All The Restaurants on 2023’s The Resy Hit List: Presented by London Restaurant Festival

Why It’s Special:

Brothers Sertac and Ferhat Dirik took over their family’s mangal restaurant on Dalston’s Kingsland Road in 2020, reinterpreting the establishments classic ocakbasi (grill) dishes for a new generation. The former famously cooked at 108 in Copenhagen, and has set the tone for the restaurant’s future; expect natural wines paired to a contemporary menu of dishes like aged pollock with silky aubergine ezme and wild garlic, or sütlaç (Anatolian rice pudding) layered with honeycomb cream. What makes the restaurant special? Lee Tiernan of Black Axe Mangal puts it perfectly: “they don’t answer to anyone. That’s why they’re excellent.”

Signature Dish:

Given the restaurant’s origins, meat will always play a starring role. Cornish cull yaw (aged mutton) from the grill packs a hefty flavour here, best experienced in a classic kofte balanced with the brightness of green apple.

Why It’s Special:

With its rustic interiors, white tablecloths and considered, soulful cooking, this Islington institution would be most people’s idea of a close-to-perfect neighbourhood Italian restaurant. A clientele of chic locals and in-the-know restaurant folk pack out the breezy dining room, lingering over perfect pastas, meat and fish kissed with the flavour of the kitchen’s wood oven, and immaculate desserts like an Amalfi lemon tart and fig leaf panna cotta.

Signature Dish:

The beef shin pappardelle is one of London’s finest plates of pasta, and well worth ordering. But for writer Raven Smith, “it is the fettuccine with wild mushrooms that bowls me over. A dish of carefully balanced brilliance — not too mushroomy, nor too creamy, nor garlicky. Raptures of mushroom in varying states of al dente, are well-dressed with translucent (verging on transcendental) emulsion.”

Why It’s Special:

Manteca has a devoted following for its nose-to-tail approach to cooking and chef Chris Leach’s awesome pastas, hand-rolled in the restaurant each day. Exceptional meat dishes – showcasing the pork from Gothelney Farm in Cornwall – sidle up to exceptional small plates, house-baked focaccia and an interesting list of natural wines. The best seats are by the window overlooking Curtain Road, though a buzzing bar area and intimate booths are also tempting.

Signature Dish:

It’s famed for its meat cookery, but seafood dishes – like a brown crab ‘cacio e pepe’ or an astonishing dish of plump mussels in ‘nduja – are mind-bendingly delicious.

Why It’s Special:

Barrafina has become widely adored as a defining restaurant experience in London, not just for Spanish tapas to rival the best of Barcelona, but also for making a glamorous experience feel so effortless. Each dining room feels special in its own way – peep the elegantly curved bar at Adelaide Street, or the intimate private room at Borough Yards. The flagship, on Soho’s Dean Street, remains a sentimental favourite for most.

Signature Dish:

Most will point to the flawless pan con tomate and perfectly judged Spanish tortilla as must-orders – and most would be right. There’s a rotating cast of specials that changes each day – you’ll often find some of the finest seafood in the city, cooked well and simply – as well as restaurant-specific dishes like an excellent seafood caldereta at Borough Yards.

Why It’s Special:

One of London’s oldest member’s clubs, this Soho establishment has been reinvigorated for a new generation, and offers a quintessential London experience through a modern lens. The downstairs dining room has been given a dramatic makeover – all red leather banquettes, white table clothes and characterful artwork by John Broadley — while chef Jeremy Lee’s menu balances classic British comforts with European influences. Whether dropping in for a snack or a long lunch, service remains best-in-class.

Signature Dish:

Thick slivers of smoked eel and bright horseradish balanced between toasted slivers of Poilâne sourdough make up Jeremy Lee’s signature smoked eel sandwich, a dish that deserves a place in London’s all-time great dishes. But the pie of the day is an everyday treat that satisfies like little else. “It is de rigueur for a restaurant to aim for that elusive goal of using all produce that is to be found within a kitchen,” Lee says. “The stocks made in deep pans that tick over so very gently and quietly in the ovens through the night make excellent use of scraps and bones and vegetables and herbs that require a purpose.”

Why It’s Special:

London had never seen a restaurant like Black Axe Mangal when Lee and Kate Tiernan opened their iconic Islington restaurant, and arguably hasn’t since. The menu fuses modern British sensibilities (Lee cooked at St. John Bread and Wine for years), a love for London’s Turkish mangal restaurants, and a disregard for convention, parlayed into dishes heavy on flavour, spice, and offal. The music may be a little less raucous these days, but FKA Black Axe Mangal remains an essential London restaurant.

