38 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 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's 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 days gone by. 

One of London's favorite Spanish tapas bars, modeled after the famed Cal Pep tapas spot in Barcelona, has only a few raised bar stools within the open-counter kitchen just off 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 neat 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 cult favorite 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 sesame breads, and richly flavored coal-cooked marinated lamb, chicken, and poussin kebabs. With exposed brick walls and a delightfully edgy atmosphere, you can sip non-alcoholic cocktails and sharbat cordials in cozy side booths or hide out in the green foliage backroom snug.

This upscale Italian institution is always crowded and the tables are jammed too close together, but everyone still loves the glorious spread of regional Italian small plates here. Located off Theaterland's Shaftesbury Avenue, the famous trattoria offers magnificent peasant-based pasta, stews, fritti, salumi, and raw crudi, spanning regions from Lombardy to the Veneto. Try the deceptively fine Romani fried sage leaves with anchovy, the salt-baked fossil fish from Lazio, or roast suckling pig from northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna. Start with a refreshing Aperol spritz before enjoying the majestic all-Italian wine list, which weaves from Super Tuscans to ballsy Barolos.

Enjoy the great value, prix-fixe menus of classic French dishes at Piccadilly's ever-bustling subterranean Parisian-style brasserie. Dripping with Beaux-Arts gilt mirrors and monumental marble pillars, you can enjoy satisfying French standards like steak haché, choucroute, Niçoise salad, and crème brûleé. Old-school waiters in dapper black uniforms glide across the vast parquet dining room floor, while the attached art deco-style Bar Américain cocktail lounge and late-night live cabaret provide wonderfully suave post-dinner shows.

Eschew the myriad copy-and-paste curry houses of Brick Lane and opt instead for this broom cupboard–size Spitalfields restaurant serving flawless small-plate Indian cuisine. The charming waitstaff is happy to offer guidance when it comes to the menu, with its highly original takes on authentic flavor combinations from the subcontinent.

Run by the same Greek-Cypriot family since 1966, this friendly taverna is a local institution and is considered by many to be the best Greek restaurant in the whole country. With its rustic interior and a mouthwatering menu of Greek culinary classics, it's the perfect spot for a leisurely lunch or a memorable evening out. The grilled meats are a must, as are the extensive selection of cold and warm mezze.

Seemingly everyone involved in the West End theater world hangs out at this legendary subterranean spot for its ever-enchanting blend of New York comfort food, nightly jazz piano, and wall-to-wall signed theaterland memorabilia. Established in 1977, enduring classics include Joe's slow-braised smoked baby back ribs, New York strip steak, a not-so-secret off-menu hamburger, and a classic PB&J ice cream sandwich.

Globally acclaimed Brit chef and co-owner James Lowe forsakes heavy sauces and sorcery at this stripped-back, informal British dining mecca in Shoreditch. Stark but highly inventive locally sourced dishes may include house-cured cod with radiant nasturtium flowers or 24-hour Cornish Helford Estuary monkfish with wood sorrel and pick-your-own East Sussex greengages. A firm slice of treacle tart comes with a blob of raw double cream. All the sourdough bread, butter, charcuterie, pickles, and preserves are made in-house. Look for the Neal's Yard cheese plates (try Tymsboro and Stichleton). Dinner is served as a six-course set menu, while lunch is an à la carte small plates affair. 

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. 

The "oak" in this all-day restaurant is a hand-crafted wooden "tree" that sits under a retractable roof that combines with blonde oak furnishings and pink walls to create a light, airy feel. The menu ranges from comfort food favorites like mac-and-cheese croquettes and mini-slider burgers to Asian-influenced dishes like duck bao buns or lime-glazed salmon with egg noodles, bok choy, and shiitake mushrooms to Mexican-influenced plates like fish tacos with pickled slaw and chipotle mayo or pulled-beef quesadillas. There are also inventive cocktails and indulgent brunch dishes like buttermilk pancakes with berries that have made the place a favorite with locals often accompanied by attendant children and dogs. 

If you've ever wondered what the future tastes like, it might just be the 11-course tasting menu here at Silo, a sleek zero-waste restaurant opened by pioneering chef Douglas McMaster in this on-trend area of East London. Clever use of techniques like smoking and dehydration will change how you think about everyday ingredients like carrots and potatoes, while the occasional meat dishes—game and offal feature often—are melt-in-the-mouth delectable (those not in the mood for the full 11 courses can go à la carte with the small plates menu). The local neighborhood may still be a bit rough around the edges, but Silo, with its beautiful high-ceilinged dining room, black-clad staff, and wow cooking, is one of the chicest dining experiences in town.

