London
in England

Pop by 107 Wine Shop & Bar for some glasses of low-intervention, natural tipples. Though when chef in residence, Julie Hetyei is in the kitchen staying for dinner is a no-brainer. Her menus change regularly, though expect a dozen or so French-influenced dishes and some ridiculously good puds. 

It’s always difficult to find a table for a big group in London, but this little Hampstead cellar bar has the sweetest alcove for 10, which isn’t a complete pain to book. Plus the Spanish-and Italian-inspired small plates are designed for sharing: jamón Iberico, pan con tomate and whole sea bass followed by perfectly pretty basil and white chocolate tartlets. tAn insider address worth knowing.

A. Wong has been on diners' minds (and in diners' bellies) for over a decade. This popular modern Chinese restaurant has delicious dim sum and two Michelin stars to boot.

This two-storey restaurant, which spotlights Sichuan flavours, is just outside the official boundaries of London’s Chinatown. Representing a region famous for bright red broths and mouth-numbing dried-chilli concoctions, it’s somewhere for people who enjoy their rice with next-level spice. It’s also somewhere to stick to the specialities: sea bass in sizzling chilli oil or pork dan dan noodles.

This is the late chef and Italophile Russell Norman’s ode to a Florentine trattoria. Instantly atmospheric, the downlit restaurant has linen draped over bulbs and tables set on various levels. Red-and-white checked tablecloths are covered in plates splattered with tonnato sauce and caperberries or raw porcini mushrooms topped with shards of aged Parmesan. A restaurant with one of London’s most authentic Italian moods and menus.

Probably one of Cecconi's most stylish outposts, the Mayfair restaurant is ideal for a glass of bubbly and a quick bite before an evening spent gallery hopping. The food is solid but not exactly mind-blowing, so we usually stick to nibbles and save our appetites for any of the myriad fantastic restaurants in the 'hood.

It might take you a minute or two to find Dinings, but the little hunt makes the experience of...ahem...dining at Dinings all the more delicious. They have a tight menu of delicate Japanese sharing plates and creative sushi that's sure to delight.

Eel Sushi Bar is a tiny, wood-panelled hot spot from the team behind Michelin-starred Dorian, just across the street. Slip onto a bar stool under the warm glow of the lamps and watch chef Nick “Noodle” Xie (of Dinings fame) at work behind the counter. The people-watching on Talbot Road is top-tier, the margarita is smooth and dangerously moreish, and the menu – a concise ode to sushi – is totally faultless. Expect pristine sashimi, melt-in-the-mouth nigiri, and the odd tempura bite. It’s all over in an hour (the turnover is tight – which explains why it's so hard to get a reservation), but that’s part of the charm. Finish at The Walmer Castle or The Pelican nearby for the full Notting Hill crawl.

Elliot’s is a wine bar and Modern European restaurant that plays with seasonal wood-fired cooking and produce from independent suppliers from the city's outskirts. This place encourages its visitors to pair their meals with their selection of natural wines and have a simple yet exquisite dinner. 

Getting a reservation here is not easy. It’s also off the beaten track, on the eighth floor of the Rotunda (once the BBC Television Centre) in White City. But there are few places quite so universally well regarded. Chef Endo Kazutoshi is a third-generation sushi master and his omakase-style menu of mostly fish (all day-boat catch from named locations) is faultless. Join the waiting list to be informed of cancellations.

Angelo Sato has been cooking some of the best yakitori in the city since 2021. But in a bid to move away from the juicy Japanese skewers, the chef shifted his own goalposts with a relaunch just two years later. Humble Chicken 2.0 is a magical multi- course omakase experience that leaves diners giddy. Crisp tartlets of beef tartare arrive in a puff of smoke; bouncy loaves of milk bread are served with layers of miso sesame butter and chicken liver parfait. There are only a few seats so book ahead.

This intimate old-school Japanese spot (a 15-minute stroll from the Japanese embassy) has been serving sparkling sushi on traditional wooden blocks alongside crisp tempura and filling soba noodles since the 1970s. Consistently good in a neighbourhood where the food scene is hit and miss.

We can hardly think of a more "London" restaurant than J. Sheekey. This absolute classic serves some of the best seafood in the city; it’s no wonder it’s been a fine dining fixture for decades. In our book, J. Sheekey is the perfect place for a treatsie meal before or after the theatre. 

This spot specialises in udon: thick, soft, flour noodles from the south of Japan, traditionally kneaded by foot. The noodles here are made authentically (allowing body weight to do much of the work) and the broths are vividly flavourful. Everything is designed to be eaten quickly (so the noodles remain al dente), making this one of Soho’s finest in-and-out spots.

There was a bit of a wave of small, meat restaurants cropping up in Soho a few years ago, but not all of them have stood the test of time. Kricket, however, remains a golden tip. This trendy charming restaurant focuses on Indian small plates with bright refreshing twists.

Inspired by chef Peppe Belvedere’s Sardinian heritage, dishes here celebrate the sea. Raw scallops with a broad bean vinaigrette, perhaps, or fregola with cockles and tomato; and on the wood-fired grill there’s John Dory and Dover sole, served with deep-red radicchio salads. From the outside it looks like a retro caff but the wood-panelled dining room in the back is stylishly understated. A sunny Sardinian secret.

At Little Duck The Picklery, they have a passion for all things pickled—kimchi, kombucha, vinegar, you name it. But what really sets them apart is how they pair these pickled gems with delicious natural wine and charming small plates. Grab the table by the window for a romantic, candlelit dinner. 

Dalston is packed with traditional Turkish restaurants. Umut 2000 is a favourite for a quick halloumi wrap, but for a contemporary take and more of an evening destination, it has to be Mangal II. There might be courgette fritters with a celeriac cream and pickled fennel, grilled onion flatbreads and lamb belly with house chilli sauce. Nothing will disappoint.

With an in-house salumeria and a focus on nose-to-tail butchery, Manteca also makes hand-rolled pasta. Following years of pop-ups and residencies, chef Chris Leach found a permanent home on the more grown-up side of Shoreditch, and it’s always two-floors-full of date-night couples and Italian expats slurping mussels. We rate the bar seats on the ground floor, along with the Wildfarmed rosemary focaccia, black pepper salami and handkerchief-like fazzoletti with duck ragù.

Bar come shop & eatery, Moto is everything a sake and artisanal drink fan could want. Nestled within the heart of Covent Garden, the staff at Moto are always more than happy to help you find the perfect pairing, whether it's sake, shochu, gin, or absinthe. Pop by to buy a bottle or two, and find yourself staying for an obento. 

The food, wine, and creative art magazine of the same name has since spawned three restaurants across the capital, the latest, Mayfair venture occupying a corner plot within Shepherd Market. Here, the French-inspired classics are bold and indulgent: seamed turbot is served in a rich beurre blanc and a roast bavette bathed in bearnaise. Focus is still steady on the wine, with oenophiles and foodies loving it in equal measure.