Signature Dish:

“We run an ever-changing menu,” Kate Tiernan tells us. “So it’s difficult to say, but I would say you should always have a flatbread. And you should always try one of the offal dishes.”

Why It’s Special:

This fish and seafood-focused restaurant in Hackney Wick opened with the stated goal of making the neighbourhood a dining destination, and a Michelin star and perpetually packed dining room make a strong case for its unequivocal success. Chef Tom Brown’s cooking is precise, inventive and unfailingly flavourful; meanwhile, a moody dining room and creative cocktail list round out one of the capital’s most unique dining experiences.

Signature Dish:

The crab crumpet has become a cult dish since the restaurant’s arrival, and deserves its reputation as a must-order.

Why It’s Special:

Mayfair has become synonymous with excess, but this intimate bolthole in Shepherd Market offers proof of the neighbourhood’s old soul. With a feel more akin to a private club than a restaurant, Kitty Fishers is set in an historic Edwardian townhouse and offers an atmospheric setting for intimate celebrations and romantic trysts. As well as Old world wines and cocktails, expect exceptional modern British fare and peak produce cooked over wood fire.

Signature Dish:

Most guests return for the T-bone steak for two, but whatever you choose on the day, don’t miss the restaurant’s incredible confit potatoes as a side dish.

Why It’s Special:

This Farringdon gem is a love letter to the Florentine trattorias beloved of owner Russell Norman, with a dash of NYC cool. Rustic dishes, perfect pastas, and £5 negronis make it tough to beat, and Brutto is one of the few restaurants that feels like a Friday night regardless of when you visit. The Bistecca Fiorentina – hauled over by Norman himself each morning from neighbouring Smithfield Market – is a favourite, as is the penne vodka and tortellini en brodo.

Signature Dish:

It’s difficult to isolate a single dish on such a strong menu, but the deep-fried dough ball ‘cuddles’ with prosciutto and stracchino cheese are a perfect metaphor for the conviviality that Brutto celebrates. “You just pick up the hot dough balls, tear them apart, stuff in the stracchino and a slice of prosciutto and eat them like a little sandwich,” Russell Norman shares. “We put them on our menu and within days they became the most ordered dish.”

Why It’s Special:

Flawless food and service and some of the most creative (and sustainably minded) cooking in London have made Fallow one of London’s most consistently acclaimed restaurants. The best seats are at the bar overlooking a busy but perfectly orchestrated open kitchen, while a knockout British menu and a buzzing room make an evening here on to remember.

Signature Dish:

The mushroom parfait – prepared from fungi grown on-premises in a special ‘mushroom treehouse’ – is incredible smeared on sourdough. “You caramelise the mushrooms down in butter until they’re super dark and almost crispy,” says chef Jack Croft. “When you think you’re done, you keep cooking them even more. You’re almost dehydrating them to get a really dark natural umami flavour which we further enhance with soy and mirin.”

Why It’s Special:

Tucked away in a corner of Shoreditch, this playful neo-bistro is unabashedly Francophile without pandering to cliché – so, a marble-topped bar, a coolly whitewashed dining room and strikingly beautiful red leather chairs set the scene for chic bistro plates that lean on seasonality. There’s a refreshing lack of pretension, and owner Ed Thaw – who curates a superb wine list and soundtrack for each service – spreads conviviality as he roams the room to put guests at ease.

Signature Dish:

The menu changes frequently. As Ed Thaw puts it: “That’s the thing about this kitchen — they’ll put something absolutely amazing on for a week and a half, like a sweetbread dish with gooseberry, that’s really, really clever,” he says. “Most people would keep it as a headline dish, and then it’s off the menu soon after.” Longstanding regulars will point to the steak tartare as a perennial favourite, while a prix-fixe lunch menu offers superb value.

Why It’s Special:

Originally taking West African ingredients and flavours as a jumping off point, this two Michelin-starred restaurant has rocketed to the upper echelons of the global elite courtesy of chef Jeremy Chan’s daring and flawless tasting menus and co-founder Iré Hassan-Odukale’s singular vision. A new location and a serene, minimal dining room in the Brutalist 180 The Strand building round out one of London’s most exhilarating fine dining experiences.

Signature Dish:

“We use mainly British produce, but we take a non-authentic conceptual inspiration from other cuisines and cultures, and I think west African ingredients have been a catalyst and a large part of our conceptual inspiration,” Chan tells us. The tasting menu encompasses the restaurant’s original inspiration, Chan’s background at Noma, and a global palate that encompasses Japanese and Scandinavian influences. Expect dishes like beef rib suya, or monkfish with saffron and pepper velouté.

