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$$$ | Soho |
Striking black-and-white photos of legendary regulars like artists Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud beam down at this disarmingly charming old-school hangout that was the former unofficial London headquarters for the Free French in exile during World War II. Set on the first floor of the famous pub of the same name and run by a former cabaret artist, you can sip Ricard pastis or bargains from the all-French wine list before embracing superb French bistro classics like salt cod beignets, calves brain with brown butter, or braised navarin of lamb with cheesy aligot mashed potato.
49 Dean St., London, Greater London, W1D 5BG, England
Known For
- Storied home to Soho's artists, writers, and bohemians
- French bistro classics like whole roast garlic bulb on toast
- No music, no phones, and no laptops policy
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No dinner Sat., Reservations essential
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$$$ | Covent Garden |
London's onetime most famous celebrity haunt and West End landmark is still so popular it receives more than a thousand calls a day. Established as an Italian café in 1917, today it's still a top destination to dine on deep-fried haddock and chips, Thai baked sea bass, and evergreen English classics like shepherd's pie and baked Alaska. Madonna famously once ate sticky toffee pudding with Hollywood actor Tom Cruise and British playwright Harold Pinter here back in the day. Perch at the coral onyx dining bar in pink mohair-backed seats, kick back with an Old Fashioned, and enjoy some of the best free theater and people-watching in town.
1–5 West St., London, Greater London, WC2H 9NQ, England
Known For
- Celebrity-filled history dating back to 1917
- Famed house staples like grilled calf's liver and Dover sole
- Charming service and wonderful West End people-watching
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$ | Covent Garden |
Scrub up like Eliza Doolittle and perch at the pewter bar sipping a My Fair Lady (with homemade gin and orange blossom) at this busy but laid-back little sister to the flagship The Ivy restaurant. You'll find bargains galore here on the something-for-everyone brasserie menu—from crispy duck salad and poached lobster cocktail to chicken Milanese and blackened cod. For dessert, be sure to try the chocolate bombe, a chocolatey mush of milk foam, vanilla ice cream, and gooey hot salted caramel sauce. The raucous salon atmosphere fits in perfectly with the green-leather banquettes, dark timber floors, and copious 19th-century brass lamps.
1a Henrietta St., London, Greater London, WC2E 8PS, England
Known For
- Vespar Martinis at the sizzling central bar
- Green leather booths and antique pics galore
- Popular brunch menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Notting Hill |
Acclaimed Aussie chef Brett Graham and his team are known for modern European cuisine at its finest, and the sheer inventiveness and quality of the food on offer make for a very special night out. This relaxed, intimate restaurant now serves a range of six- and eight-course tasting menus with seasonal produce very much dictating what ends up on the menu, although classic Graham game staples, such as Berkshire muntjac, often make an appearance. Advance booking is essential.
127 Ledbury Rd., London, Greater London, W11 2AQ, England
Known For
- Creative vegetable dishes like white asparagus soup with lemon, grapes, and ricotta
- Charcuterie that comes from Graham's very own pig farm
- Signature brown sugar tart with stem ginger ice cream for dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations essential
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$$$ | Soho |
It's Palestine meets Jerusalem meets Beirut at this funky Arab-Israeli spot off Chinatown. Sit at the zinc open-kitchen counter and down shots of arak while trading quips with the brilliant Middle Eastern chefs, who offer an exuberant medley of Levantine delights, including Yemeni Jewish kubaneh (a light, fluffy pull-apart bread), Palestinian steak tartare, Jerusalem truffled mushroom polenta, and paprika-rich pork belly tajine with Israeli couscous. Look, too, for the lavish Kurdish-style mussels inspired by the head chef's beloved grandmother.
34 Rupert St., London, Greater London, W1D 6DN, England
Known For
- Middle Eastern party atmosphere and free arak shots
- Lively chefs at the open-kitchen counter
- Popular Persian oxtail stew and sumac-rich fattoush salad
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | Piccadilly |
It feels like a cinematic reinterpretation of 1930s Taipei at this glamorous jewel box on the edge of Chinatown. Peerless dishes like tomato and smoked eel cold soup and marinated Shou Pa chicken with rice, ginger, and white pepper are complemented by a tea kiosk, a tea master, railway clocks, two hidden mahjong rooms, and a collection of cute solo dining seats.
30 Rupert St., London, Greater London, W1D 6DL, England
Known For
- Taiwanese classics like Char Siu Iberico pork with grilled cucumber
- Sparkling Hong Yu cold brew tea
- Taiwanese whisky
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$$$$ | Mayfair |
A-listers head straight for 34, off Grosvenor Square in Mayfair, simply because all the other celebrities seem to hang out here, too. It must be the plush Edwardian and art deco dining salon, the neat fish, game, and steak-focused menu, and the smooth Upper Manhattan–style service. Appetizers like Devon crab and shrimp cocktail face off against chunkier delights from the Argentine parrilla charcoal grill—think 28-day Scottish Bridge of Allan rib eyes, USDA New York strips, and Japanese Wagyu fillets. Top crowd-pleasers include a luxurious surf and turf and truffled lobster macaroni. When done with mains one can opt to see the dessert menu or the cigar menu—or even both.
