The Resy Guide to London’s Best Restaurants for an Early Supper

Opened and run by three childhood friends — who also happened to grow up in Peckham — this treasured neighbourhood bistro is running a four-course curfew set menu, with two sittings at 5.45pm and 8pm. Wine recommendations, as ever, are on point, and the menu changes every couple of weeks, with vegetarian and dietary requests accommodated. In addition, there’s a free cocktail for any guest that reserves for the earlier sitting. 

Lauded for its approach to contemporary fine dining with West African influences (earning it a star in the process), this St. James restaurant has always had impeccable design sensibilities. In addition to being treated to chef Jeremy Chan’s breathtaking a la carte menu, tables reserved before 5.45pm will also receive a complimentary Ikoyi tote bag. 

Only East London’s most exuberant restaurant could make curfew seem almost fun. Friday and Saturday dinners offer a superb £25 prix-fixe (and for a modest fiver extra, the rib-eye is yours), while Schnitzel Time presents a fun game for diners: the time you book is the price you pay for a gleaming plate of chicken schnitzel — so the earlier you book, the less you pay. 

One of London’s very best cocktail bars is now open from 3pm, with two cocktails for £15 before 6pm. Grab a seat at the window, order a couple of martinis (among London’s finest) and get a jump on the evening.

It’s oyster season — not that you’d need us to tell you. Fittingly, Jackson Boxer’s seafood-centric restaurant is offering guests £1 oysters between 5-7pm in relaxed surroundings, along with the rest of the kitchen’s acclaimed menu. Happy hour, indeed. 

Known for one of London’s best natural wine cellars and delicious, creative cooking, this Hackney favourite is offering 20% off the bill for reservations pre-6pm. Smash a few glasses and dig into Tom Anglesea’s well-traveled bistro menu; expect dishes like wild mushroom dumplings with cep dashi and girolles, or Sichuan crème brûlée — and don’t forget to tip generously. 

Having pivoted from a beloved Soho bistro and wine bar to a pizza restaurant par excellence (don’t worry — you can still order the classics), 10 Greek Street is gifting a complimentary glass of wine or crisp Braybrooke beer with every pizza ordered between 3-6pm. The lamb, aubergine, and anchovy mayo-topped pizza seems an unlikely combination, but works beautifully. 

One of the most beautiful dining rooms in Shoreditch, freshly baked pastries, and contemporary Turkish cooking help Barboun stand out from its contemporaries. Early diners (or late lunchers) can get in on a prix-fixe of three courses for £20, with dishes like summer squash with green tahini and hazelnut dukkah, or baby chicken paired with charred corn and herby za’atar. 

Ellen Parr and Pete Kelly’s Chinese-inspired restaurant has sated many a craving for smashed cucumbers and cumin lamb ribs. Now, it’s also open for happy hour, with two-for-one cocktails and £3 beers between 5.30-7pm — as good a reason to leave work early as any. 

Aside from being one of the best evenings you can have in Shoreditch, this standout Middle Eastern spot has found creative ways to enjoy an earlier dinner — and still have time for a drink afterwards. They’re laying out a spread of their best mezze on Mondays from 5.30-8.30pm for £20pp, while a ‘greatest hits’ spread awaits guests who book between 6-8.30pm. An extra order of confit potatoes is always appropriate.

An East London institution, this wine bar is adored by locals and those in the wine trade for having one of the best wine lists in town, an unparalleled ambience, and legendary cheese toasties. Now throwing open its doors from 3pm, there’s 50% off the bill from Monday to Wednesday; for the rest of the week, the offer applies for early bookings between 4-6.30pm. 

Hicce boasts some of London’s most creative cooking, courtesy of award-winning chef Pip Lacey, paired to outstanding cocktails and natural wine. Here, early diners receive 50% off (up to £10) from 5-5.45m, Tuesday to Friday. Meanwhile, lunches on the terrace receive the same treatment on Thursdays and Fridays. 

Perfect for low-key dinners, this Bethnal Green spot is adored by locals for its thoughtfully curated lineup of wines, intimate vibe, and spot-on modern bistro cooking. From Monday to Wednesday, 50% of the bill is on the house; for the rest of the week, it’s the same, but between 4-6.30pm. 

At its various locations, this Spanish spot is known for getting the classics right — tortilla, gambas al ajillo — and its croquetas are spot-on. Fittingly, guests spending over £15 in food and drink between 2.30-6.30pm will receive a free plate of the crunchy, molten morsels (the jamon and salt cod are excellent), or a plate of pan con tomate or jamón serrano instead. 

Doug McMaster’s zero-waste restaurant was one of 2019’s most anticipated openings, and suffice to say, an evening here is as thought-provoking as ever. For early diners arriving before 6pm, the first drink of the evening is on the house. 

One of the city’s most agile (and dependable) restaurants during lockdown, this Venetian-inspired restaurant is serving a £23 set menu for all tables between 5pm and 6.30pm, Monday through Thursday. Dishes don’t skimp on quality: Grilled mackerel and sea aster, rigatoni al ragù, and a satisfying panna cotta are among chef Mitshel Ibrahim’s best dishes. 

This Soho restaurant still does some of the best pasta and salumi in London, thanks to chef Chris Leach’s deft touch. There’s a scarcely believable £10 set menu (including rigatoni with slow-cooked pork ragu and chicken liver parfait) for guests between 5-6pm in the evenings, Monday to Friday. Order a couple of Amaro spritzes and a plate of ‘nduja steamed mussels to share for an outstanding weeknight supper. 

Along with the auspicious arrival of highly regarded chef Marcelo Rodrigues (Brawn, Marksman), this cosy wine bar and restaurant is offering pre-6pm reservations a complimentary glass of fizz. With comforting, seasonal flavours and a lightness of touch, expect dishes that hit the spot like pork belly with sprouting broccoli and hazelnut vinaigrette, or a galette of chard and Westcombe ricotta. 

This well-kept secret in Farringdon is offering all wines at shop retail price between 5-6pm for guests with a dinner reservation. Impeccable list curation and Nick Bramham’s sensitive, truly seasonal approach to cooking makes this one of the most enticing early supper proposals anywhere right now.

Having won critical acclaim with its faithful renditions of regional Indian dishes with a playful twist, Gunpowder continues to stake its claim as one of central London’s best South Asian eateries. For lunch and pre-5.30pm reservations between Monday and Friday, there’s a handsome 30% off cocktails and house wines at both its Spitalfields and Tower Bridge locations.

While there’s no specific “early” menu per se, this quietly outstanding British restaurant is throwing open its doors at 5.30pm, with a £20 four-course menu that doesn’t compromise on quality — think crispy chicken wings with girolles and oregano, or a luxurious haunch of venison with pickled red currants. A class act. 

Oded Oren’s superb Tel Aviv-inspired restaurant is offering 20% off food in October, between 5-6pm. Every dish is one to savour — fluffy pitta, the smoothest hummus, and rich, tender kofta that melt in the mouth. Chase with a glass or two of natural wine, and repeat. 

With comforting bistro dishes and a wine list highlighting female winemakers, this chic Covent Garden hideaway is about as cosy as it gets. There’s 25% off the bill to reward those who reserve between 5pm and 6pm.