On the hunt for the best British food in London and wondering ‘where’s a good British restaurants near me’? You’re in the right place, because as it turns out, our own humble cookery is on the up and up. The days of Brit-cuisine being bland and dreary are long gone – today’s restaurant scene is packed with chefs that are rediscovering all that is great about British food, and we’re here to direct you towards the best of the best.
This all started somewhere, of course. British food was once derided by the rest of Europe, but these days London is widely regarded as one of the best food cities anywhere in the world. That is in part down to the unique multicultural patchwork that makes up the city, but also thanks to chefs like Fergus Henderson at St John who uncovered the simple pleasures of pies, roast meats and seasonal vegetables, and put British food back on the map.
Today a whole host of London’s best restaurants are British, and London’s most creative chefs make it a point of pride to cook with ingredients fished, farmed and foraged from around the UK. Take for example, the seasonal, waste-free approach of a restaurant like Fallow, where the team celebrate seasonal British ingredients and find ways to use food products that would normally be wasted, like cods’ heads, duck necks and rabbit ears. At the other end of the spectrum, there are lots of old stagers you can visit for some comforting, no-nonsense British cooking, whether that’s iconic Soho restaurant Quo Vadis, the Victorian charms of the Quality Chop House, or the aforementioned whitewash and wood of St John in Smithfields.
Whether you’re looking for cutting-edge cuisine served in one of the capital’s trendiest districts or you want to try traditional fish and chips or classic roast beef in a historic dining room, we’ve selected the best British restaurants London has to offer for your eating pleasure below.
Lyle’s, Shoreditch
What: James Lowe’s no-nonsense restaurant strips away the fripperies of gastronomy to leave a starkly minimalistic space where disarmingly simple food does the talking. British ingredients are put to stunning use on a no-choice dinner menu, which has been consistently rated as one of London’s best for many years now.
Where: The Tea Building, E1 6JJ
Book now: Lyle’s
The Game Bird at The Stafford London, St. James’s
What: The Stafford offers something that very few London hotels think worthwhile any more: a dining room serving traditional British food. The menu delves into retro delights such as chicken Kyiv, a smoked salmon trolley, sweet and savoury puddings and cracking Sunday roasts. Don’t sleep on the excellent wine and fizz list which includes plenty of English sparkling and other quality bottles from all over the world.
Where: 16-18 St James’s Place, SW1A 1NJ
Book now: The Game Bird at The Stafford London
Hawksmoor, multiple locations
What: The Hawksmoor chain gets everything right, from its 35-day-aged steaks to its creative cocktails, all presented by staff with a genuine passion for service. Triple-cooked chips, mac ’n’ cheese or grilled bone marrow make great accompaniments, and the salted caramel Rolos are an unmissable finale.
Where: Multiple locations
Book now: Hawksmoor Air Street
Bentley’s, Mayfair
What: Richard Corrigan’s restaurant is still one of London’s most beloved – highly regarded thanks to extremely consistent, high-class cooking. More than a century after opening, Bentley’s is still the place to go for a wide choice of fresh oysters, seafood platters and a catalogue of great wines to go with them.
Where: 11-15 Swallow Street, W1B 4DG
Book now: Bentley’s
Quo Vadis, Soho
What: Once a famously compact dining room, Quo Vadis is now much larger and more spacious thanks to a 2023 refurb. All the more space for us to get in and enjoy the food – a genuine slice of old Soho and a showcase for the cooking of chef-patron Jeremy Lee, whose menu is a joyful celebration of the seasons. Expect anything from a warm salad of grouse to a strapping leg of lamb. Don’t forget the eel sandwich – one of London’s truly iconic dishes.
Where: 26-29 Dean Street, W1D 3LL
Book now: Quo Vadis
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at Mandarin Oriental, Knightsbridge
What: With Heston Blumenthal’s name attached and a menu that plays with perceptions of British cookery, Dinner was always bound to be a hit. The meat fruit is legendary, there’s a view of Hyde Park and even a nitro-fuelled ice-cream cart.
Where: Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, W1X 7LA
Book now: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at Mandarin Oriental
Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, Westminster
What: Celeb chef Tom Kerridge’s first London opening promises sublime food that invigorates classic British cookery through superb technique and a light touch of luxury. Try the glazed lobster omelette, as richly decadent as a soufflé.
