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If you're looking for a restaurant guide you could give to anyone arriving in London to give them the perfect snapshot of London's restaurants operating at their peak, this is our guide. Featuring everything from classic old-school establishments to the most modern of offerings, we think it represents the best of the city's places to eat out right now.
The best restaurants
SingburiShoreditch - Unit 7, Montacute Yards, 185‑186 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6HU
The arrival of Leytonstone favourite Singburi in Shoreditch marked its final passage from family-run cult spot to a killer Thai restaurant the rest of us could actually get to (and, crucially, book). Now we all get to enjoy co-owner Sirichai's cooking, along with his partner, ex-Kiln chef Nick Molyviatis. The menu changes regularly, but if the aubergine pad phet and the watermelon salad are on, be sure to order them. Our tip would be to perch up at the bar with one of their excellent daiquiris and keep ordering dishes until you're about to fall off your stool.
PlanqueHackney - 322-324 Acton Mews, London E8 4EA
We're going to level with you here, we haven't actually been to Planque. But we know it's a serious omission on our part, mainly because it's on everyone else's must-visit list. Head chef Seb Myers was previously at Nuno Mendes' Viajante, and then P Franco. Now he's serving up consistently amazing food at the wine-forward restaurant tucked down a side street in Hackney. You should go, we should go. Let's do this.
Row on 5Mayfair - 5 Savile Row, London W1S 3PB
This is now the flagship restaurant in Jason Atherton's empire, and it's easy to see why. Taking over a big two-floored space on Savile Row, it's a promenade-style affair with the evening starting in the big downstairs bar before moving to the equally impressive restaurant upstairs. In charge of things here is ex-Ritz chef Spencer Metzger, who has put together an intricate menu served in a space like no other in central London. A place to go if you really want to impress someone.
AngloThaiMarylebone - 22-24 Seymour Place, London W1H 7NL
AngloThai started life as residencies and pop-ups and that time served them well, meaning that when they opened this permanent restaurant, it was an immediate success. It's led by John and Desiree Chantarasak, respectively chef and sommelier. They've put together a restaurant that combines Thai cooking with seasonal British ingredients and it won them a Michelin star in double-quick time. The food is fantastic (particularly the signature caviar and crab ash cracker) and there's a great wine list.
KuduMarylebone - 7 Moxon Street, London W1U 4EP
Kudu began life as a series of restaurants and bars in Peckham, led by Amy Corbin and Patrick Williams. Those were all building to this, a restaurant in Marylebone which brings together the very best of their previous openings under one roof. The food here is billed as "seasonal-led European cuisine with a South African twist", so you'll see lots of South African inspiration on the menu, not lead from the live-fire braai. The bread course in particular is outstanding, their take on a Kit Kat is like no other and the bar upstairs immediately became one of the best in Marylebone.
WildflowersBelgravia - Unit 2, 57 Pimlico Road, London SW1W 8NE
If there's one restaurant on this list that comes in for a lot of love from other chefs, it's Wildflowers. Head Chef Aaron Potter used to head up the kitchen at Phil Howard's Elystan Street before moving to this new-build development just off Pimlico Road. And his partner, interior designer Laura Ward, turned the shell into the warm, convivial place it is today. The menu is Mediterranean-inspired, and that carried through to the Basque-accented Bar Flor upstairs.
OmaBorough Market - 2-4 Bedale St, London SE1 9AL
David Carter is three for three, following the successful openings of Smokestak and Manteca with this Greek-inspired gem in Borough Market. We voted it our favourite restaurant of 2024 and it continues to get even better. It delivers a little bit of East London vibe to Borough Market with a great room, on-point staff, pitch-perfect breads and some excellent dishes (the oxtail giouvetsi with bone marrow, if it's on, is unmissable) make this a winner.
Also see: Downstairs, you'll find the more casual, walk-in Agora which is also well worth visiting if you can't get into Oma.
