Best Fine Dining in South Kensington

"Occupying what used to be the headquarters of Christian Dior, Sketch is chic, glamorous and trendy. In the Michelin Guide 2020, it was elevated to the maximum three stars, putting it in an elite group alongside Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. The Lecture Room & Library, at the top of the Grade II listed building, offers haute-cuisine by the extraordinary chef Pierre Gagnaire in a plush setting of studded ivory leather walls, ornate plasterwork ceilings, and rich furnishings in purple and crimson."

"Just as famous for its interiors, French chef Pierre Gaignaire’s Sketch flagship is one of a select number of London restaurants with two Michelin stars. So the cooking belongs to a certain tradition, offering the likes of whole pigeon, pigeon terrine, beetroot, buckwheat crepe, and cherry for £54. It recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, which means neither Sketch’s sort of finery nor the boldest of bold designs have yet to fall out of fashion."

"If the convivial atmosphere of a bistro or elegance of a fine-dining French restaurant leaves you as cold as a steak tartare, Sketch: The Gallery might just be the answer. A feast for all the senses, this unique concept has an emphasis on bold, progressive ‘new French’ food from chef Pierre Gagnaire and even bolder design from Fourth Plinth commissioned artist David Shrigley. Book a table at a French restaurant now."

"If it’s enduring love you’re looking for, J Sheekey’s passion for prime seafood has burned for more than 100 years. The West End restaurant has hosted many a star of nearby stages over the last century, and images of some of those famous faces line the walls. The Champagne bar makes a glamorous spot for two to linger, accompanied by shellfish aplenty and J Sheekey’s famous selection of oysters."

"Restaurants British Covent Garden. J Sheekey lures lovers in with its red canopies on St Martin’s Court. What could appeal more than the chance to knock back a plate of native oysters overlooked by photos of the finest stars of stage and screen?"

"It’s a piece of prime gastronomic real estate, but M&Ms aside, there isn’t much to eat in Leicester Square itself. A claw-cracker’s throw from the neon, though, is some of London’s best seafood, courtesy of J."

"Heston Blumenthal's two Michelin-starred restaurant in Knightsbridge has one of the most beautiful terraces in town. Overlooking Hyde Park, you can enjoy signature dishes like the Meat Fruit or Tipsy Cake and - if you're very lucky - catch the Household Cavalry trotting past on their way to the Changing of the Guard."

"Want a bite of Blumenthal without having to first sweatily consult your banking app?. Head toDinner by Heston – the only two-Michelin-star restaurant in London on this list – at lunchtime. You might even get to try a Heston Blumenthal classic like snail porridge."

"Slow roasted for five hours with sweet apple caramel, Heston Blumenthal’s world-famous ‘Tipsy Cake’ is the stuff that dreams are made of. This unique take on a traditional pineapple upside down cake can be found at his revered restaurant ‘Dinner by Heston’."

"Restaurants British King’s Road. Given its name, you’d expect this horticulturally themed venue to tick all the alfresco boxes, and the Ivy’s terrace doesn’t disappoint. By day, its leafy trellises, bloom-filled terracotta pots, water feature and velvet chairs will put you in an off-duty mood faster than you can order an Ivy Garden Royale; at night, fire pits, roaring hearths and lap blankets keep diners toasty and the vibe as chic as can be."

"Today I’d suggest exploring the London borough of Kensington & Chelsea, with a particular focus on South Kensington. This affluent area of the city is full of museums, galleries, stores, and world-class entertainment venues. Everything on the main itinerary is within walking distance (or a short public transit ride if you prefer)."

"An Instagrammer's dream spot (and popular with the Made in Chelsea crew too) the Ivy Group brought in an award-winning designer to create the space at their King's Road restaurant. There's a covered upper terrace and a cosy firepit when the weather's not all that, but really it's just an evergreen dream out here."

"For more than a decade, customers have been visiting Min Jiang for its spectacular view of Kensington Gardens and staying for its delicious Szechuan and Cantonese cuisine. Located on the 10th floor of the Royal Garden Hotel on Kensington High Street, the restaurant’s chefs specialise in a medley of cooking styles and techniques that have been passed down through generations. If you order one thing, make it the Beijing duck, which is roasted for 45 minutes and presented in two servings: first the skin is crisped with granulated sugar and served with pancakes, and then the meat is served with your choice of noodles, rice, soup or lettuce wraps."

