Best Lunch Restaurants in Purley

"Set in a 1920s car showroom, this grand all-day brasserie exudes a heady glamor, with its gleaming marble floors, red-and-gold Japanese panels, and sleek leather banquettes. Londoners tend to come to take in breakfast and the paper, with a menu that runs from stacked pancakes to an impeccable omelet Arnold Bennett, layered with smoked haddock and creamy hollandaise. The stately surroundings that never feel too stiffly formal; drop by on a whim for just about anything you fancy."

"Afternoon tea is totally a thing in the UK, and London has the most options of any city. Traditional afternoon tea is really less about the tea (although it is served) and more about the food!. Clotted cream and scones, crustless sandwiches,  and a myriad of bite-sized sweet pastries and cakes are served in most establishments."

"Starting your day at The Wolseley, a London institution, will set you up for the week. Housed in a former bank, the setting is grand and yet there's lots of buzz as regulars book their favourite booths. If you're feeling virtuous, order the Wolseley Green Juice (a blend of kale, spinach, celery, cucumber & ginger)."

"The founders set up Kaffeine after being inspired by the coffee culture in Australia and New Zealand. It’s an independently owned cafe and espresso bar with two locations just five-minutes walk from Oxford Circus or Tottenham Court Road. Their customers are all super advocates of the amazing brews they push across the counter on a daily basis."

"Owner Peter Dore-Smith, originally from Melbourne used to manage hospitality at Lords Cricket Ground. A lover of coffee, he opened this Fitzrovia spot in 2009. The coffee from London roasters Square Mile is always great, but Kaffeine is in the hospitality business rather than the coffee business."

"This Moroccan restaurant serves meze style dishes bursting with flavour, in the heart of historic Windsor. Feast on zingy lemon houmous, fragrant tagines and char grilled king prawns. The kids menu features classic British dishes like sausage and chips, but the main menu’s ‘small plates’ section offers much more exciting dishes which are the perfect size for kids."

"Adding a much-needed Moroccan edge to this royally British town, Meimo is decorated with luscious red curtains and sofas. Expect excellent tagine served in clay dishes and a selection of well-priced mezze including pastilla, prawn pil pil and aubergine zaalouk. Your mouth is watering already, isn't it."

"Hugely popular with locals and serving slap-up tagines or platters full of spectacular yet subtle flavour, Meimo’s smart décor and lively atmosphere make this an optimum stop to refuel and revive on a cool Windsor evening."

"Mildreds is a certifiable veggie institution, serving meat-free dinners in Soho since 1988. Over the years it has increasingly catered for vegans too, and now diners can safely assume everything on the menu is vegan unless marked otherwise. Favourite dishes include the Sri Lankan sweet potato curry, the beetroot and white bean Polish burger and shimeji mushroom gyoza dumplings."

"Mildreds is a bit of a classic, having served vegetarian meals in Soho since 1988. It now caters to vegans too, offering up flavors from Asia, South and Central America and the Middle East, alongside British classics and Mildreds’ famous burgers. I highly recommend the Sri Lankan sweet potato curry, and the shimeji mushroom gyoza dumplings are delicious, too."

"Best for: Classic and traditional veg-based fare since the 80’s. First opening in 1988, way before veganism was en vogue, the Soho branch of iconic Mildred’s restaurant fast became one of London’s most-loved veggie and vegan hotspots. They’ve had 32 years of perfecting the dishes on offer and you can tell."

"Not everyone has an appetite for oysters and shellfish, sometimes all you fancy is a decent fish and chip supper. Hook in Camden has its favourites - famous tacos, nibbles and specials - but it’s the “new school” plates that will definitely fill a gap. There’s the Classic (fresh cod or haddock in panko breadcrumb with homemade seaweed salted chips and homemade tartar sauce on the side); the Cajun Fresh (cod/haddock in panko breadcrumbs and cajun spices with homemade seaweed salted chips and homemade cajun sauce on the side); or the Lemon & Basil (fresh cod/haddock in lemon and basil tempura with homemade seaweed salted chips and homemade garlic truffle sauce on the side)."

"What: Hook doesn’t put on any airs and graces, but instead offers up solid seafood cookery in tried and tested classics, with the odd contemporary twist. The go-to choice here is the classic fish and chips, which gave Hook its name, but we suggest giving the Cajun-style version a go; it comes battered in panko breadcrumbs and Cajun spices and is accompanied by seaweed-salted chips.Where: 65 Parkway Road, NW1 7PP"

"Franzè & Evans, in Shoreditch, East London, anchors one end of trendy Redchurch Street just before it flows into Bethnal Green Road. They serve interesting breakfasts and modern Italian lunches, but it’s also the best place I know for a breather after a day of hipster shopping. It’s perfectly located, an oasis at the end of this street of expensive, avant garde boutiques and underground designer shops too cool for signs."

"Overshadowed by a reputation for rudeness which it shed decades ago, Wong Kei is maybe the closest central London has to a communal canteen. In usual times, people, usually tourists, come here in groups but the real spirit of Wong Kei is on the ground floor, reserved for solo diners only, four to a table, sometimes filled with a kind of silent desperation, or the chatter of those comparing their orders. But for now, luckily, there’s takeaway from the counter: the standouts are the huge pork chops, deep fried and either dry with salt and chilli, or wet with gravy and aubergine, the assorted meat ho fun, prawns entombed within tofu, aubergines and green peppers, any of the scrambled egg dishes, and the wonton or beef brisket noodle soups, pungent with ginger and MSG, that will stave away colds for a rapidly oncoming winter."