34 Grosvenor Sq., London, Greater London, W1K 2HD, England
Known For
- An endless procession of Hollywood stars
- Impressive global meats off an Argentine-inspired grill
- Live jazz
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$$ | St. James's |
A sophisticated crowd enjoys the clubhouse vibe at this classic brasserie at the back of the royal grocer, Fortnum & Mason. An old-school trolley trundles up table-side to serve Siberian Sturgeon caviar with scrambled eggs, baked new potatoes, and blinis, while creamy beef Stroganoff and whole duck with elderberry sauce get the full table-side-flambé treatment. Truffles that are shaved at the table are another specialty. The popular Welsh rarebit toasty has a punchy mustard kick, while nostalgic desserts include a fleet of alcoholic ice-cream floats.
45 Jermyn St., London, Greater London, SW1Y 6DN, England
Known For
- Unique caviar trolley
- Glamorous decor
- Collection of boozy ice-cream floats
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
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$$$$ | Clerkenwell |
Mark Jarvis’s cool, unpretentious fine-dining establishment in the historic Hatton Garden jewelry quarter in Farringdon is focused on food that is both seasonal and ethically and locally produced. Five- or ten-course tasting menus are offered at lunch and dinner, with each dish as much a feast for your eyes as for your palate. Menu descriptions are kept consciously simple and understated but there's no disguising the symphony of flavors and textures that dishes deliver.
30 St. Cross St., London, Greater London, EC1N 8UH, England
Known For
- Well-priced tasting menus
- Signature beetroot-based desserts
- Cutting-edge inventive cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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$ | Soho |
Lines form daily to secure a prized seat, perch, or stool at this no-reservations 32-seater from a crack team of Taiwanese steamed bao bun specialists. The gloriously plump milk-based, rice flour bao buns—stuffed with organic Cornish braised pork, peanut powder, and fermented greens—are the undisputed stars of the show. These nifty bao buns also come with fried chicken, crumbed daikon, or lamb with soy-pickled chilis and garlicky mayo. Kick off with the silky scallops in yellow bean garlic sauce and finish with a fried bao bun stuffed with Horlicks ice cream for dessert.
53 Lexington St., London, Greater London, W1F 9AS, England
Known For
- Long lines for the steamed and stuffed Taiwanese bao buns
- Highly Instagramable pig's blood cake and soy-cured egg yolk
- Unusual fried bao bun with Horlicks ice cream for dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations not accepted
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$ | Soho |
This legendary Italian coffee bar on Frith Street is Soho's unofficial beating heart and a 22-hours-a-day classic institution. Established in 1949 during the postwar Italian coffee bar craze and still run by the founding Polledri family, today an eclectic parade of locals grab an espresso or cappuccino made from the vintage Gaggia coffee machine, and wolf down a chocolate baci or a light snack at the mirrored bar counter. The walls are plastered with pics of old-time Italian opera singers, movie legends, and '50s world boxing champs, and it's the primo spot in town to watch Italy play during the World Cup.
22 Frith St., London, Greater London, W1D 4RF, England
Known For
- Tiny hole-in-the-wall setting
- Old-school Italian espresso
- Sturdy sausage or bacon sandwiches
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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$$ | Clerkenwell |
Every night feels as bustling as downtown Tel Aviv at Exmouth Market's superb and hip shawarma bar. Enjoy challah toast with tahini-rich meze before delving into slow-cooked, harissa-heavy lamb shawarmas and the best mejadera (rice with lentils and onions) this side of the Middle East. Be sure to leave room for malabi, a delicious Israeli milk pudding, for dessert.
46 Exmouth Market, London, Greater London, EC1R 4QE, England
Known For
- Tel Aviv–style trendy hangout
- Wondrous chargrilled lamb and beef shawarmas
- Unmissable barbecued cauliflower shawarma
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$$$ | Fitzrovia |
All the cool cats swing by this grand brasserie at Ian Schrager's insanely trendy London Edition hotel near Tottenham Court Road. Enter the monumental Edwardian dining salon, where you might swoon over a Herdwick lamb rump with mashed potatoes and white onion purée. Exquisitely appointed with framed pictures, paintings, and Grand Central Terminal-style bronze chandeliers, the sheer elegance of the place will soon have you feeling like a million dollars, too.
