The 13 Best Dining Experiences in London

1.River Thames Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2,159 reviews · 3 hours · from $94Our pick

Spend three hours aboard a dinner boat sailing from Westminster to the Thames Barrier and back. You’ll get a welcome glass of sparkling wine, a three-course British dinner, tea and coffee, and live music with optional dancing. The route pairs central London landmarks with modern sights such as Canary Wharf and the O2 Arena. Singers vary, and vegetarian meals need advance notice.

“Amazing experience! really enjoyed it… the food was delicious and the whole atmosphere was classy. The staff was really good too”

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2.London Dinner Cruise on the Thames River

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,772 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $95

Board at Westminster Pier for a three-hour evening cruise past the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe, Tower Bridge, and Canary Wharf. A welcome drink, set three-course dinner, and live music are included. Expect fixed seating, close-set tables, and extra charges for drinks beyond the welcome glass. A VIP upgrade adds canapés, champagne, and upgraded seating.

“Great dinner cruise option! The food was better than expected and easy to locate the area. Already recommending this to family and friends!”

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3.Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,271 reviews · 1 day · from $39Best value

Dine at Hard Rock Cafe London in Mayfair, where guitars and music memorabilia frame a set menu of American classics. Choose a two-course Acoustic or three-course Electric menu, with a soft drink, coffee, or tea included. Priority seating helps you bypass the regular queue, though you may still wait for the first available table.

“rock cafe london service is supreme excellent! skip the line and have the perfect seat location to see the view of inside ! recommended buy this !”

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4.Picadilly Circus: Hard Rock Cafe Set Menu Lunch or Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 987 reviews · 1 day · from $41

Book a two-course Acoustic or three-course Electric set menu at Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus, the brand’s London flagship. Expect priority seating, a choice of familiar American-style mains, one soft drink, coffee, or tea, and music memorabilia lining the walls. The set menu keeps the meal simple, though your whole party must choose the same option.

“This was a surprise treat for Tommy our 11 year old music loving grandson. We booked the Gold meal deal & it was great value for money. We found the meals too big for us but the grandsons ate most of theirs. what we did have was very nice. Our server Ivan was very good & looked after us well. It was extremely busy being half term holidays but he was always there if needed. When the desserts were delivered there was an extra Ice cream sundae for Tommy with a candle in it. He was sung Happy Birthday to by several staff who had gathered round As an extra…”

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5.Faulty Towers The Dining Experience in London

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 985 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $102

At the President Hotel in London, performers play Basil, Sybil and Manuel in a two-hour comedy show built around a three-course lunch or dinner. Expect audience interaction, familiar Fawlty Towers-style mishaps and a 1970s-inspired menu. Drinks cost extra, and the performers are not connected to the BBC or the sitcom’s original creators.

“thoroughly enjoyable interactive show the actors were very good and kept you entertained in between food courses and the food was great”

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6.Hard Rock Cafe London Old Park Lane with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 394 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $41

Enjoy a two-course or three-course set meal at the Hard Rock Cafe on Old Park Lane, London’s original branch, opened in 1971. Priority seating, soft drinks and classic American-style dishes are included. See the rock memorabilia, including Eric Clapton’s donated Fender guitar, then visit the cafe’s separate shop and the Vault, a small rock museum in a former Coutts bank site.

“We had Gold menu. It is a limited menu but we all knew we wanted the burger so it suited us. The food was great and we thought it was great value. We decided to get cocktails with the meal and use the included drink as a coffee at the end of the meal which worked great for us. The staff were fabulous. I’d had to call them as tube stations were closed which meant would be late. We did have to wait a little bit but they accommodated us and were really good about it which we were grateful for especially considering how busy they were. I’d definitely do…”

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7.6-Course Gourmet Dinner on a Luxury Coach

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 277 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $130

Meet at Victoria Embankment for a table on the top deck of a glass-roofed coach. A freshly prepared six-course French and British dinner comes with views of landmarks including St. Paul’s, Tower Bridge and Westminster Abbey. English guiding and WiFi are included; wine pairing is optional. The coach returns to the starting point.

“We loved this experience and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to see the London sights a different way. The food was of a high quality and so much of it . My suggestion is don’t eat all day before hand as there is so much delicious food”

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8.Dinner Cruise with Elvis Tribute on the Thames River

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 43 reviews · 3 hours · from $123

Board a three-hour Thames dinner cruise from 7:45 PM for a glass of sparkling wine, a three-course meal, and two live Elvis sets by Matt King, a European Championships winner in 2015 and 2016. The evening heads toward Tower Bridge, with London skyline views, a bar for extra drinks, and Elvis-themed music for dancing.

“Great night drinks expensive but apart from that really good night out”

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9.Christmas Eve City Tour with Dinner & Midnight Mass

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 25 reviews · 6 hours · from $172

Spend six hours seeing London’s landmark buildings lit for Christmas, with a guide aboard a luxury coach. Dinner in Covent Garden includes three courses and prosecco, followed by Midnight Mass at St Martin-in-the-Fields. The tour meets at Bulleid Way and ends with a drop-off within walking distance of central London hotels.

“La visite de la ville en autocar dure trop longtemps. On passe plusieurs fois par les mêmes lieux. Le restaurant est un bel établissement, mais l'organisation est un désastre. La messe est un moment magique, avec une belle chorale et se déroule dans les temps. La prise en charge pour le retour à notre hôtel est bien organisé. Mention à notre chauffeur et à notre guide !”

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10.Murder Mystery Cruise With 3-Course Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 18 reviews · 3 hours · from $147

Board at Tower Pier for a three-hour Thames cruise with a welcome drink, a three-course dinner, and an interactive murder mystery in English. You can join in as a detective or watch the actors while the boat passes landmarks including Tower Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, the London Eye, and the Houses of Parliament.

“Very very poor performance,....not understandable and bad acting. Rush rush through a bad diner wirh raw vegetables... Everything was overprized you better spend the money on other activities....”

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11.Christmas Party Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 14 reviews · 4 hours · from $129

City Cruises’ four-hour Christmas party cruise leaves Tower Pier for a Thames trip toward Canary Wharf. You’ll get a welcome glass of sparkling wine, a three-course festive dinner with half a bottle of wine, and DJ-led dancing. The route passes landmarks including Tower Bridge, the Shard and the London Eye. It is an adults-only evening, with shared tables of 10.

“We all had a really fun time, thank you. The arrival time became a little confusing between the operator and the booking company. The staff were lovely, but some of the food arrived cold. The DJ and the music were loads of fun. And obviously the sights were amazing!”

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12.Festive London New Year’s Eve 3-Course Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 12 reviews · from $639

Spend five hours aboard a heated pleasure boat, sailing from Tower Pier towards Greenwich and back to Westminster. You’ll have a three-course dinner, half a bottle of wine, live music and a midnight Champagne toast. The fireworks view is the main attraction, but a bridge may obstruct part of the sightline.

“The view for the fireworks is behind a bridge and not from the front. The evening was not festive, it's a shame for the price.”

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13.Gastronomic 6-course fine-dining dinner on Luxury London Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · 3 hours · from $242

Spend three hours on a luxury bus touring central London while dining on six courses of contemporary French cuisine with British influences. Head chef Ignazio Nuccio brings fine-dining skills to a meal on wheels, served with wine as landmarks pass beneath the panoramic glass roof. Vegetarian and vegan menus are listed, but confirm your needs with the provider before booking.

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