13 Dining Experiences in London to Build a Day Around

1.River Thames Dinner Cruise

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

Enjoy a three-hour evening cruise from Westminster Pier to the Thames Barrier and back, with sparkling wine, a three-course British dinner, live singing, and optional dancing. You pass Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, the O2 Arena, City Hall, and other illuminated London sights.

“Boat was beautiful. Dinner consisted of a four course meal…each item was delicious! Emma was the live singer and she was happy to take requests. As she sang she walked around the boat to interact with everyone. Weather was beautiful, so we were able to go upstairs and watch the sun setting over London. All in all, a relaxing and fun evening.”

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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 with sparkling wine or a soft drink, a set three-course dinner, live music, and dancing. You’ll pass the London Eye, St. Paul’s, Shakespeare’s Globe, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, and HMS Belfast before returning to Westminster.

“What a great dinner cruise. Ambiance was really good. The singer was great. Beautiful voice. Food was really good too.”

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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

Book priority seating at Hard Rock Cafe London on Old Park Lane in Mayfair, then choose a two-course Acoustic Menu or three-course Electric Menu. Expect American classics, a soft drink, coffee, or tea, and walls filled with rock memorabilia. Your group must order from the same menu.

“We got a table in a minute and really enjoyed the food and music. Rui (our server) was fantastic. Really recommend using skip the line if you plan on having dinner after 17.30!! We were early, so maybe we didn't need the skip the line ticket, but when we left there were a bunch of people waiting to be seated!”

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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 or three-course meal at Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus, the brand’s flagship London venue. Choose burgers, salmon, chicken, salad, or plant-based dishes, then enjoy a dessert and soft drink, coffee, or tea among authentic music memorabilia.

“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 London’s President Hotel, performers playing Basil, Sybil, and Manuel serve a three-course meal while comic chaos unfolds around your table. The two-hour show includes tomato and basil soup, roast chicken with seasonal vegetables, and chocolate mousse cake. Book ahead, especially for popular dates.

“Fun experience but food is marginal. We laughed a lot but the food was dry chicken, tomato soup and a dessert. Go have fun but do not go and expect good food.”

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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 or three-course American-style meal at the original 1971 Hard Rock Cafe on Old Park Lane. Your mobile voucher includes priority seating and a soft drink, while the nearby Vault and souvenir shop add a worthwhile rock memorabilia stop.

“Absolutely amazing experience. Well worth the money. Food was amazing and our waiter was the best we have ever had. He was so lovely and constantly checking we were ok and refilling our drinks.”

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7.6-Course Gourmet Dinner on a Luxury Coach

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

Board at Victoria Embankment for a six-course dinner served fresh aboard a glass-roofed luxury coach. You will pass St. Paul’s, Tower Bridge, the Shard, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus, with optional wine pairing and English-speaking hosts.

“Loved it. The food was delicious and presentation was excellent.”

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8.Dinner Cruise with Elvis Tribute on the Thames River

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

Board at 7:45PM for a three-hour Thames dinner cruise with sparkling wine, a three-course meal, and two sets by award-winning Elvis tribute artist Matt King. Enjoy London skyline views toward Tower Bridge, then dance to Elvis-themed music until the boat returns.

“The food was ok, maybe a choice and pre order would be good idea”

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9.Christmas Eve City Tour with Dinner & Midnight Mass

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

You’ll tour London’s Christmas lights by luxury coach, hear live commentary in English, dine on a three-course Christmas meal with Prosecco in Covent Garden, then attend Midnight Mass at St Martin-in-the-Fields. Central hotel drop-off follows the service.

“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

Join an English-language murder mystery on a three-hour City Cruises sailing from Tower Pier. Enjoy a welcome drink, three-course dinner, actors, and Thames views past Tower Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, the London Eye, Parliament, and Canary Wharf. You can play detective or simply watch the show.

“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

Spend four hours aboard a heated City Cruises boat from Tower Pier to Canary Wharf. You’ll receive sparkling wine, a three-course Christmas dinner, half a bottle of wine, skyline views, and a DJ-led dance party. This adults-only event uses shared tables of 10.

“Het begin was goed. mooie plaats en keurig aangekleed. voorgerecht was prima. Hoofdgerecht was echt bedroevend, ondefinieerbaar maar bovenal koud! Toetje was prima. Geen enkele uitleg over eten of programma. Na het toetje zelf op dek gaan kijken en bij terugkomst koffie gevraagd waar vreemd op gereageerd werd. kreeg de koffie in een kartonnen bekerje. Je zou verwachten dat dit aan tafel geserveerd zou worden. DJ en dansen? er was muziek en er was een groepje turkse damens die de muziek claimde en dus een uurtje turkse disco. Ik had bij kerstmuziek iets anders in mijn gedachte. Personeel was niet zichtbaar en vooral met zichzelf in gesprek. Het zal wel…”

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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 Thames cruise boat, sailing from Tower Pier past Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, Greenwich, and The O2 before returning toward Westminster for midnight fireworks. You’ll share a table, enjoy a three-course dinner, half a bottle of wine, live music, dancing, and Champagne at midnight.

“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

Enjoy a three-hour, six-course dinner aboard a luxury panoramic bus with chef Ignazio Nuccio’s seasonal British-French menu. You’ll pass Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Shard, Tower Bridge, and the London Eye while dining with wine pairings. Vegetarian and vegan menus require advance notice.

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