As the saying goes, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”. In terms of food, London has come a long way in the last ten years, and now has one of the most diverse restaurant scenes in the world. Whatever the cuisine, you can find it in London. Although I travel a lot, London has always been my base. Here are some of my favourite places to eat my city;
1. Sweetings
📍City of London. A City of London institution since 1889. Sweetings was originally a Victorian oyster bar and the traditional bar layout with stool seating remains today. My recommendation is start with a black velvet (Guinness & champagne) in their signature silver tankard (make sure to request a tankard if it’s busy as they can go), followed by a prawn cocktail, skate wing for main, and a sticky toffee or steamed syrup pudding to finish. After the turbot at BRAT the skate wing with brown/black butter sauce at Sweetings is probably my next favourite piece of fish in London. I’m not claiming Sweetings serves the best food in London. Some dishes can be hit and miss, but that honestly doesn’t matter to me. I just love eating here. There’s something about the place, the food, and the ritual of it all that keeps me coming back.
2. Berenjak
📍Soho, Borough Market, Mayfair. It’s not cheap but in my opinion Berenjak is a level above any other Persian restaurant I’ve been to in London or anywhere. All the kebabs are incredible but my favourites are the jujeh tond (poussin) and koobideh (minced lamb). On top of the grilled meats, the dips are worth a visit alone. I could easily come here and just order a few of them with some freshly baked bread and leave extremely satisfied. The black sesame hummus is my favourite hummus in London, but you can’t miss out on the olivieh either. The Borough Market venue is beautiful and has more space upstairs if you’re in a group but I love sitting by the bar or outside at the Soho venue. I recommend going for lunch to take advantage of the £35 set menu which includes a dip, a bread, a kebab and rice. The Mayfair restaurant is the newest of the three and probably the most beautiful but they do not offer the set lunch menu there. All are very difficult to book.
3. Ambassadors Clubhouse
📍Mayfair. Everybody knows JKS has some of the best Indian restaurants in town, but out of the bunch, Ambassadors Club is probably my favourite. The menu here is Punjabi-focused, and while it’s not cheap, the food, service and atmosphere are all a solid ten out of ten. For drinks, you’re going to want a Patiala Peg — essentially a Johnny Black Old Fashioned. It’s named after the generous pour of whisky, traditionally measured by the distance between the top of your index finger and the base of your little finger when held against the glass. I’ve been twice now, and everything I’ve tried has been amazing, but the butter chicken chops genuinely live rent-free in my head. Absolutely unreal.
4. Crisp Pizza at The Marlborough
📍Mayfair. Crisp Pizza used to serve their thin and crispy pizza out of The Chancellors pub in Hammersmith but joined forces with The Devonshire and launched their new home, The Marlborough in Mayfair, in early 2025. I’ve been a massive fan of their pizza since they started and have been calling it the “best pizza in London” since 2021. As well as their thin round crispy NY-style-ish pies, you can order the thicker grandma style square pies. My favourite pizza here is the ‘Grandma Vecna’ which comes with mozzarella, salami, burrata & hot honey. At The Marlborough you can either eat downstairs in the dimly lit restaurant which usually requires you to pre-book or upstairs in the pub which is walk-in. I prefer to eat in the back room of the pub or outside on a big wooden table. Watch reel here.
5. Ibai
📍City of London. Ibai is one of London’s hottest steak restaurants. They specialise in aged Galician blonde steak. Go for the 1kg ribeye or t-bone from Pontevedra. The steak is aged for 40-60 days then cooked on open flame. It’s around £130 but you can share it between or two or three easily. The sauce it comes with is amazing. Other star items for me include the croque Ibai, a toastie with carabinero prawn with cheese & honey, and the crab rice. On top of the food the service is very good and I like how spaced out all the tables are.
6. Bouchon Racine
📍Farringdon. Bouchon Racine is a small, old-school French restaurant in Farringdon, above the Three Compasses pub. It’s run by chef Henry Harris and restaurateur Dave Strauss. Henry Harris’s previously ran a a much-loved French restaurant in Knightsbridge called Racine which closed in 2015. The new Bouchon Racine opened in late 2022, reviving many of the ideas and dishes associated with the original. It’s been notoriously difficult to get a booking since they opened. It’s not cheap, one for special occasion. Service is standout too. If you struggle to get a booking they also serve a very good small bar menu downstairs at the pub which has an amazing selection of sandwiches on it.
