Shaftesbury Avenue eating recommendations.
Shaftesbury Avenue eating recommendations.
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Mr.Chips

Original Poster:

1,159 posts

231 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
Hi Guys,
Coming down to London early next week for our biannual theatre trip. Going to be watching Fawlty Towers at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue and we are looking for food recommendations. We want to be able to eat around 5.30pm, nowhere too fancy or massively expensive (OK, I know we will pay the London premium), Italian, Pizza or Mexican would be ideal.
All positive recommendations gratefully received. wavey

pidsy

8,466 posts

174 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
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Seven dials food hall?

Or Balan’s in Soho

vixen1700

26,501 posts

287 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
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The Vietnamese place, Pho & Bun in Shaftesbury Avenue is quite nice.

It's small and very popular, so worth booking:

https://phoandbun.com/smile

BlackTails

1,818 posts

72 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
You’re bang opposite Chinatown, so unless you have an aversion to Chinese food, pick anywhere in there (apart from Wong Kei).

vaud

55,703 posts

172 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
Dishoom is pretty good though I haven't tried the Covent Garden branch.

matrignano

4,665 posts

227 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
Itailan: Fadiga, Bocca di Lupo or Obica
Pizza: Pizza Pilgrims
Mexican: El Pastor

kevinon

1,979 posts

77 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
BlackTails said:
You’re bang opposite Chinatown, so unless you have an aversion to Chinese food, pick anywhere in there (apart from Wong Kei).
I have good news re Wong Kei. My Chinese friend convinced me to go there after a gap of 20 years, and the food is good. Her son, half Chinese, lives in Amsterdam loves it. I've been there a few times over the last few months. I give it my blessing too.

Service is actually friendly-adjacent, rather than the hostile schtick I remembered.
Still cash only.

Rough101

2,749 posts

92 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
kevinon said:
I have good news re Wong Kei. My Chinese friend convinced me to go there after a gap of 20 years, and the food is good. Her son, half Chinese, lives in Amsterdam loves it. I've been there a few times over the last few months. I give it my blessing too.

Service is actually friendly-adjacent, rather than the hostile schtick I remembered.
Still cash only.
Indeed, the service is friendly enough, but they are trying to churn people through, so it’s efficient and brisk, they won’t be fawning over you, ideal for pre-event meals as the meal itself is not the night out.

CHLEMCBC

823 posts

34 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
kevinon said:
BlackTails said:
You’re bang opposite Chinatown, so unless you have an aversion to Chinese food, pick anywhere in there (apart from Wong Kei).
I have good news re Wong Kei. My Chinese friend convinced me to go there after a gap of 20 years, and the food is good. Her son, half Chinese, lives in Amsterdam loves it. I've been there a few times over the last few months. I give it my blessing too.

Service is actually friendly-adjacent, rather than the hostile schtick I remembered.
Still cash only.
Food was always OK - at least in the early to mid-nineties...

kevinon

1,979 posts

77 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
If Indian sounds good, how about Masala Zone, right on Picadilly Circus. It's a mini-chain, but great food. Also, the room is beautiful, from 1873. But with tasteful Indian art. https://www.masalazone.com/locations/piccadilly-ci...


If French-ish brasserie makes sense, and want a pre-theatre value meal, (Prix Fixe / Formula) I'd recommend Brasserie Zedel just off Picadilly Circus. I make do with the 'deals' but I am not a powerfully build director type. It's a full-on foodie place too.

Again, big deal is the beautiful room. It was the Atlantic Bar & Grill 20 or more years ago. If anything it's now more beautiful and 'special'.

https://www.brasseriezedel.com

HTH

vaud

55,703 posts

172 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
kevinon said:
If French-ish brasserie makes sense, and want a pre-theatre value meal, (Prix Fixe / Formula) I'd recommend Brasserie Zedel just off Picadilly Circus. I make do with the 'deals' but I am not a powerfully build director type. It's a full-on foodie place too.

Again, big deal is the beautiful room. It was the Atlantic Bar & Grill 20 or more years ago. If anything it's now more beautiful and 'special'.

https://www.brasseriezedel.com

HTH
That looks good (sorry to hijack)

BlackTails

1,818 posts

72 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
CHLEMCBC said:
kevinon said:
BlackTails said:
You’re bang opposite Chinatown, so unless you have an aversion to Chinese food, pick anywhere in there (apart from Wong Kei).
I have good news re Wong Kei. My Chinese friend convinced me to go there after a gap of 20 years, and the food is good. Her son, half Chinese, lives in Amsterdam loves it. I've been there a few times over the last few months. I give it my blessing too.

Service is actually friendly-adjacent, rather than the hostile schtick I remembered.
Still cash only.
Food was always OK - at least in the early to mid-nineties...
I have three distinct memories from many years ago.

“Upstairs, upstairs!”

“What you want?”

Being served something that might have been a part of an intestine of a land mammal, or might have been part of a cephalopod. I really could not tell.


Cash only seems positively prehistoric.

mikef

5,768 posts

268 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
vaud said:
Dishoom is pretty good though I haven't tried the Covent Garden branch.
It's excellent. However, you are likely to have to wait for an hour beyond your reservation time, in my experience


Mr.Chips

Original Poster:

1,159 posts

231 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
Thanks for all the replies so far. I did notice that we would be near Chinatown, but sadly, SWMBO does not like Chinese food. frown

nikaiyo2

5,449 posts

212 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
https://speedboatbar.co.uk/

For the best Thai food this side of the Yaowarat Road?

omniflow

3,359 posts

168 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
quotequote all
nikaiyo2 said:
https://speedboatbar.co.uk/

For the best Thai food this side of the Yaowarat Road?
I just came on here to post exactly this. The food is fabulous. It's not expensive and it's also like nowhere else you'll ever have been in the UK.

You'll have no issues getting a table at 5:30, and it's on Rupert St, which is just off Shaftesbury Avenue.

The fermented pork fried rice is my favourite thing on the menu. The first time my Wife and I went there we ordered a portion to share, ate that and ordered a 2nd portion, ate that and ordered a 3rd.

The only thing that lets it down is the wine is pretty ropey. If you stick to beer, you'll be fine.

TwigtheWonderkid

46,831 posts

167 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
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Bistro 1 in Frith St.

Bonefish Blues

32,671 posts

240 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
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An absolute hoot. Great fun, our most enjoyable meal this year, we went after reading Grace Dent's review.

https://albertsschloss.com/location/london/

Mobile Chicane

21,599 posts

229 months

Thursday 12th September 2024
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Joe Allen.

Not for the food per se, but the fun atmosphere. Pre- and post-

Melman Giraffe

6,794 posts

235 months

Thursday 12th September 2024
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vaud said:
Dishoom is pretty good though I haven't tried the Covent Garden branch.
2nd Vote - its very good but you cant book a table