Embrace your inner luvvie and enjoy some decent down-to-earth food in the beating heart of London’s Theatreland.

The Venue
PJ’s is located seconds from the Covent Garden Piazza, in the Opera Quarter, an historic food quarter that’s recently been refurbished - making it ideal for a pre-theatre, post-opera supper. Despite the naff American name, PJ’s is definitely a Covent Garden veteran filling the bellies of actors and theatricals since 1982. The light oak and linen decor carries through from the bar to the three spacious dining areas.

Downstairs, the walls are filled with snapshots of the stars in residence (Su Pollard and Claire Rayner were quite the regulars, it seems). Back in the dining room, the cream walls are scattered with more formal monochrome images of theatre stars past and present. A really nice touch is the dozens of small brass plaques engraved with the names and nicknames (Gabby ‘the blueberry pancake girl’) of PJ’s regular customers set by their favourite tables.

The Atmosphere
The great thing about dining out in Covent Garden is that it’s generally filled with loud luvvies waxing lyrical about Lord Webber’s latest masterpiece, which gives the area lovely buzzy atmosphere. This theatrical vibe tips over here at PJ’s in the small but lively theatre bar which fronts the dining room. The clientele is a mix of smartly attired theatre lovers popping for a glass of sparkly before curtains-up and the more casually dressed locals in for their favourite supper. The staff are very friendly yet exude an air of efficiency.

The Food
Described as modern European with a Californian twist, the menu is not extensive yet it covers every whim you may have, from fish and chips to risotto, calf’s liver to seabass. There are steaks, salads, decent fish dishes and a good old cottage pie if you need a gravy-laced hug.

For starters, try the fish soup (£5.95) - as unassuming as it may sound it is utterly delicious. A rich tomatoe-y broth is jam-packed with massive king prawns, tender squid and plump, frilly mussels all bandying for space in the cramped bowl. A couple of crisp garlicky croutons balanced on top completes this fabulous dish. The Cornish crab cake (£6.95) with asparagus, rocket salad and a sweet red pepper coulis is also a worthy resident on the menu. These crispy fried cakes have a lovely fresh crabby flavour matching the sweet pepper coulis and peppery rocket salad perfectly.

Main courses are equally as impressive despite the reasonable prices (which are duly noted in these economically trying times). The crispy pork belly (£12.95) is a heart-warming and essential winter dish. Two fatty bricks of pork belly are topped with a thick, salty crackling and served with a creamy spring onion mash and some sharp apple sauce which cuts through the porky fat to give it a real sweet lick. From the grill, the scallop wrapped in chorizo (£14.95) is an inspired dish. Half a dozen fat, marshmallowy scallops are wrapped in thin spicy sausage, topped with grilled asparagus and served on a bed of creamed sweet peas. A gorgeous and filling dish, despite the generosity of the pea puree overtaking some of the other flavours.

A short dessert menu offers brasserie staples such as flourless chocolate cake and sticky toffee pudding. Try the old English favourite of bread and butter pudding with cinnamon ice-cream. A damp slab of eggy pudding arrives oozing with warm custardy goodness and speckled with sweet, sweet raisins. The strawberry and almond tart is tasty enough, although the strawberries are too hard to really be a part of this light and fragrant tart.

The Drink
PJ’s is not the sort of establishment that needs an A-Z list of wine. Instead, it offers some well-picked varieties all at under £30 a bottle, which is refreshing in this notoriously expensive part of town. The house red (£14.50) is an easy-to-drink Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, however for a couple of quid more you can get a decent New World Shiraz or a traditional Bordeaux. There is a good selection of after-dinner liqueurs and for those who like a bit of sparkle in their lives, the Champagne list starts from a smidge under £28 a bottle.

The Last Word
With very good, reasonably priced food served in smart yet convivial surroundings, PJ’s is settled firmly in the rich foundations of Covent Garden dining. Recommended.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (4) image gallery (6) venue hire book a table