The boroughs of London are like little cities within themselves – technically, you could stay within the barriers of any of them, and find everything you need within, from shopping to food. You will also find a Montcalm property in a number of them, like The Montcalm in the City of Westminster, or The Montcalm Royal London House, home to Aviary London, in Islington borough. So, if travelling to London on business, don’t bother going to your favourite restaurant every time – instead, pick a spot based on the borough most convenient to your client or the person you are meeting. Here are top picks for each.
London Borough of Camden
Holborn Dining Room is one of the best in Camden borough, as well as one of Central London’s prime spots for traditional British fare. It is elegant, but the food isn’t over the top fancy, meaning that you can tuck into gastronomically sensational cuisine in a classy environment without putting pressure on your business associate to order something they have never heard of. This brasserie-style restaurant offers everything from Cornish crab (from a seafood counter, no less) to fish and chips, catering for all occasions and especially great for business lunches needing to take place in the centre of London. You also have the luxury of picking the mood based on the kind of lunch it is – for instance, a more relaxed corporate meet-up with a well-known client could be taken on the terrace, while a new business meeting could take place in the chandelier and wood-panelled dining room.
Address: 252 High Holborn, Holborn, London WC1V 7EN
Contact: 020 3747 8633
Royal Borough of Greenwich
The Royal Borough of Greenwich is a prime example of why having a go-to business lunch spot in every borough is vital. It is all well and good knowing that Holborn Dining Room is excellent, but if your clients work from Cutty Sark, they are not going to be happy if you set a lunch meeting in the center of London. Champagne+Fromage is where you ought to be taking people for business lunches if you want to wow them with not only your business acumen but an exquisite array of cheeses and charcuterie (and champagne, provided you don’t have to go back to work afterwards!) It is less formal than a traditional dining hall, with a chic, quirky bistro atmosphere to it and will allow the meeting to take on a relaxed yet high-quality tone.
Bonus: if you find yourself meeting for a business lunch in the London borough of Lambeth or Westminster, there are branches of Champagne+Fromage in each.
Address: 34 Greenwich Church St, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 9BL
Contact: 020 8853 3106
City of Westminster
The most obvious choice when staying in Montcalm properties on business is to have your business lunches at the array of impressive restaurants within them. In the case of having a business lunch in the City of Westminster, Hankies Marble Arch is the way to go. It is a smart setting, yet serving Indian street food – the perfect combination for a business lunch as the food isn’t too intense, but the setting fosters professionalism and business. Some of the best business deals in London take place breaking bread (… or truffle naan) with clients. If you are really trying to impress someone, another Montcalm option would be having Montcalm Hotel Afternoon Tea – nobody tries the delightful homemade scones with whipped cream and strawberry jam and doesn’t sign the deal.
Address: 61 Upper Berkeley St, Marylebone, London W1H 7PP
Contact: 020 7958 3222
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is home to the lovely Montcalm Royal London House, and its Aviary London, a rooftop restaurant and terrace bar which offers views of the bustling business district’s skyline including the glass Shard, and it is only a short walk from business hubs like The Gherkin or the offices near Liverpool Street. The Aviary is a bird-themed restaurant on the 10th floor of this Montcalm property, serving up coal oven cooked British dishes and especially the prime cuts of beef.
Address: Royal London House, 10th Floor Montcalm, 22-25 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1DX
Contact: 020 3873 4060
London Borough of Wandsworth
There was a time where Battersea in the London borough of Wandsworth would have been lacking in spots for a business lunch. However, the docks in Battersea have been transformed in recent years into something quite elegant and special. If you have clients or business prospects in Ransomes Dock Business Centre, you have hit the corporate dining jackpot, because this is where you will find Nutbourne. This is also in brasserie style – you will find that these are often the best environment for business lunches, as they are never overly pretentious or fancy but always retain a charm and flair of sophistication, rather than a pub or a cafe. Nutbourne also has private hire options, so if you were looking for a venue to host a large corporate lunch, this would be optimal.
Address: Ransomes Dock Business Centre, Parkgate Rd, Battersea, London SW11 4NP
Contact: 020 7350 0555
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Dining in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for a business lunch when staying at the Montcalm Marble Arch is also a great choice, because even though they are not technically in the same borough, they are well within walking distance. Dishoom is the perfect restaurant for Indian food (full stop) and for business lunches – not just in Kensington, though the Kensington branch is very conveniently placed, but throughout London. The Dishoom food, “from Bombay with love” as their motto goes, offers up a wonderfully professional environment while serving up the kind of food you would travel the globe to eat.
So, if you are looking for somewhere in the Borough of Hackney, then head to Dishoom Shoreditch, the City of Westminster, then head to the Dishoom on Carnaby Street or near Leicester Square, and if you are in the borough of Camden, head to Dishoom King’s Cross.
Addresses: various
So there you have it, a range of excellent business lunch suggestions scattered throughout London’s main business boroughs. Whether you are in need of a good steak after a busy morning in the Gherkin, or for a cheese board after a trying few hours in Greenwich, you should never find yourself without somewhere to go for lunch. A top tip: if you have been to the restaurant before but the person you are meeting hasn’t, give them
