Restaurants

Feature continues

Hampstead Theatre
Eton Avenue, NW3 (020 7722 9301)

Pre-theatre
Del’Aziz, Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre, Winchester Rd, NW3
This new branch of the Fulham original is a Middle East-themed restaurant, all dark wood and concrete floor, with plenty to look at (the park opposite or the indoor pool below) while you get busy with a juicy harissa burger or tender lamb kebab on lemon and pumpkin seed rice. On weekdays it’s open 7am-9.30pm but shuts at 5pm at weekends. (020 7586 3338) A good Saturday substitute is classy modern Indian restaurant Eriki (4-6 Northways Parade), open 6-10.30pm. (020 7722 0606)

Interval drinks
Ye Olde Swiss Cottage, 98 Finchley Rd, NW3
You’d be nuts not to spend your interval at the swanky theatre bar, with its large terrace, park views and sparse interior. But if you must make a dash for the local, play Russian roulette on the Finchley Road bottleneck and sink a pint at this quaint chalet perched right on the traffic island.

Bradley's

Post-theatre
Bradleys, 25 Winchester Rd, NW3
‘Modern British with a southern French accent’ was how the waiter described this discreet brasserie two minutes from the theatre. Its 1930s interior provides an elegant end to the evening and if you can’t make it early (6-7pm) for the £9.95 two-course pre-theatre menu, it’s worth having a main course here after the show. Try the dorade with niçoise vegetables, or sea bass, ceps and spinach. Open until 11pm. (020 7722 3457)

In-house eats
Paninis, quiches, salads and sandwiches. If you don’t finish before the show starts, they’ll pop it in the fridge for you for later.

Can I bring my own sarnies?
‘We originally were quite lax with this because we didn’t have the products to give the customers, but now we’re upping that, we’re slowly phasing it out,’ says public relations manager David Scarr. ‘Certainly when there isn’t enough room in the restaurant we’re very nice about it.

Where do the cast/crew go?
’‘We get our food either from the in-house café-bar or at the M&S over the road.’