London is a great place in which to eat out. Every imaginable cuisine is available and wherever you come from, you should find something to cater for every taste. London is home to some of the best Cantonese restaurants in Europe and is also noted for Indian, Bangladeshi, French, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Thai cuisines. British food is also available all over the city.
Many restaurants will be busy on most nights of the week, particularly around the tourist areas of the West End and it is advised to reserve a table to save disappointment. Most places accept all major credit cards. Service is discretionary at most restaurants although it is more common now to find a 10-15% already added to the bill. Ensure you are not paying twice.
Novikov Restaurant & Bar
Russian restaurateur’s ornate, 3-floor, see-and-be-seen Asian and Italian combination, with bar.
Corrigan’s Mayfair
Irish Modern British gourmet cuisine in a timeless gentleman’s-club setting with leather seats.
Website: corrigansmayfair.co.uk
Hakkasan Mayfair
Restaurant Dim sum, Modern Cantonese delicacies and signature cocktails on 2 floors with designer decoration.
Website: hakkasan.com
MNKY HSE
Latin American Restaurant Contemporary Latin American fine dining served in a lively setting with DJs & live music. 10 Dover St 020 3870 4880
Website: http://mnky-hse.com
COYA Mayfair
Peruvian restaurant Upmarket venue with 3 open kitchens, serving Peruvian sharing plates, char-grill dishes and ceviche. 118 Piccadilly 020 7042 7118
Maddox Club
Nightclub Chic members’ nightclub with stylish minimalist interior, Italian restaurant and celebrity crowd. 3-5 Mill St
Website: www.maddoxclub.com
Fera at Claridge’s
Restaurant Chef Simon Rogan’s upscale eatery at Claridge’s offers elaborate tasting menus in an art deco space.
Website: feraatclaridges.co.uk
Sexy Fish
Fish and Seafood Restaurant Swanky, art-filled setting for robata-grilled fish, raw-bar items & more, plus a variety of drinks. Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square 020 3764 2000 Reservations required.
Website: sexyfish.com
Roka Mayfair
Japanese Premium Japanese charcoal-grilled dining in a setting of concrete, wood and stainless steel.
Website: rokarestaurant.com
Park Chinois
Live music venue Opulent, high-end Chinese restaurant, with elegant live music, an extravagant menu and posh decor. Address: 17 Berkeley St, Mayfair, London W1J 8EA Hours: Open today · 12–5pm, 6pm–2am Reservations: opentable.co.uk Phone: 020 3327 8888
Scott’s Seafood
Huge selection of market-fresh fish, seafood and caviar plus an elegant oyster and champagne bar.
Website: scotts-restaurant.com
DSTRKT London
Chic, low-lit restaurant & lounge for eclectic small plates & glamorous late-night partying.
9 Rupert St
The Criterion
With over 100 years of dining experience, the Criterion is one of London’s most beautiful restaurants, situated just behind Eros on Piccadilly Circus. Enjoy the high-vaulted gold mosaic ceiling as you sample the menu.
224 Piccadilly, W1 – Tel: 020-7930 0488 – Tube: Piccadilly Circus
Abu Ali
The Lebanese equivalent to a working men’s club, Abu Ali serves Lebanese food that’s terrific value for money. Wash it down with fresh mint tea and try a bubble pipe.
136-138 George Street, W1 – Tel: 020-7724 6338 – Tube: Marble Arch
Belgo Central
An unusual Belgian restaurant that offers you mussels and chips and over 90 different kinds of beer! The atmosphere is great, probably because of all that beer. Definitely worth trying.
50 Earlham Street, WC2 – Tel: 020-7813 2233 – Tube: Covent Garden
Bentley’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar
One comes here to enjoy oysters and fine wines, or else just to eat very fresh traditional fish and chips. The service is friendly and professional. The 19th century booths are comfortable and intimate. For a real splurge, try the Bentley’s seafood platter.
11-15 Swallow Road, W1 – Tel: 020-7439 6903 – Tube: Piccadilly Circus
Bibendum
An impressive restaurant serving equally as impressive modern European cuisine. Dishes are ambitious yet subtle and the wine list highly extensive. Service is willing but prices are rather expensive. Lunch, however, is very good value for money.
81 Fulham Road, SW3 – Tel: 020-7581 5817 – Tube: South Kensington
Quaglino’s
Huge 1930s ballroom revived by Terence Conran as on of the capital’s busiest and most glamorous restaurants. You’ll need to book in advance.
16 Bury Street, SW1 – Tel: 020-7930 6767 – Tube: Green Park
Mandalay
Small restaurant serving Burmese cuisine – a fusion of Thai, Malaysian and Indian.
444 Edgware Road, W2 – Tel: 020-7258 3696 – Tube: Edgware Road
La Spighetta
Spighetta actually means wheat and this basement restaurant serves pizza, pasta and standard Italian dishes.
