could somebody please reccomend me a restaurant within walking distance from the shaftesbury theatre please. Don’t want anything mega expensive but a bit better than Mc donalds/KFC.

cheers

Loads of good places nearby in Soho, I’d recommend the Pierre Victoire in Dean St or Busaba Eathai in Wardour St depending on what you fancy.

not ‘my old dutch’ on high holborn… vastly overrated crappy pancakes.

Dave

more helpful comment:

if you don’t mind a walk from covent garden (not too far), I quite liked ‘simurgh’ on garrick street when I went there a couple of years ago (persian food).

Dave

edit: linky

Nothing wrong with Ed’s Diner, if you’re on a budget. Couple of branches just off Shaftesbury Ave.

Randall and Aubin in Brewer Street is also worth a look. Good for people watching on an evening, though can be a bit cold unless it’s packed.

Busaba Eathai, Wardour Street. yummy.

Busaba Eathai

or if you fancy thai (and a walk from soho), thai cottage on d’arblay street is always good food (although the decor is crap – sometimes that signals that you’re going to get great food!)

linky

Dave

Well I went to a brilliant Mexican fast-ish food place with amazing food but it’s 0.7 miles from your theatre, on the walkway that leads down to Charing Cross. Called Lupita I think. Great if you don’t want the rigmarole of waiter service and all that jazz.

belgos is always a winner for me
http://www.belgo-restaurants.co.uk/

Byron – in Rathbone Place, there last night posh burgers and Brew Dog beers

Konaki does nice Greek food with a reasonably priced pre-theatre menu.

thanks all, any more? Especially interested in any pre theatre specials.

One of my favourites here:

Benito’s Hat

Old Compton Street specialises in pre-theatre specials.

It just depends how special you want it.

benito’s hat +1 – not very convenient for shaftesbury theatre though.

Go across the road to China Town plenty of good quality restaurants
and you aint got to find your way back to the Theatre

Food 4 Thought, Neal St for me – tenner all in. Plus there’s usually crumble & custard on the menu.

There or i like Ghovinders the Hari Krishna place just off Soho Sq, cheap as chips & they don’t bother you at all.

Best coffee at Monmouths on errrm, Monmouth st. A bit poncey but just ignore that & try the coffee.

Sorry, here’s another meal & coffee combo.

Thai place opposite Ronnie Scotts, don’t know the name am afraid.

Plus coffee at Bar Italia after, best cappuchino ever – should be at 3 quid a cup but honestly you can taste it after 3 hours.

Going to see RAAAAAWK of Ages, then?

Belgo? Used to be awesome, now utter dross.

My tips;
Sophie’s on Drury Lane. Great pre-theatre menu, superb steak.
A litte more ££, Mon Plaisir on Monmouth St. Traditional French. Sublime place!

it’s not like the rad bike mags is it?. and why not. I want a photoshoot. It’d be good for pootlers that aren’t bothered. Do It!

@Captain Flasheart – Mrs DM weants to go see a musical for her birthday, Rock of ages seemed like the best option. Have you been? Any good?

@Keeves – These aren’t the posts you’re looking for! 😯

Ok folks, Sophie’s would seem to be the frontrunner so far, can’t find a price for their theatre menu though.

Interestingly there’s no mention of the places reccomended by the booking site here. Anyone know anything about Fire and Stone, Smollensky’s or Joe Allen?

Fine. I’ll go to the Hat tomorrow and have your burrito too…

http://www.sophiessteakhouse.co.uk/menu.php?menu=7867

Should also point out that they don’t take bookings, just turn up!

Fire and Stone – Average to good, nothing to set the world alight
Smollensky’s – Erm. No.
Joe Allen – It’s OK, I suppose. Again, not earth shattering.

Haven’t seen the show, I’m afraid. Sounds like funm though!

Da Mario on Endell St do great italian and is only a minute or two from there. Or there’s a wagamama just north of there too which is quick at least for pre-theatre food. Loads to choose from if you have enough time to go further down to Covent Garden (10 mins or so).

Rock of Ages is good too, I don’t like many musicals but it was good fun.

Has anyone mentioned Stada. I’ve done their pre theatre a few times and its always been good no nonsense pizza or pasta for a good price.

I used to love Busaba; it was a regular place for us to eat if we’d been in the office until late and didn’t want to cook at home.

I’ve been there relatively recently (about 18 months ago) and it was still a great place. Don’t be put off by the queues, it moves really quickly and if you’re a party of two, even quicker.

Food is both excellent and very keenly priced.

It’s been open now about 11 years I think and seems somehow to have maintained it’s standards. It is more of a relatively quick in and out though and the turnaround time is something the staff try to police quite actively. You share tables and benches with others, but somehow that doesn’t feel impersonal; indeed it can be a great way to meet new people.

Can’t recommend it highly enough.

Go across the road to China Town plenty of good quality restaurants

Unfortunately plenty of shit ones too. Beware.

see, double (edit – sorry, triple!) recommendation on Busaba! it’s awesome. go there. 🙂

I like the sound of Busaba, thai isn’t really mrs DM’s bag though. Strada looks good

Dave there’s plenty on the menu that isn’t strictly Thai; Busaba bills itself as ‘thai fusion’ so it’s not strictly speaking a thai restaurant.

From memory (and the menu might have changed) there are things like fried squid with cracked pepper corns, green chicken curry, deep fried tofu, stir fry tamarind duck with broccoli etc.

Strada’s alright but if you can find a Zizzis, they are a much better chain Italian. Get the calzone.

Pierre Victoire which I mentioned before is my first choice for cheap, good pre-theatre sort of food. Get the bavette steak and frites, it’s wonderful.

I used to love Busaba

+1

I still love it. 😀

so the consensus is, go to Busaba. Your missus will love it, it’s a great place.

thanks for all you reccomendations guys, settled on Pierre Victoire in the end(the free bottle of wine swung it). Chakaping – what exactly is a bavette steak?

Bavette steak

I’d not heard of it until I had it there, very popular in France though apparently. Had it twice at PV and both times it’s been lovely.

Bon appetit.