Arguably the rot set in some 25 years ago, when rockstar chef Marco Pierre White claimed that he was ‘giving back’ his three Michelin stars. White said he was over Michelin; that the acclaimed restaurant ranking guide had lost touch with reality and wasn’t consistent in its somewhat cryptic judgements. And he was only the first, too: over the years since a spate of high profile chefs have effectively renounced Michelin — even if, technically, stars are awarded not to an individual chef but to a dining establishment. The late, acclaimed chef Skye Gyngell, of London’s Petersham Nurseries, for example, said she prayed never to be awarded another star.

And still the rebellion grows. Last year Giglio, an Italian restaurant in Lucca, asked for its star to be removed from Michelin’s famous ‘red book’ guide. It had become more of a deterrent to diners than a lure. And then the acclaimed French chef Marc Veyrat went so far as to ban Michelin’s mystery diners-cum-inspectors from his restaurant in Megeve altogether. In 2019 he’d lost a star at one of his other restaurants because — shock! — he’d allegedly used cheddar in a soufflé. He called Michelin “the gravediggers of French gastronomy”.

Certainly chefs have suggested that, for many of them, Michelin is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, working for an establishment that’s awarded a star — let alone two or three — undoubtedly remains the ultimate accolade in their line of work, especially if it’s their name over the door. A chef with a Michelin star will forever after be referred to as ‘Michelin-starred chef Insert name here...’. Some have suggested that there are financial advantages too, with takings said to increase 20% for one star, 40% for two and 100% for three.

And yet, on the other hand, there’s talk of what Gyngell called the ‘curse of Michelin’: that a star comes with a huge increase in pressure, both to maintain that star (each establishment with one is, in theory, reassessed on an annual basis to gauge whether they should keep it, or, indeed, be awarded another) but also to meet the expectations of diners, which are also inevitably amped up.

'A stick to beat yourself with'

While a Michelin star is meant to be a judgement of nothing else but a restaurant’s food — the quality of ingredients, the skill and personality of the cooking, its consistency and, less believably these days, its value for money — invariably the kind of diners drawn to a Michelin starred place tend to want a certain formality in the setting and spectacle in the dishes. Conversely, as many people are also turned off by their notion of what a scary Michelin-starred restaurant must be like even when it isn’t.

No wonder Michael Deane, who held a single star for 30 years (eventually ‘handing his back’ when he decided he wanted to take his business in a new direction, effectively wiping his Michelin slate clean) would note how some chefs think of the award as “just a stick to beat yourself with”.

Certainly Michelin’s reputation has at times faltered, such that many an aspiring chef might wonder if the whole scheme isn’t more a kind of useful propaganda rather than a genuine reflection of greatness in the kitchen. Thanks to a handful of whistle blowers, Michelin has been beset with bad PR about its practices, with certain among its inspectors — who pay to eat at restaurants anonymously, and spend most of their year on the road, eating heavy meal after heavy meal — suggesting that actually it’s a rare thing for a restaurant to undergo regular assessment. There just aren’t enough inspectors to go around. They’d also claim that around a third of restaurants in Michelin’s guide were deemed ‘untouchable’, something Michelin would deny. Michelin has also been accused of bias towards younger chefs, and male ones.

There has been what some would call poor management, too. In 2020 Michelin introduced a green star as an accolade for those restaurants that showed exemplary sustainability. Last year it unceremoniously withdrew the award — much to the ire of those chef/owners who had striven to win it and who were now barred from advertising as much. This was all because, it’s assumed (Michelin isn’t saying why) too many diners were confusing green star restaurants with one star restaurants.

Worth a 20 mile diversion

Then there’s Michelin’s limited scope: it’s only in recent years that Michelin has extended beyond its heartlands of Europe and the big American cities, into, for example, Asia, where the culinary scene was world-class long before Michelin recognised it as such. The bigger problem in this? To offset declining sales of its printed guide, Michelin has struck deals with national tourist boards in the likes of China and South Korea — somewhat compromising any assessment its inspectors might subsequently make.

This is, at least, in keeping with the origins of the Michelin Guide. It was created in 1900 by Andre and Edouard Michelin, founders of the French tyre manufacturing giant that takes their surname, who saw it as a way of getting the few people who owned a car at the time to travel further afield. It started awarding stars a century ago this year, in 1936 introducing the multi-star system, one meaning ‘this is a safe place for travellers to eat at’, through to three, which meant ‘this is worth a 20 mile diversion’.

It would sell a lot of guides — way, way more than there were cars in France. But then, historically, Michelin wasn’t above promoting anything if it boosted demand for its tyres: within a year of WW1 ending, it was publishing a guide to the best battlefields to visit. This continued to be published annually, and to great success, all the way up until 1938 when, erm, events would soon make its poor taste somewhat more obvious.

Changing tastes

But perhaps the biggest problem for Michelin is that it simply hasn’t kept pace with the times. That popular misconception of what a Michelin-starred restaurant is like — a bit stiff, with a dress code, a lot of white linen and fussy staff — cuts against the way people dine in the 21st century, especially younger people, and especially during what’s proving to be a rather extended ‘cost of living crisis’. In fairness to Michelin, it has broadened its remit: street food vendors can now, officially at least, win a Michelin star, but this is a rare event.

“We now get very few enquiries from chefs wanting to open a restaurant that’s really premium. Eating habits have just changed. People are more excited about simple food done well, served in a more casual environment,” argues Ben Floyd, founder of hospitality consultancy Lumiere, which counts Harrods among its clients and which soon opens its own Covent Garden restaurant, Subsume.

“Of course chefs still want a star on their CV, for all of the emotional and physical toll it takes to get one. But I don’t think Michelin resonates with customers as it used to.”

It’s not just attitudes to what constitutes a great dining experience that have changed radically. So have our means of assessing whether a restaurant is worth our heavy expenditure. Arguably Michelin wins publicity way out of proportion to its actual relevance: how many people really consult the Michelin Guide to work out where to dine next? Rather, most now rely if not on personal recommendation, then on social media, or one of the multitude of other guides online that might be more in tune with their tastes. It surely doesn’t help that online commentary so often suggests people leave their Michelin experience decidedly underwhelmed, at least for what they’ve been charged.

Sure, Michelin may still count for much within the hospitality industry. Outside of it, among diners, not so much. And, some say, even less so among actual foodies, at least compared with those who see their restaurant choices as more about status signalling than the culinary excellence they’d otherwise struggle to identify. Perhaps a parallel might be drawn here with the Oscars. Who won what used to be a topic of enthusiastic interest in popular culture. Now it’s a brief headline and we all move on to watch what our mates suggest is worth watching, statuette or not.

“In my experience Michelin inspectors were always thorough and fair — and much better than any self-taught food blogger,” says Michael Deane.

“I’d always believed [the high-end restaurant business] was all about the food but started to want the kind of place that paid more attention to the feel good factor, not the kind of place where if you drop your fork 10 waiters come rushing over.

"I’m not sure who wants that now,” he adds. “It’s a big enough struggle out there as it is, with staff and food prices having to go up, with staff suffering a lot of burn out. So maybe Michelin has lost its point.

"And yet I still think every city needs at least one Michelin-starred restaurant — it’s a magnet. And for chefs a star is still the holy grail. The fact is that you still have to be able to really fucking cook to get one. That must count for something”.

• 7 London restaurants added to the Michelin guide this September

Raymond Blanc has long been a symbol of fantastique cooking, bringing the French flair beloved by Michelin inspectors and fancy chefs to London plates for decades. Having stepped out of the kitchen and in front of the cameras, he's a familiar face on our screens, whether it's from his shows Simply Raymond or his cameo in the beloved sitcom Miranda.

Who better than Blanc to provide the ultimate foodie tour guide for London, bringing both his cheffing credentials and his love for the city to the table. After teaming up with bakery chain Paul to bring a bit of sophistication to Londoners' daily coffees, the Michelin-starred chef has shared his other favourite places in the city to spend time at, from killing a quick thirty minutes in between meetings, to the 'viral' spots he wouldn't bother checking out.

London has a bounty of incredible restaurants, where are you desperate to try? Who do you think is doing something really exciting at the moment?

We are lucky to have so many wonderful places on the doorstep. There are wonderful places in Marylebone — one of my favourite places is Lita, it has such a good menu and a lovely atmosphere. And Blandford Comptoir Restaurant — Xavier Rousset [the award-winning Master Sommelier who served as the Head Sommelier at Blanc's Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons] has created a wonderful place. The menu has such a good selection and of course his wine list is wonderful. I think that Bouchon Racine is also fantastic and every time I go there I have such a warm welcome. I’m also keen on Nina in Marylebone — in fact it was my partner, Natalia who took me there and I was really impressed.

Are there any London spots you think are overrated? We're seeing a lot of 'viral' places or the Tiktok-ification of the eating scene. Are there any spots you avoid, and any that you wish had the hype?

As a chef, I am very curious to try as many places as I can and I don’t tend to visit somewhere just because it is the new place to be seen. I am lucky as I have worked with so many talented people who have their own restaurants or bars and I will always try to support them as much as I can. It is not easy to own and run a restaurant these days with wage cost, National Insuarance, food cost, rent, etcetera.

Over the years, I have worked with and have a great friendship with Heston Blumenthal, he I recently had dinner at The Fat Duck and it was amazing – one of the best meals I have had for a long time. He is so creative and has such knowledge and creativity – it is definitely somewhere to add to a wishlist.

Let's talk about your average day. What's for breakfast, Raymond?

In the morning, if I swim early at my local health centre, I tend to stop on my way home to get a coffee and croissant from PAUL Bakery on Baker Street or Marylebone High Street, but if I am home, I will have some yogurt and blueberries or maybe porridge as it gets chillier now the autumn mornings are here. Simple yet delicious.

If you've got a spare 30 minutes to kill, where are you heading to after that?

I try to walk as much as I can and if I can allow extra time before meetings, I enjoy doing that. I am lucky as home is near Marylebone Village so walking there is nice and I enjoy places like Southbank as there is always so much going on along the river and I can always stop at Brasserie Blanc.

Lunchtime! Where do you head for a midday recharge?

If I am in a hurry I will go to a Joe & the Juice. Energiser Juice is really good and the Tunacado. I also try to arrange meetings at one of the Brasserie Blanc’s – Southbank or Threadneedle Street are both great locations and I can combine meetings with saying hello to the amazing team. At the moment I’m enjoying the tomato salad with a lovely baguette.

Sometimes we all need an afternoon pick-me-up, do you have any go-tos?

I try not to snack too much but sometimes enjoy a patisserie in the afternoon or will buy some fresh fruit. Apples at the moment are so delicious — albeit the crop this year is not that great due to the heat wave we have all experienced this summer.

In a very sophisticated (ahem, French) manner, if you were going for an Apperitif, what are you choosing?

Well this is a good question! I do enjoy a negroni or a glass of champagne – or a glass of pinot noir, a wine from my home region. Close by me is Le Vieux Comptoir – it is a French wine shop with a small deli and café. And I am so lucky Xavier who used to work at Le Manoir has a wonderful little place really close to me – Blandford Comptoir. I go there very often, it’s small but really convivial and he has a wonderful selection of wines.

The Michelin Guide has announced its September 2026 additions, and they include six featured restaurants in London.

As is often the case with these Michelin picks, Mayfair has outsize importance relative to its geographic size. Five of the seven guide additions are in the area, so let’s start with the ones found elsewhere.

Simpson’s in The Strand gets a featured position in the guide. It has, of course, been around for decades at this point, but only reopened in March 2026 after its 2020 closure during the pandemic.

It has its own slice of Michelin history too, having been granted one in the first Michelin Guide from 1974. Simpson’s in The Strand does not hold a star today, but the reception to its 2026 opening was a strong one.

“It’s a place I will lean on when I simply need to be fed, nurtured and taken care of,” said Grace Dent in her review for The Guardian.

Next up is a steakhouse in the City of London area, MRBL, which also opened in March. Steaks are available from £20, while the veggies can try out a cauliflower steak for £18.

“Our steaks are dry-aged for a minimum of 35 days and cooked over charcoal. We use only selected native breeds: English Longhorn, Hereford, and Aberdeen Angus cattle, grass-fed and reared on farms in Yorkshire and Norfolk,” says MRBL.

The restaurant also offers Sunday roasts, topped off by the £32 Roast Hereford, served with potatoes, carrots, hispi cabbage, cauliflower cheese croquette and a Yorkshire pudding.

Mayfair massive

Now it’s time to take a trip to Mayfair for the rest of this month’s Michelin Guide additions:

Chez Rose: A French bistro whose eye-catching menu items include a t-bone steak for two (£145), dover sole with meuniere sauce and lemon (£58) and veal cutlet with salsa verde.

DakaDaka: Georgian restaurant that serves classic Khachapuri — like a Georgian pizza cheese boat — as well as Khinkali dumplings, stews and more meaty fare.

Dante: An Italian restaurant offering a mix of fish, meat and pasta dishes, plus salads, but no pizzas. Because it’s classy. A whole lobster for £96.

Sushi Amamoto: Just 16 seats in this upmarket sushi restaurant, which offers omakase testing menus. £180 off-peak for the 17-course deal, £380 for the 22-course banquet.

Bar Des Pres: French-Japanese fusion, with a notable cocktail list to boot. Headed by chef Cyril Lignac, you can look forward to maki, raw and grilled seafood. And even a wagyu beef sando £89).

• 9 international menu items are coming to London McDonald's restaurants this week

Have a hankering for fish and chips? There are three London eateries you absolutely need to consider according to the Fish & Chip Takeaway of the Year Award team.

The 40-strong long list of potential overall winners across the nation has been revealed, and three of them are in London. Not bad going considering it’s not as if anyone’s pulling fish straight out of the Thames and putting them into the fryer.

First up is Southwark’s Fish! Kitchen, which has been around since 1999. It serves some dishes far outside of the chip shop norm, end even ribeye steak. But on the classic fried fish front you can choose from cod, haddock, halibut, plaice, skate, or hake. You’l pay £24-34 for the meal, which includes chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce.

Slightly less pricey is Chipping Wharf Fish & Chips, whose meal deals land at just under £20 for a classic cod, haddock or plaice combo. It’s found in Bow, nearby Victoria Park. And you can even get it via delivery services like Uber Eats — although with every second of steam likely to affect the battery crunch we think it’s best experienced fresh out of the fryer.

Our third chippie is the longest-standing and perhaps most traditional of the lot, Harrow’s Skipjacks. It has been around since 1969, and serves kebab shop fare as well as classic fried and grilled fish.

You’ll pay £15.95 for a smaller serving of cod and chips, according to the place’s Just Eat listing. Skipjacks is found in Harrow, not far from the Queensbury tube station.

Big winner to be announced

Top marks all-round for these fish fryers, but it’s not the end of the story of the Takeaway of the Year awards. Not even close.

These three have made it into the top 40 long list, which will then be whittled down to 20. Then a final ten, revealed in “a couple of months’ time” according to Fry Magazine.

The National Fish & Chip awards will then be held in London on 24th February next year. The Takeaway of the Year final winner will be one of 14 awards revealed at that event.

• Four London restaurants added to the Michelin Guide in globe-trotting update

Dishoom has announced exactly when its next London restaurant will open, and there’s a killer deal on offer for the first batch of diners too.

Dishoom Borough will open its doors on 12th October, and as part of the “soft launch” you’ll get 50 per cent off food until 20th October.

The Indian restaurant chain never seems to struggle to fill its tables, but the pitch is we should expect the odd service flub as the staff get settled in during these first few days.

“Our soft launch runs from 12th – 20th October, where we invite all to enjoy 50% off food as our team finalises their training,” says Dishoom.

There’s no booking available for Dishoom Borough just yet, and you are instead invited to sign up for updates over at the website.

Mains at Dishoom cost in the region of £20, so the launch discount will bring prices down closer to those of a local independent curry house. Or for even less you can try Dishoom’s signature Black Daal, which is £11.70 before the discount and absolutely delicious.

Borough exclusives

The Borough site will also get an exclusive dish, Keralan pepper chicken. This features slow roasted butterflied chicken with a pepper, coconut and curry leaf sauce.

Dishoom Borough is found at 24 Southwark Street, The Hop Exchange, SE1 1TY, nearby London Bridge station and close to Borough Market.

It’s not going to be a pokey place either. Spread across 8000-odd square feet and two floors, the restaurant will be one of the chain's larger spots.

“We’ve waited a long time to find a building we really love here, and I’m incredibly excited that we finally have. We think we can create something genuinely special in it, and hopefully add a little more to a part of London that is already unbelievably brilliant,” says Dishoom CEO Brian Trollip.

This will be Dishoom’s eighth London restaurant, with others in Battersea, Carnaby, Canary Wharf, Covent Garden, Kensington, King’s Cross and Shoreditch.

There are already plans for the ninth too, on the South Bank. It has applied for council permission to make changes to the old site of Las Iguanas by the Royal Festival Hall, which you’ll pass if you travel to Waterloo and make your way across the river by foot. We don’t expect to see that site up an running any time soon, though.

• 8 tips to eat like a king in London without breaking the bank

It can be especially difficult to know where to eat in London, not least with inviting pubs on every street corner and such a variety of cuisine seemingly every two steps. Likewise, with everyone recommending a few different places, it can be quite difficult to cut through the noise to find good food and — perhaps most pressingly in these cash-strapped times — at good prices.

Somewhere in that noise you'll find places doing excellent food at lower prices than you might think – there are a few tricks of the trade and things to know so that will help you eat like a king in London without paying a king's ransom for the privilege. Here are eight ways to eat well in London without the need to remortgage your house.

1. Take advantage of a set menu at a place that usually costs double

My first trick: some of London's most in-demand restaurants run fixed-price menus using the same kitchen, chefs and ingredients as the main menu. You're just a little limited by the items you can have – it is a "set" menu after all.

The Devonshire in Soho, just behind Piccadilly Circus, is an excellent example. Currently rated as the UK's #1 gastropub (in no small part thanks to its penchant for selling a reputed 20,000 pints of Guinness a week), it built its reputation on quality meat and chips, which seem to be its bread and butter on the à la carte menu.

However, if you go in any time Monday to Saturday or for a Sunday lunch, then you can get a no-choice two-course set menu for £25, or a full three courses for £29. That nets you a prawn and langoustine cocktail starter, a main of skirt steak, served medium rare, duck fat chips and a pot of béarnaise, and a sticky toffee pudding as a third course.

The prawn and langoustine cocktail is full of sizeable prawns, with a tangy Marie Rose sauce, and is presented nicely in a retro-inspired cocktail glass. The steak comes medium rare and melts, clearly rested properly rather than rushed out, and the chips are especially good: crispy outside, fluffy inside and well seasoned without going overboard. Upgrade to three courses and a sticky toffee pudding follows — compact rather than a huge slab, but light, with a rich toffee sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream that balances it well. It's worth noting that a 12.5% service charge is added on top, as is customary with a lot of London restaurants these days.

It's notoriously difficult to get a reservation at The Devonshire for peak times, such as a weekend, with slots going live on a Thursday at 10:30am for three weeks in advance – pick a day and time, and go for it like you would a booking for a Glastonbury headliner.

On a Saturday afternoon at the end of lunch service, the pub was buzzing in its main dining room (to the point it was quite loud) which is something to bear in mind. But service remained especially attentive for water and an excellent free bread service. A weekday afternoon may give you a quieter experience.

2. Bring your own bottle of wine for free

Drink price can add £15-30 per-head to a bill before you've eaten anything, given the cost of a bottle of wine. Some restaurants will however waive any corkage fees if you bring your own bottle in on select nights, and serve it to you as if it's one of their own. You end up with a bill just for food, rather than one mounting up with drinks costs as the evening progresses.

The Cadogan Arms on the King's Road in Chelsea does exactly this every Monday: bring your own bottle (capped at one 75cl bottle per person) and it'll be served with zero markup. For a pub with a genuinely serious wine list, that's a significant saving — a decent bottle from a supermarket, wine merchants or your own collection replaces what would otherwise be a £30+ line item. It doesn't apply on Bank Holidays from my reading, so check the calendar before you turn up with a bottle under your arm.

The food from the Cadogan Arms also backs up its venerable reputation. In terms of starters, the lamb ribs, which are pressure-cooked for 24 hours before a quick finish in the deep fryer, come out succulent with real crackle on the outside; the scotch egg is the best I've had, properly seasoned and well-salted with a wonderfully runny yolk, and the crab toast is full of fresh seafood flavour with a creamy sauce to match.

For mains, the ham, egg and chips is the star and what a lot of people go for. Treacle and mustard-glazed ham that falls off the bone, alongside triple-cooked chips with an excellent texture outside and inside and a spiced pineapple ketchup that gets the balance of heat and fruit just right. The fish and chips elevate a pub staple with excellent mushy peas, a thin, crispy batter and a proper tartare sauce with just the right amount of tartness. The cod loin features a rich, buttery sauce with leeks that matches well with the fresh and surprisingly meaty fish, while a side of Jersey Royal potatoes have a flavour all of their own.

