London’s Best Tasting Menus Under £100
There’s no decision more panic-inducing than choosing between two dishes at a restaurant. After all, we have one chance to get it right. That is, unless we choose a tasting menu, where delicious dishes are in abundance and downing eight courses is totally acceptable behaviour. Tasting menus are one of the best ways to expand your palette and broaden your horizons to a whole new world of flavour. But unsurprisingly, tasting menus usually come with a hefty price tag to match.
Luckily, there are some London restaurants that keep the cost per person in the double digits. So if, like us, you love nothing more than sitting in a chair for two to three hours, making your way through course after course of incredible food, you’re in luck. From seasonal summer menus starting at just £32, to glamorous Mayfair restaurants offering up surprisingly affordable fare, here’s our pick of London’s best tasting menus that won’t entirely break the bank (but our solid advice is, if you can, always opt for the wine pairing).
The Best Tasting Menus In London For Under £100
Kanishka
From stunning interiors to innovative signature dishes, Kanishka, led by acclaimed Chef Atul Kochhar, is a top destination for those seeking the rich and diverse flavours of India, and the six-course tasting menu is a celebration of the modern Indian cuisine that’s won the chef multiple awards and Michelin stars over the years.
Showcasing the country’s regional delicacies, highlights include Cromer crab fritters with grilled corn, apple salad, kimchi and chilli-tamarind chutney; creamy butter chicken tikka in rich tomato sauce; and melt-in-the-mouth monkfish with creamed kale korma. To finish, opt for the velvety smooth and decadent chai creme brulee – the perfect way to end the evening in one of London’s best Indian restaurants.
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Perilla
Newington Green’s neighbourhood restaurant Perilla offers the affordable tasting menu of dreams. Enjoy modern European dishes like chard, mushroom and wild garlic crepe; chilled courgette, pecorino sardo and olive oil soup; and lamb and seaweed navarin.
For dessert, a classic rhubarb and custard. Yum.
The affordable tasting menu of dreams.
Price: £66 per person
Where: 1-3 Green Lanes, Newington Green, London N16 9BS
Website: www.perilladining.co.uk
Nest
Nest, which has recently made the move to Old Street, offers an excellent tasting menu experience for just £65. This cosy, produce-driven restaurant works with the best UK suppliers, focusing on one meat at a time to avoid waste. The monthly curated tasting menu changes regularly and showcases dishes like BBQ halibut with oyster and celeriac, and honey and lavender tart.
Nest Cellar, their walk-in bar, serves a selection of wines, cocktails, and homemade snacks. With a commitment to low-intervention drinks and a warm atmosphere, it’s a relaxed and thoughtful dining experience that’s also kind to your wallet.
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Akoko
For a tasting menu you won’t forget anytime soon, head to sleek restaurant Akoko in Fitzrovia to experience the sumptuous flavours of Nigeria and West Africa. The menu is influenced by recipes passed down through generations, as well as forward-thinking fine-dining dishes. The most affordable option is the shorter lunch tasting menu for £55, however the full tasting menu at £120 is our favoured way to take a journey through West African cuisine.
There’s also three types of drinks pairing available; the signature Akoko pairing, which combines cocktails, and wines from across Africa, a wine pairing, and a soft pairing.
Price: from £55 per person, drinks pairing from £30
Where: 21 Berners St, London W1T 3LP
Website: www.akoko.co.uk
Los Mochis
In the heart of Notting Hill, Los Mochis is a gem of a restaurant that beautifully blends the vibrant flavours of Mexico with the elegance of Japanese cuisine. Restaurateur Markus Thesleff’s passion for food shines through in the ever-evolving menu, featuring the finest seasonal and sustainable ingredients from local artisans.
The restaurant also offers a tasting menu at just £85 per guest, showcasing iconic dishes like Pato on Crispy Rice, Spicy Hiramasa Maki, and Trailer Park Chicken Tacos.
Ayllu
Get ready to be taken on a culinary journey as you taste the very best of Peru and Japan in a luxurious dining experience that won’t break the bank. With a choice of three set menus (Tasting Lima, Tasting Cuzco, and Tasting Machu Picchu) priced from just £39-£65, expect to be tucking into dishes like Lomo Saltado, Black Cod, and Ceviche Nikkei.
The popular Nikkei fusion creates fresh and zingy aromas within each dish, producing a truly memorable (and affordable) Peruvian-Japanese dining experience. Pair the tasting menu with one of their delicious cocktails to top it all off.
Six By Nico
Enjoy cutting edge cuisine with Six by Nico and their theatrical yet affordable tasting menus. The innovative dining concept is simple; an ever-evolving six-course tasting menu that changes theme every six weeks. To date, themes have included ‘Childhood’, ‘Thai Street Food’, and ‘Ancient Rome’. This autumn, they’re serving up ‘Street Food’ – iconic culinary staples that have originated from local street food vendors around the globe. Think Kebab (Istanbul) with lamb belly, roasted cabbage, pickled golden raisins, salsa verde and roasted garlic foam; and Coffee (Hanoi), a cocoa Mousseline with coffee, leche and buttermilk.
