.
Fine dining isn't what London Heathrow is known for, but La Belle Époque Restaurant at the Sofitel London Heathrow serves up fine dining classics, from Lobster Bisque and Oysters to Beef Tartare and Glazed Duck Breast.
La Belle Époque Restaurant Location and Hours
La Belle Époque is located on the lobby level of the Sofitel London Heathrow, which is connected to Terminal 5. The restaurant is open exclusively for dinner, from 6-10pm nightly. Reservations can be made online.
.
La Belle Époque Menu and Food
The dinner menu during our recent visit:
.
.
After we ordered, our server brought us complimentary bread and beet focaccia. One test of a restaurant's attention to detail is whether they serve housemade bread (instead of a third party's bread) and whether it's served warm. La Belle Époque passes both tests.
.
Another test for a fine dining restaurant is whether there's a complimentary amuse bouche, as well as complimentary petits fours or mignardises, and once again, both were provided. In this case, the amuse bouche was a tasty ginger carrot soup.
.
We decided to share an appetizer of Lobster Bisque. Our opinions were split on this; our teen and I really enjoyed how much the lobster flavor came through, as well as the lobster dumplings, but my husband is used to more American-style very creamy bisques, and was surprised with the darker coloring of the soup.
.
For his main, our teen chose the Braised Octopus with butternut squash puree, which he said was delicious. I snagged a tax bite of the octopus and it was perfectly cooked: tender and not too chewy.
.
My husband enjoyed his Pan Fried Wild Seabass with Clams:
.
My Szechuan Glazed Duck Breast was superbly spiced, and the Duck Confit Bonbon was a particular treat.
.
Since there are only vegetable garnishes on each plate, I was glad we split an additional side of green beans and broccoli, which were tender yet not overcooked.
.
We didn't order dessert, but complimentary petits fours, particularly the almond blueberry financiers, were a lovely sweet note to end on.
.
The Verdict
Usually airport meals are instantly forgettable, often with indifferent service. That wasn't the case at La Belle Époque, where our dishes were excellent both in taste and presentation, and service was better than at some similar caliber restaurants I've dined at in London, New York, and San Francisco. Recommended, if you have an overnight at London Heathrow and are in search of a high quality dinner.
.
Recommended Posts
Top London Luxury Hotel Offers 2026
First Impressions: British Airways Club Suite Business Class 777-300
The Berkeley Hotel London Review, Photos, Video
Review: The Ledbury, London, 3 Michelin Stars
If you enjoyed this, join 200,000+ readers: follow TravelSort on Twitter or like us on Facebook to be alerted to new posts.
Subscribe to TravelSort on YouTube for travel inspiration.
Become a TravelSort Client and Book 5-Star Hotels with Virtuoso or Four Seasons Preferred Partner Benefits