ChishuruFitzrovia - 3 Great Titchfield St., London W1W 8AX
Chef patron Adejoké Bakare's modern West African restaurant was an early supperclub success, as was her first restaurant in Brixton. The move to a larger location in the West End gave her the room to expand her offering and grow her fan base. Five short months after opening, Michelin awarded the restaurant a star, making Joké the first black female Michelin-starred chef in the UK. There's a changing set menu, featuring her own modern take on West African cuisine.
The DevonshireSoho - 17 Denman Street, London W1D 7HW
If there were a fantasy restaurant league, then the team behind Soho pub The Devonshire would probably be the perfect squad pick. Charlie Carroll, former founder of Flat Iron, provides the meat expertise, Ashley Palmer Watts (ex-Dinner by Heston) is in charge of the menu and Oisin Rogers runs the pub with the biggest Guinness account in the world. The three floors of restaurant above the pub serve up a grill-led menu which on the surface looks a simple affair but under the hood has all the clever touches that a great restaurant should boast. The lamb cutlets in particular are fantastic, but if you can't get a booking, then it's still worth trying the food in the pub below.
The Ritz RestaurantSt James - 150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR
Unquestionably one of the great restaurant experiences in London, The Ritz has a refined menu that more than matches its gilded dining room. Executive Chef John Williams MBE, together with his team, serves up dishes that are hugely influenced by Escoffier. His work here has been slowly gathering more and more accolades, with its second Michelin star awarded in 2025. If you're a fan of a bit of tableside theatre, there's a whole menu devoted to it here and no one else in London does it with such aplomb. This is a cast-iron choice for any big occasion meal where you want to really celebrate something special.
More about The Ritz Restaurant
Bouchon RacineClerkenwell - 66 Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BP
Bouchon Racine saw the resurrection of Henry Harris' classic French restaurant, this time above The Three Compasses pub in Farringdon. A huge hit from day one, they serve up an 'unashamedly French' menu that changes daily, written only on a blackboard. It's a big favourite of London chefs and one of our own personal favourite restaurants in town. The creme caramel is unmissable if it's on and even if you can't get a table upstairs, the snacks in the pub downstairs are also well worth a look.
The DoverMayfair - 33 Dover St, London W1S 4NF
Wandering into The Dover's warm wooden womb of a dining room you'd be forgiven for thinking this Italian American restaurant had been a mainstay of the London restaurant scene for decades rather than little more than a year. Martin Kuczmarski's restaurant succeeds in bringing some old-school glamour back to Mayfair but also attracting a new and very starry crowd, here for a menu that's full of a mix of pleasing comfort food and excellent snacks. An easy recommendation if you're looking to take someone for a special dinner with wonderful atmosphere or a very long lunch. The bar here is also excellent.
Also see: Just down the road is Dover Street Counter, a more relaxed sibling to The Dover that's also highly recommended.
Restaurant St BartsSmithfield - 63 Bartholomew Cl, London EC1A 7BG
On the intersection of old and new London, with views into the 12th-century cloisters of St Bartholemew The Great, this modern British restaurant offers a tasting menu which celebrates the best of what the British Isles has to offer. You might find Cornish day boat fish or Welsh wagyu on the menu. Come for dinner and the experience begins with a series of snacks in the bar. But, as this is a City restaurant at heart, there's also a business lunch that takes just an hour.
More about Restaurant St Barts
ApricityMayfair - 68 Duke Street, Mayfair, London W1K 6JU
Chef Chantelle Nicholson was already known for championing low waste and a vegetable-forward approach before she opened her Mayfair restaurant, which places that at its very core. The very deserving winner of a green Michelin star, the restaurant's low-waste approach can be seen throughout every aspect from reclaimed furniture to the use of produce from regenerative practices. It all results in a menu that changes regularly, along with a few classics like the wonderful London butterhead lettuce starter. The stripped-back design is pretty great too.