Puddings don't let up either: a rich sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream, a well-made crumble with a proper homemade crumb, and a cherry trifle with thick whipped cream, plenty of sponge and just enough cherry jelly to cut through was genuinely the standout. Service is attentive without hovering — our waiter, Lizzy, was genuinely a delight, making the 15% charge a justifiable extra — and the whole thing feels worth the price tag once you factor in the setting and quality, corkage saving or not.

3. Hunt down a lunch menu

Lots of bars and restaurants often run a near-invisible daytime deal, because a dining room that's empty at 1pm and packed at 9pm is still a dining room they'd rather not waste. As such, you can snag a bargain by dining at 'off peak' times.

I caught The Blues Kitchen in Camden towards the end of lunch service on a Friday, when it wasn't too busy — the lunch menu runs 12-4pm on weekdays, and dishes that would run £16-18 on the evening menu are a flat £10 at lunch, with no extras bundled in.

I went for a fried chicken sandwich and a beef brisket dip, £10 each, with a pint of IPA on the side for £6.90, with the fried chicken being juicy inside and extra crispy on the outside, giving a surprising kick from the sauce and its coating. The beef brisket dip is something I'd had on a previous trip, but another one of my party ordered it, and its meat is packed solid into a brioche bun. It falls apart on its own, let alone when paired with a rich and thick beefy gravy for dipping. For sides, a £5 corn bread is lovely, feeling like a savoury sponge cake with a rich honey butter, while the mac and cheese is a sizeable portion and impresses on flavour and quantity. One thing worth flagging: there is a 12.5% service charge, so factor that into the final bill.

A similar trick is running at Boxhall in Liverpool Street if you're headed Central via East: any dish from one of its nine resident kitchens — from Beef on the Block's Philly cheesesteak buns to Club Mexicana's tacos — paired with a drink, for £20. It's on Sunday to Wednesday from 5pm, running from 2nd August to 11th November, ordered via a QR code with no app needed. That's ideal for after-work dining without much of the expense at a prime location that's sure to have some fun evening vibes as the summer wraps up.

4. Let an app tell you what's about to go to waste

At the end of service, high-quality food that hasn't sold isn't thrown away. It's sometimes bagged up and sold at a fraction of its price through surplus-food apps, since restaurants would rather recoup a few pounds than nothing at all. The catch is that stock is unpredictable and first-come, first-served, so it rewards a bit of habit-forming.

Too Good To Go is the best-known version of this and is an app I can attest to using probably at least twice or three times a month when I'm in London. Sometimes as a bit of fun, but otherwise I've stuck to a few places that I keep returning to for an ideal blend of cost and quality. Bags typically go for £3-5 and represent stock worth three or four times that at full price, but they're released at specific windows (usually towards closing time) and can sell out within minutes, so it's worth setting an alert on the app for your local spots.

I picked up a bag from Roni's in West Hampstead, part of a North London institution of bagel bakeries you'll find in Hampstead, Belsize Park and Primrose Hill, for £3.79 that contained a salt beef bagel, a schnitzel sandwich and an almond croissant. Against a combined menu value of roughly £20-22, that's about as good as this trick gets. On some days, the bag can be £4.99, but that's still a bargain.

The salt beef bagel is the real standout here, and goes for nearly £7 on its own, with a healthy quantity of beef that melts, a sharp pickle and mustard combo, all on a freshly baked bagel — I think is one of the best in London. I always stop by Roni's when I can, and it's usually that bagel that keeps me coming back.

Sticking with north London, Euphorium's Hampstead branch is one of the better-priced bags around at £5, in one of London's pricier postcodes. In the past, mine have come with croissants and blueberry muffins, though what you get is always the luck of the draw, which is exactly why it's worth checking in regularly with a few favourite spots rather than relying on just one.

Crumbs and Dollies by Carnaby Street sits at the premium end of Too Good To Go, with bags going for £8 and a choice of cookies or cakes when you collect. I went for cookies and got two Victoria sponge and two chocolate, which were thick, gooey New York-style cookies, working out to roughly half price or better per cookie.

The next time I went, there wasn't any choice, and it was just cakes in a variety of flavours. Red velvet, Biscoff, chocolate and birthday cake were in my box of four, with thick icing and a moist sponge the name of the game. It's a popular bag, so the same rule applies: set an alert if you want to be sure of grabbing one.

5. Book the first table of the day for half price

In a similar vein to a lunch menu, there are times of the day when restaurants can be empty, so you can snag a bargain by using an app if you're happy to dine in a certain window.

First Table gets you 50% off the food bill (drinks are excluded) for a group of 2-4 people, on the condition you book a slotted sitting of breakfast, lunch or dinner at a participating restaurant, and pay a small non-refundable booking fee (around £6 per person) to secure it. It's essentially a way of paying for reliability rather than the meal itself — restaurants use it to guarantee footfall in their quietest slot, and you get half-price food in exchange for eating a little earlier than you might otherwise choose to.

I tried it at Dirty Bones on Kingly Court, just off Carnaby Street, sharing a Mac Daddy burger and a side of cheesy truffle fries with some friends. That's £27 of food at full price. What you get is a full metal tray of loaded truffle fries and a burger that blends quality shortrib with mac and cheese for good measure. The cost is cut almost in half by First Table, before service charge, making it much more affordable for quality eats if you're happy to pay for drinks.

6. Find the pub that never tried to be fancy

Some of London's best pints and simplest, most honest food comes from pubs that have deliberately stayed small and unpolished. You won't find a gastropub makeover, small plates menu, nor any attempt to compete on décor. The value comes in the honesty of its offering.

The Southampton Arms in Kentish Town is my model for this: a genuine hole-in-the-wall, with no fruit machines, no TV screens and no food beyond simple snacks like scotch eggs and pork pies, alongside an ever-rotating list of cask ales and ciders sourced from small, independent breweries. It'd be right at home in a far more expensive setting.

I tried both the Southampton Arms and its sister pub, The Pocket on Upper Street in Islington (both are run by the same folks) — both rammed later on a Friday and Saturday afternoon respectively, with the craft pints flowing, and I imagine a shortage of pork pies and hot hog roast rolls to go with it.

Your best bet, as I find out, is to go early, although even then that may not be enough. The Southampton opens at 12pm, although the hog roast roll wasn't ready until nearly 2pm, a full two hours after opening, but it was worth the wait — packed with pulled pork, apple and a properly sharp mustard, for £8.95 – considering it's a stone's throw from Hampstead Heath, that feels surprisingly reasonable. A standard pint under a certain ABV comes in at £5.44, so a roll and a pint lands comfortably under £15 in a pub with good atmosphere once people pile in.

Further east, The Grapes in Limehouse leans into the same spit-and-sawdust appeal, but with a genuinely remarkable backstory. It's a 500-year-old riverside pub name-checked by Dickens in Our Mutual Friend, and it's currently leaseholder-owned by Sir Ian McKellen. Yep — it's Gandalf's gaff, with his very own Lord of the Rings staff taking pride of place behind the bar.

It's unpretentious by design rather than accident — no table reservations, a proper local feel despite the history — and does a lunch menu with sandwiches for under £10 alongside its famous fish and chips. It's further proof that "affordable" in London doesn't have to mean compromising on quality.

7. Grab a proper sandwich, not a supermarket meal deal

London's best cheap lunches are often standing-room-only counters where the ingredients do all the talking. No service charge, no waiting staff, just quality and speed from people who've been doing one thing for decades.

Brick Lane's Beigel Bake has been doing this since the 1970s: open 24 hours a day, cash-friendly, and serving salt beef bagels for a few pounds. There's a queue out the door at 3am just as readily as at midday — a genuine only-in-London institution. A salt beef beigel here feels like a rite of passage, with salt beef that requires no effort to chew, cut through with the sharpness of mustard and a hefty pickle.

For something different, Dal Fiorentino in Fitzrovia applies the same logic to Tuscan schiacciata sandwiches — a thinner, crispier cousin of focaccia. Its menu splits into gourmet and standard ranges, each priced in small and large sizes. I went for the Michelangelo at £8.50 (large), which comes loaded with parma ham, stracciatella cheese and peppery rocket on fresh schiacciata bread, plus olive oil and a truffle cream for good measure. Even the smaller-sized version would put it roughly in line with a supermarket meal deal for noticeably higher-quality food.

On a separate visit, I tried the Boccaccio from the gourmet menu, smaller at £7 — bresaola, pecorino, rocket and extra virgin olive oil. Even at the smaller size, it was sizeable enough to share between two, and wonderfully fresh.

8. Order for the table, not for yourself

A final trick: if you can, order a sharing platter. It might seem like a hefty up-front cost, but it's usually a surefire way of feeding three or four people in one fell swoop if you're happy using fingers.

Poor Boys in Kingston, a New Orleans-inspired restaurant known for its portion sizes, is a good example of this. I went for the Surf and Turf Sharer at £56.95, and got a genuinely huge amount of food, with fried shrimp, fried crab, fried calamari, sublime beef brisket burnt ends and excellent fried chicken that's easily enough for multiple people to share. Split four ways, that's roughly £14-15 a head for a spread that would easily cost double ordered as individual mains.

It's also available as takeaway, which opens up a nice variation on the trick: Hampton Court is just over the river, so a sharer ordered to go makes for a genuinely great summer picnic. Sharing the same food in the grounds of a Tudor palace rather than a restaurant booth also means you waive any form of additional tip or service charge for eating inside. Bring a cooler of drinks or wine in an insulated water bottle, and you've got an upmarket picnic with quality food.

None of these tips and tricks require giving up on quality, and if anything, just need a little bit of forward planning. A restaurant booking made on the right day, an app downloaded, or knowing which night of the week to turn up at a favourite spot is all it takes. London's expensive reputation is largely true if you eat where most of the queue goes. Look slightly to the side of that queue, and the same city gets a lot more affordable, and even more interesting than you first thought.

• I visited London's luxury bottomless roast dinner and it was the ultimate decadent Sunday lunch

I've had a lot of Sunday roasts, from homemade masterpieces to questionable, mass-produced pub fare. Each had their own charm and whimsy, even the bad ones, but London's offering up an experience for those looking for the ultimate in Sunday lunchtime gastronomy.

A decadent buffet that goes far beyond the traditional roast (although it’s in plentiful supply for the Sunday purists) at The Ned hotel near Bank station.

There are two “feasts” available every Sunday, with Ned’s Feast in Millie’s Lounge and Cecconi’s Feast in the hotel’s Italian restaurant of the same name. The food selection is similar, but Cecconi’s offers an additional Italian flair with cook-to-order pasta and pizza, and a dazzling selection of regional desserts.

I paid a visit to Cecconi’s Feast to find out if this really is the ultimate Sunday lunch in the heart of London. Loosen those belts, folks...

Easing in

Step through the doors held open by the attentive staff into the banking hall of this former financial institution and you’re met with 1920s opulence. 92 verdite columns, rows of Grade I-listed walnut banking counters, and an easy-listening jazz trio on a raised central bandstand welcome you to the luxury of The Ned.

Millie’s is to your left, the Nickel Bar directly ahead, and Cecconi’s to your right, a little hidden thanks to a wooden privacy screen running the circumference of its dining area, providing a calmer, more intimate experience away from the bustling bar, without losing the soft jazz or stunning architecture.

As the host showed us to our table and we sat down, our server glided in to offer us a complimentary drink, included as part of the feast experience. We could choose from prosecco, white wine, red wine, rose wine, beer or a soft drink - we went for prosecco, which was delightfully light and served in wonderfully Art Deco glassware.

But of course we were there for the food, so there was only one thing to do. Get up, and head to the oval counter to survey the spread.

As any civilised diner about to eat their body weight in food would do, we began at the start with the salads and bites.

There were five fresh salads to try, with the creamy potato and pancetta a particular highlight, while the thinly sliced sausage roll offered a deep, meaty flavour hit. The devilled egg made for a playful amuse bouche, with the mountains of cured meats and temptingly crisp bruschetta giving us that Italian flair.

See: food

Before diving into the roast selection, there was another attraction that we needed to sample. You’re paying a premium for this feast, so you’ll want it to deliver big hits, and the seafood selection is one of them.

The salmon en croute had a light pastry, well seasoned cabbage wrap and perfectly cooked fish, while the hearty lobster mac and cheese is a dish you could easily keep going back to - but don’t fill up on one thing.

You can also pick up poached and smoked salmon, and whole prawns, but the main event is next door. Limitless lobster and oysters.

Oysters are shucked, seasoned and ready to eat, while the lobsters are halved, giving you easy access to the juicy tail meat. Your table comes pre-set with a bowl, lobster fork and shell cracker, allowing you to get to the claw meat. And once you’re done you can get up and have another. And another. And another. It’s a seafood lover's dream.

Plus, if you prefer your lobster warm, you can ask your server to bring a hot crustacean to your table.

And as we polish off our fish course and are about to rise out of our seats to head to the roasts, our server reminds us of the cook-to-order options that we’d dutifully forgotten about as we lost ourselves in the self-service buffet.

We had the choice of four pasta and two pizza options. We opted for the mushroom tagliatelle, with the sauce offering a rich, earthy, umami flavour, complementing the freshly made pasta perfectly, and topped with a generous helping of parmesan.

And we couldn’t say no to authentic Italian pizza, going for a classic margarita (the other option was spicy salami) that was thin, light and perfectly cooked.

Roasting

No Sunday lunch is complete without the traditional roast, and for those that love a well-cooked protein and all the trimmings, Cecconi’s Feast has you covered.

We start with a choice of four roasts; beef, chicken, porchetta and a vegan roast. You can choose multiple at a time, and always come back for more. Move along the dedicated counter for roasts and you’ll get an excellent variety of sides.

Crispy roast potatoes and flavourful stuffing are present and correct, pigs in blankets (because they’re excellent and shouldn’t be held just for Christmas), and there’s seasonal veggies, too. During our visit in August, there were two offerings: green beans, broccoli and courgette, and a medley of roasted roots including carrots and parsnips.

There’s exceedingly cheesy cauliflower cheese, and some absolutely enormous Yorkshire puddings. They were well cooked though, so for those who like theirs a little less crispy you might be disappointed.

And no roast is complete without gravy, available in a large warmer with a ladle. A word of warning though — it’s like a very rich red wine jus, so go easy as it can overpower the plate if you’re heavy handed with the serve.

A couple of other small, but significant touches at this ultimate Sunday lunch buffet included a sauce station with mustards, ketchup, apple sauce and more, and a cheese board and fresh fruit alongside a wide array of desserts.

I especially enjoyed the crumble station, where you get to control your own ratio of crumble to filling, and then smother it in custard. The Tiramisu was a staff favourite, while the blueberry and lemon muffin cake, battenburg, cannolis and red velvet roulade were also hits.

The staff were excellent. Attentive without being overbearing, ensuring we had fresh cutlery, water top-ups, and removing plates we had finished with. There was even one staff member constantly monitoring the buffet, with a walkie-talkie so they could radio to the kitchen when supplies looked to be running low.

In fact, we only saw one empty dish - one of the dessert options - during our time, and even that was quickly replenished before we’d finished perusing the sweets. You won’t be waiting for your favourites to be restocked here, with all the good stuff ready for you whenever you head up for more.

To get the most for your money you’ll need to be a carnivore, or pescatarian. While there is a selection of vegetarian options (and very few vegan choices), you might find the overall offering a little limiting if you’re not a meat eater.

And I encourage you to visit the restrooms. A strange recommendation, but not for the facilities themselves. They’re located in the basement, and you’ll pass the former bank’s vault, complete with a movie-like giant circular safe door. It’s open, so you can take a peek inside. It’s pretty cool.

So is this the ultimate Sunday Roast? Looking solely at the roast, this isn't the best traditional roast dinner I've ever had, but that's not the whole story. The breadth of options, the superb seafood, and the overall quality makes this feast an excellent crowd pleaser.

For a special occasion or large group, it's a spectacle, with excellent atmosphere and architecture, and so many food options you’ll wish you had a bigger appetite.

Cecconi’s Feast (and Ned’s Feast) is £120 per person and includes a welcome drink and a two hour seating, available on Sundays between 12pm and 4pm. If you’d like to include Free-flowing Champagne, it’s £190 per person. Children three and under eat for free, and it’s half-price for children aged four to 12.

• Anthony Bourdain's London — 8 spots the legendary chef rated highly in the capital

Much like a celebrity couple (think Dua Lipa and Callum Turner, Posh and Becks), a bougie London hotel finds no better marriage than with a celebrity chef. Gordon Ramsay at the Savoy, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Heston Blumenthal at Mandarin Oriental – there are many. Tom Kerridge’s spot at London’s glorious Corinthia hotel is getting a bit of an overhaul, and a brand new bar.

Tom Kerridge’s new bar at the Corinthia will sit alongside his existing restaurant, Kerridge’s which is also set to re-open soon after a revamp. The new bar is called Georgie’s, named after Kerridge’s beloved boxer pooch and opens up on 5th September.

The restaurant has been redesigned with Georgie’s in mind, with the new space split into two distinct destinations, a velvet partition separating the 57-cover dining room from the bar.

It’s an upmarket London hotel restaurant / bar so obviously you’ll be in for a pretty tight menu of carefully curated classics, as well as all the house favourites so you don’t need to leave the premises for that one pale ale you’ve been craving. Drinks at Georgie’s will offer a collection of classic and signature cocktails, as well as spirits, wines, beers and ales, with a draught selection including Rebellion Lager, Hazy Pale and IPA from the Marlow Brewery (where Tom has a couple of dinging spots including his two-Michelin-starred gastropub The Hand & Flowers and fellow Michelin spotted The Coach).

It will also have Georgie’s Martini Club, which offers guests a sort of martini flight. There are four Martinis to try out: a dry, a wet, a dirty, and the steak which is a twist on the classic Gibson martini, finished with a house-smoked pickled onion. You’ll also find tipples like a French 75, Cosmopolitan, Hemingway Daiquiri, Negroni, Old Fashioned, Manhattan and more on the cocktail list.

Food wise, there will be a range of elevated snacks like pork scratchings, beef jerky, frickles, and buttermilk fried chicken. Larger plates will include cheeseburger with BBQ brisket, pink shellfish brioche rolls with bloody Marie-rose sauce, and haddock fritters with matson sauce – another Kerridgian riff on a classic.

In terms of what the interiors will look like, it’s going to be in keeping with Corintiha’s MO of soft, quietly plush decor, with plenty of warm wintery tones. Burgundy leather, dark joinery and marble-topped tables will feature in Kerridge’s, while Georgie’s Bar will see navy and warm gold alongside antique brass, as well as ‘Steve’, a full-size bronze figure of a man in a suit, by sculptor Beth Cullen-Kerridge.

Kerridge’s at Corinthia London first opened in 2018, with head chef Tom Childs continuing to oversee the kitchen in partnership with Kerridge when it opens up after the refurb.

Tom Childs explained: “The food is still all about great British produce, proper cooking and generous flavours, but we’ve created a more intimate feel in the restaurant and a completely new way to experience what we do at Georgie’s. Whether you’re coming in for dinner, dropping by for a Martini or a beer, or settling in for the evening, we want both spaces to feel relaxed, welcoming and unmistakably Kerridge’s.”

You can head to the new, revamped restaurant and bar from 5th September at Corinthia London, 10 Whitehall Pl, London SW1A 2BD.

• The best exhibitions in London this summer: From Escher to Bowie to Marilyn Monroe

The kind of Mayfair that seems to exist in all 2000s American films about the big smoke can feel like it barely exists in 2026, between the hyped TikTok spots and natural wine bars that are made fun of in all sitcoms. It can be rare to wander around Belgravia’s bougie backstreets, walking the embassy-lined crescents and stumble across a spot that blends a family taverna feel with some of the best and freshest dishes around.

Luckily that’s exactly what Ishbilia in Belgravia / Victoria does, serving up the largest menu of traditional Lebanese dishes which will leave you both feeling like you’ve indulged in some kind of fairytale-esque kingly feast, and like you’ve hit not just your five a day but your 30-a-week.

One of London’s longest-standing Lebanese restaurants, Ishbilia has just re-opened in Belgravia following a big old refurb and a slightly refreshed menu. We escaped the sweltering London streets, swapping the tube for the terrace and tested out some of the marvellous mezze and traditional dishes on offer.

Where is it?

Tucked down a Mayfair side street, Ishbilia’s closest station is Knightsbridge, but it’s just a short (and scenic) walk from Victoria station too. It's conveniently placed for people trying to meet halfway between both their home and their office, or people coming into central for the day.

What’s special?

As mentioned, Ishbilia is one of London’s longest standing Lebanese restaurants and the broadest menu serving up almost every traditional (and reimagined) Lebanese dish you can think of. Seriously, the menu is like the culinary equivalent of War & Peace, but less daunting to get stuck into and less Russian to learn. It’s proper, authentic Lebanese food done ridiculously well. No gimmicks, no tricks, no fancy collabs, just the kind of high quality food from knowledgeable lovely people that reminds you why food is community.

