Powder Keg Diplomacy in Clapham harks back to the Britain of yore, with old fashioned maps, a conservatory room and plants everywhere. The menu is just as British with delicious dishes such as rib, ox cheek and guinea fowl and a heavenly cocktail list owing to its status as one of the best restaurants in London.
Top London Restaurants
So, you’re scouting out the best places to eat in London. A city where some of the world’s finest chefs hang their hats, London comes bursting at the seams with exciting places to wine and dine in style. We’ve put our thinking caps on and compiled this list of the best restaurants in London; so whether you’re looking for the finest seafood goods in the City, the most intricate Dim Sum in Chinatown or the juiciest cuts of steak in Soho, we’ll likely have something for you.
Perhaps it's a quirky London restaurant you're after, which is where the Upper House comes into its own. Housed in a stunning 3-story Victorian townhouse on Islington's Upper Street, come for dinner and drinks at this debaucherous location, where much of the interiors are hand-drawn using nothing more than a marker pen and a little 'can-do' spirit.
With the same comfort as your best mate's home, Coin Laundry welcomes diners with open arms and empty stomachs. The Clerkenwell restaurant has an interior of exposed wood and warm hues throughout the decor. The menu houses gourmet twists on otherwise known classics. Plenty of savory pies, cauliflower cheese steak, and other hearty dishes surface the menu to win over your heart and your stomach.
M Restaurant is a multifaceted venue serving up a delicious array of treats that any restaurant connoisseur should try. Alongside many private rooms and a cocktail bar, they've got a 120-cover grill restaurant, where they serve up their signature dish: steak. Here you can choose from cuts carefully selected from six different countries.
Nestled in the heart of Chinatown, Opium makes a name for itself with deliciously light Dim Sum parcels, washed down with creative signature cocktails. Start with a quiet drink in the Apothecary Bar - with its spirits dispensed into authentic Chinese medicine bottles - then enjoy a dinner spread featuring barbecue pork buns and lobster dumplings aplenty. De-licious.
Relax into the comfortable and elegant surrounds of The Harcourt, a restaurant, bar and private dining space in a Grade-II listed Georgian townhouse. This is one of the best places to eat in Marylebone, with five stunning dining spaces to ease into and an all-day menu of modern European fare - with a nod to their Scandinavian heritage - on the cards. Brunch and a unique Fika menu are served at the weekends and special mention must also go to the intriguing cocktails and extensive wine list.
Coupling great cocktails, delicious dishes and an idyllic interior into one venue, Bourne and Hollingsworth Buildings is a top restaurant in North London that draws in crowds from across the capital. Perfect for anyone looking for a restaurant for a birthday dinner, the menu of delicious food and stunning interiors will make this a birthday you won't forget in a hurry.
If you're a game fan wondering where to have dinner in London, then The Jugged Hare is absolutely for you. Fitted with a 'theatre' kitchen fronting an eight-spit rotisserie and a charcoal grill, this excellent city gastropub serves seasonal British game and wild fish plates. There's mouth-watering steaks, cheeseburgers and fried duck eggs too, with a liquid menu that focuses on expertly selected wines and British cask ales.
Drake & Morgan offers a relaxing antidote to the hustle and bustle of London life. Handsomely set over two floors with luxurious leathers and vibrant splashes of emerald green, come for a meal featuring grilled octopus, halloumi burgers and butternut squash ravioli. Craft cocktails are a specialty and there's a bottomless brunch to be taken advantage of come Sunday afternoon.
Housed in a grandiose Georgian town house, Bird of Smithfield is an impressive spot well suited to laidback lunches and private dinner parties alike. Dig into an a la carte spread featuring market fish of the day, homely shepherd's pies and braised ox tongue pie, with plenty of innovative cocktails on the side. Love a roof terrace? This one is a stunner, perfect for a couple of alfresco drinks after dinner in the warmer months.
This top London restaurant comes to Chancery Lane with a feel for French cuisine. Plating up only authentic Provencal dishes and using suppliers in Southern France, Cigalon keeps to the fine, classic lines of French cuisine and to much acclaim. Head here and experience their exceptional menu for yourself.
Any foodie worth their salt will have heard of ETM and as such should be pretty excited by their rooftop Aviary, located in Finsbury Square. Not only does the quirky spot have a gorgeous roof terrace, perfect for sipping cocktails and watching the sunset, but they also serve a delicious, seasonal, British fare.
Serving up culinary delights in the league of the above is no mean feat, but the Jones Family Project's quality is plain for all to see. If you're hoping to find a restaurant in London around the Shoreditch area, put your faith in the Jones Family. Meat and fish is responsibly sourced, interiors are stylish and the josper-grilled steaks are show-stopping.
Restaurant Ours is one of the best London restaurants by combining a relaxed aesthetic with a fantastic food menu to create a truly unique space. Exposed brickwork and gentle wooden furnishings combine with an open space to create a truly relaxing atmosphere, while the menu of delicious European food will keep your belly more than satisfied.
Okay, you caught us. We've strayed from the top London restaurants blueprint ever so slightly to make room for The Last Tuesday Society; a bizarre museum celebrating the wonderful quirks of humanity that really has to be seen to be believed. Take in an exhibition of the weird and the wonderful, and round off your stay with some cocktails and a mixture of hot and cold snacks to finish.
Not to be confused with a table-tennis focused hangout, Ping Pong is in fact one of the most stylish and chic restaurants in London. With a chic design and laidback vibe, share around seasonal, bite-size dim sum delights complemented perfectly by a range of fresh cocktails and theatrical flowering Chinese teas. One of our favourite restaurants for dim sum in London.
London's best riverside pub? The Gun has certainly got to be right up there. Housed in a Grade II listed, 19th century building, this gastropub serves seasonal British grub and quality wines with views stretching out across the water to the O2 Arena and Canary Wharf. Come during the summertime for dinner and drinks in their waterside alfresco area.
Sat only a few paces away from the bustling Trafalgar Square, Walkers of Whitehall is a quaint restaurant that specialises in serving traditionally cooked British gastro grub. Their team of chefs have worked tirelessly to produce a diverse menu composed of brilliantly balanced plates and succulent meat that's been cooked over an oak wood fire. From cumin leg of lamb to bavette steak with chimichirra, you'll definitely find something to your liking at this Central London restaurant.
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