The Song of Lunch is based on Christopher Reid's narrative poem following the story of an unnamed book editor (Alan Rickman) who is meeting his former love (Emma Thompson), 15 years after their break-up, for a nostalgic lunch at the Soho restaurant they used to frequent. The woman is now living a glamorous life in Paris, married to a world-renowned writer. The unnamed editor has failed in his writing career, detests his mundane publishing job and regrets the end of their love affair. When he arrives at the restaurant, he finds it under new management and much changed, and this seems to fuel his resentment about growing older and being left behind. The stage is set for an emotional and bittersweet reunion. As the wine flows, and the couple rake over their failed relationship, nostalgia slowly turns to recrimination.