What's new?

After kicking off way back in the late 90s, Ishbilia recently took a quick break as it had a wee spruce up and refreshed its look and feel. So although it’s not a new new place, it’s got that just-opened feel without any of the teething problems that can come with the realities of going to a freshly opened spot.

Who should you bring?

There was a bit of a mix when we went, from families of four to friends catching up with cold glasses of wine, and even a date or two. From our visit, it seems like a lovely spot to catch up with a friend, where you can actually hear each other talk (no thumping music, no noisy car engines) and the atmosphere is that alchemistic mix of calmly laid back but gently busy so that it’s not devoid of a vibe.

What should you wear?

Like most haunts in the more affluent areas of London, the general dress code seems to go up a level. In translation: no ripped jeans, no tracksuits, no outfits that you wouldn’t wear to see your Gran who still gets a blow out every week.

Whilst jeans are okay, you want to lean toward the smarter end of the jean spectrum with a nice top. If you’re coming straight from the office which requires smart-casual attire then you’ll be grand. It's a low-key classy place so tailor your 'fit to match.

What will you pay?

It’s not a cheap spot, and there is a minimum spend of £50 per person for dinner. Whilst that sounds pretty steep, you’ll find it (perhaps too) easy to reach; cold mezze like Hummus, Labneh, and Moutabal are priced around £11 and £12 per plate. Hot mezze like grilled halloumi, falafel, and lamb or Makanek (lamb sausages) range between £13 - £17 per plate depending on what you’re going for, with veggie options on the lower end.

Whilst you’ll probably associate traditional Arabic cooking with a lot of mezze style plates, and fresh vegetarian dishes, there are plenty of meaty mains from their BBQ, and their mixed grill is priced at £30 to give you a ballpark of how much these will set you back.

What should you drink?

For a spot that is known for its food, Ishbilia’s drinks are not to be overlooked. They keep the cocktail offerings short and surface level simple: a trio of classics were on the menu when we visited, but they all had their own twist. We kicked off with a Saffron Negroni and a Pomegranate Margarita, both of which were as fresh and flavourful as each dish we ate. There’s an attention to detail in the cocktails and a craft that you don’t often find in restaurants. Or some London bars, even.

Cocktails aside, the drinks menu spotlights beers and wines from the Levant, like a Palestinian golden beer, and a Lebanon Pilsner. We tried Massaya – a traditional Lebanese Rose, which comes by the glass. Whilst it's not something we would naturally go for, it complemented the food well, with a darker colour and stronger taste than the more floral blush Rosé's usually downed by the magnum.

Three must try dishes

Okay, we’re going to sound like that basic girl coming back from her gap year and asking everyone if they’ve tried Pad Thai and Mei Goreng before. However, there is a reason these particular dishes get talked about so much — they were incredible. Honestly, we could recommend everything we tried, so narrowing it down to just a couple was difficult enough. When we arrived, our wonderful server Mahmood gave us the option of ordering for ourselves, or he could select a range of their bestsellers for us to try – and obviously, we went with his recommendations over our own stabs in the dark.

It felt borderline illegal to go there and not try some of the classic cold mezze, and now we have sampled it, our opinion is only heightened. You have to try their hummus which comes topped with toasted honeyed pine nuts, and has the texture of silk. Dip in their fresh, claybaked pittas and you’ll start hearing angels singing. Moutabal was another winner – it’s a little like a Baba Ganoush as its hero ingredient is aubergine, but unlike Baba Ganoush Moutabal is much smokier, thanks in part to the char-grilling used on said aubergine. It’s like the mezze equivalent of mezcal after only trying tequila. The final jewel in our saucy trio was Muhamarah – a blend of mediterranean nuts which get blended with red peppers and chilli. Imagine a red pesto but with far more flavour and chunky texture. Don’t underestimate the punch it packs too, thanks to the chilli you’ll get a wave of fresh spice which brings a little bit of fire to the plate.

The star of the show (and by that we mean the plate we fought over who got to finish) was the Fatoush. Although we were somewhat au fait with Fatoush thanks to a Mob style salad recipe hastily experimented with during lockdown, this Fatoush put our concoction to shame. For those not in the know, Fatoush is a traditional Lebanese salad, which uses the leftover lebanese bread and toasts it with plenty of spices and oil in small chips to bring a crunchy, aromatic kick to a base of tomatoes, cucumber, radicchio, cabbage, and mixed leaves. This was our number one "do not forget to order” dish.

Otherwise, our final must try would be the falafel – again, don’t think us basic bitches and forget any memories of supermarket discounted tubs of bready, cold, starchy balls. This falafel is a croquette style offering blending chickpeas and fava beans with a delicious tahini dipping sauce, hot and fresh straight from the oven. Our only complaint was now they have ruined all other falafel for us.

The lamb in particular was the star meaty dish, with the Koftas just pipping the post for the favourite. We had them alongside some traditional Lebanese vermicelli rice (10/10) and a veggie moussaka which was reminiscent of a spicy bean stew (again, excellent).

If it was legal to marry a food, I think I’d probably present a ring to Ishbilia’s hummus and pitas. And Fatoush. And Falafel. Polygamy has never looked so good.

Get on the Guestlist?

Ishbilia is one of those smart and sophisticated places that you’ll be pleased to know about. It’s not trend-chasing, it’s not hyped, and somehow it’s all the better. It’s unassuming in decoration, and on first glance you might think you know what the menu will hold as familiar names like hummus and falafel wash across the page.

However, the food is stunning, and the quiet hubub, plus knowledgeable whilst incredibly attentive staff, elevate it from “this place I know” to this “seriously underrated gem”. No gimmicks, just joy — it has stood the test of time for a reason.

(The Fatoush. That’s the reason).

Sometimes you just can’t be bothered to cook for more than 10 minutes. And sure, deliveries are great – whether you reach for Deliveroo, Uber Eats or others, there’s never been a better time to be a lazy person. But, but, once that delivery arrives, between the odd mix of soggy yet lukewarm fare, all the added service fees, and amount of time you had to wait (I swear food delivery took a leaf out of washing machines to devise their timings) it doesn’t quite hit the same.

It’s that desire for a home cooked meal that doesn't require you to actually make said home cooked meal. We've all felt it. Luckily, living a big beautiful city means we’re greeted with a bounty of brilliant alternatives.

• How to become a Michelin chef in 30 minutes: Indulge Dining meal kits can make anyone a master cook

Apart from the sheer quantity of banana bread, at home meal kits were one of the few good things to come from the Covid pandemic, with a lot of seriously gourmet London restaurants turning some of their most ordered dishes into easy-to-make at home kits. With them, you can have all the joy of having made a seriously impressive and tasty meal without any of the lingering in the aisles of Tesco having a minor breakdown on where to find Ketjap Manis or shelling out £78 on some obscure flavoured vinegar which you only use a teaspoon of.

Think handmade pasta made from Croydon, fresh buttery pastries, and Michelin starred fare, all being made in local London kitchens and just a careful bike courier away from being dropped at your door. The big smoke is packed with local companies offering up a cheat code: home cooked, pre-prepared foodie goods which basically deliver an almost-made meal to your door. We’ve rounded up a few of the best ones, for when you don’t feel like cooking but still feel like being cooked for.

1. Nonna Tonda

You may have seen the pretty blue bikes parked up around affluent areas of London doling out leaflets that will make your mouth water. Husband and wife duo James and Rebecca French started it back in 2020, and it delivers fresh pasta and homemade sauces straight to your door, giving you the feels of having gone out to a nice Italian restaurant whilst being able to eat it in your towel / pyjamas / in the nude (but be careful of hot sauce).

It’s not your average spag bol either, but a range of different options from Devon crab ravioli to a creamy Bucatini. You pick your different dishes every week from the listed options which update frequently, making the best of the seasonal produce. There are also pizza options and desserts to add on if you fancy it.

Each dish is fully pre-prepared, and you only need one pan to boil the pasta in (for three mins) before reusing it to heat the sauce and mix. It costs around £6.75 per head for two different dishes a week.

• Prices start at £8.25. Find out more here.

2. Butter & Crust

If you thought bougie foodie deliveries were reserved for dinner, think again. Butter and Crust are the patron saint of people who want to lie in on a Sunday, but also want to be the early bird who gets the bougie, 24-hour leavened pastries.

From signature sourdough, to pain au chocolats and artisan juices and coffee, you can build a bundle of your favourites, and wake up with it dropped at your door. It’s sort of like Father Christmas, but better: solely for breakfast goods and more than just once a year (should you please).

Each delivery will arrive before 9am, and similar to Nonna Tonda, the delivery day depends on your postcode to maximise efficiency. Prices depend on whether you’re doing a one time purchase or subscribe and save (AKA a weekly drop). The range is fairly simple but broad enough to make you feel like you’ve got lots to choose from without being overwhelmed – the Goldilocks of size. The simplicity of Butter & Crust makes it a great (and creative) new home / new baby gift for friends who need anything but yet another mug or babygro.

• Prices start at £25. Find out more here.

3. Modern Milkman

Remember the days of getting a lovely glass bottle of whole dairy milk being delivered to your door? And, if you listen carefully, that’s the sound of a hundred thousand Gen Z’s fainting in shock at the thought of both dairy milk, and unsolicited strangers with whom they have to make eye contact / small talk with.

But they’ll likely get back up off the floor when they hear about the cute and sustainable glass bottles. Modern Milkman does what it says on the condensed milk tin, bringing back that old-school breakfast delivery system, but with a suitably hipster upgrade, delivering oat, soya, almond milk and premade non dairy iced coffees too.

Since starting up in 2018, they’ve expanded their range, dropping off everything from homemade milkshakes, fresh coffee beans, and even small batch jams and spreads. Basically, imagine everything cutely organic, fairtrade, and villagey that you’d find in a garden centre or farmshop in the Cotswolds and that’s basically the range on offer at Modern Milkman.

Rather than a direct delivery kit, it’s more like a bespoke Deliveroo, perfect for bougie brunches and curated foodie collections without having to move from bed.

• Prices start from £5. Find out more here.

4. Aktar

Imagine Michelin starred Indian food that you actually made yourself. At home. Sort of.

Like many beautiful creative projects, Aktar was born out of lockdown, after chef Aktar Islam was awarded his first Michelin star for his restaurant Opheem. Seeing all the bland, overpriced takeaways on offer, Aktar at Home was created, and it will ruin your weekly at-home microwaved curries for good (in a good way).

From curry boxes for the family to tandoori boxes for your next big barbecue, Aktar At Home has it all and for the quality and quantity, the prices are staggeringly good.

• Prices from £9.45, minimum spend £35. Find out more here.

5. Riverford Organic

The OG crunchy-almond-family crew have been bringing their meal delivery kits to front doors for years now, but they remain some of the best.

Rather than just dumping a whole load of earthy veggies on your doorstep in a recyclable box, Riverford has a surprisingly large range of different ready-to-cook meal kits, with different accolades like “quick” “super quick” and “seasonal star” to help signpost you to what will be best for you.

There are plant based, veggie, and meaty options which all sound suitably indulgent yet healthy. Most of their recipe boxes are £15 for two, so roughly £7.50 per person.

• Prices from £15, minimum spend £25. Find out more here

6. Koya

Koya made a name (and queue) for themselves thanks to their delicious bouncy udon noodles which have reached pretty cult status in Soho. The wait times for a seat at the restaurant speaks for itself.

Luckily, you can bypass the queues and also have the inbuilt smugness of feeling like you’ve cooked for yourself by opting for Koya’s at-home udon kits, which come with noodles for two as well as all the ingredients for some of Koya’s most popular broths.

• Find out more here.

• This tiny South London boozer has just been crowned the best in London

You may have heard Spider-Man: Brand New Day has broken box office records and absolutely raked-in the cash. But our favourite news of the summer blockbuster hype cycle is about Tom Holland’s fave South London pub spot.

As part of an interview with the New York Times, no less, Tom Holland revealed one of his favourite places to eat is a pub in Kingston.

“There’s a pub in Kingston called the Cocoanut. It’s a Thai restaurant, and you can bring your dogs there,” Holland said while describing the place he’d take co-star Matt Damon to in his hometown.

“It’s a bit of a family favourite of ours.”

He gave the place a plug while making pizzas with Matt Damon as part of the press cycle for The Odyssey — it was a while back, but was brought to our attention by Secret London.

The video itself is quite a fun watch, and you get to hear about Matt Damon’s gluten intolerance if that’s your bag.

The Cocoanut sits a short walk from the shop-filled centre of Kingston, but offers Deliveroo as well as takeaway for its Thai kitchen delights.

Its menu covers a familiar array of dishes, including a full complement of curries and stir fries. Most mains clock in at well under £15 too.

One warning comes from exactly the bit Tom Holland seems to love, that the Cocoanut is a very dog-friendly place.

“People let their dogs off, so it becomes a dog free-for-all,” says Holland.

We’re now picturing Tom Holland surrounded by dogs eating a Pad Pak Ruam with his dad Dominic Holland, a veteran London circuit stand-up comedian and author.

Tom Holland can currently be seen in Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey. But it may be a bit of a wait before his next big starring roles, which include playing Fred Astaire in a biopic. And if you’ve seen his viral performance of Umbrella from almost a decade ago, you’ll know he has a better chance than most of pulling that off.

• You can officially dine in Bridget Jones’ flat as a new Turkish restaurant opens up in the iconic rom com location

The team behind the beloved Fallow restaurant nearby Piccadilly Circus and Roe in Canary Wharf have taken on a new challenge: the OXO Tower Restaurant.

Restaurant-operating power house trio James Robson, Jack Croft and Will Murray have acquired the OXO Tower Restaurant, the hope being they’ll give it some of the energy seen in their other two current establishments.

Robson speaks carefully about the team’s ongoing plans for the place, though.

He says they want to “empower the current team” and “patiently tweak and give some love back to the operation from 2027 and beyond” rather than starting with a brand new identity.

The restaurant’s current menu features plates including halibut, a mushroom Wellington and lamb shoulder — or there’s the £140 sharing platter of beef Chaueatubriand, with “beef dripping crisp potato cake.” Indulgent.

But it’s clear some changes will eventually be made.

“I’m excited to see how our various media and culinary teams can help bring this beloved site to full potential,” says Robson.

The restaurant sits on the eighth floor of the OXO Tower, offering amazing views across London from the riverbank. And this was all part of the appeal for the team’s site takeover.

“We could not resist this gem of an Art Deco landmark,” Robson said.

“The eighth-floor views are world famous and we look forward to working with the incumbent team and landlord to bring some additional character and energy back to this wonderful site.”

The team’s flagship restaurant Fallow launched in 2021 and has a low-waste “nose to tail” approach to cooking. But it’s absolutely not just for the meatheads, with a “plant” menu section on offer too.

Fallow has made it into the Michelin guide but is yet to earn a star.

The news of the group’s acquisition of the OXO Tower Restaurant follows that of the Frasers group buying up Harvey Nichols. It owned the place, but the restaurant was not part of the deal. Frasers — known best these days for Sports Direct — is after all a titan of retail, not gastronomy.

• 4 amazing new(ish) Michelin Guide-approved restaurants to dazzle your tastebuds this summer

There are few literary characters as beautifully chaotic as Bridget Jones, perfectly brought to life by Renee Zellweger over the years – an allegory for all frazzled, underfunded twenty-somethings trying to 'make it' in London. You may feel like you already walk in Bridget’s shoes to some extent as you dodge f*ckwit workaholics and work bollockings, but soon you’ll *actually* be able to walk in the same sacred grounds of the beloved heroine as Bridget Jones’ former living room is being transformed into a new restaurant.

Cast your minds back to the early films, and you’ll have spotted Bridget’s jealousy-inducing and highly, highly unrealistic one bed flat located just outside of Borough Market, on top of The Globe Tavern on Bedale Street. Without its cinematic history, it’s still an iconic street and building, but add its former on-screen resident and you’ve got a bona fide piece of rom com real estate.

Back in 2025, it was announced that a Thai restaurant would be the latest resident inside the building, and has since been home to a series of delicious restaurant residencies, with different pop ups from West African to Cambodian fusion. The latest instalment is another London favourite which comes courtesy of Dom Handy and Kerian Mustafa. Called Kismet, the latest resident pays homage to the lively meyhanes found in Istanbul and northern Cyprus, bringing the spirit of its traditional local taverns to the Southwark spot.

The menu – as you’d expect – has a strong Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influence. It’s built around Souğuk Meze dishes and Mangal grilled kebabs, whilst the drinks menu features plenty of Turkish wine and spirits. Talk about putting the dish in traditional. Plus, the experience doesn’t end with the food, as every Thursday guests will be treated to live music from traditional instruments like the qaran. Basically, they’re taking a classic night at traditional meyhanes and transporting them to an iconic London landmark.

Whilst you won’t see Bridget’s exact living room interiors replicated (it has been over 20 years), there will be plenty of gorgeous decor from dark wooden furniture to whimsical memorabilia to remind you of the place’s origins.

You can find Kismet at 8 Bedale Street, SE1 9AL.

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American style BBQ restaurant chain Bodean's has closed all its remaining London sites, suggesting it may be game over for the once-popular meat-flingers.

Soho, Tower Hill and Camden branches of the meat restaurant have closed suddenly. And, as the Bodean's website appears to confirm, this is not a glitch of staffing or a minor blip.

“We’re currently closed,” you’ll see on the Bodean's website, followed by this somewhat opaque apology.

“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and would like to thank you for your continued support and loyalty. We appreciate your understanding during this time and hope to welcome you again in the future.”

BBQ breakdown

It’s not goodbye forever, perhaps, but the wording here suggests the sites will not likely reopen without some other form of business intervention. The Bodean’s Instagram account has also been shuttered.

The chain had eight London outlets at one point, but its Muswell Hill, Balham, Clapham and Fulham restaurants have closed in recent years. While a bit of a shock, this Bodean's news does not come entirely out of the blue.

Bodean's launched in 2002, and at the time provided many with their formative experiences of US BBQ cooking. However, as Grace Dent’s 2018’s review for the Guardian illustrated, the chain didn’t really move with the times — and that review is pretty ancient in its own right at this point.

“Britain has moved on from slapdash hospitality. Someone should tell Bodean’s,” Dent wrote.

Bodean’s day in the sun was some time ago, but headline-grabbing moves were made to try to turn things around in more recent times.

In early 2025, Marco Pierre White understudy and Turner & George butcher Richard Turner took over the role of Chef Director with the aim of giving the brand a bit of a glow-up.

“I’m staying true to what made it special. The new menu delivers on authentic flavours that stay true to the craft and culture of barbecue,” Turner said at the time.

Too little, too late?

A common recommendation for folks who are after what Bodean’s once represented, in London, is Smokestak. It’s found at 35 Sclater Street, right next to Shoreditech High Street Overground station.

It serves burnt end tacos, brisket, pulled pork — or for a real celebration you can get a “whole beef brisket” for the table for £195.

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Broadwick Soho is probably the most technicolour institution in the capital, bringing theatrical flair to the heart of the city. And as well as looking like a set from a musical, it also serves up some darn good food and cocktails too. However, change is afoot as its original bar and restaurant Dear Jackie is being replaced, by none other than former Chelsea jaunt Beefbar.

Although originally an import from Monte Carlo, Beefbar is no stranger to London, having previously set up shop as Le Petit Beefbar in Chelsea. This particular location closed in April this year, but the owners had promised they would be finding a new spot soon. Now it’s confirmed its new home will be in Broadwick Soho, opening up on September 10th.

The original bar Dear Jackie (and Bar Jackie) was named after the owner’s mother, and as you can imagine suddenly changing that and getting rid of any homage would be a bit rude, so they’ve incorporated it into the new name, which will be Beefbar at Dear Jackie. Whilst this may make it sound like it’s a residency or pop up, don’t be fooled – it’s here to stay.

As of yet, they the new menu hasn't been fully revealed, but it’s safe to assume there will be a fair bit of beef on it. As per Beefbar’s usual MO, you can expect various locally sourced cuts alongside Japanese Kobe and Australian Wagyu as well as its famed croque sando – 45-day cured beef striploin prosciutto, mozzarella and their signature sauce – which will be on there. There are a couple of new creations that they've announced unique to the new Soho spot too, including a Wagyu shepherd’s pie and a reimagined Chicken Cordon Bleu infused with truffle.

Broadwick Soho confirmed the menu will "move between exceptional cuts, street food and dishes made for sharing, with Jackie's love of Italian dining running through it." Diners can expect "Beefbar favourites" alongside Pizzette, Wagyu and Veal Bolognese and "a few London firsts, including Ispahan Bloom, a Chilean Sea Bass dish with rosewater, lychee and raspberry, debuting here before travelling to Beefbar tables around the world".

