Food Review: Bustronome, London

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Step on the gastronomy in London

We’ve all eaten on a bus, haven’t we? Greasy kebab and chips after a night out? Well, Bustronome is a bit different, think champagne, wine and multiple courses against a backdrop of London’s most famous sights.
That’s right, this is a fine-dining restaurant on wheels!

Bustronome gastronomic bus tour of London

So, just to be clear, this is not a hop-on, hop-off bus. Once you are on, you are on for the ride so relax and let the waiters ply you with food and drink for the duration of the leisurely drive through the capital.

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The slick and smart Bustronome bus exceeded our expectations. Pass the onboard kitchen and take the stairs to a welcoming glass of champagne under a glass roof offering a unique panoramic view of London.

Bustronome gastronomic bus tour of London

Unlike other bus tours we’ve done, where the upper deck is open and you may get rained on, the glass roof here ensures that you can enjoy the experience without worrying about the weather. Also, rather than relying on a tour guide to point out the famous sites and stories behind them, each table comes with a map of London and is equipped with an audio pen so that you can listen at your leisure and replay the audio if necessary. Simply by pointing the pen at the relevant location on the map.

bustronome london gastro bus tour

We started off from Embankment travelling East to Tower Bridge and West to Kensington via a city full of sights in between.

Bustronome gastronomic bus tour of London

Here’s a view of Tower Bridge you don’t usually see from a bus!views for all ages

Young and old were happily taking photos in between courses.

The menu

Bustronome gastronomic bus tour of London Menu



The food

wine glass holders

We started with bread & soft butter, canapes of green olive tapenade bruschetta, a glass of Champagne and were each offered still or sparkling water.

First Course: crab & artichoke “gateau” with tobiko in a light crab & wasabi sauce
bustronome london gastro bus tour

Second Course: Crispy roll with goats cheese and three ways beetroot

bustronome london gastro bus tour

Third Course: Seared tuna, carrot puree, girolle mushrooms & tarragon sauce

Bustronome london gastro bus tour

Fourth Course: Roasted guinea fowl with curcuma & almonds, warm peach & avocado salad, fondant potatoes

bustronome london gastro bus tour

Fifth Course: Young Saint-Jude cheese & jambustronome london gastro bus tour

Sixth Course: Strawberries & ginger pavlova, ginger sorbet

bustronome london gastro bus tour

And here are some more photos from our bus tour.Bustronome gastronomic bus tour of London
Bustronome gastronomic bus tour of London

bustronome london gastro bus tour
bus lit at night  bus lit at night
bus at end of tour

Verdict

Bustonome is undoubtedly the best bus tour we’ve ever taken. Great food, paired wines and a glass roof so you can see without weather spoiling the show.  

The food was also excellent so well worth the money when you consider that you are getting a tour and food. Without wine, lunch is £65 and dinner is £105. For the matched wines included lunch is £85 and dinner £135 – there is also an extended wine pairing option for £150 with dinner. If you would like the wine with dinner note that pre-paying is required as the bus is not licensed to sell alcohol on board. Children are charged £40 for lunch and £50 for dinner.

The bus also has the swishest bus conveniences we’ve ever seen and used! Our only negative is that the air-con was a little too chilly at times, perhaps it’s where we were seated, but we’d recommend bringing a cardigan or jacket just in case.

We also forgot to check if the bus had Michelin tyres, LOL!

TL;DR

+ A great way to take in London’s sights in a relaxed and elegant way
+ Food to a very high standard
+ Great wine too
+ Best bus toilet we’ve ever seen

– Air-con was too cold at times

Where

Bustronome London, Coach Bay 40B, 25 Victoria Embankment, London WC2N 6PB

Transport

Tube: Embankment (Bakerloo, Circle, District, Northern lines)

Reservations

Bustronome London booking page


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london bustronome review foodie explorers

fred purr of honour

Disclaimer: we received a free meal and tour prior to any COVID-19 lockdowns and it was genuinely excellent and the best bus tour we’ve ever taken.

Emma

Emma

Hello!

I am Emma and with my husband Mark write Foodie Explorers, which is a food and travel website.

I am a member of the Guild of Food Writers and British Guild of Travel Writers.

We have a wide range of judging experience covering products, hotels and have judged, for example, for Great Taste Awards and Scottish Baker of the Year.

Along the way Mark gained WSET Level 2 in Wine and I have WSET Level 2 in Spirits as well as picking up an award with The Scotsman Food and Drink Awards.    

Usually I can be found sleeping beside a cat.

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