Dumplings LegendChinatown - 15-16 Gerrard Street, Chinatown, London W1D 6JE
Most London foodies have their favourite place in Chinatown to go to for dim sum. For us, it's the fabulous Dumplings Legend. This is a no-frills kind of place, but there's no need for them when the xiao long bao are so good and the beef hofen are so delicious. For anyone wanting an introduction to the myriad gastronomic pleasures that this part of London offers, it's a perfect pitstop. Tick off your choices on the order pad, get a steaming pot of Jasmine tea and away you go.
SuneBroadway Market - 129A Pritchard’s Road, London E2 9AP
Perched overlooking the canal off the lower end of bustling Broadway Market, Sune is one of those neighbourhood restaurants that makes you deeply jealous of anyone living close by. Hospitality is the name of the game here and the duo involved boasts years of experience at the highest level. A produce-led menu combined with a wine list that any Mayfair Michelin place would be proud to boast, but which remains accessible, makes for a restaurant that sums up what eating in London right now is all about
MambowClapton - 78 Lower Clapton Road, London E5 0RN
Chef Abby Lee was a critical hit when she opened her street kitchen in Peckham, showcasing her modern take on Malaysian food. But the move to a more permanent spot in Clapton allowed her more space to build on that success with a larger menu. Her food takes inspiration from her own family's recipes, focusing on Noyonya cuisine - a mix of Malay and Chinese influences. Expect a procession of dazzling and genuinely fiery Malay dishes with plenty to thrill both omnivores and vegans.
Josephine ChelseaChelsea - 315 Fulham Road, London SW10 9QH
Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi teamed up with his wife Lucy for this family affair in Chelsea, a true neighbourhood French bistro, albeit one worth crossing town for (although a new outpost is due to open in Marylebone in 2025). Locals have firmly taken this neighbourhood spot to their hearts and all the reviews at the launch were stellar. Go for classic French fare with dishes as varied as cheese soufflé or the very French frogs' legs and enjoy the wine priced by the metre. All that and it's an absolutely perfect spot for a long lunch. They've since opened a second Josephine in Marylebone, but the Chelsea original is the one to beat.
Dim Sum & DuckKing's Cross - 124 King's Cross Rd, London WC1X 9DS
As the name suggests, roast duck and dim sum are the order of the day and with so many places in London vying for the title of best soup dumplings, this could very well be the top of the pile. There aren't many tables though and the queue is long, so try and time your visit accordingly. That said, at the time of writing, they're about to open a second branch just down the road (with the same menu), so it's about to get a lot easier to try their dim sum.
The LedburyNotting Hill - 127 Ledbury Road, London W11 2AQ
Post various lockdowns, Brett Graham reevaluated his Notting Hill restaurant and reopened it with a very glitzy new look. Buoyed with a new menu and that new design, the restaurant quickly won a third Michelin star, earning it membership of a very select club in London. The menu takes culinary influences from around the world and applies them to the best local produce to be found in the UK.
Kitchen TableFitzrovia - 70 Charlotte St, London W1T 4QG
An all-chef's-table restaurant that already enjoys two Michelin stars and is definitely chasing its third, Kitchen Table is a serious foodie experience. Chef James Knappett and his team have developed a promenade experience that begins with snacks in the bar before progressing to lunch or dinner up at the counter. Expect culinary fireworks with you in the front row. Look out for their occasional cocktail tasting events which are paired with Knappett's snacks - a good way to test what the chef is doing.
DorianNotting Hill - 105-107 Talbot Road, London W11 2AT
Billed as 'a bistro for locals', for Dorian in high-end Notting Hill that translates to a restaurant that not only attracts other chefs but plenty of A-listers too. The Holstein crossbreed steak may be the go-to dish to try but a quick look at their Instagram feed reveals plenty more to entice on a menu that changes regularly. Wine buffs will want to roam the amazing wine list here, as long as they have deep pockets
Also see: Run by the same team and only across the road from Dorian is the much more affordable (and walk-in) Eel Sushi Bar.
