If you had to pick your favourite restaurant in London – what would it be? Would you struggle to choose one, and instead reel off a never-ending list of the top 100 favourite restaurants? We would certainly struggle to pick a top 10 – let alone a top 5, or a single favourite spot. It’s not our fault, though, there are just so many amazing restaurants in London!
So naturally, we took to Facebook. We wanted to know which London restaurants are your very favourite. But to get to the very best of the best picks, we decided to narrow it down a little bit:
And boy, did you lot have plenty to say! There were over a thousand comments and recommendations made in that thread. The picks ranged from budget eateries to blow-out restaurants, ranging across modern and contemporary venues as well as historic spots.
Of course, we had to round up some of the top choices into one handy little guide to some of the most beloved restaurants in London. So here are your favourite restaurants, Secret London readers, in no particular order:
Your Favourite Central London Restaurants
As you might imagine, a hugely overwhelming majority of the recommended restaurants were in Central London. This is likely due not just to the sheer number of venues here, but also the number of people who stick to Central London when travelling in or choosing where to dine.
1. sketch, Mayfair
Given sketch has multiple bars and restaurants within its walls, and is breathtakingly gorgeous, choosing to only eat here for the rest of your life is the pro move.
2. Luca, Clerkenwell
3. Dinner, by Heston Blumenthal at The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
4. Govinda’s Pure Vegetarian Restaurant, Soho
5. Berenjak, Soho (and Borough)
6. Flesh & Buns, Oxford Circus (and Covent Garden)
7. Tattu, Tottenham Court
8. The Goring Dining Room, Belgravia
9. Cinnamon Club, Westminster
10. Frog by Adam Handling, Covent Garden
11. Rules, Covent Garden
Well, it is London’s oldest surviving restaurant. They must be doing something right!
12. The Wolseley, St. James’s
13. Happy, Piccadilly Circus
14. Quo Vadis, Soho
15. Padella, Borough Market (and Shoreditch)
16. The Port House, Strand
17. Balthazar, Covent Garden
18. Cinnamon Kitchen, Devonshire Square (and Battersea)
19. Cafe Boheme, Soho
20. Fishworks, Marylebone (and Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus)
21. Saint Jacques, St. James’s
22. KILN, Soho
This would be my pick too, if I could only eat at one place in London. Well… One of my picks at least. I can’t pick just one!
23. El Pirata, Mayfair
24. Randall & Aubin, Soho
25. Le Garrick, Covent Garden
26. Sophie’s, Soho
27. Hakkasan, Mayfair (and Hanway Place)
28. Sarastro, Covent Garden
29. The Delaunay, Covent Garden
30. The Palomar, Soho
31. Scott’s, Mayfair
32. Wong Kei, Chinatown
33. Café Pacifico, Covent Garden
Given it was the UK’s first-ever Mexican restaurant – and it’s still going strong – this restaurant is clearly beloved by many Londoners.
34. Akara, Borough
35. Misato, Chinatown
36. Langan’s Brasserie, Mayfair
37. Clos Maggiore, Covent Garden
38. Pétrus by Gordon Ramsay, Belgravia
39. Brasserie Zédel, Soho
40. Kasa and Kin, Soho
41. Circolo Popolare, Fitzrovia
42. Maharaja of India, Leicester Square
43. Hutong, London Bridge
44. Wiltons, St. James’s
45. Arabica, Borough Market (and King’s Cross)
46. St. John, Smithfield
Is there a single restaurant more synonymous with the London dining scene than St. John? Many London restaurants wouldn’t exist without it!
47. Darjeeling Express, Soho
48. Pollen Street Social, Mayfair
49. Bricco e Bacco, Fitzrovia
50. Punjabi Restaurant, Covent Garden
51. Chai Wu, Knightsbridge
52. Osteria dell’Angolo, Westminster
53. Restaurant KöD, Liverpool Street
54. Fallow, St. James’s
55. Duck & Waffle, Liverpool Street
Late-night dining has never been coupled with better views than at Duck & Waffle – perched high above London on the 40th floor.
