The best lunch in Central London

If you're in Central London and need lunch that feels healthy and delicious, Sagar in Covent Garden is a solid option. It does proper South Indian vegetarian food, such as crisp dosas, soft idlis, and rich, coconutty curries, fast, fresh, and without any fuss. It's calm enough to escape the lunch rush, yet quick enough to fit in.

Taking its name from a 19th‑century courtesan, Cora Pearl serves seasonal British comfort food daily, with Sundays dedicated to hearty roast dinners. Its elegant green-toned interior provides the backdrop for classics reinvented with top-quality produce and refined European techniques. Lunch dishes might include a charred pork chop with spring green slaw and burnt apple or steak tartare paired with shoestring fries and pecorino.

Set within a grand space evoking the elegant five-star hotels of Italy's capital, Agrodolce serves traditional Roman cuisine at friendly prices – pastas, pinsas, steaks, and so on. It also offers a very attractively priced set lunch. The light version includes a starter, a salad, and an espresso, while the classic Roman version comes with starter, main, side, and espresso.

Set in the heart of Covent Garden, Gilgamesh is a grand and spacious restaurant, its striking design influenced by the "Epic of Gilgamesh." The pan‑Asian menu spans flavours from across Asia, featuring everything from delicate sushi rolls and fragrant curries to expertly grilled meats. For a great-value option, the express set lunch serves three courses with choices such as prawn and chive dumplings, miso‑glazed aubergine, or rich beef rendang with roti.

27 Old Compton Street takes its cue from Italy's tavola calda tradition – serving honest, high-quality food without the wait. It's exactly the kind of place you'll want to slip into for a satisfying lunch, with hearty pastas dressed in classic sauces like cacio e pepe or amatriciana. The wood-panelled walls, retro artwork, and leather booths invite you to linger, though the team is just as ready to send you happily on your way with a swift, delicious meal.

With its ornate ceiling, sculptural lighting and breezy, laid-back vibe, Osteria by Bocconcino brings a touch of coastal Italy to Central London. The set lunch menu offers two or three-course options, featuring a range of dishes plucked straight from the kitchens of traditional Italian taverns. Round your lunch off with a well-crafted cocktail for a midday escape that feels miles from the city.

Despite being the newer sibling of veteran Soho establishment 40 Dean Street, 64 Old Compton Street is just as dependable, thanks to the same family at the helm and a menu filled with Italian staples – from antipasti and fresh pasta to pizzas. With wallet-friendly prices, it's a handy spot for a laidback lunch in Central London, while the dark-blue, Studio 54-inspired interiors create a buzzy yet welcoming backdrop.

Enjoy traditional British cooking with a refined twist at Kerridge's Bar & Grill, where the surroundings are as thoughtfully composed as the dishes thanks to a dedicated collection of commissioned art. There's a two- or three-course menu available for both lunch and dinner, plus an express lunch during the week that includes a drink and won't break the bank.

Step into Brasserie Zédel and you're transported to 1930s Paris, thanks to its glamorous Art Deco design and classic French cooking. Grab something quick from the café or enjoy a more substantial lunch with their express lunch menu. You'll also find a well-curated list of French wines and aperitifs to sip on.

Gymkhana, a double Michelin-starred restaurant in Mayfair, channels the sophistication of India's historic private clubs. The venue comprises several luxurious spaces and serves northern Indian fare with a gourmet touch. Despite the otherwise pricey menus, Gymkhana is one of the best restaurants for lunch in Central London thanks to its lunchtime selection of indulgent, shareable plates at an accessible price – think chicken tikka and Goan-style prawn curry among the highlights.

Soho institution L'Escargot is a timeless bastion of escargots, foie gras, pommes Dauphinoise, and other classic French specialities. During lunchtime, you can sample the wares at this historic Central London restaurant by opting for the prix fixe menu. You can choose between two or three courses of of things like goat's cheese tartine, moules-frites, and chocolate mousse.

Paul Rothe & Son has been keeping the Central London lunch crowds content since 1900. Behind the iconic exterior of this family-run delicatessen, you'll find freshly-prepared sandwiches with a choice of no-fuss fillings, two soups of the day, and oven-baked jacket spuds. It's a no-frills, affordable classic.

There are several Barrafina restaurants in Central London, all inspired by Spain's beloved tapas bars. These places are a convenient choice for a pick-and-choose lunch, with lots of different dishes showcasing the diverse flavours of Spanish cuisine. Daily specials at each location keep things fresh, and the restaurants are stylish and serious about their business – the original Dean Street location even held a Michelin star for over ten years.

