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London Restaurants

Wining and dining in London is a true experience. Not only can you sample international cuisine you should attempt to taste the delights of treu English food...yes there is such a thing. 

In a city with this much diversity, you’ll find a vast array of restaurants and bistros in every area. From North London in Camden to the trendy area of Faringdon in the East, there’s pretty much all types of cuisine and a alcohol here and it’s not difficult to find something for everyone.

London restaurants in the West End

Sketch: [9 Conduit Street W1, 0870 777 4488] Long awaited and heavily hyped, this London restaurant has the claim to fame of being the most expensive restaurant in the city. At £250 per head the reputation might be right but the food could be some of the best in London. However, at £35, they do have an affordable set menu for lunch and it’s worth every penny. [Open 12pm - 2am & East bar: 19.00- 02.00] Booking essential.

Shumi: [23 St James's Street, 0207 747 9380] Classy new Italian fusion restaurant set in the airy, glassy, space formerly occupied by the cigar bar. The interior has something of an upper-class airport lounge to it with white marble floors, floor-to-ceiling windows and pink curtains that wrap around the dining room and glow alluringly when seen from the street. Spectacular dishes such as Grilled Porcini Mushrooms and Saffron Calamari are complimented by equally spectacular drinks at the sexy Shumi Bar.

Boulevard Bar and Dining Room: [55-59 Old Compton Street W1, 020 7287 0770] Situated in Old Compton Street and next door to Comptons is Boulevard Bar. The interior of the restaurant is pretty neutral, modern but not flashy. The food is great here including smoked salmon with a fennel and apple salad, grilled asparagus with parmesan and balsamic dressing, and roasted scallops with cauliflower. Same some room for dessert as the apple crumble is fantastic. Great service and good value make this London restaurant and great treat.

London restaurants in Knightsbridge

Zuma: [5 Raphael Street SW7, 0020 7584 1010] A great addition to London's Japanese scene. Very minimalist decor with huge cut granite boulders forming the surface for sushi bars, and acres of teak paneling. The food is delicious and impressive.

Borscht n' Tears: [46 Beauchamp Place SW3, 020 7584 9911] This is an old establishment in Knightsbridge. Old teak décor, with a delicious hearty Russian fare. Vodka is on the menu as is dancing on the tables to traditional Russian music. A great night.

Signor Sassi: [14 Knightsbridge SW1, 020 7584 2277] The food at this typical Italian restaurant is consistently good if not slightly on the pricey side. The service is super efficient and some nights they’ll even serenade you. Great place to impress your partner but just try not dwell too long on the bill.

London restaurants in Chelsea

Bibendum: [Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road SW3, 020 7581 5817] Eat in wonderful surroundings with art deco posters, terrific stained glass Michelin man windows, and really comfortable relaxed seating. Expect great service, relaxed ambience and good food from this Conran restaurant.

Cross Keys: [1 Lawrence Street SW3, 020 7349 9111] The food in this pub is not forgotten, for the right reasons. It’s a stylish gastro-pub that features top on any list of the Chelsea set's favourite watering holes. The conservatory restaurant is always packed with a trendy crowd and there’s a good selection of wines and beers.

The Phene Arms: [9 Phene Street SW3, 020 7352 3294] Another gastro-pub in Chelsea with a Swedish slant including marinated herrings, crayfish and crisp breads. This is a lovely little place with a modern and stylish décor. The food here hits the spot every time.

London restaurants in West London

Cow Dining Room: [89 Westbourne Park Road W2, 020 7221 0021] The Cow is a old establishment in West London near Westbourne Park Tube station. It’s warm and inviting and serves up a good rustic fair including the best Irish Oysters we’ve tried. The bistro downstairs is busy but you can’t book, upstairs is more serious. A thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Lucky Seven: [127 Westbourne Park Road W2 020 7727 6771] This is an American style diner that serves up excellent burgers, great shakes and fat fry’s at a good cost. Washed down with a good bloody Mary and hot fresh coffee….Mmmmm

Hafez: [5 Hereford Road W2, 020 7221 3167] This is the real deal when you’re talking about Iranian cuisine. Marinated chicken, kebabs and handmade bread are on the menu. They also have couple of chairs outside for the summer and ask them to poor you a vodka….nice and chilled from the freezer.