The Best Restaurants in London: My Favourite Places to Eat
Gone are the days when London was internationally mocked for its restaurant scene. Believe it or not, the capital doesn’t function entirely on bread pudding and bangers & mash; obviously, you’ve got to eat those at some point, but don’t make the mistake of overlooking the inventive restaurants scattered across the city. From fish & chips to ceviche, and from ramen to pizza, here’s are the best restaurants in London, according to me.
Best Restaurants in London: My Top Picks
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155 bar & kitchen
Modern British
Clerkenwell
££
Showcases the best British ingredients and gastronomic expertise from coffee to cocktail hour in a lovely mid-century modern decor. Also includes a pop-up shop filled with locally-made goods, an urban spa, and a wine bar.[/right]
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Aladin
Indian
Brick Lane
£
Listed by the BBC as «one of the world’s best curryhouses», Aladin is a traditional Indian eatery with scrumptious and shareable dishes. Don’t walk in until the waiter outside has offered «20% off for you beautiful lady» – works every time.[/right]
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Albion
Modern British
Shoreditch
£
Trendy, laid-back, wood furnished cafe-bakery with homely organic fare and informal all-day dining. Their olive and sea salt focaccia is sinful.[/right]
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Beigel Bake
Jewish
Brick Lane
£
The East End has been called home by half a dozen communities over the last centuries, including the Jewish. And what could possibly be more Jewish than a good old bagel filled with melt-in-your-mouth salt beef, hot English mustard and a sweet gherkin?[/right]
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Biscuiteers
Bakery
Notting Hill
£
Hand-iced biscuits, chocolates, and cakes with an Insta-famous facade in the heart of Notting Hill. They offer a whimsical and inexpensive afternoon tea, too.[/right]
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Black Penny
British
Holborn
£
Surprisingly spacious café with healthy, expansive, and organic lunch fare, as well as gourmet coffee and talkative baristas (a rarity in London). The decor, with its black accents and geometric iron bookcases, is well worth a visit.[/right]
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Bob Bob Ricard
Modern British
Soho
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Russian meets British at this outlandish Art Deco celeb haunt famous for its «press for champagne» buzzers in every booth. Smart clothing and reservations are absolutely compulsory. Truly one of the best restaurants in London.[/right]
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Franco Manca
Pizzeria
Various locations
£
Truly tasty yet mind-bogglingly inexpensive sourdough pizza with classic toppings like homemade mozzarella or sustainably sourced meats. Even wines are affordable! A rarity in London.[/right]
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Gail’s
Bakery
Various locations
£
Inexpensive artisan bakery with savoury and sweet treats, ideal for a quick lunch or a mid-afternoon post-stroll break. The one in Notting Hill is particularly enjoyable for people-watching.[/right]
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Gelateria Danieli
Ice cream parlour
Richmond
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Organic and authentic gelato located in a historic 18th-century lane. All in all, the finest artisan ice cream around. Pear and dulce de leche are personal favourites![/right]
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Holborn Dining Room
Modern British
Holborn
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Elegant, chandelier-decked British brasserie with red leather and tweed banquettes, part of the lavish Rosewood Hotel. Also home to London’s largest gin bar with over 14,035 possible gin and tonic pairings.[/right]
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Maître Choux
Bakery
South Kensington
£
Chic, all-white patisserie in the heart of South Kensington specialising in pimped-up couture eclairs and rainbow-coloured choux pastry. At £5 a piece, though, this is definitely an indulgence.[/right]
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Pieminister
British
Clerkenwell
£
Award-winning Bristol-made pies and mashed potatoes (this is England after all) using responsibly-sourced ingredients; if the Chicken of Aragon is on the menu, do yourself a favour and order it.[/right]
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Pizza East
Pizzeria
Shoreditch
££
Wood oven artisan pizzas served in a stunning industrial space that used to be a tea warehouse. They also have a range of antipasti and Italian dishes on the menu as well.[/right]
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Primrose Bakery
Bakery
Primrose
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The best cupcakes in London are baked in this pastel bakery with a lovely retro-style decor. Also, the Primrose area has A+ celebrity-spotting opps![/right]
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Redemption
Vegan
Notting Hill
££
«Spoil yourself without spoiling yourself». Alcohol-free gastro bar with a stripped-back decor and surprising health-centric fare and mocktails in trendy Notting Hill. The chocolate chia pudding is yummy.[/right]
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The Athenian
Greek
Shoreditch
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Small street food stall offering freshly-made souvlaki prepared in the healthiest, most authentic way using imported ingredients from Greece.[/right]
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The Chipping Forecast
British
Notting Hill
££
Serving the finest quality, sustainably caught, fresh Cornish fish and chips deliciously tripled cooked in traditional beef dripping in a refined setting with soft jazz music playing in the background. Arguably one of the best restaurants in London for iconic fish and chips.[/right]
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The Golden Hind
British
Soho
£
Fuss-free fish & chips prepared in the utmost tradition — crispy batter, minty mushy peas, thumb-sized chips, pickle-heavy tartar — in a quiet back street in bustling Marylebone.[/right]
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The Happenstance
Modern British
City
££
One of the very few decent, non-chain eateries around St. Pauls Cathedral! The industrial-chic setting is the perfect backdrop for a European all-day menu. For breakfast, the blueberry pancakes are particularly flavourful.[/right]
Best Restaurants in London: Additional Picks
[left]St John Bread Wine
Maltby Street Market (Saturdays only)
Chiltern Firehouse (if you can get a reservation)[/left]
[right]Bao
Dishoom (modern Indian)
Duck & Waffle (for the view!)
B&H[/right]
