North London
Sambal Shiok calls itself a laksa bar – and indeed it makes the tastiest laksa this side of Kuala Lumpur. A fragrant coconut noodle dish, laksa is its…
Must-see restaurants in London
The West End
A mix of refined classics from various Indian regions and innovations such as vegetable-and-kale seekh kebab stuffed with black-fig chutney, Tamarind has…
The West End
The queue outside Gelupo can stretch down the street on summer weekend evenings, and it’s no wonder: this is central London’s most authentic gelateria…
The West End
Arrive early if you don’t want to queue at this informal but excellent Japanese eatery with counter seating. Londoners come here for their fill of…
The West End
Reached through a wonderful sculpture-filled garden, twin-Michelin-starred Greenhouse is a mainstay of Mayfair luxury dining. The tasting menus are only…
The West End
Surely this is one of the best French bistros in London, with meat dishes such as confit duck leg or Dover sole cooked to perfection, sauces perfectly…
The West End
You can see the stars of the show before you even walk in, as tiny dough pockets ready to be made into xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) are kneaded at speed…
The West End
Book well in advance to chew and view at one of London's greatest celebrity magnets. The food is Japanese-Peruvian (with a heavy emphasis on the former)…
London
There's a sense of a well-kept secret about this authentic Japanese restaurant, tucked away in a basement of a nondescript building (enter from…
The West End
This stunner of a Japanese restaurant mixes casual dining on wooden benches with robatayaki (charcoal-grilled) titbits from the central range, augmented…
London
'Old school' doesn't even come close to describing Simpsons, a City institution since 1757. Huge portions of traditional British grub are served to diners…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
London's take on a Venetian bacàri (small bar), Polpo dishes out sharing plates of pasta, meat and pizzette (petite pizzas), with excellent options for…
The West End
A fabulous spot for breakfast, brunch or lunch, Scarlett Green, inspired by the café culture of Australia, is a surprisingly spacious venue yet the small…
The West End
Sarastro is a flamboyant restaurant, with a foliage-covered exterior and Arabian Nights-inspired interior. The Turkish-Mediterranean fare is one draw,…
Kensington & Hyde Park
A paradise for carnivores, Sophie's restaurant (there’s also a branch in Soho) serves up some seriously gourmet meat dishes. You can’t go wrong with the…
The West End
Classy but accessible, the Opera Tavern is one of London’s best tapas restaurants (no easy feat), and enjoys an unrivalled location just around the corner…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Cyclists and noncyclists alike adore this cafe-workshop, set in a light-filled space looking out onto Old St. Toasties and burgers are the savoury staples…
London
Hidden above the Rising Sun pub, the Fat Bear is a temple to soul food from the southern US. The huge burgers are some of the best in town, but regional…
North London
This lovely little pizzeria is run by two Italian guys – Nicola chefs and Matteo serves – who import most ingredients from their homeland. The pizzas are…
London
This restaurant and bar is about as quirky as they come, with everything themed on fairy-tales, including the on-site wine shop, florist and library. Food…
Notting Hill & West London
This quirky Moroccan eatery has a bit of an Aladdin’s Cave feel to it, cluttered as it is top-to-bottom with rugs, lanterns and various ceramic ornaments…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
This artsy cafe with windows overlooking Regent’s Canal is a great spot for a coffee (the chai lattes are excellent) and a quick bite to eat. It’s easy to…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
The first cereal-themed cafe in the country perfectly symbolises the hipster spirit – and gentrification, some might say – of its Shoreditch location…
Notting Hill & West London
This canal boat cafe, moored in picturesque Little Venice, serves basic hot drinks, breakfasts and snacks, though its location is the real draw. Its…
Notting Hill & West London
This impressive cafe has brought fresh energy to the rather tired-looking Bayswater shopping centre in which it has set up shop. It sells artisan coffee …
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Brick Lane in East London is world-famous for its abundance of curry houses, and Aladin is arguably the best of the lot. It serves dishes from India,…
Notting Hill & West London
Pricey and well in step with dining trends, Farmacy aims squarely at wholesome, organic, gluten-free, vegan detoxing. For breakfast (Monday to Friday,…
Notting Hill & West London
With its scattered pieces from Mumbai’s Thieves Market, Indian-market-kitchen/bazaar cuisine, homemade pickles and spice mixes, plus an accent on genuine…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Picture-perfect Pavilion Rd, a sidestreet tucked off Sloane Sq, has been redeveloped in recent years to create a village-like collection of independent,…
The West End
Run by an outfit with broader catering experience, the Wallace Collection's cafe-restaurant is a notch above what you’d expect from a museum. Equally good…
The West End
This opulent restaurant and club south of Berkeley Sq serves refined dim sum and other Chinese fare daily in the glitzy ground-floor Salon de Chine. From…
Notting Hill & West London
With a perennial scrum around it thanks to its whiff of freshly baked pizza, Arancina sells Sicilian snacks and has half an orange Fiat Cinquecento (500;…
Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court
This stellar Venetian restaurant is generally crammed with eager gourmands. Rather audaciously, there’s neither menu nor wine list, but this adds…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Temporarily replacing the Orangery restaurant while it undergoes restoration until 2021, what the Kensington Palace Pavilion lacks in history it makes up…
Notting Hill & West London
Grandly restored, the roomy interior of this imposing former Victorian gin palace soaks up pretty much any hubbub thrown at it, with ample elbow space and…
Kensington & Hyde Park
If your battery is flat after touring the South Kensington museums, this colourful, good-looking and brisk restaurant just round the corner from the Tube…
The West End
This branch of a highly successful mini-chain takes the fast-disappearing Iranian cafe of Bombay and gives it new life. Distressed with a modern twist …
The West End
The high-level Japanese restaurant and DJ bar Mayfair never knew it needed, Sexy Fish is pure flamboyance, with art by Damien Hirst and Frank Gehry, a…
North London
This huge South African restaurant dominates two floors in Camden Lock Market. The food is heavily themed (obviously) on South African cuisine, and if you…
Notting Hill & West London
Situated in a low-lit basement, Dirty Bones divides into a throwback cocktail bar – decorated with a pinball machine and other retro devices – a lounge…
