To ask for you nice but not too fancy London restaurant recommendations?

[PickettBowtruckles]

Apologies for posting in AIBU for traffic...

Trying to find a nice restaurant in London for a special occasion, just my husband and I. I wouldn't class either of us as particularly fussy eaters, however most of the high rated restaurants have menus which just don't look to our taste.

I want good food, but nothing too unusual. I know this makes me look incredibly bland and boring but snails and foie gras just aren't for us really.

Does anyone have any personal recommendations I can have a look into?! Budget wise wouldn't want to spend more than £250 for the both of us.

Rules in Maiden Lane WC2 is the oldest restaurant in the uk. They specialise in game and their menu is very traditional British.

How about Rules, St John (not sure if this is quite what you want?), Savoy Grill, Le Gavroche, River Cafe?

I was about to suggest Rules too! Traditional menu, really well done. Or try The Wolseley.

Smiths of Wapping is brilliant and has a fantastic view of Tower Bridge, highly recommend

3 recommendations for Rules sounds promising! Googling them now...

I came here to suggest Rules too

Hawksmoor? Might be a bit less exclusive than the top of your budget but the food is excellent.

River cafe, but a bit out of town
Bentleys - nice fish and game and steak etc
Murano - Italian
Hawksmoor - good steak
Andrew Edmunds - V romantic in soho
St. John - very good food, trendy

Depends where you're staying, but if in Mayfair area gymkhana is also amazing Indian like you've never had

St John isn't trendy

Brasserie Zedel has a beautiful room and the service is always charming. Not expensive and the menu (which is French) has plenty of variety.

It's not going to cost you anywhere near £250, but Ethos near Oxford Street is absolutely amazing and because it works as a gourmet pay by weight buffet you can try lots of different things www.ethosfoods.com/

Another vote for The Wolseley!

Baltic behind Tate Modern or the Holborn Dining Room

Whereabouts in London are you staying? With that budget you have lots of choices!
I'd suggest (and second pps)

• the Ledbury for modern European, always superb but hard to book perhaps. Nothing outlandish on the menu there that I remember...
• Wolseley yes, and sister restaurant the Delaunay in Aldwich, both very classy and not experimental menu
• Hawksmoor for steak
• Berners Tavern, stunning room and British menu
• Something like the Grill at the Dorchester? Venue good for a special occasion and it's a traditional menu
• La Gavroche (though I haven't been)

St John may have too many unusual animal parts... I remember not really fancying the choices.

The Wolseley
The Ivy

Try the tasting menu at The Dairy in Clapham.

Hawksmoor
Bleeding Heart

Mon Plaisir is lovely. Great food, lovely atmosphere.

Do you have any celebrity chefs you like? You could try one of their places.

If you fancy some nice views, you could try one of the restaurants on top floors of skyscrapers. Their quite fun.

(And £250 is an obscene budget ;))

One of the D&D group - something like Pont de la Tour (can't tell if you're local or tourist, but this has good views!).

Does the £250 include wine? This is where my meals very quickly start to rack up. We had a lovely meal at L'Atelier Joel Roubuchon (may not have spelt that right) but after two glasses of wine each, plus a dessert wine, it got quite pricey.

We went to sticks n sushi in February and the savoy grill. Sticks was absolutely one of the best meals we have had in years. (drooling thinking about it now) and the savoy was typical British elegant dining was really lovely.

Would highly recommend both!

And I don't think £250 is obscene. Obviously depends on your priorities, but I think you'd struggle to get a top London restaurant for less than that.

But then I like my food and that's my indulgence of choice - completely get that it's not for everyone, but the OP's budget wouldn't stretch to some of the places listed here if you go for the full tasting menus.

Every December we took my very conventional uncle for a Christmas meal (other choices available!) to Simpsons in The Strand. Comfortable venue, lovely staff and tradional menu. He loved it!
Some great suggestions on here. Sure you'll have a great meal. Best I've had in the last few years was probably the Mandarin Oriental.

Some great suggestions here, thank you all! Really enjoying looking at all the menus but now desperately hungry and debating getting out of bed for a second dinner...

In terms of the budget, dh doesn't drink and I would maybe have two glasses of wine at the most, so predominately budget is for food. £250 is far, far more than we'd usually spend (our usual meals out would be the local Indian or the harvester!) and is only what it is as it's a special occasion. We're not tourists in the sense that we do live fairly local (less than an hour) but will be staying in London that night following a show (matinee show hence wanting a special dinner after).

I don't fancy the nose to tail choices at St. John tbh and if you're not super adventurous you may not fancy that either

My favourites are Ledbury for modern cooking!

Or Dinner by Heston - they're always lovely about sorting us out a table at the last minute when we have family in town etc and haven't been organised.

I also love Launceston Place - lovely seasonal tasting menu.

And Gymkhana is truly brilliant for very interesting modern Indian cooking. Also Jamavar if you want slightly more traditional Indian cooking but still done exceptionally.

And for steak Hawksmoor, although that's not very fancy for a special date night.