London's Best Value Luxury Lunches: Michelin-starred and more…

After all the Christmas feasts and New Year's Eve blow-outs, your bank balance might be looking a bit sad this month but that doesn't mean you can't treat yourself to a slap-up meal or two. Set lunches have always been a good way of eating well without over-spending, but London's restaurants really upped their game in 2008 and started serving some seriously impressive midday menus.

 

We've compiled 20 of the best deals (with our favourites highlighted in italics) and we haven't listed anything over £35 per head, which is why Le Gavroche's infamous 3 courses for £48 lunch deal is missing. Admittedly once you've added on wine and service, none of these places are really 'cheap' but their set lunch deals are still the best way to try them out before committing to the a la carte.

 

1) Launceston Place (Kensington). The damage: 3 courses for £18.

Sample dishes: Spider crab risotto with garlic butter; venison casserole with parsnip mash; Cornish cream tea pudding.

Further reading: Launceston Place was very popular with London's food bloggers in 2008, so check out the great reviews and photos from Tamarind & Thyme and London Eater to get an idea of what to expect. For us, this was definitely the best lunch deal of the year and we hope it continues to impress in 2009.

 

2) L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Soho). The damage: 2 courses for £19, 3 courses for £25.

 

3) Arbutus (Soho). The damage: 3 courses for £15.50.

Sample dishes: Slow-cooked venison in red wine with gnocchi and pecorino; traditional bouillabaisse (Marseille style); bavette of Scottish beef with caramelised salsify and dauphinois potatoes.

 

4) Marcus Wareing (Knightsbridge). The damage: 3 courses for £35.

 

5) Galvin Bistrot de Luxe (Baker Street). The damage: 3 course prix fixe £15.50.

Further reading: This place beat Le Gavroche and L’Atelier and won French Restaurant of the Year at the London Restaurant Awards. Thring For Your Supper praised ‘its commitment to delicious, unrarefied French cooking’ and noted that ‘while undoubtedly De Luxe, it remains unquestionably a bistro’ – and that, dear foodies, is why we love it.

6) Apsleys (Hyde Park Corner). The damage: 3 courses for £24.

 

7) Umu (Mayfair). The damage: Set lunches starting at £21.

Note: Each menu includes a green salad or seasonal appetiser, followed by a choice of red or white miso, clear soup or hot somen noodles, and ends with fresh fruit or homemade ice-cream.

 

8) The Square (Mayfair). The damage: 2 course for £30, 3 for £35.

 

9) Foliage (Knightsbridge). The damage: 4 courses for £29.

Sample dishes: Langoustines with courgettes, fennel and lemon curd; John Dory with saffron and tomato; Calvados souffle with green apple iced parfait.

Further reading: Foliage is famous for its flavour combinations and beautifully presented dishes - take a look at the photos taken by A forkful of spaghetti and Not Quite Nigella.

 

10) Ristorante Semplice (West End). The damage: 2 courses for £16, 3 for £19.

 

11) Maze (Grosvenor Square). The damage: 4 courses for £28.50.

Sample dishes: Swede and truffle honey veloute with braised rabbit and cep brioche; pan-fried daurade royale with confit baby fennel, brown shrimp and lobster risotto; apple and caramel trifle with cider granite and apple cinnamon doughnut.

Note: maze Grill is even cheaper at £15 for two courses, £18 for 3.

 

12) The Grill at The Dorchester (Park Lane). The damage: 2 courses for £25, 3 for £27.50.

 

13) The Capital (Knightsbridge). The damage: 2 courses for £27.50, 3 for £33. 

 

14) York & Albany (Camden). The damage: 3 courses for £25.

Sample dishes: Chicory and pear salad with red wine vinaigrette and Parma ham; pan-fried cod in a mussel and saffron sauce; chocolate torte with fromage blanc sorbet.

Further reading: This notoriously hard to book restaurant was a hit with the critics in 2008 - even Giles Coren loved it. We enjoyed the set lunch menu before Christmas and would recommend a cocktail or two in the bar before heading back to the grit and grime of Camden Town.

 

15) Club Gascon (Smithfield). The damage: 3 courses for £28.

Sample dishes: Red mullet with golden quinoa, chorizo and saffron; smoked eel cassoulet; loin of venison with sweet artichoke crush; duck carpaccio with Autumn truffle.

Note: Cellar Gascon's set lunch is even cheaper at just £15.

 

16) Pied a Terre (Charlotte Street). The damage: 2 courses for £24.50.

 

17) Hibiscus (Soho). The damage: 3 courses for £25.

Further reading: Shropshire’s loss is London’s gain and this Soho eatery is still impressing local gourmets with its creative taste and texture combinations – all at bargain prices.

 

18) Quilon (Buckingham Gate). The damage: 3 courses for £20.

 

19) Le Café Anglais (Bayswater). The damage: 2 courses for £16.50, 3 for £19.50.

 

20) The Ledbury (Notting Hill). The damage: £19.50 for two courses, £24.50 for three.

 

So there you have it. Fine dining, Michelin stars and first class flavours – all for under £35 per head. If you have clients to impress or just want to treat someone special, a wallet-friendly luxury lunch is the way forward. If there are any we’ve missed, do let us know and be sure to write a review if you’ve tried any of these bargains yourself.