The original Beefbar restaurant started life in Monaco with multiple outlets across the world. The new London iteration will take over both the ground floor bar in Broadwick Soho and the lower ground restaurant. Whilst we don’t know to what extent the team will be renovating and putting its own spin on the existing style, we’d imagine the interiors will be staying largely the same.

Beefbar's founder Riccardo Giraudi said, "For me, a restaurant is never just about the food - it's the flavours, the energy, the design and all the small details that create an emotion. Dear Jackie at Broadwick Soho immediately felt right. It has a creativity and spirit that naturally fits with Beefbar, and gives us the freedom to be playful with the menu while creating an experience that I hope people will remember."

You can visit Beefbar at Dear Jackie on 20 Broadwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 9NE from 10th September.

The paradox of London’s eating and dining scene is sort of like that scene in Gilmore Girls where Lorelai says: “Do you know that if the entire population of China walked past, the line would never end due to the rate of population growth?” and sure, here’s she’s referring to her ceaseless to do list, but it could just as easily apply to the numerous bars, restaurants, and corner spot cafes that pop up across the capital.

Each month, the guys over at Michelin sift through different spots to find out which are worth your time. Unlike the coveted Michelin stars, the Michelin Guide is a more informal list - although just as prestigious - sort of like a 'Ones to Watch' list of restaurants on their radar. If you’re not wanting to take out a mortgage to eat at a triple starred spot, the Guide is worth perusing to see what eateries are earmarked as a good time.

Last month, there were four new spots added to the list, covering a different cuisine each: Japanese, Greek, Indian, and British.

Here's what's worth booking...

Aki, Marylebone

First up is the glamorous and gorgeous Aki in Marylebone. The Japanese restaurant is located on Cavendish Square in a Grade II listed former bank, and only opened up back in October.

The space is split into two different halves; upstairs you’ll find the restaurant which serves up modern farm-to-table Japanese dishes like Miso Soup, Fuji Wagyu Beef Tataki, and of course plenty of fresh sashimi. Downstairs is a more lively affair, with the bank’s former vaults transformed into Kiyori, a Japanese inspired bar serving up a range of delicious and innovative cocktails from lime, yuzu, rum concoctions to a matcha-infused martini.

• Make a booking here

Clio, Marylebone

Just down the road from Aki is another Michelin worthy spot: Clio, which made the list after just one month of opening. It’s a modern style Greek spot which you’ll find in the very swanky Chiltern Place apartments.

As a modern Greek menu, it’s all about fresh produce, and you can expect to see plenty of fresh grilled fish on the menu – think Prawn Saganaki, Charred Cuttlefish, Grilled Octopus and Whole Blue Lobster. Served up alongside it are greek salads, tomato and feta dishes, and obviously the essential oregano chips.

• Make a booking here

Koyal, Surbiton

If you’re trying to recall where exactly in London Surbiton is, you’re probably not alone as the suburb sits on the very edge of the city, usually passed in a blur as you shoot from the leafy countryside straight into Waterloo. However, apparently Koyal is well worth trekking to the outskirts for, sitting on Brighton Road, and serving up fresh twists on Indian street food classics.

It’s led by chef Nand Kishor Semwal who has previously helmed fellow Michelin joints including Gymkhana and Trishna. On the menu are smaller dishes like Pani Puri, Koliwada Fish, and mains including Masala Butter Chicken, Ghost Saagwala, Malabar Fish Curry, and Paneer Makhanwala.

• Make a booking here

Willett's, Chelsea

The final spot to make the list is the brand new restaurant and bar at The Cadogan hotel in Chelsea. Willett’s is a seasonal British bistro which offers up modern interiors and a menu which puts a spotlight on nostalgic British flavours. Chef Michael Turner brings a menu rooted in seasonal ingredients and “simple cooking” that honour classic recipes, so you’ll see things like Beef Wellington, Chicken and Girolle pie, Orkney scallop scampi, and Isle of Wight tomato salads on the menu.

Plus, there’s a whole pudding menu which will have the 80s flashing before your eyes, with old school favourites like Rice Pudding, Bread and Butter Pudding, Lemon Posset, and Eton Mess all up for grabs. The Signature Cocktails are worth a mention too with things like a Granny Smith & Melilot, a Bloody Mary Martini, and a Pimm’s Royale.

• Make a booking here

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If London proves anything, it’s that you don’t need to hop on a flight to Italy to scran some seriously good pizza. Only the other week a London joint was crowned the best pizza in the whole of Europe, but to the shock, faints, and cries of Italian nonnas everywhere. Now, there’s another new kid on the block, and it’s heading to Bermondsey this September.

Called Five Feet Pizza, the new pizza joint will be helmed by a trio of dough-wielding heavyweights: Jay Patel - co-founder of Legare and Luna and Jack Ellingham who is ex London bakery Royalty having been a chef and baker at Dusty Knuckle. The pair will be working with founder and CEO of WatchHouse Roland Horne. The question is, with a name like Five Feet Pizza, is what style of pizza will they be serving up – NYC style crispy pizzas? Proper Italian style? Deep dish? The answer: a bit of a blend.

The trio will be leaning into pan pizzas – not enough to be classed as deep dish but a definite move away from the popular thin-crust NYC style. According to them, the pizzas will have a centimetre-thick crust, meaning you’ll get a nice spongy dough. Similarly, the flavours sound like a bit of a mash up too, with a lot of classic toppings given a modern spin to create something a little bit more unique. Five Feet Pizza’s main menu will include a hot sausage pie with vodka sauce, pickled chillies and hot honey; pepperoni pie with fior di latte and parmesan, and white potato pie with caramelised onions, scamorza, aged cheddar and white sauce. Vegan pies will also be on offer.

Side dishes will be equally blended, with a mix of familiar foods from fancy restaurants as pizza joint classics. We’re talking polenta fritta with vodka sauce and scamorza cheese, chicken wings or focaccia di recco, a flatbread filled with creamy stracchino cheese. Desert wise, it’s a pretty stacked line up too with seasonal gelato, double chocolate cake, and a cinnamon crunch doughnut served with milk gelato all on the menu.

Across the whole menu, something that’s consistent is the produce; the team are using the best sourced ingredients, with everything from Suffolk’s Pump Street chocolate and Jersey dairy in their deserts to bespoke stone mill flour that’s ground on site.

The site itself will be opening up on Tanner Street in Bermondsey, just of Bermondsey's main street and a couple of minutes from its boozy beer mile. Five Feet pizza will be throwing open its doors in September, open Tuesday-Saturday evenings. And if you want a flavour of the type of grub you'll be headed for, it's worth having a light stalk of their Instagram.

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London’s The Cinnamon Club is offering a special kind of throwback this August, letting you pay the equivalent of 2001 prices with its special Retro menu.

From 10th to 22nd August, the Cinnamon Club is offering the discounted menu, which reflects the sorts of dishes the restaurant served at its original opening 25 years ago.

This isn’t the first time the Retro menu has popped up. It was offered first in January this year, for two weeks. But apparently this is its last hurrah.

“This August, The Retro Menu returns to The Cinnamon Club for a final two-week residency, giving guests one last opportunity to experience some of the dishes that helped shape the restaurant’s journey over the past quarter of a century,” says The Cinnamon Club team.

We’re promised “additional dishes and new additions” this time around, and here’s what the restaurant has teased so far for this promotional period:

• Sweet potato cake with crisp okra and spiced yoghurt —£5
• Home smoked lamb kebabs — £6
• Seared calf’s liver with masala mash and spiced onion chutney — £6
• Sandalwood‑flavoured tandoori chicken — £6.00
• Baby aubergines in pickling spices with curry leaf semolina — £10
• Vindaloo of pork chop with pilau rice — £15.50
• Pan seared breast of Gressingham duck with sesame tamarind sauce — £16
• Steamed mango rice cakes with wild berry sorbet — £6

How different is this to The Cinnamon Club’s main menu, when £15.50 may sound like a fairly normal amount to pay for a main at an Indian restaurant?

The A la Carte menu lists meat mains at around £24-34, so we are looking at a healthy discount here.

Select cocktails will be offered at £5 a pop too. Bargain.

You can book a table for the 10th-22nd August promo period now, and select the “Retro menu returns” option as part of the booking process.

The Cinnamon Club is found nearby Westminster Abbey on Great Smith Street, which is roughy a 10-minute walk from Westminster Tube station.

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Dishoom has been sweeping though the city in a waft of delicious black dhal and spicy aromas since it opened up its first site in 2010. Since then, the Indian inspired restaurants have spawned a further 9 branches across the UK, helping convince more, ahem, traditional diners that they do like Indian food and it’s not too spicy. Now, it’s set to head to London’s (definitely not official) foodie capital: Borough.

Dishoom will be popping up right next to Borough Market later this year, having submitted plans to the council last year for permission to build a brand new venue inside the former Hop Exchange building. The proposed site was originally the location where the Brewing Industry stored their raw materials and traded hops back in the early 1800s, hence its name.

The Grade II listed building was most recently a Bavarian-style beer hall which closed in August 2025. Called Katzenjammers, the bar occupied the basement of the building. Since then, it has been used mainly as office space, but Dishoom has proposed for the space to be developed to house its new venue which would sit in the building’s West Wing, and also make use of the covered verandah.

The original building is known for its dramatic glass ceilings (real rather than metaphorical) which Dishoom will no doubt be putting to good use, given its history of transforming its venues into stunning spaces which put a plush twist on traditional Irani cafes.

There’s no exact confirmation on what will be on the menu, but no doubt the cult classic Black Dhal, Gunpowder Potatoes, and Bacon Naan Roll will be making a feature. Dishoom tends to keep the menu relatively similar across their branches, but each location usually has a unique site-specific special so there could be a new addition to the dish roster soon.

The Borough outpost will be the chain’s eighth site in the capital, and its 11th overall, after launching sites in Birmingham, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton, and most recently Leeds. Currently it has restaurants in Carnaby, Shoreditch, Canary Wharf, Kensington, Battersea and King’s Cross, as well as the original King’s Cross location. The first stateside outpost is also set to open up soon, in New York.

We don’t know exactly when the Borough site will open, but it’s expected to start serving up around autumn / winter 2026.

• This famed London pizza spot is launching a new tasting menu

London knows how to do festivals, from summer staples like LIDO Fest and Cross the tracks to slightly more niche celebrations like Picklefest and Burgerfest, London knows how to do a festival. Now a new festival is heading to West London and it’s all about restaurants.

Plated is a new festival for 2026 which will take place this August, a bit like Fringe but more plates than plays. Running from 1st-31st, the festival brings together over 30 different venues for a month of food, drink, and exclusive offers on multiple spots across the borough – including spots on the King’s Road. The festival will include a month of festival-exclusive menus, complimentary cocktails, chef collaborations, tasting experiences, and exceptional-value dining.

More than 30 different venues are already signed up for the fest, including big hitting names like The Ivy and Hawksmoor. At Hawksmoor (the Knightsbridge branch) they’ll be offering up a discounted run of their set menu, with two courses £25, and three at £30 which includes a complimentary drink on arrival. There’s Mexican restaurant Ixchel will be serving up its two-course lunch offering for £28. Italian gem Azzurra in Sloane Square offering a complimentary glass of champagne, you’ll get a welcome spritz at Heston Blumenthal’s gaff, and a rather fancy glass of Laurent Perrier at The Lanesborough.

There are loads of offers up for grabs, with discounts across both lunches and dinners, which means that you'll be able to dine out for less at some seriously stunning spots that are worth a visit. In the words of the organisers, it's "no membership, no fuss - just the best of summer in the city, one reservation at a time."

All the venues taking part in Plated 2026

• Azzurra
• Big Easy
• Chelsea Grill
• CLAP London
• Harry’s Dolce Vita
• Harvey Nichols
• Hawksmoor Knightsbridge
• Ixchel
• Kahani London
• Rabbit
• San Carlo
• SETTE at Bvlgari Hotel London
• Signor Sassi
• Sticks’n’Sushi
• The Cadogan Arms
• The Chalk
• The Ivy Asia Chelsea
• The Ivy Chelsea Garden
• The Lanesborough Grill
• The March Hare
• The Mayfair Chippy
• The Pig’s Ear
• The Trafalgar
• Tom Brown at The Capital
• Willet’s at The Cadogan

You can find a full list of exactly what’s on offer at the festival’s website.

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Pizza isn’t exactly a unique thing to be dishing up, and there’s famously a whole heft of competition across the city over who plates up the best doughy delicacies, from traditional trattorias, to NYC style innovations. However, food aficionado or not, you’ll probably have heard of Napoli on the Road, a west London spot which recently got crowned the best ‘za in Europe for the third year running.

Now, the spectacular spot has launched something a little more unusual: a pizza tasting menu. Traditionally, you’ll hear “tasting menu” and immediately think of tiny portions in a glitzy Michelin starred joint, with words like sous-vide, seaweed foam, and emulsion, feeling like you need a dictionary as well as Grace Dent in the corner translating it all for you. Napoli on the Road will be doing it a little differently though, serving up a celebration of “slow eating, childhood memories, and the versatility of an Italian favourite.”

The tasting menu will launch at Napoli’s latest branch in Soho this August, which only opened up in February 2026, and is the chain’s third branch to date. The tasting menu itself starts with one of the most crucial parts of Italian food: the tomato. The first course kicks off with a glorious celebration of the humble and juicy tomato, showing it at four different stages of preparation, highlighting how proper good produce changes as it cooks, in true Jamie Oliver / Hugh Fernley Wittingstall manner. According to Napoli, this is to help guests slow down, and appreciate how time can transform the simplest of ingredients. Sort of like watching endless TikTok videos of people making sun-dried tomatoes and other dried fruit on their balconies in these recent heatwaves.

The next courses showcase a selection of fritti, pizzas, palate cleansers (think sorbet) before rounding the evening off with dessert. The tasting menu will include four different kinds of pizza as well as a range of other dishes, authentically Italian of course, and close to founder Michele Pascarella’s childhood memories.

As well as a delicious tasting menu which will no doubt leave you more stuffed than a cannoli, there will be a carefully paired wine menu which has been curated to compliment each dish. The menu will explore reds, whites, desert wine, and even a drop of sake.

Talking about the creation of the tasting menu, Michele Pascarella said that it was “not created with the idea of making something complex or “starred.” We did not want to impress with techniques for their own sake or build a journey that feels distant from people, but to do exactly the opposite. We want to tell a story made of memories, seasonality, ingredients, and flavours that everyone can understand from the very first bite.”

Given they were going for classic and delicious over complicated and fancy, it’s perhaps not surprising (and a welcome relief) that the tasting menu isn't in the eye-watering price bracket that a lot of them can be. It will cost £65 per person for the standard tasting menu, with the wine pairings an additional £40 if you fancy it. It’s only running at their stunning Soho site, and you can head to their website to find out more information, including when bookings open up.

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The latest dozen restaurants to be added to the Michelin guide have been announced.

Four London restaurants are among the July 2026 additions to the Michelin Guide, covering the gamut from British cuisine to curry and Greek eats.

Here’s a quick primer on this quartet, which may become slightly harder to get a table for if you’re not quick.

Aki

• Opened: October 2025
• Cuisine: Japanese
• Where: Marylebone

This Canvendish square outfit may be Japanese but it still serves afternoon tea, with a twist. That means mini dorayaki pancakes instead of scones, and Japanese sandos in place of tired old sandwiches. From £45 a head, while the normal menu includes sashimi, tempura, larger meat dishes — and an amazing-looking £95 signature menu.

Clio

• Opened: April 2026
• Cuisine: Greek
• Where: Marylebone

No falafel plate in sight here — this Marylebone Greek restaurant’s menu includes items like an £80 blue lobster, grilled octopus and a sea bass fillet. The wine list is far more stuffed than the food menu here too, with a huge collection of bottles from across Greece and the mediterranean. A more limited by-the-glass menu is also on offer.

Koyal

• Opened: September 2024
• Cuisine: Indian
• Where: Surbiton

This one has been open longer than the rest. But it clearly takes more time to catch the attention of the Michelin folks in Surbiton than Soho. Its à la carte menu includes classics and a few slightly more exotic picks like wild boar vindaloo and asparagus biryani with cranberry and jackfruit. Tasting menus are available too, at £45 (veg) £55 (non-veg) a head.

Willett’s

• Opened: April 2026
• Cuisine: British bistro
• Where: Chelsea

Found inside Chelsea’s Cadogan hotel, Willett’s serves traditional fare like beef Wellington, sirloin on the bone and chicken and girolle pie. If you’re down for something more casual, turn up for the 6-7pm happy hour, where you can pick up a pint of the house lager for £6, an £8 cocktail, and £1 sausage rolls. Or oysters for a quid. Bargain.

Here’s the full list of establishments added to the Michelin Guide in this latest July 2026 update:

1. Aki, London
2. Chagford Inn, Chagford
3. Clio, London
4. Ela, Stoke Holy Cross
5. ELM, Sheffield
6. Inlamentation, Boston Spa
7. Eleven Fifty Five, Glasgow
8. Koyal, London
9. The Cock, Hitchin
10. The Falls Restaurant, Kenmare
11. The Two Pigs, Barton-under-Needwood
12. Willett’s, London

• £5 Michelin star meals in London? A new guide addition offers cheaper eats

Eating out in London can often feel like you need to take out a mortgage or skip rent for the month just to afford somewhere a bit special. And whilst there are plenty of dining deals to be found, sometimes you want to enjoy more than one course, eaten at a normal time without having to only order one specific dish and no drinks and be a rising Gemini born on a Sunday in order to qualify for said deal. Bring back dining freedom, eh?

Luckily, set menus are the patron saint of getting a taste of some of the city’s best restaurants for a fraction of the price. And this new app makes it easy to find them.

Actually, finding a set menu can feel more like an Indiana Jones-style crusade as you search the depths of websites, TripAdvisor, and Reddit threads, trying to decipher if one is offered. Luckily, there’s a new app which will keep track and do all the sleuthing for you. Called All Set London, the app maps out all of the city’s set menus, even highlighting the Michelin-starred spots so you can find the best spots easily.

You can use different filters in the app to toggle factors like location, price, and days available to find the best one for you and your dining companions. There are a whole load of different cuisines to choose from too, as you’d expect from London’s foodie scene. Currently, there are 120 restaurants featured, although most of them are concentrated around central London. If users know of a set menu that isn’t currently listed, they can submit a recommendation for All Set London’s team to ratify. More restaurants are being added every week, slowly building up a map of places around wider London boroughs like Hackney and Brixton.

Haute cuisine highlights

If you’re wondering what sort of fare is on offer via All Set London, there’s Clerkenwell’s Luca with two courses for £34, Marylebone’s Trishna with two courses for £25, Chez Bruce in Wandsworth for £40.50, and Mauro Colagreco at Raffles in Whitehall for £50. And those are just some of the Michelin-starred places. Kokum in East Dulwich offers three courses for £25, Camden institution Frederick’s with a two-course £30 offering, Blanchette in Soho for £19.50, Noble Rot for £28, and the cheeky £15 set lunch at the gorgeous Brunswick House. Basically, half the restaurants on your notes app bucket list are featured, making a dinner out feel a lot less like an indulgence.

As All Set London points out, finding set menus is often harder than it sounds, as they’re often not listed on restaurant websites and missed by AI search results, which is why they built the app. All easily found in one place. The app is super easy to use, with options like ‘Near Me’, ‘Available Now’ and ‘Prix Fixe’ on the homepage so you can shortcut to find exactly what you need.

You can download the app for free via the App Store or head to their website and Instagram to find out more.

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The June additions to the Michelin Guide have been published, with three brand new restaurants in London on the list — including one that won't break the bank.

Covent Garden, Mayfair and Notting Hill are home to the new picks, Burro, Mazarine and Taq.

Burro is an Italian restaurant whose menu changes daily. But you can expect hand-made pasta dishes, antipasti and a handful of meat/fish plates.

It opened in March 2026, and is headed by Conor Gadd, who was previously head chef at Trullo.

But earlier this year he told restaurantsonline the plan wasn’t just to copy-paste Trullo.

“Once I realised that opening another Trullo would be to dilute that I shut the idea down pretty quickly,” says Gadd.

"What it did make me realise was that sense of place and belonging can be replicated in a slightly different format."

Whatever he’s doing, it seems to be working.

Burro is found on Floral Court, nearby London’s tourist hotspot heart.

Next up is Mazarine, a French seafood restaurant based in Mayfair. On the ever-changing menu you’ll find caviar of various grades —pricey enough to induce sweating — alongside langoustines and oysters.

Its head chef is Thierry Laborde, previously known for Mayfair’s La Petite Maison. Mazarine opened in November 2025.

Mazarine lives at 22 Hanover Square, off of Regent Street.

The affordable option

But it's this final newcomer, with menu prices just about anyone can afford, that's caught our interest the most. Our last addition is Taq, which is blissfully a lot less high faluting and serious than the other two. Yep, even though it’s based in Notting Hill.

Taq is a Mexican restaurant that serves veggie tacos for a fiver. That’s more like it.