7. The Plimsoll
📍Finsbury Park. I’m not the biggest Finsbury Park fan (mainly because there are Arsenal shirts everywhere) but The Plimsoll is easily one of my favourite pubs in London. These guys originally built up a following cooking at The Compton Arms, before crowdfunding and taking over the Auld Triangle in Finsbury Park. I love that the old pub sign still hangs outside. As well as serving a great Guinness, the food is top notch. The menu changes a lot but the Dexter Cheeseburger (still one of the best burgers in London) remains. It’s not cheap, but the food is great. Book ahead or get an early walk-in. The owners also have tapas bar in an ex-fish and chip shop up the road called Tollington’s Fish Bar.
8. Singburi
📍Shoreditch. Singburi is dead, long live the new Singburi…. Yeh, we all miss the old Singburi but times change and being able to get a booking and not having to go all the way to Leytonstone is a big plus for me. If you didn’t know, Singburi was a cult-favourite BYOB Thai restaurant in Leytonstone that recently moved to Shoreditch. I recommend going in a group of four and ordering the whole menu (just like you did with the specials board at the old Singburi). You’ll be looking at around £35-£40 per head. All the food is great but my favourite dishes include the aubergine and pork belly.
9. Normah’s
📍Bayswater. London has loads of great Malaysian restaurants (you can find my Malaysian restaurant guide here) but Normah’s is number one for me. The restaurant is hidden at the back of Queensway Market in a space with no windows and you have to walk through a phone repair shop to get there. All the food is good but the standout dish for me is the roti and beef rendang. Normah’s roti so buttery and flaky you’ll automatically want to order more. It pairs perfectly with the rich, coconuty beef rendang.
10. Wong Kei
📍Chinatown. This is a bit of a controversial pick. Wong Kei, a Chinatown institution since 1972, is historically known for being the rudest restaurant in London, although waiters have toned it down in recent years. The Google rating keeps dropping (it’s now a 3.5) and they were recently fined £42k after dead mice & cockroaches were found in the kitchen, but I keep coming back – mainly for the food. For me, and many others, it’s the best place to eat in China Town. I recommend the roast meats on rice, salt & pepper pork chop on rice, lemon chicken (the best in London), prawn stuffed tofu with aubergine, wonton soup, and roast duck & crispy pork on rice. Tea comes free. Still cash only. I don’t know why I love this place so much but I do. Watch my reel here.
11. Manteca
📍Shoreditch. Maybe my favourite Italian restaurant in London. I feel like this place has gotten better over the years. Manteca are known for their pasta and chops. The menu changes often so it’s hard to recommend anything particular but last time I went I had an incredible tamworth pork chop with crispy salumi potatoes, and two delicious pasta dishes. You’re looking at around £120-£130 for two people if you’re going for meat as well as pasta, with a couple of drinks each + tip. If you just want a pasta, starter and no alcohol it’ll only be around £30pp. I love a buzzing restaurant but Manteca is VERY loud, so i don’t recommend going on a hangover. Some parts of the restaurant are definitely louder than others. It’s great for a date or dining by yourself at the bar.
12. Osteria Angelina
📍Shoreditch. Osteria Angelina is a Japanese x Italian fusion restaurant from the guys behind Angelina in Dalston. Think Manteca, but with a Japanese twist. The Shoreditch spot is a much bigger space, with a bigger menu. I’ve been a few times now and everything I’ve tried has been seriously good. Favourite dishes of mine include the milk bread, raw tuna, and lotus root pasta. It’s incredibly hard to get a table so book ahead. Watch my reel here.
13. Cafe Francois/Maison Francois
📍St James’s/Borough Market. I’m putting both on the list together as I like both equally. Maison Francois is the original restaurant in St James’s and Cafe Francois is the newer restaurant in Borough Market. My favourite dish at Cafe Francois is the rib of beef with snails. It a thick cut cooked medium rare. They also serve a very good rotisserie chicken with merguez sausage. At Maison Francois I’m a big fan of the dessert trolley they wheel over to you at the end of the meal.
