Quick Reference Guide: London Restaurants for Business Eating & Drinking

This is a list of my preferred spots in London. Most of these places could (and should) fit in several categories. They’re all great. New entries indicated with **NEW**. (Last updated 6 May 2024.)

Breakfast

Must have table seating and serve eggs plus a few healthy options.

The Wolseley. London’s holy of holies for breakfast. Impeccable service. Great food. A chance to spot people more famous than you. Must book. St. James. ££££

The Delauney. London’s second most classic breakfast spot. An arena for serious morning chat or deal-making. Booking advised. Aldwych. £££

Roast. Superb breakfast near London Bridge & Waterloo. Wander Borough Market before the madness. Booking advised. Borough Market. £££

The Regency. London’s most famous throw-back greasy café. Full English or don’t bother. Walk-in. Victoria. £

Fortnum & Mason @ Royal Exchange. Excellent city breakfast in attractive atmosphere in atrium of the Royal Exchange. Booking advised. City / Bank. ££

Caravan. Small chain with solid breakfast options. Key location in the City across from Cannon Street Station. Booking advised. City / Cannon Street. ££

Dishoom. Epic, unusual Indian-led breakfast. Bacon naan roll? Yes, please. Booking advised. Various locations. ££

Coffee

Must have indoor seating that would allow two or more people to have a quiet conversation. Warning: I am not a coffee-lover, so the coffee may be bad.

Grind. Comfortable spot super-convenient to London Bridge station. Good for a laptop session or quiet chat. Excellent coffee. Better pastries. Booking advised. London Bridge. £

Delauney Counter. Little brother to Delauney. Austro-German pastries and superb coffee. Very comfortable in a great location. Excellent wifi. Walk-in. Aldwych. £

Fortnum & Mason @ Royal Arcade. Great for breakfast, but perfect for coffee, too. Highest job interviews per square foot in London. Walk-in for coffee. City / Bank. ££

Quick Lunch

Must be able to get in and out in less than an hour, allowing for a 10-minute walk before and after.

The Black Penny. Fresh salads, add chicken or salmon, available every day. Pleasant service and great coffee. Walk-in. Multiple locations. £

Ruebens. You’ll think you’re in New York City. London’s best kosher deli. Salt beef on tissue thing rye bread. Stunning strudel. Booking advised. Baker Street. ££

Bancone. Fresh pasta and Italian delights. Sharing portions. Mostly counter seating. Quick turnaround, but still pleasant. Booking advised. Covent Garden or Borough Market. ££

Seven Dials Market. A bevvy of food stalls recalls a Singapore hawkers’ market. Options for everyone. Grab a communal table and graze. Walk-in. Covent Garden. £

Dom’s Subs. Authentic NY-style hoagies. You can’t eat there. Sorry. Order a party platter and have it delivered to your conference room. Order. Ludgate. £

**NEW** Leroy. Stylish spot with stunning, inexpensive 2- or 3- course set lunch menu and an outstanding wine list. Booking advised. Shoreditch. ££ (for lunch. More at dinner.) Full review.

Pleasant Lunch

Allow for about 75-90 minutes including a short walk before and after.

Brasserie Blanc. Solid, thoughtful French cooking. Go hungry. Swift attentive service means nice lunch in an hour if required. Booking advised. Waterloo or Chancery Lane. ££

Margot. Excellent Italian. Enthusiastic, engaged service. Great wine list for anyone having ‘just a glass.’ Booking essential. Covent Garden. £££

The 10 Cases. On trend with a daily-updated menu, sharing plates, and (some) natural wines. Great service. Doors open on nice summer days. Booking essential. Covent Garden. £££

Sweetings. Total throwback to old school London. Lunch among the bankers. Superb fish, classically prepared. Well-crafted wine list. Booking advised. St. Paul’s / City. ££

Parsons. Same owners as The 10 Cases, this one specialises in fish. Lots of lighter options. Outside space. Excellent by-the-glass selections. Booking advised. Covent Garden. £££

Chez Antoinette. Delightful classic French bistro contrived into a new building. Lovely service and well-made food. Feels like you got lost on the way to Lyon. Booking advised. Victoria. ££

Cafe Murano. Wonderful range of Italian classics. Affordable, quick for lunch, three convenient locations. Booking advised. Covent Garden, Bermondsey, St. James. ££

**NEW** Bistro Union. Ultra-pleasant neighbourhood spot on a quiet street with excellent food, attentive service, and a well-crafted wine list. Booking advised but there is usually space for walk-ins. Clapham. ££. Full review.

**NEW** Camille. The best modern, regional French fare, inspired and energised, in a bustling bistro setting. Booking essential. Borough Market. £££. Full review.

**New** Thirty7. Solid, ultra-convenient, comfortable, bistro-style spot fills a void in the Covent Garden lunch scene. Booking advised, but you can walk-in (for now). Covent Garden. ££.

** New ** Summer House. Fish-focused and boat-themed, but excellent quality at a decent price. The solution to all of your place-near-Paddington needs. Booking advised. Paddington / Maida Vale. ££. Full review.

Long Lunch

Block the whole afternoon in the diary. You aren’t going back to the office.

