Footstool Restaurant

Dinner may only be served here on concert nights but the restaurant below St John’s Smith Square is open for lunch every weekday & it’s well worth seeking out. The square itself is beautiful, particularly in spring, & the dining room doesn’t disappoint either. The decor features exposed old brick & architectural art, while the menu mixes core British dishes with international favourites. Bearing in mind you could have tiramisu or Eton mess to finish, it’s wise to choose a light starter – chilled gazpacho or asparagus with quails’ eggs, say – ahead of heartier servings of Thai red curry or beef & ale pie.