Lunch
For me, a weekday lunch falls into three categories:
1. Nip out, buy something within 5-10 minutes walk, come back, eat it at your desk (82%).
2. Lunch with mates. You go out for an hour or so and sit down, but you know you’ve got to be back at your desk soon after and you don’t go over one or two pints of cooking lager (17%).
3. Long, luxurious lunches that are paid for by someone else as a thank you, celebration etc. (>1%)
Now that I work within spitting distance of Soho (literally; sorry to that bloke on Shaftesbury Avenue who got a grolly on the shoulder of his pac-a-mac) I have an enormous choice of wondrous comestibles from around the world. I’m a big fan of Yalla Yalla, the Beirut street food restaurant, although I have to say that I mainly go to Leon on Old Compton Street. Then there’s a great Japanese, Kyoto, on Romilly Street, the whole of Chinatown and roughly 457,967 burrito joints within a few hundred yards.
Spoilt, that’s what I am.
But it wasn’t always thus: when I worked at AMV there wasn’t much beyond two M&Ss and the Pret on Baker Street (I never really went to the Baker Street KFC, McDonald’s or BK). The situation has since improved with at least an EAT, but back in the late nineties I used to walk up to Selfridges and go to the EAT in the food hall (EAT has been far and away my consistent favourite over the years).
Then I moved, first to Goodge Street, which had the Tottenham Court Road EAT and Busaba/Charlotte St/Salt Yard for more extravagant occasions, then to Spitalfields, which has Verde, my favourite sandwich bar in London. It makes a Turkey with cranberry sauce that is substantial enough to have half at lunchtime and the other half as a four o’clock snack. Spitalfields also has a Leon, but I was a big fan of the Italian place opposite Verde, which makes a ridiculously good prosciutto and mozzarella toastie, something I usually combined with a bar of chocolate from Montezuma.
Having worked in 15-20 other places over the last two years, I’d recommend the following: Lowe is near the EAT on King’s Road, but Bibendum makes a very good, reasonably priced sandwich in its little forecourt cafe; 180’s food situation is a bit crap because it’s in Amsterdam, but the soup place whose name I’ve forgotten, and the Italian deli, whose name I’ve forgotten, were both excellent; Saatchis London has the Tottenham Court Road EAT but also an Itsu, which I’m very keen on; and that brings me to 4Creative, which also has a walkable Itsu, EAT and a good Lebanese place on the way to St James’s Park; JWT was Wasabi for a while, but the heat of their chicken soup thing is unpredictable, which made me go back to the EAT on Knightsbridge; when I squatted at Coy! for a while I really liked Pho on Great Titchfield Street, and then at Dentsu, which was broadly in the same area, I often went for a burrito at Tortilla on Market Place (often with Stephen Gash, whose production company is above it); RKCR/Y&R is quite close to my home, so I know that Camden High Street is pretty dodgy, sending me running into the dependable arms of Pret or EAT; M&C Saatchi was Leon, but in the neighbourhood I sometimes met Simon Veksner at the Mongolian place on Kingly street, which made a nice change.
What do you do and where do you go (international comments and contributions very welcome indeed)?
Exmouth market in the main – varying between Ghanian, Thai, Italian Sausage, crepes, spanish, buritos, indian, burgers, lebanese, and whatever else is new this week. Restaurants include Italian, tapas and Moro if you fancy a blowout. For those on a restricted budget the sandwich depot does a great deal, sandwiches that weren’t sold in the office rounds. Or up to Angel for anything else.
I recommend the Halloumi wrap at Yalla Yalla. And the Thai curry stall just over the road from Yalla Yalla. There’s also a shop just next to it that just sells Mango, bit weird.
Lan Zhou La Mian in Chinatown, near the TBWA Singapore office. Best soup-filled dumplings around.
I love hummus. And chilli sauce.
We aren’t allowed to eat at our desks at Rapier.
There’s a communal area on the 4th floor (our reception floor) where we gather for sustenance.
At first, we grumbled and wailed.
But as it turns out, it’s really quite good.
It forces us to take a break.
(Always a good thing).
And encourages chat between departments and briefs, as the conversation inevitably turns to “what are you working on?”
As for food choices, well, Paddington isn’t exactly a global centre for food excellence.
But there’s a couple of nice restaurants and the mandatory sandwich places in Sheldon Square.
A decent chinese takeaway too.
The ever popular Sainsbury’s.
Some cracking little pubs along the canal.
And the food mecca that is Paddington station is mere minutes away.