56. Brood, Borough Market
57. Sexy Fish, Mayfair
58. Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill, Mayfair
59. Roti Chai, Marble Arch
60. Mei Ume, City of London
61. Sergio’s, Fitzrovia
62. 10 Greek Street, Soho
63. Pimlico Tandoori, Pimlico
64. Zuma, Knightsbridge
65. Mon Plaisir, Covent Garden
66. Bob Bob Ricard, Soho (and City of London)
The site of London’s infamous “Press for Champagne” button and home to equally stunning interiors and food.
67. Nobu, Mayfair
68. Madera at Treehouse London, Fitzrovia
69. Oblix at the Shard, London Bridge
70. Misto, Mayfair
71. Gymkhana, Green Park
72. Alto by San Carlo, Mayfair
73. Butlers Wharf Chop House, London Bridge
74. Koha, Covent Garden
75. Lupins, Borough
76. Ciao Bella, Bloomsbury
77. L’Autre, Mayfair
Serving up both Polish and Mexican food L’Autra is a wonderfully curious London institution.
78. Sabor, Soho
79. Reubens Restaurant, Marylebone
80. LPM Restaurant & Bar, Mayfair
81. Murano, Mayfair
82. Bocca Di Lupo, Soho
83. Bravas Tapas, St Katherine Docks
84. Veeraswamy, Mayfair
85. Broken Eggs, Fitzrovia
86. Mildred’s, Soho (and Covent Garden and Dalston)
87. Cicchetti, Covent Garden (and Piccadilly and Knightsbridge)
88. Vasco & Piero’s, Soho
Vasco & Piero’s was almost lost to Londoners when they were forced out of their original site. Fortunately, they were able to open a new Soho location. Phew!
89. Roast, Borough Market
90. Mielo, Marylebone
91. OPSO, Marylebone
92. Señor Ceviche, Soho
93. Pasta Brown, Covent Garden
94. La Poule au Pot, Belgravia
95. Locanda Locatelli, Marylebone
96. Siam Central, Fitzrovia
97. Amazonico, Mayfair
98. Sweetings, City of London
99. L’Escargot, Soho
London’s oldest French restaurant was a firm favourite of none other than Princess Diana herself, so naturally plenty of Londoners also count it as one of their favourite restaurants.
100. Royal China Club, Marylebone
101. Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, Soho
102. Meraki, Fitzrovia
103. Bacchanalia, Mayfair
104. Paradise, Soho
105. Hoppers, Soho (and King’s Cross and Marylebone)
106. Mere, Fitzrovia
107. Yakiniku Like, Covent Garden
108. Lucky Cat, Mayfair
109. J. Sheekey, Covent Garden
110. Jape’s, Soho
This Soho pizzeria is lauded throughout the city for its hefty pies – they’ve even come up with the very first ‘London-style’ pizza.
111. Americana, Haymarket
112. Rovi, Fitzrovia
113. Pick & Cheese, Seven Dials
114. Novikov, Mayfair
115. Speedboat Bar, Chinatown
116. Naroon, Marylebone
117. Yauatcha, Soho (and City of London)
118. L’Atelier Robuchon, Mayfair
119. The Oystermen, Covent Garden
120. Princi, Soho
121. NOPI, Soho
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Yotam Ottolenghi has multiple entries on this list of Londoners’ favourite restaurants.
122. Mountain, Soho
123. The Seafood Bar, Soho
124. Lisboeta, Fitzrovia
125. Zahter, Soho
126. Quilon, Westminster
127. Mowgli, Fitzrovia
128. INKO NITO, Soho
129. mallow, Borough and Canary Wharf
130. ‘O ver, Borough (and St. James’s)
131. Pierre Victoire, Soho
132. Dans le Noir ?, Farringdon
London’s ‘dine in the dark’ restaurant is not just a must-try for the experience, it also serves up incredible food.
133. Notto, Piccadilly (and Covent Garden)
134. Cipriani London, Mayfair
135. Jeru, Mayfair
Your Favourite North London Restaurants
126. Salut!, Islington
137. Carmel, Queen’s Park
138. Caravel, Regent’s Canal
Who can resist the charm of a floating restaurant, after all?
