Mentioned by Hot Dinners
The best restaurants in London - the ultimate guide
"This West End institution takes its name from market trader Josef Sheekey, who, in the 1890s, was granted permission by Lord Salisbury to serve fish and seafood in St Martin’s Court provided he supply after-theatre meals to Salisbury’s guests. More than a century on, it remains an established favourite with the capital’s glitterati, who you can often spot slurping oysters or tucking into the famous fish pie post performance. In 2008 it expanded to include the J Sheekey Atlantic Bar next door for a slightly less formal experience, featuring a buzzing open kitchen and ample outdoor seating for relaxed al fresco dining."
"Tucked behind the heart of Theatre Land on St Martin’s Court, the red facade of J Sheekey’s fish, shellfish and seasonal game restaurant is nothing short of iconic. Sheekey’s is as famous and as much a part of the West End as the actors and theatregoers who frequent it pre- or post-show and it’s been top of its game for over 100 years. Devour seafood platters or pop in for oysters and a glass of Champagne or head next door to the more casual, but just as loved, J.Sheekey Atlantic Bar."
"One of London's properly iconic restaurants, Sheeky's have been serving up seafood to Londoners for over 100 years. The setting, tucked in an unassuming passageway linking Charing Cross Road to St Martin's Lane, means it's always been popular with London's theatre folk, popping in here post-performance as well as other A-listers. Here's where you'll find local thespians enjoying the restaurant's classic fish pie and oyster platters."
"Sitting atop the South Place Hotel, Angler makes apparent early on its elegantly versatile nature. With "sustainable seafood from British waters, paired with the best seasonal and local produce", as well as world-renowned sommelier Benoit Allauzen, Angler is a double-hitter, and might just be the wine-enthusiast's seafood paradise. Their tasting menu includes everything from smoked eel to minestrone, and they offer a Sunday BBQ which reinvents the form: mackerel-squid sliders, prawn and pork belly skewers, and Cornish cod goujons."
"What: Stunning views come as standard at this Michelin starred seafood restaurant in the City, which is located the seventh floor of South Place Hotel. The precise cooking on show at Angler elevates beautiful ingredients to dizzying heights. Dishes on the regularly changing a la carte menu might include John Dory with bacon and sardines, and roast monkfish served with parsnip cream, while there’s also the option to go all-out and opt for the lengthy tasting menu.Where: South Place Hotel, 3 South Place, EC2M 2AF"
"A seasonal delight at Angler, on top of the South Place Hotel, is the rooftop terrace with views across the city. A retractable roof extends the availability of coveted terrace sea..."
"This Mayfair institution has long been famed for its glorious terrace, where the tables have always been suitably distanced and heaters keep you warm as you sup oysters and crack into the freshest seafood around. For the reopening, the team has collaborated with Perrier-Jouët Champagne, so guests can rest assured the finest cuvees will be on offer."
"The terrace at this Mayfair establishment has long been a spot where you'll find yourself sitting downwind from unrepentant smokers like Ronnie Wood or Charles Saatchi and getting your photo taken by passing paparazzi."
"The seas surrounding our little island are home to some of the best oysters on the planet – a fact Wright Brothers knows only too well. This crop of London restaurants began life as a Borough Market seafood merchants, and it still supplies oysters and seafood to more than 300 restaurants across the capital. Inside its own five restaurants, Wright Brothers serves a seasonally changing selection of oysters from across England, Ireland and occasionally France, which punters can enjoy dressed, smoked and cooked with variations including tempura fried with bonito flakes and sweet miso, or ceviche-style with lime and chilli."
"One of the original seafood restaurants in London, the Wright Brothers are well-known for their oysters, farmed at their own Cornish Duchy oyster farm, as well as selecting the best from the British Isles and France. From ceviche style to a Mediterranean twist with pomegranate, balsamic and spring onion, the Wright Brothers are truly the kings of oysters. If oysters aren’t your thing, don’t despair as the rest of their menu is just as delicious."
"The Wright Bros. chain is one of our favourites, as they serve seafood of consistently high quality. They also have an oyster happy hour period from 3pm-6pm every day when you can guzzle oysters for £1 each (farmed on their own Cornish Duchy oyster farm), which is the best way to spend an afternoon we can think of right now. We enjoyed a full fruit de mer platter at the Spitalfields branch and have never felt happier."
"Brought to you by the Goodman Restaurant Group, the people behind the Burger & Lobster restaurants, this restaurant champions the beasts of land and sea – the finest beef and Norwegian Red King Crab. The crab comes from the Norway King Crab company in Bugøynes, a small town on the Northern Norwegian/Russian border that benefits from the behemoths of crustacians. While the meat is handpicked from around the globe – everything from USDA Nebraska’s 150-day corn fed Chateaubriand to A5 Grade Japanese Wagyu Sirloin."
"What:Beast is the kind of pricy restaurant only people with serious money frequent. Vast wooden tables, which stretch the length of the dining room, ensure that any meal at Beast feels like a banquet. Steaks are the main draw but don’t overlook the seafood."
"Restaurants British Spitalfields. Poppies’ pick ‘n’ mix assortment of British kitsch (a jukebox, newspaper cuttings, model aeroplanes, wartime memorabilia) makes it look like some nostalgic fantasy trip, but eating here is still a treat for young and old alike – they even have a dedicated children’s menu (cod bites, fishcakes or sausages, all with chips for £6.50). Soak up the nostalgia, just don’t mention the war!"