Fallow is one of the hottest restaurants in Central London, with its “conscious gastronomy” approach redefining expectations regarding contemporary British cooking and their massive YouTube channel providing unvarnished behind-the-scenes insight. Sit inside or out and enjoy a seasonal, three-course set lunch menu with options like British octopus crumpet, Bavette steak, or hen of the wood burger. 

The national dish of Egypt is koshari, a filling and nutritious mix of passa, rice, and lentils in tomato sauce. Conveniently, this makes for a great lunch, especially if you're on the go. At Koshari Street's Central London outposts, you can get this satisfying dish with a variety of toppings, ranging from fully vegan to chicken or lamb, with wraps and sharing platters available as well.

Admittedly, lunch at a wine bar has a way of getting out of hand, but if you're prepared to risk having to take the rest of the day off, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better choice for a bit of lunchtime wining and dining in Central London than Noble Rot. This perennially popular, pioneering wine bar group offers a daily set lunch menu at its branches, with two or three courses of tasty European small plates accompanied by some of finest vintages around.

One of the most sophisticated Chinese restaurants in Central London, Hakkasan serves a contemporary take on classic Cantonese cuisine in elegant surroundings. In addition to à la carte options like the signature Peking duck, they serve a dim sum lunch menu with a variety of upscale steamed dumplings to choose from, for example crystal lobster with caviar or wild mushroom with black truffle.

The Kêu delis do some of the best banh mi sandwiches in town. If you're unfamiliar with this signature Vietnamese street food, it's a crispy baguette sandwich filled with various meat, veg, and zingy herbs. Filling and easy to eat, it makes for a great takeaway lunch in Central London, and other authentic Vietnamese dishes like rice bowls or noodles are offered here as well.

Combining traditional South American recipes with British produce, Lima serves Peruvian dishes like ceviche or pork a la brasa in a colourful, trendy setting. There's a lunch menu featuring your choice of two or three courses that provide a tantalising overview of what Nikkei fusion cuisine is all about. If you want to explore further, go for the à la carte.

The Atis eateries, found at various locations across Central London, are the perfect lunch choice for health-conscious diners. Their salad bowls are packed with all sorts of nutritious goodies, ensuring a flavourful yet balanced meal that provides plenty of energy for the remainder of the day. You can choose from one of the pre-built options or DIY it with your choice of preferred toppings, and office catering is available as well.

By this point in his successful career, chef Yotam Ottolenghi is a household name thanks to his efforts as one of the driving forces behind the adoption of Mediterranean cuisine in the UK. At his Central London eatery, you can sample an array of salads, hot dishes, baked goods, and other food, prepared fresh daily and laid out invitingly on the counter. You can get your lunch to go or sit down at the communal table, enjoying the relaxed, sociable atmosphere.

A chic ode to New England dining, The Maine serves up East Coast classics in a glamorous, design-led setting. With tables inside and out, it's ideal for a stylish lunch break. Whether you opt for the two or three-course prix fixe lunch or go à la carte, expect indulgent seafood and hearty steaks on the menu.

One of the best steakhouses in the world, Hawksmoor is a reliable choice whether you're entertaining business clients, looking to feed the family, or just popping in for a solo lunch. These Central London restaurants offer a two or three-course lunch at a fixed price, as well as a more expansive lunch menu with all of their premium cuts and fresh seafood available. The setting is intimate and cosy, and those in the know will tell you not to sleep on the spinach as a side.

Back in the day, the original Ivy restaurant in Covent Gardens was one of the buzziest place to be and be seen, with celebrity patrons indulging in long lunches a regular sight here. Things have changed since those golden years, but The Ivy is still a great choice for lunch in a glitzy setting. The menu features British classics and international favourites, with a two or three-course lunch menu providing an accessible option.

Dishoom is extremely well regarded around London and even further afield, which often results in queues of over an hour to get in, especially as dinnertime is walk-in only unless you're a larger group. During the day, however, you can book ahead, so lunch is ideal to see what all the fuss is about. The stylish Bombay café-inspired restaurant is a world apart from your local curry house, and the full à la carte is served for lunch, including their famed black daal.

Forget catch of the day – J Sheekey has been serving fresh fish and seafood in Central London for over 100 years, its iconic red façade a familiar sight with theatregoers and lunch crowds alike. There's a two or three-course set menu served daily here, paired with a glass of wine. A typical meal might start off with some hot smoked salmon before carrying on with fillet of hake or miso salmon and rounding things off with a nice cheese plate.