Where will their next inspiration come from? You’ll have to wait and see as menus remain top secret until right before they launch. With both food and wine pairings coming in at under £90 total per person, this is one of London’s most affordable tasting menus.
Price: from £48 per person, matching wines £35 per person
Where: Chancellor Passage, London E14 5EA
Website: www.sixbynico.co.uk
Pidgin
A tasting menu changing regularly is to be expected. But it’s fair to say you might not expect to see one that has never repeated a dish. That’s exactly what Pidgin have set out to do with their weekly changing menu, meaning once you’ve eaten there, you’re pretty much guaranteed to never have the same dish again.
It makes Pidgin one of London’s most exciting tasting menu concepts, with a multi-course menu of modern British food with innovative international influences.
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£90 will sink you a feast of the finest Cantonese cooking there is.
Hakkasan
It’s a little eyebrow raising to see this luxurious Mayfair hideaway, the respite of the rich and famous, on our list of affordable tasting menus in London, but incredibly, £90 will sink you a feast of the finest Cantonese cooking there is. Enjoy the Plum Blossom menu for just £90 per person and delve into a curated menu of the restaurant’s signature dishes without breaking the bank.
Begin with a selection of dim sum, graduate to pan-fry silver cod, stir fry rib eye beef with lily bulb and a side of steamed jasmine rice, and finish with a signature dessert.
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Launceston Place
Get your tasting menu fix courtesy of Kensington’s Launceston Place and their seven-course menu. The West London favourite is renowned for its playful dishes (think egg and soldiers with chicken liver and sourdough) whilst still managing to retain all the classy vibes of a fine-dining restaurant.
Created by Chef Patron Ben Murphy, two different tasting menus are offered at lunch and dinner, featuring restaurant favourites such as monkfish with lemongrass, kohlrabi and vin jaune; pigeon, wild garlic and foie gras wellington; and yuzu with apple, dill and white chocolate.
The West London favourite is renowned for its playful dishes.
Price: £72 per person lunch menu, £99 per person dinner menu
Where: 1A Launceston Pl, London W8 5RL
Website: www.launcestonplace-restaurant.co.uk
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Galvin La Chapelle
Tasting menus don’t get better than the Galvin brothers’, who always seem to have a generous, affordable, new tasting menu to try across their restaurants, created with the freshest, seasonal produce they can get their hands on.
Head to Michelin-starred Galvin La Chapelle and expect to delight in a five-course truffle and mushroom menu including dishes such as miso glazed maitake mushroom; braised ox cheek with truffled sautéed wild mushroom and Bronte pistachio; and Apple tart Tatine with calvados caramel, crème fraîche and truffle, all for a mere £55. Together with their perfect wine pairings, you’ll wonder why you ever ate anywhere else.
12:51
12:51, situated in the heart of Islington, is James Cochran’s signature restaurant… Need we say more? His food is legendary, with his mixed-heritage of St. Vincent, Glasgow and Whitstable reflected in his innovative and exciting dishes.
For those wanting to experience great food without the hefty price tag, look to his five-course taster. For just £49 the menu boasts the likes of feuille de brick tartlet with compressed courgette, oyster emulsion and cured beef; potato dumpling with cured bacon, cured egg yolk and isle of mull veloute; and chalk stream trout with elderflower beurre blanc, Norfolk asparagus and dill.
Indigo at One Aldwych
For those looking for a taste of the seaside look to Indigo at One Aldwych. Their new Taste Cornwall menu features six delicious courses celebrating Cornwall’s bountiful seafood, organic produce and rich culinary heritage.
You’ll enjoy the likes of slow cooked Cornish lamb breast with tomato jam, fennel pollen and basil; monkfish baked in seaweed with Cornish sea salt, St Austell mussels, peas and broad beans; and even a ‘cream tea’ fresh-from-the-oven scone and jam. The menu’s priced at £95pp with an optional English wine pairing available – not bad for a five star hotel and a culinary trip to Cornwall.
Sexy Fish
This Mayfair spot is the perfect place to enjoy the best of Japanese-inspired cuisine in London’s most glamorous neighbourhood. The restaurant has just introduced a trio of new omakase tasting menus, showcasing new dishes and Sexy Fish favourites, each featuring a minimum of 10 dishes to share. While the ‘Ludicrous’ omakase menu will set you at £218 per person, the classic ‘Hiro’ tasting menu is £86, with highlights including salt and pepper squid, sea bream ceviche, crispy duck and watermelon salad, spicy beef tenderloin and steamed seabass.
Theatrical and playful, the new menus make for a delicious evening out.
Price: from £86 per person
Where: Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, London W1J 6BR
Website: www.sexyfish.com
Bocconcino
High-end Mayfair Italian restaurant Bocconcino offers a tasting menu curated by Napoli-born Head Chef Marco Corsica, who draws inspiration from his childhood on the Italian coast. Embark on a culinary journey consisting of five courses, including slow cooked veal served with tuna sauce; pappardelle with mushrooms and stracciatella; and marinated lamb cutlet served with creamed potato and veal jus.
You’ll also get to indulge in vanilla soft serve ice cream with chocolate sauce and hazelnuts for dessert.