"Wong Kei was once described as “the rudest restaurant in London” but the service here has improved somewhat. All of the shouting and noise is kind of forgiven as the food here is super yummy and well-priced too. The menu can be rather daunting but skip to the back of it for some seriously hearty dishes that’ll leave you rolling out of the restaurant."

"Make the most of Chinatown’s new outdoor dining permissions with a bowl of wonton noodle soup, some classic Cantonese roast meats, or beef brisket and rice vermicelli in soup. Be sure to add a generous amount of its status-iconic chilli oil to whatever it is you order."

"The chefs at this family-run restaurant are experts in cuisine from the four regions of China, meaning guests can expect hearty dim sum and Szechuan dishes full of exciting flavours. The a la carte menu is vast and, while mainly meaty, does offer several vegetarian options. The interiors are nothing to write home about, but friendly staff more than make up for it."

"12/02/2021: Going by all the excellent reviews we ordered £75 worth of food to celebrate Chinese New Year. Delivery was late, although having pre-ordered the night before. Food was bland, over cooked and not worth the money."

"American , Sandwiches ,  Brunch"

"Restaurants Spanish Chinatown. A tapas bar from the kings of imported Spanish provisions, Brindisa’s Soho canteen blends superb ingredients with impressively refined cooking. Just add an easy-going vibe, reasonable prices, inventive child-friendly finger food and sophisticated Iberian wines to keep the grown-ups on side."

"This popular tapas restaurant has an outpost in Borough Market, dishing up their famous chorizo. The flavorful Spanish sausage is served in ciabatta with peppers, and is one of the tastiest street foods you can get in London. Where: Borough Market"

"Bustling Spanish Tapas restaurant serving a range of small plates including cured meat, cheese and fish from Spain's best producers."

"After moving on from King’s Cross, Bodega Rita’s is back in a new neighbourhood with the same old excellent sarnies. Rita’s doesn’t believe in overcomplicating things, so the menu features standout sandwiches like the Tony, filled with pesto, prosciutto, spiced salami ventricina, smoked cheese, pickled salad & cheese dust; the King Banh Mi, a vegan take on the Vietnamese staple with roasted oyster mushrooms, peanut butter, carrot & daikon pickle, coriander, mint, peanuts & pickled chilli; and the Second City, a hoagie roll stuffed with fennel roast pork belly & crackling, seasoned greens, high five spicy mayo, crispy shallots, parmesan pork dust & lemon oil. The Bodega Rita’s tacos have also made a comeback with carnitas and suadero – that’s slow roasted pork and beef shin – versions available at the new shop."

"The always-excellent sarnie spot Bodega Rita’s in King’s Cross sadly shut up shop last year, but the good news is that Rita is rising like a phoenix from the ashes and coming back with two new eateries. First up is a new Bodega Rita’s in Clerkenwell, which will be bigger and have an extended menu, although the details are very much under wraps for now. They’re also launching a new Soho restaurant called Rita’s, which will be serving up dishes such as hot bean devilled eggs, grilled sugar-pit pork neck and a bistro-style ‘steak dinner for two’ with smoked-anchovy caesar and fried potatoes."

"Rita's sandwich offshoot Bodega Rita's is back, this time opening in Clerkenwell with a new menu of American-style subs."

"Housed in the old Hampstead Central Library on Finchley Road, Camden Arts Centre began life as a local initiative, providing art classes for the community. Now, it is a powerhouse of contemporary art showing ambitious exhibitions by well-known British and international artists such as Kara Walker, Rose English, Ben Rivers and Jennifer Tee. The bookshop stocks a range of artist’s editions, and the garden is the perfect spot for a sunny afternoon."

"In 1965 a former library was converted into a gallery to promote contemporary art. The exhibitions feature emerging artists, international artists debuting in London, significant historic figures who have inspired contemporary practice, and group shows relevant to current debate. Arkwright Road, NW3 6DG Free entrycamdenartscentre.org"

"Calling itself ‘the artists’ gallery for everybody’, it was established in 1901 to give the people in the East End of London the chance to enjoy art. Over the years it has had exhibitions by Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Frida Kahlo, as well as contemporaries such as Sophie Calle, Paul Noble, Thomas Struth, Sarah Lucas and Mark Wallinger. 77-82 Whitechapel High St, E1 7QX Free entrywhitechapelgallery.org"

"For many years the East End has been a hub for artists and Whitechapel Gallery has been there for over a hundred of them. Its focus, however, is largely on what’s happening now and next. Although it’s not averse to a 20th century artists’ retrospective, its links with London’s working artist community is strong and ongoing, so it’s a great place to find work by new artists on their way to becoming household names."

"The Whitechapel Gallery is a touchstone for contemporary art internationally, plays a central role in London’s cultural landscape and is pivotal to the continued growth of the world’s most vibrant contemporary art quarter."

"Home to over 11,000 portraits, this delightful art gallery focusses on famous British people through the ages and is located not too far from Trafalgar Square. A remarkable place to wander around, portraits, photos, sculptures and drawings of some of the country’s most influential and well-known figures gaze upon you as you make your way through the galleries. While its most famous portrait is undoubtedly the painting of William Shakespeare, more contemporary pieces do not look out of place alongside artworks that date back hundreds of years."

"London's National Portrait Gallery is a premiere art museum in the heart of the city. The National Portrait Gallery was the world's very first portrait gallery upon its 1856 opening. The gallery's collection focuses heavily on portraits of people who were important to Britain over the years; the gallery is less concerned with who produced the painting, but rather places its value on who the portrait is of."

"The National Portrait Gallery was founded in 1856 with a single aim: to gather together portraits of famous (and infamous) Britons throughout…"