by Anna Scott
If you’re anything like me, enjoying a meal out in the evening happens once in a blue moon. Actually, enjoying a meal out at any time is a pretty rare occurrence around these parts, but when it does happen it’s likely lunch and typically on a weekday—a few guaranteed child- and work-free hours mean less logistical organisation and babysitting costs, after all. But with a good lunch comes a fairly hefty price tag; Michelin starred and AA-rosetted establishments aren’t famous for their great value—but perhaps some of them should be. The fixed-price lunch menu at Le Gavroche is considered by many to be one of the best-value lunches in the capital. Ok, so it’s not the cheapest—but you certainly get plenty of world-class food for your poundage. So what great local restaurants offer excellent lunchtime value? Here are some of the best places to get a fixed-price lunch in west London:
Kitchen W8, Kensington
Opened in 2009 and awarded its first Michelin star in 2011, Kitchen W8 is the latest in a long line of top-notch establishments from restaurateur Philip Howard, the man behind the world-famous Ledbury in Notting Hill. The Kitchen W8 set lunch menu is available from Monday to Saturday and costs £21 for two courses or £23 for three courses.
Sample dish: roast breast and leg of mallard with new season’s quince, chestnut and bulgur wheat
Indian Zing, Hammersmith
Since it opened, this Hammersmith stalwart has been nominated in the Tatler Restaurant Awards and the Observer Food Awards as well as being a firm favourite of renowned restaurant critic Fay Maschler. The express lunch menu is priced at a rather astonishing £12 for two courses and £15 for three courses.
Sample dish: fish patti with pumpkin and coriander cress
Le Vacherin, Chiswick
This is a great little French restaurant hidden away on South Parade, providing a lovely atmosphere combined with classic dishes. The lunch menu is two courses for £18.50 or three courses for £22.50.
Sample dish: rabbit and chanterelle pie with gratin of salsafiy
Sonny’s Kitchen, Barnes
A neighbourhood favourite in Barnes for many years, Sonny’s Kitchen is now run by Philip Howard, he of Kitchen W8 and the Ledbury fame. Well worth a trip if you fancy the quieter surrounds of beautiful Barnes. The set lunch costs £16.50 for two courses or £18.50 for three courses.
Sample dish: pork belly with creamed potato, curly kale, apple and beetroot
Racine, Knightsbridge
Still technically in west London, this old-school French restaurant should be on your radar if you need a break from some hardcore shopping or just fancy pretending you’re in a classy neighbourhood Parisian brasserie. The price tag for the weekday prix-fixe menu is £17.75 for two courses or £19.50 for three courses.
Sample dish: grilled feather blade steak, Jerusalem artichoke, savoy cabbage and green peppercorn sauce
River Café, Hammersmith
I don’t think we could finish without mentioning what is perhaps west London’s most famous eating establishment. Home of world-class Italian cuisine, try and catch their Winter Set Lunch menu before it finishes on 21st March. Two courses will set you back £28, or you can have two courses with dessert for £34 or three courses with dessert for £42.
Sample dish: Linguine con granchio with fresh Cornish crab, fennel seeds, chilli, parsley and lemon
Of course, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to great restaurants in west London, and there are plenty of others that we simply don’t have the room to mention here, but let us know your own recommendations for fabulous local lunches—we can add them to the ever-expanding list of reasons to take a day off work for gastronomic indulgence.
About the author:
Anna Scott is a freelance writer, parent, procrastinator and Hammersmith resident. When she’s not attempting to write her first young adult fiction novel, in between reading and reviewing the odd book or two, she can be found chasing after her two little girls. In a previous life she was a politics graduate and wine trade lackey. Head over to Anna Scott Jots to find out more…