139. The Sitara, Archway
140. Dzo! Viet Kitchen, Islington
141. Sarang, Golders Green
142. German Gymnasium, King’s Cross
143. Behesht, Kensal Green
144. Dotori, Finsbury Park
145. El Vaquero, Barnet
146. Tierra Peru, Islington
147. The Cedar, Hampstead
148. La Lluna, Muswell Hill
149. Green Cottage, South Hampstead
150. Frederick’s, Islington
Something of an Islington institution, Frederick’s is just as well known for its enormous wine selection as its impressive food offering.
151. Great Nepalese, Euston
152. YumYum, Stoke Newington
153. Purezza, Camden
154. Lu Lu Shanghai Delicacy & Sake Bar, Stoke Newington
155. OITA, Wood Green
156. Perilla, Newington Green
157. Mem & Laz Brasserie, Islington
158. Rasa, Stoke Newington
159. Soor, Hendon
160. On’On Grill & Pierogi, Palmers Green
161. Pizzeria Pappagone, Finsbury Park (and Elephant & Castle)
162. Chuku’s, Tottenham
Chuku’s are leading the way for the next wave of the London food scene with their Nigerian tapas.
163. Gallipoli, Islington
164. Bronek’s, Northfields
165. Liman, Islington
166. Alexander The Great, Camden
Your Favourite East London Restaurants
167. Cay Tre, Hoxton (and Soho)
168. Angelina, Dalston
169. Crispin, Spitalfields
170. SMOKESTAK, Shoreditch
Few things go together better than smoke and meat, and SMOKESTAK has plenty of both. Always come hungry and you’ll leave stuffed to the gills.
171. Sông Quê Café, Hoxton
172. BiFe, Aldgate
173. Peck Peck, Hackney
174. Detroit Pizza, Spitalfields
175. Galvin La Chapelle, Spitalfields
176. Rhythm Kitchen, Walthamstow (and Stratford)
177. Tayyabs, Whitechapel
178. Satay Street, Aldgate
179. manteca, Shoreditch
manteca serves up the kind of pasta dishes that dreams are made of – not to mention their pillow-y soft focaccia.
180. Lyle’s, Shoreditch
181. Cugini’s Italiano, Chingford
182. Mumbai Maska, Chingford
183. Needoo Grill, Whitechapel
184. Gallio, Canary Wharf
185. Gloria, Shoreditch
186. som saa, Spitalfields
In a city packed to the brim with takes on Thai cuisine, som saa stands out with its unapologetically “old style Thai food”.
187. Mr. White’s English Chophouse, Whitechapel
188. Red Dog Saloon, Hoxton (and Soho)
189. Lahpet, Shoreditch (and Seven Dials)
190. Delamina, Shoreditch (and Marylebone)
191. The Clove Club, Shoreditch
192. Sagardi, Shoreditch
193. Rochelle Canteen, Shoreditch
194. BRAT, Shoreditch (and Hackney)
If you go to BRAT and you don’t get the grilled bread or the burnt cheesecake, did you even go to BRAT?
Your Favourite South London Restaurants
195. Little Cellars, Camberwell
196. Streatham Kitchen, Streatham
197. Forza Wine, Peckham (and South Bank)
Another much-loved wine bar and eatery, Forza Wine’s menu even has an option for ‘The Whole Menu’ – and trust us, you’ll be tempted…
198. José, Bermondsey
199. L’assaggino, Kingston
200. Roxie, Earlsfield (and Putney and Wimbledon)
201. Jerk Haven, Catford
202. The Bank Restaurant, Locksbottom
203. Rosmarino, Tooting Bec
204. Kudu Grill, Nunhead
205. La Barra, Elephant & Castle
206. Home SW15, Putney
207. Persepolis, Peckham
208. The Begging Bowl, Peckham
There might not be another restaurant in London as revered as The Begging Bowl, that still works tirelessly to promote and champion other incredible London venues.
209. Chez Bruce, Wandsworth Common
210. Toulouse Lautrec, Kennington
211. Levante, Lewisham
212. Llewelyn’s, Herne Hill
213. 24 The Oval, Oval
214. Karachi Cuisine, Croydon
215. KIBOU, Battersea
216. Luciano’s, Lee
217. Franzina Trattoria, Brixton
218. Poor Boys, Kingston Upon Thames
Bringing New Orleans flavour to old London-town by way of the much-loved po’ boy sandwiches.