43 Blandford Street, W1 – Tel: 020-7486 7340 – Tube: Bond Street
Mezzo
Terence Conran opened this 600 seater restaurant in 1995 and it has remained popular ever since. Serving French/Med food, the tables are packed close – this is not a place for a quiet night out.
100 Wardour Street, W1 – Tel: 020 7314 4000 – Tube: Piccadilly Circus/Tottenham Court Road
Randall & Aubin
An ex-butcher’s shop that has been converted into a champagne and oyster bar, rotisserie, sandwich shop and charcuterie. Fish and seafood dominate the menu. Eat in or take away.
16 Brewer Street, W1 – Tel: 020-7287 4447 – Tube: Piccadilly Circus
Belgo Centraal
Huge, metal-minimalist cavern serving buckets of moules mariniere with frites and mayonnaise and a vast array of Belgian beers.
50 Earlham Street, WC2 – Tel: 020-7813 2233 – Tube: Covent Garden
Dorchester Grill Room
Splendid room with superb British classics like roast Angus beef, plus good international dishes. Top wine list. Most of the ingredients come from Audley End Organic Kitchen Garden in Essex.
The Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, W1 – Tel: 020-7629 8888 – Tube: Hyde Park Corner
Fifteen
Fifteen is a Jamie Oliver restaurant with a twist. The cooking is done by 15 youngsters plucked from aimless obscurity and trained to produce world class food. No reservations are required for the ground floor bar where you can dine on antipasti and quality cocktails. Upstairs portions are hearty and flavours bold and booming.
Westland Place, N1 – Tel: 020-7251 1515 – Tube: Old Street
Gordon Ramsey at Claridges
Take London’s most temperamental and talented chef, add the city’s most elegant location and finish it off with some truly fantastic food and sublime service. Gordon Ramsey’s marriage with Claridges has proved to be a match made in gourmet heaven. The grand art-deco dining room provides a perfect setting in which to savour the fabulous flavours of London’s only 3 Michelin starred chef.
53 Brook Street, W1 – Tel: 020-7499 0099 – Tube: Bond Street
Ikkyu
Busy basement restaurant with tasty, authentic Japanese food.
67a Tottenham Court Road, W1 – Tel: 020-7636 9280 – Tube: Goodge Street
Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh restaurant, bar and babylon lounge is located in the heart of the stables market in Camden and a great place for dining or drinks with friends whether on a weekday or weekend. The weekend is extremely busy so make sure you reserve a table in advance.
The restaurant include a signature pan asian dishes and menu’s, influenced by the cuisine of south east Asia, Singapore and japan.offers a selection of signature pan-Asian dishes and menus, influenced by the cuisine of South East Asia, China and Japan. Offers a selection of signature pan-Asian dishes and menus, influenced by the cuisine of South East.
The Stables Market – Camden Market, Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 8AH – 0207 482 5757 – Tube: Chalk Farm / Camden
Itsu
Stunning conveyer-belt sushi bar transports the tenderest sushi in town before your very eyes, and chopsticks. Upstairs is a cozy bar. King prawns with glass noodles are recommended.
118 Draycott Avenue, SW3 – Tel: 020-7584 5522 – Tube: South Kensington
Le Gavroche
Le Gavroche is a London institution. Serving the finest French food this side of le manche, a meal at this Mayfair restaurant is an incomparable experience. Everything about this restaurant reeks of class, from the strict dress code, to the highly professional waiting staff and exclusive atmosphere.
43 Upper Brook Street, W1 – Tel: 020-7408 0881 – Tube: Marble Arch
Singapura
Beautiful, large modern restaurant that provides Nonya cuisine – a fusion of Malayan and Chinese food; generally spicy with a good deal of garlic, galangal and lime leaves.
1-2 Limeburner Lane, EC2 – Tel: 020-7329 1133 – Tube: St. Paul’s
Wazobia
Small, bright Nigerian restaurant. Try the goat pepper soup, the prawn doughnuts and the wide range of rich stews.
257 Royal College Street, NW1 – Tel: 020-7284 1059 – Tube: Camden Town
Hunan
Serving Hunan cuisine – a relative of Sichuan cuisine – with a similar spicy kick to most dishes. Try their special “leave it to us Feast” – a multi-course extravaganza which allows you to try a wide range of dishes.
51 Pimlico Road, SW1 – Tel: 020-7730 5712 – Tube: Sloane Square
Nobu
The world’s most recognised Japanese restaurant, known for its innovative new style cuisine paired with a celebrity following.
19 Old Park Lane, W1 – Tel: 020-7447 4747 – Tube: Hyde Park Corner
Kettner’s
Beautiful belle epoque Baroque decor and a pianist does not mean that this is an exclusive restaurant. In fact it serves pasta and pizza. If you have to wait for a table, try the Champagne Bar.