“For that to be the fuel for the identity of the restaurant, and for it to be recognised in that way is very special,”

Why It’s Special:

Thomas Straker may be best known for his social media fame, but the chef has genuine experience at some excellent restaurants. This, his eponymous debut restaurant in Notting Hill, brings some of his relaxed approach to dishes that, yes, you really will want to eat. Crudos, baked flatbreads, and small plates are paired to a natural wine list, with a buzz in a packed dining room that emphasises the chef’s goal to create an outstanding neighbourhood restaurant. As he puts it: “I want this restaurant to be a place where people feel at home and can relax with friends.”

Signature Dish:

Aside from the obvious answer, Straker’s flatbreads – hot from the oven, and torn open greedily – are an essential order.

Why It’s Special:

Chef Mandy Yin’s love letter to the laksa of her Kuala Lumpur upbringing manifests at this cosy Highbury restaurant, which blends the warmth of a treasured neighbourhood spot with Malaysian cookery of the highest order. Flavours are uncompromising, and even side dishes – from crisp fried chicken to stir-fried sambal greens – are exceptional.

Signature Dish:

Yin’s signature curry laksa is a labour of love, with zero compromise on quality ingredients and process. There’s even a vegan version, zhuzhed up with charred broccoli and aubergine. “I want our laksa to be something you can afford to enjoy on a weekly basis,” Yin says. “This is my heart on a plate.”

Why It’s Special:

Creative cocktails and inventive Asian dishes – riffing on the brand’s roots as a Taiwanese fried chicken specialist – make Mr Ji in Camden one of the most interesting restaurants around. The menu has been devised by TATA Eatery, two of London’s most innovative chefs, with dishes like a playful prawn ‘in’ toast (creamy prawn bechamel encased in soft brioche), pork and king prawn-stuffed chicken wing, and a burnt cheesecake for two to share among the incredible dishes on the menu.

Signature Dish:

The prawn in toast has been a mainstay on the menu and is a perfect expression of the restaurant’s iconoclastic approach, while the Sichuan fried chicken sandwich is among the finest examples in London. Chef Zijun Meng recommends the chicken hearts wrapped in lettuce: ““This is one of my personal favourite ways of eating things,” he enthuses. “You have the crunchiness, you have the juiciness, you have the seasoning. So, everything in one bite.”

Why It’s Special:

This upscale, Paris-inspired rotisserie in Covent Garden comes courtesy of chef Tom Sellers, whose acclaimed restaurant Story has been bestowed two coveted Michelin stars. Clad in marble and charcoal hues, the restaurant is split over two levels, with plenty of counter seating overlooking an open kitchen as well as seats overlooking Seven Dials – and a smattering of tables downstairs, overlooking an impressive walk-in wine cellar overseen by world-class sommeliers. Perch at the counter and watch the chefs at work, while enjoying sophisticated riffs on classic dishes like succulent roast chicken and crisp frites, perfect terrine, and a playful snail Bolognese served on toasted bread.

Signature Dish:

The snail Bolognese is a rich, comforting plate, perfect for an autumnal London day.

Why It’s Special:

If heaven on earth exists, you may very well find it at Rochelle Canteen. The thrill of pushing open the gate in a quiet Shoreditch square to reveal a garden path to a quietly buzzing restaurant – located in a old school bike shed, no less – remains undiminished, and the on-point service and Margot Henderson’s rustic, seasonal food remains some of the most joyful in London.

Signature Dish:

Literally everything at Rochelle Canteen – from seasonal broths, bountiful salads and roast fish, meat and game – is wonderful, but don’t skip the desserts, which can range from homemade ice cream to perfect tarts and indulgent puddings.

Why It’s Special:

Chef Jackson Boxer’s love of the pristine seafood of the British Isles comes to the fore at this stylish Notting Hill restaurant, a place that manages to be both casually luxurious and achingly hip. Here, incredible seafood cookery shines on a menu of dishes from pristine crudos and lightly-cooked small plates to wood-fired whole fish and pastas. There’s natural wine on tap (!) and for those looking to make an occasion of dinner, a black book of special bottles to push the boat out.

Signature Dish:

The potato flatbread with whipped cods roe has been a permanent fixture on the menu for a reason; at lunch, a fried fish sandwich with tartare sauce makes for a satisfying meal. As Boxer says, ““A fish that has been caught with rod and line and lifted out of the ocean and packed directly into ice and is sent up to a restaurant the same day is of incomparable quality.”

