Help finding decent London restaurant:Central ish as we will be near art galleries.

[Lovesstaggbeetle]

I'm struggling to find decent hygiene rating and review restaurants. I've been searching Italian, Chinese etc. One dc is quite fussy.

Haha probably because lots of people eat their pasta cooked to death and it’s supposed to be al dente? The Wolseley for traditional british? Bocca di Lupo in Soho also really good.

@BigDahliaFan Viet looks good but I can't open menu

I suspect you’re getting snippy comments because (until your last post) you’d been rejecting every suggestion and hadn’t said please or thank you once

Glad my suggestions were helpful

Thanks mini pie I guess I was taken aback by the ability to wedge spicy comments into a rather inane boring thread merely asking for restaurant recommendations.

Such threads I have myself contributed too over 15 years on mumsnet without the need to be a clever bitch.
Once wading through the mud and I indeed spending time googling some recs I was then able to thank the helpful posters... Once again I thank the helpful posters.

I still haven't got a clue about the type of food you are actually willing to consider...

@Intothevalley @MavisTheMonkey thanks all those sound good, esp bao buns

Because it’s funny - Bella Pasta is horrible and Wetherspoons is lowest common denominator.

You gave little context, (still) no budget, a vast potential area and were quite abrupt in dismissing suggestions out of hand.

Lots of people made suggestions, Rock made some that struck me as funny given your responses.

If you’d said something along the lines of:

“I’m looking for vaguely family friendly restaurants for a lunch in London within 10 minutes of the Royal Academy, thinking £20 a main, Italian or Chinese preferred”

then I’m sure you’d have much more useful suggestions.

If you have some local knowledge, very specific wants and are being swayed by online reviews over these personal recommendations then why not just Google yourself? That’s what’s getting people’s backs up.

Also “How so?”, the tinkly laugh and head tilt in question form.

Bocca du Lupa is one of my favourites, I’ve never had anything there that wasn’t absolutely delicious! The blood orange granita cocktail was amazing too

OP if it’s just causal daytime dining, mercato metropolitano or seven dials market have lots of options, not experience, and everyone can just pick what they like.

If you’re going to the National Gallery and Chinese food is one of your preferences, surely Chinatown is the obvious choice?

https://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/where-to-eat-in-chinatown

I also like Plum Valley, which has a variety of regional dishes.

http://plumvalley.co.uk/

Another favourite a bit further afield in Covent Garden and that is fun for teenagers is Red Farm. Good quality food with a modern twist on dim sum and classic dishes with quirky presentation eg the Pac Man dumplings.

https://www.redfarmldn.com/

If you are happy to splash out, there is always Michelin starred Hakkasan and Yauatcha (dim sum and macarons).

https://hakkasan.com/

https://yauatcha.com/soho/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwYbir73dhgMVR4BQBh2p7Qm_EAAYASAAEgI_G_D_BwE

Cafe in the Crypt at St Martins do lovely homemade food, cheap, there's a small art gallery inside and an outdoor eating area

Inkonito
Big Easy Crab Shack
Busaba

@GrannyOgre thanks I had see a few of those, red farm looks interesting
I've spent decades walking past yachuchta and it looks fabulous but it's just too expensive for me.
Maybe one day, just dh and I. Same hakkasan.

I've been trawling time out for Italians and Chinese etc.

@MissMoneyFairy agree crypt is wonderful, been there before, keen to increase our repertoire but thanks

If you like Spanish food, my kids are big fans of Andalucia in Panton Street (between Leicester Square and Piccadilly, pretty sure it's independent).

For Chinese, I second @GrannyOgre, just wander into Soho and Chinatown. Mr Wong is always good.

Another fan of Bocca di Lupo here.
Any of the Jose Pizarro restaurants are great.
If you were happy to spend more then Barrafina.
Hawksmoor at Air street, though I appreciate it's a chain, and the same for Cafe Murano at St James.

Not been but I've heard good things about Lina Stores too.

Alternatively I like just wandering through Chinatown and finding wherever has a large Chinese clientele.

How about French?* Le Garrick in Covent Garden is really good, reasonably priced, and has a hygiene rating of 5.

*It is French, with lots of classic dishes on the menu, but they do also do a burger!

If you like Balthazar I’d look at the German Gymnasium by King’s Cross and also the Delaunay.

If you’re free at lunch and the menu is ok for your fussiest eater then you can do the ‘taste of Hakkasan’ 3 course menu for £39 or £49 with a cocktail. I’ve had it the Mayfair one and it’s amazing value. Unsure if Hanway Place does it too but could check.

@InTheRainOnATrain thanks, she loves terrikye chicken and char sui pork etc will check out menu.
Also boco de lupo looks good.

Viet is good.

The Taste of Hakkasan menu isn’t just at lunch, it’s available until 7pm. Yauatcha’s Jade menu is £29 (dim sum, main and side). The Jade menu doesn’t seem to be on the website but they are both on Deliveroo if you want to check out the set menu options.

It’s also worth checking booking sites like open table for special offers that are only available pre booked.

Red Farm is probably more fun and relaxed for teens though.

I haven’t eaten at Lina Stores but I have ordered from their deli. The in house made fresh pasta is excellent.

Char Sui pork and Teryaki chicken?

Bone Daddies or BAO could fit the bill. The other restaurants in the same group as BAO (eg Hoppers) are all quite good mid range teen friendly restaurants serving more unusual cuisines that you might not have locally alongside more familiar dishes (Taiwanese, Sri Lankan).

https://jksrestaurants.com/

I was also going to suggest Red Farm and Plum Valley.

We haven't been here in a couple of years, but have had good food here
https://www.monmouthkitchen.com/

Also had a good meal here recently
https://storycellar.co.uk/

And this is fun and casual

https://www.chicknsours.co.uk/