Can anyone suggest a good restaurant in covent garden please?

[mammyjounderthemistletoe]

Hi. I am going for a night away with dh this week. We are going to see Joseph in the Adelphi Theatre, and want to go somewhere nice to have dinner before this, hopefully in Covent Garden.

I have no idea which restaurants are good or bad so would be grateful for any suggestions. We dont get away much minus children so want to make the most of it!!

Thanks to anyone who can help me with this

Avoid avoid avoid any around the Piazza like the plague -- they are just tourist traps.

Mon Plaisir on Monmouth St is absolutely divine if you like French food and have a few £££ to spend, v atmospheric and suitably churlish service!

The Ivy is a very upmarket French restaurant/ celebrity hangout. Pretty famous. Probably expensive but not incredibly so. Food delicious. Will ask my brother who works round there and seems to spend most of his working day "lunching", and see what others I can come up with.

Thankyou! Just nosing at the Mon Plaisir site you linked to, menu looks nice. Thanks for telling me to avoid the piazza too, I would probably have ended up somewhere there as I am going to be one of those tourists!!

Off to look for a site for The Ivy now!

The Ivy looks nice too, have heard of it but never knew what sort of food they served. I like French food, just need to convince dh its a good idea!

Ok, so dh has said he wont eat french food. He is being a typical male and stamping because he wants a huge meal consisting of steak and chips Nothing wrong with that but I just fancy something that we wouldnt normally eat at home!

Any more suggestions anyone?

Erm.....just to disagree I like Chez Gerard (yes, its a chain but it does fab steaks) in the plaza (upstairs though)

We had to book last time (maybe only cos we were a party of 8).

Or Tuttons facing the plaza on the corner (very busy place but I've always enjoyed the food) and the champagne ) And it faces the plaza so feels very buzzy.

Simpsons on the strand?

the Ivy does proper English food! Great grup... classic destination in London i would recommend booking in advance.

I work in covent garden and would defo recommend from the list

Smollenskys
Chef Gerard
Bertorellis

link to restaurants in covent garden

Enjoy!!!

If it's meat you're after, how about Rules? Charles Dickens used to eat there y'know...

Joe Allen on Exeter St. Famous old pre and post theatre place - fab burgers, lovely atmos, not too expensive. Have fun.

Cafe du jardin is lovely - just down the road from the Opera house itself. The food is divine and you don't always need to book. It is middle-priced, not eye-watering but not cheap. Mains are circa £15 which is about standard for that part of London.

Chez Gerard is ok, good value for the location, and the view is fab - overlooks the opera house. but it is a chain and not very special-feeling or atmospheric IMO.

A bit further towards Leicester Square J Sheekey is lovely, especially if you like fish.

The Ivy is lovely but v v difficult to get into, especially at the weekends, and essential to book in advance. To be absolutely sure of getting a table you need to book weeks in advance.

Try www.london-eating.co.uk for candid reviews of places (and useful maps and contact details.

btw in spite of its French name, cafe du jardin is not particularly French. Last time I was there I had a very posh and delicious thai curry.

However if he's after steak and chips chez gerard is probably your best bet

PS am curious - what does your husband have against French food - the french basically INVENTED steak and chips, after all!

Thanks all, off to look at the links now. There has got to something in all of these to tempt him!!

Nothing desperately against french food, I think its more that he thinks he will end up with a tiny portion!! He is a man who enjoys his food IYKWIM!!