Brixton, Peckham & South London
Dating from 1902, M Manze started off as an ice-cream seller before moving on to selling its legendary staples: minced-beef pies. It’s a classic operation…
Must-see restaurants in London
North London
One of the best Indian vegetarian restaurants in London, Diwana specialises in Bombay-style bhel poori (a tangy, soft and crunchy ‘party mix’ dish, £3.95)…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
For lashings of la-di-da with an extra serve of ooh la la, you can't beat the incredibly grand surrounds of this soaring Victorian hall, inhabited by bow…
The West End
With no reservations, you may need to get in line for an hour or so at this restaurant that produces some of the best tapas in town. Divine mouthfuls are…
London
One floor below Duck & Waffle, Sushi Samba is a vivacious blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine that dishes up spot-on sushi rolls, churrasco…
The West End
The emphasis here is on the freshest seafood: entry is via the attached fishmongers (9am to 10pm Monday to Saturday, from 10am Sunday). There are some…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
This glorious recreation of a 1950s East End chippy comes complete with wait-staff in pinnies and hairnets, and Blitz memorabilia. As well as the usual…
South Bank
So typical is the French interior of this bistro that you'll have to keep reminding yourself that you are in London and not in Paris. The daily changing…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
A rare Eritrean restaurant, unpretentious Asmara serves spicy chicken, lamb and beef stews and vegetable/vegan dishes that you scoop up with injera, a…
East London
Mangal is the quintessential Turkish ocakbasi (open-hooded charcoal grill, the mother of all barbecues): brightly lit, smoky and serving superb mezze,…
The West End
This masculine-feeling brasserie attached to the Rosewood London – all reclaimed oak, antique mirrors and leather banquettes – serves up such delights as…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
As you walk into this tiny Indian place, it's the smell that hits you: the delicious tang of spices and incense. The punchy food is inspired by family…
The West End
Its bemusing name notwithstanding, this quality, split-level Spanish restaurant offers over 50 tapas, traditional mains such as grilled lamb chops and…
Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court
This much-loved family-run restaurant specialises in the subtle cuisine of Portugal’s former colony of Goa on India’s west coast. Winning dishes include…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
During the day this Kiwi-run cafe is full of artsy types hunched over their computers and new-media mavens appropriating booth seats for impromptu…
North London
Housed in the lofty Granary Building, the King's Cross redevelopment's first tenant (2012) is a vast industrial-chic destination for tasty fusion bites…
Kensington & Hyde Park
In business for over three decades, this understated Chinese restaurant imaginatively exercises a no-menu policy, so just present your preferences and let…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
In a cosy space a short walk from central Brixton, this wonderful French bistro has an ever-changing menu of creative small plates that go well with a…
South Bank
This industrial-chic food court weaves through seven railway arches and has commandeered the surrounding outdoor space to offer a foodie hub for the…
Notting Hill & West London
This simple and popular cafe is the place for Palestinian falafel wraps, done to a turn. There's a whole host of choice wrap fillings to go with your…
Notting Hill & West London
When the burger munchies strike, this Portobello branch of the winning, no-nonsense Brixton chain can sit you down for a helping of its juicy trademark…
London
Three floors up the Cheesegrater building is the second outpost of the restaurant that made the 'press for champagne' button a quintessential over-the-top…
The West End
Soho's slice of Spain, Fernandez serves simple lunches of jamón (ham), cured meats and cheese platters. The fresh, grilled chorizo with sourdough is…
Notting Hill & West London
Stuffed under the Westway, this lively and aromatic street-eats market at the north end of Portobello Rd serves organic street food snacks from all over…
Greenwich
Jutting into the Thames on a disused pier, this is a one of the few delightfully un-scrubbed-up parts left in North Greenwich. The overflowing plant life…
Kensington & Hyde Park
With its uncontrived yet crisply modern and cool green-on-grey design, Medlar is a King's Rd sensation. With no à la carte menu and scant pretentiousness,…
Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court
This dog-friendly bakery and cafe occupies a popular and welcoming niche along the marvellously named Friars Stile Rd, supplying Richmond Park ramblers…
The West End
Proudly owned by a succession of Italian and Greek Londoners since founded by M Esposito in 1914, this chippie retains a classic interior, vintage fryer…
The West End
Named after the smoggy capital of China's Gansu province, the Lanzhou Noodle Bar serves up authentic, steaming bowls of steaming hand-pulled noodles (la…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Light floods through the windows into the high-ceilinged, wood-lined, curved dining area and onto the black-and-chrome bar, where choice wines are sold by…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
It began in a shipping container at Pop Brixton, and now Kricket has moved its Indian small plates into permanent digs in a pair of railway arches…
Notting Hill & West London
With its colourfully mixed-up cups, saucers and cutlery and snug interior, this appealing cafe has a jumble-sale charm. It offers fine Monmouth coffee and…
North London
Working the culinary trend of the moment – Levantine food meets modern European cuisine – the Good Egg, with its long opening hours, is many things to…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
It may be the little sister of glamorous Galvin La Chapelle next door, but this 'pub deluxe', as it styles itself, is all about giving traditional pub…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Zuma oozes style – a modern-day take on the traditional Japanese izakaya (‘a place to stay and drink sake’), where drinking and eating harmonise. The…
South Bank
Decent Mexican food has strangely been missing from London's food scene, but fortunately a few places have stepped up to fill the void. Step through the…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
Despite the prevalence of university students and its zone 1 locale, the area between Elephant and Castle and Southwark is something of a black hole of…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
Arguably London’s best Nepalese restaurant, Gurkha’s Diner, a five-minute walk from Balham tube station in South London, is a friendly, welcoming place,…
The West End
This is the perfect place to escape the Soho chaos and relax in a dark-wood-panelled space on the southern side of a delightful 'undiscovered' square…
The West End
'Crumbs' is an inviting corner trattoria with a cafe and deli out front and a cosy dining room out back. The food isn't overly complex: Palermo-style…
