This is a partnered guest post.

A night out to the theatre is an exhilarating experience, and a wonderful way to start your evening is with a pre-theatre meal. Many people decide to turn a trip to the theatre into a whole weekend away, and companies such as Show and Stay provide theatre and hotel packages for a huge range of West End shows. Why not add to your experience with some fine dining after seeing a spectacular show? In the London area there are a fantastic array of great eateries serving a wide variety of cuisines, which cater to almost any budget.

Bocca Di Lupo

Bocco Di Lupo is a chic restaurant in close proximity to many of Theatreland’s top shows. The restaurant, which is situated in the heart of Soho, specializes in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. They serve dishes including tagliatelle with porcini, butter and sage, Artichoke alla giudia and fried squid, prawns, courgettes and lemon. Be prepared to spend a little extra for this delicious high-quality food, which makes a top choice for discerning guests not beholden to a budget.

Waterloo Bar and Grill

Just across the road from the esteemed Old Vic Theatre, the Waterloo Bar and Grill is a great pre-theatre eating spot for those who enjoy a good steak or wide selection of cuisines. The restaurant even boasts a special pre-theatre menu, with choices ranging from traditional English to international food. Tasty choices include grilled salmon fillet and squid, Waterloo nachos, meat plate and chicken Caesar salad. The restaurant is also reasonably priced.

Joe Allen

Joe Allen is particularly popular with theatre-goers and serves American cuisine, offers a fun atmosphere and all at a reasonable price. The restaurant, which offers an ambient, laid-back atmosphere, serves tantalizing dishes including baby leaf salad with tabbouleh, buffalo chicken wings with carrot sticks and blue cheese dip, and roasted leg of lamb with roasted vegetables and mint gravy.

Bentley’s Oyster Bar and Grill

Bentley’s Oyster Bar and Grill is the ideal place for seafood lovers. Nestled in London’s West End, its succulent dishes include Thai crab and mussel soup, butter poached smoked haddock with hens’ egg and buttered leeks, sea bass sashimi and lobster bisque. On the slightly pricier side, the restaurant is ideal for splashing out on a classy meal before your show..

Christopher’s — Covent Garden

This restaurant is in an ideal location for a pre-theatre meal. Christopher’s specializes in American cuisine, and it serves superb food. Dishes range from crab and shrimp louie, chilled andalucÍa gazpacho, roast rack of lamb and summer bean medley to ricotta and basil mousse, corn-fed breast of chicken and spinach salad with saffron dressing.

These ideas were brought to by Show and Stay, the UK’s providers of theatre breaks to the West End.