ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR SOME NICE RESTAURANTS NEAR THE THEATER DISTRICT IN LONDON

Rules, in Maiden Lane. Great atmosphere, good service, great food. NOT for vegetarians--beef and game are a specialty.

Fodors <BR> <BR>400 yards west of the theatre district and 200 yards north of Green Park statrion is Shepherds Market, with about a dozen restaurants, to suit all tastes and purses. I like Cafe Sofra and the Polish place. <BR> <BR>Just south of Shaftesbury Avenue, fifty yards from the Lyric, Apollo, Gielguld and Queen's theatres is LisleStreet and London's Chinatown, with a rangeof prices and styles. <BR> <BR>The Garrick, Duke of Yorks, Coliseum, Adelphi and Adelphi are north of the Sttrand, and south therof, at the lower end of Villiers Street, is Gordons Wine Bar, with interesting and tasty food (and wine). For a rather large (and thus more expensive) meal, the carvery in the Betjeman Room of the Thistle Charing Cross Hotel. Good value for dinner if you eat no lunch that day. <BR> <BR>For theatres on and near the Adlwych I'd cross Waterloo Bridgeto the restaurant of the National Film Theatre. Slightly solid food, but good tastes and prices, and real (Young's) beer. Before a weekday matinee, on the other hand, I'd eat upstairs at the Devereaux pub just south of the Strand opposite the Law Courts. <BR> <BR>Please write again (ideally without block capitals) if I can help further. Welcome to London. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines <BR>

Ben, as usual, had great suggestions. I also always suggest Sarastro, right behind Royal Drury Lane Theatre, partly for its interesting food, but mainly for its wild decor, like backstage in a opera house prop room. If you have a group of four or more, request one of the little balconies. Not sure of your price range, but in the mid to upper price range, I really like Palais du Jardin on LongAcre, and nearly everyone will suggest The Ivy, if you can manage a reservation. In the lower price range, you can't beat the fun atmosphere and great food (especially the mussels) and beer at Belgo Central, near Neal's Yard.

topping.

Definitely Sarastro or the Belgo suggestions from Patrick.<BR><BR>

Hi All esp. Patrick and wxy, I checked out Sarastro's web site, and the place looked fantastic! BUT, I checked out Harden's guides, and they gave it a 5 for food, 3 for service and 1 for atmosphere. Do you think we should go? It looks like fun!<BR> I also want to go to Palais du Jardin, Salieri, Il Forno, and Vasco & Piero's Pavilion, and either Zili Fish or Smollensky's. Any feedback?<BR>Thanks, Judy <BR>

How funny. If anything, those ratings for Sarastro seem backwards, or is 1 considered high and 5 low? I think its top asset is the atmosphere -- like the prop room backstage of an opera house, with several small little balconies jutting out to sit in, cushioned booths or tables, lots of wild stuff hanging from the ceiling and walls. Maybe someone was turned off because it wasn't all polish and glamour, but I love the atmosphere. I found the food very good, and different with a bit of mideastern influence, but certainly not the greatest in London. It is more of a fun place to go, rather than for top dining.<BR>Another favorite by the way is SohoSoho just up the street from Mama Mia. I was glancing at the Fodor's listings the other day and noticed it is only one of three that have perfect 5.0 ratings in London -- maybe a bit strong, but I have always loved the place especially AFTER theatre.

Sorry Patrick -<BR><BR>SohoSoho is no more. Shuffled off this mortal coil, gone to meet its maker . . . it's now a Bertorelli's.<BR>=(

Thanks Patrick, I think the place looks wonderful! And it would be perfect for a pre-theater dinner!<BR>I went toptable.co.uk, to look up the reservation schedule, and it is seems to be very difficult to get reservations there... sure sign to me that the place is popular. <BR>I would do Belgo, but we did it before, great fun, but I want to try something differant, and Sarastro looks great!<BR>Judy

No more Soho? See, I miss going to London one year and I'm totally out of touch. How in the world could that wonderful and so popular restaurant be replaced with another Bertorelli's? And don't think I've been sipping the sherry again, but what is the name of the place almost directly across the street from where SohoSoho was -- that always had a big nose hanging out front? I loved that place, but it seems like last time we were there it had changed?