Where to eat in London (Guide to London restaurants + more)

We are constantly asked for recommendations on where to eat in London (or what to eat) and as we can’t possibly try every single one (I’d give it a go but it would take more than my lifetime) I have started adding recommendations from our UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group (which I will keep updating)

You will also find information about chain restaurants, pubs, coffee shops, markets and more below!

If you find a wonderful place for coffee or a bite to eat do let us know so we can include it below.

Afternoon tea deserves its own guide, so we have one: 26 of the best places for afternoon tea in London, from the Ritz and the Savoy to a tea bus and a Thames cruise, with prices and dietary notes for each.

Thanks

Top London Food Tours

1. 🥟 Ultimate Food Tour of Borough Market
2. 🍻 Tastes, Tales & Traditional Ales: Food Tour of London’s Historic Pubs
3. 🍤 London East End – Food Walking Tour with 8 Stops
4. 🍔 Flavours of Camden Market Guided Walking Tour

Where to eat in London – Restaurants

Covent Garden + Seven Dials

• Kanada Ya Ramen – Japanese
• Dishoom – Indian
• Lahpet – Burmese
• Cichettis – Italian
• Temper – Steak, taco, barbeque
• Pick & Cheese – Sushi style cheese bar
• Champagne and fromage – French style bistro

Kensington

• Dishoom – Indian
• Zaika – Indian

China Town

• Viet Food Chinatown – Vietnamese

Soho + Carnaby

• Kanada Ya Ramen – Japanese
• Dishoom – Indian
• Kiln – Thai inspired

Shoreditch

• Lahpet – Burmese

Popular London Restaurants + chains (multi-location)

Eating on the Thames

City Cruises run meals on the river. The lunch cruise (from £36) sails from Tower Bridge up to Westminster and down to Canary Wharf. The afternoon tea cruise (from £40) boards at Tower Pier at 3.15pm for sandwiches, scones, cakes and unlimited tea. The dinner cruise (from £81) leaves Westminster Pier at 7.45pm with a three-course meal and a live performer. On all of them the window tables for two go first.

Dishoom : Bombay-inspired Indian food

• Located in Covent Garden, Kensington, Carnaby, Shoreditch & King’s Cross
• Expect a long queue!

Hawksmoor – Steakhouse

• Located across the UK there are 8 restaurants in London including Seven Dials, Knightsbridge, Borough and Piccadilly Circus

Cichettis – Italian

• A number of restaurants across London including Covent Garden.

Kanada Ya Ramen – Japanese

• 5 restaurants including Covent Garden, Angel, Carnaby and Piccadilly

Ottolenghi – Middle Eastern + Mediterranean-inspired

• 7 London restaurants including Chelsea, Spitalfields, Marylebone and Notting Hill

Wagamama – Asian & Japanese

• Numerous restaurants across London and the UK

Wahaca – Mexican

• Numerous restaurants across London (Waterloo, Shoreditch, Covent Garden and more) and the UK

Pho – Vietnamese Street Food

• Numerous restaurants across London and the UK

Giraffe – Child friendly

• Numerous restaurants across London (Victoria, King’s Cross, Southbank Centre) and the UK

Pizza Express – Pizza

• Numerous restaurants across London and the UK

Nandos – Peri Peri Chicken

• Numerous restaurants across London and the UK

Vegan

• Mildreds – 5 locations including Camden, Soho, Covent Garden and King’s Cross

• Tendril – 5 Princes Street (2 minutes from Oxford Circus/Bond St. stations)

• Farmacy – Notting Hill

Gluten-free options

• Niche – Angel, Islington

• Los Mochis – Notting Hill

• Libby’s – Notting Hill

• Cotto (Italian) – Waterloo

• Honest Burgers – Multiple locations

• Indigo at One Aldwych – Covent Garden

London Supermarkets

You will find that most of the larger supermarkets have smaller branches in London so they are pretty common, especially around train stations.

All have a selection of meal deals for lunch eg sandwich + crisps/fruit + drink for a set price.

M&S have an excellent evening meal deal range too.

Work in progress – more to come!

*PLEASE NOTE PICS (and prices) FROM 2022/3

Marks & Spencers + M&S Simply Food

Tesco + Tesco Express

London Coffee Shops (chain)

There are many chain coffee shops in London – as I don’t drink coffee I can’t comment on the quality of any but you can expect to find the following just about everywhere!

• Costa Coffee
• Cafe Nero
• Starbucks
• Pret a Manger

London Coffee Shops (independent)

Instagram famous

• Farm Girl >> Notting Hill (above pic of a rather pretty and delicious chai latte)/South Kensington
• Peggy Porschen – Chelsea/Belgravia
• EL&N London >> Numerous locations
• Attendant Coffee Roasters >> Numerous locations

London Markets

We have a detailed guide to London markets on UK Travel Planning but here is a summary plus some of our favourite places to eat at each.

This is a work in progress – if you have suggestions please let me know!

Borough Market

• Humble Crumble – delicious and Instagram-worthy crumbles

• The Ginger Pig – Sausage rolls

• Nanna Fanny’s – salt beef sandwiches

• Kappacasein – Raclette

• Richard Hayward’s Oysters – oysters!

• fish!Kitchen – fish and chips

• Bread ahead – doughnuts

Camden Market

• Hans & Gretel – dessert cafe

• Cereal Killers Cafe – cereal!

• Honest Burgers – burgers!

• Churros London – churros!

• Poppies – Fish and chips!