Those hungry hankerings are rattling and you're dashing about the city looking for something with which to quell them. Heralded for our dining spots, it's no wonder that London is such a playground of palate pleasers once the clock strikes lunch. Whether you fancy ploughing through a pub lunch, taking to a dash of Deep South dining or need one serious city-style sandwich, there's something for everyone. And don't forget folks, hangry is a Dictionary classified word, and we're simply not willing to let you get there.
Last updated on 13th September 2019
With large plates, small plates, antipasti and sharing boards, this Hackney restaurant is one of London's top lunch spots. Stop in for a quick bite from the deli, or settle in for a long one, this friendly local restaurant is a delightful hangout.
St Bart's lays on a choice of homemade burgers, classic British mains and renowned flatbread spreads from its Smithfield base. The focus falls on the best British ingredients they can lay their hands on, with meat coming from the nearby market and a whole host of artisan wines and Meantime Brewery beers to wash it all down with.
Based in the heart of Britain's political scene, the Loose Box offers guests a refreshing lunch menu composed of delicious British dishes. With each ingredient having been sourced from a local farm, visitors to this characterful restaurant can rest assured that each meal has the smallest carbon footprint it possibly can. With a handful of sharing platters and a number of seasonal specials, this refreshing Westminster restaurant is sure to become a favourite amongst the area's busy working people.
The Jugged Hare is an excellent British gastro pub in London. With an open kitchen where you can watch the team prepare and serve their delicious food from a state-of-the art eight-spit rotisserie and a charcoal grill, it is perfect for lunch or dinner. This gastro pub is a celebration of good food and wine and much more than just your local pub. The taxidermy-based décor of The Jugged Hare will warmly welcome you with a twist of eccentricity, much to our delight.
Express lunch menu. 1 big plate £8 | 2 courses £10 | 3 courses £12 and 2 other offers
Whether you're taking a midday breather at their Shoreditch venue or entertaining at their original Soho site, Andina offers some of the finest Peruvian cuisine in the capital, perfect for jazzing up a dull desk sandwich, or stopping off during a day around town.
If steak is your thing, you're going to love this restaurant. From Chelsea to the City, Marco Pierre White and James Ogilvie Robertson are serving up some of the best cuts in the business, with swanky surroundings to match.
Based in West India Quay, The Sipping Room is a welcoming bar and restaurant that serves both seasonal dishes and inventive cocktails. Open early in the morning and shutting up shop close to midnight each day, the venue caters for your every need. Head down at lunch and enjoy a delicious menu of seasonal classics and comfort food treats.
The White Swan is a lovely gastro pub on Fetter Lane. With a traditional bar area and upstairs dining room it is a large space catering to any group, any time of the day. The British pub fare is hearty and delicious and served in the perfect atmosphere for a break from work or a day off. Stop by before 1pm to get the express lunch deal of two courses for just £14.50.
Looking for a fresh and stylish place to drop in to for lunch time in the city? Balls Brothers Austin Friars offers all that and more, serving up seasonal dishes cooked from scratch just along from Liverpool Street. Menus change daily and food comes prepared in a theatrical open plan kitchen, and there's a superb array of cocktails, wines and beers if you were looking to make it a boozy lunch.
Do it Deep South, and do it right. A must-try destination in the heart of Shoreditch, there's a naughty dash of New Orleans at Blues Kitchen that East London is finding hard to resist. Whether you're being bold with a bowl of brisket, gunning down a crab burger or ploughing through a piled high-patties, lunch at Blues Kitchen is a lie down and undo your buttons kind of affair.
More than just a popular after work drink spot, Corney and Barrow New Street Square serves up delicious modern British dishes all day. With a comfortable interior, outdoor seating and green surroundings it is a comfortable spot for enjoying a nice relaxing lunch. The extensive drinks menu is the perfect compliment to your meal, as long as you don't get back to work slurring your words!
Bababoom delivers on big Middle Eastern flavours made from quality British produce, making it the ideal place for lunch in London. From Persian flatbreads topped with chargrilled meat to healthy, vegetable and falafel-packed lunchboxes, your midday meal is sorted here or at their great Islington location.
The Refinery utilises fresh and seasonal ingredients to great effect from its rustic base in Fitzrovia. Variety is a huge strength too; there's always something to tuck into whether you're after a seasonal salad, 10oz t-bone steak, whole Scottish lobster or one of their signature flatbreads. The liquid menu features interesting cocktails and 40 wines available by the glass.
The perfect venue for a midday meal needs to have a bright interior for the perfect lunch mood. Coin Laundry is filled with natural lighting and a menu to complement it. The restaurant and bar has lunch options to please any taste buds, and an even tastier craft cocktail menu.
Found just moments away from Primrose Hill, The Queen's is a beautiful and characterful pub that's great for lunchtime if you're in the Camden area. The menu is comprised of fresh and seasonal mains made from scratch, or there's a choice of sandwiches and lighter, more healthy options if you'd prefer to keep it light. Gather around the fire if you're visiting during the winter or head up to dine on the terrace if the sun's out!
