Roast beef carved tableside from a silver trolley since 1828 — Simpson's invented the ritual and has never seen a reason to update it. Dickens ate here; so did generations of the Strand's barristers and MPs, in a wood-panelled dining room built for exactly this kind of ceremony. It is the most purely English meal available in the city, served with a formality that has become the point rather than an obstacle.
Location
100 Strand
Strand, London
Strand, London
Map
Insider Intel
Must Try
The roast beef, carved at the table from the trolley — that is the entire reason the restaurant exists.
Best Time
Sunday lunch for the full ceremonial version, though it runs daily.
Know Before You Go
London's great carving-trolley institution since 1828, on the Strand. Dress reasonably smart; book ahead for the trolley service.