Fish, carnitas, beef and chicken are also part of the taco menu. And quesadillas and toastadas are on offer too, alongside snack plates like Escabeche pickles. Yes please.

Taq is a reworking of the old space on the site, Taqueria, under head chef Eduardo Yishima. The idea is to bring it back up to speed with the standards of London’s 2026 taco scene. It opened in May 2026 and is found at 141 Westbourne Grove.

• Three London restaurants were added to the Michelin Guide in May, including Thai barbecue and Mexican seafood

Ever been somewhere that promises to be a secret garden or an oasis in the city, only to get there and realise their definition of both consists solely of some outdoor furniture and a slightly sad looking festoon lighting?

*Pause as everyone collectively raises their hands*.

Well, The Mandrake Hotel’s Jurema terrace puts your flimsy balcony furniture and sad potted houseplant to shame, with a sprawling, multi-storey terrace tucked inwards away from the busyness of Soho, and an urban jungle to stare at whilst you sip.

And if the outdoors isn’t your thing (namely, you have hayfever or a distaste for other people) or you get hungry, then the hotel offers up Yopo Zaytoun, a quiet, polished restaurant which serves up a taste of the Levant with the lightest of touches.

WHERE IS IT?

Both the bar and the restaurant are tucked inside The Mandrake Hotel, just off Oxford Street in central London. It’s easily accessible whether you’re meeting friends scattered across the city or are looking for somewhere to pop into after work.

WHAT’S SPECIAL?

The terrace is the wow factor here; nestled in the terrace, you’ll be surrounded by tall wooden, slatted walls which give the impression that you’re posting snaps from an Indonesian bar or some kind of secluded, rainforest retreat rather than a bar in central London. Yopo’s restaurant is not to be overlooked either, though, with a quiet, classy spin on Middle Eastern-inspired fare.

WHAT'S NEW?

Yopo has entered Spring/Summer 26 with a brand new, refreshed menu; rooted in the traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean, it has reimagined traditional dishes, leaning into the soul of the Levant.

WHO SHOULD YOU BRING?

London is one of those places where you can turn up to most places with any mix of friends / companions / acquaintances, and be alright. It’s the little black dress of cultural cities. Which is a long-winded way of saying you can come with whoever to Jurema and Yopo. It’s a mix of couples, friends, and a few work colleagues, depending on what time of day you’re heading there. It’s quiet enough to be able to actually hear your dining companion (see earlier on hidden oasis), so it’s a decent place to actually have a natter, without being devoid of a buzzy atmosphere.

WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR?

It’s not the most casual spot given it’s central London and a classy hotel. However, your post-work threads won’t be out of place. Jeans won’t get sniffed at, but we’d recommend leaving the sliders at home, or rather, in your hotel room.

WHAT WILL YOU PAY?

A round of cocktails will set you back around £40 if you're ordering off their St Germain cocktail menu. We went up for a cocktail each on the terrace to enjoy the cooling summer evening and gawk at the leafery which we’d definitely recommend – the cocktails that is, the gawking is optional.

Heading down to Yopo, you’ll find a mix of dips, platters, and sides, with an average meal setting you back around £60 per person. To leave you feeling decently filled, you’ll probably want to get a mix of small plates and dips to start, with a meaty or fishy large plate and two sides between two of you.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DRINK?

The cocktails are great, and if you're in the mood to splurge it's fun to try out a couple. However, if you're heading straight to Yopo, you can skip them and go for a glass of wine instead.

As you’d expect from a restaurant with this calibre of hotel attached to it, there’s a pretty great wine list attached. It’s carefully curated to not overwhelm you with choices or long French terminology. There’s a thoughtful handful of different wines – red, white, rosès – which will pair well with whatever dishes you opt for. But if you’ve got any uncertainties about what exactly to pick you can always chat to the waiters who are happy to advise.

THREE MUST TRY DISHES?

It may have helped that we were absolutely starving upon arrival, but even if we weren’t, the dishes at Yopo would be gobbled in minutes. I’m not exactly sure what the average speed of eating is for a course at Yopo, but if we were anything to go by, it was cartoon character-esuqe.

The sharing platter may have all the components that you could find on Ocado (hummus, baba ghanoush, tzatziki, flatbread), but it is without a doubt worth it. In fact, it will ruin all supermarket dips and picky bits for the foreseeable. The baba ghanoush is smoky and grilled like the whole thing has been slowly flame-grilled, tasting more like a whole meal rather than an entree. Similarly, the tzatziki is almost enough to rival anything you'd find in a Greek taverna, bringing the garlicky, creamy, cucumbery freshness to centre stage.

When it comes to the large plates, the two we’d recommend are the Slow-roasted aubergine (with miso, sesame, and pomegranate) and the Braised beef short rib (with saffron couscous, parsley, and shallot salad). The former captures all the smoky seductiveness of the baba ganoush but in a show-stopping main form. It's topped with a sprinkle of pomegranate and a popped nut crunch, which elevates it from veg to main.

The beef has all the melt-in-the-mouth tenderness without losing any of the punchiness you'd want from a short rib. The couscous is pleasantly surprising, subtly complementing the richness of the beef without being too fragrant to distract you. Both mains are light – not in a 'not-enough-on-the-plate' but more in a 'you-won't-be-rolling-out-of-there' kind of feeling. Also, you'll have room for dessert, which is always a win.

GET ON THE GUESTLIST?

One of the main things that's good about Jurema and Yopo Zaytoun is that they ain't going anywhere. Unlike trendy pop-ups or short-lived chef residencies, The Mandrake Hotel's terrace bar and restaurant consistently offer great food, good drinks, and a great setting. It's the kind of place you'll want to be in the know about to have in your back pocket for when you're at a loss for where to go. Worth a visit for sure, even if it's just to sip on a glass of wine whilst feeling like the city is a million miles away as opposed to a couple of feet.

• Spring Street Pizza, Borough: “Life-changing” pizza with a Michelin-star pedigree

Westminster council is reportedly blocking Soho’s restaurants from offering al fresco outdoors dining, but Sadiq Khan may have plans to overrule the nimbys out to spoil the fun.

London major Khan has announced that 13 London boroughs will get a share of a £500,000 fund intended to help bring outdoors dining and later openings to part of London. But Soho is not one of the areas on the list.

Westminster council failed to apply for the funding, powering accusations the council is overly influenced by nimby groups keen to, quite literally, keep the noise down.

Unlike other areas in London, Soho won’t be pedestrianised this summer, but in future Khan will get more say in what happens to local businesses.

A change in licensing powers means the Mayor will be able to make formal representations on licensing decisions, based on a London-wide licensing plans.

This will effectively give Khan further ability to pushback against councils who attempt to block measures intended to support local restaurants and London nightlife.

“For the first time ever, City Hall has a direct say in ow licensing decisions are made across the capital,” says Khan.

“By making it easier to extend opening hours and expand what’s on offer, I’m determined to support out hospitality and nightlife.”

Councils that have been awarded substantial grants as part of the al fresco dining initiative include Barking & Dagenham, Brent, Greenwich and Lambeth.

One area already announced to be embracing al fresco, car-free weekends this summer is Clapham’s Northcote Road, which will be closed to cars each weekend from 11^th July to 30^th August.

Soho was part-pedestrianised in 2020 during Covid, and again in 2021, but hasn’t been since. The hope is Khan’s new powers could help bring back periods of car-free areas in one of the more buzzy parts of London in 2027.

• Spring Street Pizza, Borough: “Life-changing” pizza with a Michelin-star pedigree

The National Restaurant Awards has crowned the top 100 restaurants in the UK, and not only are 50+ based in London, the winner is too.

This year’s overall winner is Bouchon Racine, a French bistro based in Farringdon. Its menu comes from chef Henry Harris, and this spot was number five last year.

Bouchon Racine opened in 2022, and lives above the Three Compasses pub. It’s right by Farringdon station.

While the restaurant was added to the Michelin Guide in 2023, it is yet to be awarded a coveted Michelin star. But this latest gong won’t make it any easier to get a reservation at the place. It also only takes reservations 30 days in advance.

The menu changes daily, but the sample menu and an old interview with chef Harris offer an idea of what to expect.

“Indulgent and comforting, butter is without a doubt my favourite ingredient,” Harris told Food and Travel.

“It enriches dishes, protects other ingredients and lengthens flavour. When we opened Bouchon Racine I thought, I’m really going to cut back on it. That lasted about a week.”

Dishes listed on the sample menu include grilled veal chop (with butter), orzo with wild mushrooms and herbs, and confit de canard with braised mogettes.

Bouchon Racine kicks The Ritz off the top spot. That oh-so-famous, two-Michelin-star Mayfair restaurant now shares the number two spot with Somerset's Osip.

Other London restaurants in the National Restaurant Awards top 10 include Dorian, The Ledbury, Mountain, Trinity and Legado.

There were other notable awards handed out on the night too. Shoreditch’s Legado won the Opening of the Year award, while the infamous-to-some The Devonshire won Gastropub of the Year.

Planque was also the “highest climber” of the year, reaching number 11 on the top 100 list, after charting at the 91th position in 2025, 96th in 2024.

Here’s the full 100-strong roll-call from the 2026 Restaurant of the Year awards:

1. Bouchon Racine
2. Osip/The Ritz
3. Dorian
4. The Ledbury
5. Moor Hall
6. Ynyshir
7. Mountain
8. Trinity
9. Woven by Adam Smith
10. Legado
11. Planque
12. Dongnae
13. JÖRO
14. AngloThai
15. Impala
16. Opheem
17. Row on 5
18. The Devonshire
19. Humble Chicken
20. Camille
21. Kiln
22. Restaurant 22
23. Forest Side
24. Ikoyi
25. Timberyard
26. Restaurant Mýse
27. BiBi
28. Grace & Savour
29. Skof
30. Wildflowers
31. A Wong
32. Wilson's
33. Lyla
34. L'Enclume
35. The Kinneuchar Inn
36. The Dover
37. Erst
38. Restaurant Pine
39. Higher Ground
40. Henrock
41. One Club Row
42. Solstice
43. Perilla
44. The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant
45. Vraic
46. Da Terra
47. The Angel at Hetton
48. Kitchen Table
49. The Kitchin
50. Brat
51. Dogstar
52. Kol
53. Sabor
54. Tollington’s
55. Simpson's in The Strand
56. Miga
57. Lilibet’s
58. The Sportsman
59. Frog by Adam Handling
60. Maré by Rafael Cagali
61. The French House
62. The Cottage in the Wood
63. Brawn
64. Kudu
65. The Palmerston
66. Bonheur by Matt Abé
67. Winsome
68. Briar
69. Osteria Vibrato
70. Dalla
71. The Black Swan Oldstead
72. 40 Maltby Street
73. OMA
74. Updown Farmhouse
75. The Cocochine
76. Paul Ainsworth at No 6
77. Chishuru
78. The Star Inn
79. Restaurant St Barts
80. Restaurant Interlude
81. The Kerfield Arms
82. Restaurant Sat Bains
83. Bavette
84. The Seahorse
85. The Quality Chop House
86. Chez Bruce
87. Core by Clare Smyth
88. The Fat Badger
89. Fallow
90. The Muddlers Club
91. Shwen Shwen
92. Trivet
93. Inver
94. Ambassadors Clubhouse
95. Teal by Sally Abé
96. St. JOHN
97. Luca
98. Upstairs by Tom Sheppard
99. Motorino
100. Tiella by Dara Klein

• Cult creamy faves Hackney Gelato have teamed up with this London bar for boozy milkshake style cocktails

London has incredible restaurants: secret underground vaults, former US embassies, converted sex shops – the city truly has it all. Usually you put ‘the countries most historic landmarks’ and ‘places to eat’ in firmly separate categories, but this June there’s a decadent and delicious glitch in that matrix with one of the capital’s most commemorated and architecturally stunning buildings opening its doors for dinner.

Westminster Abbey has earned its title as one of the most renowned and distinguished London landmarks, having hosted 16 royal weddings (including Prince George and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark), 39 coronation ceremonies (including William the Conqueror in 1066). She serves as a resting place for over 3,000 people, including Sir Isaac Newton, Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Stephen Hawking and many more. Now, the eminent spot is officially set to open its grandiose doors for the public for a very different kind of celebration – if you can get your hands on a ticket that is.

For one night only, the Abbey is hosting a special dinner, not in honour of any famous anniversary or landmark celebration, but in honour of English Wine Week. The week itself will be running from 20th June until 28th June, taking place underground the actual labyrinth of the Abbey in its Cellarium. The Cellarium was created in the early medieval period, serving as an old-time canteen (in layman’s terms) for the Benedictine monks. Nowadays you’d probably recognise it more as the Abbey’s main Cafe and Terrace.

The special evening takeover is all about Balfour Wine; the night begins with an exclusive drinks reception, followed by a three-course meal with poured English wines from Balfour. A host will guide you through each meal, explaining the tastes and craft behind each course, whilst walking guests through the development of English wine.

Tickets are open to everyone, retailing at £77.25, available now via Design my Night – although we’d be shocked if they didn’t get snapped up quickly. How many people can name-drop that they’ve been wined and dined at Westminster Abbey??

• Natural wines, old school vinyl, and Eastern European influences: Inside Notting Hill’s newest wine bar

There is literally no shortage of good places to eat in London. Even thinking about it brings to mind that scene in Gilmore Girls where Lorelai compares her to-do list to the entire population of China, because if they walked past the line would never end because of the rate of population. It’s sort of like that with London eateries – there are more hotspots than you have time and money to get to. And that’s before you work out which spots are worth the hype or not.

Luckily, the Michelin Guide updates every month, shortlisting some of the best spots in the City, from delicious delis to mouth-watering Middle Eastern and everything in between. To get into the guide, restaurants have to prove they have quality ingredients, a mastery of cooking techniques, flavours, and that these three things must be done consistently. Whilst it’s not an official Michelin star, a feature in the Guide is a mark to show it's well on its way to getting one. Getting into the guide means a restaurant will have hosted one of the numerous anonymous Michelin inspectors who dine undercover on different days and dishes. This month, there are three new additions to the list.

First up is Rucola, a restaurant in one of London’s bougiest private members' clubs. Sitting on the rooftop of The Conduit, the eatery’s menu focuses on northern Italian cuisine, with fresh handmade pasta and pizzas, as well as fresh Mediterranean-style starters if you want something lighter. Michelin praised its menu, saying it was ‘straight-forward yet mighty appealing.’ Although it's in The Conduit, the restaurant is open to all diners, so you don't need to add the price of a membership onto your dinner bill.

Cometa also made the list, a new addition from Fitzrovia, which is all about seafood. It’s a contemporary seafood restaurant with a Mexican twist, celebrating the best of British waters through a modern Mexican lens. The space sits inside Carousel on Charlotte Street, which used to host a guest chef who changed weekly, but it was transformed in early 2026 to house Cometa. It has a fairly simple menu with plates like Maldon Oysters, scallops and guacachile tiradito, and according to the Michelin experts, a “lap-smacking crab chilpachole.”

The last London entry on the list is Khao Bird, which, after a year in residency near Borough Market, opened up a permanent restaurant in the former Soho adult cinema. Michelin said the “typically energetic spot felt right on-trend with the times”, with the cooking matching the area and atmosphere. Its menu is largely focused on Northern Thai barbecue, with seriously well-flavoured plates like the “moreish” Prawns KJ and the Khao Soi with barbecued chicken thighs. Unlike a lot of London spots, Khao Bird isn’t “too hard on the wallet”, proving that just because something is Michelin-rated doesn’t mean you’ll need to take out a mortgage to enjoy it.

You can find the full list of restaurants that made the Guide in 2026 at the Michelin Guide website.

• Two London museums have been announced as finalists for the Museum of the Year prize

Keep up, mate: Tavern, taking over the former Nest site on Old Street, is the new British bistro from the team behind Michelin-starred Restaurant St Barts, and has already become one of those places where everyone seems to know someone who’s been.

“You have to try the onion thing,” people whisper in pubs. “You know what, I actually do like sweetbreads now,” says your newly-converted pal.

Thankfully, unlike a lot of trendy East London openings, Tavern actually earns the hype — a chic blend of classic British dishes with a contemporary (trendy, even) feel, it’s Shoreditch’s soon to be worst-kept secret.

WHERE IS IT?

You’ll find Tavern on Old Street, sitting right on the divide between the tech-bro energy of Silicon Roundabout and Shoreditch’s permanently scruffy creative cool. Old Street station is a short walk away, and it’s an easy trot from Shoreditch High Street overground, too.

Inside, it strikes a smart balance between polished and unfussy. There are paper tablecloths ready to be ripped away between sittings, dishes arrive whenever they’re ready, and the open kitchen dominates the room like a theatre-in-the-round performance — you can watch chefs plate up while nursing a cocktail two feet away, so no sneezing.

The room itself is handsome without trying too hard — candlelit, with whitewashed walls, there are fur throws over the mis-matched wooden seating and what appear to be agricultural tools on the shelves, giving a homely feel to warm the room. The vibe is supposed to invoke that of a local pub — but it’s a darn sight smarter than any pub I’ve ever rolled out of.

WHAT’S SPECIAL?

If you’re a fan of great eats, Tavern’s pedigree precedes it. Tavern is the latest project from the team behind Nest and Restaurant St Barts, pivoting away from Nest’s tasting-menu format into something looser and more nostalgic.

Executive chef Brendan Appleby — whose CV includes Silo, Lyle’s and Inver, as well as most recently Restaurant St Barts — oversees a menu rooted in British produce and bistro-style comfort cooking, with a sustainably-sourced promise, filtered through modern London restaurant sensibilities.

That means rich sauces, open-fire cooking, excellent seafood and deeply savoury snacks designed to make ordering conservatively nigh-on impossible.

The food lands somewhere between elevated pub dining and contemporary British fine dining, without tipping too far into either category. One minute you’re eating cod roe with pig skin crackling like the fanciest pub snack imaginable, the next you’re hitting the ewe’s curd to show off how refined your palate has become in your post-Pot Noodle renaissance days.

WHAT’S NEW?

Tavern itself is just a few weeks old. The restaurant only opened this spring, replacing Nest after nearly a decade of acclaim.

But the bigger story is the tonal shift. Where Nest leaned serious and tasting-menu-heavy, Tavern is intentionally more relaxed. The cooking still has Michelin-level technique humming underneath it all, but the experience is designed to feel jolly rather than ceremonial.

There’s also a big focus on nostalgic British flavours — cocktails riffing on classics, rich meat and rarely-used cuts, buttery puddings, excellent seafood — all served in a room that buzzes from the second you walk in.

WHO SHOULD YOU BRING?

Bring friends who like food enough to discuss sauces, but not those that think sweetbread means, well, ‘sweet bread’.

This is a brilliant group-dinner spot because the room has genuine energy. It’s loud enough to feel exciting, but not so noisy you have to communicate entirely through eyebrow movements. The service style also encourages sharing and grazing, with dishes arriving steadily rather than in rigid courses.

It would work well for a date too — particularly if your ideal romance involves arguments over who tucked away the most crackling.

I’d leave the kids at home, unless your child enjoys offal and natural wine.

WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR?

Whatever you like, so long as it fits into that nebulous wear-it-like-you-mean-it Shoreditch slither of fashion’s Venn diagram. Nobody’s wearing ties, but equally this isn’t a tracksuit-and-backwards-cap situation.

WHAT WILL YOU PAY?

This is comfortably in special occasion territory, though it won’t bankrupt you.

A couple of cocktails, wine, snacks, mains and dessert will realistically land somewhere around £80-£120 per person depending on how enthusiastically you attack the menu. That sounds steep — and it is — but the quality backs it up.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DRINK?

The sweet negroni was excellent — softer and more rounded than the bitter, aggressive versions currently fashionable across East London. The beef-fat Old Fashioned, meanwhile, was undeniably good, even if the promised savoury depth never entirely materialised beyond “competently made Old Fashioned”.

There’s also a strong natural and low-intervention wine list, with staff happy to guide you through it without making you feel like an idiot. The orange wine we drank worked beautifully with the richer dishes and salty snacks.

The showstopper we’ve heard is the pickleback martini, spiced with chili and served with a slice of salami — though a previous pickleback hangover experience made us a little too shy to knock one back on this occasion.

MUST-TRY DISHES?

The Chunion Puffs are non-negotiable.

Order them immediately. They’re little cheese-and-onion pastry bombs somewhere between a gougère, a pie and a deeply irresponsible pub snack. They’re sure to be the signature calling card of Tavern.

The cod roe with pig skin crackling was another standout — salty, crisp, deeply moreish and perfectly calibrated for drinking alongside cocktails. There’s none of the greasiness usually associated with crackling, and the giant strips are great fun when they turn up on your table.

For mains, the turbot and cockles was superb: delicately cooked fish under a crisp crumb, sitting in laverbread, a boiled seaweed concoction that moved between earthy lentils, sweet peas and complemented the bright bursts of vinegar from the cockles.