"Not only is Min Jiang an outstanding example of authentic Chinese food, it also offers the second-best view from an oriental eatery in the capital (Hutong at The Shard pips it, with its vantage point in space). From the tenth floor of the Royal Garden Hotel it overlooks the splendid Kensington Gardens, but it’s the legendary Beijing Duck that draws visitors. Roasted in a wood-fire oven and immaculately carved at the table by gloved waiters, it has to be ordered in advance."

"Find traditional Chinese cookery updated for the modern age at Kensington's Min Jiang. Although a great place for provincial Chinese dishes; many come simply for its wood-fired duck, which is served over two courses. Perched on the 10th floor of the Royal Garden Hotel, this stylish restaurant boasts views of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens."

"This Asian late night restaurant and bar boasts panoramic views of one of London’s famous landmarks – St Paul’s Cathedral. Find theatrical drinks and cocktails late into the night alongside a delicious menu of tantalising, Asian-inspired dishes. On arrival, diners are met with a fluorescent pink onyx floor and a pink-hued pagoda."

"20 New Change Passage, London, EC4M 9AG Why should you care?. The latest Ivy has opened in the impressive space that once held Jamie Oliver's Barbecoa. This time they've launched an Ivy with an Asian-influenced menu."

"Not only is St Helen’s one of the oldest surviving churches in the City of London, but it is also the largest, and contains more monuments than any other church in London (except Westminster Abbey of course). The church was designed with two parallel naves, which is why is it is so much wider than a usual church, and it was actually divided in two at one point, with half serving the nuns and the other half serving the parishioners (it is also the only nunnery still standing in the City of London). Among the more famous parishioners of this church was William Shakespeare who lived nearby in the 1590s."

"St Helen Bishopsgate was formed originally of two medieval churches joined together. On the left is the nave of a Benedictine Nunnery, which, in the early 13th century was built onto the existing parish church. The two congregations were then separated by a solid screen (now columns)."

"St Helen’s Church in Bishopsgate is another survivor of the Great Fire, and indeed the Blitz. However, an IRA bomb blew its roof off. It originally belonged to a nunnery which was dissolved in 1538."

"St Giles Cripplegate, The origin of Cripplegate could be from the Anglo-Saxon ‘crepel’, a burrow, denoting the long, narrow underground or covered way leading to the gate. Alternatively, it could be that more cripples gathered at this particular gate begging alms than at other gates of the city.The first known church was built during the 14th century on the ground outside the gate close to where the Walbrook ran under the London Wall. It was rebuilt in the 17th century and much altered in Victorian times.Oliver Cromwell was married here, and in 1674 the poet John Milton was buried."

"This Church of England church was built just outside the city wall, next to the Cripplegate, hence the name (without means outside). It was initially built in the 11th century before the current building was constructed in 1394, with the stone tower being added in 1682. While it survived the fire of 1666, it has been severely damaged on three other occasions, from fires in 1545 and 1897 and from an air raid during the Blitz in 1940."

"This 16th-century church is one of the few to have survived both the Great Fire of London and the Blitz. It is situated inside the Barbican"

"Chris Restrepo’s parents own Ichiban Sushi, serving carefully made sushi since 1999. Restrepo takes that tradition and refracts it through the version of Brixton he knows as an omakase, which he has labelled “yoroppa-mae” for its deployment of European ingredients. He might smoke tuna, or cure and dry-age hamachi; or he might put CBD caviar on top of mackerel."

"Potli is a wonderful sit-down restaurant that excels at Indian short eats and flavourful dishes designed for sharing with your closest chums. You’d be rude not to come for a blowout lunch or dinner at this Hammersmith local but it’s the dessert at Potli – which means “little bag of gold” – that might just be its most valuable asset. The paan ice cream, which gets its distinct colour and flavour from betel leaf, is one of the best versions of that refreshing, herbal-y dessert you’ll find in London."