10 Berners St., London, Greater London, W1T 3NP, England
Known For
- Knockout dining salon
- Cool backlit cocktail bar
- Legendary Buccleuch Estate steaks
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$ | Soho |
Set in a former basement brothel, this Soho meatopia cranks out £24 platters of chargrilled beef, lamb, and pork skinny chops and juice-soaked flatbread, all served on antique pearlware. Supplied by Philip Warren butchers from the Cornwall moors, Blacklock's killer chops sizzle on the grill under heavy Blacklock cast irons from Tennessee. All-in platters include starters of crispbread topped with egg and anchovy and punchy sides like the 10-hour ash-roasted sweet potato. Enjoy catchy '80s tunes, wine on tap, and a hearty tableside serving of white chocolate cheesecake for dessert.
24 Great Windmill St., London, Greater London, W1D 7LG, England
Known For
- Young and bubbly service with bouncy '80s tunes
- Huge platters of skinny chargrilled chops and flatbread
- £24 Sunday roasts with all the trimmings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations essential
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$$ | Soho |
French tapas may sound sacrilegious, but Gallic gem Blanchette hits the spot at this family-run hipster bistro where jazzy French sounds complement the charming bare-brick and oak table candlelit interior. Visually feast on the eclectic Paris flea market bric-a-brac and then order a host of smaller plates to share, like the crispy frogs' legs and truffle saucisson (sausage) or baked scallops with Café de Paris sauce. The cramped tables can be a touch intimate, but desserts like chocolate tart, tonka bean syrup, and macerated cherries are a fitting Left Bank finale.
9 D'Arblay St., London, Greater London, W1F 8DR, England
Known For
- Unusual French tapas-style dishes and shared plates
- Cool Soho crowd with romantic, jazzy soundtrack
- Roasted wild sea bass with sea herbs and langoustine butter
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential, Closed Sun.
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$$ | Spitalfields |
Within a magnificent Kew Gardens–style tropical garden and plant conservatory, you'll find this stylish brasserie backing out onto Old Spitalfields Market. Housed in a converted former Victorian bank, Blixen offers evergreen European comfort food. You'll find options like tiger prawn and roast pig's trotters or courgette flower and curried mushroom on its short, sweet, and relatively inexpensive menu. There's neat blueberry pancakes, potato rösti, or a raclette-rich Croque Madame for breakfast and brunch. Check out the small, nautically themed basement cocktail bar.
65A Brushfield St., London, Greater London, E1 6AA, England
Known For
- Captivating, palm-filled tropical conservatory
- Great cocktails in the basement bar
- Popular weekend brunches
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$$$ | Shoreditch |
Welsh chef Tomos Parry brings his signature wood-grilled, whole roast Cornish turbot to this Basque-inspired hipster restaurant. Expect other live-fire smashes like aged Jersey beef chops and seared leeks. Even the grilled bread is something special.
4 Redchurch St., London, Greater London, E1 6JL, England
Known For
- Meat-heavy dishes grilled in a variety of ways
- Noisy hipster atmosphere
- Heritage Welsh grain flour breads
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$$$$ | Fitzrovia |
Variety is the spice of life, and it's also the modus operandi of this airy Charlotte Street eatery where an ever-changing roster of guest chefs from around the globe roll into town with their exquisite seven-course tasting menus. One week it might be Japanese trout roe with egg yolk and koshihikari rice, while the next week will feature skate wing bilbaina from the Basque country. Whatever the cuisine, the one constant is the sheer quality of the dishes on offer. Alternatively, there's also a wine bar that serves delicious tapas-style plates–don't miss the fried chicken with habanero and honey.
19–23 Charlotte St., London, Greater London, W1T 1RL, England
Known For
- Revolving door of guest chefs
- Impressive wine list
- Friendly, informal vibe
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$$$ | Mayfair |
Revel with the A-listers in the glamorous buzz at this upscale Italian brasserie wedged between Cork Street, Savile Row, and the Royal Academy of Arts. It's perfect for a pit stop during a West End shopping spree or after browsing the nearby Mayfair galleries and auction houses, with diners spilling out onto pavement tables for breakfast, brunch, and cicchetti (Italian tapas)—and then returning later in the day for something more substantial. The luxe green-and-brown interior is a tony backdrop for classics like red mullet carpaccio, veal Milanese, and tagliatelle bolognese, and don't forget the pick-me-up tiramisù.
5A Burlington Gardens, London, Greater London, W1S 3EP, England
Known For
- Favorite of nearby Vogue House staff and Sotheby's clientele
- Popular veal Milanese
- All-day jet-setter hangout
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$ | St. James's |
Tucked away down a pedestrianized back street, this casual French bistro is a favorite haunt for politicians based in and around the nearby Palace of Westminster. Open all day, one can only imagine the political intrigues being discussed over Gallic classics such as coq au vin or snails in garlic butter, all washed down with wines from the surprisingly extensive list.
22 Palmer St., London, Greater London, SW1H 0PH, England
Known For
- Large outdoor terrace
- Wine available by the carafe
- Good value for this touristy area
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
