London's food scene has never been short of exceptional restaurants - 80 of which hold Michelin stars.
This February saw nine restaurants in the capital join the roster after the Michelin Great Britain & Ireland Guide 2024 gave a cluster of venues their first one-star accolade, as well as two new two-stars for Gymkhana and Brooklands, and a brand new three-star ranking for chef Brett Graham’s The Ledbury in Notting Hill.
When we think of Michelin, one always assumes there's a hefty price tag. Caroline Baldwin, Deputy Editor of The Caterer, explains that isn't always the case.
"When it comes to Michelin you’re talking about restaurants using the best produce, hiring the most talented chefs and serving meals in beautiful venues. This will always come at a price, especially in London, and even more so when chefs are being squeezed by similar inflation costs like the rest of us," she says.
Caroline, an expert in Michelin-starred dining, confirms it’s always worth looking at one-star restaurants if you are in the market for a special meal that is less likely to break the bank. From £25 three-course set menus, to pre-theatre dinners for £40, London's Michelin star offering isn't always as expensive as you might think.
If you're ever in need of inspiration for a special, yet affordable restaurant booking, scroll on for HELLO!'s recommendations.
London's affordable Michelin restaurants
© Loyka.netTrivet, Bermondsey
SE1's beloved Michelin-starred Trivet recently made the leap to becoming a two-star restaurant, hailed for bringing an unpretentious fine dining experience to Bermondsey. Their lunch menu offers a wide range of dishes at affordable prices, with one of their signatures - the Hot Tongue Bun at just £14.
Chishuru, Fitzrovia
"Try Chishuru in Fitzrovia for a £40 lunch set menu (£75 for dinner) where guests can experience Adejoké Bakare’s incredible modern west African cooking including her fermented rice cake with maitake and chestnut mushrooms, mushroom puree and grains of paradise or whole deep fried quail with a black sesame sauce," Caroline of The Caterer recommends.
The Dystart, Petersham
Located between Petersham Nurseries and the Petersham Hotel is The Dystart, a charming, unfussy pub that serves up season produce, rare-breed meats, heritage vegetables and sustainable fish.
Their Garden Menu, available Thursday and Friday lunchtimes, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, offers three of their signature courses for just £45.
Mountain, Soho
Caroline's recommendation: "Tomos Parry opened his second restaurant Mountain in Soho last summer and his thoughtful Basque Country cooking using Welsh and Cornish produce caught the attention of the critics meaning it’s been a struggle to get a table ever since.
"But now the Brat chef has a star for this restaurant as well, I can imagine it will be near impossible to get a table, but take it from me it will be worth the battle if you manage it!"
© Sofitel St JamesWild Honey, St James's
The elegant, opulent interiors of Wild Honey built into a Grade-II listed building embody London's timeless glamour, with soaring ceilings, monochrome marble floors and regal arched windows greeting you as you step into the dining room.
Don't let its grandeur fool you, chef Anthony Demetre's exquisite European menu can be experienced for as little as £45 (three-course pre-theatre menu).
LUCA, Clerkenwell
LUCA, the Michelin-starred modern Italian restaurant in Clerkenwell, serves a seasonal express menu from its standalone bar, offering diners the chance to enjoy its contemporary take on Italian cuisine in a more casual format.
The bar express menu is available Wednesday - Saturday from 12pm - 2pm, priced at just £26 for two courses or £30 for three.
The Ninth, Fitzrovia
The Ninth, Jun Tanaka’s Michelin-starred restaurant in Fitzrovia, offers a daily set lunch menu with two courses priced at just £30, and three at £35.
The regularly-changing menu highlights the best of the seasons, with sample dishes including Salt cod, radish, sourdough and trout roe and Clementine and beetroot salad with coconut yoghurt and fig oil to start, followed by Roast guinea fowl ballotine with brussel tops and celeriac or Chargrilled Delica pumpkin, hazelnut dukkah and whey butter. To finish, guests can enjoy the likes of Madeleines and lemon curd or Gruyere Alpage cheese and biscuits.
