Restaurants near The Aldwych Theatre & The Adelphi Theatre

[RabbitsRock]

DH & I are having a mini break to London this weekend but we’re on a budget. Any recommendations for reasonably priced restaurants or pubs near those two theatres? We don’t want anything fancy but are after good quality if poss.

Is the Delaunay within budget? It’s next door to the Aldwych and is really lovely- great brasserie-style food and a beautiful room. It’s good value.

Flat Iron in Covent Garden isn't far if you like steak? It's good value

FUMO. Without sounding dramatic, it was the best Italian we have ever eaten. I might have cried (don’t judge!). You will need to book.

Cafe Rouge on Southampton Row. The India Club on the Strand (although it’s closing soon, damn gentrification). If you don’t mind the distance, Bloomsbury has good chain options - again, bloody tourists and gentrification in Brunswick Square but there are reasonable chain restaurants plus the Hare and Tortoise which is great food and cheap. Leigh street has some brilliant cheap and cheerful restaurants. Also Fitzrovia has some nice places. Not on Charlotte Street but off the beaten track around there - The Riding House Cafe was trendy a few years ago but has settled down into a nice place.

Loads of places at around £30 a head plus alcohol all over really. Check TimeOut online to get an idea.

https://sancarlo.co.uk/restaurants/cicchetti-london-covent-garden/

My favourite restaurant- it is a bit special but not Michelin prices. The cheese fondue gnocchi is the best!

Thosesummernights is that near The Adelphi or The Aldwych?

TaniaBania can’t believe they charge £45 for a veal chop!!

Fourlegsandatail which theatre is that near?

On a budget I'd look at China town or a chain to be honest (look for coupons)

I don't think you can go wrong with one of the Ivy Cafes.

Also loved the Delaunay but a bit more expensive.

The Ivy cafes are very ordinary food (a chef friend calls it boil-in-the-bag) that they charge a premium for because people confuse them with the actual Ivy (which is very different).

@RabbitsRock anything right near those theatres will be a bit tourist trap-y. I’d second Chinatown or Bloomsbury if you’re really on a budget.

Or just go on Google maps and search. But a 15 minute walk will get you to loads of decent places.

Brasserie Zedel is not far, reasonable and a bit special too.

Polpo still has a place in that area I think. Always a favourite of mine when I come across one.

We went to Mon Plaisir when we were last down in London for a show. It's less than 10 minutes walking from those theatres and they did a wonderful pre-theatre menu when we were there which we found really reasonable price-wise and the food was gorgeous. I'm not sure if they still do that menu as it was a few years ago now though.

Haven’t been for a while but always loved the pre theatre menu at Indigo. Generally lunch and pre theatre is better value if you want to eat somewhere a bit fancier.

https://www.onealdwych.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Pre-Theatre-05.05.2023.pdf

Work around the corner. The Delaunay. Love strand India. Delicious. Also cafe Murano. Not the main restaurant but the cafe next door is good.

It’s near both, around a 5 minute walk from either (it’s in Wellington Street which is very close to the Strand and Aldwych, the Lion King is sort of opposite it). It really is lovely!

Agree with fumo and san carlo. Special but not outrageous. I also liked Balthazar

The Ivy cafes are very ordinary food (a chef friend calls it boil-in-the-bag) that they charge a premium for because people confuse them with the actual Ivy (which is very different).

Um I'm not confusing it with the Ivy. I've eaten in five different Ivy Cafes over the last few months and thoroughly enjoyed them all. Nice food at decent prices and the maitre'd at the Marylebone one is quite the legend.

It's not the Delaunay but the OP said she wanted a reasonably priced meal.

You may not like the Ivy Cafe but not sure the snarky comments were necessary. I'm not the only fan as the central London ones are usually full.

Joe Allen.

It was just off Wellington Street (Exeter Street) and was the ‘West End’s stars favourite restaurant post theatre’, an exact copy of the original NY restaurant, except for the theatre posters/actors’ signed photos were from the West End.

(Rumour has it that Robert de Nero bought up the site (2016) and intends turning it into an hotel -hasn’t happened yet.)

But …it has been moved, virtually brick by brick, to Burleigh Street a mere 3 minute walk from the Adelphi, and still retains it original theatrical atmosphere (although the bar area isn’t quite as good).

P.S. The off-menu beef burger is still available to those in the know!

We had an absolutely terrible experience at the Marylebone Ivy, enough so DP will never set foot again! Hugely understaffed was the main issue but they dealt with the outcome very badly.

OP, the theatres are only 5 mins walk apart. Cicchetti as mentioned above is good, lots of smaller plates so good for whenever you want to eat.

champagneplusfromage is different if you like bubbles and cheese!

Covent Garden - Champagne + Fromage (champagneplusfromage.co.uk)

@grass321 we actually prefer the Ivy Cafes over the original Ivy 😳 mainly because they’re easier to get to, for us, and you can get a table within less than six weeks’ notice. Always a problem with just the one Ivy, unless you were Joan Collins et al 😆
We’ve only been to the ones in City Garden, Richmond, and Winchester, but I think the menus are the same as the ‘original’ and the food, atmosphere and service is as good as the original.

If you'd like a quiet drink, the terrace at the top of the Royal Opera House is open to the public. (Only discovered this recently on a tour).

Nice place to have a glass of wine overlooking Covent Garden and watch the world go by.

Typo -Robert De Niro 🙄