The best set lunch menus in London

Named after an infamous courtesan from the 1800s, Cora Pearl is a tastefully furnished British restaurant with a playful touch. Conveniently located in the heart of Covent Garden, its set lunch menu is a popular midday treat for Londoners and visitors alike, featuring two or three courses of dishes such as Caesar salad, chicken Holstein with greens, or lemon sorbet. The menu changes regularly.

On weekdays, King's Cross wine bar Porte Noire serves a two-course set lunch menu featuring home-style dishes made with seasonal produce. The kitchen adheres to the French bistronomique approach, resulting in a regularly changing menu of refined European cooking. As befits a wine bar, the bottles available here include tantalising options that elevate the meal further.

Salut! is a North London gem, an unassuming neighbourhood spot that showcases its owner's lifelong experience in the hospitality sector without unnecessary bells and whistles. You can enjoy a two- or three-course set lunch of contemporary European cuisine here, with subtle Nordic influences and delicate plating making the meal feel that extra bit more special. A curated wine list is sure to have the right bottle for your meal as well.

Taking inspiration from the "Epic of Gilgamesh," this Covent Garden destination pairs opulent Babylonian-themed decor with a diverse pan-Asian menu. At lunchtime, tables of up to six guests can order the express lunch menu, featuring three courses of contemporary Asian cuisine. Choices cover a range of dietary requirements, and there are signature cocktails, champagne, and other premium drinks for an added touch of luxury.

Jason Atherton's Three Darlings is a reliable destination for an upmarket yet relaxed London set lunch, offering a menu that caters to both light bites and more substantial appetites with its choice of two or three courses. You can kick things off with the soup of the day before continuing with flavourful mains like market fish with crushed new potatoes & seaweed butter sauce. The hospitable service and trendy interiors make this an easy place to settle in.

Set within a refined space inspired by Rome's luxury hotels, Agrodolce serves traditional Roman cuisine including authentic pastas, pinsas, and steaks. The restaurant offers two distinct midday set menus, ranging from a light starter and salad pairing to a more comprehensive three-course meal. Both set lunch options are designed for value and round things off with a classic espresso for an afternoon energy boost.

Situated within a historic Grade I-listed building, Jamie Oliver's London flagship encompasses a variety of beautiful spaces, including a dramatic brick-walled pavilion, an Art Deco cocktail bar, and an elegant mirrored gallery. Focused on seasonal produce, the menu features refined versions of nostalgic British comfort foods, with a one-, two- or three-course set menu available during lunchtime.

Stylish Mayfair destination Novikov features both an Italian and an Asian dining area, along with a plush lounge bar. There's a two- or three-course set lunch menu available in each dining room, letting you choose between Italian favourites such as pasta and elevated pan-Asian cuisine such as sushi or an assortment of dim sum. Paired with fine wine and a modern setting, the variety has established Novikov as an enduring lunchtime favourite.

The Jones Family Kitchen is a renowned London restaurant famed for its expertise when it comes to serving premium cuts of beef. Seated in the design-led interior or out on the sunny terrace, guests can enjoy a two- or three-course set lunch menu. Options change weekly, but include the likes of grilled onglet steak or roasted trout, with a selection of lunchtime cocktails to go along.

Osteria by Bocconcino brings coastal Italy to Central London, featuring a relaxed atmosphere complemented by an ornate interior and sculptural lighting. The restaurant offers a versatile set lunch menu with two or three-course selections, drawing inspiration from authentic dishes found in traditional Mediterranean taverns. If you're looking for a soothing midday retreat from the bustling city, this is the place for you.

One of the largest curry houses in Brick Lane, Masala is an award-winning restaurant that serves an extensive range of Indian and Bangladeshi dishes, from traditional tandoori grills and thali selections to familiar favourites and spicy chef's specials. The set lunch offer here includes your choice of starter and main course, along with rice or naan. There's a licensed bar, but you can also BYOB.

Chic London restaurant Kitty Fisher's intertwines Spanish spirit into a menu of classic British fare. Diners can choose from a rotating weekly set lunch featuring two or three courses – typical options might include watercress soup or seared pork neck with Jersey Royals and wild garlic. You can round off the midday meal with an extensive selection of fine wines, creatively named cocktails, and, weather permitting, sunshine.

The weekday set lunch menu at this neighbourhood Italian restaurant in Southwark highlights fresh seafood, with choices like black baby squid with homemade saffron mayo and Amalfi lemon, or homemade carbonara with mussels and lime. Choose between two or three courses and add a glass of wine for a midday meal that satisfies both body and mind.

The completely gluten-free Paladar serves an assortment of specialities from across Latin America, with a seasonal weekday set menu offering a comprehensive overview of the region's culinary heritage with dishes like crispy pork belly lettuce tacos or grilled chicken thighs. With its lush rear courtyard and welcoming neighbourhood atmosphere, the venue provides a tranquil setting for enjoying your midday break.

One of London's most famous restaurants by one of the world's most famous chefs, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is a two-Michelin-starred affair serving a menu inspired by British cookbooks going back to the 1200s. Despite the name, you can stop by here for lunch as well, with the Set Luncheon menu featuring three courses of Blumenthal's unparalleled cooking, steeped in history as much as modern creativity. 

Buzzy Soho hotspot The Devonshire is famed for pulling one of the best pints of Guinness in London, but its culinary prowess quickly gained equal recognition. This kitchen here revolves around ambitious wood-ember grilling, with a simple two or three-course set menu available all day long – prawn and langoustine cocktail, followed by skirt steak with duck fat chips and Béarnaise sauce, and sticky toffee pudding to round things off.

Sibling restaurants Maggie Jones's and La Poule Au Pot share an affinity for cosy cottagecore aesthetics, with their rustic interiors full of dried flowers, farmhouse charm, and quaint curios. Though their culinary interests diverge – one stays firmly on this side of the Channel, the other crosses over to France – they both offer a great value set lunch menu of two or three courses, served in the uniquely pretty settings.

Chef Stevie Parle's Covent Garden restaurant focuses on a whole-carcass butchery approach. Featuring lava-stone countertops, a gleaming wood bar, and other luxe touches, it's an upmarket spot for a quick lunch. Available Monday to Saturday, Town's set lunch menu features a snack and two or three courses, including dishes like steak tartare or woodland pork collar. It's a great way to sample one of London's best-loved recent openings.

Turkish restaurant Mangal 2 has a far-reaching reputation thanks to its refined Anatolian menu, full of contemporary updates to traditional dishes, not to mention the experienced hands wielding meats and veg over the charcoal grill. Their affordable lunch menu kicks things with one of their signature sourdough pide, served piping hot, followed by mains like half chicken or stuffed aubergine. You can add on a dessert like tahini and apple tart to round things off.

The younger Richmond sibling of Mayfair's long-established hotspot Scott's is set across two levels and features a ground floor centred around a grand marble champagne and oyster bar, a lavish bar and dining space upstairs, and an outdoor riverside terrace providing a scenic setting for al fresco lunch overlooking the Thames. Order two or three courses from the monthly set lunch menu, highlighting the fresh seafood that has made the glamorous restaurant such a hit.