Enjoy 2 or 3 courses from our dedicated Scandi menu and 1 other offer
Enjoy a canal-side brunch at KuPP - a beautiful, Scandinavian-inspired eatery in Paddington. Gorge on a plethora of mouth-watering seasonal dishes that deliver the best of British cuisine... with a Scandinavian twist. Everything here is utterly delish, but our pick of the bunch has to be the 'Breakfast Bord' - a fusion of Scandinavian salmon and cheeses alongside Sussex smoked ham.
Available Monday to Friday until 3pm, lunch at Roka is a must if you're working in the Canary Wharf area. Leave the desk sandwich in the communal fridge and get your chops into some of the best Japanese small plates in town.
Fancy chomping on the colourful Mexican street food of Wahaca whilst swinging in their cool hanging chairs? Of course you do. The Wahaca in Soho is a top shout for lunch in London where you can tuck into a small but mighty feast of sharing plates, going as big or as casual as you like. Nibbles, followed by cocktails makes for good socialising.
The toastie specialists at Morty & Bob's have teamed up with Night Tales, creating a cafe-cum-bar called NT's in Hackney. The venue serves as a laid back cafe by day, but completely transforms itself after dark, when the DJs, live music and master mixologists behind the bar dial things up a bit. Head down at lunchtime and eat your way through the venue's incredible selection of cheese-heavy toasties.
The Botanist brings a suave and trendy lunchtime option to the Broadgate Circle foodie hub. Postpone the trials and tribulations of city life and relax in this intimate spot instead; The Botanist is a sophisticated restaurant featuring funky tables, marbled pillars and cosy booth seating. Settle in for a lunch break featuring the finest British and European cuisine, with signature cocktail serves to be enjoyed in the Soda Room lounge downstairs.
A firm all-rounder when it comes to an affordable lunch in London, the Somers Town Coffee House boasts dining notoriety thanks to a roster of themed rooms delicious plates, a hidden garden and craft beer aplenty.
With a buzzing lunch atmosphere, Jamies St Mary at Hill serves up a charming array of British dishes where their infamous sandwich (Jamies Special - Chicken Fillet, Bacon and Melted Cheese on Ciabatta) is a favourite for lunch in London. There's sharing platters, big plates and burgers to wrap your chops around at this casual London restaurant.
28 West serves up classic Americana treats with a modern twist on the banks of the Canary riverfront. The menu's depth makes it suitable for a quick bite, but we'd tip coming in to sample their 'bun and bones' selection. Chicken burgers, steaks, lobsters and ribs steal the show, and there's a delightful choice of continental craft beers and experimental cocktails for good measure.
Beefeater Gin Masterclass - 24th September 2019 and 1 other offer
Stretching across 5 impressive floors, this vintage Georgian town house is an excellent choice for chilled out get togethers with your mates and a classy lunch with clients. Head to the gorgeous first floor restaurant and pick something from the a la carte menu, with drinks on the suntrap roof terrace to look forward to in the warmer months.
At first sight this handily situated St Pauls cafe seems like a delightful yet fairly straight laced sort'a place. Look a little closer though, and you'll be rewarded with all sorts of weird and wonderful sights! Star Wars figures on the blackboards and fun Scrabble-esque reserved plaques really give this cute place some distinctive pizzazz.
While walking around Soho, you might find yourself slipping into Roses Thai Café for a lunch packed with Asian delights. Offering authentic Asian cuisine, including everything from classic spices to vegetarian curries, and Asian inspired cocktails, this might be your favourite little Thai hideaway.
The Barge House is all about food, drinks, music and good times by Regent's Canal. Menus are packed with soul-satisfying options that change according to the seasons, with craft beers, carefully selected wines, spirits and amazing cocktails on the cards should you fancy dabbling in a couple of cheeky drinks.
This sophisticated restaurant bar on Liverpool Street is comfortable and smart. Open all day, the kitchen serves up a delicious lunch from their modern European menu. Whether it's impressing a client, taking a break from a hectic work day or just your day off, this is a relaxing spot to grab some food. The outdoor atrium and terrace make for the perfect alfresco dining spots when the weather is nice.
Head down to fire and stone, whether you are in a large or regular group, and you can have some delicious pizzas. Just a stone's throw from Covent Garden's theatres, they have an impressive menu, including pizzas from cities all over the world: from Casablanca to Mumbai.
This quintessentially British restaurant is great for a midday pit stop as they serve a seasonal mix of easy plates. There's something for everyone, with lighter plates including a delicious salmon salad, or if you're feeling famished, try one of their steaks.
Looking for a top pub this lunchtime in London? Hark on down to Battersea and enjoy your lunch with a gastro twist as this South London favourite promises guests a true British dose of dining in a comfortable, charming and welcoming enviroment.
Smollensky's is the first port of call for any East Londoners living in Canary Wharf or those looking for an affordable place to dine in London where you can tuck into a menu of Modern American cuisine. Lap up the contemporary atmosphere and seek out this fab place to have lunch in London promising a lively atmosphere and lovely nosh.