The 20 Best Places To Eat And Drink In London, 2023
London is a city defined by diversity; over 300 languages are spoken by people of 270 different nationalities. Listing all the benefits these people, their cultures, and world views bring to England's capital city would be an impossible task. Fortunately, we only need focus on the benefits London's diversity brings to the city's gastronomic scene.
In a word, London's increasingly global population has given the city vitality. This is demonstrated in both the array of cuisines on offer and the nation's rapidly changing tastes. Chef Alyn Williams highlighted this to Destination of the World News: "The change in British attitudes to food is immeasurable. As diners we've become much more open-minded ... Since the 1980s we have seen a sharp rise in Eastern European and African restaurants. I think the unique character in London's dining scene is down to its diversity, as we have almost every nationality on earth represented within the city. I reckon you will find over 100 different cuisines by country here, and I doubt there are many other cities that can boast that."
As an enormous city packed full of talented professionals, it can be almost impossible to decide which bar, restaurant, or cafe to visit when in London. Happily, there is not one solution to that dilemma but numerous. Here are 20 of ours.
1. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
What would England be without the pub? That's a question no one wants to know the answer to. Fortunately, Londoners need not concern themselves with it; the city is crammed full of pubs of every description. There are the desi pubs that serve draft beer alongside South Asian cuisine, gastropubs stocked with small plates and pies, and historic establishments that walk the line between relaxed boozer and interactive museum.
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese falls into the latter category. The pub was founded in 1538 and burnt down in 1666's Great Fire of London. It was rebuilt a year later and has served its faithful patrons — including the likes of Charles Dickens — ever since. Today, sawdust still covers the floorboards and all beers on tap are brewed by Samuel Smith's, Yorkshire's oldest brewery. Perhaps the highlight of these is Old Brewery Bitter, a traditional, malty beer that is occasionally poured from oak casks.
2. Mangal 2
Mangal 2 is one of London's contemporary culinary institutions thanks to the wide array of brilliant Turkish food served on site. This food treads the line between traditional and innovative through dishes like vine leaves stuffed with crab and topped with langoustine emulsion.
The word "mangal" means barbecue in Turkish and this cooking apparatus is well-represented on the menu. Cornish mutton loin and Devonshire duck both spend time on the grill, attaining a charring that the deeply flavored meat is well suited to.
Thanks to this enthusiastic cooking, Mangal 2 has garnered great acclaim, and is ranked 35th in the National Restaurant Awards. The man responsible for this cooking, Sertaç Dirik, was also named Observer Food Monthly's 2022 Young Chef of the Year, further highlighting the quality of Mangal 2's dishes.
3. Prufrock Coffee
Like most cities, London runs on coffee. In 2021, the city was home to over 3,700 coffee shops. Prufrock Coffee remains the best of them. The café was founded by ex-World Barista Champion Gwilym Davies and it is no stranger to awards itself; Prufrock Coffee was recently named the best independent coffee shop in Europe by the European Coffee Awards.
Unsurprisingly, coffee is the main attraction at Prufrock. The coffee shop serves coffee from Square Mile, a roastery co-founded by another ex-World Barista Champion James Hoffmann. Coffees from many other roasters also feature in Prufrock's menu. Aside from the namesake beverage, Prufrock Coffee also sells a range of tea sourced from the much acclaimed Postcard Teas, a brand that only sources from farms smaller than 15 acres.
4. Xi'an Impression
As the name suggests, Xi'an Impression serves food hailing from the capital of Shaanxi Province. Less evident is the skill of Xi'an-born chef Wei, or the incredible quality of her dishes. Fortunately, both these become quickly apparent after entering the restaurant.
Xi'an Impression serves unrivaled street food; the star of the menu is perhaps Liangpi Noodles, a room-temperature dish of beautifully textured noodles that are cooked by steaming. Another favorite is Biang Biang, a bowl full of hand-pulled noodles served with pork, tomato, and egg. The Xi'an beef bun with special sauce is a further brilliant dish.
With a score of 9.1/10 from The Infatuation and glowing reviews across the media from Time Out to The Guardian, Xi'an Impression is no longer the hidden gem it once was. Yet, a gem it most definitely remains.
5. Moto
Moto is a bar that celebrates Japanese-produced spirits and beverages. Many of the products sold at Moto have never been seen in the United Kingdom before as founder Erika Haigh highlighted to Restaurant: "All sakes are sourced from craft producers in Japan that I have formed direct relationships with, cutting out the middleman, I import directly from them. None of these products have ever entered the UK market before. I try to always have a selection of sakes from north to south Japan."
Although Moto also serves drinks ranging from gin to absinthe, the bar's predominant focus is sake. A variety of sakes are available in-store via individual pours or as part of a sake flight. All offer unique tasting notes, demonstrating the breadth of this incredible drink.
