Ideas for London restaurant and day out pre theatre

[123sunshine]

I'm headed to London later this week and have tickets for a show in the evening with my hubby and older teenage children. Usually by this stage i've got restauarant booked and plans, but i'm just really stuck for inspiration and nothing jumping out at me. We've got the day off work (it's my birthday) and would like to head into London in the day and do something and have a late afternoon /pre theatre meal and make a nice day of it. I'd like somewhere nice as its my birthday, but one of my teenagers can be a be a bit fussy on foods, the rest of us very appreciative of nice food and good restaurants. Anyone got any recomendatios of good restaurants and/or ideas of how to fill some time if we head up to London earlier int the day, we've done many of the usual attractions and museums. Kids love London though have been lots of times, hubby and I are feelign a bit jadded hence struggling with ideas.

Which theatre? Or don’t you mind a bit of travelling? And what’s the budget?

Phoenix theatre, seeing Come from Away - I don't mind a bit of travelling, our train comes into Liverpool street. Budget not especially an issue.

Oklava gets my vote.

www.oklava.co.uk/

La Bodega Negra is close by and very tasty but your parenting style and their licensing conditions might rule out kids.

Sticks & Sushi in Covent Garden is fun. Lots of choice. Duck & Waffle near the station.

Street art walking tour?
St Paul's cathedral and climb up to the viewing gallery?
Design Museum?
Tate Modern
Greenwich and cutty sark?
Up at the O2?

What kind of thing for food -
Brick Lane curry/Spitalfields market for food/
There might be a pop-up at the old Truman Brewery
Borough Market?

Lunch on Bateaux London?

Kingly Court off Carnaby Street has some good restaurants.

Lots of good exhibitions on at the moment if you like art - Turner and Paula Rego, both at Tate Britain, for example.

Have you done Sir John Soane museum? A great favourite in my family, and interesting for older teenagers.

Definitely Kingly Court. Our favourite is Dirty Bones.

What does the fussy one like?

some good suggestions thanks, i'm off to look them all up

The fussy one likes food such as steak, burgars, chicken, pizza, asian food, curry, mexican. He won't however eat fish and is put off trying anything too different. It's workable fussy but I just can't stand watching him pick away at food! My daughter is pescatarian but will eat most things and loves fish (apart from meat obviously!) I'd prefer something a bit more special as its a birthday celebration, we eat out lots so want it to feel like an ocasion, rather than just another meal out if that makes sense.

Dishoom shoreditch!

We have just spent the weekend in London and had a lovely meal in the Brasserie of Light with my fussy teenagers. It feels special for a birthday but does bistro food so there is a burger on the menu and sole goujons as well as the more fancy mains they may not like. The desserts were amazing.

See also this thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4324449-Quirky-London-tourist-attractions

If he likes curry, definitely Dishoom.

Sarastro restaurant is very quirky indeed, love it there just for the surroundings!