London’s theaters aren’t just home to many of the world’s best plays, musicals and comedies. These amazing places are also great places to meet friends or just hang out, thanks to their cozy bars, restaurants, and cafes, and some are true hidden gems. The city has it all, from historic buildings that host afternoon tea or serve champagne to hip and funky spots serving local favorites and vegan fare.
Even better, you can support an arts institution while having a drink or snack, and you’re in a building with scenic vibes and a great atmosphere. It can also be the solution to finding a meeting place in central London without paying exorbitant prices, and theaters are becoming more welcoming to people during the day and at night. That means it’s the perfect companion for a morning or evening show, making your outing even more special.
So whether you’re looking for a romantic date spot, a fun spot for large groups, or just a quiet spot where you can read your show and grab a pre-show coffee, we’ve got the best theater venues within reach. guide. Read on for foodie inspiration!
London’s hippest theatre, run by Kwame Kwei-Armah, is renowned for its must-see new plays, stellar revivals and diverse crowds. Located on the South Bank, just minutes from Waterloo Station and a short walk from the Tate Modern and the National Theatre, it is in a vibrant district with excellent transport links and many bars and restaurants in the surrounding area.
But the Young Vic holds its own in the culinary department. The Cut Bar & Restaurant is a light and airy place where you can enjoy fun organic food. Think beet-marinated salmon with smoked salmon mousse, mushroom and truffle pate with quince, spicy crab arancini balls with tonkatsu sauce, top charcuterie boards, and vegan gingerbread sticky toffee pudding.
The bar is always buzzing with The Cut’s excellent selection of classic cocktails, allpress coffee and craft beer, as well as a robust wine list. On busy nights, it’s definitely worth ordering your drinks in advance for pre-show consumption or at intervals to avoid queuing.
The iconic Bankside venue, a reconstruction of the original 1619th century wooden theatre, gives theatergoers the opportunity to experience a play as it would have been performed in Shakespeare’s day. The Globe is also a great place to eat and drink thanks to the Swan restaurant. Situated right on the Thames, it has majestic views across the river towards St Paul’s Cathedral, and you can sit outside in good weather.
It’s the perfect spot for a wonderfully indulgent, traditional afternoon tea: a glass of champagne alongside smoked salmon sandwiches, Clarence Court truffle and egg sandwiches, English Breakfast tea, and cranberry orange blossom scones with Devonshire clotted cream and Bermondsey jam. Bramble.
The a la carte menu includes seasonal British favorites such as Cornish Crab Salad, Highland Venison Tenderloin and Winter Berry Trifle, plus a well-priced pre-theatre menu. And, for an added treat from Shakespeare, the Swan prepares themed dishes to reflect its shows, including Italian specialties and custom cocktails to pair with. Romeo and Juliet.
There’s no better place to enjoy the summer months than London’s parks, and tucked away in North London’s idyllic Regent’s Park is this magical open-air theater space. You can settle into its sloping open-air auditorium to enjoy everything from Shakespeare and Chekhov to musicals and children’s shows, with the light falling during a night performance to create a mesmerizing atmosphere.
But the show is only part of the pleasure of the trip here. Many people bring a basket to picnic in style on the lawn, or gather early in the theater’s wonderfully long bar, which glows with colored lights at night, for a glass of wine or Pimm’s.
You can also get delicious hot food in the theater: The Grill serves homemade burgers, The Pizza Oven has superior fresh pizzas, and the covered terrace dining venue offers themed menus for each show. It’s outdoor drinking and dining at its most pleasurable.
The country’s leading theater presents major plays and musicals on its three stages: the Olivier, the Lyttelton and the Dorfman. His inaugural production was Sir Laurence Olivier’s Village, starring Peter O’Toole, and has since launched numerous iconic shows, including The Boys of History, War Horse, Y The Curious Incident of the Dog at Midnight.
The Southbank building is also very welcoming outside of its productions. The huge entrance hall features comfortable seating facing floor-to-ceiling windows, and visitors can wander through its popular store. In addition, there are several attractive places to eat and drink, such as the Atrium Café, which serves artisanal coffee and snacks such as fresh pastries, sandwiches and salads.
