Dining
The 5 Best Restaurants in Covent Garden
Beyond the crowds and the chains: where to actually eat well around Covent Garden.
In short: our top picks are Frenchie Covent Garden, Spring and Clos Maggiore. 5 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Covent Garden is easy to write off as tourist territory, and most of the piazza earns that reputation. But the streets around it hide some genuinely good rooms, the kind worth booking before or after the theatre. These are the ones we send people to.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Frenchie Covent Garden | Covent Garden | £££ |
| Spring | Strand | £££ |
| Clos Maggiore | Covent Garden | £££ |
| Balthazar London | Covent Garden | £££ |
| Frenchie | £££ |
-
Editor’s choice
Frenchie Covent Garden
Why we pick itA polished bistro a step off the piazza; the steak frites and the wine list both deliver.
-
Spring
Why we pick itSkye Gyngell's light-filled room at Somerset House; seasonal, beautiful, and a real occasion.
-
Clos Maggiore
Why we pick itThe most romantic room in London by candlelight; book the conservatory months ahead.
-
Balthazar London
Why we pick itA grand Parisian brasserie that gets the theatre-night rhythm exactly right.
-
Before you book
If you are eating before a show, tell them when you book and when you arrive; the good rooms here are used to a theatre clock and will look after you. Avoid the piazza itself and walk a street or two out. And book: this is one of the busiest corners of London every night of the week.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Frenchie Covent Garden is our editor's choice: A polished bistro a step off the piazza; the steak frites and the wine list both deliver. Frenchie Covent Garden, Spring and Clos Maggiore lead the guide, with 5 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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