Menu

Skye Gyngell. Image credit: Amber Rowlands

The Women-Owned Restaurants of London

By Resy Staff March 2, 2020

Owned and operated by pioneering chef and restaurateur Skye Gyngell, beloved London institution Spring stands as a beacon in a male-dominated industry in which only 15% of chefs are women.

“I’m drawn to a more feminine aesthetic, I wanted Spring to be the antithesis to a lot of London restaurants that feel very male to me,” says Gyngell, whose kitchen is predominantly staffed by women. “Lots of dark wood and leather. I wanted Spring to feel light, fresh and clean – to feel feminine but also strong. I think it’s nice to celebrate both our softness and our strength as women. I wanted Spring to reflect that.”

Spring will host a dinner in honour of Layla Sorfie, Gyngell’s first and most enduring mentor, as part of Resy’s The Women of Food global dinner series. At its core, the series believes that behind every great restaurant is a woman, and these 20 trailblazing women-owned restaurants are testament to that.

Today
2

Party Size

Remove 2 Add Update

Date

Stoney Street

Borough Market

With Stoney Street, founder Alex Hely-Hutchinson and her team eschew trends in favour of timeless, everyday food, executed deftly by rising star Henrietta Inman. Steadying breakfasts and lunches of salads (for example, of warm raclette with fennel and pear) and stews give way to dinners of handmade pasta, meat and fish, presented with impeccable taste.

Rochelle Canteen

Shoreditch

One of the most influential restaurants of the past decade, Margot Henderson and Melanie Arnold’s Shoreditch institution is to be cherished. Housed in the former bike shed of the old Rochelle school, its understated setting is the perfect foil for unpretentious, seasonal British dishes that have influenced cooks the world over. Everything from roast game to a soup of the day is perfectly judged.

Darjeeling Express

Soho

From homegrown supperclub to global phenomenon, Asma Khan and her all-female kitchen team at Darjeeling Express thrill and impress diners with dishes that honour Khan’s Mughlai ancestry. It goes without saying that the food you’ll eat will be superb — from lamb biryani and papri chaat to a cup of sweet masala chai — but the warm welcome guests receive lingers even longer in the memory.

Resy's The Women of Food at Spring

Covent Garden

One of London’s most decorated chefs and restaurateurs, Skye Gyngell is raising a toast to Layla Sorfie, her first mentor, at a very special one-off dinner at her restaurant Spring on March 27. A tribute to female chefs and women in hospitality everywhere, Gyngell’s all-inclusive dinner will feature never-before-seen dishes in her inimitably elegant, seasonal style, alongside bespoke wine pairings.

Native

Bermondsey

Imogen Davis and Ivan Tisdall-Downes’ decision to create a restaurant based around wild, sustainable and indigenous British produce (much of it foraged) seemed audacious when they founded Native almost half a decade ago. Today, that decision seems particularly prescient. Game and thrilling produce are specialities (especially venison, sustainably-caught fish and game) alongside a chef’s tasting menu of outstanding calibre.

Lady of the Grapes

Covent Garden

Shining a light on female winemakers in a traditionally male-dominated world, this Covent Garden wine bar offers ample epicurean pleasure alongside its mission. Organic, biodynamic and natural varietals are a strong suit, with a succinct list of small dishes — everything from charcuterie and cheese to gnocchi — for grazing.

Burro E Salvia

Shoreditch

Before pasta bars became commonplace, Gaia Enria’s hip Shoreditch pastificio and trattoria had been dishing up superb pastas to diners for years. Long one of the area’s hidden gems, its regulars return for delicate plates of handmade pasta, antipasti, and satisfying homemade tiramisu. Pro tip: grab a pack of Enria’s handmade pasta to take home.

Naughty Piglets

Brixton

Margaux Aubry co-founded beloved bistro Naughty Piglets in Brixton before the neighbourhood was established as a dining destination, pouring natural wines (relatively novel at the time) and serving creative bistro dishes that set the tiny wine bar apart from the competition. “Food and wine has always been key in my life. Being sat with people you love, eating good food and drinking wine is what defines magic”, she says.

Albertine Wine Bar

Sheperd's Bush

An oasis of civility off Shepherds Bush Green, Albertine reopened with a new restaurant under the eye of Allegra McEvedy, daughter of the bar’s original owner Sarah. Make a beeline for glorious lunches of relaxed Mediterranean food from an ever-changing menu in the upstairs dining room, or drop in for charcuterie and superb wines by the glass in the busy downstairs bar.

Ducksoup

Soho

Clare Lattin and Tom Hill’s Dean Street bolthole deserves its place among Soho’s great restaurants, having perfected the natural wine and small plates setup before it became a London restaurant staple. Enticing with simple, seasonal Mediterranean fare to soothe and comfort, time passes slower here, and the atmosphere is genuinely one to savour.

