Heads up Cheapos, we’ve got something you’ll want to see – our pick of the best set lunch menus in London.
In a world where prices seem to be increasing daily, going out to eat can be a conundrum. One one hand, you don’t want to shut yourself away in your flat and never do anything fun; on the other hand, costs can spiral quickly when your date wants a three-course lunch, or that one mate orders steak when everyone else has gone for pasta.
The solution? A good quality, great value set menu. You can budget in advance, then sit back and let everyone order whatever they like (just get to the wine list first).
Central London
Noble Rot, Soho
Fabulous restaurant on Greek Street on the former site of the Gay Hussar pub, a old favourite of left-wing politicians and prime ministers. With the kitchen now headed up by ex-Perilla Dining chef Áron Stigmon, expect accomplished seasonal British cooking with a Hungarian accent.
It’s much-loved by foodies and wine buffs alike, as is the Lamb’s Conduit Street venue and the new Mayfair site; check out the Noble Rot book and latest magazine over the set lunch, which is ridiculously good value. Dishes change regularly but think salt hake salad to start, then sausages, lentils & mustard followed by apple tarte fine. Heavenly.
Price: 2 courses for £24.00, 3 courses for £28.00
Available: Monday-Saturday 12-2:30pm
Manzi’s, Soho
Known for its seafood dishes, Manzi’s also has a very attractively-priced set menu that runs all day and includes both meat and vegetarian options, so there’s something for everyone. Start with a Greek salad or veal polpette, then maybe an old-school chicken Milanese with pasta pomodoro or Levantine spiced aubergine with chargrilled broccoli, almonds & labneh. At this price you can afford to treat yourself to something sweet as well; perhaps a salted caramel delice or pannacotta with strawberries.
Price: 2 courses for £15.25, 3 courses for £19.50
Available: Tuesday-Saturday all day
The Devonshire, Soho
Possibly the most talked-about pub and restaurant this year, partly for what could well be the best pint of Guinness in London and the amazing vibe courtesy of landlord/co-founder Oisín Rogers and partly for the excellent dining rooms, overseen by ex Fat Duck executive chef and Devonshire co-founder Ashley Palmer-Watts.
Their bargain set lunch is a list of British classics done exceptionally well; prawn and langoustine cocktail, steak and chips then sticky toffee pudding. You’ll be hard put to find cooking of this quality anywhere at this price; the only problem will be getting a booking. They do take walk-ins though, so if it’s a sunny day and the roof terrace is open or you turn up closer to 2pm, you might get lucky.
Price: 2 courses for £25.00, 3 courses for £29.00
Available: Monday-Saturday 12-2:30pm
The Palomar, Soho
Grab a seat at the counter for a dash of chef theatre with your lunch at this much-loved Middle Eastern restaurant in Soho. Start with labneh, tirshi & baba ganoush served with your choice of kubaneh or baharat, baby cucumbers with soy, tahini, fennel and candied almonds then chicken labanieh with yoghurt sauce, chilli butter and burnt onion. You can even add a mini martini for £5.00.
Price: 3 courses £28.00
Available: Monday-Thursday 12-5:15pm; Friday 12-2:30pm
Bocca di Lupo
The monthly-changing set menu at this Soho stalwart runs right through to pre-theatre, making it perfect for a later lunch.
The menu doesn’t offer choices but expect accomplished Italian cooking including regional specialities from across the country, like ricotta with house apple mostarda and this delicious Venetian risi e bisi. Add an affogato (hazelnut gelato & espresso) for dessert, remembering that they have their own excellent gelataria across the street.
Price: 2 courses for £18.00, 3 courses for £25.00
Available: Monday-Friday 12-6:30pm
Flesh & Buns, Covent Garden
Try this versatile Japanese izakaya-inspired restaurant where you can mix ‘n’ match your maki, yaki, buns and treats.
Feast on spicy tuna maki, two robata-grilled chicken skewers with Japanese spices and spring onion and two bao buns (we like the crispy duck leg with plum sauce), then finish with their interactive S’more dessert – strawberry marshmallows, almond chocolate, graham crackers and a mini barbecue.
Price: 3 courses £30.00, 4 courses £35.00
Available: Monday-Sunday before 6:45pm
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
You don’t have to have a ticket for a performance to access this stylish restaurant and bar, which has a heated terrace overlooking Covent Garden piazza.
Treat yourself to cured salmon with a potato, cucumber and avocado salad and lemon dressing, followed by a chargrilled bavette steak with peppercorn sauce, or perhaps spiced monk fish with slow-cooked red lentils. Desserts include a buttermilk and honey cheesecake with fig compote, roasted rosemary figs and a spiced oat streusel. Classy.
Price: 2 courses £26.00, 3 courses £34.00
Available: Monday-Friday until 2:45pm; excluding bank holidays and weekdays with matinee performances.
Bao, Marylebone
Should you find yourself in this notoriously spenny part of town during the week, have we got a Cheapo get-out-of-jail-free card for you. Bao15 is an express set lunch (also available as pre-theatre) menu where you can choose one bao, one Xiao Chi and one rice bowl for £15.00; for example, you might have a beef shortrib bao, Taiwanese fried chicken & hot sauce and bone marrow rice with soy-cured egg yolk. Add a Taiwanese beer for £5.00 and you’ve only just hit twenty quid. There are also vegan off-menu items, just ask. Winner.
Price: 3 dishes for £15.00
Available: Wednesday-Friday 12-3pm
Boxcar Bar & Grill, Marylebone
Meat-lovers, check this out charcoal grill special. Sit down to a snacky starter of Herdwick lamb croquettes or cod goujon with spiced mayo and housepickles, before tucking into steak frites with your choice of peppercorn sauce or red wine jus – unless of course you have been tempted by the wagyu burger served with smoked cheddar, beer & onion relish, chilli mayo and fries – all for under twenty quid. Add a dessert for £5.00 – you deserve it.
Price: 2 courses £19.00, 3 courses £24.00
Available: Tuesday-Friday 12-3pm
Norma, Fitzrovia
Another happily affordable option in an otherwise pricy area, this stylish Italian restaurant specialises in Sicilian/Moorish-inspired flavours. Indulge in dishes like their Sicilian caponata with focaccia crostini followed by rigatoni with beef ragu, or perhaps charred mackerel with pilacca hot sauce, garlic aioli and sumac.
Price: 2 courses for £20.00
Available: Monday-Saturday 12-3pm
Fallow, St James
Not only is a set lunch a great money-saving Cheapo hack in its own right, it can also be a way to get into that super-hot restaurant that doesn’t have a dinner reservation until 2025. Cue Fallow, shining star of delicious sustainability, whose à la carte has a couple of main dishes that cost almost as much as their whole three-course set lunch menu.
This may not be the cheapest option here but, in terms of value for money, it’s hard to beat – and unlike some set menus, it includes several of their signature dishes. For just £42.00 you can tuck into three courses such as the legendary mushroom parfait followed by dairy cow burger with bacon, cheese and shallot, then Chelsea tart & caramelised whey for dessert. Even if you don’t really have a sweet tooth, we recommend saving room for this one.
Price: 3 courses for £42.00
Available: Monday-Friday 12-3:30pm, excluding bank holidays
Looking for something a bit special but still great value? Check out our list of Michelin-starred lunch deals. Maybe you’d rather eat a little later? How about one of London’s Pre-Theatre bargain set menus?
Finally, if there’s somewhere we’ve missed that you think we should know about, hit us up on Instagram – we always love a new Cheapo find!