6. Tatale
Located in London's Africa Centre, Tatale presents itself as a pan-African restaurant influenced by founder and chef Akwasi Brenya-Mensa's life, heritage, and travels. The food is served as a sharing set menu and features innovative dishes like warqa brik red red tart, a combination of North African pastry and West African stew. The highlight of the meal comes in the form of omo tuo and nkatekwan, a mashed white rice dumpling served in groundnut soup. This was a standout dish for The Guardian's Grace Dent and several other prominent food critics.
While serving brilliant food is the foundation of Tatale, it is not Brenya-Mensa's only goal as he explained to the Evening Standard: "So I think the goal, apart from being successful, is to change patterns of behavior. If we retain authenticity and if we're progressive, then we can achieve accessibility through being excellent."
7. Red Room
The Connaught is a luxury, five-star hotel located in London's prestigious Mayfair district. The Red Room is The Connaught's newest bar and matches the sophistication of both the area and the hotel itself. Wine is the predominant offering in the Red Room and oenophiles will delight at the extensive menu that's packed with some of the biggest names in winemaking.
These bottles are incredibly expensive with one red, a 1985 La Romanée Conti from Burgundy, being priced at a staggering £45,000. The use of Coravin, a technology that allows wine to be poured without breaking the bottle's seal, means many rare bottles can be enjoyed by the glass. These include a 2007 Romanée-St Vivant Grand Cru and a Riesling from Egon Müller; exceptional wines to be enjoyed in an exceptional space.
8. Cave Cuvée
At the other end of the wine bar spectrum is Cave Cuvée, a fun, informal space located in the basement below the wine shop, Shop Cuvée. Known just as much for its playlists as its range of natural wines, Cave Cuvée is the perfect place to unwind with quality drinks.
Co-founder Max Venning explained the bar's energy to The Modern House: "Come to Cave Cuvée for a glass of wine and a good time. On a Friday and Saturday night, there's a real high energy here ... When it's super busy, people will just stand upstairs in the shop with a glass of wine. We've always got fun tunes on and the team has a really good attitude." A small selection of food, ranging from hotdogs to oysters, is available to complement the experience.
9. Brigadiers
Brigadiers was inspired by the mess bars of the Indian military, which explains why the food served inside the richly decorated walls is so powerful. For once, the term flavor bomb is warranted. This food is cooked in various ways, including the use of tandoors, charcoal grills, and smokers. All cooking methods fall under the umbrella of Indian barbecue.
The dishes arising from this concept include dum beef shin and bone marrow biryani as well as goat belly vindaloo samosas. A range of juicy beers and botanical gins help cut through the heavy-hitting food. Brigadiers is completed by a plush ambiance as one person stated on TripAdvisor: "The best Indian food I have ever eaten & that includes a bunch of trips to India! Wonderful service.. unique venue also. Feels like a star hotel! Looking forward to going back."
10. Karaway
Rye bread is usually associated with Nordic cuisine, despite the grain having historically been a part of numerous European diets. While there are many places to snag a loaf of this dense, nutritious loaf, few are on a par with those produced by Karaway, a bakery with locations across London.
The rye bread baked by Karaway is in the Baltic style which lends a sweetness to the loaf. This bread, pastries, and other treats are available at Karaway's cafe shop in Stratford, East London. For those eager to keep moving, however, we would suggest stopping by the Karaway stall located in London's iconic Borough Market. The customer service here is just as stellar as in the cafe; Jurate, a Karaway employee, highlighted this to Borough Market: "I can also suggest different things for them ... I have tried everything and so can suggest what foods to have with the different breads."
11. Lyle's
Named as the 32nd best restaurant in the world, you might expect Lyle's — and James Lowe, the chef behind it — to be stuffy or pretentious. The truth is that Lowe and his restaurant are among the most approachable players in London's food scene as highlighted by the simple summation of his work Lowe provided to Amuse: "I cook with ingredients that excite me, bought from people who care about what they do, and serve them in a way that brings out their best — for a very reasonable price. Simple as that."
The majority of these ingredients are British and it is fascinating to see what the nation's natural bounty can provide. Dishes like whelks, sea greens, and cider butter prove the potential for seasonal British food is exceptional, all you need is a chef with the skills and know-how to handle them.
12. Nightjar
Nightjar is a 1920s-style speakeasy that was once named the second-best bar in the world. Co-founder Edmund Weil explained why he and his wife chose the oft-overused speakeasy theme to Foodism: "I'm a lover of vintage style, and if someone opened a speakeasy bar I'd drink there over most other places because, well, what does it stand for? Good music, vintage style, drinks that have been made with care and attention, good service, and intimate spaces — and I like all of those things."
Nightjar's drinks menu is split into different time periods: Pre-prohibition, prohibition, and post-war. There are also three further sections: non-alcoholic, signature, and sharing. All of the options listed on the menu are celebrated for their beautiful presentation and exceptional flavor. The bar is also known for putting on a show; live music performances are held every night focusing on jazz, blues, and swing.
13. St. John
It is not hyperbole to say that St. John changed British — and indeed, global — cooking forever. The man largely responsible was chef and co-founder Fergus Henderson who authored the seminal book "Nose to Tail Eating: A Kind of British Cooking." This book, released in 1999, detailed Henderson's approach to cooking, namely valuing every part of the butchered animal. For over 25 years, St. John has championed this style of cooking, earning the admiration of chefs worldwide.
