Dads are famously difficult to buy for and even harder to organise around. They do not want a fuss, apparently, but they also do not want somewhere average, too loud, too formal, too trendy or too obviously chosen at the last minute. Useful. Thankfully, London’s restaurants are making Father’s Day easier this year, with a line-up that runs from grand Sunday roasts and steak-heavy feasts to sushi, rooftop lunches and a few smarter curveballs for those not in the mood for the usual pub lunch plus panic-bought card routine.
Berners Tavern
If Father’s Day calls for something properly occasion-worthy, Berners Tavern is a very strong place to start. The restaurant is marking the day with its signature Sunday roast, soundtracked by live music from the London Django Collective throughout the afternoon, which already makes the whole thing feel far more appealing than a standard roast and run situation. Expect polished plates, handsome surroundings and the sort of lunch that knows exactly how to make an occasion feel like one.
@bernerstavern | bernerstavern.com
Milk Beach Soho
Milk Beach Soho brings a brighter, more modern energy to Father’s Day dining. Its Australian cooking, threaded with Southeast Asian and Mediterranean influences, lends itself particularly well to a long, lively lunch, with vibrant sharing plates and seasonal cocktails in the mix. In the heart of Soho, it feels like a fresher alternative to the usual roast-heavy formula, and a good fit for anyone who wants the day to feel relaxed, stylish and just a little less expected.
@milkbeachlondon | milkbeach.com
The Ned
The Ned is taking the more-is-more approach to Father’s Day, and frankly, it suits it. In Millie’s Lounge and Cecconi’s, the Father’s Day Feast is built around the kind of generous spread that makes a small family lunch quietly turn into a proper gathering: unlimited seafood, roasts and desserts, with lobster, oysters, classic trimmings, seasonal salads and puddings to share all in the mix. It is big, abundant and designed for settling in properly, which is exactly what a Father’s Day lunch should be.
@thenedlondon | thened.com
Wild Honey St James
For a Father’s Day lunch that feels quietly confident rather than overproduced, Wild Honey St James is an easy addition. Anthony Demetre’s Michelin-starred restaurant has long been one of the smarter tables in Westminster, with cooking that feels polished, generous and refreshingly free of gimmick. It is a good choice for fathers who would rather have an excellent meal in elegant surroundings than a themed cocktail and a branded keepsake they did not ask for.
@wildhoneystjames | wildhoneystjames.com
Langan’s Brasserie
There are some restaurants that just make sense on Father’s Day, and Langan’s is one of them. The Mayfair institution is offering a complimentary Brother’s Bond Old Fashioned alongside a tableside Whisky Tiramisu, which feels exactly the right level of indulgent without slipping into gimmick. If your father appreciates the sort of lunch that should reasonably be followed by a nap and perhaps a little self-importance, this is a very safe bet.
@langansbrasserie | langansbrasserie.com
Ixchel
For dads who would rather skip the standard roast-and-red-wine formula, Ixchel brings a livelier change of pace. Set in Chelsea, the restaurant makes a strong case for doing Father’s Day with bold flavours, good cocktails and a room that feels genuinely upbeat rather than dutifully celebratory. It is the sort of place that suits a long lunch nicely, especially for anyone who would rather mark the day with something a little more vibrant and less predictable.
@ixchel.london | ixchellondon.com
Gaucho
For the steak-first fathers, Gaucho is leaning in properly with an exclusive collaboration with Fogón Asado, centred around a 300g ribeye and a limited-edition engraved Argentine knife. Which is obviously a lot, but Father’s Day is one of the few occasions where a lot is kind of the point. It is an easy win for anyone whose ideal Sunday involves good beef, red wine and no one trying to make them share their chips.
@gauchogroup | gauchorestaurants.com
Lilibet’s
For something a little less obvious, Lilibet’s brings a more modern Mayfair energy to the occasion. £7 Guinness, a very good prego steak sandwich and the restaurant’s Bullit de Peix sharing feast make it an easy choice for fathers who like their lunch with a little style and no old-school stuffiness.
@lilibetsmayfair | lilibetsrestaurant.com
ROKA
ROKA has taken a neat, clean route for Father’s Day, offering fathers a complimentary Suntory Toki whisky highball when booking brunch at Aldwych, Charlotte Street or Canary Wharf, or for any service at ROKA Mayfair. It is a simple hook, but a useful one, especially as ROKA already suits the kind of polished family lunch where everyone can order properly well and still leave feeling as though they have exercised restraint.
@rokarestaurant.uk | rokarestaurant.com
Temper
There is no point pretending Temper is for the dainty eater. This is one for fathers who want the full, unapologetic feast: fire-cooked Sunday roasts, giant Yorkshire puddings and the restaurant’s famously excessive Three Beast Feast. It is a meat-heavy, robust, no-nonsense option that knows exactly who it is for, which, to be fair, is often the most reassuring kind of Father’s Day booking.
@temperrestaurant | temperrestaurant.com
Sticks’n’Sushi
If you are after a more family-friendly option that still feels polished, Sticks’n’Sushi is a strong shout. The restaurant is pushing its generous sharing set menus for Father’s Day, with options including dishes such as Nanban maki, tempura Ebi Bites and fresh sticks from the grill. With multiple London locations in the mix, it is also one of the easier bookings if logistics, as ever, are threatening to derail the plan.
@sticksnsushi.uk | sticksnsushi.com
Rosewood London
Rosewood London takes a quieter, more polished route through Father’s Day. Its Summer Terrace offers the kind of setting that does not need to shout for attention: relaxed, elegant and made for an unhurried lunch that stretches nicely into the afternoon. With Dinner for One Hundred pizzas alongside the wider food and drinks offering, it is a strong choice for families who want to celebrate well without making a big production of it. Sometimes the smartest move is simply booking somewhere lovely and letting the table do the work.
@rosewoodlondon | rosewoodhotels.com
Pippin’s at Templeton Garden
Set within Templeton Garden, Pippin’s is the sort of place that gets Father’s Day right by not overdoing it. It has polish, calm and enough quiet confidence to let the lunch speak for itself, which is often far more appealing than a room trying too hard to feel like an occasion. For fathers who want a good table, good food and none of the usual themed nonsense, it makes a very smart choice.
@pippinsrestaurant | pippinsrestaurant.com
