Dining Inspiration Archives - opentable.co.uk blog

Covent Garden’s best restaurants for al fresco dining

OpenTable September 26, 2020 Leave a Comment

With its iconic piazza, market halls, and street entertainers, Covent Garden is one of London’s top spots for outdoor dining. Whether you fancy rooftop cocktails or a long lunch on a sun-soaked terrace, here are the area’s best restaurants for al fresco eating and drinking.

Sushisamba
If you can tear yourself away from its beautiful bar (complete with leafy ‘living ceiling’), you can dine al fresco on Sushisamba’s balcony terrace and tables out on the piazza. The menu takes its inspiration from Japan, Brazil and Peru, so you’ll find sushi and tempura alongside churrasco and ceviche. Whether it’s date night, girls’ night, or just Friday night, this West End stunner is guaranteed to impress.

Temper
At this West End smokehouse, meat is carefully sourced, butchered in-house and cooked over fire for maximum flavour. Whether you fancy a steak or some of their famous cheeseburger tacos, good times (and meat sweats) are guaranteed. Grab a seat at the counter to watch the chefs at work or soak up the sun on their spacious terrace.

28-50 Wine Bar & Kitchen
With 30 wines available by the glass, carafe, and bottle, 28-50 is the ideal place to indulge your passion for wine. The list changes often, so there’s always something interesting to try. On warm days, you can sit out on the terrace and enjoy dishes like crab salad, seared tuna Niçoise, and simply grilled steaks. Close your eyes and you’ll feel like you’re on holiday.

The Ivy Market Grill
Escape the bustle of the piazza and rest for a while amongst the flowers and foliage at this glamorous all-day brasserie. The Ivy Market Grill adds a touch of luxury to every occasion, whether you’re celebrating over dinner or just popping in for cocktails. The menu is vast, with something to satisfy all your cravings – try the crispy duck salad or their famous shepherd’s pie.

La Goccia
Recapture the magic of Italian summer holidays at La Goccia, an all-day restaurant from the team behind Petersham Nurseries. In the warmer months, tables spill out on to Floral Court so diners can enjoy cocktails and small plates amongst the potted plants and fragrant lemon trees. As the sun sets, there’s nowhere better to unwind with a spritz and snack on burrata and zucchini fritti.

Radio Rooftop
From sunrise to sunset, this rooftop restaurant offers stunning views of the London skyline. You can pop in for a lunchtime lobster roll, catch up with friends over weekend brunch, or enjoy dinner and drinks as the sun sets over the River Thames. With a glass of Champagne in hand, you’ll feel like an A-lister in no time.

Tuttons
A Covent Garden institution for nearly 30 years, Tuttons is the perfect place to refuel after a few hours of retail therapy. Grab a table overlooking the piazza and enjoy a solo breakfast or a long, leisurely lunch with friends. The menu is full of classic crowd-pleasers, from steaks and seafood to pasta and fresh salads.

Best of the rest: You can dine outdoors at Tredwells, Barrafina Drury Lane, Shake Shack, Vyta, Ladurée and Aubaine Deli.

Dining elsewhere? Visit OpenTable to discover more of London’s best restaurants for al fresco dining.

Photo Credit: Thierry Delsart for Radio Rooftop and Andrew Montgomery for La Goccia. All other images courtesy of the restaurants.

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London Restaurant Festival: Enjoy exclusive menus this October

OpenTable September 24, 2020 Leave a Comment

London Restaurant Festival returns this October with In-Restaurant and At-Home experiences for food lovers to enjoy. There are gourmet odysseys, socially distanced dinners hosted by top chefs, and feasts and masterclasses to try at home.

Throughout the month, diners can enjoy exclusive Festival Menus at top restaurants across the city, all bookable on OpenTable. There are six different themes to explore, from neighbourhood gems and London legends to restaurants with stunning views and cosy outdoor spaces.

To book the Festival Menus, visit www.opentable.co.uk/london-restaurant-festival/

Need some inspiration to get you started? We’ve rounded up some of the best Festival Menus below:

⭐ Kanishka – King Kanishka’s Tasting Menu £55pp
A six-course modern Indian feast, including a cocktail on arrival, at Atul Kochhar’s West End restaurant.

⭐ Temper Soho – Mezcal Festival Menu £75pp
Kick things off with a smoky Mezcal Margarita, followed by 3 courses, each paired with a mezcal shot!

⭐ The Gilbert Scott – 3-course British feast and a cocktail £35
Enjoy classic British dishes at Marcus Wareing’s elegant restaurant at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel.

⭐ Le Pont de la Tour – 3 courses for £25
French flavours, fine wine, and stunning views across the River Thames – perfect for date night.

⭐ York & Albany – 2 courses for £19 or 3 for £23
Head to Gordon Ramsay’s Camden restaurant for a meal that’s big on flavour but easy on the wallet.

⭐ Fiume – 3 courses for £20
Grab a table on the terrace and enjoy authentic Italian dishes at Fiume in Battersea.

With so many fantastic restaurants taking part, you can make dining out extra special this October. After months of uncertainty, it’s a great way to support restaurants and explore London’s diverse dining scene.

Tables are filling up fast – book your London Restaurant Festival Menus today!

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Eat out, save money, and support restaurants with Dine Local

OpenTable August 28, 2020

This September, we’ve teamed up with Mastercard to celebrate the neighbourhood restaurants that make everyday dining extra special. The restaurants you return to time after time for birthdays, date night dinners, and those days when you simply don’t feel like cooking.

