Dining
The 6 Best Pre-Theatre Restaurants in London
Six West End tables that get you fed properly and out by curtain-up, from a £19.95 prix fixe under Piccadilly to seafood off Charing Cross Road. Set menus, real timings, no panic.
In short: our top picks are Brasserie Zedel, J Sheekey and Clos Maggiore. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
The pre-theatre meal is a small exercise in nerve. You want something better than a sandwich, but you also need the bill settled and your coat back on by 7.15. The West End knows this dance well, which is why the good places run a tighter pre-show service than they let on. The trick is picking somewhere that treats the early sitting as a proper meal rather than a clock-watching inconvenience. We have eaten our way through the streets around Shaftesbury Avenue and St Martin’s Lane to find the tables that do both: a kitchen that sends food out promptly, and a room you would happily linger in if the show were cancelled. A few do a named set menu with a price. A couple just move fast and never miss. All six are within a short walk of a theatre door.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Brasserie Zedel | Piccadilly | ££ |
| J Sheekey | Covent Garden | £££ |
| Clos Maggiore | Covent Garden | £££ |
| The Original Ivy | Covent Garden | £££ |
| Cote | St Martin's Lane | ££ |
| Dishoom Covent Garden | Covent Garden | ££ |
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Editor’s choice
Brasserie Zedel
Why we pick itThe Art Deco basement off Piccadilly Circus serves a prix fixe at £16.95 for two courses and £19.95 for three, which is close to the best value sit-down dinner in the West End. Steak hache, soupe de poisson, the lot, in a grand gilded room. Minutes from the Sondheim and the Harold Pinter.
French brasserie
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J Sheekey
Why we pick itSeafood institution that has fed theatregoers from this little court since 1896. The set lunch and pre-theatre menu runs £34 for two courses and £39.50 for three, with the famous fish pie and oysters on hand. Discreet panelled rooms, swift waiters who clearly know the curtain times by heart.
Seafood
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Clos Maggiore
Why we pick itThe blossom-ceilinged conservatory regularly tops lists of London's most romantic rooms, and the pre-theatre menu is a steal for the setting: £32.50 for two courses with a glass of fizz, £39.50 for three, served 5pm to 6pm daily. A two-minute walk to the Royal Opera House.
French fine dining
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The Original Ivy
Why we pick itThe original on West Street, all stained glass and theatre-world history. Its Heritage pre and post-theatre menu lands at £28.95 for two courses and £34.95 for three, Monday to Friday, leaning on the dishes that built the room's name. Shepherd's pie, the chopped salad, properly grown-up service.
British
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Cote
Why we pick itReliable French brasserie a two-minute walk from the Coliseum and the Duke of York's. The weekday set menu is £19.95 for two courses and £23.95 for three from 11.30am, with steak frites and moules done exactly as you would hope. No surprises, which on a show night is precisely the point.
French brasserie
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Dishoom Covent Garden
Why we pick itNo set menu, but the kitchen turns plates around quickly and the room is built for a pre-show schedule. Order the black daal, a plate of lamb chops and the okra fries, and you will be done in good time. The early-evening sitting tends to fill with theatre crowds, so go on the early side. Steps from the Cambridge and the Noel Coward.
Bombay cafe
Before you book
Book the early slot directly and tell them your curtain time when you arrive; most kitchens will pace you accordingly. Set menus usually run until around 6pm or 6.45pm, so aim to be seated by 5.30 for a 7.30 show. Expect roughly £20 to £40 a head for two or three courses before wine. Saturday matinee crowds fill these rooms fast, so reserve well ahead.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Brasserie Zedel is our editor's choice: The Art Deco basement off Piccadilly Circus serves a prix fixe at £16.95 for two courses and £19.95 for three, which is close to the best value sit-down dinner in the West End. Steak hache, soupe de poisson, the lot, in a grand gilded room. Minutes from the Sondheim and the Harold Pinter. Brasserie Zedel, J Sheekey and Clos Maggiore lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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