32 Best Restaurants in London, England

Candlelit at night, with a haunting Dickensian vibe, Andrew Edmunds is a permanently packed, old-school Soho dining institution. Tucked away behind Carnaby Street in a creaky but charming 18th-century town house, it's a cozy favorite whose unpretentious and keenly priced dishes draw on the tastes of Ireland, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Desserts like warm treacle tart or bread-and-butter pudding offer few surprises, but the wine list is always superb and famously reasonable. It could be larger, less creaky underfoot, and its wooden church pew seats more forgiving, but it's a deeply romantic way to get a taste of what Soho was like in bygone days. 

British restaurateur Keith McNally re-creates his famed New York Parisian–style grand brasserie at this bustling spot off Covent Garden. The soaring grand café setting creates an enchanting backdrop to enjoy the reassuringly classic French brasserie menu, including standbys like fruit de mare platters, lemon sole meunière (with capers and parsley), côte de boeuf, and grilled lobster. A fitting treat for pre- and posttheater meals, spoil yourself with classy rock oysters and steak tartare before polishing off a pile of profiteroles for dessert.

Fabulous handmade pasta at affordable prices characterizes this sleek Italian eatery off Soho's Golden Square. Sit at the bustling chef's counter to sample options like bucatini cacio e pepe, or pork, fennel, and 'nduja ragù with twirly ribbons of mafalde pasta. Enjoy fine creamy burrata starters or Sicilian red prawns and samphire as well as a side of ample Soho people-watching from the row of raised kerbside counter window seats. Gluten-free pasta options are also available.  

This legendary Italian coffee bar on Frith Street is Soho's unofficial beating heart and a 22-hours-a-day institution. Established in 1949 during the postwar Italian coffee bar craze and still run by the founding Polledri family, today an eclectic parade of colorful locals grab a quick espresso or cappuccino made from the vintage Gaggia coffee machine, and wolf down a chocolate baci, slice of pizza, or bacon bap at the mirrored bar counter. The place is plastered with Italian flags and pics of vintage Italian opera singers, movie legends, and '50s world boxing champs, and it's the best spot in town to watch Italy play during the World Cup.

One of London's favorite Spanish tapas bars, modeled after the tiny Cal Pep tapas spot in Barcelona, has only a few raised bar stools within the open-counter kitchen south of Trafalgar Square. Lunchtime lines form from noon daily for a top-quality succession of impeccably sourced small plates, ranging from giant Spanish carabineros red prawns and Iberian pork cheeks to black squid ink risotto with cuttlefish. There's a thoughtful selection of Spanish reds, whites, sherries, and sparkling white cava, and be sure to leave room for noted desserts like the almond-based Santiago tart.

At this always-packed Persian kebab hole-in-the-wall, it's best to sit at the raised counter overlooking the tandoor grill and clay oven and indulge in the expansive meze spreads, hot taftoon flatbreads, and richly flavored coal-cooked marinated lamb, chicken, and poussin kebabs. With exposed brick walls, hanging plants, and a delightfully edgy atmosphere, you can sip nonalcoholic cocktails and sharbat cordials in cozy side booths or hide out in the green foliage-strewn backroom snug. A favorite with global stars like Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid, be sure to book ahead. 

Be sure to ask for a table in the dreamy, white blossom–filled conservatory at this warm, cozy, and seriously romantic Provençal country-style inn off Covent Garden. Once inside, you'll be won over by the old-fashioned but refined French cuisine and charming country innlike ambience. Options include Loire Valley rabbit ballotine, poached wild turbot, and Charolais beef cheeks with fine French beans. Lunch specials and £39 pre-and posttheater prix-fixe meals (with a glass of bubbles) are a brilliant way to experience the cuisine and celebratory atmosphere. With its warren of candlelit, interlocking oak-paneled dining rooms, and open fires, Clos Maggiore never fails to enchant.

British comfort food classics like ham-and-cheese toasties, bubble 'n' squeak, and even the mighty potato chip are elevated into gastro showstoppers at this classy town house just off the Covent Garden piazza. Prized triple-cooked chips are squeezed, sliced, buttered, and deep-fried to perfection, while the equally famous crustless toasties are all succulent Wiltshire ham hock, Montgomery cheddar, and tangy house pickle. Understated jazz and blues music plays amid the elegant decor, from the antique table glasses and French-linen napkins to the tarnished mirrors and green-velvet banquettes.

Enjoy the best pint of Guinness in London at the atmospheric saloon bar within this Georgian pub, grill, and restaurant just across the road from the Piccadilly Theatre. With its expert in-house butcher and wood-fired grill, expect phenomenal classics like Oban langoustines, lamb hotpot, or traditional beef cheek and Guinness suet pudding bathed in a rich gravy. Dogs are welcome, and be sure to ask to sit in one of the three cozy snugs hidden behind the ground-floor bar. 