MountainSoho - 16-18 Beak St, London W1F 9RD
Tomos Parry's second restaurant, following on from Brat and its alfresco spin-off, has been a huge hit for him in Soho - perhaps even bigger than his debut restaurant. Here, Parry takes his influences from both Spain and Wales, with a big eye on local sourcing and both cheese and bread made in-house. Expect top sharing plates like lobster caldereta, grilled meats and some excellent small plates too.
Also see: The original Brat in Shoreditch is just as worth a visit
A WongVictoria - 70 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1DE
Legions of London foodies can't be wrong. Andrew Wong took over his parents' traditional Chinese restaurant in Victoria back in 2013 and proceeded to shake up the SW1 dining scene in no uncertain way, and it now has two Michelin stars. The tasting menu in the evening takes inspiration from Chinese history, but what you really want to do is come here for the lunchtime dim sum menu. There's also a cocktail bar downstairs where you can try some a la carte dishes and snacks without going for the full-on tasting menu.
BruttoClerkenwell - 36-37 Greenhill Rents, Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BN
The late Russell Norman's restaurant remains a love letter to Florence, tucked down a side street a stone's throw from Smithfield Market. It's always hard to get a reservation but well worth it for a restaurant that is a testament to one of London's greatest-ever restaurateurs. And as great as dishes like penne with vodka and tomato or a truly excellent tiramisu are, it's also well worth popping in just to have a negroni at the bar.
Core by Clare SmythNotting Hill - 92 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2PN
One of London's rare three-Michelin-starred restaurants, Clare Smyth's Notting Hill restaurant is one of the very best in town. Expert superlative cooking in a more relaxed setting than the fine dining palaces of old. There are no starched tablecloths (or indeed any tablecloths at all) to be found here, just food that looks exquisite and tastes fantastic. The bar here, Whiskey and Seaweed, also lets you try some of the signature dishes.
More about Core by Clare Smyth
St John
Smithfield - 26 St John Street, London EC1M 4AY
St John seems to be an unofficial finishing school for some of London's top chefs - so many of them have worked in the original or at Bread and Wine. But Fergus Henderson's original is seen by many as one of the very best restaurants in London and a perfect example of nose-to-tail British cuisine. It's also well worth popping into the bar for Eccles cakes and Madeira and to try some of the separate bar menu dishes if you want a taste of the place without paying the full price tag.
Also try: St John Bread and Wine is also a classic in the Shoreditch area, and they now have a Covent Garden cafe and wine bar too.
Otto'sHolborn - 182 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8EW
Want to be looked after within an inch of your life? This is the restaurant you come to. Properly old-school French, Otto's has carved out a niche for itself because of a serious bit of kit called the duck press. This dish sees the breast sliced, then the rest of the duck (bar the legs) pressed in the special screw press, giving a juice to which Cognac and duck liver are added before it's poured over the rare slices, which finish cooking in the sauce. Both very rich and quite pricey but like nothing else in town.
KolMarylebone - 9 Seymour Street, London W1H 5BT
Inspired by Mexico but taking Britain’s geographical larder as its jumping-off point, Santiago Lastra’s Marylebone restaurant took Mexican cooking to the next level. South East cheesemakers supply his Oaxacan-style cheese while langoustine tacos come with foraged sea buckthorn. The downstairs mezcaleria is another part of the experience; you come down here for dessert, petit fours, and post-dinner drinks as part of the tasting menu.
Also try: Santiago Lastra has a spin-off in Mayfair with Fonda
Bermondsey - 40 Maltby St London SE1 3PA
This restaurant on Maltby Street has been quietly turning out extraordinary dishes that have fellow chefs and restaurateurs regularly citing this as one of their favourite places in town. And it's not just the food that's good, given that it's owned by Gergovie Wines, you can expect a very decent wine list here too.
