Somewhere for lunch & breakfast in London with teen daughter

[IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads]

DD (15) and I are going to London next Saturday to see a show. We’ll arrive at LKX at 9am (!) and we’re leaving at 8pm. Theatre is 2.30- 5pm., St Martin’s Lane.

So we’ll need (2nd!) breakfast and lunch at least. DD is a bit of a country mouse, but loves an occasional fix of bright lights, big city. Her favourite food is sushi. She loves burgers & pizzas, but would be open to more imaginative ideas. Doesn’t like spice. Loves meat, I’m veggie. It’s a birthday trip, so I am happy to splash out a bit.

I actually grew up in central London, so I am happy travelling around, I just don’t know where to eat anymore. The only two restaurants we ever used to go to as kids both closed down a long time ago!

One of the Daisy Green restaurants?

Coal Drops Yard is just behind King's Cross. There are nice places there for second breakfast/brunch before you venture further afield. I've eaten there a couple of times but it was a few years ago now so can't remember exactly where, sorry.

Second this! Coal drops yard is lovely. I highly highly recommend Lina stores for lunch! It’s divine (if pasta is your thing)

Dishoom is great for breakfast - the bacon naans are the stuff of legend. There’s one at KX in the Coal Drops but also near Oxford Circus which would be good for shopping. Then walk through soho…let me think about lunch…

My suggestion:
9am arrival at KX
Take Victoria line 3 stops to Oxford Circus, then five minutes walk to Scarlett Green for an epic brunch.
Then after that, walk 10 minutes along to Outernet (it’s next to Tottenham Court Road station), this is such a cool place to hang out for a while, and free.
From there, you are 10 minutes from the theatre.

Edit to add - anywhere around Covent Garden after theatre, or a walk along the Southbank.

Indeed. But OP is veggie and her daughter doesn't like spice, so it's probably not for them!

There are lots of veggie options at Dishoom… Sushi Kyu in SoHo is great. If there’s time on the way back, Okan at King’s Cross coal drops has okonomiyaki take-out (Japanese comfort food) - fun for the train???

Ah brill.
I hadn’t heard of the Daisy Green restaurants, but intrigued to see there’s one in Clapham Old Town, which could tie in nicely with a visit to a drum shop on Lavender Hill (definitely my old stamping ground). Having said that, I was hoping to stay a bit more central.

I’ve heard so much about Coal Drops yard. It might well be there. Handy for the station after leaving home at 6am!

Lots of things to think about.

We also need to go and try out drumsticks (the music kind, DD is a percussionist).

Caravan or Brother Marcus, both Covent Garden. Short walk to St Martins Lane.

We have a Dishoom in Leeds. I love it! I havn’t taken the DC though. Take out Japanese comfort food sounds right up our street though.

Inamo is fun Inamo and we like The Breakfast Club too

If your DD is music-minded, perhaps Denmark Street (just off Charing Cross Road) would be fun? I think of it mostly as guitars but there’s a Roland drum shop there I think and there are always people playing plus there’s the Outernet as a PP mentioned. You wouldn’t be far from Abeno, which is my favourite onokomiyaki (cabbage pancake that you cook yourself (so much nicer than it sounds)… also a good TKMaxx at the start of Denmark St.

Sushi Samba is great and has a cracking view!

If you're coming into King's X then I'd definitely say Coal Drops Yard or around St Pancras for breakfast.
Granger & Co is just outside the station and good for breakfast/brunch.
German Gymnasium - haven't had breakfast there but lunch and drinks and both were good.
Drake & Morgan on St Pancras Squre (on the way to Coal Drops Yard)
Coal Drops Yard - Caravan have good breakfast options. It's also a nice area to walk around. Relatively self-contained and not too busy (compared to Oxford St).
You should be ok at that time as walk ins but it's best to book for peace of mind.
There's also The Breakfast Club in St Pancras station but you'll probably be battling with Eurostar travellers and their suitcases!

For lunch Brother Marcus isn't too far from the theatre.
A random one for the mix - Balthazar is a lovely French restaurant in Covent Garden and should satisfy meaty requirements!

Hope you both have a lovely day!

I went to a place near KX called Caravan - my friend l was with was veggie and there was plenty of choice for both of us

There’s a Breakfast Club on D’Arblay Street. Better than the one at the station.

Yes!! Denmark St !!! Of course!

I’m begining to think we’ll need to skip the theatre and just eat our way round the west end.

Thinking about it more - you don't have a huge amount of time so, to keep it relaxed, I'd probably hop on the Victoria line to Oxford Circus when you arrive and either do Dishoom/Scarlett Green etc for breakfast. Also because Oxford Circus's is actually fun, especially if your DD is in to all things Japanese. Then I'd wander through Soho (lots of pop-up trainer shops) and end up in Denmark Street/Outernet. For lunch, you'll be right by Arcade at the bottom of the old Centrepoint building - it's a food hall so there's everything from burgers to Middle Eastern food and noodles. St Martin's Lane is a 15-minute walk away, with Coal Drops afterwards for Okan take-out for the train home if you feel like it.

You said you’re happy to splash out a bit. How about The Wolseley for breakfast? Victoria line to Green Park. They have newspapers in the morning and fun to s’leb spot. Feels fancy.

And Four Season on Gerrard Street, Chinatown for lunch. Lovely food. There are four other Four Seasons nearby so make sure it’s the right one!

Some great ideas here, I'm definitely noting a few for my next London trip.

Sounds like you have plenty of time but don't underestimate how long it takes to get from the west end back to King's Cross after a matinee.

Granted it was nearer Christmas but last year I missed my booked train back up north by seconds despite running up all the escalors etc because I didn't account for having to queue to be allowed into the tube station at Leicester Square.

Lesson learned for me, £90 lighter for a new ticket (as it was off peak I treated myself to First Class as it was only £12 more than standard and I'd have spent that on commiseration drinks and snacks in M&S while waiting for the next train but they're free in First Class).

That’s why we’ve got 3 hours after the matinee! I spent my teens zipping round London on a push bike. Everything always takes longer to get to than I think it should! I usually walk when I’m in London. Often quickest.