Forget about the difficult decision making process that comes with a la carte – open your palate to exciting dishes and new cuisines by putting your trust in a restaurant’s set menu, and treat yourself to a special lunch or dinner (without the sky-high price tag).
These are some of the best set menus in London for their value, from utterly extravagant Sunday lunches and set menus with incredible views, to extremely affordable cheap eats. Most importantly, they’re all completely delicious.
Hutong
Located on floor 33 of The Shard, Hutong boasts breathtaking views of the capital. Of course, this usually comes with a price tag to match, but if you head up there for lunch on a weekday, you can dine on the new set dumpling menu for £49 per person. Delicious, delicate dim sum – steamed, baked and fried savoury dumplings – menu highlights include Hutong’s Northern Chinese specialities like Tempura eel dumpling with shrimp and eel sauce, and Yam and pork crispy dumplings.
The perfect traditional Chinese lunch with unbeatable views.
The Lanesborough Grill
Forget Sunday lunch at your local pub. How about a three-course Sunday lunch in one of London’s most beautiful dining rooms instead? Think a domed glass roof, softly lit chandeliers, and the finest quality British beef, cooked to perfection.
This isn’t your average Sunday lunch experience. Your meat will be carved at your table from an ornate, antique trolley alongside a selection of the very best trimmings, with produce from handpicked artisan suppliers from across the country. There’s also a huge selection of dishes to choose from. Think cep risotto with cauliflower mushroom, Iberico Ham and Mimolette cheese; Sutton Hoo chicken with black garlic, cauliflower cheese purée and roast chicken gravy; Beef Wellington with salt baked carrots and red wine sauce; and Lemon tart with, candied citrus fruit and Earl Grey meringue. Priced at £70 per person for three courses, it’s some of the best food in town.
Town House Kensington
For an elevated affair, The Kensington Hotel have curated an indulgent three-course set menu for £80, including a glass of pink bubbly in the K Bar before being seated in the opulent and smart setting of the Town House.
Divulge in dshes like an intricate yuzu salmon mosaic with kiwi puree, mango gel and strawberries to start; duck breast with carrot puree, pomegranate, lamb’s lettuce and sweet jus for mains; and a choice of ricotta cheesecake, crème brûlée or rice pudding trifle to finish.
Swan London
With its iconic river views, the Swan is ideal for dazzling a date. The two-for-£26.50 or three-for-£29.50 set menu focuses on the very best seasonal English produce and is available daily during lunch and dinner.
Dishes include parsnip and bramley apple soup; Scottish game and pistachio terrine with red onion chutney and toasted sourdough; roasted corn-fed Gressingham chicken with hispi cabbage and sweet potato puree; and coconut and pineapple tart with caramelised pineapple compote topped with a coconut cremeux.
Zahter
Looking for a lunch menu where veggies and vegans are well catered for? The Zahter Istanbulite lunch menu consists of nine dishes to choose from, and six of those are vegetarian or vegan (and trust us, meat eaters won’t complain).
Flavour-forward dishes include Odun Atesinde Patates (wood fire potatoes and gremolata); Odun Fırınında Patlıcan (roasted aubergine, marinated peppers and Lor cheese); and Fav (broad beans, dill, green chilies, and candied sunflower). The set menu comes in at £29.50 per person for three courses, or £36.50 with a glass of wine.
Corrigan’s Mayfair
A set menu that never fails to be showstopping value, Corrigan’s Mayfair provides the ultimate luxury dining on a budget. Whether dining for lunch or dinner, you can enjoy an exciting three-course meal with optional wine pairing. The menu changes from week to week to accommodate the freshest seasonal ingredients delivered, but options include the like of Corrigan’s classic Game Terrine, a fantastic day-boat fish and a Salted Caramel Custard Tart.
For lunch expect to pay £40 for two courses and £48 for three. For dinner, it’s three courses for £58, and £35 on top if you opt for the wine pairing.
Scott’s Richmond
If you’re on the hunt for a set menu with a stunning view, Scott’s Richmond is the glittering new riverside restaurant to turn to.
From sea bass ceviche and miso aubergine, to fillet of Cornish pollock and rhubarb ripple and shortbread coupe, the set lunch menu is a top-notch shout at £29.50 for two courses and £34.50 for three. Add a Scott’s Rhubarb Kir for £11 and soak in the opulent interiors and unrivalled views.
Meraki
When you’re looking for a set menu for a big group, head to Meraki in Fitzrovia for a menu with the soul of Greece in mind.
Designed for groups of 9+ guests as a food sharing concept where all starters, main courses, desserts and sides are placed across the table, you’ve a choice of three different sharing menus priced from £65pp to £120pp, including seasonally changing sharing mezze dishes, chargrilled meats, and whole fish dishes.
Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill
This two-courses-for-£19.50, three-courses-for-£24 set menu is available at Gordon Ramsay’s Bar & Grill’s Chelsea location, and with the a la carte menu usually coming in at twice the price, there really is no contest.
Start with smoked ham hock croquettes with mustard mayo and pickled shallots; move on to Grilled cornfed chicken breast with mash potato, seasonal greens and roasting juices; and end with a 70% chocolate brownie with hazelnut praline and vanilla ice cream.
