London theater is the world’s best. Nowhere else can you find its dynamic mix of classic and new, of light-hearted and gut-wrenching—or casts studded with stars you’ll recognize from film and TV working right alongside talented young actors just breaking into the trade. After the show, you need a grown-up—but not stodgy—restaurant, one that takes reservations and is comfortable and quiet enough to discuss the evening’s experience: No lining up in the rain for the privilege of perching on a backless stool overwhelmed by noise. And, most importantly, the food has to live up to that great performance you just witnessed. Theaters are scattered all around town, but the main playhouses are concentrated in a few central districts, and these restaurants, some (very) old, some brand new, are all within a ten-minute stroll of them. They accept reservations until at least 10:30 p.m. and are reasonably vegetarian-friendly, even those famed for meat or fish.
The West End (aka 'Theatreland')
The densest tangle of theaters is on or near Shaftesbury Avenue and down toward Trafalgar Square. Here, Helen Mirren portrayed Queen Elizabeth and John Gielgud played in Noël Coward's urbane comedies. Here is London’s oldest theater (The Theatre Royal, Haymarket), standing right across the street from the stage on which The Phantom of the Opera has been wowing audiences since 1986. Most of the neighboring late-night dining options are either chain restaurants or unreliable—and, too often, maddeningly hectic. Here are some in which you can relax, while enjoying a quality meal.
Perfect Fresh Seafood
Century-old Bentley’s Oyster Bar, in a secret alley off Piccadilly, is the place for fresh fish and seafood cooked with precision. Plain turbot or Dover sole and a terrific version of fish and chips are musts, and the oysters are fresh. (Reservations until 11:30.)
Better Than Paris?
Entering the vast and gorgeous Brasserie Zédel, you leave London for a fantasy world of old-fashioned French brasserie cooking better than most in Paris (think: boeuf bourguignon and rabbit in mustard sauce). (Reservations until 11:30.)
Elegant Italian Food in an Easygoing Setting
Café Murano St. James’s serves unfailingly delicious Italian food, wine, and cocktails. The pastas, gnocchi, and risottos are hard to resist, not that there’s anything to be gained by moderation. There’s a sibling restaurant in Covent Garden, too. (Reservations until 11:00).
Supper in a Department Store
Fortnum & Mason’s old Fountain Restaurant has been replaced by the infinitely more stylish 45 Jermyn Street, burnt-orange leather banquettes, USB ports under the bar and all. The pan-European menu is appealing in its diversity. (Reservations until 10:45.)
Covent Garden
Just to the east, theaters cluster around the Aldwych and Drury Lane (of Muffin Man fame), not to forget the Royal Opera House. The redeveloped Covent Garden market is full of quick, noisy options, but these won’t give you time or space to decompress after the excitement of a performance.
An Elegant Londoner With a Strong Viennese Accent
The display of Austrian-style cakes and pastries at The Delaunay is a good reminder to save room for dessert—which can be hard when you’re no less tempted by pierogi, schnitzel, and goulash. (Reservations until 11:30.)
A Newcomer From Bilbao
Eneko Atxa, chef of the three-Michelin-star Azurmendi in Spain, has brought his imaginative cooking to Eneko at One Aldwych, using Basque flavors—peppers, carefully-raised meats—and including intriguing multi-taste platters like "Txerri Boda Pork Festival." (Reservations until 10:30.)
An Old Theater Hangout
Ninety-nine years after it opened, and recently refurbished, The Ivy is ideal for a reliably savory supper of comforting dishes along the lines of dressed crab and shepherd’s pie. (Reservations until 11:30 and midnight on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.)
A Victorian Fish Shop Transformed
In the 1890s, J. Sheekey served fish and seafood on this site, and it still does. Slip soles are a rare treat, as are tiny Queenie scallops. The dining rooms are always packed, often with the very celebrities whose head shots cover the walls. (Reservations until11:45.)
The South Bank and Waterloo
Since 1951, the Southbank Centre has grown to include three concert halls and an art gallery; just to the east are the British Film Institute and the National Theatre with its four stages; the Old and Young Vic Theatres are not far away. Few nearby restaurants meet our criteria for being grown-up, but here are a couple worth unfolding a (cloth) napkin at.
Not Just Near the Theater: In It
Wouldn't it be nice if there were decent restaurants in all theaters? Well, there aren’t, and House in the National Theatre is the only one on our list. The menu changes frequently, and you’re bound to find something that pleases you, like creamed salt cod with a soft boiled egg, perhaps, or slow-cooked smoked beef cheek. (Reservations until 10:30.)
A Restaurant Built By a Wine Lover
On a residential corner five minutes from the National Theatre, RSJ offers an impressive selection of wines from the Loire Valley, often purchased directly from small-scale producers and sold at very fair prices. The food is well thought out and cooked with care. (Reservations until 11:00.)
