Whether it's to mark a birthday or anniversary, to get together with family members, or to impress a special someone on a date, our restaurant and entertainment experts put together bespoke dinner-theatre packages for our members to ensure a perfect evening. Here are a selection of our favourite places for theatrical dining – contact us to make a booking or to discuss other options.
Bob Bob Ricard
1-3 Upper James St, London W1F 9DF
Kitchens that stay open past 10.30 or 11pm are, sadly, a rare thing in London; but the extraordinary quality of food supplied by Bob Bob Ricard until last orders are taken at 1am makes it among the best destinations for a post-theatre supper. Go for elegantly prepared British classics – choose chicken Kiev or shepherd's pie, or plump for the grilled lobster with garlic butter and chips. Sumptuous, velvety decor – and a button on every table to summon more champagne – makes for a perfect place to round off a decadent evening.
Guide price: £30
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
13-15 West Street, London WC2H 9NE
At £19 for two courses or £25 for three, the prix fixe pre-theatre dinner at Joël Robuchon affords diners the opportunity to have the Robuchon experience at a fraction of the usual price. A sample menu might include pea soup followed by salmon served with spiced polenta, or black leg chicken after a starter of warm white asparagus. And don't forget to come back for a cocktail after the show: ‘They're not cheap,' says our restaurant expert Hernan Castro-Vidal, ‘but they're among the best and most innovative that London has to offer.'
Guide price: Set menu £19 (two courses) or £25 (three courses)
Bocca di Lupo
12 Archer St, London W1D 7BB
Bocca di Lupo has drawn rave reviews for its regionally-focused Italian cooking, spanning from Sicily to the Barbary Coast. The pre-theatre menu here is designed to satisfy customers with one-dish meals, and the range is creative and delicious: cuttlefish cooked in its own ink and served with polenta; pappardelle with chicken ragu, or risotto of courgette flowers and red prawns. With the kitchen open until midnight, there's plenty of time to go in after a show to enjoy selections from the main menu.
Guide price: Pre-theatre one-course menu £12
Veeraswamy
Victory House, 99-101 Regent Street, London W1B 4RS
The best – and oldest – Indian restaurant in Theatreland opens for dinner at 5:30pm, which means that there's plenty of time for a luxurious, piquant curry before the curtain rises. At this grand London institution the menu mixes classic dishes that have been served since the restaurant opened 80 years ago with more contemporary creations, courtesy of cutting-edge chefs. The oyster kebab and lobster curry are particular highlights.
Guide price: £25
Cecconi's
26 Maddox Street, London W1S 1QH
Another bright spot in London's Italian offerings, Cecconi's menu features cichetti – Italian tapas – which make for perfect grazing fare if the timing of your show demands that you eat earlier or later than usual. Small plates range from quails eggs with tuna to anchovy crostini to aubergine parmagiana, or if you don't fancy sharing you can opt for a main course salad or the three-course set menu. Alternatively, you might wish to pop in late after the show for coffee, liqueurs and dessert: ‘I will never forget the tiramisu,' says lifestyle editor Jean Edelstein.
Guide price: £25
The Ivy
1 West Street, London WC2H 9NQ
The indisputed king of Theatreland restaurants needs no introduction: it remains one of London's most desired nightspots, although the exclusive atmosphere is wonderfully warm and relaxed once you get past the velvet rope. Though it's notoriously difficult to get a table at The Ivy during usual dinner hours, dining early or late means your chances of getting a reservation are much better (and our long-established relationship with the management means we can often get you a great table). In other words? The restaurant's comforting, modern British food – shepherd's pie, hamburgers, kedgeree – is a perfect way to start or end a theatrical evening.
Guide price: £30
J Sheekey
28-32 St Martin's Court, London WC2N 4AL
Opening at 5:30pm with a full à la carte menu, London's favourite seafood restaurant is ideally situated in the middle of Covent Garden near numerous West End theatres, and there's even a doorman who will happily arrange your transfer to the theatre to make sure you're not late. The focus here is on the freshest of fish, simply prepared, whether in a fillet or as part of a main course such as fish pie. Meat-eaters are also taken care of, however: the steak and roast lamb are impeccable.
Guide price: £30
Arbutus
63-64 Frith Street, London W1D 3JW
Quality and value for money are the watchwords at this modern European restaurant, which has quickly become a Soho favourite since its opening in 2006 – it won a number of best new restaurant awards in 2007, including gongs from Tatler and Time Out. The pre-theatre menu (which also doubles as the lunch menu) is a marvellous £17.50 for three courses, which change constantly according to the season and the inclinations of the chefs. Sample menus might include salmon salad, courgette risotto and floating island, or vegetable soup, pork caillette and Tomme de Savoie.
Guide price: £17.50 (three-course set menu)
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