Every day, visitors come to Watford from all over the world for one reason: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, at Leavesden just outside the town. Most arrive hungry at one end of the day or the other. If you would like your day out to finish with a proper meal rather than a sandwich on the train, here is how to fit dinner in Watford town centre around your tour.
How a tour day usually goes
A few things worth knowing when you plan (do check the Studio Tour’s own website for current details, as they can change):
- Tickets have to be booked in advance for a timed entry - they are not sold at the door.
- Most visits last between three and four hours, and there is no limit on how long you stay.
- If you come by train, the station is Watford Junction, around 20 minutes from London Euston. A shuttle bus for ticket holders runs between the station and the studios and takes about 15 minutes.
So a tour that starts at lunchtime finishes in the late afternoon and brings you back to Watford Junction just in time for an early dinner. A morning tour leaves you free for a late lunch.
From the shuttle bus to our table
Tarboush is at 57 Market Street, Watford WD18 0PR, in the town centre. From Watford Junction it is roughly three quarters of a mile - a walk of about a quarter of an hour, or a short taxi or bus ride. Watford High Street station, on the London Overground, is closer still, about 600 yards away, which is handy if you are heading back into London afterwards. If you are driving from the studios, the town centre car parks are a short walk from us.
We are open every day: Sunday - Thursday 12pm (noon) to 11pm, Friday - Saturday 12pm (noon) to 12am (midnight). That means lunch and dinner both work, whichever tour time you managed to book.
Why Lebanese food suits a tired, happy group
After hours on your feet, nobody wants to study a menu for long. Lebanese food is built for exactly that mood: order a spread of mezza for the middle of the table and it starts arriving quickly, everyone picks what they like, and nobody is stuck with the wrong dish.
- For hungry children: Grilled Chicken Wings, Chips, Falafel and Hummus with bread - and one of 12 milk shakes, including Oreo, Kinder Bueno and Nutella.
- For the grown-ups: a Mixed Grill with skewers of lamb, chicken and kofta, or Chicken Tawouk from the charcoal grill.
- For vegetarians and vegans: a ready-made Vegetarian or Vegan Mezze for two. There is more in our guide to vegan and vegetarian dishes.
New to this kind of food? Our mezza guide explains what everything is and how much to order.
A dinner that feels like part of the day out
Part of the fun of a studio tour is stepping onto sets that take you somewhere else, and it seems a shame to end the day somewhere ordinary. Our dining rooms each have their own look - a garden room, a lantern-lit main room, a Moroccan room upstairs and a room dressed like a Bedouin tent. You can look around all four in 360° on the home page before you come.
A sample plan
- Morning tour: shuttle back to Watford Junction in the early afternoon, then lunch with us from 12pm onwards, and home on a later train.
- Lunchtime tour: shuttle back in the late afternoon and an early dinner before the journey home.
- Staying overnight in Watford: take the tour at your own pace and book a later table - we are open until 11pm, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Practical points
- Book ahead at weekends and in school holidays - the days when the studios are busiest are our busiest too. Online booking takes groups of up to 12; for more, call 01923 248898.
- Deposits are required for bookings of 4 or more after 5pm, Wednesday to Saturday.
- Drinks: we make fresh juices to order and serve tea by the pot; for alcohol we are bring-your-own, with a corkage charge. See what to drink.
- Allergies: the letters after each dish on the menu show allergens - tell your server when you order.
Book a table for after your tour, or find us on the contacts page.
Tarboush is an independent restaurant and is not connected with Warner Bros. Studio Tour London or the Harry Potter films; the names are used only to describe the attraction.