29 Romilly Street, W1 – Tel: 020-7734 6112
J. Sheekey
Serving food since World War I, the place has recently been redesigned and refurbished. The menu is focused on fish. Great value weekend lunches.
28-32 St. Martin’s Court, WC2 – Tel: 020-7240 2565 – Tube: Leicester Square
Rainforest Cafe
Situated in the heart of the West End this themed restaurant recreates the sounds and sights of a tropical rainforest. This is London’s largest family restaurant. The restaurant serves a varied menu of American and tropical cuisine made from the freshest ingredients.
20-24 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1 – Tel: 020-7434 3111 – Tube: Piccadilly Circus
Rules
At London’s oldest English restaurant (dating from 1798), you’ll find consistently good British food including game, oysters and traditional puddings.
35 Maiden Lane, WC2 – Tel: 020-7836 5314 – Tube: Charing Cross
Simpson’s-in-the-Strand
This world famous venue offers two restaurants: The Grand Divan, serving traditional British food and specialising in roast beef and lamb and Simply Simpson’s serving Modern British eclectic dishes.
100 The Strand, WC2 – Tel: 020 7836 9112 – Tube: Charring Cross
Sketch
Sketch opened in 2003 and has gained a big reputation. It includes several restaurants on two floors of a converted 18th century townhouse in Mayfair. The restaurants are: the Gallery, the Lecture Room and Library and the Parlour. Cuisine is New French.
9 Conduit Street, W1 – Tel: 0870 777 4488 – Tube: Oxford Circus
Kulu Kulu
Small, friendly conveyor belt sushi restaurant. Grab one or two plates (priced by design rather than colour here) and enjoy really good sushi.
76 Brewer Street, W1 – Tel: 020-773 7316 – Tube: Piccadilly
The Bombay Brasserie
Extravagantly decorated with palm fronds and wicker chairs, the menu includes dishes with influences from Punjab, Goa and Kerala. They have a popular weekend buffet between 12.00 and 3.00 pm priced at £24 per person.
Courtfield Close, SW7 – Tel: 020-7370 4040 – Tube: Gloucester Road
The Ivy
Considered one of the better West End eateries with a comprehensive menu of all the favourites including pasta, risottos, grills and British classics.
1 West Street, WC2 – Tel: 020-7836 4751 – Tube: Covent Garden
New World
Chinese restaurant and with over 500 seats, possibly the largest restaurant in London. The menu is 12 pages long and includes Dim Sum, Cantonese and provincial. Average spend: £20 – £30 per person.
1 Gerrard Place, W1 – Tel: 020-7734 0396 – Tube: Leicester Square
Tom Aikens
Tom Aikens has won just about every single restaurant award going and, when you go in, you will see why. The food is, quite simply and without hesitation, sublime. Tom’s eponymous restaurant in Chelsea has built a formidable reputation with modern French cuisine.
43 Elystan Street, SW3 – Tel: 020-7584 2003 – Tube: Sloane Square
Trader Vic’s
Trader Vic’s has been a swinging place since the 70s, decked out as a Tahitian beach hut right here on Park Lane, with flower-print waitresses plying willing clientele with the best Mai Tai’s ever mixed. This is the right place for relaxed business lunches, informal dinner, or romantic meals at any time. Check out the lobster tank before you tuck into Island cuisine.
22 Park Lane, W1 – Tel: 020-7208 4113 – Tube: Green Park/Hyde Park Corner
Hereford Road
Set inside a former Victorian butcher’s shop, the restaurant’s decor is sleek and unfussy with the open plan kitchen providing a buzz. British food with a daily changing menu.
3 Hereford Road, W2 – Tel: 020-7227 1144 – Tube: Bayswater/Queensway
Stephen Bull
Modern British within a Bauhaus decor setting. Simple innovative dishes with equally experimental desserts.
12 Upper Street, WC2 – Tel: 020- 7379 7811 – Tube: Leicester Square
Yauatcha
Chinese restaurant opened in 2000 by Alan Yau, who also created Wagamama. It gained a Michelin star in 2005 which it has held onto ever since. Specialising in modern, authentic dim sum other popular dishes include Scallop Siewmai, Shanghai noodles and Kiwi and Green Apple Tiramisu.
15 Broadwick Street, W1 – Tel: 020-7494 8888 – Tube: Oxford Circus
Zuma
Combining contemporary Japanese cuisine with decor based on Eastern philosophy, the Zuma restaurant has an open-plan kitchen so patrons can watch culinary masters in their element. At Zuma, the environment is as important as the food, giving patrons a zen-like experience. The lounge is the perfect place to rub elbows with a young, urban crowd.
5 Raphael Street, SW7 – Tel: 020-7584 1010 – Tube: Knightsbridge