London’s restaurants, while very tempting, are not known for their wallet-friendliness. That’s why we look for loopholes where they can be found, and a good value set menu is actually not too hard to come by. Restaurants across the city (including some of our all-time favourites) have dedicated menus of two or more courses that’ll set you back a whole lot less than standard – but will blow you away just as much. We’ve rounded up some of the best here, keep reading.
Noble Rot
A big name in the London restaurant scene and one of the city’s best wine bars, Noble Rot is here to keep the British boozy lunch brand alive. Their set lunch menu changes seasonally, with a choice of three courses – two for £18 and all for £22 – and each course has a suggested wine pairing which, although not included in the price, makes life a lot easier.
51 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC1N 3NB
2 Greek Street, London W1D 4NB
noblerot.co.uk
BiBo
BiBo landed at the Mondrian Shoreditch, needing to stretch out after outgrowing its outposts in Marbella, Madrid, Tarifa, Doha and Malaga, last year. While it has got a rep for being a nighttime spot, you might wanna drop by from 12-2.30pm on weekdays for an express lunch at £25 per head. Among the menu options are croquetas de jamón Ibérico, gambas fritas with spicy mayo, oxtail brioche and caramelised rice pudding and broccolini and kale salad.
Mondrian Shoreditch, 45 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3PT
sbe.com
Sushisamba
Sushisamba’s foliage-filled Covent Garden site sits at the top of the Grade II-listed Market building, a very handy location if you’re off to the theatre. And you can grab a pre-theatre dinner, or lunch, any weekday from 12-6pm with three courses of Japanese-Brazilian-Peruvian fusion at £32.
35 The Market, London WC2E 8RF
sushisamba.co.uk
Gladwin Brothers
The Gladwin Brothers offer a set menu at all of their restaurants – so that includes The Shed, Nutbourne, Sussex, Rabbit, The Fat Badger and The Black Sheep. The ‘Farm to Fork’ set lunch focuses on using locally grown fruits and vegetables and ethically sourced meat and fish, with two courses priced at £18 and three at £22 from Tuesday to Friday. That’s got a significant portion of west/south west London covered.
Spring
Spring’s Scratch menu is available from Wednesday to Saturday for just one hour each day (5.30-6.30pm), but it’s worth catching if you can. The ethos behind Scratch is that they use ‘waste’ produce – perfectly good fruits and vegetables that would otherwise be discarded because they’re considered too ugly or irregular. The organic, overlooked ingredients are turned into nutritious dishes and you get three courses for £25.
Somerset House, New Wing, Lancaster Place, London WC2R 1LA
springrestaurant.co.uk
Bao Fitzrovia
As well as its signature U-bar, Bao Fitz has an exclusive set menu that you can’t get at any of the group’s other locations. From Monday to Friday, 12-3pm, you can choose between a classic, beef short rib, daikon or cod black bao to be paired with your choice of xiao chi (snack) and rice bowl – all for £15. Plus, add on a Taiwan beer or glass of house wine for just an extra £3.
31 Windmill St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2JN
baolondon.com
Townsend
If you find yourself near Whitechapel on a weekday lunchtime, you’re in luck. Townsend, inside the Whitechapel Gallery, serves up a special set menu with two courses priced at £19, three at £24 and a glass (or two) of house wine at just £4. The offering changes regularly, but expect modern British cuisine and unfussy but well-put-together dishes.
7-82 Whitechapel High St, London, E1 7QX
townsendrestaurant.co.uk
Leroy
It won’t come as a surprise to some of you that Leroy is the most expensive on this list, but their set menu is still excellent value (especially for a Michelin-starred restaurant) at two courses for £32 and three for £35. Their menu changes on the daily, but keep an eye on their Insta to see what’s on for the day.
18 Phipp Street, London EC2A 4NU
leroyshoreditch.com
Fallow
Under normal circs, a trip to Fallow means potentially having to plan your budget for the rest of the month around dinner (£30 for a roast alone… eek. It’s still one of our faves in town, though). But something magical happens at lunchtimes when you can secure three courses for just £34. Choose from the likes of mushroom parfait, sea bream crudo, dairy cow rump, mussels with smoked bacon and pickled lemon, Chelsea tart and rum-less raisin ice cream, and more, from Monday to Friday.
2 St. James’s Market, London SW1Y 4RP
fallowrestaurant.com
Chishuru
Chishuru is all about set menus, and on Thursdays and Fridays, you can get lunch for just £30 (a markdown from £40 on Saturdays). The raved-about menu of contemporary West African food changes regularly, but expect a series of hits such as ekuru, shitto fried rice and plantain & baobab ice cream.
9 Market Row, Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8LB
chishuru.com
Quality Chop House
One of the most beloved restaurants in the city, the food at Quality Chop House always hits the mark. Their lunch set menu, which changes fortnightly and is available Tuesday through Friday, will get you three courses for £25 and although there’s just one option for each, you can put your faith in QCH to deliver something pretty special.
88-94 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3EA
thequalitychophouse.com