Looking to impress a client over lunch but a little pressed for time?
Best for: decor and a weekly changing menu
Prix fixe: £30
Known for its swanky vibe and artfully presented dishes, the award-winning, Michelin-starred restaurant at The Westbury offers a speedy three-course lunch menu. In a hurry? You can be in and out in 60 minutes. The menu is refreshed weekly, featuring the latest seasonal ingredients.
For something a little more private there is Wine Room: it seats up to 10 guests, who dine surrounded by towering wine displays in a glass-enclosed space. For larger groups, the Aspen Room is a private diner for up to 20 guests.
Best for: views and excellent seafood
Prix fixe: £30, £34, £60
For lunch with a view, Angler is a firm favourite. Located on the seventh floor of the South Place Hotel, it has its own roof terrace, a sophisticated vibe and slick service. It’s under the direction of Gary Foulkes too, so you can expect accomplished, Michelin-starred dishes full of flair and flavour.
The set lunch menu (two, three or six courses) is simple but efficient and desserts are a strongpoint. Think strawberry savarin or passion fruit pavlova – an elegant finish to a power lunch. For semi-private dining with a view, the Chef’s Table seats up to 14 guests.
Best for: contemporary Indian fare, a relaxed brasserie vibe
Prix fixe: £20, £25, £30, £32.50, £38.50
For a change of scenery, and cuisine, Gymkhana offers some of the best contemporary Indian fare in London. A relaxed atmosphere, efficient service and colourful, Michelin-starred dishes combine to offer the perfect setting for a swift business lunch.
There’s a variety of set menus to choose from, including the three-course ‘business lunch menu’ (Mon-Tues only). For private affairs, try the ‘vault lunch menu’ (four or five courses) served in the lower-ground-floor private dining vaults. The duck egg bhurji with lobster and paneer tikka with corn chaat are to die for.
Best for: rich flavours and wine pairings
Prix fixe: £55, £155 (Sommelier’s Table)
Even the three-course lunch menu is decadent at Hélène Darroze, The Connaught’s celebrated two-Michelin-star restaurant. Options include foie gras with black truffle and wagyu beef with paris mushrooms. A vegetarian lunch menu is also available.
Looking to impress a few more guests and not pressed for time? Book the four-course lunch experience at the Sommelier’s Table. Located in the hotel’s atmospheric wine cellar, it can hold up to eight lucky diners. And did we mention it includes expert wine pairings and a tour of the cellar?
Best for: views and Japanese/Latino fusion cuisine
Prix fixe: £58
Looking for something a little less formal? Perched up on the 38th floor of the Heron Tower, with floor-to-ceiling windows and not one but two outdoor terraces, Sushisamba is a great place to impress – with a ‘Lunch Omakase’ tasting menu to boot.
While you enjoy Sushisamba favourites like crispy yellowtail taquitos and wagyu gyoza, your client won’t be able to stop staring at the impressive 360-degree views. And if the vistas or the inventive fusion cuisine don’t seal the deal, the ride up and down the coolest glass lift in London surely will.
Best for: striking architecture and French fine dining
Prix fixe: £34, £38, £38.50
For a business lunch in striking surrounds, our last pick has to be Michelin-starred Galvin La Chapelle. Set in 19th-century St Botolph’s Hall in Spitalfields, you’d be hard pressed to find a more ‘divine’ location for French fine dining of this level.
Take your pick from a selection of well-priced set menus, including the two- to three-course ‘Menu du Chef’ and the ‘Spring Tasting Menu’ featuring their signature Dorset crab lasagne. For more privacy, The Gallery at La Chapelle is a semi-private area seating 10-16 diners on the mezzanine level.