13 Of The Best Set Menus In London
BEST VALUE:
Brasserie Zédel, Soho
A French restaurant from the group behind the Wolseley and the Delaunay, Brasserie Zédel offers traditional Gallic dishes in beautiful art-deco surroundings (it’s been described by famed French chef Pierre Koffmann as “the only real brasserie in London”). One of the most affordable options on this list, two courses from the set menu are £16.95 or it’s three for £19.75. Start with the shredded carrot salad, followed by steak haché with fries and peppercorn sauce, and chocolate and passion fruit delice for dessert. You can stop by Bar Américain for cocktails and champagne before or after your meal – and its location makes it a no-brainer for pre- and post-theatre dining.
Visit BRASSERIEZEDEL.COM
BEST OUT EAST:
Kudu Grill, Peckham
At the original Kudu, Amy Corbin and Patrick Williams quickly won over critics and locals with creative food and a warm atmosphere. A Michelin Bib Gourmand soon followed. In early 2020, the couple opened neighbourhood cocktail bar Smokey Kudu under the arches by Queens Road station, followed by Curious Kudu, a gallery and private dining space for up to 14 guests, then a fourth site, Kudu Grill. Here, the team has revived a former Truman’s pub on Nunhead Lane to create a 50-cover restaurant that focuses on braai – a South African way of grilling that uses only wood and charcoal – inspired by Patrick’s South African roots. With most dishes coming straight from the open grill, the menu comprises five sections – snacks, starters, braai mains, sides and desserts. When it comes to set menus, for £29.50 you’ll get two courses and a side and for £33.50, three courses and a side. Available Tuesday-Thursday evenings, the menu could include mauve aubergine with black garlic and smoked yoghurt; sea bream with Cape Malay curry and wakame; pork chop with monkey gland sauce, plus a side of outrageously moreish beef fat crispy fingerling potatoes.
Visit KUDUCOLLECTIVE.COM
BEST BUZZ:
Fallow, St James’s
Chefs Will Murray and Jack Croft are behind ever-popular Fallow in St James’s Market, where you’ll find a dining room, bar, wraparound terrace and seven-seater chef’s counter overlooking the open kitchen. The menu focuses on bold sharing-style dishes celebrating sustainable produce across the British Isles. Available Monday to Friday from noon to 5pm, the £42 set three-course menu features hero dishes such as Cornish monkfish crudo with cucumber, almond and tiger's milk dressing; dairy cow burger with bacon, cheese and shallot; custard soft serve with British rhubarb and ginger crumble; and – one of our favourite puddings in town – Chelsea tart with caramelised whey. If you like what you hear, make sure to check out the team’s newest spot, Roe in Canary Wharf, or its fried chicken concept Fowl round the corner from Fallow.
Visit FALLOWRESTAURANT.COM
BEST TASTE OF THE USA:
SoLa, Soho
Chef Victor Garvey once took a small corner site in Soho and created Rambla, a great restaurant that opened to critical, peer and public acclaim. It was so good an offer was made that he could not refuse, and he was left with a site he could do what he liked with. So, he launched a restaurant that celebrates all things California. His wine list is exclusively North American, but as these bottles are often uncompetitively pricey in the UK, he’s put an uncompetitively low margin on them, meaning you can afford to drink wines you can’t usually afford. Victor’s elegant cooking can be comprehensively enjoyed through a £74 pre-theatre menu, which might include an excellent devilled egg; vodka-cured salmon roulade; langoustine hot pot; roasted day boat scallops; and sashimi of the day.
Visit SOLASOHO.COM
BEST SUNDAY LUNCH:
The Quality Chop House, Clerkenwell
The Quality Chop House is now 156 years old. Head chef Shaun Searley has been on the pass for the last 13 of those years, sourcing from the best British suppliers. Steak and chops remain at the heart of his menus, which also feature starters like Vesuvio tomato, strawberry, gorgonzola, pea and caper or Brixham mackerel, satay, jalapeno and herb salad. There’s a £29 lunchtime set menu from Tuesday to Friday that often features some of the restaurant’s classic dishes. On Sunday, set lunches are £59 for three courses built around an outstanding selection of roasts.
Visit THEQUALITYCHOPHOUSE.COM
BEST BACKDROP:
Midland Grand Dining Room, King’s Cross
This handsome spot is named after the Midland Grand – the 19th-century Gothic-revival hotel that first occupied the building that’s now the St Pancras Renaissance hotel. The beautiful restaurant takes inspiration from the original space, which was renowned for its French haute cuisine. Highlights from the menu have so far included moreish comté gougères; an incredible crab on toast with elderflower and shellfish sauce; sea trout with sorrel, smoked butter and vermouth beurre blanc; plus, a soufflé de jour (the one we tried was chocolate and banana – and truly excellent). During the week, a set menu (£32 for two courses and £38 for three) features lobster bisque with smoked leek hearts; and poached Loch Duart salmon with sauce gribiche. Kick things off with a pre-dinner cocktail (we liked the ‘Thirsty Gargoyle’) in the handsome adjoining Gothic Bar.
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BEST CHIC CHOICE:
Joséphine, Chelsea
Joséphine is a pretty place in Chelsea that fast became a favourite spot of ours when it launched last year. Michelin-starred Claude Bosi’s most personal project to date, Joséphine is run with his wife Lucy and inspired by his late grandmother and the traditional bouchons in his hometown of Lyon. The menu is filled with nostalgic bistro classics: think onion soup, cheese souffle, leek vinaigrette and a traditional main of cod in an excellent beurre blanc sauce. An excellently priced daily set menu is £29.50 for three courses. The wine menu only features pours from the Rhone Valley, including some from Joséphine’s own label. In keeping with the classic French feel, this is offered by the metre in textbook bouchon style, where the bottle is left on the table for guests to help themselves. At the end of the meal, guests will pay only for what they have drunk, using a nifty ruler to measure what’s been had.