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.

New York–based French superchef Daniel Boulud combines French brasserie classics like escargot, salade nicoise, and poule au pot with American-style gourmet burgers at this sophisticated but casual restaurant located within the Mandarin Oriental. The excellent grazing menu has something for everyone, and the professional but informal waitstaff enhances the convivial vibe. Platters of delicate charcuterie and luxury seafood compete with the signature foie gras/beef/short rib burgers on black onion or sesame-seed buns. The two-course prix-fixe deals from noon until 6:30 are good value.

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.

You'll need some help finding this East End fashionista headquarters located down a side alley in happening Bethnal Green. Once inside, check out the striking loft dining space and the bar, Manchichi, in its postindustrial chic setting, before polishing off light French and English dishes. Choices range from steak tartare and Croque Madame to cod and clams and Longhorn beef with red wine sauce. Be sure to catch the resident pianist at weekend brunch, camping up everything from Katy Perry to Girls Aloud on the baby grand.

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.

Set in a corner of what was once a vast Victorian warehouse, this airy eatery is open from early morning to late at night, serving great food and freshly roasted coffee (you’ll pass by the giant coffee roaster en route to the bathroom). The focus is on world cuisine (the jalapeño cornbread is a perennial favorite), and the all-day menu features shared plates as well as sourdough pizzas. There are excellent cocktails, too.

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.

A Bayswater favorite with the well-connected Notting Hill set, Hereford Road is renowned for its pared-down, pomp-free, and ingredient-driven seasonal British fare, with an emphasis on well-sourced regional British produce. Work your way through uncluttered combos like smoked mackerel, potato, and horseradish; braised ox cheek and carrots; or buttermilk pudding with blueberries. Their set lunches on Fridays and Saturdays are arguably the best lunch deals in town.

This consistently popular, family-run, taverna-style restaurant has been serving local families and celebrities alike in its large, vine-decked premises for more than 40 years. Besides a large selection of Greek Cypriot small-dish meze dips, hot breads, and starters, there are rustic mains like moussaka or slow-baked kleftiko lamb in lemon as well as assorted grilled fish. Expect friendly Greek service and hospitality, plus an airy atrium in the back. Generous meze spreads for two or more people are £35, and bargain weekday set lunches are £17.50.

London's sizable, well-heeled Russian community flocks to this maximalist evocation of a pre-Revolution babushka's living room, overflowing with vintage chandeliers, porcelain figurines, tapestries, and nested Russian dolls. The menu leans toward traditional old-country comfort food like Siberian pelmeni (dumplings) filled with pork and beef, pierogi, smoked salmon blinis, creamy beef Stroganoff with wild mushrooms, and, of course, borscht, finished off with a seven-layer honey cake. If you're dozing off from carb overload, a homemade chili-and-horseradish vodka shot will wake you right up. The waitstaff speak Russian and you may get better service if you can do the same.

Israeli-born star chef and global cookbook sensation Yotam Ottolenghi cleans up at his flagship vegetable-centric restaurant on the outer edges of Soho. Melding densely flavored small dishes from the Middle East, Asia, and the Mediterranean, diners here can jump around from courgette (zucchini) and manouri cheese fritters to harissa-marinated octopus and Persian love rice to carob and coconut ice cream. Note the more informal downstairs space has two shared communal tables and an open kitchen.

This lively Israeli-Levantine restaurant offers excellent Middle Eastern tapas (plus influences from Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, and Turkey) at relatively friendly (by Kensington standards) prices and has become a firm neighborhood favorite. Start with fluffy Yemeni challah bread and move onto a grilled eggplant "steak" with black tahini, pine nuts, and pickled tomatoes, a charcoal-grilled mushroom "shawarma" that incorporates a lima bean cream and asparagus (hot dishes are cooked in the open kitchen's wood-fired oven), or a duck breast salad with a pomegranate-and-ginger vinaigrette dressing. A  three-course £30 set lunch offers good value. This is the kind of place where you're expected to share plates and eat with your fingers, and if you have something dribbling down your chin, no one will mind.

This eatery strikes a balance between trendy and traditional with retro-diner style and efficient service. The specialty is fish-and-chips, but if fish isn't your thing, try the free-range grilled chicken.