AkokoFitzrovia - 21 Berners Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3LP
This West African-inspired restaurant was opened by restaurateur Aji Akokomi in 2020 and it has become one of the best in Fitzrovia. Born in the UK and with Nigerian roots, Aji's taken the live-fire restaurant to new heights. Think the best of British produce with a strong African accent, so Lake District beef comes with jollof rice, all within a beautifully designed room.
Also try: Akara, their more casual restaurant in Borough Market
Chez BruceWandsworth - 2 Bellevue Road, Wandsworth Common, London SW17 7EG
Chez Bruce has celebrated its 30th birthday, and this longstanding restaurant is still top of many a restaurant critic's all-time favourites list. Co-owner Bruce Poole and his head chef Matt Christmas set out their stall thus: "We are not particularly into gadgets and tricks in the kitchen and there are doubtless some who view our food as slightly old-fashioned in this regard. We take this as a compliment!" Back when Marina O'Loughlin was at the Guardian, she declared her meal there as one which "encourages you to wallow in sheer, sybaritic pleasure".
Mayfair - 11-15 Swallow St, London W1B 4DG
For over 100 years, this Piccadilly institution has been serving oysters and other seafood to London's well-heeled clientele. Nowadays, it's a more egalitarian establishment, presided over by chef-patron Richard Corrigan who has run things here for more than a decade. And while oysters are still very much the thing - an annual shucking contest marks the beginning of the natives season - everything else is given just as much care and attention. They even smoke their own salmon up on the rooftop.
Also try: Daffodil Mulligan the chef's restaurant near Old Street
Hackney - 49 Columbia Rd, London E2 7RG
Many people in the food world have a real fondness for Brawn. Food writer Diana Henry declared, "Brawn and (Quality Chop House). I'd eat in them both every week if I could." Owned and run by Ed Wilson, it's the archetypal neighbourhood restaurant, serving a super seasonal and regularly changing menu - their pasta is particularly great.
Darjeeling ExpressCarnaby - Top Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, London W1B 5PW
Asma Khan's restaurant has been a big success in Carnaby's Kingly Court, where after a few moves the restaurant really found its groove. The restaurant is much more of an open affair, showcasing the kitchen and its all-female brigade. The menu still serves up some of the best Indian food in London, as well as their much-loved biryanis. It's also a great place for star spotting - Marvel actors in particular seem to have a love for the restaurant. Watch out for another move for the restaurant in 2025, to a bigger location in Soho.
The Clove ClubShoreditch - Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT
One of the best restaurants in town and one of the few to make it onto the World's 50 Best (as well as earn two Michelin stars), The Clove Club is now a London institution and on the must-try lists of all good gastro tourists. Head into the main restaurant for a regularly changing set menu which is at the heart of things here, or to the bar for excellent cocktails and small plates.
Da TerraBethnal Green - Town Hall Hotel, Patriot Square, London E2 9NF
Rafael Cagali runs this restaurant that showcases his Italian and Brazilian background on a menu that's also influenced by his work in the UK. It's the kind of international melting pot story that makes London's restaurant scene so great. Michelin clearly agrees - they gave it a star in its first year and a second two years later. There's a notably strong tasting menu here, making a trip to Bethnal Green to try Da Terra's inspired dishes a must.
Also try: In the same hotel, Cagali runs another restaurant, Elis.
FallowSt James - 2 St James’s Market, London SW1Y 4RP
As beloved by other chefs as it is by its legions of fans (it's even going great guns on TikTok) Fallow is the restaurant that seems to capture the essence of London right now. Sustainability has always been at its core - the move to St James allowed it to introduce elements like its mushroom wall. A regularly changing menu, focusing on excellent seasonal produce, with creative flourishes is what has propelled this restaurant to stardom.
Also try: The much larger Roe, by the same team in Canary Wharf
GymkhanaMayfair - 42 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4JH
The two-Michelin-starred Gymkhana is one of London's top (if not the top) Indian restaurants and has carved out quite a niche with the celebrity circuit too (Ed Sheeran and David Beckham are both huge fans). It looks set to continue to be a huge London hit for a long time yet (although it has become notably spendier of late). The kid goat methi keema and muntjac biryani are both unmissable dishes.
