Sometimes, if you’re lucky enough to bag a reservation at one of the country’s – in fact the world’s – top restaurants, then anything less than the full experience – tasting menu, wine flight and all the supplements – seems somehow wasteful. We want the welcome glass of bubbles. We want the amuse bouche cornetto. We want the bread and house-whipped butter. Yes, we will spend even more money on that extra course, thank you for offering. We want at least two desserts. Throw in a round of cheese please! Sweet wine? Yes. Espresso? Definitely. Sure, you might find yourself reaching for your phone (oi garcon, what’s the wifi password?), in need of a £500 loan but sometimes, you can’t put a price on experiences, especially ones involving great food and wine.
For the times when the coffers aren’t full to bursting but you still want top-level food in top-level surrounds, there is another way. One which doesn’t involve dicing with financial ruin. We’ve eaten our way around London’s top restaurants in search of the the finest tasting menus and their cheaper equivalents. So, without further ado, here are our 5 IDEAL London tasting menus and how to enjoy them for less.
ANGLO
Anglo, a newish addition to Farringdon’s fantastic dining scene, is billed modestly as a Modern British dining room, but hidden among the humble is cooking of the highest order. Menu descriptions are brief and give little away, but the plates are artfully presented, intricate and full of both punch and elegance in equal measure.
The Full Tasting Menu on a Friday or Saturday evening will set you back £60, which in the scheme of ‘London prices’ and considering the quality of the food here, isn’t bad at all. But, if you were to dine with Anglo at lunchtime, prices get very manageable indeed, with 3 courses clocking in at £27.50. That, my friends, is a snip.
Address: 30 St Cross St, London EC1N 8UH
Website: anglorestaurant.com
POLLEN STREET SOCIAL
Jason Atherton’s fingerprints are all over the capital’s dining scene and beyond (as far beyond as Hong Kong, in fact). London is very grateful indeed, which each new incarnation offering individuality and the chef’s unwavering commitment to the highest quality cooking. Pollen Street Social, in Mayfair, is still without doubt the Mothership. This is a place for special occasions, make no mistake, with prices to match; the tasting menu here will set you back £98, and if you add the iconic wine flight at £249 you may well be reaching for that loan to foot the bill.
There is a way to experience this class, sophistication and precision cooking though, without declaring yourself bankrupt. Listen up; a starter, main and dessert at lunch will cost you just £37. That’s insane, all things considered.
Address: 8-10 Pollen St, Mayfair, London W1S 1NQ
Website: pollenstreetsocial.com
THE LEDBURY
Named the U.K’s best restaurant so many times, The Ledbury doesn’t need to bother with social media and the like. It’s so good it pays no lip service to the usual marketing tools, and this just adds to its mystique. It’s a neighbourhood restaurant at heart, just one cooking some of the best food in the world. Brett Graham, the hugely respected head chef, has a particular way with game and you’ll always find it on the tasting menu when in season. £145 is the damage your wallet will receive should you opt for the full experience, but if you’re happy with a set lunch (and don’t worry, there is no such thing as a duff course at The Ledbury), then £75 is a more accountant-friendly proposition.
Address: 127 Ledbury Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 2AQ
Website: www.theledbury.com
CLOVE CLUB
Clove Club, in the heart of Shoreditch, is one of the hottest restaurant tickets in the world right now. Named 26th in the World’s 50 Best list, and annually climbing, the cooking here is inventive and eye-opening, with a laid-back, super cool atmosphere completely in tune with its hipster surroundings. If you go for the full tasting menu you’ll have to pay £110, in advance, for the privilege. A lot, huh?
The good news is, there are other options on the table here, and it’s this inclusivity that makes us love the place so much. If you fancy a slightly shorter tasting menu, you’ll pay £75. Even better value is this though; drop in at the bar, which is actively encouraged, have a couple of beers and order from the bar menu. Some of their most famous and delicious offerings are available in this format; the rightly revered buttermilk chicken with pine salt, their flame grilled mackerel; and some damn delectable haggis balls amongst others.
Address: Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old St, London EC1V 9LT
Website: thecloveclub.com
A. WONG
Recently awarded a richly deserved Michelin star, A. Wong offers amazing Chinese cuisine whose influences span the country, paying homage to its traditions while injecting a real sense of fun and theatre into proceedings. We would dine here for the sea urchin udon alone, such is its depth and complexity. If you’re after the full A. Wong experience, billed as the Taste of China, it’s going to cost you £65 for ten courses. Well worth it, trust us, but if you’re on a budget, drop in at lunch for the fantastic dim sum, some of which goes for only a couple of quid. Bargain!
Address: 70 Wilton Rd, Pimlico, London SW1V 1DE
Website: awong.co.uk