Today, St. John is the holder of a Michelin star and continues to serve its hearty fare through famous dishes like roast bone marrow and parsley salad, a favorite of the late Anthony Bourdain. For these reasons, entering the whitewashed restaurant is, for many, akin to entering a hallowed cathedral. The food, on the other hand, is an education. One that every person who is passionate about food should enroll in at least once.
14. Cadet
Cadet is what happens when two wine importers, a charcuterie master, and a chef join forces. In this wine bar and bottle shop, world-class charcuterie such as paté en croute is served alongside well-formed food and exceptional wine in a coming together of professional talent and skill rarely seen, even here in England's capital.
The harmony found on every table at Cadet comes from the similar mindset and singular vision each of the four founders share. Chef Jamie Smart explained this sentiment to The Modern House: "Francis, Tom, and George share the same ethos as me towards farming, suppliers, and producers — and they enjoy the same sorts of food that I do. It's been dreamy having George create charcuterie that completely matches my cooking."
15. Dim Sum Duck
Often touted as the best Cantonese food in London, Dim Sum & Duck needs little introduction to those living in the city. Dim sum is the restaurant's field of expertise and experts the kitchen staff are as demonstrated through the restaurant's incredible xiaolongbao, a steamed bun filled with minced pork. Dim Sum Duck's two types of cheung fun are also exceptional.
The Infatuation gave Dim Sum Duck a rating of 9.1 out of 10. The Michelin Guide and MyLondon have also featured the restaurant. As a result, the queue outside Dim Sum Duck is usually long. Yet, the food is of such quality that no wait time could ever be deemed excessive.
16. Planque
Located in a space dominated by railway arches and bright blue walls, Planque is not a restaurant for the faint of heart. The bold interior is surpassed by even bolder plates of food. Chef Seb Myers serves up an ever-changing selection of French-inspired dishes that have included the likes of calf's brains in black pepper sauce and mushroom tartine, nettles & guanciale.
Planque was ranked 36th in the National Restaurant Awards and is known for being a membership-only wine club as well as a world-class restaurant. This is reflected in Planque's wine list which is extensive and, perhaps unsurprisingly, French-dominated. For non-wine drinkers, a selection of lambic should prove enticing.
17. Endo at The Rotunda
World-class sushi served atop the old BBC Television Centre sounds like a unique enough experience by itself. Add sushi master Endo Kazutoshi to the mix and the result is a meal so singular it is almost indescribable. This is because Kazutoshi is a natural showman who fosters a fun atmosphere; he even had a curved bar custom-built for the restaurant to increase the interaction between guests.
Endo at The Rotunda follows an omakase-style dining experience where 20 courses are served. Only the best ingredients are used in each of the courses and Kazutoshi even has water shipped over from his hometown in Japan to use in the cooking process. When you consider this attention to detail it is no surprise the restaurant has been awarded a Michelin star.
18. Sessions Arts Club
Restaurant, bar, art gallery, and performance space in equal measure, Sessions Arts Club seems like it does it all. Fortunately for those that choose to dine, it does them all well, not least the food. Florence Knight is the chef at Session Arts Club and she turns out an array of eclectic, simple, and astounding meals including trout served with pomelo and roe.
The restaurant is hidden behind an understated door. But while the entrance and the cooking are studies in sublime restraint, the dining room is overtly grand with double high walls, artistically peeling plaster, and velvet drapery. This is not your average dining room. Fortunately, Knight and her team have the substance to back up so much style.
19. Ikoyi
Ikoyi was founded by old friends Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale in 2017. Since this time, the restaurant has flourished, winning two Michelin stars and being ranked as the 49th best restaurant in the world. Ikoyi has achieved this thanks to its wholly unique food.
The menu at Ikoyi is built around sub-Saharan West African spices. This does not mean the kitchen serves West African cuisine. Instead, Chan cooks spiced food that drips with umami as demonstrated through dishes like jollof rice with crab and miso. Chan explained this approach to Great British Chefs: "As humans we're naturally drawn to umami flavors because they trigger mouthwatering reactions. So, there's a logic behind building layers of umami in dishes — it makes food moreish." While true, we believe describing Ikoyi's food as moreish is an understatement; phenomenal would be more accurate.
20. Tetote Factory
Tetote Factory is one of London's foremost bakeries, serving specialist Japanese breads and pastries in a small, takeaway-only space. The menu is extensive, ranging from the likes of shoku-pan to filled savory breads and sweet options such as green tea brioches. The bakery even sells exceptional French baguettes for £2.
Located in South Ealing, the bakery is open four days a week and frequently sells out of its baked goods as one reviewer highlighted on TripAdvisor: "This is a real find. Hidden away on South Ealing Road, they open early and close when all the bread is gone! The custard bun is the favorite of the children. The Green tea muffin is really good, and the savory baked goods are reminiscent of bakeries in South East Asia."