Where: 10 Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5AE
Book now: Kerridge’s Bar & Grill
St John, Farringdon
What: This internationally famous eatery still puts its faith in cheap offcuts and foraged ingredients, supported by the very best seasonal produce. The menu changes every few months – although the iconic bone marrow salad is always available.
Where: 26 St John Street, EC1M 4AY
Book now: St John
The Barley Mow, Mayfair
What: One of Cubitt House’s excellent Central London pubs, The Barley Mow takes up a distinguished spot just off Grosvenor Square. Cubitt House’s chef consultant Ben Tish has done a cracking job with the menu too, bringing back a classic carvery trolley in the restaurant and matching it with crab on toast, sausage rolls and great whole fish cookery.
Where: 82 Duke Street, W1K 6JF
Book now: The Barley Mow
Caravel, Islington
What: Spiteri brothers Finn and Lorcan know a thing or two about British restaurants – it runs in the family, as father Jon co-founded The French House with Fergus and Margot Henderson many years ago. Caravel delivers a similar style of cooking with aplomb, all housed on a lovely old grain barge and delivered with charming, old-school panache and attention to detail.
Where: 172 Shepherdess Walk, N1 7JL
Book now: Caravel
Dean Street Townhouse, Soho
What: Dine in enticingly soft armchairs amid an abundance of heavy fabrics at this Soho House outpost, where comfort food is the menu’s calling card: partridge and oxtail on toast, lamb rump with grilled artichoke, plus full English breakfasts.
Where: 69-71 Dean Street, W1D 3SE
Book now: Dean Street Townhouse
The Goring Dining Room, Belgravia
What: A quintessentially British restaurant for a top-class family-owned British hotel, The Goring Dining Room is a real experience. Grilled Dover sole and beef Wellington are still there for the old guard, but there are more on-trend dishes too if you fancy something bang-up-to-date.
Where:15 Beeston Place, SW1W 0JW
Book now: The Goring Dining Room
Dorian, Notting Hill
What: This 2022 newcomer was one of our restaurants of the year when it arrived on the scene – it may be flashy and new but it has an old soul, serving oyster platters, sharing steaks and luxury dishes, all cooked to exacting standards. The cocktails are exceptionally good too.
Where: 105-107 Talbot Road, W11 2AT
Book now: Dorian
Fallow, St. James’s
What: Fallow’s menu follows a slightly more modern bent than some on this list, but its dedication to using British produce – particularly to using items that would normally be wasted – more than qualifies it to be on this round-up. The cod’s head with ‘nduja butter is a perfect example, turning a throwaway offcut into one of London’s essential dishes.
Where: 2 St James’s Market, SW1Y 4RP
Book now: Fallow
The Pelican, Notting Hill
What: Former Brawn chef Owen Kenworthy is working magic at The Pelican, cooking up whole fish, pies, steaks and more alongside a delicious snack menu that includes mince on toast, and one of the best sausage rolls in London. The dining room is an absolute beauty as well – well worth the trek to Notting Hill.
Where: 45 All Saints Road, W11 1HE
Book now: The Pelican
The Quality Chop House, Clerkenwell
What: There aren’t many Grade II-listed dining rooms in London, but this is one of them, with wooden booths and black-and-white tiled floors recalling its humble Victorian origins. Gloucester Old Spot pork chops with rémoulade is typical.
Where: 92-94 Farringdon Road, EC1R 3EA
Book now: The Quality Chop House
The Clove Club, Shoreditch
What: With world-class awards reflecting its runaway success, it should come as no surprise that The Clove Club’s cooking is radical, unorthodox stuff, with the emphasis on daringly modern tasting menus involving seriously sourced ingredients.
Where: 380 Old Street, EC1V 9LT
Book now: The Clove Club
Rules, Covent Garden
What: London’s oldest restaurant has been flying the flag for British dishes since 1798. Old-fashioned it may be, but there’s nothing stale about the quality of cooking – you won’t find game, oysters and puddings done better anywhere.
Where: 35 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7LB
Book now: Rules
Brat, Shoreditch
What: ‘Brat’ is the Northumbrian vernacular for a turbot, the house speciality of this uber-cool first solo restaurant from young Welsh chef Tomos Parry (although he’s since added another couple of places to his stable). The flip side of the menu is printed with 35 wines by the glass, including seven sherries.