"Open since 1945, award-winning Poppies is one of the tastiest cheap eats in London. Costing from as little as £5.95, Poppies’ menu which is full of secret family recipes, fresh fish, scrumptious savouries, and golden chips will keep you coming back for more. Located in Spitalfields and Camden, Poppies’ will transport you back in time with their newspaper-wrapped takeaways, 1940’s decor and even live music at their Camden fish bar."
"Recognised as one of the best independent fish and chips shops in the UK, Poppies Covent Garden offers a large selection of outdoor terraces across its three locations. Enjoy locally sourced fish wrapped up in recyclable newspaper al fresco in the sunshine."
"What: There is something captivating about dining in a market, and Chamberlain’s position in the atmospheric labyrinth of Leadenhall is no different. The longstanding restaurant, which has been open since 1947, serves a menu of impeccable fish dishes, all of which come beautifully presented. Opt for classic combinations such as Orkney scallops with lardo or treat yourself to the most indulgent of dinners and order the turbot with truffle.Where: 23-25 Leadenhall Market, EC3V 1LR"
"Located right in Diagon Alley – better known to muggles as Leadenhall Market – is this behemoth of a restaurant. It spans three floors, has its very own outdoor terrace within the historic market, and boasts a total of four private dining rooms. Moreover, as it’s owned by the prestigious Billingsgate wholesaler Chamberlain & Thelwell, it has access to the very best seafood in town."
"A relatively recent emphasis — in no small part because of a growing relationship between London restaurants and Cornish suppliers — is being placed on English waters. Westerns Laundry, by the same operators, Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim and David Gingell’s Western Laundry (the pair also oversees Primeur and Jolene), is one of London’s best seafood restaurants, in the past year featuring a covered terrace for outdoor eating alongside the main dining room, serving glorious plates like fideo pasta rich with cuttlefish, squid ink, and aioli; monkfish friggitelli and mojo verde; and John Dory, peas, braised gem lettuce, and pancetta. A stellar winelist, with low-intervention and classic options adds to the reasons to visit this outstanding, warmly lit and carefully designed Holloway restaurant."
"A relatively recent emphasis — in no small part because of a growing relationship between London restaurants and Cornish suppliers — is being placed on English waters. Westerns Laundry, by the same operators, Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim and David Gingell, of Primeur and Jolene, is one of London’s best seafood restaurants. The cuttlefish and ham croquette remains a standout dish; langoustine with bloody marie rose is as good as minimal shellfish service gets; the rum baba has nothing to do with seafood but is an essential order nonetheless."
"With the bifold doors flung open and pre-dinner drinks out on the terrace, the team who also run Primeur and Jolene have turned this unlovely former laundry by the Emirates Stadium into a little slice of foodie paradise. Enjoy snacks and a glass of Vermouth under the olive tree and feel like you're far away from North London. More about Westerns Laundry"
"Plain on the outside, plain on the inside – only you're talking about two very different kinds of plain here. While the Metropolitan's exterior is anonymous to the point of charmlessness, the interiors are, particularly for this part of London, a pleasant surprise. Icy-calm, uncluttered and understated, though with some arresting and endearing touches – vivid block-coloured carpets, splendid orchids, big sofas arranged alongside big windows the better to enjoy the big views over the park outside."
"BEST SPA IN LONDON FOR: PERTINENT, INTUITIVE TREATMENTS WITH A TOP-OF-THEIR-GAME ROSTER OF THERAPISTS. Small but perfectly formed, the spa here often gets overlooked for bigger players, but this is one of London’s best-kept secrets. Not only is the space completely sleek and serene – no plinky-plonky music or trickling fountains – but the treatments pack an enormous punch."
"The best way to describe Zuma and its continued success is that ten years after I started doing this job it remains one of the most booked restaurants in the city. A decade ago, the only other restaurant that was really at this level of desirability was The Ivy. The fact that Zuma created that level of appeal and has maintained it is largely down to Rainer Becker, the head chef and founder."
"Like Nobu, Zuma is another big name that characterises London’s Japanese dining scene. Chef Rainer Becker was the very first to bring the idea of izakaya to London opening Zuma in 2002. It was — and still is — glitzy, moderately fusion-y and wildly popular."
"Act out your teen fantasies and wallow in ’80s nostalgia at this cluttered, ersatz homage to John Hughes’s cult movie – and tribute to the most important meal of the day. Breakfast takes centre-stage (of course), but this Club runs right through from brunch to dinner. Flagship site: 33 D’Arblay Street, W1F 8EU"
"Love Island is back on our screens, we’ve got piled high pancakes & best of all- we’re adding NEW DISHES to our menu TOMORROW!. Get down to our cafs from the 5th June to be the first to try our new additions💥. A post shared by The Breakfast Club Cafes (@thebrekkyclub) on Jun 4, 2019 at 2:36am PDT"
"The clue’s in the title with this one; of course their pancakes are going to be outta this world. With five on the menu, choose from the veggie option, bacon or berries. They sound good but we’re going big on the All American with eggs, sausage, fried potatoes, bacon and maple syrup."
"With its modern stylish green velvet interiors and smooth marble tabletops, this trendy French bistro screams chic. It's perfect for a spot of brunch to kick off a day out and about in the heart of London. I love the atmosphere and the food is class."
"NAC modern French bistro on North Audley Street, and known for their totally instagrammable and delightful brunch dishes, will be opening their terrace to diners."
"London’s best sushi restaurants are either impossible to get into or prohibitively expensive. It’s therefore with great relief and thrill that the marvellously mercurial Yuya Kikuchi is back in town. Jugemu is a little more traditional but no less chaotic than his short-lived Kirazu, and the question is: Is there a better value omakase in town?"