Whether you're after a groaning platter of fruits de mer, or a simple Dover sole our guide to the best seafood restaurants in London has somewhere for you.
Pearly Queen
Shoreditch - 44 Commercial Street, London E1 6LT
Tom Brown's East London oyster bar and restaurant gives classic dishes a seafood spin, whether that's a prawn Scotch egg or cuttlefish lasagne. Even the cocktails (by Three Sheets' Max Venning) have coastal twists. Must-have dish? The crispy buffalo oyster with ranch dressing.
Faber
Hammersmith - 206 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7DH
Having already run a seafood pub in the East End, the duo behind this West London restaurant had all the contacts they needed for a supply of great fish and shellfish. Look at the blackboard for the daily specials and, if it's on, don't miss the chalkstream trout tartare.
London Shell Co
Highgate - Unit 4, Sonny Heights, Swains Lane, London N6 6AG
They already had quite the reputation for great seafood on their barges (static and mobile) at Paddington, but now the London Shell Co has opened a permanent restaurant and fishmongers in the heart of Highgate. The menu's dictated by what's been landed and there's a large wine choice too.
Manzi's
Soho - 1 Bateman's Buildings, Soho, London W1D 3EN
Tucked off an alley off Soho Square this glitzy temple to seafood comes from the Wolseley Hospitality Group and is a revival of an old restaurant. Expect to find classic dishes given a fish focus, so the Wellington is made with monkfish and the souffle comes with smoked haddock.
Chapel Market Kitchen
Islington - 2 Chapel Market, London N1 9EZ
This restaurant and oyster bar's handy situation on Chapel Market means it makes the most of the local produce on sale there. As for the seafood, the oysters are sparkling fresh and the seafood gets a Mediterranean spin from chef Maoz Alonim (previously of Basta in Tel Aviv).
More about Chapel Market Kitchen
Angler
Moorgate - South Place Hotel, 3 South Place, London EC2M 2AF
This rooftop, Michelin-starred restaurant in Moorgate turns out fish dishes that are - almost - too pretty to eat. The tasting menu is an all-seafood affair focusing on British fish and shellfish.
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Bentley's
Piccadilly - 11-15 Swallow Street, London W1B 4DG
This Piccadilly institution may be best known for its ground floor oyster bar, but the upstairs dining room sees Richard Corrigan's team serving up classic dishes like Dover Sole (choose between chargrilled or Meunière) as well as dishes like their baked monkfish and prawn curry.
Bibendum Oyster Bar
South Kensington - Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6RD
The ground floor of the Bibendum building houses Claude Bosi's French seafood bistro. The seafood platters are a big thing here, but they also have a good selection of caviar too for the South Ken crowd.
More about Bibendum Oyster Bar
Cornerstone
Hackney - 3 Prince Edward Road, London E9 5LX
This Hackney Wick restaurant serves up superlative seafood. You'll come for the insta-famous crumpet - right now it's a crab & prawn thermidor crumpet with crispy kale and parmesan - but stay for the modern approach to all the fishy dishes here.
Fish Central
Farringdon - 149-155 Central St, King Square, London EC1V 8AP
London's fish and chip options aren't, in the main, very good. But this Farringdon chippy is a cut above the rest. Not only will you get exemplary battered haddock here, you'll also enjoy specials like baked lobster bechamel or perfect red mullet.
Fish Market
Broadgate - 16B New Street, London EC2M 4TR
Set in an 18th-century warehouse once owned by the East India Company, this popular Liverpool Street restaurant offers a top-end wine list for the City crowd to accompany its fish-focused menu and its seafood weekend brunches are a big draw.
J Sheekey
Covent Garden - 28-34 St. Martin's Court, London WC2N 4AL
Launched in the late 19th century, this theatreland restaurant has long been a popular spot with actors popping in for their famous fish pie after a performance. It's recently had quite a refurb but it's still one of our favourite spots to sit up at the counter for half a dozen rocks and a fish pie.
The Grand Duchess
Paddington - London W2 6PY
Enjoy a meal on the water without having to set sail in this permanently moored restaurant in the basin at Paddington. Start with a glass of their own-label fizz from Hattingley and enjoy the Cornish crab flatbreads.
