Michelin-star meals or Tesco meal deals? Junior lawyers dish the dirt on law firm grub

Mixed reviews 🍽️

From Michelin-quality meals to stale biscuits, Legal Cheek’s spies have seen it all. Exclusive data from our survey of over 2,000 trainees and junior associates reveals the low-down on law firm canteens and food. With one rookie describing food quality as “a factor when deciding whether to stay or leave”, it’s time to shine a spotlight on the unsung hero of corporate law: the food!

First up: the bad. “If you want a daily dose of food poisoning”, pipes up one newbie, their canteen “does the trick!” Another at the same firm adds that the food is “pretty inedible at times” (poor them!). A hungry source elsewhere is equally unimpressed:

“Sometimes I wonder whether the London canteen chefs have ever actually tried the food they’re serving.”

But spare a thought for those who don’t even have these slim pickings! Asked to rate their firm’s canteen, one wit remarks: “It isn’t great largely because it doesn’t exist”.

From the bad and non-existent, we move to the merely expensive. One junior complains that the food is “super expensive with small portions. When complaints are made, they respond with ‘we’re cheaper than Wagamama’.” Hard to argue with that! Another trainee has found a different solution, opting “for Tesco meal deals instead”.

On a more positive note, even rookies unimpressed by the food have plenty of praise for those serving it. “Food abysmal, staff wonderful”, as one memorable quip puts it. Reports are peppered with praise for “amazing and friendly” baristas, “brilliant” kitchen staff and “an absolute gem” of a pastry chef. One junior sums up the general feeling rather neatly: “Amazing staff. So kind”.

There is, however, one minor caveat: the occasional culinary “experimentation”.

“The catering team likes to get creative with certain dishes — which can be hit-or-miss”, says one rookie.

And finally, we arrive at the crème de la crème: the dizzying culinary heights of City law firms. One budding food critic at Winston Taylor claims that “the canteen is the best part of the merger”. Meanwhile, a fellow foodie at another top firm reveals that “we have a good café and a high standard restaurant (never call it a canteen, darling). The chefs are extremely talented and provide bespoke menus each week (although I do wish we offered dinner, too).” Restaurant it is!

But the two titans of the legal food world have to be Travers Smith and Paul, Weiss. Newbies at the former wax lyrical about Braithwaites, the “famous in-house restaurant”, hailing it as “exceptional” and “the best in the city, easily”. Rookies here enjoy “restaurant quality food available for breakfast, lunch and dinner — completely free of charge”.

But could Paul, Weiss be even better? One rookie certainly thinks so: “I would genuinely eat at Air [the in-house restaurant] rather than go out to anywhere in Soho. The dinner service is sublime”.

The knockout blow, however, comes from this particularly enthusiastic newbie, who describes Paul, Weiss’ offering as follows:

“Absolutely market leading, without any shadow of a doubt. Better than peers at tech firms. Air Restaurant makes other options in Soho / Mayfair look like a joke. The staff are amazing, they know your name and preferences. Yesterday for lunch, I had a ribeye, grilled prawns, seared swordfish, blowtorched toro (tuna belly) sashimi, and a slice of wood fired nduja pizza, along with a salad that makes Michelin chefs roll over in bed. Absolutely dunks on any other law firm.”

You can find comprehensive ratings on food and other important factors like legal tech, training quality, and work-life balance on the Legal Cheek Firms Most list 2027.