The Lowfield farm hogget and ewe’s curd delivered exactly what you’d hope for — rich, deeply savoury meat with properly concentrated flavour. Even the chips — listed simply as “Some chips” — earned their place, soft on the inside and with a nice bite on the outside, performing vital sauce-mopping duties.

For dessert, don’t skip the mini brown butter cakes. Intensely buttery with a salty, shortbread-like base and creamy topping, they perfectly capture the homely vibe that Tavern serves up.

GET ON THE GUESTLIST?

Unlike many fashionable East London restaurants, Tavern understands something crucial: people don’t just want to be impressed anymore. They want to enjoy themselves. This is a generous and warm restaurant, not afraid to challenge you with its menu — but rewarding for those that want to see British cuisine taken to new heights.

Grab a tankard, munch at the pig skin crackling, kick back and enjoy. With quality like this, it’s not like any ‘tavern’ I’ve eaten at before, and your locals (not to mention the rest of East London’s top tier restaurants), will need to up their game in response.

Tavern can be found at 374-378 Old Street, London, EC1V 9LT, and is open Tuesday to Saturday, 12pm–2pm for lunch, and 5pm-9pm for dinner. Reservations are essential, and are booked through OpenTable.

• MATER1A, Notting Hill: London’s best tasting menu is an exhilarating tour of Japan for your taste buds

A new casual sushi spot is coming to central London this Summer: Saltwater.

It’s the latest project from Elliot Milne, the founder of Milk Beach. That’s a fab Soho restaurant whose “modern Australian” menu brings in elements of South-East Asian cuisine. Saltwater will have more of a Japanese bent, but it’s still largely inspired by Australia.

“London needs better takeaway sushi,” is the Saltwater pitch, based on the kind of takeaway sushi you can find in Sydney and L.A..

You’ll be able to pick up handrolls, nigiri and donburi, making this a potentially ideal lunch-time candidate for today’s Soho workers.

Saltwater will be based at 3-4 Berwick Street, and while we don’t have an exact opening date just yet, the “Summer 2026” window means we won’t have too long to wait.

Handrolls on the menu will include bluefin tuna with avocado and fermented chilli, and chicken schnitzel with avo and spicy mayo.

For hot bowls, your donburi options include aubergine with maple black glaze for the veggies, teriyaki chicken schnitzel and sesame miso chicken.

Miso-glazed salmon and hamachi with jalapeño and ponzu are on the nigiri list.

Saltwater’s menu has been designed by Tokyo-trained sushi chef Shaulan Steenson and executive chef Tom Cajone.

“We want to bring restaurant-quality sushi into a more accessible format, giving guests the freedom to choose from a wide range of freshly made handrolls, nigiri and hot rice bowls. We are extremely happy to have found a site with Shaftesbury Capital on Berwick Street, right in the heart of Soho’s food scene and just a few blocks away from Milk Beach,” says founder Elliot Milne.

It has been a busy year for Milne, who is also behind the Bar Blondie wine bar, which will live in the previous site of the original Milk Beach location in Queens Park — and is also set to open in Summer 2026.

Meanwhile, the current Milk Beach location is at Ilona Rose House, accessed via Greek Street in the heart of Soho.

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It’s very easy, if not outright lazy, to lean into superlatives when recommending something. The internet is awash with ‘best’ this and ‘greatest’ that. But to put to bed any question about Notting Hill’s MATER1A, I’m going to cut straight to the chase.

MATER1A has the best, greatest tasting menu in London, without a doubt.

Michelin maestro Victor Garvey’s new 16-seat restaurant, based entirely around a tasting menu grounded in Japanese food culture but sprinkled with learnings from his international culinary experiences, serves the sort of ‘event’ meal that you’ll be telling your foodie friends about for years, and whispering about on your deathbed. You’ll want it flashing before your eyes as those pearly gates beckon.

It’s not cheap, and seasoned diners will get the most from it — but it’s not performative or stuffy either. MATER1A is my favourite meal of the year so far — here’s why you should be checking it out too.

WHERE IS IT?

You’ll find MATER1A on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill. It’s easy to miss despite its highstreet location — you don’t expect to find a restaurant of this calibre squeezed between a Cafe Nero and a hardware shop, and we initially walked straight past on our visit.

Nearest tubes are Bayswater and Notting Hill Gate, both an easy walk, though arriving by black cab might be more fitting for the experience.

Inside, the space is tiny — just 16 covers ensures the definition of ‘intimate dining’ — but it’s comfortable rather than intimidating. Handcrafted wood, curved seating, warm lighting and soft shadows, the dining room feels somewhere between a Tokyo listening bar and a relaxation pod.

The entrance corridor doubles as a kind of edible exhibition space, showcasing the ingredients used that evening before they appear on the plate. It’s theatrical without feeling cheesy — an insightful tease as to what awaits you inside.

WHAT’S SPECIAL?

The headline is chef Victor Garvey, whose Michelin-starred SOLA already cemented him as one of London’s more technically gifted chefs. But MATER1A is clearly the passion project: smaller, weirder, more intimate and heavily shaped by the two years Garvey spent cooking in Japan.

The restaurant name comes from “materia prima” — raw material, not the magic-infused orbs of the also-Japanese Final Fantasy series that many a nerdy friend has asked me about while I’ve waxed lyrical about the place. That philosophy runs through everything here. Ingredients are treated with near-spiritual reverence, while the dishes are served with technique and precision.

There’s also a refreshing refusal to play by conventional fine-dining rules. One minute you’re eating tuna with umami pavlova, the next you’re being offered a second bowl of unbelievable broth like a 1970s mum who can’t refuse another mug of bovril to her lad on the terraces.

And then there’s the music. A live DJ scores the evening in real time, shifting the room’s energy as the meal unfolds. That small detail stops the restaurant becoming overly reverential, with playful tunes cutting through the gastronomic drama. In fact, the DJ read our taste so well that we had to corner him to ask if our Spotify playlists had been pre-profiled before we arrived, so on-the-nose were his picks. It turned what could have been a conspicuous dining room (there’s more staff than diners) into something more akin to a dinner party.

WHAT’S NEW?

The entire thing! MATER1A only opened a few weeks back, and already feels like one of London’s defining luxury restaurants.

WHO SHOULD YOU BRING?

There’s room for everyone at MATER1A, but those of the culinarily well-versed kind will get the biggest kick out of it. That’s not to say it’s a challenging menu, or one that can’t be appreciated by all. But foodies will marvel at what’s been put together here.

You’ll be fine to bring a date, definitely — ideally one you’re trying to impress rather than relax around, though the background music keeps the vibe playful rather than intense. The room is intimate and relatively low-volume despite the soundtrack, so conversation still flows easily.

It’s also excellent for serious food friends, milestone birthdays or expense-account dinners where someone says “we should do somewhere special” and actually means it.

WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR?

Smart. Not black-tie smart, but you’ll want to dress up — not so much to match the clientele, but as a mark of respect to the food. It turns up, and you should too. On a practical level, pop some shoes on and a nice shirt. The crowd leans creative luxury rather than City banker, but you’ll feel out of place if you’re not ready to meet the elevated nature of the cuisine halfway. But the MATER1A site itself stresses there’s no real dress code, and is likewise relaxed about table turn around times — you can simply relax and indulge.

WHAT WILL YOU PAY?

A lot, though not irrationally so for this level of ambition. You’re not going to walk away without at least denting £250 a head once drinks are counted. That said, compared to some London tasting-menu restaurants charging similar money for faceless luxury, MATER1A at least feels distinctive.

MUST-TRY DISHES?

As a tasting menu only set up, you’re going to get the full force of the MATER1A experience with every booking, and there’s not a duff dish among the pack. But there’s a few moments that are really breathtaking.

The Marinda Tomato, your opening dish, really sets the scene. Paired with a sakura miso, the agar agar Tokoroten noodles, using that same tomato base hits with a sharp, flavourful bang, totally slurp worthy.

‘May in 5 bites’ follows, an inventive and beautifully presented cornucopia of fish dishes representing the month, each a playful reconstruction of sushi favourites from otoro tuna to yellow tail.

It’s followed by Mr Tanaka’s Tuna — decadent chunks of deep red fish with leek and edamame in a gloriously syrupy base.

Skip forward a dish to the Oden — MATER1A’s tongue-in-check ‘surf and turf’, and arguably the star of the show. Suckling pork belly with daikon and quail egg, it’s served with a broth left to sit and warm in front of you for a few minutes, having brewed for 48 hours before being delicately poured over the meat.

But it’s eaten with anything but delicacy — you're actively encouraged to gulp down the slightly-sweet umami juices from a serving plate that includes a sippy spout on its side. Reader, I have no shame — I asked for seconds, and MATER1A was only happy to deliver.

The menu continues on in kind: a Joselito Ham served with truffle on a creamy duck liver; some of the finest A5 cuts of Kagoshima Wagyu I’ve ever tasted; a menagerie of strawberry desserts, each showing a different attribute of the berry, served from an urn that breaks away like a matryoshka doll, each layer hiding a fresh goodie.

It’s mind-bogglingly good, and the attentive staff are only too happy to talk you through the finer details of the epic construction.

As for drinks, that’s a guided experience too, paired confidently to “showcase small producers from Spain, France and the U.S,” and there are also non-alcoholic pairings for anyone pacing themselves.

GET ON THE GUESTLIST?

Absolutely, without hesitation. If you can afford the asking price, this is core-memory establishing stuff, an unforgettable trip into the inner workings of one of the best chefs working right now. It’s like jumping aboard that Wonka paddleboat, swapping the river of chocolate for a stream of soy.

Reservations are essential, unsurprisingly, and with only 16 seats the prime slots will disappear quickly. If you can swing a weekday lunch, you’ll probably have an easier time getting in. Right now, though, MATER1A feels like one of those rare London openings that genuinely earns the hype: ambitious without ego, theatrical without gimmicks, and memorable long after the final course lands.

MATER1A can be found at 115 Westbourne Grove, W2 4UP, with reservations handled through Open Table.

Hearing about a hotel and bar in trendy, upcycled Sea Containers and you’d probably guess we’re talking about somewhere in Bristol or Margate, maybe, even Cornwall at a push. London, however, probably doesn’t come to mind. The South Bank hotel with the best-in-the-world-ranked bar is getting a new face to helm its restaurant – and it’s none other than Gordon Ramsay.

Whilst the bar at Sea Containers – Lyaness – is one of the best rated bars not just in London but the world (just ask the Pinnacle Guide, which awarded it three pins), its restaurant has never quite managed to achieve the same status. Which probably explains why they’ve brought in a powerhouse of cheffing notoriety to launch his own spin on the space. Catchily named, the restaurant is called Gordon Ramsay at Sea Containers, and it’s set to open up later this Autumn.

The space itself will be an all-day restaurant, which will also have one of the most stunning riverside terraces in town. However, details are currently pretty low on the ground, with Ramsay keeping everything from the menu to the design under wraps for now.

The terrace itself, which overlooks the Thames, has had a couple of makeovers, most recently hosting a Grey Goose pop-up summer terrace, which is channelling the French Riviera. Currently, the Sea Containers restaurant serves up a strong menu hero-ing a lot of local produce, and in keeping with its theme, a lot of seafood. Dishes like Seabass Ceviche Tacos, Dover Sole, and Porthilly Mussels feature, with breakfast menus running too. Whilst Ramsay has explored plenty of different culinary traditions and experimented with fusion-style menus, we wouldn’t be surprised if he kept a focus on fresh seafood with his new menu.

The hotel itself, where the restaurant will be nestled, already boasts an award-winning range of drinks, wellness offerings, as well as the eclectic 12th Knot rooftop bar and terrace, and the Curzon Sea Container Cinema. Basically, it’s already a destination in its own right, and the addition of a Ramsay Restaurant will only elevate it further.

More details about the restaurant are expected to arrive later in the year, closer to the launch, including bookings, which won't open up for a while. You can keep au fait with any updates via Sea Containers London, or pop in to check out the existing terrace or Lyaness bar.

• London is getting a Biscuitorium inside one of the fanciest food halls

Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or a curious omnivore – London has some incredible plant-based spots. You’ll find a huge diversity of cuisines from Chinese to Caribbean and much more besides. The capital’s best spots range from great value cheap eats, all the way up to fine dining and the city’s first fully vegan Michelin starred restaurant.

To bring you this list, we’ve teamed up with Clare Every, aka The Little London Vegan. If you haven’t seen her content on Instagram or Tik Tok, she’s a creator who shares her passion for vegan food and the incredible places that serve it in London and beyond. There aren’t many better people to assist us in serving up a selection of the best spots.

Forget the cliches about vegan food and delve into a world of great flavours and burgeoning culinary creativity. If you’re an omnivore dipping a toe into the waters of plant-based food, you certainly won’t miss the meat at these incredible restaurants.

The Little London Vegan selects

1. Muan Vegan,
52-53 Granville Arcade Coldharbour Lane. SW9 8PS

Clare says: "The food here is phenomenal, but this underrated spot doesn’t just serve authentic Thai street food – the decor makes you feel like you’re sitting on a street in Thailand too."

Shortlist says: Leaning into Thai café vibes, as Clare says, Muan Vegan is massively under appreciated. Classic Thai dishes get a vegan make-over, celebrating incredible veg and spices. They also serve up some of the best vegan ‘meat’ you’ll find. The prices are also very reasonable for the location.

2. Plates
320 Old St., EC1V 9DR

Clare says: "I mean, it’s the UK’s first vegan Michelin-starred restaurant… need I say more? It’s spectacular in every way."

Shortlist says: Leaning into seasonality, this up market restaurant serves up a mind-blowing eight course tasting menu. Plates shows just how far plant-based cuisine can be refined. This couldn’t be further from the tired cliches about vegan food! If you’re looking for a genuine gastronomic experience or wanting somewhere for a celebration, you can’t go wrong here.

3. Club Mexicana
Market Place Food Hall, 20-21 Leicester Square, Greater, London WC2H 7JX

Clare says: "One of the OG vegan spots in London and a firm favourite for a lot of people. I dream about their birria tacos regularly."

Shortlist says: Burritos, tacos, nachos and more – all served up featuring some seriously punchy flavours. There’s a lot to love about this Mexican street food joint. Other locations can be found in the BOXHALL CITY food court near Liverpool Street and Mayfair.

4. Mukbap
91 Worship St. EC2A 2BG

Clare says: "This tiny mother-and-son owned Korean restaurant can only seat about 10 people, so you may need to queue for a short time but it’s worth the wait."

Shortlist says: Korean culture and food is surging in popularity in the UK right now. As Clare points out, Mukbap is a family affair, serving up extraordinary bibimbap, mouth watering kimchi pancakes and much more besides.

5. Tendril Kitchen
5 Princes St. London W1B 2LF

Clare says: "This spot is all about showcasing the beauty and versatility of vegetables and it does it so well. I recommend the tasting menu, so you get a bit of everything!"

Shortlist says: Describing itself as ‘plant first’, Tendril’s menu is approximately 95% vegan, with the occasional dish using dairy products, which is always clearly marked on the menu. Eschewing meat substitutes. This spot will open the eyes of many to what can be achieved with vegetables.

6. Tangra
17 Frith St. W1D 4RG

Clare says: "This is one of London’s newer spots, but it has really filled a gap in the market. We desperately needed a cool vegan restaurant in central London with great food and cocktails, that both meat eaters and vegans will love. This Indo-Chinese restaurant is that spot!"

Shortlist says: Funky and fun, Tangra serves up punchy and flavourful food alongside some incredible cocktails. A fine addition to London’s vegan scene, that is perfect for a meal before heading to the theatre, catching some live jazz at Ronnie Scott’s on the other side of the street, or just hanging out and enjoying Soho.

7. Merkamo Ethiopian
42 Hanbury St, London E1 5JL

Clare says: "These guys started on a market stall in Spitalfields and due to popular demand, they've also got their own bricks and mortar venue now. Normally it’s a choice between tastebuds and health but here, you get both!"

Shortlist says :Nestled on a side street just off Brick Lane, this atmospheric restaurant serves up authentic vegan Ethiopian food that is big on flavour. It’s bound to leave you craving your next dose of injera bread!

8. Jam Delish
1 Tolpuddle Street N1 0XT

Clare says: "A fully vegan Caribbean spot is no easy feat, but these guys have nailed it. Their head chef, Nathan Collymore combines the skills he learned under Jamie Oliver with his favourite flavours from his Caribbean household."

Shortlist says: Originally operating as a pop-up in Soho before launching its permanent location in the foodie mecca of Islington – Jam Delish has become a firm favourite in the world of London vegan restaurants.

9. Gauthier Soho
21 Romilly Street, London W1D 5AF

Clare says: "A fine-dining experience that will blow your mind. Alexis Gauthier has owned this restaurant for many years and made the decision to make it plant-based when he himself went vegan. It gained him both criticism and respect for the move, but whatever your thoughts are on it, the food speaks for itself!"

Shortlist says: Alexis Gauthier made an incredibly bold move by transitioning his long-established eponymous restaurant to being entirely vegan. Five years on, the restaurant continues to thrive and like Plates demonstrates just how refined vegan food can be.

Shortlist's picks

10. Mildred’s
45 Lexington St, Carnaby, London W1F 9AN

Mildred’s is a London plant-based staple. Originally opening on Greek Street, before moving to its current location – it used to be vegetarian, before transitioning to a fully vegan menu. Now with six locations, serving up their signature mix of cuisines from curries to excellent burgers, Lexington Street remains their most atmospheric restaurant. The longevity of Mildred’s is a testament to the ability of this relaxed restaurant to change and adapt over time.

11. Bubala
15 Poland St, London,
W1F 8QE

Bubala first started life as a pop up in London markets. before opening its first site in Spitalfiels in 2019. Whilst it's not a fully vegan restaurant, everything on the menu is vegan unless stated otherwise, which means you have a smattering of vegetarian dishes across its varied menus. Meaning 'darling' in Yiddish, Bubala is a Middle Eastern inspired eatery with the most delicious, fresh, and vibrant food which will have everyone – veggies, vegans, and meat-devotees alike – all clamouring for seconds. If you're looking for a restaurant where you'll walk away with your mind blown and your stomach dangerously full, Bubala need to be on your list.

You can find Claire's map of Vegan Eats in London via her website.

• Covent Garden is getting a new pizza slice joint this summer

If there’s one thing London does well it’s restaurants – and Bill Nighy casually reading paperbacks in cafes, but mainly the restaurants. Between the Pan Asian, fusion, immersive, and a whole thesaurus of other adjectives which masquerade as dining spots, it can be hard to separate the good from the not so good.

One of the latest additions to Mayfair’s leafy and luxurious lanes is Fenix, a modern style Greek inspired restaurant that went in for beachy minimalism and ended up turning the dial all the way to over the top in the best – and chicest – way.

WHERE IS IT?

Fenix is slap bang on Picadilly St, opposite Green Park Station in Mayfair. It’s conveniently located if you’re in central, and easy to get to if you’re further out.

Fenix is a new restaurant that only opened up a couple of months ago so it’s a fairly new spot on the scene. It’s a fine dining, posh London spin on that kind of Greek Taverna grub that makes you temporarily think about relocating to said Greek island and becoming a full-time fisherman.

What's Special?

It’s a Mayfair restaurant so you know it’s going to be fairly special. The interiors are seriously swoon worthy, in a way that feels like a bougie Ibiza beach bar club decided to take a gap year and try out London life. Picture large lantern style rattan pendants, marbled walls and woven chairs which double as comfortable tables à deux.

And speaking of a mini relocation, the Executive Chef - Zisis - is a Greek native who relocated to the UK, and brings a modern approach to traditional Aegean ingredients and flavours, drawing inspiration from his time living and working in both Northern Greece and the Cyclades islands. No imposter food here.

What's new?

As mentioned, the whole place only opened up in March 2026 so the restaurant itself is still firmly the new kid on the block. It’s the second site for the team who launched Fenix Manchester in 2023.

Expect elemental cocktails all themed around Greek mythology, and a menu that will have you recalling hazy ouzo laced days and a distant rendition of Hold My Hand rattling around your brain as you bite into Greek-inspired dish after dish.

Who should you bring?

There are a lot of different people at Fenix, from groups of friends hanging out and catching up, to post work hang outs, as well as smaller tables of two which are perfect for couples. Despite the more upmarket tone, it has a surprisingly laid back atmosphere, so you’re not feeling self-consciously on display.

What should you wear?

See above re: laid back yet upmarket; most people were there after a Wednesday work day so something slightly more on the polished side of "put together" will serve you well. It’s not that you’ll be reprimanded or sniffed at for your scruffy jeans and baggy tee, it’s just that you might feel a little underdressed.

What will you pay?

