available.
Offer: 2 courses £18, 3 courses £23
Times: “Pre-theatre”
Ivy Tower Bridge
One Tower Bridge, Tower Bridge Rd, London SE1 2AA
The closest restaurant to The Bridge Theatre (it's right next door), this puts the Ivy's modern brasserie offering right in front of Tower Bridge.
Offer: Early evening: 2 courses £16.95, 3 for £21.50; Evening: 2 courses £23.95, 3 for £27.95
Times: Early evening Mon - Friday until 6pm, Evening Sun - Thurs from 6.30pm
Le Pont de la Tour
The Butlers Wharf Building, 36d Shad Thames, London SE1 2YE
Just a short walk from The Bridge Theatre, this longstanding restaurant has spectacular terrace views of Tower Bridge and features a modern French menu.
Offer: 2 courses £33, 3 courses £39
Times: Every day - 5.30-6.30pm
Plus - special theatre deals and pop-ups
Enjoy the wonder of London’s West End with tickets from just £10 for over 40 incredible shows. Get booking at Official London Theatre website.
Also Look out for special theatre pop-ups inside Waterloo Station (9 - 13 Feb), Victoria Station (16 - 20 Feb) and Charing Cross Station (23 - 27 Feb), as Official London Theatre and Lucky Voice will be partnering with Network Rail, putting commuters centre stage for some musical karaoke as well as featuring performances from some incredible West End shows.
Also see - set lunch deals
Going to a matinee? Here's how you can save money on lunch
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