Why It’s Special:

This Shoreditch institution started out as a celebrated street food specialist and went on to become the most influential Southern-style barbecue restaurant in Britain. The restaurants buys and butchers animals whole from specialist Cornish farms – so, quality assurance of the highest order – and prepares them to perfection, with excellent small plates and distinctive cocktails setting the scene for perfect plates of brisket, ribs, and pulled pork. The restaurant’s sticky toffee pudding is among London’s best examples.

Signature Dish:

Smokestak’s beef brisket bun is perfect as a bar snack, as part of a quick meal, or a prelude to the restaurant’s larger BBQ plates.

Why It’s Special:

This neighbourhood gem in Belgravia flies under the radar, but has one of the most fiercely loyal followings of any restaurant in London. At this family-owned Chinese fine dining restaurant, there’s no menu – instead, leave it to the capable chefs, who fashion an incredible procession of dishes that range from delicate bites to showstopping centrepieces like crisp Peking duck or Cantonese-style lobster noodles. The wine list is legendary for its modest markups on impressive bottles, and is a magnet for serious wine drinkers; meanwhile, the hospitality is as approachable as, well, your favourite neighbourhood Chinese establishment.

Signature Dish:

The ‘leave it to us’ menu changes frequently, but expect highlights like crisp, dry-fried green beans with garlic and chilli, an exquisite chicken broth with minced pork, water chestnut and shiitake mushroom, or stir-fried 35-day aged ribeye with chilli.

Why It’s Special:

With Rita’s, the playful spirit of London’s restaurant scene has been distilled into a buzzing Soho dining room. Conviviality? Check. Excellent food? Check. An outstanding wine and cocktail program? Check, check, check. The vibe will remind you of a cool dinner party, with an opening gambit of playful snacks (devilled eggs, jalapeno popper gildas) and mini-Martinis leading to easy-as-you-like New American dishes, steaks, and pastas.

Signature Dish:

The jalapeno popper gilda and mini-Martini combo is as iconic as a duo as the restaurant’s co-founders, Gabriel Pryce and Missy Flynn.

Why It’s Special:

There’s plenty of sushi omakase in London, but none feel as unique to London as this cult Brixton restaurant. Chef-owner Chris Restrepo and his mother draw from the former’s training in Japan to craft an exquisite procession of perfect fish, vinegared rice, and luxury accoutrements, topped off with the duo’s inimitable hospitality and playful banter. It’s almost impossible to snag a booking here, and with good reason.

Signature Dish:

The sushi omakase is served in time-honoured fashion, with individual bites handed to diners, while influences from the chef’s Thai-Colombian heritage make the omakase here one unlike any other. “We tend to change our menu every three months to go along with the seasons,” Restrepo says. “And during that three month period, we just make the adjustments to the seasonal menu to our goal here to continuously improve.”

Why It’s Special:

One of London’s great chefs, Phil Howard’s beloved Chelsea institution turns out pristine cooking in a relaxed environment. Partnering with restaurateur Rebecca Mascarenhas has produced an elegant neighbourhood restaurant of the highest order, with a menu of impeccably sourced and prepared dishes that has earned it a Michelin star, an ambitious wine list, and friendly but precise service.

Signature Dish:

The tasting and set menus are both excellent ways to explore Howard’s approach to flavour, but the kitchen’s handmade pastas – perhaps gnocchetti or strozzapreti with black winter truffles, butter and parmesan – are understandably a permanent fixture on both.

Why It’s Special:

This farm-to-table newcomer in Spitalfields is as breezy as they come, with a spacious loft-style dining room hidden from street view and views of the City’s skyscrapers, courtesy of a hidden roof deck. Lunches here are a treat – expect seasonal British cooking, with excellent vegetables and seafood, plus a standout brunch – while a table at sunset makes for a quintessential London experience, especially when you factor in a creative cocktail list that hits just as hard on the non-alcoholic front.

Signature Dish:

The gnocco fritto with Stracciatella is an essential order to kick off a meal here, especially paired with one of the bar’s natural wines or a cocktail. As chef Amber Francis explains, nothing on the menu is too fussy: “Casual dining but just done really cleanly and really well. It’s the kind of food that I hope chefs want to eat.”

Why It’s Special:

While billed as a neighbourhood restaurant, this modern European restaurant on Queen’s Road is destination-worthy in itself, courtesy of chef Patrick Williams’ astonishing menu that includes influences from his South African upbringing. An excellent list of South African-leaning wines is a perfect foil for beautifully presented small plates that balance flavour and finesse; meanwhile, a loyal clientele of SE15 locals keeps the beautifully appointed dining room buzzing, and there’s an idyllic garden for warm weather.