We’re not going to go in for any euphemisms – straight up it ain’t cheap. It’s not Michelin level, shall-we-remortgage-the-house level, but you'll be paying around £20 for a Meze dish, and £35 for a main. Although, the portions very much lean toward the small side across the menus. Even if you’re getting some classic spreads, you’ll clock up a £30 bill pretty easily – all the spreads and dips come with an £8 price tag, including the hummus, which should give you an idea on how much you’ll be spending on a scale of Lidl to Fortnum & Masons.

A side salad will be between £15 to £19 which will serve two people fairly well. Cocktails wise, they’re all priced around £16 and £18, with a glass of wine being around the same. The meat and fish is the big draw for the restaurant, and you can choose between having a smaller solo portion or going for a sharer between two of you.

If you're going for something meaty or fishy off the grill, prices start at £30 for the seabass fillet, with the Lamb Shank setting you back £45, all the way up to the £70 / £80 territory for the Wagyu or Brill.

What should you drink?

In terms of what to go for, it’s the Greek wine you want to try. A criminally underrated country for wine production full stop, Fenix highlights a couple of the best bottles from small traditional vineyards. The Greek white is basically the drink equivalent of switching on aeroplane mode.

We’re not saying that the cocktails are disappointing, but we will say that we struggled to find one that impressed us and for the hefty price tag attached, you’re better off skipping them.

The alcohol free cocktails on the other hand are innovative, delicious, and some of the most thoughtfully crafted ones we’ve seen in London, so if you're looking for a tipple to mark the occasion but not your liver, these are definitely worth sampling.

Three must try dishes?

Blame the English weather and the sudden splurge of sunshine which has got us all in the mood for Pimms and Picky Bits but some of our favourites on the menu weren't the big hitting mains, but the spreads and sides. Call us Oliver Putnam from Only Murders In The Building.

The Aubergine & Feta dip is what I'd imagine Greece tastes like if you bit into it in some kind of Disney version. The aubergine is almost barbecued in flavour, chargrilled and smoky blended with creamy, salty feta which will leave you contemplating keeping sheep or goats.

The moussaka is probably the favourite dish at Fenix, although forget what you think you know about it. Rather than the Greek-lasagne-style one-pot-dish that you might expect, it's more of a deconstructed approach with a tangle of aubergine and braised beef, topped with a creamy slab of bechemel.

Okay, it's not technically a dish but the Greek wine is a must, whatever you take away from this review, TRY THE WINE. The Moschofilero white wine is stunning (£34 for a carafe), as is the Vilana-Vidiano (£25.50 for a carafe) if you want something a little lighter on the wallet.

The Malagouzia-Assyrtiko is a more aromatic white if you want something a little more intense. The Greek Rosé is definitely worth checking out too if you want something that screams summer. The Moschofilero Rosé ‘Theone’ is one of the more reasonable at £14 a glass, and will make you temporarily forget you're in a low-lit restaurant in London not watching a Greek sunset.

Get on the Guestlist?

Fenix is definitely still taking baby steps as it gets up and running, with service being fairly slow and not exactly what you’d expect for the price. If you’re a vegetarian you may want to give it a miss, but the meat-heavy menu will bring back joyous Mediterranean memories for those that tuck in as the open fire seafood is what shines here, along with the modern twist on a classic mousakka.

• The Great Indian, Archway, London: The Sunday roast meets an explosion of Indian spice

Sunday rolls in, Monday beckons, the 5-a-side league match has left the calves in pieces and all you can think about is what to have for lunch: Sunday roast, or a curry?

Sunday roast, or a curry…?

If you’ve ever wondered, “Why not both?”, you’re not alone. And you can rest easy —The Great Indian, an Indian-food focussed gastro pub, has answered the call. You’ll never look at a Yorkshire pudding the same way again.

WHERE IS IT?

Tucked away on a residential street in Archway, about a 15 minute walk from the Underground station, The Great Indian sits off the main drag. It’s more restaurant than boozer, but it still feels like a local, with the feeling that regulars fill its tables, er, regularly, and the in-the-know are happy to make the pilgrimage.

With two main dining areas, a glitzy bar and a botanical decor teeming with plants, it’s a welcoming, attractive space, too, a touch at odds with its classic pub exterior.

WHAT’S SPECIAL?

It’s not everyday you find Indian cuisine heading up the theme of a gastropub, let alone one with the kitchen pedigree The Great Indian has. Its menu has been created by award-winning, Michelin-bothering Surjan Singh — better known as Chef Jolly, and a bit of a social star in part thanks to his appearance on India’s MasterChef. The main menu has playful takes on Indian classics (Punjabi lamb curry with a cheese and jalapeno naan, anyone?) and is worth investigating in its own right. But we were checking out The Great Indian for a very specific purpose…

WHAT’S NEW?

Yep, you read the headline, so you know what you’re here for — The Great Indian is giving the humble Sunday roast a spicy makeover, fusing the meat, veg-and-a-yorkie staple with all the aromatic and fiery explosiveness of a curry.

WHO SHOULD YOU BRING?

The Great Indian feels like a family affair, or a gang-of-mates go-to, rather than a romantic hideaway. Come ready to be stuffed, and with someone who won’t sneer at the odd bead of sweat if you choose to take on one of the hotter dishes. Pets are welcome too, so long as you give notice to the restaurant.

WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR?

Surrounded by family and friends and in what’s ostensibly a well-decked-out pub, there’s no fancy dress code here.

WHAT WILL YOU PAY?

If you’re grabbing a few sides and starters to go with a main off the core menu, you’re looking at £30 to £40 a head. If you're in for one of the roasts, you’re looking at:

• Braised Rolled Lamb Shoulder: £29
• Tandoor Roasted Chicken: £27
• Pork Belly: £27
• Vegetable Pot Pie: £25

Each comes with pan-fried new potatoes with garlic, cumin and spring onion, roasted parsnips and English carrots with fennel, coriander and black pepper, buttered tenderstem broccoli with parmesan and toasted almond slivers, and an oven-baked Yorkshire pudding. More than enough to leave you fit to burst.

MUST TRY DISHES?

Skipping the core menu with a vow to return, we settled on two of the roasts — the Braised Rolled Lamb Shoulder, and the Tandoor Roasted Chicken.

Juicy and hefty, the lamb shoulder, slow-cooked, is served up with a deep and dark mace and rose sauce that laughs at a traditional gravy. There was a rich fatty edge that was delicious (even if a little longer on the char would have suited us better), and honestly, enough meat to feed a small family.

But it was the Tandoor Roasted Chicken that left us smitten — beautifully cooked with a slight crisp finish, its tomato and fenugreek sauce (essentially a makhani butter chicken sauce) was the perfect pairing for the veg. Creamy with a slight sweetness to temper the heat, a dunk of a spud in that would put Bisto to bed for good.

All the sides were present and correct too — fluffy taters, tenderstem broccoli charred with a bite, sweet parsnips and carrots and an excellent, giant Yorkshire pudding. Those carb-heavy accompaniments are great for mopping up the delicious curry sauces too — you’ll be wishing every curry house offers a yorkie alongside its naan breads in the future.

A special shoutout goes to The Great Indian’s fluffy Smoked Poppadom (£5.50) snack starters too — crisp and airy, they’re paired with an absolutely gorgeous Tiranga chutney, crafted into three distinctly tasty layers: mint-lime, sesame yoghurt and tomato-date. Don’t miss them on any account.

If there’s somehow still room left, don’t skip on dessert, either. The Baked Berry Doi (£7.50), with its yoghurt, blueberry and biscuit crumb mix is a creamy delight that feels like a healthy breakfast turned naughty, while the Jamun Sunday (£7.50) with its Gulab Jamun, chantilly cream, vanilla ice cream and butterscotch finish is an affront to your calorie count, and a decadent salve to cool down with after the curry.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DRINK?

You can’t have a curry without a pint of Cobra, so that’s what we opted for on our visit, but The Great Indian does boast a slick wine list and a clever cocktail menu, too, with each £12.50 drink giving an Indian twist on a classic.

The Imli Margarita (Tequila, Homemade Tamarind and Chili Reduction) and Espresso Maharaja (Orange & Cardamon Infused Vodka, Chocolate Liquor & Espresso) both came recommended, as did the signature Great Indian (Curry Leaves, Kafir Lime Infused Vodka & Solassa Liquor).

GET ON THE GUESTLIST?

If you think you’ve seen all a Sunday roast can offer, think again and get booking The Great Indian. A hidden gem, it’s a roast with a difference, kicking the traditional week-ender in a new direction. Plus, if your crew just can’t face another spud, there’s that classic menu to dive into, too.

The Great Indian can be found at 139 Marlborough Rd, London N19 4NU, with bookings available via Sevenrooms.

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If you’re a normal person, you might celebrate a birthday or an anniversary with a Colin cake, a glass of champagne, and some sort of vague splurge which you chalk up to it being ‘a special occasion’ and ‘a present to yourself.’ If you’re a luxury fashion brand, you do things a little differently – more splurge, and more decadence.

Louis Vuitton might be taking things to a whole new level, celebrating 130 years of its legendary Monogram by creating a two month pop up. It’s no simple pop up either – forget your trestle table and mini freebies, the Atelier is taking over one of London’s most prestigious private member’s clubs, Morton’s, to create a Louis Vuitton Hotel.

The hotel isn’t a Raddison-esque affair, with white bed linen and more floors and rooms than you can remember. The hotel will have a pop up cocktail bar, a restaurant, a Keepall Lobby, a Speedy Room and a Gym, with each room being dedicated to a different essential in their classic range.

Cafe Alma is one of the opening rooms, located on the first floor overlooking Berkeley Square. As well as a lunch menu with decadent bites like lobster rolls, truffle fries, it will also be serving up Afternoon Tea, complete with sandwiches, petit fours, scones, and entremets. A two-course lunch menu will set you back £65 for a main, a side, and a desert. The Afternoon Tea will set you back around £95 or you could pop in for a ‘Monogram Moment’ which as far as we can tell is fashion-house-jargon for having a spontaneous glass of champagne. There’s The Sweet Moment which is a tea or a coffee with a monogrammed sweet treat for £26, or the Champagne Moment which is basically the same thing but with bubbly and a £48 price tag.

Guests will arrive through the Keepall Lobby which as the name suggests is a tribute to the brand’s travel companion bag. As well as being a display of the different styles and iterations of the bag, guests are encouraged to use the repair the in-house care and repair services – although presumably, this is for LV merch only, rather than getting a mothhole fixed on your old jumper.

Bar Noe is the other foodie spot hosted by the House, set to be more of a party vibe, with DJs and cocktails across Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

Heading further into the hotel and you’ll discover the other rooms carefully designed to show off some of the best of the timeless collection. The Neverfull Gym is an homage to the House’s iconic carry-all, transforming the building’s top floor into a styled space, with a whimsical weight rack installation which reflects the bag’s strength, lightness and versatility. The Speedy Room is a similarly styled space, this time spotlighting LV’s Speedy bag – the modern travel bag which has been used by everyone from movie stars to musicians, and even the odd yummy mummy on the Mayfair school run.

You can book a table for Cafe Alma across the pop up, either for their ‘signature luncheon’ or the afternoon tea. Tickets for the hotel pop up are already looking fairly sold out, but they do welcome walk ins (subject to availability) so if you are a fashion undergrad, or you’ve watched far too much Emily in Paris, it’s worth popping along to have a look through the Louis Vuitton archives and classics which have been meticulously reimagined for an immersive journey. Head to the Louis Vuitton website to find out more and book a slot.

• 8 London restaurants added to the Michelin Guide in latest update

A top Miami taco spot is opening up a restaurant in London later this year.

Coyo Taco has announced plans to open up its very first UK restaurant in Victoria this Summer. It will live on Orchard Place, which is close to St James’s Park tube station.

We’re yet to try Coyo Taco’s goods, but celebs who are claimed to be fans include Barack Obama, Will Smith, Diplo and David Beckham.

“We pride ourselves on making fresh Mexican food more dynamic, more inclusive and more mainstream,” says the UK arm of Coyo Taco. And while we don’t have the full menu yet, the US one gives us a good idea of what to expect.

The original Wynwood Coyo Taco serves, of course, tacos alongside salads, tortas, burritos and quesadillas, plus churros for dessert.

Taco options available stateside include carne asada, al pastor pork, grilled chicken, fish, beef birria, ribeye steak and shrimp. For the vegetarians there are roasted cauliflower, plantain and Impossible Carne Asada options.

Yep, that’s more than you’ll get at the little Tortilla outlets in Victoria Station.

It will be a late-night location too, and while we’re not sure the London Coyo Taco will stay open until 3am at weekends like the Wynwood one, it’s going to take on more of a “speakeasy” flavour at night. DJs will play on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Boozy drinks include mezcal and margaritas.

Coyo Taco has been around since the very end of 2014. It now has five outlets in Florida, with another on the way, and there are also restaurants in Colombia and Portugal.

Plans for this London taco spot were originally announced in September 2025, as the first venture of Kuvi Hospitality.

We’re not usually too bothered about the business back-end of London’s food scene, but this company is the brainchild of Shereen Richie, who oversaw the expansion of banging bakery Buns from Home from a covid era viral hit into a central London mainstay. She stepped down as Buns from Home CEO in January 2025.

This is just the beginning of Coyo Taco's UK expansion, with two more restaurants planned and an eyebrow-raising 50-plus in Kuvi Hospitality's longer-term aspirations. Bold AF.

• Chipotle has plans for more London restaurants

More burger options are coming to Spitalfields soon, thanks to Junk.

An advert for the upcoming Junk burger spot in Spitalfields Market has been spotted by the good folk at Hot-Dinners, advertising the restaurant as “coming soon.”

For the uninitiated, Junk is currently found in Soho and Marylebone in London, as well as at Monmartre in Paris, where it was established back in 2021.

Junk serves smashed burgers, where a regular patty’s worth of burger meat is battered within an inch of its life before being slapped onto the griddle, for a quick cook and crispy finish.

Standard Junk burgers come in four sizes, medium to XXL, and in Junk’s “less is more” philosophy that simply means slapping on more cheese and patties.

Plant-based Junk

That’s not your only option, though. Junk also serves a “plant based” burger for the vegetarians and currently offers a “special edition” burger with truffle sauce. Junk is also advertising a limited Miso Smash burger across its social channels, which enhances the burger basics with “cucumber tsukemono and miso sriracha mayo.” It's available until May 9th.

Plus, for the standard burger you can add — or leave out — pickles, fried onion and jalapeño slices. Your sides options are fries and Panko fried chicken. It also offers cookies for dessert.

Junk is yet to announce the new site on either its social channels or website, and we don’t have an exact date for its opening yet. But it can't be too far off.

It’s not going to be without competition in the local area, though. As well as the renowned Bleecker Burger in Old Spitalfields Market itself, within a stroll there’s Coqbul and trusty old Honest Burger on Widegate Street.

• 11 of the best places to have Afternoon Tea in London

A new food hall is opening up in Covent Garden in a month, and five of the seven restaurants coming to it have been revealed already.

Arcade’s food hall opens on May 15th at 6 Bedford Street, where a massive TGI Friday’s lived until 2022, just off The Strand.

It’s going to be a 12,500 square foot monster of a site, with seven options for food. Here are the ones we know of so far:

• Gracey’s — A US East Coast inspired pizzeria also found in St Albans, Battersea and Tottenham Court Road. It serves 12in and 16in pizzas, as well as burrata and gingerbread ice cream. 
• Hero — Indian street food. Expect thalis, masala tots and Indian-spiced burgers.
• Manna — Claims to offer “the ultimate smash burger experience,” where patties are squished ultra-thin to get a crispy browned crust.  
• Plaza Khao Gaeng — Thai restaurant serving curries, stir fries and salads. A highly regarded spot also found in Borough Yards.
• Solis — South American cuisine, and that means an altogether meatier menu, with items like grilled chicken and steak. 

Arcade’s Instagram also teased that we can expect “a Greek Cypriot taverna built on generational recipes” as well as Studio Coffee, a “listening space that shifts from day to night” from cafe to cocktail bar.

The five fully named eating options are likely to be familiar if you’ve visited Arcade’s other London food halls, as they are at, or have been at, its Tottenham Court Road and Battersea sites.

Arcade food halls are a solution to those friend group arguments where no-one can quite decide where to go to eat.

Despite being massive, this new Covent Garden Arcade site won’t nearly be the biggest of its spots. That accolade goes to the Battersea Power Station hall, which spans 24,000 square feet, while the Tottenham Court Road one is of similar scale to the Covent Garden space.

Reservations for Arcade Covent Garden are open now, through its Sevenrooms booking portal — available from May 15th.

• Cooper's Cut, London: New melt-in-mouth Wagyu-led steakhouse brings quiet luxury to Tower Bridge

In a city not short on steakhouses, Cooper’s Cut sets out to do things a little differently. It may be nestled in one of London's most exclusive hotels, but there’s no bluster here — just assured cooking of the finest beef cuts, thoughtful service, and an atmosphere that leans into understated luxury.

For the steak connoisseur who isn’t afraid to splash out on their culinary adventures, this new opening in the shadow of some of London's greatest landmarks is one that we can’t recommend highly enough. The fact we’re sitting here writing this and not back at its tables feels like a crime worthy of a stay in the neighbouring Tower.

WHERE IS IT?

A few minutes walk from Tower Hill station, and a stone’s throw from Tower Bridge and the Tower of London itself, Cooper’s Cut is found in the Four Seasons Hotel at 10 Trinity Square. It’s in the old Port of London Authority building, opulently decorated with mythical maritime statues, which was built in 1922 and turned into the Four Seasons Hotel in 2017. It’s architect? Sir Edwin Cooper — the renowned architect who gives Cooper’s Cut its name.

WHAT’S NEW?

Cooper’s Cut itself is just a few weeks old, opening in March of 2026, meaning we’ve visited once it has had a few weeks to bed in. A ‘modern steakhouse’, it’s headed up by executive chef Luke Armstrong (previously of Michelin-bothering The Ledbury London, L'Envol, and Mandarin Oriental). And it follows a strong pedigree of dining at the Tower Bridge Four Seasons — it’s replacing Anne-Sophie Pic’s two-Michelin-starred La Dame de Pic London restaurant in the hotel, which closed last year.

WHAT’S SPECIAL?

At Cooper’s Cut, it’s all about the steak — and being housed inside a 5-star luxury hotel, it’s not just any old cut you’ll be served up. This is melt-in-your mouth wagyu, expertly prepared, and served in a grand setting. The hotel also boasts a fabulous cocktail bar in its rotunda, giving you options to extend your night without travelling more than two minutes from your dining table, while over the hidden speakers alternative heroes like Bowie and Dexy’s play.

There’s a playfulness on show from the waiting team, too — staff are chatty and sprightly, happy to talk through their own experiences with the menu. Ahead of being presented with your steak, you're even given a colourful selection of knives to choose from, hailing from everywhere from Tokyo to Peckham. Staying true to our roots, we picked up the latter.

WHO SHOULD YOU BRING?

There’s space for everyone at Cooper’s Cut — during our meal, we saw families with young children, dates, business meetings, all co-existing. The restaurant space, with its high ceilings and mirrored pillars, somehow manages to cater to all moods — there are intimate booths for cosy couples, spacious tables for restless children, and an air of sophistication for those looking to impress clients.

WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR?

‘Smart casual’ is the age-old dress code on the Cooper’s Cut website, specifically and ‘kindly’ asking to keep the flip-flops and shorts for elsewhere. But it’s not a stuffy spot, as evidenced by the mix of patrons we saw on our visit. Put a bit of effort in, iron your shirt, and, if you’re wearing trainers, make sure they’re fresh and not too ostentatious — you’re among the casually moneyed.

WHAT WILL YOU PAY?

You’re going to put a decent dent in your wallet at Cooper’s Cut. Starters quickly go north of £20, and mains start at £32 all the way up to a £115 Angus Côte De Boeuf (800g). That’s before getting the scales out for an A5 Wagyu ribeye, priced at £44 per 100g. Both food and service are top notch though — you certainly get what you pay for.

We had the excellent 5-course Chef’s Menu, priced at £165 per person, before drinks — which is well curated and respectably priced to give you a good look at what Cooper’s Cut has to offer.

MUST TRY DISHES?

Let’s talk through that set menu, then.

Kicking off with some bite-sized radish cuts, the playful menu starts flexing from the off — straight into some caviar. Belted Galloway Beef Tartare with Smoke Scallop is topped with the little black pearls, a rich, almost floral opener. Heritage Beetroot with Dijon mustard, creme fraiche and merlot vinegar is a fun treat, its sauces dotted like a Neapolitan ice cream around the earthy veg. The amuse bouche trilogy closes with Chargrilled Scottish Langoustines with a saffron and citrus beurre blanc (a sweet and zingy butter sauce), a perfect compliment to the warm sweetness of the meat.

The main event of course is the steak — a decadent ‘Surf and Turf’ pairing of Hokkaido A4 Wagyu and Kristal Caviar with a meaty pomerol sauce. It’s a small serving, but you’ll savour every moment of the buttery bite, with its rich fatty flavour living on in the tastebuds of your mind for days to come.

