Livery halls are among the least visible parts of the City. They hold ancient trade companies, formal dinners and rooms that most Londoners walk past without ever seeing. On Wednesday 18 November 2026, the Butchers' Hall at 87 Bartholomew Close opens its Great Hall to anyone who books a seat for its monthly carvery lunch.
The setting is fitting. The Butchers' Company is one of the City's old livery companies, and Smithfield has been tied to the meat trade for centuries. Eating roast beef here, a few minutes from the market, feels less like a themed lunch than a straightforward continuation of local history.
The beef is grass-fed British roast beef, matured on the bone for a minimum of 28 days and hand-carved. That detail tells you what kind of lunch it is. Maturing on the bone is a slow process, and the carving is done properly rather than sliced out of sight in a kitchen. The meal runs to three courses and is served as a sit-down occasion in the hall, with none of the speed of a normal working lunch.
The timings are clear. Drinks reception begins from 12.15pm on the Ground Floor, and lunch is served at 1pm in the Great Hall. Arrive for the reception rather than just the meal, since it is the easiest way to settle in and meet the people you will be seated near. Business attire is requested, so dress smartly. Drinks are charged separately and paid in advance, which is worth knowing before you arrive.
It also pairs neatly with a wider walk. The new London Museum at Smithfield is a few steps away, so you can make an afternoon of it, with a morning among the old market buildings, lunch in the hall and a look at the museum afterwards.
For a different kind of City room, the Watermen's Company on the Thames runs afternoon teas in Watermen's Hall, built in 1780 and the only original Georgian hall in the City. Dates for 2027 are listed on its site.
Best for A long lunch before the museum opens.