Visit JOSEPHINEBOUCHON.COM
BEST THAI:
Som Saa, Spitalfields
Som Saa is an atmospheric spot in east London serving up regional Thai classics. There are four ‘tem toh’ set menus, which translates to ‘full table’ in Thai. The menus, chosen by the kitchen, represent a balanced selection of dishes for the table to share. Ranging from £45 to £50 a head, the menus could feature the likes of tua phrik krob (deep fried cashew nuts with makrut lime leaf and dried chilli), nang gai thort (crispy chicken skin served with sriracha sauce), gai yaang (grilled chicken skewer served with a tamarind jaew dip) and nahm phrik lon gung (fresh coconut cream relish of prawns, ma-euk fruit and white turmeric served with vegetables and herbs to dip). All set menus include sticky jasmine rice, then salted palm sugar ice-cream with turmeric and grilled bananas for pudding. The cocktail bar is open for drinks throughout the evening and serves the likes of the ‘Rak Tong Ham’, a refreshing mix of chilli, cucumber, basil and lime leaf-infused tequila, elderflower, lime and pomegranate.
Visit SOMSAA.COM
BEST LAID-BACK ATMOSPHERE:
Speedboat Bar, Soho
Speedboat Bar is the second Thai restaurant from chef Luke Farrell and JKS Restaurants (the team behind Gymkhana, Lyle’s, Bao and Kitchen Table) – and it’s a lot of fun. The relaxed bar aims to bring a taste of the Thai-Chinese restaurants on Bangkok’s neon-lit Yaowarat Road to London: expect wok-flamed cooking of sticky meat braises, drunken noodles, curries, fermented vegetables and zingy seafood salads hit with acid and chilli. The Yaowarat Road set menu is £35pp and includes sweetcorn fritters; morning glory with soy bean sauce; crispy pork and black pepper curry – and more. There’s lots of heat and spice, so make sure you finish with a refreshing whisky soda. In Soho and fancy one for the road? The Upstairs Bar is perfect for late-night drinks.
Visit SPEEDBOATBAR.CO.UK
BEST FOR A RIVER VIEW:
Lasdun, South Bank
The team behind the critically acclaimed Marksman in east London looks after this brasserie inside the National Theatre. Named in honour of the landmark building’s architect Sir Denys Lasdun, the restaurant loads its menus with classic and contemporary dishes: look for smoked eel, pressed potato and cured ham; Cornish crab with salt lemon and a saffron bun; whole Cornish john dory; and a chicken, wild garlic and leek pie. On the pudding front, there’s a much-loved brown butter tart with vanilla set cream. From noon to 2pm and then 5pm to 6.45pm, the restaurant offers a set menu (£32 for two courses, £38 for three) featuring crab soup and brown crab on toast; smoked haddock and cod fishcake with fish sauce; and a chicken and wild garlic pie for two. Do yourself a favour and go off menu by adding a side of British leaf salad, tarragon and buttermilk dressing. Lasdun also houses the ultimate destination for a nightcap along the Thames – drop by for a drink at its beautiful dark marble bar, which offers cocktails and wine alongside shellfish and small plates.
Visit LASDUNRESTAURANT.COM
BEST WINE LIST:
Planque, Haggerston
Planque is a cool, in-demand 60-seat restaurant and wine bar in Haggerston. At its heart, it’s created a community for wine lovers – there’s a small members lounge where you can bring a bottle from your own collection or choose one from Planque’s cellar to enjoy over small plates and sharing dishes. A lovely lunch menu currently includes all the following: house sourdough and butter; tuna and corn consommé; beetroots, faisselle and walnuts; and lamb rib; a choice of poussin, leeks and fenugreek butter or pig’s head, coco beans and green sauce; followed by ice cream, meringue and bread caramel. All for £39. You can’t argue with that.
Visit PLANQUE.CO.UK
BEST FOR FINE DINING:
Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Mayfair
Distinguished French chef Hélène Darroze is the woman behind this pretty-in-pink three-Michelin-starred restaurant at The Connaught – and she focuses on celebrating the provenance of British ingredients where possible. Menus change seasonally, with current dishes including Torbay prawns with lime and sea purslane; and sea buckthorn rice pudding with honey and orange. For a taste of three stars for £125, try the team’s seasonal weekday lunch menu. On the three-course Taste of Winter menu, you’ll find the likes of Isle of Mull lobster with tandoori spices; A5 wagyu beef; and the restaurant’s signature baba, which is flamed tableside for a bit of theatre.
Visit THE-CONNAUGHT.CO.UK
BEST FOR A FUN EVENING:
Bébé Bob, Soho
From the team behind French-inspired phenomenon Bob Bob Ricard, Bébé Bob is a fun spin-off across the road from the Soho original. On a corner of Golden Square, Bébé Bob serves two varieties of rotisserie chicken, with well-priced fine wines (including white and red burgundy) and champagne to match. On weekdays, guests can enjoy the express menu in the restaurant’s chic art-deco dining room from £18. There are three options to choose from, with favourites including the ‘Schnuggets’ caeser salad with golden chicken schnitzel nuggets, romaine lettuce, garlic dressing, croutons and aged parmesan shaved tableside, or the chicken schnitzel topped with parsley and garlic butter. Best of all, you can add a scoop of Oscietra caviar to anything for an additional £20.
Visit BEBEBOB.COM
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