Signature Dish:

Much ink has been spilled by critics who have rhapsodised about the Kudu bread, brought to the table warm and served with cultured butter and bacon, or South African-inspired seafood butter. It’s a dish that appears on every table at service – with good reason.

Why It’s Special:

Based at 40FT Brewery in Dalston, this open-fire BBQ restaurant arrives courtesy of chefs Andrew Clarke and Daniel Watkins, two of London’s most talented live fire chefs. At this relaxed heated outdoor terrace, there’s a marked emphasis on vegetable cookery– notably, almost all the restaurant’s small plates and snacks menu, for example, is vegan. Omnivores can relax – you can still get your fix via larger platters of meat and dayboat fish; meanwhile, a convivial crowd and fresh pours from the nearby brewery make a meal here an uncomplicated pleasure.

Signature Dish:

The coal roast leeks. Baby leeks are cooked to perfect tenderness and topped with a pistachio romesco, leaving a smokey finish to the delicate, sweet veg.

Why It’s Special:

Unassuming from the outside, this Kensington favourite turns out some of London’s most serene tasting menus in a setting more akin to a relaxed neighbourhood restaurant than an establishment in possession of a Michelin star. An a la carte menu and sub-£40 set menu is scarcely believable at this level; meanwhile, a stellar wine programme and friendly service have helped this quietly excellent restaurant retain a loyal clientele that enhance the dining room’s relaxed ambience.

Signature Dish:

Chef Mark Kempson’s menu changes frequently to reflect the seasons, but expect contemporary dishes like roast Yorkshire grouse with ancient grains and cavolo nero, or a warm hazelnut tartlet flanked by port-glazed figs and fig leaf ice cream.

Why It’s Special:

The Pelican is an update of a classic Notting Hillboozer given a achingly pretty Scandi makeover inside, along with a line-up of stellar pub snacks and a serious (and yet informal) menu of dishes that reflect the best of British seasonality. Dishes like a lobster pie to share, roasted bone marrow on toast with parsley salad, and Dover sole with brown butter and capers show off the kitchen’s skills and impeccable taste; meanwhile, excellent service and a dining room with plenty of cosy corners make for a memorable experience.

Signature Dish:

Pies are a speciality. Plump for a classic chicken and mushroom pie (with an obligatory side of potatoes), or dial it up a notch with the lobster and monkfish variety with its rich, velvety sauce.

Why It’s Special:

A sleek, minimal interior and plates of dazzling Sri Lankan cooking make this critically acclaimed Soho restaurant one of the city’s most memorable. Dishes like mutton rolls, sizzling lamb chops, or curry of dayboat dish are faithful to their origins and sourced meticulously. Settle into a booth with a few friends, or sidle up to the bar for cocktails and snacks, with late weekend sessions running until 1am.

Signature Dish:

The menu changes frequently, but the mutton roll tartare and devilled seafood (prawns tossed in a hot pan with spices) remain standout dishes.

Why It’s Special:

The original El Pastor in Borough Market captured the late-night energy of Mexico City’s taquerias, with now-beloved staples like the pork al pastor and tuna tostada raising the bar for Mexican cuisine as a whole in London. At El Pastor Soho, there’s also a menu of excellent large format dishes to share, alongside a breezily glamorous dining room that comes alive at night. Afterwards, head to the basement tequila bar for live DJs at the weekend and an impressive lineup of tequila and mezcals.

Signature Dish:

An opening order of crab tostadas – crisp tortillas loaded with hand-picked Devonshire crab – and a round of mezcaritas (mezcal margaritas) is highly advised.

Why It’s Special:

Located on an idyllic stretch of the Regents Canal, seconds from Broadway Market in Hackney, Café Cecilia’s credentials are outshone only by its flawless execution of seasonal dishes influenced by chef-owner Max Rocha’s Irish roots and European culinary background – “simple, seasonal food, cooked well”, he says. An industrial-chic dining room and crowd of clued-up regulars lends Café Cecilia the feel of a cool neighbourhood canteen, and it’s just as good for quiet breakfasts as it is for long lunches and celebrations.

Signature Dish:

Rocha advises ordering the fritti of sage leaves and anchovy, crisp from the fryer, as a “a little taste of Italy and a lovely way to start the meal.” To finish, the deep-fried bread and butter pudding with cold custard has become a cult classic, and a dish worth saving room for.

