London is a bustling, vibrant city with a multitude of sights. But visiting all those attractions can work up an appetite. Here are 8 must try restaurants in London for your next visit!
Our family recently traveled to London to tour some universities as our daughter prepares to head off to college. Or at least that was partly the reason for our trip.
The other part was to experience one of the world's great cities and all it has to offer. These days, that includes a buzzing and diverse food scene. And we certainly took advantage of it!
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🍴 About the food in London
London has long had a reputation for history, art, architecture, glamour... but not necessarily food. Apart from fish and chips, the city didn't really have a food identity.
But that's changed a lot in recent years, as exciting new chefs and restaurants have appeared on the scene. Now London arguably ranks among the world's great foodie destinations.
During our week-long visit, we tried to check out as many delicious eateries as we could, keeping in mind that for the most part, we needed to find places that our two kids would like as well. Here are some of our must try restaurants in London.
🍝 Bella Italia
When traveling with kids, even older ones like ours, it can be difficult to find a place that suits everyone's tastes. But a love of Italian food is our common denominator. So after a busy day of sightseeing, we made reservations at Bella Italia, a casual eatery with an extensive menu and quick, attentive service.
Bella Italia features all the Italian stapes, from calamari to meatballs to a selection of pastas and pizzas.
We opted for the spaghetti with king prawns (£18) made with plum tomatoes in a tasty white wine, garlic, and red pepper sauce. Plus, we ordered a classic margherita pizza with pepperoni (£15) along with some garlic flatbread (£17). It was a relaxing, satisfying way to end a long day of walking, sightseeing, and overall touristing!
Visiting Bella Italia (The Strand)
65 Strand, London WC2N 5LR
Sun-Thu: 11am - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am - 11pm
💐 Borough Market
One of the joys of running a food and travel site is experiencing cuisine from all over the world. And there's no better place to do that than at large food markets.
We'd heard about Borough Market before our visit and it turned out to be just a few minutes walk from our hotel. So we headed over there to check it out—and we were not disappointed!
Borough Market is a big, bustling semi-outdoor marketplace located in London's Southwark area. It has everything you'd expect from such a place. That includes food vendors of all stripes and from all over, from local butcher shops and cheesemongers, to olive oil stands and fresh fruit and veggies.
And it has plenty of little bars and restaurants for refreshment as you take breaks between exploring. We decided to bring back some treats for all us and opted for some pastries from a vegan bakery cart. They were the perfect snack for after dinner.
Visiting Borough Market
London SE1 9AL
Tue-Fri: 10am - 5pm
Sat: 9am - 5pm
Sun: 10am - 4pm
🇪🇸 Brindisa Tapas Bar
It happened that we found a dinner spot just adjacent to Borough Market at a little tapas bar called Brindisa. This was our first night in London and we just sort of came across this restaurant, so we didn't have reservations. Luckily they were still able to squeeze us in right before the busy 6pm dinner rush hour, when nearby eateries really begin to fill up.
Brindisa actually has a few locations throughout the London area with similar menus. And as with any tapas bar, the idea is to order several small plates to share with the table, which we did.
Our favorites included the pan con tomate (£6) — bread with a tomato, garlic, and olive oil topping; ham croquetas (£8); and the king prawns (£12). It was the perfect meal of affordable, small bites — just the right amount without being too filling.
Update: Since our visit, the Borough Market location has been changed from a sit-down restaurant to a tapas counter. You can still grab some tasty tapas to eat there or to go, but the menu is pared down a bit and it focuses more on lunch now.
Visiting Brindisa at Borough Market
Unit 51 Jubilee, Winchester Walk, London SE1 9AG
Tue-Fri: 10am - 5pm
Sat: 9am - 5pm
Sun: 10am - 4pm
☕️ Caffe Concerto
London is chock full of cafes, but if you're in the mood for a more glamourous, upscale experience, check out Caffe Concerto. With several locations across the city, you have multiple options to choose from. What sets them apart is their abundant selection of beautiful cakes and their elegant interior decor.
We visited the Covent Garden location. When we stepped inside it felt like we were about to enjoy high tea at one of London's finer hotels. The space is artfully designed and the cakes are decadent. But Caffe Concerto is more than just cakes. You can order from breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus.
We were just popping in for breakfast to visit an old friend from college. So we only skimmed the surface with a tasty green smoothie and a hearty bowl of porridge with fresh fruit. But this is definitely a place we'll return to when we come back to London.
Visiting Caffe Concerto (Covent Garden)
143 Long Acre, London WC2E 9AD
Daily: 7:30am - 11pm
🇮🇳 Dishhoom
If you're a fan of Indian food, Dishoom should be on your list of can't-miss London Restaurants. Winner of several "best restaurant" awards, Dishoom serves up modern takes on traditional Indian cuisine in settings reminiscent of grand, century-old coffee houses. Plus, for every meal ordered, Dishoom donates one to help fight child hunger.
We stopped in for breakfast at Dishoom in Covent Garden. The restaurant features an inviting, colorful decor which set the tone for the delicious meal we were about to have. And the service was incredible.
One of their specialties is the bacon naan roll (£10), which we opted for. It includes a freshly baked roll with cream cheese, tomato chili jam, and coriander leaves, filled with bacon. It was so tasty!
We also ordered Uttapam stack, which is similar to pancakes (£11.50) with fresh berries and whipped cream — also delicious. And to drink, our waiter recommended the chocolate chai. This decadent, sweet and spicy tea was the perfect complement to the meal.
