Shaftesbury Avenue eating recommendations.

Shaftesbury Avenue eating recommendations.

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Mr.Chips

Original Poster:

1,055 posts

224 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

8,276 posts

167 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
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Seven dials food hall?

Or Balan’s in Soho

vixen1700

24,899 posts

280 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

926 posts

65 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

52,955 posts

165 months

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

matrignano

4,625 posts

220 months

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

kevinon

1,229 posts

70 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

2,403 posts

85 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

472 posts

27 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

1,229 posts

70 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

52,955 posts

165 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

926 posts

65 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

5,380 posts

261 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:

1,055 posts

224 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

5,114 posts

205 months

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

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

omniflow

2,965 posts

161 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

45,106 posts

160 months

Wednesday 11th September 2024
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Bistro 1 in Frith St.

Bonefish Blues

30,097 posts

233 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

21,394 posts

222 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

228 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