We all know London isn’t a cheap city to live in. But while there are plenty of cheap-ish eats to enjoy, there are also plenty of places that’ll stretch even the most flexible of budgets. Here’s our pick of London restaurants where you might need a shot of something strong before you look at the bill.
Sushi Kanesaka at 45 Park Lane
Mayfair - 45 Park Ln, London W1K 1PN
Good sushi in pretty much any form in London is going to be a pricey affair - after all, you’re paying for the best seafood around as well as factoring in the cost of the long-term training of any decent sushi chef. But it’s fair to point out that London’s newest sushi restaurant is also one of its priciest with the omakase menu settling in at a spendy £420 per person.
Also see: Other pricey omakase menus include Ed Sheeran's favourite The Araki (£310) and Taku (from £300).
Beast
Mayfair - 3 Chapel Place, London W1G 0BG
If Burger and Lobster is the entry-level place for Misha Zelman’s restaurant empire, then Beast is its pinnacle. It's a crazy candelabra-strewn dining hall serving up the most exclusive take on surf and turf - Norwegian King Crab and Japanese wagyu and kobe steaks. Here the Tajima-gyu Kobe Sirloin Minimum comes in at £90 per 100 g. The smallest cut is 400g so it’ll cost you at least £360 to try it and chips are £13 extra.
Nusr-Et London
101 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7EZ
Prices may have been slashed across the board at Salt Bae’s Knightsbridge establishment recently, but a wagyu striploin still sets you back a painful £680 here. Got Crystal tastes but Cava budget? Then you’ll have to settle for one of their burgers, but enve they start at £45.
Estiatorio Milos
St James - 1 Regent Street, London SW1Y 4NW
We all know that anything priced by the kg in restaurants is going to end up hurting your wallet and there’s plenty of that on offer at this St James Greek restaurant when it comes to the seafood section. But a small Greek salad for £31.50? That’s going to hurt.
Gouqi
St James - 25-34 Cockspur St, London SW1Y 5BN
Want to know what a £128 soup tastes like? Then you’ll need to head to this newish Chinese restaurant where the lyrically titled Monk Jumps Over The Wall costs that for two. If soup's not your thing maybe opt for the duck with caviar instead?
Pavyllon
Mayfair - Four Seasons, Hamilton Pl, London W1J 7DR
There aren’t many places in London that match the eye-watering heights of Paris haute cuisine prices. However, French chef Yannick Alleno’s new restaurant on Park Lane has plenty of mains that soar past the £50 mark including the Surf and Turf. That's wagyu beef mille feuille and blue lobster tail served with choron sauce with sesame oil which comes in at a hefty £179.
River Café
Hammersmith - Thames Wharf, Rainville Rd, London W6 9HA
The River Cafe may have originated as a workplace canteen (for Richard Rogers’ architecture firm) but its proletarian roots don’t extend to today’s prices. A recent menu featured a starter of Mazzancolle – split & wood-roasted Scottish langoustines with chilli and oregano - coming in just shy of £50 and pretty much every main will be north of that.
Photo: Chris Pople
The Ritz
St James - 150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR
Look, all that gold leaf doesn’t come cheap. The Ritz is an expensive place to eat for sure, but you’re in no doubt as to what kind of bang you’re getting for your buck. This is a once-in-a-blue-moon experience with all the attendant glamour and full-on service you’d expect. That said, maybe you might want to consider going for a set lunch here unless you want to fork out for mains like the Turbot with cucumber and Imperial Caviar for £81.
Rubens at The Palace
Victoria - 39 Buckingham Palace Rd, London SW1W 0PS
Normally afternoon tea is a less expensive way to eat at one of London’s top hotels - even at The Ritz it comes in well under £100. But if you want to go all out and would rather pay big bucks for tea than booze, then the Golden Tips afternoon tea at this Buckingham Palace-adjacent hotel is the one to book. For £500 for two not only does it feature a pot of the incredibly rare Sri Lankan tea, but they also throw in a bit of Champagne sabrage for good measure.
More about Rubens at the Palace
Also see...
London's tasting menus can be a pricey experience, particularly at the top end where the restaurant with multiple Michelin stars are concerned. Here are the most expensive tasting menus in London right now (all prices are for dinner).
- Ikoyi - £300
- Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester - From £250
- Helene Darroze at The Connaught - £225
- Core by Clare Smyth - £215
- The Ledbury - £210
But if you're looking for a deal...
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