December 2023: First a geographical note – Mambow (which used to be in Peckham) is now based in Clapton, and you can read our review of the new location here. New entries into our Top 50 for this month are Claridge’s impressive, revamped restaurant and Kolae – the long awaited Thai sister spot to Som Saa. With Christmas just around the corner, it’s worth highlighting some of the most celebratory spots on the list; the trad Soho icon Quo Vadis (which has private dining rooms for hire), the antique-festooned and glorious Brunswick House, and Rasa – where you can get a full vegetarian Indian feast for just £25 a head.
From much-loved local favourites through to city classics and exemplary new openings, we have eaten our way through the very best that London has to offer and after much debate and degustation have compiled this definitive list of the capital’s current greatest spots.
All of edible life is here; fine-dining in Fitzrovia, Kurdish cuisine in Camberwell, and the cream of Soho. We also have for your delectation a brand new Number 1 for 2023 in Hackney’s sublime Cafe Cecilia, as well as new entries from recently-opened Thai game-changer Chet’s, the west African tasting menu at Akoko and Indian-Irish fusion joint Shankeys.
Everywhere on our list serves up incredible food you won’t forget. This is your guide to eating out in the capital. Don’t forget to sign up to our free newsletter for unbeatable London restaurant news and tips. Tuck in.
Leonie Cooper is London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