14. The Macbeth
📍Hoxton. The Macbeth is a historic Hoxton pub that has gone through several lives: old-school boozer, live-music venue, and now a Portuguese-inspired pub/restaurant. The building dates back to the mid-1800s and was originally associated with the Hoxton Distillery, which produced gin using water from an underground spring. It operated as the White Hart before eventually becoming The Macbeth. The Shakespearean name comes from an extraordinary Victorian ceramic mural inside depicting the banquet scene from Macbeth. The pub was renamed The Macbeth in 1978, briefly became Hoxton Distillery in 2005, and returned to The Macbeth in 2006. The Macbeth became an important Hoxton/indie music venue, particularly during the 2000s and 2010s. Artists associated with gigs there include Franz Ferdinand, Florence + the Machine, The xx and Roots Manuva. In 2025, chef Jamie Allan, associated with the team behind The Plimsoll, took over and reopened the pub with a Portuguese-inspired menu. The idea was explicitly to bring it back towards being an old-fashioned pub while retaining its musical character. I originally went on opening night and didn’t think much of the food but on my second visit was blown away. Every dish was banger. Watch my reel here.
15. Sessions Arts Club
📍Clerkenwell. Sessions Arts Club is easily one of the most beautiful restaurants in London, and the setting alone makes it worth a visit. Housed in a stunning former courthouse, the interiors are effortlessly glamorous, with high ceilings, ornate details and a slightly theatrical feel. It was even used as a filming location for Killing Eve. The cocktails are seriously on point, and the menu is full of dishes that look as good as they taste. The food is good, although for me, it’s really the atmosphere and setting that steal the show. I recently went for Sunday roast, which was excellent, and they had a live band playing traditional music right in the middle of the room — such a fun touch and it made the whole experience feel extra special. It used to be notoriously difficult to get a table here, but thankfully it seems much easier now, so it’s a great time to go. Definitely one for a long lunch, Sunday roast or drinks when you want somewhere that feels a little bit special.
16. Quality Chop House/Quality Wines
📍Clerkenwell. The Quality Chop House is a Clerkenwell institution dating back to 1869, housed in a wonderfully atmospheric Grade II-listed dining room with old wooden booths and a distinctly Victorian feel. The cooking is modern British but firmly centred on exceptional meat, with steaks and chops taking pride of place, while the famous confit potatoes are essentially compulsory. It has a strong wine list, polished service and a sense of occasion without feeling overly formal. My only complaint is that the small wooden benches can be uncomfortable and cramped if you are in a group. Next door they have their sister restaurant Quality Wines which serves equally good food. They have good set-lunch menus and serve the best Portuguese bifana sandwich I’ve ever had.
17. Casse-Croûte
📍Bermondsey. Casse-Croûte in Bermondsey is a charming, old-school French bistro with a cosy, unfussy atmosphere, classic dishes and a wonderfully authentic Parisian feel. After a couple of glasses of wine you’d easily believe you’re on the other side of the channel. The must get dish here is the beef en croute. Tender beef cooked pink, wrapped in puff pastry. Unfortunately it’s only available Sundays.
18. BRAT
📍Shoreditch & London Fields. The whole grilled turbot at BRAT is probably the best piece of fish you’ll eat in London if not the whole of the UK. BRAT is an open-fire Basque influenced restaurant with locations in Shoreditch and London Fields. All the dishes are incredible from the baked breads to start, the seasonal vegetables, chops, and aged steaks. My recommendation is to never visit BRAT with less than 4-6 people. The turbot is big, so if there are only two of you, you won’t be able to tackle much else on the menu. Also the more people you go with, the cheaper the meat will cost. Considering they have a Michelin Star, the vibe is incredible casual. I love the Shoreditch restaurant but in summer time, the London Fields location might be one of my favourite spots for outdoor dining. It used to be number one for me but I haven’t been in a few years so moved it down my list.
19. The Devonshire
📍Soho. The Devonshire is probably London’s most popular pub. It’s busy from when it opens to closes every night of the week. The Guinness is decent although nowhere near the best in the city (like some people claim). Despite adding an extra floor and cramming in as many tables as possible, it’s still extremely difficult to get a booking here. As soon as bookings open, table are gone. They have a great three course set menu for only £29 which includes a prawn cocktail, steak and sticky toffee pudding, also the Sunday roast is £29.50 with all the trimmings. The beef is delicious, the potatoes are crispy and the vegetables are good too. One starter you’re going to want to get is the iberico ribs. Service has been great every time I’ve been.
20. Scotti’s Snack Bar
📍Clerkenwell. Scotti’s Snack Bar is one of my favourite sandwiches spots in London. It’s run by two old Italian brothers, Al and Max. Al works in front chatting away to customers and Max makes the sandwiches in the back. The shop dates back to 1967 and was originally run by their parents. In my opinion it’s they have the most beautiful shop front in London but I love the dated interior too. There’s no menu but only a few items are sold here. At breakfast you can go for a sausage or bacon sandwich roll, with our without egg. At lunch they serve a chicken escalope sandwich and cappelletti in brodo. The cappelletti in brodo is comforting and comes served with a buttered bread roll, but it’s all about the chicken escalope sandwich here in my option. I get mine with lettuce, tomato and mayo. So simple but so good. Watch my reel here.
