The West End keeps strict time. Most curtains rise at 7:30pm, which leaves the early evening for one of London's small pleasures: a proper dinner before the show. Done well, pre-theatre dining is unhurried and generous. Done badly, it is a sandwich eaten standing up. Here is how to get it right near Leicester Square.
Leave yourself ninety minutes
Ninety minutes is the sweet spot. It is enough for three courses at a relaxed pace, with time spare to walk to your seat. Book for 5:45pm or 6pm and tell the restaurant you have a show - any good kitchen will pace the meal around your curtain.
Order for the clock, not against it
Before a show, lean towards dishes that arrive quickly and sit lightly. Start with something from the tandoor - chicken tikka or seekh kebab - grilled to order and never heavy. For mains, a single rich curry with rice and one bread is plenty; you do not want to spend the second act regretting a banquet. Save the larger biryanis and the full sharing spreads for a night with no schedule.
Why the set menu wins
A pre-theatre menu is built for exactly this moment. At Maharaja of India, three courses are GBP 25 and available at both restaurants, with the kitchen primed to turn your table around in good time. It takes the decisions off your plate so you can think about the show instead.
A minute from the lights
Our Charing Cross restaurant sits a minute from Leicester Square tube and a short walk from the Coliseum, the Palace, and the Prince Edward. Browse the full menu before you arrive, or reserve a table and let us handle the timing.
