Places to eat in St Albans

There are few better restaurants in St Albans than Lussmanns. This fish restaurant was first launched in London in 2002 and has become a byword for classy, homegrown and modern British restaurants. Housed in a glass-roofed venue overlooking the cathedral, the light and airy restaurant is spread over three floors and offers great value for money in its set course meals, as well as the main menu which changes with the seasons.

Heading up along St. Peters Street, you’ll find a cluster of popular restaurants, including L’Italiana, an award-winning Italian that ticks all the boxes. From a stylish lunch to long decadent dinners, the menu covers all the classics, including over 20 different pizzas.

A minute’s walk from L’Italiana is Tabure, a modern Turkish restaurant. With a killer cocktail menu, neatly updated classics and a warm, welcoming interior, it’s an excellent independent outlet and well worth discovering.

In a similar vein is Bar Meze, a busy and buzzy Cypriot bar and restaurant that uses a sharing plates system which goes hand-in-hand with its lively atmosphere. Plus, it’s less than 100m from our St Albans City Centre hotel.

Slightly out of the city centre, Prime Steak and Grill along London Road near the Odyssey Cinema is the place to go if you’re hankering after a medium rare sirloin steak, Sunday roast or some of their garlic and parmesan fries. With sultry lighting, dark leather booths and exposed brickwork, it’s a modern and stylish restaurant with an impressive drinks menu, as well as good value lunch and early bird offers.

From your first cup of coffee of the day to a sandwich on the go and a relaxing weekend brunch, the George Street Canteen covers all bases. A family-run café near the cathedral, the George Street Canteen serves up a wide range of breakfast and lunch options, while tea lovers will adore the free refill options – not to mention the range of cakes, brownies and muffins that will go perfectly with that second cuppa.

Alternatively, try Hatch on the Hill, another excellent café open daily from 9am to 5pm. The food is a little more adventurous – the Dirty Reuben sandwich is spectacular – meaning the prices are a little higher. They’re also licensed so you can tuck into your lunch with a cocktail, beer or glass of wine.

Heading out of the city centre, The Smoke House Deli on Cell Barnes Lane opened in 2014 and has been one of the leading delis and cafés in the area ever since. Open for breakfast, lunch, drinks and desserts, you can also pick up a wide range of deli goods at the shop on your way out. Just make sure you’ve had your fill of triple-decker sandwiches, their eggs Benedict or their deli sandwich of the day before you leave.

Lastly, The Green Kitchen is the leading vegan café in St Albans. Launched in 2014, they serve up a varied menu, as well as an extensive range of cold drinks including smoothies, dairy-free coffees and milkshakes. Everything is homemade and, with 95% of their waste recycled, their business is just as green and eco-friendly as their food.