Weekly Review: The Delaunay
An ideal spot — and totally safe choice — for a work-linked encounter.
Quick hit: Grand European Cafe vibe and a range of food that will appeal to any preference.
Details: Booking advised. Aldwych / Covent Garden. £££.
Restaurant website. More on Instagram and from Michelin.
Find it on Google Maps. 55 Aldwych, WC2B 4BB.
The Delaunay is such a good place for a Professional Lunch that it can sometimes be a little awkward.
A few years ago, arriving for lunch with a client, I noticed at least four other tables with colleagues hosting their own lunches. And I once overheard the successful conclusion of a job interview that would be front page news a few days later.
But there’s a reason everyone goes there: It’s ideal for a work- or business-related chat. And not just for lunch.
Aside from the Wolseley, the Delaunay is my favourite spot in town for breakfast. There are lots of options from healthy to Eggs Benedict, good coffee, ultra-professional service, and fresh-squeezed juices.
Out front, there’s a bar area where you can have a cocktail. Next door, there’s the Delaunay Counter where you can have excellent coffee, a tasty sandwich, or your choice from a selection of fantastic Austrian-style pastries. Needless to say, the strudel is particularly good.
Then there’s the restaurant. For lunch and dinner, there’s a huge a la carte menu offering just about everything to suit any mood. If you’re after something a little lighter, ask for the extensive vegetarian menu, which has all manner of wonderful salads.
As you might have surmised, the Delaunay has been a regular haunt of mine for a while. I returned recently with a colleague to give it a more formal once-over, and, as it has for countless other professional lunches, it passed with distinction.
My go-to lunch choice is the chicken chopped salad. In cooler months, the mushroom soup is also a favourite. If I have a little more time, the schnitzel is the best I’ve had outside of Germany. (Make sure to ask for the cranberry sauce. The sharpness is vital.) Their potato salad is homemade and matches with the schnitzel.
If you’re going in the evening, there’s a pre-theatre menu. And whenever you go, there’s an excellent wine list with choices to match any meal or preference.
Let’s be clear. The food isn’t Michelin star quality. But it is good, solid cooking of dishes that you’ll enjoy eating.
The whole place feels like a theatre. It’s huge and arranged in rings, so it’s easy to people watch while quietly contemplating which deals are happening and which never will.
If the Delaunay has a flaw, its service can be a little slow and lack attentiveness. It’s occasionally hard to get your hands on the bill. If you’re trying to get back to the office for a 230p call, you might have to take measures.
But that small sin aside, the Delaunay is a London classic. It’s become a regular venue for so many business encounters that it’s a wonder the pre-theatre tourists can secure a booking.
Bottom line: if you’re looking for a place for a Professional Lunch (or breakfast or dinner or drink or coffee), the Delaunay is a totally safe choice. You’re guaranteed a good meal in an environment conducive to conversation.
And you might just learn something interesting if you subtly eavesdrop on the next table.
What’s your view of the Delaunay? Drop your experience in the comments. And thanks for reading. You may have noticed that as promised earlier in the month, I’ve been testing alternative days for sending my review this week. I’ll keep you posted on the findings. Please do subscribe if you haven’t already, and share Professional Lunch with friends and colleagues.