Gaucho

Argentine steakhouses in London tend to lean hard on theatre, and the Piccadilly branch of Gaucho, the group’s flagship, doesn’t shy away from that. The restaurant occupies the basement of a townhouse just off Regent Street on Swallow Street, once the residence of the Spanish Ambassador, and the low lit, cowhide heavy dining room still carries some of that grandeur even after nearly three decades of service.

The menu is built around beef, unsurprisingly, with cuts imported from Argentina alongside British options, and the kitchen will talk you through provenance if you ask. Ribeye and the chorizo starter are the dishes regulars keep coming back for, and the seafood platter is a legitimate alternative if you’re dining with someone who doesn’t eat red meat. The lunchtime and pre-theatre set menus are worth knowing about specifically, since they bring the price down to something closer to a normal London dinner rather than a special occasion splurge.

Wine is where Gaucho makes a genuine case for itself: the list leans heavily on Argentine Malbec, curated by the group’s own sommeliers, and pairing suggestions are offered without being pushy about it. Service is polished in the way you’d expect from a restaurant that’s been doing this since 1996, attentive but not hovering.

A steak dinner for two with a bottle of wine will comfortably run past £150, more if you go for the larger cuts or add sides, which puts it firmly in special occasion territory rather than a casual Tuesday. It suits business lunches, anniversary dinners and steak purists who want consistency over surprise.

The honest gripe is that à la carte pricing can feel steep relative to what lands on the plate, particularly on sides which are charged separately and add up fast. If you’re not going for the set menu, check the bill mentally as you order rather than being surprised at the end. Booking ahead through the Gaucho website is sensible for evenings, walk ins are possible at lunch but not guaranteed.