21. Molesey Fish Bar
📍Molesey. Ok, Molesey Fish Bar is a couple hundred feet just outside of Greater London but it’s such a gem i had to include it on this guide. This chippy dates back to the 1930s. It’s one of a few London(ish) fish & chip shops that still fries in beef dripping. When you walk in you’ll notice mountains of scraps (shards of batter which have broken off from the fish) stacked in the warmer. If you get these on top of your chips it creates an incredible texture and flavour. Molesey Fish Bar is easily one of the most beautiful chippies i’ve been to. I love the old fryer and wood-panelled walls. The prices here are amazing. At lunch you can get a small fish & chips with mushy peas for only £6.50. It not the crispiest batter but the beef dripping gives both the fish & chips great flavour. The kebabs are also popular. The pub across the road will let you eat in if you buy a pint. Watch my reel on beef dripping chippies in London here .
22. The Tamil Prince
📍Barnsbury. This ex-pub turned restaurant in Barnsbury is serving up some of the best Indian food in London. The head chef is ex-Roti King so you know the star of the show is going to be the freshly made roti, which you can watch being made in the kitchen window. Other favourites for me are the chicken lollipops, prawns and channa bhatura. Other than the lamb chops the menu is incredibly well priced. They have outdoor seating so it’s great to visit in summer too.
23. Brigadiers
📍Bank. Brigadiers is another Indian restaurant from JKS. It’s not cheap but all the food is amazing. The lamb chops are the best in London. They have a pool table, private dining rooms, beer towers and play sports. On Saturdays they often have good menu offers.
24. Auld Hag/The Shoap
📍Angel. Auld Hag/The Shoap is a Scottish cafe in Angel serving some of the best breakfast sandwiches in London. Well-fired rolls loaded with your choice of square sausage, bacon, black pudding, haggis, egg and tattie scones. They only use the highest quality ingredients here but in my opinion it’s the house-baked well-fired rolls that are the star of the show. The full Scottish breakfast is also great and they often have some good lunch specials too.
25. Padella
26. Acme Fire Cult
27. D&K Gambian Roast Chicken
📍 Stratford & Forest Gate. D&K Gambian Roast Chicken is a takeout only pop-up stand. You can find Dembo at Stratford Market Village Monday, Wednesday and Thursday or opposite Forest Gate station on Saturdays. He’s open 10:00-17:00 at both sites, although can sell out way before close. A whole rotisserie chicken is £9. It’s heavily seasoned with garlic powder, salt, black pepper, ginger, chilli powder, curry powder, maggi, parsley, thyme, all purpose seasoning, Cajun seasoning. The chicken is halved before it’s put in a bag and topped with some spicy oil. The chicken is ridiculously tasty and comes nicely off the bone. They also sell chicken wraps which are also popular. For sides they serve an amazing jollof rice as well as slow-cooked veg which make it an all round delicious meal. Watch the reel here.
28. St John
📍Farringdon, Spitalfields & Mayfair. One of the most well-known restaurants in London, famous for their nose-to-tail cooking. It was also Tony Bourdain’s favourite restaurant in town. St John are basically the reason bonemarrow started popping up on menus everywhere. The original location in Farringdon is my favourite, followed by Spitalfields (Bread & Wine) and lastly Marylebone which I’m not that much of a fan of. The original location is split into two areas; a casual bar area you walk-in and grab a table, and a white table cloth dining area which has the Michelin Star. The bar menu is smaller but you can still order a lot of the classics like the bone marrow on toast. In my opinion St John is one of the best examples of why British food is great. The only reason it’s moved so far down my list and I haven’t been back in a while is because of their diabolical 1994 prices marketing scam last year.
29. Brutto
📍Farringdon. Probably my favourite Italian restaurant in London. The food at Brutto is a basically a greatest hits of all the top restaurants in Florence. On top of that they serve £5 negroni and spritz. Great food, friendly service, good prices. The must get dishes for me are the dough balls with prosciutto & stracchino and penne with vodka & tomato with a side pot of Parmesan (like at La Vecchia Bettola). It’s hard to book but if you come early you’re likely to be lucky with a walk-in. There’s usually space at the bar. I love nearby LUCCA too but a meal is half the cost here so won’t have you sweating when the bill comes.
James Dimitri 