Of course, there isn’t the richness of Soho or Camden Market, where one could eat one’s way around the world in a lunchtime. But it’s ok.
When we worked in Farringdon, Leather Lane was pretty good (Daddy Donkey FTW).
No one goes out for lunch in Australia any more, not even to buy a sandwich.
They are too scared that when they return, they will find someone new at their desk or that their desk might not even be there.
I also like that Thai place across from Yalla Yalla – the chicken/thai basil number is as hot as hades. Also liked the Burrito from Tortilla in Market Place, but it gives you a pretty severe food coma afterwards. At DDB there was a Thairish pub (the POW) which served a very dodgy-looking yellow curry. I’m at Leo’s now and while the canteen is pretty good, there ain’t a lot else around other than Tesco and a kebab shop that is supposed to be ‘legendary’. I know, how is that possible?
I have no food imagination. I only ever eat at Pret. Maybe one day a month I will diversify, but generally, even if I set foot outside the office with every intention of trying something different, somehow 5 minutes later I’m at the counter at Pret with the Prosciutto Artisan Baguette, a Mango Smoothie and a Love Bar.
On the upside, some of the girls at Pret on New Oxford Street are real pretty. And I always eat at my desk.
Quite a sad little picture I’ve just painted…..
Hay-on-Wye – Walk by the river for 40 mins then grab a sandwich from Co-op and spend the remaining 15-20 mins eating at my desk catching up on blogs (like this one)
KFC Bargain Bucket with a side order of The Daily Star and a wank for pudding.
I am a simple cunt.
I favour a noodle-based lunch as it reminds me of the shoots I never go on any more. And most people seem to eat at their desks these days George, whilst it may be a sad little canvas, it does reinforce the perception that you are an integral part of the place.
Finished my beef noodles with extra tabasco and am wondering whether Amanda Knox is totally hot, or just hot because she has that whole maybe-she’s-a-murderer thing going on?
sometimes i like pineapple rings too. but only on a wednesday. you want chilli sauce mate?
Can’t believe no ones mention the JWT canteen. Although it’s a while since I’ve been there it’s always reliable. I’d also recommend Exmouth Market, although you need to get there before 1.30 or there won;t be much left
Sadly for me, Chipotle (next to Ben) easily outstrips Tortilla (underneath me) in the tortilla stakes. Mind you, both are better than Benito’s Hat round the corner. Which is horrid.
In Soho the sheer volume of Prets probably did for excellent San Marco (now the ludicrous cake shop – Mrs Morengo’s or something equally foolish). And the good people who ran the Carlton Coffee House packed up and went off to Warren Street. Sadly the new staff are rubbish.
Why does possibly being a murderer make Amanda Knox hotter? I have no idea, but it worked for Myra Hindley. And Thatcher.
totally depends where you work. i like going for lunch with colleagues. at a place ive been a couple of years ago we would go to a grocery store every once in a while and get some stuff for making a salad ourselves.
eating at the desk should be unacceptable, unless theres something very urgent going on. much better to go outside and give your brain a break, or different input for your eyes, at least.
How did you mention tottenham court road, goodge street, saatchi london and charlotte street and not plug ‘italia uno’ on charlotte street
Where on Charlotte Street?
Does anyone do packed lunches?
I used to work with a guy who bought two sandwiches from the trolley lady at midday. One for lunch and one to take home with him for dinner.
It’s not the fact that she may or may not be a murderer that makes her hot I’ve realised, it’s because she’s a girl.
Fish & Chips at the JWT canteen was always quite pleasant I would agree Johnny. The roof garden is rather posh, but the bar’s roof is too low.
I may seem like I’m 12 but I do enjoy a good homemade peanut butter sandwich for lunch. But when I can’t be arsed, I usually destroy a wrap from Pret. Also been to Double J’s (Licence To Fill) a few times though since I started working near Goodge St. Prices seem to change day-to-day!
Thai Metro on Charlotte Street. A table on the pavement, watching the girls go by. Best eight quid lunch in London.
Why is advertising shite today? Could it be down to not one fucker going to the pub for a pie and a pint?
Ruby on Charlotte Road off Great Eastern Street for the best hot sandwiches I’ve had in London (and very friendly service) and Keu on Old Street for refreshingly different Vietnamese baguettes.
That kebab place near Leo’s is legendary. I work in Aus now, but always drop in there when I’m back in London (as it’s in the arse end of West Ken that is saying something)!
The Pie Man, five minutes walk from Lowe on Chelsea Green for great homemade stuff, especially when it’s cold out. The cottage pie is a winner.