Why It’s Special:

Few restaurants provide comfort and finesse like Café Deco, Anna Tobias’s graceful Bloomsbury café. The kitchen’s daily-changing menu straddles the line between nostalgic British fare (for those who grew up eating it) and chic continental flourishes, informed by Tobias’ own sensibility and her time leading the kitchen at Rochelle Canteenand others; potato and cheddar pie or sticky date pudding with ice cream play confit duck or grilled Montbeliard sausage with lentils and mustard, while charming service and natural wines cosset throughout.

Signature Dish:

Mains are frequently superb, but playful starters and desserts – egg mayonnaise or a smear of rillettes on toast to begin, or a sticky roulade drowned in custard to finish – offer whimsical touches to begin and end a meal here.

Why It’s Special:

This iconic Islington pub – said to be the inspiration for Orwell’s ‘Moon Under Water’ – has maintained its time-honoured character, and also hosts some of the city’s most talented young chefs. Chef Dara Klein is one of the hottest talents in London right nowl and her style of rustic, soulful Italian cooking suits the pub to a tee, whether enjoyed in a quaint, ramshackle garden or in one of the pub’s many nooks. There’s plenty of natural wine and cocktails or, for traditionalists, cask ales on tap.

Signature Dish:

The menu changes frequently – expect handrolled pastas and slow-cooked specialities like osso bucco – but Klein’s panna cotta is one of the best in London, and worth saving space for.

Why It’s Special:

In its current form, this stylish restaurant in Mayfair is one of the most creative restaurants in London right now – that every dish served is either vegan or vegetarian is merely happy coincidence. That it manages to feel both down to earth and accessible (witness the £35 prix fixe for seven dishes), especially for its central London location, seems almost make believe. Alongside beautifully presented dishes that exude finesse and don’t skimp on flavour, a newly spruced up dining room – replete with sleek leather banquettes, pretty tiles and terracotta tones –

Signature Dish:

Try as he might, chef Rishim Sachdeva hasn’t been able to take his ‘Chinatown’ purple potato and sticky sesame dish off the menu, with good reason. Also popular is the crispy celeriac terrine: “It’s a take on what typical French cuisine would look like, just eliminating the meat and focusing on the vegetables,” Sachdeva says.

Why It’s Special:

One of the city’s finest gastropubs, this establishment occupies a pretty corner of Hackney Road.  The ground floor bar and terraceremain fine places to enjoy a drink at any time, while an upstairs dining room is an appropriate place to gather with friends near Shoreditch to enjoy delicious pies, roasts, and puddings. Brunch and Sunday lunches (one of the city’s best) at the weekends are superb, while a worker’s lunch during the week makes it plausible to pop in any day; cooking displays plenty of sophistication, with a slice of brown butter tart an unparalleled way to conclude a meal.

Signature Dish:

Bookend a meal at this acclaimed institution with a beef and barley bun to begin, and a slice of brown butter tart to finish. Sublime.

Why It’s Special:

A Brixton restaurant with an English heart, a French accent, and no wine menu sounds almost contradictory, but it’s a formula that works thanks to Margaux Aubryand her team’s skill at picking out the perfect glass or bottle depending on their guests’ mood. In particular, the restaurant stocks a notable Italian wine selection that includes the ever-popular Tiberi, a red wine made from Umbrian Grenache grapes known locally as Gamay del Trasimeno – enjoy it at the bar upstairs, or pull up a stool in the atmospheric basement cave. There’s also the food, which focuses on modern Francophile dishes made to share – don’t miss the Cornish crab with pickled cabbage and peanuts.

Signature Dish:

The Cornish crab dish still hits hard, but don’t sleep on the rest of the menu, which can feature an incredible BBQ pork belly with Korean spices, or a silky chocolate mousse with almond cocoa crumble.

Why It’s Special:

Want to know where the cool kids are hanging out in East London? This natural wine bar and restaurant is located off Brick Lane, with a clandestine exterior and a cavernous interior that recalls its ex-warehouse origins. There’s a carefree feel to the proceedings, with a rotating list of natural wines by the glass and bottle. Most notably, a frequently changing chef residency has brought in cult culinary favourites from across the globe, from Mexico City’s Carinitos Tacos, to Ha’s Dac Biet from Brooklyn.

Signature Dish:

Given the shifting nature of Oranj’s kitchen residencies, there isn’t a signature dish – but that’s part of the fun.

Why It’s Special:

Easily one of the city’s best spots for outstanding Japanese cooking, Koya should be on every Londoner’s go-to list for scintillating sharing plates, superb udon noodles and broths in a variety of styles. Pro tip: keep an eye out for interesting dishes from one of London’s finest specials boards, which feature Portuguese touches courtesy of head chef Gustavo Tavares.

