South Bank
Forget your notions of Nando's: Casa do Frango kicks peri-peri up a notch in its cool plant-filled upstairs space steps away from Borough Market. Frango,…
Must-see restaurants in London
The West End
This immaculate spot channels the majesty of the grand cafes of Central Europe. Schnitzels, sausages and fish take pride of place on the menu, which is…
The West End
Taking pride of place in Mayfair’s 18th-century Shepherd Market (historically one of London's red-light districts), this cosy dining room is named after…
The West End
Lina Stores has been operating a deli on Soho's Brewer St since 1944, and they've finally started dishing up their perfect handmade pasta to drooling…
The West End
An extravagant gilt-and-parquet jewellery box within the Hotel Café Royal, the Oscar Wilde Lounge – dating from 1865 and named after its most famous…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
Crowd into this small shopfront for some of the best tacos in town. Started by two former music-industry execs with no restaurant experience, this once…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
So beloved is Som Saa that it successfully crowdfunded £700,000 to open its first permanent restaurant in this old fabric warehouse. The menu has expanded…
The West End
Chef Jason Atherton's cathedral to haute cuisine (Michelin-starred within six months of opening) is a worthy splurge, especially for those in search of…
London
Parquet floors, maroon leather seating and rich wood panelling create a clubby atmosphere in this subterranean steakhouse, one of a handful in a London…
North London
An utterly unique London experience: this sustainable social enterprise is set within a spacious climbing centre, itself set within a wildly eccentric…
The West End
This petite and elegant Michelin-starred French restaurant, a stayer on London's dining scene, presents plenty of Francophile favourites (such as skate…
North London
This B&W-tiled establishment both sells the freshest of fish and shellfish as a fishmonger's and serves it as a restaurant. Consult the ever-changing…
The West End
Tranquil isn't a word ever applied to Soho, even in this slightly less-trafficked part, but somehow this restaurant channels Great Gatsby–style zen and…
The West End
Below Arthur Probsthain, a family-run bookshop specialising in Oriental and African art and culture since 1903, you'll find this intimate, chatty, timber…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
A few floors below famous Frank's, Peckham Levels is the place to go if you want to drink in a former car park year-round. The first five floors are…
The West End
This quietly glamorous restaurant in an otherwise unremarkable Marble Arch hotel remains one of London’s best Italian establishments, and you’re likely to…
The West End
In-house restaurant of the hotel of the same name, itself occupying a beautiful red-brick firehouse from 1889, this splendidly dapper eatery offers…
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…
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)…
East London
TV chef Cyrus Todiwala has taken an old magistrates' court just a 10-minute walk from Tower Hill, decorated it in carnival colours and filled it with…
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…
East London
Thames views through floor-to-ceiling windows distract admirably from a slightly dated ambience, as do the wonderful dishes that progress from the kitchen…
East London
This unmarked warehouse conversion ticks all the boxes of a contemporary upmarket London bistro (the name made more sense when there was a club-like…
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…
East London
There's a French feel to this relaxed corner bistro, yet the menu wanders into Italian and Spanish territory as well. Dishes are seasonally driven and…
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…
East London
Tucked away on the 1st floor of the Town Hall Hotel, this relaxed industrial-chic restaurant serves expertly crafted dishes with complex yet delicate…
East London
This upmarket pub conversion belts out delicious Modern British cuisine in very pleasant surroundings. On Mondays there's a £11 main-plus-drink supper…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
You can carry on east to Brixton for the original branch, or stop off on this side-street outpost for terrific burgers, the best of a few burger bars in…
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…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
Located within Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery, this restaurant is most notable for its amazing pill-inspired decor. The original Pharmacy in…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
Alongside and under railway arches leading from London Bridge, Maltby Street Market is a perfect pit stop to fuel up for a big day on the Bermondsey Beer…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
Catering to carnivores with succulent grilled meats and sausages (and some token veggie dishes), this Argentine restaurant is ever popular. Go for one of…
