Mentioned by Hot Dinners
The very best restaurants in London for eating alfresco
"We love the classic schmoozy charm of this place, set in the heart of Theatreland. The food is a little like very upmarket pub food, so think half pints of prawns, fish pies, lobster thermidor (what do you mean you've never seen that down the King's Head?), and platters of shellfish galore. There’s an oyster bar next door, too, which made it onto our list of the best oyster bars in London"
"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?"
"A jewel of the Covent Garden dining scene, this incredibly smart restaurant was opened by 1890s fishmonger Josef Sheekey on the permission of Lord Salisbury (who wanted somewhere to eat after the theatre)."
"Restaurants British Moorgate. Bordered by lavender bushes and olive trees, Michelin-starred Angler’s chic outdoor terrace has a retractable roof that shields diners from summer rain and winter chills. Sip premium cocktails while scoffing big-money seafood snacks – Porthilly oysters, Cornish sea-bass tartare, Alaskan king crab cromesquis."
"South Place Hotel, 3 South Place, Moorgate, London, EC2M 2AF. The proud holder of a Michelin star, Angler in The City also boats an outdoor terrace and a stunning seafood-focused menu. Don’t skip a tartare to start and go all in on lobster for mains."
"Scott’s started out as an oyster bar in 1851, but it has since evolved into one of Mayfair’s iconic restaurants, and a reliable ‘banker’ for date nights, meetings, or even solo visits at the bar for oysters and champagne. Dover sole rightly remains a Scott’s classic, served either simply grilled or with a silky meunière sauce, expertly filleted at the table by one of the slick front of house. It ain’t cheap, but a fine fish such as this deserves the royal treatment it gets here."
"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."
"Restaurants Seafood Mayfair"
"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."
"What:Wright Brothers has earnt such a name for itself in the Capital over the past few years that is now has no less than five outposts. Still renowned for serving up some of London’s best oysters, other top shouts at Wright Brothers include a smoky mackerel pate, buttery potted shrimps and sublimely handled turbot, or you can choose from a range of daily specials.Where: Various locations"
"Part fishmonger, part seafood bar, Prawn On The Lawn manages to be one of the most charming 'holes-in-the-wall' London has to offer, where fresh-from-the-ice scallops, monkfish, squid, langoustine, and of course the eponymous prawns get made in to colourful, delectable small dishes. Blink in Highbury and you could miss it: head downstairs to the 16-seater basement for an intimate dining experience. Try seared tuna with chilli, coriander, spring onion, mirin, and soy for £8.50, or Prawn On The Lawn fruits de mer for £60, which includes crab, prawns, mussels, clams, jumbo prawn, smoked prawns, langoustine, whelks, crevettes, and oysters."
"Functioning fishmonger as well as a restaurant, this Highbury nook largely does very little to the quality seafood shipped up from its base in Padstow. Small dishes might include a tataki-style searing of tuna, cut with hot chilli and croaky spring onion, while a rotating cast of whole fish for the table best represents the considerable pedigree on show."
"The brilliantly-named Prawn on the Lawn is not just a restaurant but also a fishmonger. This means the menu changes on a daily basis depending on what fish have been caught. Sample small plates include the favourite Prawn on the Lawn as well as Porthilly mussels with clams and manzanilla, and cod with Sri Lankan black curry."
"Fried haddock sandwiches are basically the fish finger butty glow-up we never knew we needed. As well as seafood, Orasay in Notting Hill are delivering fresh, sophisticated meals like pot roast duck leg with a soy, orange, and honey sauce and burrata with wild garlic and baby peas. Crucial information: there are batched cocktails for two you should probably order as well."
"On the other side of the rose pergola from the Agius Evolution Garden, you’ll find the Kitchen Garden where Kew Gardens grow edible plants to learn more about producing healthy and sustainable food. I love bringing the kids here during the summer to see the various crops, and in the autumn to see the pumpkin patch. Keep an eye out for their Kitchen Garden sales, where they sell fruits and vegetables from the garden from May to September."
"The Kitchen Garden is a vegetable garden with fruits and vegetables, and can be seen growing different products in all seasons. Vegetables are selected for maximum flavor and to provide mature products in all seasons. There you find asparagus, potatoes, peas, spinach, strawberries, carrot varieties (including purple and yellow), gooseberries, garlic, beans and many other foods."
"The Leicester Square Theatre has an illustrious past, as it was the venue of the Cavern Club in the swinging Sixties. The group The Small Faces had a residency there, the Rolling Stones played there with the Who, and the Sex Pistols held several gigs there, including their preview of 'London Calling'. Over the last few years, it's been a venue to some of the world's top comedy acts."
"Although – or perhaps because – it stopped being cutting-edge several thousand cheap leather jackets ago, Camden Market attracts millions of visitors each year and is one of London's most popular attractions. What started out as a collection of attractive craft stalls beside Camden Lock on the Regent's Canal now extends most of the way from Camden Town tube station to Chalk Farm tube station."
"Camden Market is not a single market, but consists of several different markets within walking distance of each other. Market stalls sell just about everything including food, clothing, crafts, art, souvenirs, and more."