Noble Rot. Constantly changing, diverse, French-influenced menu. Superb wine. Original Lamb’s Conduit location remains my favourite. Booking essential.  Holborn, SoHo, St. James. £££

Hawksmoor. London’s definitive steak destination. Great non-steaky options too. Can be quick, but better if you can linger. Booking advised. Many locations. £££

Quality Wines. Chalkboard menu changes constantly. Share plates, or not. Epically great wine selections. Be adventurous. You won’t regret it. Booking essential. Farringdon. £££

Hide. Delightful a la carte menu from genius Chef Ollie Dabous. Set lunch option, too. Among the best wine lists in London. Booking essential. Green Park. £££ (a la carte)

Otto’s. Straight out of 1978. Unapologetically classical French. Duck or lobster a la presse available. Delightful service with a sense of humour. Booking essential. Chancery Lane. £££

Andrew Edmunds. Ask for a table on the ground floor. Sublime Modern British. Time machine to old SoHo. Great value wine list. Superb. Booking Essential. £££

Smith’s of Smithfield. Target the 3^rd floor restaurant, although other bits are good. Wide assortment of well-made dishes, including great steaks. Booking Essential. Farringdon. £££

**NEW** Brooklands. Fine dining with altitude. Great food to equal great views. A space-age experience that will have you looking for your long-promised flying car. Booking essential. Belgravia. ££££. Full review.

Healthy Lunch

Slabs of meat aren’t always right. Allow 60-75 minutes including a short walk before and after.

Rovi. From Yotam Ottelenghi. Super fresh, veg-driven Mediterranean and Middle Eastern creations. Small plates for grazing. Walk-in. Oxford Circus / Fitzrovia. ££

Nopi. Another Ottelenghi masterpiece. Same concept as Rovi, closer to Piccadilly. Soho. ££.

Mallow. Vegan / vegetarian with diverse range of flavours. Amazing produce and stunning preparations. Who needs meat? Booking advised. Borough Market. ££

Fish! The freshest seafood. Constantly changing menu.  Reasonable prices. Great views of Southwark Cathedral and the market. Booking advised. Borough Market. ££

Working 1-2-1 Dinner

It shouldn’t feel like a date.

The Ivy. Only the original on West Street will do. Skip the chain copies. Covent Garden institution. Hang out with actors and feel the spotlight. Booking essential. Covent Garden. £££

Canto Corvino. Excellent Italian in a comfortable environment. Fabulous pasta and great wine list. Booking advised. City. £££

The Thomas Cubitt. First floor restaurant, although the pub is great too. Classic gastro-pub with great food. Booking essential. Victoria / Chelsea. £££

For Visiting Americans

When you want a little cliché with your dinner. Play it ironic, or not.

Rules. Oldest in London. Wildly old school menu and vibe. Jacket required. Outstanding, secret cocktail bar upstairs. Booking essential. Covent Garden. £££

Wilton’s. Feels like a Pall Mall members club. Super food with an emphasis on fresh fish and game. Classic wine list. A true London experience. Booking essential. St. James.. ££££

Rowley’s. Quick and reasonably priced, but still has the classic, throw-back feel. Lots of English classics, great steaks, and reliable choice of Claret. Walk-in. St. James. ££

Langan’s. Brass plated brasserie with a French accent and a sense of humour. Recently restored to former glory. You’ll eat well and have fun. Booking essential. Mayfair, ££££

Special Dinner

Places to celebrate a big success or mark a significant moment.

Scott’s. Rub shoulders with famous and merely British famous. Stunning fresh seafood. Slightly haughty and can be a tough booking. You won’t care. Booking essential. Mayfair.££££

J Sheekey. A London institution, and another fish specialist. More entertaining to sit at the bar. Great pre-theatre. Booking essential. Covent Garden. ££££

Fallow. Hot spot. Chic. Foraged everything. Pushing culinary boundaries. Thumping, party atmosphere. YouTube famous. Booking essential. St. James. £££.

Hide. Full 9-course tasting menu of Michelin starred magic. Few better, and if you’re nice, view of Green Park from 1^stfloor window. Booking essential. Green Park. ££££ (tasting menu)

Quality Chop House. Epic meat and potatoes. Big red wines. History lesson decor. Don’t shirk. Go big or don’t go. Booking essential. Farringdon. £££

Trivet. Two Michelin stars. Genius chef & sommelier, both ex- Fat Duck. Food is simple, accessible, modern. Unsurprisingly delicious. My #1. Booking essential. London Bridge. £££. Full review.

Team Dinner

Good for groups of 6+ with a focus on fun.

Mercato Metropolitano or Mercato Mayfair. Hawkers market style spaces with food for every taste. Big tables for easy-going gathering. Walk-in. Tower Bridge & Mayfair, ££

Lahpet. You didn’t know you liked Burmese? Trust me. You do. Delicious sharing plates to suit any palate. Comfortable vibe with latitude for raucous or focused. Booking advised, ££

Hoppers. Their ‘rice and curry’ will make you homesick for Sri Lanka, even if you’re not from there. Spicy food and lovely service. Booking advised. Several locations. ££

Texas Joe’s. London’s best and only authentic Texas barbecue joint. Superb brisket and ribs. Admirable sides. Great cocktails. Booking advised. London Bridge. ££

**NEW** El Pastor & Casa Pastor: Fantastic tacos, flaky fish, and delicious slow-cooked meats. Nibble or gorge. Great place for laughs. Perfect for groups. Booking advised. Borough Market & others. ££ (or £££ if you drink lots of Margaritas). Full review.

There’s now a Google Maps custom map with all of the restaurants from the guide. I can’t embed it, annoyingly, but you can explore it here.