[Ad- gifted experience] I had no idea that you could eat food while traveling on a bus in London, until Robin and I attended the Grinchmas afternoon tea bus last year. It turns out, there are a ton of these sort of tour a bus around London while having a full experience. The Bustronome experience takes you all around iconic landmarks in London, while serving very fancy looking French food! There is a four course lunch option as well as a six course dinner option, depending on what time of day you end up going.
The bus itself is very sleek. Everyone is seated in the top of the bus, which has a clear glass roof. This gives a very good view of London as you drive around! The top doesn’t open up, however there is lighting and an air conditioner unit, so it won’t get too dark or too hot in this area. There are also speakers playing music. On the table in front of you, there is a sort of plastic shell, that can hold your glasses perfectly. This shell lights up too, which provides a lot for the vibes. I really thought the hanging water cup was very fun, as it slotted in so perfectly, which is not only needed for traveling around London but also looks very sleek. We went on the four course lunch, and had a few cheeky cocktails or glasses of wine with it.
Before we get into the food, it’s worth mentioning that though this is a bus tour of London, there isn’t a tour guide as such. Instead, you can scan a QR code to open a map on your phone. This map will follow where you are and give you information on the specific sites that you are passing, if you want to learn more about them. The real focus of this tour, however, is beautiful sites and beautiful food.
Bread with Butter and Roasted Aubergine Salad
Once we got on the Bustronome bus and made our ways to our seat, a little bread and butter was brought out to us. The bread was sourdough, and the butter was salty and well seasoned. This did feel sort of random, but it was nice to have something to eat while we waited for everyone to get settled and the bus to start moving around. Then, we got our starter.
I am not sure why I expected the salad to be warm when it was brought over – I guess it was the word “roasted” that made me think this would be a hot salad. It was not, which was fine! The aubergine was cooked very well, the skin wasn’t in anyway tough. I really enjoyed the tahini sauce and bits of pomegranate on top. There was plenty of lamb lettuce and spring onions as well. It was a very easy starter course to eat.
Pan Seared Salmon
I am not a big fish eater, but I do eat fish when it’s served to me. The pan seared salmon was served with a potato veloute, which was absolutely fantastic. There were also roasted leeks that were the perfect bite. The salmon itself was well cooked, with a nice crispy skin. The meat flaked apart! I did have a pinhair bone in my salmon, but that happens from time to time.
Rack of Lamb
The rack of lamb served at Bustronome, was the course I was most looking forward too, and it came out looking fantastic. There was also sweet potato puree and the lamb was covered in blueberry sauce. My lamb was actually quite fatty, but apart from the fat layer, the flavors were fantastic. The berry sauce was a good touch, though I do wish the dish was more on the hot side, as this one was kind of room temperature.
Mango Pannacotta and Cupcake
The mango Pannacotta on the Bustronome was absolutely fantastic. Very creamy, with a bright mango puree. There was also chunks of mango, and a crumble that reminded me of crushed biscuits, to give it some texture. We also got a cupcake customised to the event we were attending, which had a lovely buttercream frosting and was a rich chocolate flavor.
All in all, the food looked fancy and felt fancy! Dann did comment that he felt it was a case of making food look fancier than it might have been, but we both did enjoy the meal. I also had a sex on the beach cocktail, which was very refreshing, and we had a few glasses of white wine, which the servers kept coming. All of the staff were friendly, and the bus adventure was very fun!
You can check out our other Days Out to see what else we’ve been up too!
The rack of lamb looks out of this world…yummmmm….The salmon as well…I can’t wait to try out the restaurant next time I am in London. Can’t wait.
Oh I never knew that there were buses like this in London that you could eat and drink on. I am planning on going to London next year for the first time, so may have to try this out
This food looks amazing! I would seriously eat my weight in that lamb! Fantastic restaurant.
A restaurant on a bus is the coolest thing I’ve seen in a long time. I would love to do that. The food looks great!
It’s a tour and dinner at the same time, and it’s so awesome! If I’m ever able, that is the absolute first place I’ll be visiting.
Reading about your adventure dining on a bus while touring iconic landmarks was absolutely fascinating. The attention to detail, from the sleek design of the bus to the delightful menu offerings, really made it sound like a memorable experience.
I’ve heard about these and they sound so fun! Looks like such a fun experience and the food looks great too 🙂
I have never eaten whilst having a bus tour before. It sounds like fun whilst you get to see the sights of London. The food did look very fancy, much fancier than I would expect for a bus tour.
What a delightful surprise! I never knew you could enjoy such a unique dining experience while touring London on a bus. The Grinchmas afternoon tea bus sounds like a whimsical adventure, and discovering other themed tours like the Bustronome experience adds even more excitement to exploring the city’s iconic landmarks. The thought of indulging in fancy French cuisine while sightseeing sounds like a dream come true. Can’t wait to hop on board for a culinary journey through London’s streets!
dining on the Bustronome in London sounds like an incredible experience! 🚌✨ From the sleek bus design to the delicious French cuisine, it’s a unique way to tour the city. The four-course lunch featured savory delights like pan-seared salmon and rack of lamb, followed by a delightful mango pannacotta. Thanks for sharing this fabulous culinary adventure!
Wo…. I so would love to do this if I ever get over there for a vacation! I love how everything looks and it seems like an incredible experience for sure! Love it!