The National recently joined forces with KERB, independent street food pioneers, to showcase its offerings at The Understudy bar and Atrium and Espresso Bar cafes. That means a range of products like Elephant and Castle Hej coffee, spirits from East London Liquor Company and beers from Gipsy Hill, all served in this lively spot.
The home of new writing, Royal Court is where you’ll find the most provocative and daring contemporary work. It has nurtured exciting playwrights like John Osborne, Caryl Churchill, Martin McDonagh, Sarah Kane, Roy Williams and Jez Butterworth, and many of its productions have moved to the West End, such as Elegant Y the boatman
That outlet somehow juxtaposes with its posh vibe in Sloane Square. But it does make for an attractive meeting place in this picturesque part of London, and the Royal Court’s Bar & Kitchen is stylish and, thankfully, much more affordable than the surrounding area. In summer, you can also sit in the square.
The drinks menu is a good selection of gins and craft beers, fun cocktails, wine and soft drinks, and the atmosphere is particularly nice: a constant buzz of conversation, but you can also find a nice table tucked away in a corner for a private. chat. The kitchen is currently closed due to Covid but will hopefully be serving their delicious bistro cuisine again soon.
One of London’s newest and most stylish art venues, it’s so named because it’s situated right next to the capital’s iconic Tower Bridge (and the view from the bridge, to paraphrase Arthur Miller, is jaw-dropping). This ultra-flexible theater space is primarily home to new plays from a variety of artists, programmed and occasionally directed by Nicholas Hytner, the successful former director of the National Theatre.
But that is not the only reason to visit the Bridge. The building has a lavishly decorated and impressively large wood-clad lobby, illuminated by 500 striking copper light fixtures. The long bar serves a curated list of local wines and beers from London’s acclaimed restaurant St John, which also offers tasty bites (although not currently, due to the pandemic).
In fact, the Bridge became famous early on for its freshly baked cupcake cakes, which create a delicious aroma on arrival and can be ordered in advance for the break. You can also enjoy a variety of sweet and savory pastries with a coffee or tea during the day.
Historic Drury Lane, which has had a theater on that site since 1663, making it the oldest in London still in use, has been restored to its former glory following a £60m refurbishment. The Covent Garden landmark has become particularly famous in recent years for its huge staging of West End musicals, and is currently home to Disney’s Frozen.
The sumptuous interior of the Grade I listed building is a sight in itself, and the refreshments are equally impressive. New all-day destination, The Lane, now offers Afternoon Tea by world-class artisan baker Lily Vanilli in the Grand Saloon, for you to enjoy under ornate ceilings and chandeliers.
The seasonal menu is constantly changing, but expect warm scones with whipped butter, homemade cream and jam, cannelés with goat cheese and pickled beets, Rare Tea Company teas and Taittinger champagne. You can also enjoy an espresso martini amidst the lush foliage of The Garden, select a craft cocktail at the glamorous Cecil Beaton Bar, or sip champagne under the Rotunda roof. Health!
This friendly hub for mostly new plays was first converted into a theater in the 1930s and, after a long dark period, was saved from demolition and reopened as the St James Theater in 2012, later acquired by the company of Andrew Lloyd Webber and renamed The Other Palace. in 2017. Located in Victoria, it has a main house and a cabaret-style studio, and has hosted artists such as amelie, heathers the musical Y Be cooler.
Competing with creativity on its stages is the ultra-modern bar, The Other Gin Palace, where you can relax in a leather booth and enjoy a coffee or tea from Vienna’s Julius Meinl during the day while watching the world go by.
In the evening, there are over 50 varieties of gin to choose from, plus fine wine, beer and champagne and, an especially nice touch, imaginative themed cocktails for the shows. Add light bites like nachos, pizza, and savory muffins, and it’s heaven.
Photo Credit: The Garden at The Lane (Photo by Andy Paradise)