We are spoilt for choice when it comes to restaurants in London, but eating out doesn’t come cheap. Even a basic meal at a chain restaurant can knock us back over £30, especially when there are drinks involved.
That’s why, if you’re not fussed about having the whole menu to choose from, tasting and set menus are a great way to try the best of a restaurant’s offering at a lower price. You’ll be served multiple courses across starters, mains and desserts for a fixed price, and if drinks aren’t already included, they can be added on for an additional cost.
Below you’ll find a helpful list of some of the London-based restaurants we think offer great tasting menus for £50 or less per person…
Affordable tasting and set menus to try in London
Hakkasan (Mayfair and Hanway Place)
Hakkasan serves some of the finest Chinese cuisine. Although the London locations lost their Michelin star this year, the food certainly hadn’t lost it’s wow factor for me.
I visited to try the Taste of Hakkasan menu, which is £39 without a cocktail, and £49 with one or a glass of champagne. A bargain, quite frankly, considering the high level of service, food and atmosphere.
I recommend trying the crispy duck salad and mushroom spring rolls to start – they were cooked to perfection, with a perfectly satisfying crunch with each bite. For mains, I tucked into the Singapore chilli prawn and soy crispy chicken which are served with rice. Dessert is Hakkasan’s signature dessert – a chocolatey creation that was the perfect end to a delicious meal.
See the menu here.
Orrery (Marylebone)
When I visited Orrery it was for an event – I didn’t really know too much about the French restaurant beforehand which worked in my favour because I didn’t realise just how good it would be. When I took that first mouthful, I was slightly taken aback by the deliciousness.
So to know there are two set menus available for under £50 is rather exciting. The lunch set menu costs £35 for two courses and £40 for three. The chef’s menu for dinner is slightly more expensive at £45 for three courses.
Enjoy options such as seafood raviolo with a lobster bisque, beef medallion with pomme purée, beetroot tartare with stracciatella and chocolate creameux with mango sorbet.
See the menu here.
Six By Nico (Fitzrovia and Canary Wharf)
Six by Nico is well-known for its six-course tasting menus, which change every six weeks. Or if you fancy a lunch time trip, there’s a four course menu available too. The menus are inspired by a theme, destination or concept, so you know you won’t be stuck with the same old rota of options.
Until 13th October, the restaurant is cooking up an Istanbul menu featuring dishes like grilled chicken shish pide, seabass with white bean, fennel jam and smoked almond foam, and candy walnut, caramelised pear & sour yogurt sorbet for dessert.
From the 14th October, it’ll be serving a Hollywood-inspired menu.
See the menu here.
Benares (Mayfair)
Renowned Indian restaurant Benares has a two course set menu for £43 or three courses for £49.
With one Michelin star, this is another menu that offers great value for money. You’ll find flavour-packed dishes such as mutton seekh kebab, Welsh lamb and chickpea curry, jackfruit biryani, and chai crème brûlée
Note that the set menus are only available Monday to Saturday at specific times for lunch and dinner.
See the menu here.
Galvin La Chapelle (Spitalfields)
While I haven’t tried the set menu at this Michelin-star French restaurant, I have eaten there and can confirm, it’s a delight. The set menu only runs for lunch, where two courses will set you back £44 and three courses cost £49.
Choose from starter options such as Cornish mackerel and duck liver. Mains include the likes of corn-fed stuffed chicken breast and BBQ celeriac, and dessert features things like caramelised pineapple and warm chocolate mousse.
See the menu here.
Balthazar (Covent Garden)
I must admit, I think Balthazar is generally a bit overpriced for what it is. The set menus, however, are great value for money. Monday to Friday, 11am to 7pm, the French restaurant offers two courses for £24.50 or three courses for £27.50. Between 11am and 3.45pm, you even get a complimentary glass of wine (or non-alcoholic alternative).
The menu features buffalo mozzarella, moules frites, steak tartare, warm chocolate brownie and more.
See the menu here.
House of Ming (St James’ Court)
House of Ming
This Chinese restaurant is rated 21st best place to eat in London on TripAdvisor – out of over 27,000.
With its classy interiors and £35 lunch menu, you’re in for a treat. Choose from the vegetarian or non-vegetarian options, including crispy fried lotus root, tofu cooked in chilli bean and red chilli sauce, prawns in ginger sauce, wok-tossed spicy lamb and more.
See the menu here.
12:51 (Islington)
Former Great British Menu winner James Cochran cooks up British and Caribbean-inspired food at 12:51.
The five-course vegetarian tasting menu costs £49 and sounds every bit worth it. How does salt baked carrot with smoked sour cream and pickled mushroom sound? Or perhaps roast celeriac with onion, jalapeno emulsion, salsa verde, miso and burnt onion puree.
See the menu here.
Barbounia (Regent Street)
Barbounia
Barbounia is a Mediterranean restaurant located in Hotel Cafe Royal where you can enjoy two courses for £35, three courses for £40 and on an extra £10 for a glass of bubbles.
Choose from menu items such as burrata and tomatoes, beef fillet carpaccio, cacio e pepe, Cafe Royal burger and Tiramisu.
See the menu here.
Tattu (Soho)
The Taste of Tattu set menu runs 12pm-6pm Monday to Friday, 12pm-3.45pm on Saturday and all-day on Sunday.
The only trouble here is picking just one dish from each course, when they all sound so tempting. Wagyu beef dumpling, crispy squid and truffle shiitake bao bun are the starter options, while mains include ‘wok fried angry bird’, balsamic teriyaki salmon and kung po tofu.
Two courses cost just £33.50 and three courses are £37.50.
See the menu here.
Medlar (Chelsea)
Medlar makes the most of seasonal ingredients from the British Isles and Europe, but the style of cooking is French. The set menu runs at lunchtime Monday to Saturday: £47.50 for three courses, £40 for two courses, £35 for one course.
The menu is one of the bigger offerings on the list, and features dishes such as crab raviolo, duck egg tart, roast quail, wild halibut and pistachio parfait.
See the menu here.
The Lanesborough Grill Hyde Park
A fancy setting usually means extortionate prices, but that’s not the case at this hotel restaurant. The set menu is £49 for three courses, and while the options are limited, they’re enough to give you a taste of opulence.
Roast garlic risotto, braised lamb shoulder, and caramelised puff pastry are some of the dishes on offer.
See the menu here.