Set in the former beer cellar of the Blue Posts pub in Chinatown, you'll find the tiny Evelyn's Table, a gastronomic experience based on amazing set tasting menus featuring top-notch British produce, with Scandinavian and Japanese notes, all underpinned by classical French technique. Arrive promptly for the two synchronized dinner sittings per night, which may wow with Scottish langoustines with pickled blackcurrant or flower-strewn Cornish cod with brown butter dashi. Enjoy a chat with the head chef, quality tunes, and wonderful paired wines. Book well ahead.  

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.

Open since 1896, this timelessly elegant seafood haven is a favorite with neighboring Theaterland's top stars and theater moguls. A warren of interlocking dining rooms, J Sheekey always charms with a ravishing menu of fresh Atlantic prawns, arctic herring, salmon burgers, and the famous Sheekey Fish Pie. Better yet, sip pink Billecart-Salmon Champagne and shuck half a dozen Lindisfarne oysters at the chic 1930s mirrored oyster bar for the ultimate in true romance.

Seemingly everyone involved in West End theater world hangs out at this legendary subterranean spot for its alluring blend of New York brasserie comfort food (think posh hot dogs, shrimp burgers, and mac n' cheese). Established elsewhere in Covent Garden in 1977, enduring classics include Joe's finger-licking slow-braised smoked baby back ribs, New York strip steak and chips, a not-so-secret off-menu hamburger, and a PB&J ice-cream sandwich.

Earthy northern Thai cuisine bursts out of the charcoal-fired kiln and hot clay pots at this barbecue-focused wonderland in Soho. Take in the action in the fascinating tiny open kitchen and you'll spy sizzling cumin-dusted cull yaw mutton skewers and chargrilled chicken thigh bites, along with other local Thai village-style dishes that crackle with influences from Laos, Myanmar, and Yunnan in China. Pick up pungent wafts of Thai parsley and Burmese wild ginger in a slew of authentic dishes such as lime-bathed langoustines or claypot-baked glass noodles with Tamworth pork belly and chewy crab meat.

Windswept lines wait patiently outside on Frith Street, and inside there may only be 25 counter seats, but everyone's still smitten with the steaming bowls of hot broth and house-made udon noodles at this quirky but consistently brilliant walk-ins only Japanese joint in the heart of Soho. Favorite udon combos like cured cod with wakame seaweed duke it out with sweet tofu, pork miso, and lamb mince and cumin alternatives, all vying for the affections of regulars and slurpy udon aficionados alike. Check, too, the cult English breakfast udon, which famously comes topped with a fried egg, bacon, and marinated mushrooms. 

Once frequented by the likes of Virginia Woolf and Karl Marx, locals still cherish this quirky 1871 French pâtisserie, vintage tea parlor, and occasional pop-up art space, where nothing seems to have changed much since the 1920s. Colorful pastries, tarts, croissants, and sweet cakes are well-loved and expertly baked on-site. You can choose from the gooey chocolate and fruit éclairs, Black Forest gâteaux, marzipan figs, and flaky almond croissants. Still run by Soho legend Michele Wade, Maison Bertaux also hosts a cheery retro afternoon tea service, which comes with pleasing savories like Dijon slice or broccoli quiche.

It's all beach coastal cool at this sleek Aussie stunner, tucked away in a modern courtyard enclave off Greek Street. The seafood- and vegetable-forward menu is inspired by the Sydney food scene and has wide-ranging hints of the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia, like a fine raw kingfish crudo bathed in macadamia milk or a crunchy gluten-free grilled aubergine karaage. At night, the lighting's low, the tunes are upbeat, and the fun and friendly service is relaxed but on point. 

Star chef Tomos Parry pulls off an audacious blend of Welsh-meets-Basque country cuisine at this always-busy spot near Carnaby and Regent streets. Diners come to dip restaurant-baked heritage grain bread in Balearic terra-cotta pots of Welsh Anglesey lobster Caldereta and mop up the juices with magical wood-fired rice. You can also sample spider crab omelets, Pembrokeshire cockles, and plancha-grilled whole John Dory, and marvel at the calm synchronicity of the open kitchen crew. There are also basement bar booths and a solid wine list. 

Fans of French bistro cuisine and fine wine flock to this glorious wood-paneled Georgian town house for masterful dishes like roast chicken with morel mushrooms and creamy vin jaune sauce alongside a marvelous 28-page French-focused wine list. Set in what used to be a famed Hungarian dining and left-wing political salon known as the Gay Hussar, these days diners bliss out on boudin noir and one of London's finest and most accessible wine lists, with numerous rare gems available by the glass.