Signature Dish:

If you’ve never been, kick off a visit with either a bowl of walnut miso udon, or curry udon – both highlight the quality of the broth as well as the perfectly chewy noodles.

Why It’s Special:

Moored on the Regents Canal by Holborn Studios, this intimate modern British restaurant from the Spiteri brothershas found a home in a converted Dutch office barge. Eschewing maritime kitsch, the dining room offers ample atmosphere, and not a little romance: expect white tablecloths, candlelight, hanging plants, and even custom stained-glass artwork. Fin Spiteri tends to guests like the seasoned pro he is (and makes a killer cocktail, to boot) while brother Lorcan prepares hearty pastas, roasts, and braises designed to warm the cockles.

Signature Dish:

The menu is packed with grown-up dishes that can stand up to the best British cooking in the city, but it’s in an irreverent starter of sesame prawn toast that’s accompanied by a flavourful chilli jam that the brothers’ playful approach to hospitality comes to the fore. ““Our menu’s short,” Fin says, “so we’re proud of everything on it.”

Why It’s Special:

This converted Islington boozeris among the best pub dining rooms in London right now. Situated moments from the Regents canal, there’s a long bar with a smattering of tables at each end, along with a good list of craft beers and ales and wine list that leans towards low-intervention bottles. Sunday roasts are a pleasure, and the a la carte menu draws global influences while remaining firmly in pub territory – expect dishes like pork belly with smoked almonds, apple ketchup and swede; Cornish plaice with grilled leeks and a silky base of bouillabaisse; and a quail shish with a moreish garlic yoghurt and pil bulber chilli.

Signature Dish:

The quail shish with garlic yoghurt frequently draws raves, and is a masterclass in layering and balancing flavours.

Why It’s Special:

Gabriel Waterhouse set up The Water House Project, his eponymous fine dining supperclub years ago, and it’s gone from strength to strength, finally arriving as a permanent restaurant at a beautiful light-filled space by the Regents Canal in Hackney. Right now, it’s arguably one of the very best tasting menu experiences in London, equal parts fun and refined, punchy and delicate, with Waterhouse and his team’s personality shining through. For those able to, a six-course lunch menu with wine pairing is an ideal way to experience it.

Signature Dish:

A fluffy crumpet topped with Devon crab, preserved lemon, makrut lime and a fennel herb emulsion perfectly captures the restaurant’s approach to fine dining.

Why It’s Special:

The tasting menu at this acclaimed upscale West African restaurant in Fitzrovia features langoustine suya and pepper soup; jollof rice with Ivorian aubergine sauce; and Guinness bread with yassa butter. It is another strand woven, after Ikoyi and Chishuru, into the evolving story of new West African cuisine in London. The clay-lined dining room is designed to evoke the peace and quiet of escaping Lagos for the country. An out of the ordinary experience.

Signature Dish:

A meal here is a journey through West African techniques and ingredients, but chef Ayo Ayedemi’s take on jollof rice – here, smoked and served with fork-tender goat – is a genuine pleasure.

Why It’s Special:

Originally slated to open in Shoreditch, chef Abby Lee’s labour of love was curtailed by the pandemic and recently arrived at SE15’s Market Peckham complex with a decidedly more Modern Malaysian focus, with a mixture of regional favourites like a tamarind-tart ikan assam pedas (fish) curry or a black pepper chicken curry from Perak; as well as playful riffs on time-honoured classics like a Hainanese chicken rice sandwich drizzled with a chicken fat chilli vinegar and spruced up with crispy fried onions. Drinks-wise, natural wines(via Caves des Pyrenes) are a perfect match for punchy flavours. If you want to see one of London’s most exciting young chefs doing her thing, come here.

Signature Dish:

All of Abby Lee’s dishes are special, but the five-spice pork and prawn bean curd roll is spiced and fried to filigree perfection, while the nasi lemak is also justifiably popular.

Why It’s Special:

This is where it’s at: sitting at the open kitchen counter at Silo in Hackney Wick, sipping on a glass of pét-nat, and marvelling at the sheer crackpot genius of zero waste chef Douglas McMaster. Like a culinary Rumpelstiltskin, he spins straw into gold, or rather, buttermilk into ‘quavers’ with Dorstone cheese; knotweed into cocktails; and leftover bread into ice cream sandwiches. It’s an education, a show, and an exploration into the possibilities of fine-dining. One goes away feeling galvanised.