Daffodil Mulligan
The set menu at Daffodil Mulligan provides the perfect opportunity to share a selection of delicious plates with a focus on seafood with subtle Irish influences.
An ever-changing menu with a chef’s selection of options, dine on two sharing plates for £19.50, or three for £25. The selection currently includes their legendary Salt Chilli Fried Chicken, Octopus and Chorizo Skewer, and Smoked Prawn Tea.
River Restaurant
The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay is set inside The Savoy, one of London’s most iconic hotels, so the set lunch menu really couldn’t be better value for the surroundings.
Two courses is £32, three courses is £39, and for that there’s a great selection of dishes, including wild leek and potato soup; fish cake with spinach, watercress sauce and trout roe; BBQ soy glazed aubergine with crispy shallot and chilli; and sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream ice cream.
Indigo at One Aldwych
This London hotel restaurant has a lovely set pre-theatre menu for £35 for two courses, or £42 for three, including smoked salmon with cucumber, exmoor caviar and horseradish; highland venison with beetroot, bitter chocolate and juniper jus; roast spiced cauliflower with saffron potato, coriander yoghurt and toasted almonds; and caramelised apple terrine with toffee popcorn and blackberry sorbet.
Los Mochis
Tokyo meets Tulum in Notting Hill at Los Mochis, where you can enjoy a delicious set menu that combines fine dining and vibrant flavours. Blending two iconic cuisines that balance Mexican vibrancy with Japanese elegance, Los Mochis’s set menu offers a perfect combination of signature dishes from their vibrant menu.
Designed to be shared and enjoyed as dynamic fine dining, the menu includes plates like Seabass Ceviche with shiso-truffle soy and yuzu tobiko; Spicy Hiramasa Maki with Yellowtail hiramasa, yuzu kosho, spring onion, jalapeno and truffle chilli goma; and Steak al Carbon Taco with black bean crème, jalapeno pico de gallo and fire roasted salsa. The set menu comes in at £85 per person for the whole meal.
Petrus
Feast in style for less at Michelin starred Petrus in the heart of Belgravia. Priced at £60 per person, the restaurant has a delightful weekday lunch menu with a tasty selection of dishes to choose from including Scottish cured salmon, duck liver parfait, Devon ray wing, and rhubarb tart.
The Restaurant at St Martin’s Lane
An excellent spot for whiling away an afternoon, The Restaurant at St Martin’s Lane offers a sophisticated set menu with dishes ranging from beetroot salad, and tamarind octopus to Atlantic cod, and corn fed chicken.
Finish off by choosing pear tart with stem ginger ice cream from the dessert menu. The set menu is priced at two courses for £29 and three for £34 – and both include a glass of house wine.
The Game Bird at The Stafford
Get ready to impress as this charming restaurant inside five-star The Stafford hotel offers up a great value lunch menu at just £38 for two courses. The menu specials change weekly, but expect dishes like garden pea veloute with Tunworth cheese and white onion croque; and braised beef cheek with honey-glazed carrot and puffed grains. Wine pairings are also available for those who are looking to enjoy a tipple with their lunch.
Quality food and five-star surroundings at a super great value price.
Where: The Stafford, 16-18, St James’s Pl, St. James’s, London SW1A 1NJ
Website: www.thestaffordlondon.com
Bread Street Kitchen
If you find yourself in Battersea, Southwark or Ealing on a weekday, you’re in luck. Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen serves up a special set menu with two courses priced at £19.50, three at £24, from a menu of restaurant favourites to indulge in.
Expect modern European cuisine and unfussy but delicious dishes, like mushroom soup, the Bread Street Kitchen burger, and sticky toffee pudding.
Bill’s
Bill’s is the family-friendly restaurant that offers one of the most affordable set menus in town. At £14.95 for two courses, or £17.95 for three, you can choose from tasty dishes like smoked salmon pate, chargrilled minute steak, and a banoffee pie sundae.
The set menu options change monthly, so you’ll always have the option of trying something new.
Miyako
Set within Andaz London Liverpool Street, Miyako is the authentic Japanese dining experience perfect for a lunch time pitstop.
And with busy city workers in mind, Head Chef Kosei Sakamoto has curated a three-course lunch time dining experience, priced at just £30 a person including a beverage of choice, and authentic Japanese dishes such as miso soup, gyoza, bento boxes and Japanese mochi.
Bar + Block
Bar + Block specialises in high-quality, hand-cut steak at great value, so it’s no surprise they have a great set steak menu available on weekdays without the hefty price tag.
For £12.95 for two courses, or three courses for £14.95, the menu boasts the likes of Mac + Cheese Bites, Cauli Wings, Steak + Frites and a Buttermilk Chicken burger, all for under £15.
Dalloway Terrace
There’s no lack of restaurant options in Bloomsbury, but Dalloway Terrace is up there with the prettiest. The restaurant offers a pre-theatre set menu with dishes like salmon gravadlax, wild mushroom risotto, and classic vanilla creme brûlée.
Paired with a glass of sparkling wine, the set menu comes in at just £35 per person.