It's Jerusalem meets Beirut at this pan-Arab-Israeli spot on Rupert Street 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 Yemenite Jewish kubaneh (a light, fluffy pull-apart bread), Persian oxtail stew, 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.

London's top contemporary Sri Lankan spot dazzles with Ceylonese spiced prawns, Brixham crab kiri hodi, authentic Sri Lankan egg hoppers, and fabulous char-smoked chicken curries. Located on Rupert Street in the heart of Soho, the diminutive space is a brilliant study in tropical brutalism, with its polished concrete walls, brown-leather cushions, stainless steel counters, and hand-thrown Tamil and Sinhalese typography clay tableware. Paradise's Sri Lankan--born founder and owner, Dom Fernando, can almost always be found somewhere on-site. 

A Soho dining institution since 1926, and once home to Karl Marx in the 1850s, here revered British chef Jeremy Lee MBE creates classic dishes like smoked eel sandwiches with horseradish and long-lost rarities such as Scottish Cullen skink smoked haddock and potato soup. Also look out for traditional meat pies of the day and stupendous terrines, as well as towering pavlovas and tasty sticky toffee puddings. 

Co-owner Missy Flynn and chef Gabe Pryce bring a playful spirit to Modern American dining at this indie spot on Soho's gastro-central Lexington Street. Sit at cute raised tables or red-leather booths and enjoy densely flavored Americana like hearty baby shrimp boil, fried chicken with buttermilk waffles, or corn-crusted turbot with macha pico salsa. The wines are all organic, low intervention, or biodynamic, and you can't go wrong by kicking off dinner with a signature gilda martini. 

Opened by Thomas Rule in 1798, London's oldest restaurant is still perhaps its most beautiful. The epitome of High Victorian design, overflowing with antique portraits, prints, cartoons, busts, and taxidermy, here you can indulge in traditional British fare like jugged hare, steak and kidney pie, or roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. For a taste of the 18th century, choose game from the restaurant's High Pennines estate, including roast grouse, mallard, or pheasant. Snag a table in one of the skylit rooms or the spot where the  Victorian-era Prince of Wales had trysts with the famed beauty and actress Lillie Langtry. 

Trailblazing Australian chef Skye Gyngell worships the seasons at her pastel-hued dining destination in majestic Somerset House off the Strand. Housed in the building's 1865 Neoclassical New Wing, Spring offers exquisite root-to-stem, produce-driven Italian dishes in an airy light-drenched dining salon. Expect everything from a tousled heap of biodynamic Fern Verrow Farm salad leaves to egg yolk–rich crab tagliolini. Free of single-use plastic, you'll find all the bread, butter, ice cream, cordials, vermouth, and tonics are made on-site. Also look for Spring's brilliant zero waste £30 "Scratch" menus, available in the early evening Tuesday through Saturday.

Perfect butter-basted rotisserie chicken from Baserri Aldabia served with French fries and house salad epitomizes the understated Parisian-style bistrot elegance of this showstopper from chef Tom Seller. A short menu of a few quirks like snail Bolognese with wild garlic butter on toast or comforting faves like roast whole Dover sole is complemented by an electrifying wine list.

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.

There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options at this joyous Middle Eastern extravaganza on the northern reaches of Soho. Go all in with the "Bubala Knows Best" spread to experience a cavalcade of laffa bread hummus dips, smoked Jerusalem artichokes, seared Chinese cabbage skewers, and slow-roasted celeriac, tahini, and Musakhan onion. The herb and spice count is high—with a profusion of sumac, za'atar, Aleppo chili, and ras el hanout—but happily, the sour labneh strained yogurt and epic challah and warm pita breads and raw crudités help smooth the way. 

Chef Angela Hartnett's low-key Italian café is an excellent value eatery perfect for pre-and-post theater meals. Set off Covent Garden piazza, you'll find classics like chicken Milanese or veal osso buco as well as fine cicchetti, crudo, risottos, gnocchis, and handmade pastas. Bargain three-course set lunch and theater meals are £30, and the portions, flavors, and general atmosphere are all on the warm and generous side.  

Everyone feels a zillion times more glamorous just stepping inside this candlelit restaurant attached to the swank Georgian-era hotel of the same name. Straightforward but endlessly fun retro British favorites include classic English pea and ham soup, primary school-style mince and potatoes, smoked haddock soufflé, and sticky toffee pudding. You'll also find quaint English scones and crumpets for afternoon tea and nostalgic 1970s-style fish finger sandwiches for traditional early evening high tea.