Lyons
Crouch End - 1 Park Rd, London N8 8TE
This Crouch End restaurant boasts that not only does it make a point of serving the highest quality seafood but that they also "make the best use of every part of it". So you might find Penang fish collars on the menu and jerk sea bream along with tuna tartar and squid bolognese.
Mandarin Kitchen
Bayswater - 14-16 Queensway, London W2 3RX
Everyone comes to this Bayswater spot for one dish - the lobster noodles - their Insta feed is full of it. But you'll also discover that it's good for steamed scallops, razor clams and soft shell crab too.
Orasay
Notting Hill - 31 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2EU
Jackson Boxer's Notting Hill gaff sets out its stall as "focussed on fish and seafood, inspired by the Western Isles". So you might find wood-grilled whole John Dory with a smoked bone marrow bordelaise along with Isle of Mull diver scallops.
The Oystermen
Covent Garden - 32 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8NA
The expansion of this Covent Garden spot gave them space for a raw bar - so pull up a stool at the counter and work your way through the oyster selection, but don't miss out on the Dorset brown crab too with its amazing aioli.
Parsons
Covent Garden - 39 Endell St, London WC2H 9BA
From the team behind 10 Cases, this WC2 seafood spot is small but perfectly formed. What's on the main menu depends on what's in that day, but you'll always find interesting small plates as well, like sea trout tartare with bloody mary jelly or potted shrimp croquettes.
Prawn on the Lawn
Islington - 292-294 St Pauls Road, London, N1 2LH
Direct links to Padstow and its day boats mean the fish at this Highbury restaurant couldn't be more sparkling fresh. Obviously, you'll be wanting to try the signature prawn and avo dish alongside the other daily specials.
Quilon
Westminster - 41 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AF
This Michelin-starred restaurant focuses on southwest coastal Indian cuisine. And, while the main menu features seafood, meat and vegetarian options, it's the seafood tasting menu you want to go for, which includes lobster butter pepper with seafood biryani and a top tier fish curry.
Randall and Aubin
Soho - 14- 16 Brewer St, London W1F 0SG
For over 20 years this louche little spot on Brewer Street has been packing them in. It's a wonderful spot for a first or second date - just make sure you both have the garlic butter with the langoustines.
Rick Stein Barnes
Barnes - Tideway Yard, 125 Mortlake High St, London SW14 8SN
Everyone's favourite TV seafood chef picked a wonderful waterfront spot for his London restaurant. Take a walk pre or post-lunch along the Thames towpath and then warm up with their Indonesian seafood curry.
Scott's
Mayfair and Richmond
On the one hand, it's a gold-plated, celebrity hangout (particularly the Mayfair original), but it's also one of London's oldest restaurants and a superb place for a blowout seafood meal. The newer Richmond outpost has fabulous waterside views over the Thames.
The Seafood Bar
Soho - 77 Dean St, London W1D 3SH
The arrival of this popular Dutch seafood institution in London meant towering platters of sustainable seafood for Soho diners. There are oysters, fish grilled on the plancha and more, but it's the fruits de mer that will give you food envy if you don't order it.
The Sea The Sea
Chelsea - 174 Pavilion Rd, London SW1X 0AW
This Chelsea restaurant bills itself as "chef-led fish shop, deli and seafood bar" - so by day it's a working fishmonger, going wholly over to a restaurant by night. Pair a small plate or three with a glass of Champagne. At the Hackney branch, it's a chef's table affair.
Seabird
Southwark - 40 Blackfriars Rd, London SE1 8PB
This high rise restaurant from the team behind Brooklyn's Maison Premiere mixes local seafood with Mediterranean influences and throws in jaw-dropping views to boot.
Sweetings
City - 39 Queen Victoria St, London EC4N 4SF
They describe themselves as "probably the oldest fish and oyster restaurant in London" - and certainly this City of London institution is still going strong. There's no messing around with the fish here - but that's how the clientele, who've been coming here for years, like it.
Wright Bros
Where: Various locations
They're famous for their oysters, but Wright Bros. also do a lovely line in London cured smoked salmon and their regularly changing menu reflects what the Brixham day boats have brought in.
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