Signature Dish:

An opening snack of a weightless goat’s cheese ‘quaver’ is the perfect way to set the tone for one of Silo’s stellar tasting menus.

Why It’s Special:

James Cochran’s five course tasting menu is legendary, incorporating an approachable tone with cooking of the highest calibre – fittingly so, given the chef’s time at establishments like the Ledbury. British ingredients are front and centre in elegant plates like Scottish mussels with tikka masala sauce, sea herb gremolata and savoy cabbage; or a crisply fried hash brown, with oyster emulsion, leek, and seaweed. Yours for £45.

Signature Dish:

The tasting menu is unimprovable, but there’s also a vegetarian version for veggies, and an optional wine pairing for those looking to push the boat out.

Why It’s Special:

After an unstoppable run at the Compton Arms, the Four Legs gents upped the stakes and refurbished this historic pub in Finsbury Park. The atmosphere at this historic pub is about as convivial as it gets, and those familiar with the cooking of Ed McIlroy and Jamie Allan (the culinary duo otherwise known as Four Legs) can expect similarly finessed bistronomy-influenced small plates from a menu that changes daily. Dover sole Grenobloise, pigeon bhuna and burnt cheesecake are typical of the duo’s style. A White Russian is recommended, while the Dexter beef cheeseburger remains undefeated.

Signature Dish:

The Dexter beef cheeseburger is everything you want in a great burger – quality beef, melty cheese and a soft bun. It’s arguably the best burger in the city, and excellent paired to a couple of dishes from their main menu.

Why It’s Special:

Ensconced in the heart of Knightsbridge’s stunning Bulgari hotel, a table at this Italian eatery is perhaps the epitome of upcale Italian dining in the city. A drop-dead gorgeous room lends a meal here a sense of occasion like few others, while a menu of sophisticated Italian plates pairs beautifully to an Italian-leaning wine list and cocktails. Luxury touches and peak seasonal produce come to life in the kitchen’s hands, while a range of menus – from weekend brunch to a relaxed prix-fixe at lunch – offer all the reasons to return.

Signature Dish:

The restaurant’s spaghetti pomodoro showcases devastatingly good ingredients in a taut, unimprovable package.

Why It’s Special:

The original Ramo Ramen was a triumph of expressing its owners’ Filipino heritage through beloved ramen styles, and the Soho location raises the bar again. To wit – a bowl of comforting chicken sopas with Tokyo noodles, award-winning oxtail kare-kare ramen, and a showstopping bowl of noodles in a crab coconut broth with an entire grilled lobster to top it off. Classic cocktails add boast inventive embellishments, while a coolly plush dining room and central Soho location seal the deal.

Signature Dish:

It’s a toss-up between a trio of roasted scallops that arrive bathed in bagoong butter and calamansi, or a wagyu steak donburi that’s as luxurious as it is satisfying. Owner and chef Omar Shah also recommends the lobster ginataan: “We put grilled lobster front and centre. It’s nice how it is — customers appreciate it more,” he says.

Why It’s Special:

This modern Indian gemtakes up a plum corner of Greek Street in Soho, with a plush dining room and buzz reminiscent of the group’s first restaurant in Spitalfields. A greater focus on seafood – courtesy of its executive and head chefs, from Goa and Maharashtra, respectively – yields noteworthy dishes like a punchy lobster pulimunchi with crisp dosa, or a playful prawn toast. The drinks list leans towards Portuguese and Spanish wines, plus Martinis, as befits the Soho location.

Signature Dish:

The restaurant’s incredible lamb chops are an essential order for first-timers – “otherwise our regulars would murder us,” says owner Harneet Baweja. But the restaurant’s USP is arguably the lobster, a dish that took the restaurant’s executive chef “40-50 hours over a two-month period trying to figure it out, asking aunts or uncles if they can find a version of it,” laughs Baweja.

Why It’s Special:

At this slick tasting menu spot in Soho, guests relax at a long bar to watch chefs prepare an immersive menu inspired by chef Angelo Sato’s Japanese and European roots, with dishes designed to provide a kitchen-theatre experience. Cocktails are superb – try the Koji old-fashioned – and dishes like a snackable tartlet of foie gras and miso, or grilled oysters with burnt chicken fat and a persimmon vinegar beurre blanc demonstrate Sato’s spectacular skill.

Signature Dish:

It’s tasting menu only here, but an opening amuse of a grilled oyster presented in its shell, bathed in fermented white asparagus, lovage, burnt chicken fat and citrus beurre blanc is about as delicious as it gets.