Honey & CoBloomsbury - 54 Lamb’s Conduit Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3LW
This restaurant is run by Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer (Sarit was previously at Nopi and Ottolenghi) and it still has the feel of a neighbourhood restaurant in the middle of London, even in its new larger location. It's much loved for its deceptively simple Middle-Eastern cooking and also for being one of the friendliest places to eat in London. This couple were at the forefront of Levantine cooking just as it became a trend and they continue to lead the field.
Also try: Honey and Smoke for the team's Middle Eastern grill as well as Honey & Co Daily in Bloomsbury.
IkoyiStrand - 180 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1EA
This two-Michelin-starred and World's 50 Best restaurant by Iré Hassan-Odukale and Chef Jeremy Chan is one of those London restaurants that attracts food tourists from across the globe. Expect a mix of seasonal British ingredients with a West African-inspired menu, creating something unique in London in the process. It's now a tasting menu-only affair , which is punchily priced, but changes regularly (although classics like their amazing smoked jollof rice should make an appearance).
PerillaStoke Newington - 1-3 Green Lanes, Newington Green, London N16 9BS
A perfect example of a neighbourhood restaurant that's 100% worth crossing town for. Running the kitchen are Ben Marks and Matt Emmerson whose creative partnership celebrates its tenth birthday this year. The dinner menu changes daily, meaning there's always something to entice back locals or other regulars. Plant-led dishes are particularly inventive, and the chances of spotting one of the many local celebrities who love this place too is an added bonus.
Also try: Their Mediterranean-focused Morchella in Clerkenwell.
Quality Chop HouseClerkenwell - 92–94 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3EA
Quality Chop House, which has been open since 1869, at one point looked in danger of disappearing forever before it was lovingly restored by co-owners Will Lander and Daniel Morgenthau. Now it's both a restaurant and wine bar featuring menus that are created in the morning based on what's been delivered. Come for the very best of British cooking, or just as easily pop in for charcuterie or wine or to pick something (like London's best-ever pork pies) up from the adjoining butcher and deli.
Also try: Quality Wines next door.
The River CaféHammersmith - Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London W6 9HA
It may have originally been the canteen to Ruth Rogers' rather well-known architect husband's company, but this is now about as far from a works canteen as it's possible to get. Set down a leafy residential street, with gardens stretching down to the Thames, the River Cafe turns out beautiful Italian food with the best produce at an eye-watering price. You get what you pay for - it's just a question of whether you can afford the price tag.
Also try: The River Café Café next door lets you try the River Café experience at a lower entry fee.
Rochelle CanteenShoreditch - 16 Playground Gardens, London E2 7FA
Rochelle Canteen is in a converted bike shed, in the old playground of an East London school that only the committed foodie would ever find (look for the buzzer on the wall by the gate on Rochelle Street). But once in, particularly on a clement day when you can sit outside in the walled garden, Rochelle Canteen proves worthy of the quest. Margot Henderson (wife of St John's Fergus) owns the place with Melanie Arnold, and while the menu descriptions are sparing - e.g. Girolles & Fried Egg - the food that appears is generous and delicious.
KolaeBorough Yards - 6 Park Street, London SE1 9AB
They already had success in Spitalfields with Som Saa, but the team behind Kolae has managed to eclipse that with this very accomplished follow-up in Borough Yards. Inside a great-looking three-storey building with stripped-back brickwork throughout, you'll find a menu that concentrates on dishes from Southern Thailand. Pay particular attention to the skewers, not least the huge Kolae chicken bamboo skewer which we likened to a chicken Magnum (in a very good way).
Mayfair - 35 Heddon St, London W1B 4BP
Mere days after it opened on Heddon Street, it was clear that London was in possession of an instant classic. Run by the perfect double act of chef Nieves Barragán and GM Josè Etura it's the kind of restaurant everyone wants to try. It's a restaurant of two halves (if you ignore the stand-up bar section) with the (bookable) Asador on the upper level and counter dining by the open kitchen on the ground floor. Obviously, you're going to want the croquetas, but everything else will be great as well.
