Heading to a West End show is exciting enough. The last thing you need is a panic jog down Shaftesbury Avenue because dinner ran late. Luckily, London’s theatre neighbourhood is packed with places that know the drill: feed you well, feed you fast and send you off before the curtain rises. Below is a down-to-earth guide (written for a bright teenager but handy for anyone) covering easy tips and tried-and-tested restaurants within a short walk of the busiest theatres.
Quick Tips So You Don’t Miss the Overture
- Book ahead. Even a cheap pizzeria can have a queue at six o’clock. Reserve a table online, then add a note that you’ve got theatre tickets. Staff will keep an eye on the clock for you.
- Aim to leave half an hour spare. Most shows start at 7.30 pm. If you wrap up dinner by 7 pm you’ll stroll in, not sprint.
- Use the set menus. Loads of places run two-course and three-course “pre-theatre” deals up to about 6.30 pm. The price is clear, the kitchen is primed to be quick and you know exactly when plates will land.
- Stay nearby. Covent Garden, Soho, Leicester Square and the Strand hold most of the big theatres. Stick to a five-minute radius and you can relax through dessert.
- Speak up. Tell your server the show time when you sit down. They’ll pace each course and give you a friendly nudge if you’re cutting it fine.
1. Covent Garden and the Strand (For the Royal Opera House, Lyceum, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Adelphi and more)
- Joe Allen. Locals call this American-style brasserie “the actors’ canteen”. Inside you’ll spot glossy show posters and maybe the odd chorus member grabbing a burger. Big booths, steak-frites and a solid two-course bargain make it perfect for groups. Two minutes to the Strand theatres, five to Covent Garden.
- Balthazar. Fancy French vibes without stuffy rules. Red leather seats, bread baskets that arrive fast and a pre-theatre menu around the £30 mark. It’s steps from Drury Lane and the Lyceum, so you’ll be in your seat in under five.
- Punjab. The UK’s oldest Punjabi restaurant has been cooking since 1946. Expect creamy butter chicken, smoky tandoori lamb and a bill that won’t bankrupt you. Service is slick and warm. You’ll roll out full and happy with at least twenty minutes to spare.
- Cora Pearl. The chic younger sister of Kitty Fisher’s serves posh comfort food: ham-and-cheese toasties with truffle, crisp shoestring fries and sticky desserts. The team note your curtain time, then text you when it’s time to leave. Stress-free and delicious.
2. Soho and Shaftesbury Avenue (For the Sondheim, Palace, Prince Edward, Gielgud, Apollo and others)
- Singapulah. Right opposite the Sondheim Theatre, this bright, casual spot dishes up spicy laksa, satay skewers and fried carrot cake (it’s savoury, not a pudding). Dishes arrive quick; two can share a few plates and be out the door in forty minutes.
- Brasserie Zédel. Hidden beneath Piccadilly Circus, Zédel feels like a 1920s Parisian ballroom but charges high-street prices. The fixed menu (soup, steak hache, pud) sits under £20 and lands fast. Ideal if you want a proper sit-down meal without wallet pain.
- Hobson’s Fish & Chip. Sometimes only battered cod will do. Hobson’s has two West End outlets and both churn out hot plates within minutes. Eat-in if there’s space or grab a box and find a bench. Either way, vinegar up, munch and go.
- Café Boheme. A cosy French café on Old Compton Street that’s calmer than the pubs next door. Order soup, steak-frites or a croque monsieur plus a quick coffee, then wander five minutes to most Soho theatres. Staff won’t hover yet everything moves at a nice clip.
(Extra tip: Soho is full of walk-in spots like ramen bars and tapas counters. If they don’t take bookings, show up early. Queues grow fast after six.)
3.Chinatown Nibbles When Time Is Tight
- Need food in ten minutes flat? Swing by Baozilnn, Beijing Dumpling or Golden Dragon for steaming baskets, rice bowls and bubble tea. Everything is cooked fast, bills are small and you’ll be back on Shaftesbury Avenue before the adverts finish rolling in the foyer.
4. Victoria (For Hamilton at the Victoria Palace and Wicked at the Apollo Victoria)
- Sticks’n’Sushi. Slick, Scandi-styled and packed with choice. Mix maki rolls with chicken yakitori and edamame. Because the kitchen cooks sushi first and grills second, you’ll start eating almost straight away. Five minutes’ walk to both theatres.
- Casa do Frango. Flame-licked Portuguese piri-piri chicken, crisp fries and zingy salads. Think Nando’s older, cooler cousin. Food comes fast, sharing works well and the bill is friendly. Great for groups who want hearty plates without waiting ages.
- The Ivy Victoria Brasserie. Polished but welcoming. You can wear jeans, order the famous shepherd’s pie and still leave in a good time. The staff are pros at guiding theatre diners through two courses in an hour. Bookings recommended.
(Around Victoria Station you’ll also find Leon, Franco Manca and Pret if plans change and you need a super-quick bite.)
5. Leicester Square and Piccadilly (For the Prince of Wales, Criterion, Harold Pinter and Haymarket Theatres)
- Dishoom Carnaby. Not exactly on the square but close enough, and worth the five-minute detour for smoky black daal and soft naan. The café’s “fast track” breakfast experience turns into an efficient early dinner service too. Go before 6 pm to dodge the queue.
- Pizza Pilgrims. Proper Neapolitan pizzas that cook in 90 seconds. Order, eat, pay and you’re out in half an hour. Grab a Nutella ring for pudding if you have time.
- Tibits. A plant-based buffet priced by weight. Perfect for vegetarians, quick for everyone. Pile up what you fancy, pay at the till and be off.
Five Smart Ways to Beat the Dinner Rush
- Go to an early matinee, eat late lunch. For a Saturday show at 2.30 pm, grab lunch at noon and relax. No crowds, no panic.
- Use apps for queue-jumping. Places like Dishoom run online waitlists. Add your name while still on the Tube, then turn up when your table’s ready.
- Order the bill with dessert. Saves waiting ten minutes to pay when you really should be dashing.
- Skip coffee now, sip later. Most theatres sit next to cafés or pubs that stay open late. Have your latte after the bows.
- Pack a snack. A flapjack in your bag covers you if trains run late and dinner turns into a speedy sandwich. Just unwrap quietly once seated—nobody likes rustling during the overture.
What About Post-Show Suppers?
If you prefer to eat after the performance, look for kitchens that stay open until at least 11 pm. Bar Italia in Soho serves coffee all night, Hawksmoor Seven Dials runs a late steak menu and many Chinatown spots fry noodles well past midnight. Crowds thin, staff chill out and you can relive the best songs over pudding.