If you have tickets for a show and want a proper sit-down meal first, our Charing Cross restaurant is a minute from Leicester Square tube, and our Pre-Theatre menu is served from 12pm to 5.30pm every day. It is a fixed menu of freshly cooked dishes, served by a team that knows you have a curtain to make.
Maharaja of India was established in 1960, and feeding people on their way to a show is a big part of what we do. Here is how to plan an early dinner that leaves you relaxed rather than watching the clock.
Why eat early in Theatreland
Eating before a show is mostly about timing. A dinner booked for seven o'clock can collide with an evening curtain, and a rushed plate is nobody's idea of a night out. An earlier table fixes that. Sit down in the afternoon or early evening and you can eat at an easy pace, with time left for a drink and a gentle walk to your seat.
A set menu helps too. There is less to decide, the kitchen knows the dishes inside out, and the courses arrive in a steady rhythm. Whether you are a couple on a date or a group of friends, that means more time talking and less time studying the menu.
What is on our Pre-Theatre menu
There are two ways to do it:
- 2 Course Meal: onion bhajee or chicken tikka to start, followed by a traditional chicken dish with naan and pilau rice.
- 3 Course Special Meal: chicken tikka, samosa or onion bhajee to start, then tikka masala, butter chicken, mango chicken or original masala as your main, with rice and naan included.
Both are built around familiar favourites from our kitchen. Our Chicken Tikka Masala is tandoori chicken tikka in a smooth, creamy masala sauce. Butter Chicken is tender chicken in a rich tomato, butter and cream sauce. Mango Chicken is a roasted curry sauce with coconut milk and sweet mango, and Original Masala is marinated boneless chicken cooked in a subtly spiced house masala.
If you can never decide between the two creamy classics, our guide to butter chicken vs tikka masala sets out the difference. The full details of both set meals are on our pre-theatre dining page.
Matinees, evening shows and early dinners
Because the Pre-Theatre menu runs until 5.30pm, it works for more than one kind of theatre trip:
- Before a matinee: come in at lunchtime, eat without hurrying, and walk to your seat afterwards.
- Before an evening show: book a table before 5.30pm and you can enjoy a full meal with plenty of time to spare before the lights go down.
- Just an early dinner: no tickets needed. Plenty of our guests simply like to eat early, and the menu suits a relaxed weekday supper as well as a big night out.
From our table to your seat
Our Charing Cross restaurant is at 19A Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0ET, a minute from Leicester Square tube. The London Coliseum, the Palace Theatre and the Prince Edward Theatre are all a short walk away, and Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square are close by if your evening takes you that way. Our guide to eating near Leicester Square has more on the area.
If your show is further into Soho, our Soho restaurant at 63 Old Compton Street is another good choice, and it sits near Shaftesbury Avenue's theatres.
Tips for a smooth pre-show meal
- Tell us your curtain time when you book. It lets us pace your meal so you are neither rushed nor kept waiting.
- Book ahead on busy show days. Early tables can go quickly when the theatres are full.
- Allow a little extra for the walk. Even a short walk takes longer when the pavements are crowded before a performance.
- Mention allergies when you book. That way the kitchen knows before you arrive.
- Come back after the show. Our Charing Cross restaurant is open from 12:00 to midnight, Monday to Sunday, if you fancy a late bite once the curtain comes down.
With a set menu, a short walk and a kitchen that knows your timings, the only thing left to think about is the show itself.
Ready to plan your evening? Take a look at our Pre-Theatre menu and book a table for before the show, remembering to tell us your curtain time.
