From superb sushi to second-rate school dinners, Legal Cheek dives into the world of in-firm cuisine
Law is a demanding profession, and lawyers need proper brain fuel to power through long hours. But what is actually on the menu at the UK’s leading law firms? From gastronomic delights and gourmet sushi bars to gastrointestinal challenges and “gravy on salad”, we take a look at how well firms are feeding their people.
All responses come from The Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey 2025–26, in which more than 2,000 trainees and junior associates revealed the truth about what their firms are really serving up.
City lawyers tend to describe their firms’ canteens rather diplomatically: “It could be worse!” Many juniors find the food limited, bland, and overpriced, wishing firms would better subsidise meals. Free food does appear from time to time, but rarely impresses.
Dietary requirements are another sticking point, with some noting a lack of vegan or gluten-free options and choosing to avoid the canteen altogether.
For firms near Spitalfields, the real draw is outside the office. Street vendors nearby offer better value, more variety, and tastier food — plus a welcome break from the desk.
Outside the capital, most juniors say their firms do not offer canteens at all. Several note that kitchen areas are so poorly equipped that even bringing food from home becomes a logistical challenge. To make matters worse, many national firms seem to reserve proper canteen facilities for their London headquarters, leaving regional lawyers feeling somewhat second-class.
Not every firm is dishing out disappointment. Some are serving meals that even Marco Pierre White wouldn’t turn his nose up at. Travers Smith appears to be serving some of the best food in the City, with one junior simply calling the canteen “Unbelievable”. To top it all off, ingredients are sustainably sourced, and all meals are free. Another offers a glowing review of Braithwaite’s, the firm’s in-house restaurant:
“Braithwaite’s is phenomenal. Breakfast is always delicious, with eggs, porridge, muesli, yoghurt and fruit… Lunch is varied every day with meat, veggie, vegan and halal options, plus a salad bar, soup and homemade treats… They celebrate everything too, from Pancake Day to Pride… As you can tell, I think Braithwaite’s is incredible.”
A number of US firms also stand out — feeding their juniors almost as well as they pay them.
White & Case’s in-house restaurant, Broad Street Kitchen (or “BSK”), receives rave reviews. One hungry lawyer says: “If there was an 11/10 rating, I would tick that box.” Another adds: “It is incredible — there are three free gourmet meals for us a day… omelettes made fresh… baristas serving coffee on multiple floors and a wide cake selection, all for free.” Juniors are quick to point out how the free food helps a lot on their pockets and highlight that the restaurant’s sleek interiors make for great informal meeting spaces and a “fantastic social hub”.
Paul Weiss made headlines earlier this year with when it moved into Twitter’s former office in the West End, positioning the firm much closer to its private equity and hedge fund clients in Mayfair. The office, now remodelled into something resembling a private members’ club, is equipped with all the essentials: an in-house sushi restaurant called Air run by a “market-leading sushi chef”. One insider says: “Food is world-class. We give a lot of our time and effort, and this feels like a way the firm gives back. Which I greatly appreciate.”
Meanwhile, Bird & Bird’s eleventh-floor restaurant — aptly named Eleven — offers weekly rotating menus of subsidised comfort food. One little bird tells us: “Highlights include steak and chips, curries on a Thursday and fish and chips on a Friday. 10/10 views. £4.60 for steak, can’t complain too much but some of the food can sometimes get a bit repetitive.”
But not every firm is plating up handmade sushi and freshly-baked pastries. Some offices take a more… austere approach to workplace dining. At one Silver Circle outfit, canteen fare is described as “reminiscent of school dinners” — conjuring images of lukewarm mash, lumpy gravy, and mystery ‘meat’. Over at a transatlantic City firm, juniors slam the bland and the boring: “a distinct lack of seasoning in the food, even just the basics of salt,” one hungry spy told us.
Elsewhere, lawyers at another London outfit report odd pairings that sound more like peculiar pregnancy cravings, including what one insider describes as “gravy on salad”?! The situation appears so dire that “a new caterer has been arranged” because of the “weird combinations”, “soggy chips” and “lack of variety”.
Even firms that subsidise meals aren’t immune from criticism. One junior at a Magic Circle outfit reports paying up to £12 for a “bang average” chicken curry, while salad bowls at the same firm are now apparently being charged by weight. Another trainee also advises steering clear of the “dry chicken”. Across several firms, juniors also flag shrinking portion sizes and rising prices — workplace shrinkflation at its finest.
On a more positive closing note, the canteen staff across the board are described in glowing terms. The unsung heroes behind the counters are keeping lawyers well fed — and in good spirits.
At Addleshaw Goddard, one junior says: “The dinner ladies get to know you pretty quickly. As soon as they see me in the line, they get the allergy person to check what food I can have by the time I reach them. Absolute legends.” At Baker McKenzie, the sentiment is just as warm: “The staff are lovely and always put a smile on my face when I’m stressed.” Others echo the praise: “Absolutely wonderful people running it,” reports a junior at Ashurst, while at Mishcon de Reya, the staff are lauded for their effort in providing varied menus and special meals on celebrations.