Visiting Dishoom (Covent Garden)
12 Upper St Martin's Ln, London WC2H 9FB
Mon-Thu: 8am - 11pm
Fri: 8am - 12am
Sat: 9am - 12am
Sun: 9am - 11pm
🇬🇧 Heddon Street Kitchen
If you've ever walked down London's Regent Street, you know it can be one of the city's most lively, and most crowded areas. But tucked away in a quiet courtyard just off that busy thoroughfare you'll find Heddon Street Kitchen.
One of Gordon Ramsey's many restaurants, Heddon Street Kitchen is a sophisticated yet casual eatery that serves traditional British favorites alongside more contemporary fare, all plated with the elegance you'd expect from the "Masterchef" himself.
This was sort of an impromptu visit for us, as we were in the neighborhood around lunchtime but didn't have a reservation. It turned out that it didn't matter. While the restaurant was busy, the waitstaff were able to seat us just in a few minutes for what would turn out to be one of the best meals of our trip!
Our dishes included the roasted sea bream (£20), which came with green beans in a golden, curry-like sauce, as well as the butter chicken (£18) — a delectable take on the traditional Indian dish. We also had the fish and chips (£23), a Gordon Ramsey specialty and the dry-aged beef burger (£23). I also chose a nice, crisp glass of Chablis (£15) to accompany my meal.
We ended up whiling away a couple of hours here just enjoying our lunch. It was a fantastic way to spend part of our last full day in London.
Visiting Heddon Street Kitchen
3-9 Heddon St, London W1B 4BE
Mon-Wed: 7:30am - 11pm
Thu-Fri: 7:30am - 11:30pm
Sat: 11:30am - 11:30pm
Sun: 11:30am - 9pm
⛪️ Mercato Mayfair
For those that like a lot of diversity when eating out and don't want to be limited to one style of cuisine, food halls are a great option. That's why we jumped on the (very crowded) tube one evening and made our way to Mercato Mayfair.
This former church turned food venue features multiple floors of food stalls and small restaurants — everything from seafood and pizza to Mexican and Indian fare. It even has a German beer hall at one end and popup wine carts throughout. We conveniently chose a table next to one of them for easy access 😉.
As for our meals, we went for some handmade pasta and sushi, with a couple of glasses of wine. Even though it was lively and crowded inside the hall, it wasn't hard to grab a table on the main floor. And we discovered that the downstairs area was much more secluded and quieter, if you're crowd-averse.
While there were just four of us, Mercato Mayfair is also a great option if you're traveling in a larger group and want a variety of food choices.
Visiting Mercato Mayfair
St. Mark's Church, N Audley St, London W1K 6ZA
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 11pm
Fri-Sat: 12pm - 12am
Sun: 12pm - 10:30pm
🍻 White Hart Pub
During one busy day, we looked at a few colleges then spent a couple of hours braving the crowds and admiring some of the wonders at the British Museum. Of course, this made us all hungry. Luckily, just down the road was a delightful British pub.
But the White Hart isn't just any pub. It claims to be the oldest licensed premises in London. We can't confirm that. But we can say that their pub fare was just what we were looking for. And it was excellent.
The atmosphere is just as you'd expect from a traditional pub, complete with a long bar and plenty of seating for lunch and dinner. We went with some true classics like fish & chips (£16), the pub burger (£17), and of course pints.
They also have a selection of other dishes, like steak and ale pot pie, sausage and mash, and a simple cheese and pickle. Basically, everything you could ask for pub-wise!
Visiting White Hart Pub
191 Drury Ln, London WC2B 5QD
Mon-Wed: 12pm - 11pm
Thu: 12pm - 12am
Fri-Sat: 12pm - 2am
Sun: 12pm - 8pm
🍽️ Tips for dining in London
Make reservations
London is a large, teeming city, so to make our restaurant experiences more seamless, we tried to make reservations whenever possible. We discovered this was more important during dinner as many places would fill up quickly after 5pm. We found this out the hard way on our first night as we were turned away from a few places that we just packed.
But we did simply walk in to some places for lunch with no wait. And outdoor areas like Borough Market are a great, casual option to grab food or take some with you to go.
Expect some sticker shock
As with most big cities, eating out in London can be expensive. But we found that the cost was higher than many other large European cities we've visited recently, including Paris and various places in Spain.
Brexit likely has something to do with that, as it's now costlier to import many ingredients from mainland Europe into Britain. But the exchange rate is also very high, especially for U.S. travelers. Your dollar won't go as far with the British Pound as it does with the Euro, for example.
Be adventurous
We're all for planning when it comes to eating out while traveling, but part of the fun is being spontaneous sometimes. So don't be afraid to just try out a restaurant on a whim or sample a different type of cuisine than you're used to.
One of the great advantages to dining in world-class cities like London is that you can find great food from all over the globe. Some of which you may not be able to get back at home. Be open to some new culinary experiences and see where it takes you!
London Restaurant FAQs
It's customary to tip between 10%-20% at London restaurants. But many places will automatically add a service charge to your bill, so be sure to check first. That said, it's not common or expected to leave a tip when ordering a drink at a bar or pub.
In most cases, waiters will not automatically bring the check at the end of meal, like in the United States. So, yes you will need to ask for it. And it's usually called the bill instead of the check. For example, you'd simply say, "May we have the bill, please?"
Usually, you should wait for a host to seat you in London restaurants, rather than seating yourself. However, at pubs and cafes it's ok to simply grab your own table.
🇬🇧 More things to do in London
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