London’s Best Restaurants for a Business Lunch
Business lunches are an integral aspect of corporate networking, whether it is to discuss new ideas, meet prospective clients, or to welcome new members of staff to your company. Regardless if you are attending or hosting a business lunch, the location and choice of the restaurant can directly contribute to making the occasion one to remember.
Working in London means that you are already in an attractive location filled with many varieties of restaurants. London is renowned for being a melting pot of culture, which can easily be enjoyed and appreciated through the medium of food and dining. Whatever your budget or taste, Halkin has composed a guide to some of the best locations for business lunches in the city of London.
Our Top 10 Spots for Businesses Lunching in London
45 Jermyn St.
Restaurant
St James’s, London
Best for - tableside caviar.
Based in London’s favourite tailoring strip, 45 Jermyn St. is located in the heart of St James Street. Oysters and caviar top the menu, which are delivered by trolley and prepared tableside with accompanying scrambled eggs, blinis, and baked new potatoes.
45 Jermyn St. offers a beautiful menu consisting of game, fish, and attractive vegetarian options. If you are looking for a glamorous dining room clad with lacquered tables and red leather banquettes perfect for entertaining clients, this is your ideal spot.
Cabotte
Restaurant
St Pauls, London
Best for - French cuisine.
With a three-star wine list with over 1000 wines inspired by the Burgundy wine region, Cabotte is a prime location for business lunches with clients and peers alike. If you are lunching with someone who is particularly interested in fine ingredients and careful but sensible culinary - including monkfish, lamb, and sirloin steak - and immaculate service, Cabotte is the place to be.
Tandoor Chop House
Restaurant
Covent Garden, London
Best for - Tandoor-smoked small plates.
Tandoor Chop House offers a distinctive menu of common North Indian cuisine and classic British chop house fare. With prime cuts of meat combined with the distinguishable flavour of Indian spices and marinades, Tandoor Chop House caters to those looking for a beautiful meal, lively conversation, and a vibrant atmosphere.
If you are looking for somewhere a little less conventional to dine with your clients or peers, Tandoor Chop House is guaranteed to have seats and stools to cater to your every need.
Cecconi’s Pizza Bar
Restaurant
Old Compton St, London
Best for - classic Italian pizza.
Originally opened by Enzo Cecconi in 1978, Cecconi’s family-run pizzeria has been a proud member of the Soho House family since 2004. Full of Venetian-inspired classic Italian dishes, Cecconi’s Pizza Bar is in the heart of Soho, just a stones throw away from the Prince Edward Theatre for any after-dinner entertainment.
Clad with polished wood and tan leather, the atmosphere is both classy and comfortable. Cecconi’s presents a menu ranging from traditional Italian frittis for starters and ravioli and wood-fired pizzas for mains, to tiramisu and gelato for dessert. This place truly is perfect for a more laid-back business lunch.
Wright Brothers
Restaurant
South Kensignton, London
Best for - fresh seafood.
With a passion for oysters, the Wright Brothers run four London seafood restaurants and also own their own oyster farm to help them source everything they serve. If you are looking to woo a client with a particular interest in seafood, you cannot go wrong with daily fresh fish from the owners themselves.
From shellfish platters and oysters, crab, and lobster to soups, salads, and grilled rabbit, the options are endless and perfect for any seafood lover. Wright Brothers cater to all palates with their flair of Asian influence in their sauces and the inclusion of dishes such as pork belly, duck, and steak. This cosy and intimate restaurant is perfect for any business lunch just a short walk from the South Kensington Underground station.
The Britannia
Pub/Restaurant
Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, London
Best for - real ale and British classics.
Nestled just off Kensington’s busy high street, The Britannia takes residence at No.1 Allen Street in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. Aiming to showcase Britain’s classics, The Britannia offer a generous menu of fish and chips, rump steak, pie, mash and gravy, and more. Not to mention their proud wine list and selection of real ales which can all be enjoyed in their beautifully classic dining room or on their intimate terrace.
Whether you have clients visiting from abroad who would love to experience traditional British food or if you are organising a workplace lunch suitable for everybody’s taste, The Britannia provides hearty classics that are guaranteed to leave you feeling full and accomplished.
The Understudy
Lounge Bar
South Bank, London
Best for - craft beer, wines, and spirits.
Tucked into a corner of the National Theatre, The Understudy provides a large riverside seating area overlooking the South Bank Riverside Walkway for you to enjoy your time in the sun or a cosy bar area for preferred indoor dining.
Perfect for a more relaxed environment, The Understudy offers a sample food menu ranging from homemade Scoth quail eggs to meat sliders and portobello mushroom alternatives for a vegetarian option. There is also a nostalgic retro snacks menu, including savoury favourites and pick ‘n’ mix if you are looking to graze for a “quick bite while talking” strategy. This spot is a perfect location to bring some fun to a business lunch or to hang out with your colleagues.
Salt Yard
Restaurant
Brendon St, London
Best for - tapas and small plates.
Salt Yard is a charcuterie bar and restaurant serving small plates which incorporate the best of Italy and Spain all under one roof. Just a short walk from Goodge Street and Oxford Circus, Salt Yard is the perfect spot if you are looking to explore the city with clients or peers. With a menu full of options such as cheese, charcuterie, fish, meat, and vegetables, Salt Yard caters to all diners – vegans and vegetarians included.
Always evolving while staying close to their roots, Salt Yard offers a beautiful dining experience with exposed brick walls and green velvet upholstery fit for work lunches, celebrations, or simply a lovely glass of something bubbly at the bar.
Bun House
Cafe
Chinatown, London
Best for - walk-in quick bites.
Located in the heart of Chinatown, just a few moments from Trafalgar Square, Bun House is a Cantonese-style cafe that offers an assortment of fluffy and playful Cantose small plates. With a range of bao buns, noodles, and wings and a traditionally decorated dining area, Bun House takes the art of Cantonese cuisine to another level.
Available to eat in or take away, your small plates can be enjoyed while discussing business throughout the beautiful lanes of Chinatown and even while snapping a photo of your stamped, steamed buns in front of the bespoke adorned lanterns.
Angler
Restaurant
Moorgate, London
Best for - fine dining.
Located on the seventh floor of the South Palace Hotel with immaculate views of the surrounding sights of London, Angler is a beautifully serene restaurant with pristine white tablecloths and immaculate flower arrangements. If you are looking for a Michelin-starred spot to charm any client, Angler is your ideal place to lunch.
Both à la carte and tasting menus are complete with seabass, hand-picked crab, turbot, and cod with the additional choices of lamb and chicken, complemented by extensive bottled wine lists, led by the Sommelier, Francesco Tessa. For those looking for somewhere that’s bound to impress any client, Angler offers one of the highest quality meals in Moorgate.
Working in London with Halkin
If the idea of dining in London is too good an opportunity to miss out on, our London offices provide you with the perfect excuse to take your work outside and inside the vibrant walls of London’s best eateries. With office spaces available to rent throughout London, Halkin provides you with offices available to rent in prime locations for some of London’s best business lunch spots.
Whether you are looking for meeting rooms, a managed office, or a serviced working space, Halkin has a range of locations for you to choose from. If you are looking for a working space with no fixed contracts and affordable luxury perfect for all kinds of businesses, Halkin offer plenty of options. Get in touch with a member of the team today or browse through our services to find a location and solution that fits you.