If you’re heading to the theatre in London’s West End, there’s a temptation to play it safe. Grab something quick, stick to somewhere familiar and hope you make curtain-up without having to sprint through Leicester Square. Lahpet West End offers a much more interesting alternative.
Tucked away on Slingsby Place in St Martin’s Courtyard, it’s one of those lovely little London discoveries where, one minute, you’re battling through the crowds around Covent Garden and Leicester Square, and the next you’re surrounded by restaurants, terraces and a surprisingly chilled atmosphere. Dishoom sits nearby, along with a cluster of other restaurants, making the whole courtyard feel like a little foodie hideaway in the middle of the West End.
Burmese Food, Made Brilliantly Approachable
Lahpet is one of relatively few London restaurants dedicated to Burmese cooking, founded by Dan Anton and head chef Zaw Mahesh, who both have Burmese heritage. The concept started life in Hackney before its first permanent Shoreditch restaurant opened its doors in 2018, with West End following in 2022.
The food takes traditional Burmese dishes and flavours and gives them a polished, contemporary feel. And while there are dishes shared across the Lahpet restaurants, each location has its own specials.
At West End, these currently include the hake masala, crispy salmon and a lamb and pickled tea leaf dish available later in the week. It’s a clever touch, as it gives you a reason to work your way around the different locations rather than ordering exactly the same thing every time.
The restaurant itself looks the part too. Light wood, soft pinks, terrazzo-style flooring and warm lighting give it a clean, modern feel without tipping into sterile territory. There’s seating downstairs, an upstairs dining room and a covered first-floor terrace overlooking St Martin’s Courtyard.
Start With A Lahpet Margarita
I went for the alcohol-free Lahpet Margarita, while my boyfriend tried the full-strength version. This signature cocktail uses betel leaf-infused tequila with jaggery and lime, finished with Himalayan pink salt. The zero version has the same concept minus the alcohol.
Most importantly, the non-alcoholic version didn’t taste like the disappointing understudy to a “proper” cocktail. It stood completely on its own. Fresh, sharp and interesting, it was exactly what I wanted before dinner.
The Tea Leaf Salad Is Non-Negotiable
For starters, the Lahpet Thoke tea leaf salad was first on the list. Lahpet itself means “tea”, and the restaurant’s namesake dish combines pickled tea leaves with cabbage, tomatoes, dried shrimp, sesame, chilli and a ridiculously addictive crunchy mixture of beans and peanuts.
This is exactly my kind of food. Lots going on, lots of texture, sweet, salty, sour and crunchy all fighting for attention (and winning!).
We paired it with the yellow pea flatbread, a crisp, flaky paratha with mild yellow pea curry and lime.
The Coconut Noodles Are The One
I had already mentally ordered my main before I arrived. Lahpet’s Ohn No Kauk Swè, or chicken and coconut noodles, had been stalking me on Instagram and absolutely lived up to hype.
It’s a huge bowl of chicken in a rich coconut broth with egg noodles, crispy wonton, lime, egg and coriander, finished with paprika oil. And when I say huge, I mean it. The chicken seemed (delighfully) never-ending.
Despite the richness of the coconut broth, it wasn’t particularly fiery or heavy. Lime and herbs keep everything fresh, while the crispy elements are there to be mixed through as you eat, so every few mouthfuls the texture changes.
Across the table, the Ngar Hin hake masala was another winner. Pan-seared hake comes with cassava and potato rosti, charred lime and a deeply flavoured Burmese coconut masala. The sauce was so good that this was the point at which the second paratha was ordered purely for mopping purposes.
Then another great shout was the Ar Luu Htaung smashed potato, which deserves a special mention simply because it isn’t yet another deep-fried side. Steamed potato arrives topped with lime, chilli, coriander, garlic and shallot crumble, ready to be mixed together at the table.
That freshness became one of my biggest takeaways from the meal. There are curries, carbs and seriously generous portions, but nothing felt oily or stodgy. Even after eating considerably more than necessary, I left full rather than flattened.
Slick, Speedy Service That Is Ideal For Pre-Theatre Or Early-Dinner Plans
And then there’s the service. We had around 90 minutes before we needed to head towards the theatre, and everything ran like clockwork. Drinks arrived, dishes followed as they were ready and we had eaten comfortably within around an hour without ever feeling as though anyone was trying to rush us out.
Lahpet actually offers dedicated pre-theatre reservations on weekdays, with its Express Lunch and Pre-Theatre menu available at the West End restaurant until 6.30pm, so this is clearly a crowd they know how to look after.
It meant we had enough time afterwards to wander through Trafalgar Square towards the theatre rather than doing our usual power walk – and ultimately arriving hot and bothered.
That combination is ultimately what makes Lahpet so easy to recommend. The food is different enough to feel like a discovery, accessible enough that you don’t need to know anything about Burmese cuisine before you arrive, the portions are generous, and the service is impressively slick.
Book your table here.