Where: 64 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JJ
Book now: Brat
Wiltons, St. James’s
What: Having evolved from 18th-century shellfish trader to 21st-century seafood aristocrat, Wiltons serves some of the best fish (and game) in London, and diners are expected to arrive as smarty turned out as a plate of its famous oysters.
Where: 55 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6LX
Book now: Wiltons
The Lanesborough Grill, Belgravia
What: Housed inside one of London’s most prestigious hotels, The Lanesborough Grill delivers on all fronts – a magnificent palatial dining room, lit from the top down by a huge skylight. The kitchens are run by Shay Cooper – a master of classic British cooking – and he delivers a brilliant a la carte menu full of elegant but unfussy cooking.
Where: The Lanesborough, SW1X 7TA
Book now: The Lanesborough Grill
The Grill at The Dorchester, Mayfair
What: Tom Booton has revitalised an iconic restaurant in The Grill at The Dorchester, bringing exuberant youth to the cooking, but retaining a menu packed with food you just want to eat. Think triple cooked chips, beef Wellington, brill with crispy oyster and a killer egg custard tart.
Where: 53 Park Lane, W1K 1QA
Book now: The Grill at The Dorchester
Andrew Edmunds, Soho
What: Andrew Edmunds himself sadly passed away in 2022 but his legacy lives on at this iconic Soho restaurant, which combines low-key bistro decor with charming, no-frills British cooking. The eclectic handwritten menu changes day-to-day and features a compact selection of dishes alongside old world wines.
Where: 46 Lexington Street, W1F 0LP
Book now: Andrew Edmunds
Noble Rot, Holborn & Soho
What: Once the hot new thing in London, Noble Rot has evolved into one of the city’s most reliable old stagers, home to some absolutely top class cookery as well as one of the best, most accessible wine collections anywhere in the capital. The slipsole is a must order everytime, and wine service is superbly knowledgeable.
Where: 51 Lamb’s Conduit Street, WC1N 3NB; 2 Greek Street, W1D 4NB
Book now: Noble Rot Lamb’s Conduit; Noble Rot Soho
The Harwood Arms, Fulham
What: Despite the bounty of quality gastropubs in the capital, The Harwood Arms remains the only Michelin-starred pub in London. The menu is exactly what you hope for; seasonal British cooking that is elevated but still comforting and delicious.
Where: Walham Grove, SW6 1QP
Book now: The Harwood Arms
Restaurant St Barts, Barbican
What: Housed in a gorgeous restaurant that overlooks the Church of Bartholomew the Great in Smithfields, Restaurant St Barts riffs on traditional British fare and drags it into modernity. The intricate tasting menus take you through different parts of the restaurant, delivering clever morsels that celebrate produce across the length and breadth of the country, alongside equally innovative cocktails.
Where: 63 Bartholomew Close, EC1A 7BG
Book now: Restaurant St Barts
Mount St. Restaurant, Mayfair
What: From the mosaic marble floor to the art collection (over 200 pieces, including works by Warhol, Matisse and Freud), Mount St. Restaurant is a sight to behold. The menu, meanwhile, delivers on classic British luxury, with a section dedicated to caviar and oysters, as well as Dover sole with beurre noisette hollandaise and a lobster pie that sent Instagram bananas in 2022.
Where: 41-43 Mount Street, W1K 2RX
Book now: Mount St Restaurant
Scott’s, Mayfair
What: Another of London’s revered seafood spots, Scott’s has been doling out fresh crustaceans, oyster platters and more for decades now, from a prime location on Mount Street in Mayfair. A swanky waterside location in Richmond opened in 2022 as well, for those who prefer oysters by the river.
Where: 20 Mount Street, W1K 2HE
Book now: Scott’s
The Ivy, Covent Garden
What: For more than a century The Ivy has been London’s hot ticket, home to a wide spectrum of the capital’s most snappable celebrities. These days there are Ivy locations all over, but the Covent Garden is the original and there’s still something special about plonking yourself down on one of those emerald banquettes and tucking into some iced berries and white chocolate sauce.
Where: 1-5 West Street, WC2H 9NQ
Book now: The Ivy
What is traditional British food?
Traditional British food includes dishes like fish and chips, Scotch eggs, Shepherd’s Pie, steak and kidney pie, roast dinners, Yorkshire puddings, English breakfasts and a Cornish pasty. Check out a few of our guides to find the best in London!
There are lots more great British restaurants spread across the capital – hit the link to check out our complete listings for British restaurants in London and find the perfect British restaurants near you.