219. 1833, Clapham Old Town
220. Leños & Carbón, Elephant & Castle
221. Paladar, Elephant & Castle
222. Pizzeria Sette Bello, Tooting
223. Texas Joe’s Slow Smoked Meats, Southwark
Your Favourite West London Restaurants
224. Taste Of Lahore, Edgware Road
225. Jacuzzi, Kensington
Londoners love the Big Mamma group of restaurants, with almost all of their London restaurants finding a spot on this list of Secret London readers’ favourite restaurants.
226. Cambio De Tercio, Chelsea
227. Mucci’s, Chelsea
228. Rokkon Japanese Restaurant, Chiswick
229. The Shed, Notting Hill
230. Koji, Parsons Green
231. Papaya Tree, Kensington
232. Ffiona’s, Kensington
233. Base Face Pizza, Hammersmith (and Barnes)
234. Daphne’s, Chelsea
235. L’oro di Napoli, Ealing
236. The Cheese Barge, Paddington
Another floating restaurant – except this one is devoted to only the cheesiest of delights. We can’t get enough of it!
237. Cleopatra Restaurant, Paddington
238. Phat Phuc Noodle Bar, Chelsea
239. La Palombe, Kensington
240. Gold, Notting Hill
241. When Abby Met Claud, Notting Hill
242. Bluebird, Chelsea
243. Polka Kitchen, Ealing
244. Roxys, Southall
245. 101 Thai Kitchen, Hammersmith
246. The Summerhouse, Little Venice
247. Shiuli, Twickenham
248. The River Café, Hammersmith
As much a celebrity favourite as it is a favourite of Londoners, The River Cafe is a truly iconic institution of Italian gastronomy in London.
249. MESTIZO, Chelsea (and Camden)
250. Gola, Fulham
251. Mediterraneo, Notting Hill
252. Halepi, Queensway
253. Eat-Aroi Thai, West Kensington
254. Core by Clare Smyth, Notting Hill
255. Mahdi, Hammersmith
256. Sushi Bar Makoto, Chiswick
257. Maxim, Ealing
258. Medlar, Chelsea
259. La Trompette, Chiswick
260. La Mia Mamma, Chelsea (and Notting Hill)
Real Italian mammas devise the menu and cook up a storm with a wonderfully social party vibe to match the whole affair.
Notable mentions
Naturally, plenty of restaurant chains and fast-casual restaurants also got plenty of love. After all, the best choice for a restaurant that you could eat at for the rest of your life doesn’t necessarily have to be hard to get to! Secret London readers singled out these eateries as being among their favourites, and there’s sure to be a location near you…
261. Dishoom
We’ll never argue with this one! Dishoom might just have some of the most beloved restaurants around.
262. eat Tokyo
263. Barrafina
264. Steak & Co.
265. Goodman Restaurants
266. Hawskmoor
267. The Breakfast Club
268. Roka
269. The Union
270. Flat Iron
271. Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Crabshack
272. Cottons
273. The Ivy
The Ivy got a lot of love from Secret London’s readers, potentially rivalling Dishoom with its number of fans!
274. The Real Greek
275. Hare & Tortoise
276. Taro
277. Burger & Lobster
278. Blacklock
279. Kiyoto Sushi Bar
280. Gökyüzü
281. Miller And Carter
282. Gaucho
283. Bleecker Burger
Often included in all sorts of ‘best burger in London’ roundups (including our own), Bleecker Burger is also one of the favourite restaurants of our readers.
284. Three Uncles
285. Santa Maria Pizzeria
286. Tofu Vegan
287. Rosa’s Thai
288. Bone Daddies
289. Shoryu
290. Maroush
291. El Pastor
292. Din Tai Fung
293. Roti King
294. Wahaca
295. Kanada-Ya
296. Touro
297. Banh Mi Bay
Beyond just picking one restaurant, if I had to pick just one dish to eat every day it would probably be bánh mì.
298. Ippudo
299. Giggling Squid
300. Nando’s
What a classically London pick to round out the list, eh?
If you’ve made it down here to the end – congratulations! You’ve worked your way through 300 of the favourite restaurants of Secret London readers. Did yours make the cut? If you had to choose just one, which would you pick to eat at for the rest of your life?