Corazon

Soho

Opened by Texan Laura Sheffield and her partner Paul Daniel, Corazon’s on-the-money Mexican dishes have won it a loyal following. There’s a long bar at the front for late-night tacos and Modelos, opening up into a space that’s perfect for gathering a group to feast on family-style dishes like carne asada and grilled fish with a fiery habanero salsa.

Tayēr + Elementary

Old Street

Arguably last year’s best new opening, Monica Berg’s cocktail bar draws discerning drinkers and diners who flock to the breathtaking drinks and one of the most acclaimed chef counters in town. A global leader in the drinks world, Berg and partner Alex Kratena have crafted a unique space: “If something is worth doing, it needs to have a purpose”, she told Resy in 2019. “Passion is great, but passion does not get you anywhere by itself. Structure, commitment and willingness to work hard, even if you’re tired — that’s where you make a difference.”

kin + deum

London Bridge

A family affair throughout, Roselyn Inngern and her brothers inherited Kin + Deum (literally, ‘eat and drink’ in their native Thai) from their father, quickly converting it to the siblings’ vision of modern Thai cuisine. Warm, inviting, and almost always buzzing, this London Bridge fixture boasts an outstanding Massaman curry and mango sticky rice, alongside playful starters like Thai dumplings and crispy aubergine.

Haya

Notting Hill

Haya’s bright, lively dining room — think pastels, marble counters and lots of natural light — draws a chic crowd who come for lush Middle Eastern cuisine. Perfect for relaxed dates and get-togethers, Haya takes a cue from owner Victoria Palatina’s favourite Tel Aviv hotspots; highlights include za’atar duck breast and grilled octopus with rainbow chard, executed with panache by head chef Shiri Kraus.

Rochelle ICA

St. James

Having blazed a trail for female chefs and owners with the original Rochelle Canteen, Margot Henderson and Melanie Arnold — one of London’s original restaurant power couples — have created magic at the ICA. Within a quietly stylish space, their team serves a perfectly-judged menu of British classics. Expect outstanding meat pies, roasts, fruit tarts and homemade ice creams.

The Other Naughty Piglet

Westminster

Margaux Aubry’s restaurant inside the Other Palace theatre in Victoria is evocative of Naughty Piglets, her breakout Brixton wine bar. Arguably the best restaurant in the area, the one-two punch of drinkable natural wines and outstanding bistro food makes it a shoo-in for relaxed dinners and evening libations.

Hello Darling

Waterloo

Founded by theatrical designers Harriet Darling and Elise Edge, Hello Darling’s dining room feels like a private club in a Lewis Carroll novel, blending humour and camp. It’s a lush setting to dive into a spread of Mediterranean-style dishes like heritage tomatoes with creamy whipped feta, lemon verbena panna cotta or smoked haddock scotch egg. Wash down with a botanical cocktail, and repeat.

SpiceBox

Walthamstow

From East Ham to Southall, India’s pure vegetarian establishments have long been one of London’s best offerings, and Grace Regan’s Spicebox presents a uniquely Walthamstow take on the genre. Lush interiors, sweet service and light, flavoursome takes on tried-and-tested favourites — from curries to street food staples like samosas and papri chaat — that also happen to be vegan make for an enthralling dining experience.

Kudu

Peckham

A Peckham jewel, Kudu consistently impresses with Modern European dishes tinged with its chef’s South African upbringing. Founders Amy Corbin and Patrick Williams earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand months after the restaurant opened, and along with new cocktail bar Smokey Kudu, have been instrumental in shaping the area’s dining tastes — signature bread with bacon butter and mussels potjie with seafood veloute are worth the trip alone.

Little Duck - The Picklery

Dalston

Like its sibling Ducksoup, Littleduck in Dalston quickly became a neighbourhood fixture for its plates of honest Mediterranean cooking and an accessible list of natural wines and homemade kombuchas. Much of that is down to the culture instilled by owners Clare Lattin and Tom Hill — rather than a restaurant, a meal here is more akin to a relaxed occasion in a friend’s (fabulous) kitchen.

Uchi

Hackney East London

Quietly tucked away on a quiet side street, Uchi is a mirage made real — poetic, minimal interiors, soft lighting and an atmosphere to make even the most jaded diner melt. Owner Mami Takawafari and her team focus on a pared-back menu of classic dishes, like crisp kara-age, sushi, and skewers paired to elegant cocktails and sake.

Archives: Where to Dine Now

Discover More in Local Scene

Discover London Restaurants to Love — At Home

By Resy Staff May 29, 2020

Restaurant Diaries

Staring Down Hardship, Fallow Have Hustled to Keep Their Dream Alive

By David Paw May 26, 2020

At Home Hit List

New On The Resy At Home Hit List: Homeslice, Hoppers, Master Wei, and More

By David Paw May 22, 2020

Restaurant Diaries

What If Restaurants Reopened Next Month? How One Restaurant is Planning For a Post-Covid London

By David Paw May 21, 2020