From the flavours of British summer at Michelin-starred Bonheur to southern Italian signatures at Mezzogiorno and the iconic dishes of Nobu, London’s newest lunch menus offer a compelling reason to reclaim the middle of the day.

Lunch has always possessed a charm quite different from dinner. It feels lighter, more spontaneous and, somehow, a little more indulgent. A long lunch can transform an otherwise ordinary afternoon, offering the opportunity to step away from the demands of the day and enjoy some of London’s most accomplished cooking at a more relaxed pace. Across the capital, leading chefs and celebrated restaurants are giving the lunch menu renewed attention. Rather than presenting it as a shortened version of dinner, they are creating carefully considered experiences that feel perfectly suited to the hour, whether that means celebrating seasonal British produce, transporting diners to southern Italy or revisiting dishes that have shaped London’s culinary landscape.

This summer, three menus stand out. At Bonheur by Matt Abé, the memories and ingredients of the British season take centre stage. Mezzogiorno by Francesco Mazzei delivers the warmth and generosity of southern Italian cooking, while Nobu London on Old Park Lane offers an accessible introduction to some of Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s most influential creations.

Summer of Bonheur

Bonheur by Matt Abé, Mayfair

For Chef Matt Abé, summer is inseparable from memory. It is the anticipation of watching tomatoes ripen, the unmistakable scent of the vine and the arrival of fresh strawberries at their sweetest and most fragrant.

These memories form the foundation of Summer of Bonheur, a new three-course seasonal lunch menu at Bonheur by Matt Abé. The restaurant, one of Mayfair’s most exciting recent openings, provides the accomplished chef with a deeply personal platform from which to celebrate the ingredients, flavours and emotions that have shaped his approach to cooking.

The experience begins with an Isle of Wight heirloom tomato tart. Vibrant tomatoes are paired with peach and elderflower, creating a delicate balance of sweetness, acidity and floral character. The dish is finished with smoked buttermilk and basil sauce, adding depth while allowing the quality of the produce to remain at the forefront.

Roast chicken follows, presented with young English peas, charred onions and black garlic. It is accompanied by a rich roast chicken sauce, transforming a familiar centrepiece of British dining into something elegant and meticulously refined. The menu concludes with Bonheur’s interpretation of strawberries and cream. Rose, elderflower and lemon verbena bring a fragrant complexity to the fruit, while sour cream ice cream offers a refreshing sharpness against the natural sweetness of the strawberries.

There is a sense of nostalgia running through the menu, but it never feels overly sentimental. Instead, familiar summer flavours are elevated through precise technique and thoughtful combinations, resulting in a lunch that captures the warmth, abundance and fleeting beauty of the season. Summer of Bonheur is available at lunchtime from Thursday to Saturday, priced at £110 per person for three courses.

Prezzo Fisso

Mezzogiorno by Francesco Mazzei

For those dreaming of sun-drenched terraces, ripe tomatoes and plates of perfectly prepared pasta, Mezzogiorno offers a journey to southern Italy without leaving London. The new restaurant from celebrated chef Francesco Mazzei has introduced Prezzo Fisso, a set lunch menu filled with the bold colours, generous flavours and relaxed spirit associated with Italy’s southern regions.

The meal opens with mozzarella caprese, combining vibrant Vesuvio tomatoes with creamy buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil. It is a deceptively simple dish, but one that relies entirely on the quality and balance of its ingredients. Tagliolini aglio, olio and bottarga follows as the main course, served with tuna crudo. Garlic, fiery chilli and grey mullet roe bring salinity, heat and richness to the delicate strands of pasta, while the raw tuna introduces a clean, elegant freshness. Diners can accompany the dish with their choice of contorno. A spring salad of lettuce, cherry tomatoes and radishes provides a light and crisp option, while the restaurant’s celebrated zucchini fritti offers something altogether more indulgent. The finely cut courgette sticks are deep-fried until crisp, making them a tempting addition to almost any Italian lunch.

Dessert arrives in the form of strawberry panna cotta. The light vanilla-set cream is paired with fresh strawberries, providing a delicate and refreshing conclusion that evokes the simplicity of an Italian summer.

Prezzo Fisso embodies the appeal of the traditional Italian lunch: unfussy yet carefully prepared, generous without becoming excessive and designed to be enjoyed rather than rushed. It is equally suited to an informal business meeting, a leisurely afternoon with friends or a brief escape from the city’s relentless pace.

The Prezzo Fisso menu is priced at £32.50 for two courses or £39 for three courses.

Nobu Signature Lunch

Nobu London, Old Park Lane

Few restaurants have had as significant an influence on London dining as Nobu on Old Park Lane. When it opened in 1997, it became the first Nobu restaurant outside the United States, introducing the capital to Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s distinctive fusion of traditional Japanese technique and international flavour. Nearly three decades later, the restaurant has introduced the Nobu Signature Lunch, a new £40 weekday menu bringing together several of the chef’s most celebrated dishes in a format designed for the modern lunch hour.

Guests begin with a choice between sashimi three ways and Nobu’s signature sushi selection. The sashimi option offers a concise introduction to some of the restaurant’s best-known preparations, including Yellowtail Jalapeño, Salmon New Style and Tuna Tataki. Each dish demonstrates a different element of Nobu’s culinary philosophy. Yellowtail Jalapeño balances the delicate richness of the fish with citrus and gentle heat, while Salmon New Style combines sashimi with the aromatic intensity of hot oil. Tuna Tataki offers a similarly refined contrast of texture, seasoning and temperature.

The opening course is followed by three dishes that have become synonymous with the Nobu name. Rock Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Spicy Sauce delivers a combination of crispness, richness and heat, while Black Cod Miso remains one of the most recognisable dishes in contemporary Japanese dining.

Marinated in sweet miso before being cooked until tender and caramelised, the black cod helped define Nobu’s signature style and has since inspired countless interpretations around the world.

Beef tenderloin completes the selection, served with either teriyaki or anticucho sauce. The latter reflects the Peruvian influences that have played such an important role in Chef Nobu’s cooking, bringing warmth, spice and depth to the dish. Guests can choose either rice or spicy garlic vegetables to accompany the meal. For long-time diners, the menu offers an opportunity to revisit the dishes that made Nobu a global institution. For a new generation, it provides an accessible introduction to the flavours and combinations that helped redefine London’s understanding of Japanese cuisine.

The Nobu Signature Lunch is available from Monday to Friday at lunchtime, priced at £40 per person.

A New Golden Age of Lunch

What unites these menus is their ability to turn lunch into an occasion. Each restaurant offers a distinct interpretation of the midday meal, shaped by its own culinary identity and sense of place.

At Bonheur, lunch becomes a celebration of British seasonality, memory and meticulous technique. Mezzogiorno captures the relaxed generosity of southern Italy, while Nobu brings together dishes that have become part of London’s modern culinary history.

They also demonstrate the value offered by the set lunch menu. Diners can experience the work of internationally respected chefs, explore some of the capital’s most talked-about restaurants and enjoy carefully structured meals without committing to the length or expense of a full evening tasting menu.

In a city that is always moving, there is something wonderfully luxurious about taking the time to pause over lunch. Whether that means enjoying strawberries at the height of the British season, twirling tagliolini inspired by southern Italy or returning to the unmistakable sweetness of Nobu’s Black Cod Miso, these menus make a persuasive case for keeping the afternoon free.