Decent Restaurant in Covent Garden...

[Rags]

....Taking a lady friend out in Covent Garden on Tuesday for a dinner date.

Ideally want to go for some Italian Cuisine but am open to suggestions of other good restaurants....but they have to be in Covent Garden or in the vicinity.

Look forward to your suggestions.

[Johnny]

Livebait.

[snotsnfarts]

Well you want to impress, then this http://www.rules.co.uk/

[V8mate]

'Fun' rather than 'intimate', Belgo is great!


ETA:

50 Earlham Street
Covent Garden
London
WC2H 9LJ

Tel.[phone]

http://www.belgo-restaurants.co.uk/locations

Edited by V8mate on Monday 23 February 06:59

[sjg]

Da Mario on Endell Street. Have been there a few times, always been excellent.

http://www.londoneats.com/search/complete.asp?Rest...

[SubRosa]

I can highly reccomend either Ruls as above, top food and service or Chez Gerrard ( http://www.coventgardenlife.com/places.asp?PlaceID... ) actually in the Market place itself.

[ahdguy]

Can only comment on the ones have been to,
Funky european (not too pricey) - Navajo Joe
Cheap and light, pizza -Fire and stone on Maiden lane (has Jewel bar and a tequila bar next door)
Fairly intimate/romantic/not too pricey (and good food) - Palm Court Brasserie
On the plaza - cramped and exspensive for what you get - Tuttons (above Dirty Martini)
Hell hole/Good fun /American Dinner with live music later - Road house

Worth checking out toptable or squaremeal for reviews.

Forgot to mention Belgos is good for food, but primarily a large underground beer based restaurant...

Edited by ahdguy on Monday 23 February 07:36

[V8mate]

Seeing a couple of recommendations for Rules, above.

Whilst the food is certainly well prepared, I can't see any appeal unless you are:

a) An American tourist, or

b) A 50+ year old ex-public schoolboy who still misses school dinners and Matron.


No way would I take a 'date' there.

[stefd]

I concur with Belgos; great fun, good food and atmosphere. Along the same lines is Cafe Pacifico (mexican) with great food and atmosphere or Wahaca if you don't mind queing.

If you're feeling really flush and can book a table try Clos Maggiore.

[Rags]

Thank you very much for the suggestions.

I think some of them are possibly a little too crowded for a date but keep them coming.

There appeared to be a good few decent restaurants near where the 'Porter House' is, can't for the life of me remember what they are!?

[Trommel]

Some of the suggestions above might make it the first and last date. Have a look at Clos Maggiore, J Sheekey, Christopher's, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon etc. - there are quite a few better options around.

[Gargamel]

Another vote for Maggiores - one of the most romantic restaurants in London

Great food - Italian ish, but pretty general, around £40 - 50 per head unless you go mad with the wine lst, (which is excellent)

If you really want to push the boat out - l'Oranger in St James is 1st class but formal and expensive

Rules is trad english game restaurant, unless you date really likes eating rabbits/pheasants etc - its not specially romantic

[OJ]

Rules is good, nice food, decent service and not as stuck up as it used to be. Not sure it's got a 'date atmosphere' though

[nogginthenog]

this place is good, although I haven't been for years :

http://www.cafedesamis.co.uk/

despite being in Cov Garden, it seems to escape the attention of most tourists ( it's up a small side-alley ) .

I would go to Belgo's though - great value considering the quality & location.

[Neil_H]

Discussed a few days ago

http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Trommel]

Gargamel said:

If you really want to push the boat out - l'Oranger in St James is 1st class but formal and expensive

Went last year, had been on the list for a while - very disappointing, an opinion shared by everyone at the table. I can only assume it was a bad night for the chef. Bit of a hike from Covent Garden too ...

[Asterix]

The Ivy - being serious.

I have been there a few times now and just walked in and got a table for two with a ten min wait at the bar each time.

I accept that sometimes it might not work as they will be choka but not had a problem so far.

[dan101smith]

Ignore L'Oranger, not worth the money.

See if you can get a table in the conservatory in Clos Maggiores - very nice there.

Or there's always TGI Friday.

[maximm]

snotsnfarts said:

Well you want to impress, then this http://www.rules.co.uk/

agreed. one of best restaurants in London IMO....

[deckster]

Been to Sarastro a few times http://www.sarastro-restaurant.com/ - bottom of Drury Lane. Decent food and a quite incredible interior, sort of over-the-top faux-opera house decor. And the murals in the bogs are...well...eye-opening. There should definitely be an age restriction on the doors anyway

Lots of little 'boxes' tucked out of the way so pretty good for a couple I'd reckon.