Nice place to eat near National Gallery

[tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz]

Evening all

Booked day out to London over half term next week and we're going to the Dungeons in the am and then national gallery in the afternoon.

Any suggestions for somewhere nice and close by for
a) light lunch after the dungeon, and
B) early dinner close to the gallery afterwards?

It's me, DH and DD 13. Were pretty easy and eat most things (not mad on Thai) and if possible would prefer a non-chain. Fingers crossed getting a cab home after train so a nice glass or two of reasonably priced wine with dinner would be nice

While we're at it a great coffee shop close to both would be awesome!

Thanks!

I love the Cafe in the Crypt under St Martin’s in the Fields on Trafalgar Square.
Crypt

You could go along to Rules rules.co.uk/

Cafe in the waterstones

Andrew Edmunds is a 10 minute stroll from the National Gallery and has an excellent wine list

For b) you’re very close to theatre land so everywhere does early dinners

The Ivy (the original one, not the chain) is a 5 min walk
J Sheeky if you like fish
Dishoom for Indian
Petersham nursery for British

Ooooh thanks everyone I'm going to bookmark and look at these tomorrow.

National Portrait Gallery next door has a nice cafe on the ground floor

Le Garrick on Garrick St ia not far from the National Gallery. Was one of my favourite places to eat when I worked in Covent Garden.

Second the Cafe in the Crypt. If you like Turkish food, Ev in Isabella Street is great for meze & not as busy as most places round the Southbank.

Also Palm Court Brasserie nr Covent Garden used to be very nice and food value.

Cafe Murano - Tavistock Street

Some really excellent suggestions here already. Just to add, the Delaunay has a nice buzzy vibe (or did pre-covid!), good service etc.

Thanks all, this is really helpful.

Question - if we decide to head towards Southbank for lunch after the dungeons is it really a 30 minute walk, as indicated by Google?!!! We'll be eating our hands off by the time we get there

Ev looks like a good lunch contender though, thank you.

If you're walking from the dungeons to Southbank you could stop for pizza at Gabriel's wharf as it is on your way.

Borough Market after the Dungeons, surely?

I hate Borough Market - not great quality for the price. Will you be hungry enough for both lunch and dinner at a restaurant? Would a lunch snack be better followed by a more fulfilling dinner?

I would look at the Time Out Cheap eats guide for lunch as their reviews are fairly accurate and pick somewhere along your route. Then find something slightly nicer for dinner
www.timeout.com/london/food-drink/londons-best-cheap-eats

Ahh sorry / probably my > lack of < geography skills meant some recommendations had me headed south bank way for lunch after the dungeons hence me thinking we'd be ready to eat a horse by then.

So yes, I guess an option or two for lunch near dungeons (light sandwich type and a more substantial option) and the same for near the gallery as like roses says we definitely won't want to go heavy on both but will see what time we have to decide which one.

Of course amazing food at a reasonable (for London obvs!) price is a winner.

Thanks for the ideas so far and roses for the Time-out suggestion, I'll definitely have a look.

Getting excited - love a day in London!

Oh and while I'm at it blatantly stealing knowledge we're thinking of getting an Uber to our station that am and leaving car behind. Not used them before so do any posters who use them know how reliably they're running at mo? I know local regular cab firms are struggling with driver shortages.
Also, can I pre book an Uber?

Thanks you lovely lot

Mmmm wondering whether we actually head towards Covent Garden at lunch anyway ... that way we're in the vicinity for the Gallery afterwards.

has word with self to MAKE A DECISION

If going London Bridge way, I'd say Lobos Meat and Tapas or Padella. For Covent Garden, Ave Mario (you need to book) or Barrafina.

Firstly to everyone who took time to reply, thank you. We didn't use suggestions this time but intend a spring London jaunt and we shall definitely use them then

We did lunch with wine after the dungeons at Balcone which was amazing and a real treat. My pasta must have been rolled by the gods! There was a very cute Italian cafe next door which we went to immediately after and that was nice too .., very reasonable as well - 2 coffees, a hot frothy milk and big slab of chocolate and pear cake for £7 which I thought was amazing for central London. I'm not sure though if the owner was just a bit grumpy when we visited or didn't like us 😊

After the gallery we wandered for a bit and ended up at Seven Dials Food Market which was fun.

Lord we were knackered when we sat on the train to go home!