Noble Rot Soho
PENNY PINCHING
I’ve struck a deal with my daughter; it’s an attempt to catch up more often, without incurring a beast of a dinner bill. We’ve moved our meet ups to lunchtime, specifically to take advantage of the ‘set lunch menu’ that offers a restricted choice, albeit at a restricted price.
Whilst we’re happy to mess with the food side of things, we simply won’t compromise on the wine. A decent bottle is a prerequisite of our catch ups. We’re both oenophiles and she’s at least an afficionado too. It’s also an unexpected parental triumph, that you can hand over the wine list and know it’ll unlock a new region, producer or grape and picked to impress.
Winter Set Lunch Menu / Noble Rot Soho
Off a shortlist of 8 restaurants—all with an approved wine list—we’ve narrowed that further to one of the three Noble Rots, which all offer a set lunch menu at £24 for 2 courses and £28 for 3. It seems like incredible value, given mains alone start at £30 each, however, there’s just one ‘option’ at each course. It’s not for the risk adverse.
Noble Rot Soho / upstairs dining room
We’re taken through to the elegant upstairs dining room with its smart candlelit bistrot sensibility, all dark wood and claret, with depth offered by Soho at night triptychs on the facing walls. A backboard touts wines from £28 up to £126 for a 125ml glass; they also do 75ml pours, although that’s still well beyond this penny pincher.
Roquefor custard & endive
It’s hard to tell with no other options, but the starter feels like it would’ve been my choice anyway; Roquefort custard with its umami-magnified tangy sharpness, softened by its velvety texture, pairs perfectly with the bitter crunch of endive, that’s also perfectly shaped as a scooper.
Venison ragu and crushed swede
As for the main it’s a meaty, minced ragu that tastes like it’s been simmering for days to layer flavour complexities beyond any gaminess. The ‘crushed swede’ makes it another dream pairing, with something in there amplifying its earthy sweetness and its texture is something else… pillowy fluffy but it also offers some bite. I definitely wouldn’t have picked this given a choice, but this but is one of my favourite plates of the year.
Domaine Overnoy Cotes-du-Jura Poulsard 2022
Both dishes have paired beautifully with our easy drinking Cotes-du-Jura Poulsard; its fresh with red berries on the palate and silky tannins for a lovely mouth feel and lovely long finish. It’s a perfect lunchtime tipple and something else for the best of 2025 list.
Basque cheesecake
We’ve opted for just the one dessert with two spoons; it’s OK but nothing particularly notable about it, but I guess that’s just the way with Basque cheesecake.
We settle up the bill of £156.26 (Food £52 / Drinks £86 / Service £17.26) and buoyed by that a damn fine bottle of wine, head off to find a wine bar to while away the afternoon. It might seem like we’ve failed to reign it in at the first hurdle, but I’d suggest we’re just doubling down on the pleasures of the vine.
I’ve never been much good at penny pinching either.
Noble Rot Soho, 2 Greek Street, London W1D 4NB
noblerot.co.uk/restaurant/soho
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
2nd December 2025