Also try: Legado in Shoreditch is Nieves' newest restaurant and, whisper it, may even be better than the OG.
SOLASoho - 64 Dean Street, London W1D 4QQ
Chef patron Victor Garvey has found his true groove, celebrating Californian cuisine at his Michelin-starred Soho restaurant. There’s more inspiration derived from his time in Japan too and plenty of tableside service flourishes to make this a very special place to dine out.
SollipBorough - 8 Melior St, Bermondsey, London SE1 3QP
Husband and wife team Woongchul Park (ex-Ledbury) and Bomee Ki (former pastry chef at The Arts Club) turn out to be a dream restaurant duo at this, their first independent venture. We were blown away by the inventive food and warm service at this Bermondsey spot which has also won a Michelin star.
Soho - 58 Brewer St, London W1F 9TL
Kiln is from the same people behind The Smoking Goat and is all about Thai-inspired mainly using wood-fired ovens and grills. It's built up a devoted following, with a predominantly counter dining offering, and has topped the National Restaurant Awards top 100 list. It packs a big punch for its size and is one of the liveliest counter dining scenes in Soho if you're lucky enough to get a seat there.
Also try: From the same team, Smoking Goat in Shoreditch
The best restaurant groups
London hosts some restaurant groups that started out as classic solo restaurants before branching out. But they've managed to keep something special about every venue they open. Here are some notable restaurants with a few locations that should be on your radar.
BAO (Soho, Shoreditch, Marylebone, King's Cross, Borough, Battersea)
Originally starting out as street food, Bao hit London in a big way when it opened its first restaurant in Soho. A seat at the small restaurant quickly became - and remains - one of the best spots in town even though they've expanded elsewhere. Their signature bao buns are always good and each of their restaurants features unique specialisations, like noodles in Shoreditch or dumplings in Marylebone.
Dishoom (King's Cross, Soho, Covent Garden, Knightsbridge, Canary Wharf)
How to explain the very special place that Dishoom has in Londoners' hearts? Is it the deep-running passion for their bacon naan and black daal that made us form queues outside every one of their restaurants? Or the clever interior design that transports us to the cafes of Bombay? Or perhaps it's the way they make everyone in our city feel at home there.
Hawksmoor (Spitalfields, Borough, Seven Dials, Canary Wharf, Guildhall, Knightsbridge, St Pancras)
While steak clearly is a BIG thing at Hawksmoor, in many respects eating at one of their restaurants is much more than a carnivore's delight. From the cocktails to the steaks and some amazing desserts - the salted caramel "rolos" are unmissable - Hawksmoor is the very epitome of the excellent all-rounder.
Koya (Soho, Bank, Hackney)
It's hard to believe that Koya is over 10 years old. Head Chef and co-founder Shuko Oda has, together with John Devitt, created one of those pitch-perfect London restaurants. The cold udon noodle dishes are probably the biggest draw, but we have a special fondness for the onsen tamago.
Noble Rot (Soho, Holborn, Mayfair)
Noble Rot now has three truly excellent restaurants to its name. The original is much beloved, the Soho restaurant revived the iconic Gay Hussar building and the newest Mayfair restaurant continues the group's success. The Sportsman's Stephen Harris consults on the menu and their set menus are one of the great deals in London.
Roti King (Fitzrovia, Battersea, Waterloo, City)
The original Roti King doesn't do reservations, so to enjoy the best roti canai in London along with peerless laksa and next-level Nasi Goreng you're just going to have to queue along with everyone else. They now have shiny new places in Battersea and Waterloo but for longstanding fans, their other restaurant around the back of Euston station is the OG and the best.
26/1/26 - Added to the list: Singburi, Planque, AngloThai, Row on 5, Kudu and Wildflowers
London's best restaurants, mapped
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