After months of uncertainty, restaurants are back in business and they need your support. So throughout September, our Dine Local campaign will give you the chance to rediscover dining out and enjoy set menus and special offers at local restaurants across the UK.

You can enjoy great food at great prices at restaurants in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dublin. Here’s a little taste of what’s on offer:

20 Stories, Manchester – With its modern British menu and roof terrace overlooking the city, it’s easy to see why this Spinningfields spot is a hit with the locals. They’re offering 3 courses for £23.50 throughout September.
The Summerhouse, London – Enjoy 30% off your food bill at this popular restaurant in leafy Little Venice. Chilled rosé and fresh seafood overlooking the canal – what could be better?
Chakana, Birmingham – If you’ve never tried Peruvian food, Chakana’s early bird dinner menu is a great place to start. With three courses for just £25, you’ll have cash left over for one of their potent pisco sours.
Van Winkle, Glasgow – If it’s comfort food you’re after, Van Winkle’s burgers, wings and extra cheesy mac ‘n’ cheese will definitely hit the spot. They’re knocking 33% off your food bill on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
The Stockbridge Restaurant, Edinburgh – This family-run gem gets rave reviews from OpenTable diners, with guests praising the ‘outstanding’ cooking and ‘intimate, relaxed’ atmosphere. With 20% off your bill in September, there’s never been a better time to go.
BANG Restaurant & Wine Bar, Dublin – Turn date night into steak night at this stylish restaurant just off St Stephen’s Green. For £35 a head, you can enjoy a picanha steak and grilled Dublin Bay prawns for two to share, followed by an after dinner drink.

Visit our Dine Local hub to discover more tempting offers, from tasting menus and complimentary cocktails to money off your bill. Try somewhere new, revisit an old favourite – the possibilities are endless!

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#StayAtHome: A lockdown survival guide for foodies

OpenTable April 22, 2020

Looking for ways to shake up your quarantine routine? There’s more to lockdown life than Netflix and banana bread! Here are 10 ways for foodies to keep busy, support restaurants, and plan for the future.

Treat yourself to a takeaway. Need a break from cooking? Support local restaurants by ordering delicious dishes, sweet treats, and even cocktails to enjoy at home. We’ve teamed up with Deliveroo and Uber Eats so you can find restaurants in your area offering delivery and collection. There’s never been a better time to try a new cuisine or enjoy a themed food-and-movie night.

Find ways to help out. There are lots of ways you can give back to your community in these difficult times. You could offer to pick up some essentials for relatives or neighbours that can’t get out or make a donation to charities like FareShare or Meals for the NHS. Why not reach out to your local food bank and see if there are things you can donate?

Start a restaurant wishlist. Keep track of all the places you want to try or revisit once lockdown is lifted. If the restaurant is on OpenTable, you can tap the ‘Save This Restaurant’ button on their profile to add it to your favourites. This is the ideal time to do your research and find the perfect restaurant for your next anniversary, date night, or family lunch. Consider buying gift vouchers for future meals so you’ve got something to look forward to.

Plan your next foodie trip. Just because you can’t travel now, doesn’t mean you can’t start planning your next adventure. Whether you fancy tapas, sushi, or tacos on the beach, the possibilities are endless. Pin the places you want to visit – museums, markets, restaurants – on a custom Google map, and when it’s time to fly, all you need to do is pack your bag!

Skip the supermarket. If you can, skip the stressful supermarket queue and support smaller independent shops and local delis instead. You could try a new delivery service – lots of restaurant suppliers (like Natoora) are now doing home delivery, as are local fishmongers, butchers and wine shops. If you’re in London, The Infatuation has a great list of restaurants selling fresh produce and supplies – Quality Chop’s pies are top of our list!

Plan the perfect foodie day out. What would your ideal foodie day look like? A visit to your favourite farmers’ market? A Sunday roast after a long walk? Or a date night dinner and cocktail crawl? Map out the perfect foodie day so you’re ready to go once things are back to normal.

Cook the books. Got a stack of cookbooks you rarely cook from? Challenge yourself to cook a recipe from each one or create a 3-course feast from one of your favourites. You can keep kids busy with jobs like stirring or meatball rolling or get your housemates to shake up cocktails for a home happy hour. Why not support your favourite restaurants by adding their cookbooks to your collection?

Host a virtual dinner party. Lay the table, pour yourself a glass of wine, and invite friends and family to a virtual dinner, lunch break, or brunch party. To help you set the scene, we’ve created a #VirtualDining Instagram filter so you can add a restaurant background to your next Instagram video chat. If you miss catching up over dinner, this is the next best thing!

Plan a staycation. In the UK, you don’t have to travel far to find good food. Check out which food festivals are running later this year or plan your dream staycation, whether that involves camping, country walks, or exploring a new city. If you need some inspiration, take a look at some of our favourite UK beach breaks, restaurants with rooms, and foodie hotels.

Stay social. Stay engaged and show your support by following your favourite chefs, restaurants and food bloggers on social media. You’ll be rewarded with cookery demos, virtual tasting sessions, pub quizzes, workouts and more! You could also take a few minutes to write a review and spread the word about your favourite places to eat.

Have you got any quarantine tips to share with fellow foodies? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page.

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