Dessert rounds things off with a homely Granny Smith Apple Tarte Tatin, served with creme fraiche ice cream — pleasingly tart — while a side of warm almond covered bakewells accompany a coffee closer.

It is a glorious line-up — even with such an expert steak central to the meal, there’s not a single slouch among the accompanying dishes.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DRINK?

You’re wowed by the steak, but the drinks range at Cooper’s Cut doesn’t let the side down either.

Our meal opened with a couple glasses from the mischievous ‘Martini Moment’ cocktail menu (£21 a pop) — the lightly spicy CC Gimlet (No. 3 London Dry Gin, Curry Lezves, White Port, Vetiver Gris. Verjus), and the gentler, fruitier Caper + Passion (Beluga Noble Vodka, Chinola Passion Fruit, Fino Sherry, Whey), each ready to make converts of even a martini skeptic. Conjured by Head of Bars Michele Lombardi, they’re worth turning up for alone. And there’s of course an extensive wine list, expertly described by the serving team — we were recommended the delicious 2024 Clarendelle Bordeaux white.

GET ON THE GUESTLIST?

Cooper’s Cut might just be our favourite opening of the year so far. Its relaxed and sophisticated surroundings make for a welcoming atmosphere, its staff friendly, funny and knowledgeable, its space gorgeous, and its food exquisite. The wagyu is up there with the city’s best, and being able to slip away to the nextdoor rotunda bar to extend the night is a rare bonus few venues can match. It’s a high-class experience priced to suit, but for those special occasions, or simply to sate a craving for the finest beef in town, it’ll be hard to beat.

Cooper’s Cut can be found at 10 Trinity Square, London, EC3N 4AJ. It’s open seven days a week, with breakfast everyday from 7am to 10.30am, lunch Monday to Saturday noon to 2pm, and dinner Monday to Saturday 6pm to 9.30pm. Sundays sees a roast dinner menu run noon to 8pm. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are highly encouraged, through the Cooper’s Cut website and via Open Table.

One thing that pretty much unites all Brits is a love for the pub. Whether it’s your friendly local, or a riverside beer garden destination with stunning countryside views, pubs are the calling card of community and ultimately a bit of a favourite national pastime. However, for a growing number of people, the alcohol isn’t actually the main part of it, choosing alcohol-free options instead.

Sober Points is a brand new map that puts sober-friendly hospitality on the map. Driven by its community, Sober Points is a live map that keeps a fresh eye on the alcohol free scene across the UK, sharing the best restaurants and events that offer thoughtful and high-quality alcohol free options, so you’re not stuck sipping a lime and soda every time you hit the pub.

As it points out, choosing not to drink shouldn’t mean settling. There’s a wide range of places on the list, with innovative cocktail bars like The Alchemist in Battersea to Kentish Town’s Raven Records and Coffee. As well as chains like All Bar One, The Ivy, and Dishoom, you’ve also got more individual spots like Hawksmoor, The Mayfair Townhouse, and Cafe Murano.

Top cocktail bars like Dirty Bones in Soho have been added to the map, with users sharing a snippet of the kind of mocktails on offer and sharing some of their own favourites.

If you’re after a specific location, the map’s layout is super easy to navigate so you can find somewhere that works for whoever you’re meeting up with, without losing hours to going through your TikTok saved spots. It also allows users to review the venues in-app, so each guest can share real-time reactions to each spot, advising others about what’s on offer, and if it’s worthy of a place on the map. Rather than shifting through the numerous reviews on various other sites looking out for any that mention "alcohol free", the reviews uploaded on Sober Points will be specifically tailored to evaluating the options on offer.

It’s not just London that’s getting put on the map, with users uploading their favourite places across Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and further afield, proving once and for all that alcohol free is a central part of the foodie scene, not just an afterthought.

In its own words, the creation of the map is a long time in the making, as "For far too long, socialising has revolved around alcohol, not people. But now, the conversation is shifting, and we're here for it. Whether it's skipping a round or living sober, we're better than sugary mocktails and carton-to-flute juice. We want bold, grown-up, alcohol-free drinks. We want variety in sobriety. We expect choice.”

The site has been co-founded by web designer Sara Shipley and creative director Safiyyah Abu-Hulayel (formerly of Apple).

You can find the map here.

• Old St Records are giving away free drinks this month to celebrate old school vinyl

London is no stranger to pubs, with approximately 3,535 watering holes across the city. And whilst a number of pubs we’ve lost is somewhere in the thousands, there are still a plethora of fantastic spots beloved by locals. You may think you’re an expert on pubs, but there are actually some legit experts over at Pub & Bar Magazine have rounded up the best of the bunch, with 8 brilliant boozers in the capital making the top spots.

Narrowing the 45,000 odd Public Houses across the UK into a shortlist is no mean feat but the professional people down at Pub & Bar Magazine selected the top 252 pubs with a mix of London spots across almost every borough making the coveted list.

Despite some infamously popular pubs (read: The Devonshire) being firmly cemented in people’s minds and Friday night plans as the best pub, the wonderful watering holes are a mix of favourites like The Pelican in Notting Hill and Fitzrovia’s The George, there were a couple of surprises in the list.

Clinching a spot in the County Nominees list were:

• Liverpool Street Chop House & Tavern
• Roxy Ball Room, St Mary Axe
• The Star by Liverpool Street
• Lord Northbrook, Lee
• The George, Fitzrovia
• The Orange, Belgravia
• The Pelican, Notting Hill
• Walmer Castle, Notting Hill

The National Pub & Bar Awards showcases the UK’s finest pubs and bars on a national scale, each year crowning the best venues within 94 counties across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Spots across Oxfordshire and Surrey that made the list which coincidentally make the perfect cosy day trip includeL The Bull, Charlbury, The Mason’s Arms, Clanfield, The Prince of Burford, and for Surrey: Kingswood Arms, The Merry Harriers, and The Princess Royal.

• Natural wines, old school vinyl, and Eastern European influences: Inside Notting Hill’s newest wine bar

Say the words “wine bar” aloud in the middle of an affluent or trendy area of London, and I guarantee you some kind of trend-curated twenty-something will appear, like a Gen Z Beetlejuice. In spite - or perhaps because of - this, London has a brand new spot, combining both of the most beloved bars: a listening bar, and a wine bar.

Sova is the newest spot opening up just moments from Portobello Road, specialising in wines from Eastern and Central Europe. Throwing open its doors on 8th April, Sova – meaning owl in Slavic languages – focuses on low-intervention and skin-contact wines, showcasing bottles from lesser explored regions.

The music is equally looking to blend tradition, combining electronic and contemporary sounds on vinyl-led selections, with live DJ sets popping up across the week. The bar’s vinyl collection has been sourced and partially curated with help from the team at Rough Trade, an independent record store.

On the menu is a host of unfussy, sharing-style plates, all with a subtle Slavic influence in keeping with the bar’s core theme. Starters include slow-roasted peppers and Beef tartare, with mains offering up honey-roasted baby chicken, Crispy sea bass with fennel and grapefruit, and miso-glazed duck.

It would be a waste to be right next to Portobello Market without maxing out your credit card on fresh, local, and seasonal produce, so it’s not surprising that the chefs at Sova will be sourcing a lot of the ingredients from the local neighbourhood, with bread from the Notting Hill Bakery.

Slightly unsurprisingly, the wine list is where the bar shines, with the whole list curated by a consultant sommelier, creating a unique but crowd-pleasing selection of sparkling wines (including a Ukrainian-style Brut), orange wines, Serbian Pinot Grigios, Slovenian Malvasia, Hungarian Rieslings, and everything in between – meaning there are plenty of non-alcoholic options too.

Seating 40 guests, it's a Goldilocks of bars, still fairly intimate but not chef-tasting-table level, where you're making unexpected eye contact with the other six strangers you're seated with.

You can find Sova at 9 Blenheim Crescent, London W11 2EE, open Wednesday-Sunday.

• Old St Records are giving away free drinks this month to celebrate old school vinyl

London is no stranger to the Michelin scene with restaurants a-plenty boasting numerous stars and impressive prices. In the same way we have Love Island and Love Island Aftersun or Premier League and Match of the Day, the Michelin team have Michelin stars and the Michelin Guide. The latter is basically a bigger list of restaurants which are on their radar as exciting new spots which are serving up some seriously good grub.

Every month, Michelin updates its coveted guide, adding the best of the best and giving people a nod on which spots to watch. Now, the March additions have been announced. A grand total of 18 eateries from across the UK were added to the guide last month, with an impressive 10 of those being London jaunts. The added spots range from Roman comfort food to a South London Caribbean inspired spot.

One of the spots on the list is 2210 by Natty Can Cook down in Herne Hill which only opened a couple of months back in October 2025. It’s a Pan Caribbean joint, celebrating Caribbean culture in style which has already scooped up awards from Conde Nast Traveller, OpenTable, and TimeOut, serving up dishes like ackee and saltfish spring rolls, and confit pork belly.

Another addition was Lupa in Islington, a small Rome-inspired trattoria which you might recognise as being co-founded by actor Theo James. Despite its already starry status, Lupa clearly has as much substance as style and stardom. On the menu you can find Italian classics like their Pici Cacio e Pepe, Paccheri alla Carbonara, and a Porchetta dish.

All the London restaurants added to the Michelin Guide in March

• 2210 by NattyCanCook, Herne Hill
• Aces Foodcraft, Fitzrovia
• Alta, Soho
• Black Radish, Merton
• Lupa, Islington
• Poon’s, Strand
• Rake @ the Compton Arms, Canonbury
• Stem + Stem, City of London
• Tatar Bunar, Shoreditch
• Yaatra, Westminster

• Old St Records are giving away free drinks this month to celebrate old school vinyl

Some restaurants chase trends. Others sit back, do their thing, and quietly become a cornerstone of the city. J. Sheekey falls firmly into the second camp, and at 130 years old, it’s earned the right to be a bit reflective.

To mark the anniversary, the Covent Garden staple is rolling out a run of historic dishes pulled from across its long, very well-fed history. Not reimagined, not “inspired by”, simply replicated as they were. When you go 130 years back, it's less about nostalgia and more of a culinary history tour.

The menu brings back the plates that feel baked into London’s food DNA. Potted shrimp is the headline throwback, an old-school dish that dates back to Tudor preservation methods alongside smoked eel salad, which taps into the city’s long-standing relationship with its waterways. Although it sounds niche, eels used to play a big part in any Londoner's diet, so for the old school, it will be a welcome tribute.

There’s a bit more comfort in there, too. A Cornish fish stew nods to the restaurant’s ties with British fishing communities, while the lobster thermidor leans fully into that theatreland energy Sheekey’s built its name on. It's rich, classic, and just the right side of indulgent for a post-show dinner that turns into a long one.

Running the kitchen is Andy McLay, who’s been there over 20 years and clearly knows better than to mess with a formula that’s worked for more than a century. The approach here is simple: keep it tight, keep it familiar, and make sure it still hits.

Sheekey’s has never really been about chasing the next big thing. It’s more focused on consistency, atmosphere, and that slightly old-school London charm that’s constantly evolving. Over the years, it’s hosted everyone from Judi Dench to Kylie Minogue, all passing through for oysters, fish pie, or something a bit celebratory before or after a show.

There’s more planned across the year, including collaborations, events, and the usual anniversary lap, but the main draw is a chance to eat the dishes that built the place in the first place.

In a city obsessed with what’s new, Sheekey’s quietly reminding everyone why it’s lasted this long.

J. Sheekey can be found at 28-32 St Martin's Court, WC2N 4AL

• London is getting a new restaurant where absolutely nothing is wasted

Two fast food icons are joining forces for a special Brixton pop-up next month: Morley’s fried chicken and Malaysian street food flinger Roti King.

The result will be a pop-up in Brixton Village, called Bossman Mamak. Put this one in your diary as it will only be around for four days, from April 9th to April 12th — Thursday through to Sunday.

Bossman Mamak will serve just four dishes, and they of course combine Morley’s chicken with the more highly spiced flavours of Roti King. But there is also one option for the veggies and vegans:

• Wings & Nasi Lah: Nasi goreng served with sambal and a fried egg and a three-piece selection of chicken wings. 
• Boss, Ayam Dua!: A simple combo of a duo of wings and fries seasoned with Roti King spice mix, plus a peanut dipping sauce.
• Sedap Wrap: Roti King’s signature roti canai filled with chicken tenders and pickled veg achar salad.
• KL Dirty Fries: Spicy topped fries, with shiitake mushroom rendang, red chillies and spring onion. Your vegan option. 

Bossman Mamak will be found at Unit 12FF within Brixton Village, but we expect you may be able to tell where it is by the queues. You’ll also be able to pick up branded tote bags and caps — pricing TBC.

There is already a Morley’s in Brixton, but this will be Roti King’s Brixton debut — to the best of our knowledge, at least.

“Mamak stalls in Malaysia are where everything comes together - after work, after football, where the night ends or carries on,” says Sugen Gopal, Roti King founder, explaining the pop-up's naming.

“When I look at Morley’s in London, I see that same energy and sense of community, which makes this feel bigger than just a collaboration. It’s about two food cultures meeting and finding common ground, built on the same community and just told through different flavours.”

The first London Roti King restaurant was established in Euston in 2014, and it now has venues in Battersea, Waterloo and Spitalfields too — as well as Edinburgh and Brighton. You don’t want to miss its roti canai, so consider the Sedap Wrap if Bossman Mamak will be your first Roti King experience.

Morley’s barely needs an introduction at this point. It’s a South London institution, founded in Sydenham back in 1985. There are now almost 100 outlets across London and beyond.

• London is getting a new restaurant where absolutely nothing is wasted

Marylebone restaurant Jikoni is somewhat of an institution now, thanks to its exploration of global fusion cookery done to a stonkingly delicious standard. Now the team behind the 'no borders kitchen' – husband and wife duo Ravinder Bhogal and Nadeem Lalani Nanjuwany – is opening up a second spot at London’s brand new V&A East Museum next month.

The new museum is opening up in Stratford on April 18th, kicking off with exhibition The Music is Black: A British Story which will celebrate the past 125 years of Black music in the UK. Cafe Jikoni will launch on the same day with a new menu, showing off the best of both new spots.

The menu will have plenty on offer, featuring a range of new recipes that all encompass Bhogal’s global home-syle cooking. Making a strong contender for 'best museum restaurant' already, Cafe Jikoni's menu currently includes: a macaroni dhal, turmeric and ginger chicken pie, and butter beans aglio e olio with zhoug, tahini, and pangrattato breadcrumb topping. As well as these more substantial offerings, there will be lighter snacks like sausage rolls, crumpets, and the almost mandatory cakes and coffees for all the dads who duck out of the actual museum after roughly 10 minutes.

According to Bhogal, Café Jikoni will be a new expression of their existing kitchen, “a continuation of everything we believe in: food without borders, shaped by movement, memory and community. Flavours that reflect the richness of East London and beyond. Familiar, yet full of surprise. A home from home for all.” And if the sizzle reel is anything to go by, it’s worth heading to check out even if you have zero interest in the museum itself.

The museum and Jikoni outpost will be just minutes away from V&A East Storehouse which opened up in May 2025. The latest museum in the V&A family is all about celebrating creativity’s power to bring change, with two permanent free galleries which will explore global contemporary culture, as well as a rolling rotation of exhibitions. As part of its inaugural exhibition, the museum will be hosting a number of performances, talks, and special events.

• London’s Leicester Square is getting a new activity bar with axe throwing, shuffleboards, DJs and more

Bone Daddies is set to open up its second London Soho restaurant next month, taking over the space recently occupied by Japanese restaurant Shackfuyu.

The restaurant lived in that spot for 11 years, before closing up shop last week. But it won’t be empty for long as Bone Daddies set to open there on April 6th.

That is, of course, a very quick turnover from one restaurant to another, and it’s because there’s a little bit more to this story.

Shackfuyu was launched as a spin-off of Bone Daddies in 2015. It served sandos, bao, katsu curry and the site’s signature Kinako French toast, with matcha soft serve on the side.

Once the site has been turned back into the Bone Daddies, we’ll get more of its regular fare — headed up by a handful of Tonkotsu options. But the Kinako French toast will come to the menu too, as a little consolation prize for those who will miss Shackfuyu. Other Bone Daddies locations will get the dessert too.

The site is at 14A Old Compton Street, which is just a five-minute walk from the existing Soho Bond Daddies at 31 Peter Street. And a similar five-minute stroll from the Leicester Square one. We doubt this branch will struggle to sell its beloved noodle soups, mind.

Bone Daddies first opened in 2012, at the very Peter Street spot that will sit closest to the new Old Compton Street branch.

It's known for its 20-hour-prepared pork broth, which is the base of Bone Daddies's Tonkotsu dishes. But there are plant-based options for the vegetarians and vegans too.

The group hasn’t announced exactly why Shackfuyu has been wound down. But given the pressures restaurants are under these days, we wouldn’t be too surprised if it was determined the site would be easier to run at a profit under the Bone Daddies banner, and menu.

“Shackfuyu is taking a break, for now. We’ve loved every second of the Soho scene, but it’s time for a new chapter. Big things (and serious noodles) are coming,” the Shakfuyu Instagram account posted recently.

Other Bone Daddies London locations are found in Bermondsey, High St. Kensington, Bond Street, Old Street and Victoria, while spin-off Flesh & Buns continues to serve its well-regarded Bao buns in Covent Garden.

• London gets seven new restaurants added to the Michelin Guide

Look, I’m not even going to try and make the argument about London not being the foodie capital of the UK – it’s a losing battle, and rightly so with all the restaurants, bars, supper clubs etc that literally pack the capital. All I am saying is that there are a couple of things country bumpkins do well that London hasn’t quite nailed yet. The main one being the middle-of-a-forest, rustically-refurbished, actually-very-proper pubs that the likes of the New Forest, Cotswolds, and Devon (to name a few) do exceptionally well.

But, Fulham’s newest pub The Brook and Badger might just put this rivalry to rest.

At the ripe old age of 24, I’d love to say my Tuesday nights are a spontaneous and chaotic affair where after-work drinks spiral into a random rave at a converted laundromat-turned-warehouse-club in Hackney, complete with a drunken e-bike cycle home. But in reality, just the prospect of not going straight home from the office is about as wild as it gets. So, the invite to check out new opening The Brook and Badger from the same team as Brook House sounded like the perfect middle ground.

WHERE IS IT?

When we say it’s a local spot, that translates to ‘it’s a 20 minute walk from the nearest tube station'. This is sort of The Brook and Badger's secret weapon. Located on Munster Road, the nearest tube is Parson’s Green which is around a 20 minute walk away, although if you’re near Putney Bridge or Fulham Broadway stations, those are both around 20 minutes walk away too.

WHAT’S SPECIAL?

The main duo behind the spot is publican Eamonn Manson and pop art dealer Adrian Palengat – you may not know the names, but as soon as you walk in, you’ll recognise that these are people who know how to do pubs.

Rather than what usually comes to mind when you say ‘pub’, The Brook and Badger is like if a private member’s club did a pub. Not to sound like some middle-aged Antiques Roadshow-esque presenter, but everything is ridiculously high quality – the tables and chairs are propah thick oak, the glassware is thin, and the crockery is so nice you’ll be trying to inconspicuously lift it up to see if you can find the name of the maker on the bottom.

The main thing that’s special is the people. Our servers - Cecilia in particular – were incredibly friendly as well as efficient. Despite only having a couple of them serving all the tables, service is speedy with the manner of chatting to an old friend.

WHAT’S NEW?

It only opened up a couple of weeks ago so you’ll look ridiculously in-the-know and au fait about London’s dining scene should you name-drop it as a possible venue with friends.

WHO SHOULD YOU BRING?

It’s a locals spot through and through – and due to the area of said locals (*cough* affluent) it’s a mix of families and young professionals. It’s got a more sophisticated clientele than your usual boozer but it’s an everyone-welcome kind of spot.

Without any conferring, my date-for-the-night and I suggested it would be the perfect place to take your girlfriend’s parents or in-laws. Nothing showy but still luxurious.

WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR?

It’s a fairly casual place being a local pub, but it is Fulham so casual here means a navy blue quarter zip or a schoffel wouldn’t be too dressy. It’s a post-work pints sort of crowd, but work here is often the whitest of collars so expect a lot of jeans and shirts. Avoid the tracksuit and you'll be grand.

WHAT WILL YOU PAY?

It’s on the pricier side for a pub, but it’s reflected in the quality of the food and environment. You’ll be shelling out around £25-£30 for a main, with starters around a tenner on average.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DRINK?

The wine list is where they shine – alongside all the beers on tap you’d want in a pub. As well as a good selection of wines by the glass, they’ve got discovery options for both reds and whites if you’re up for trying something a little more adventurous.

Alongside showcasing some great English wines and sparkling options, there’s a strong mix of high-quality global wines – so even if you’re a luddite vis a vis wine, you can point at random and end up with a very decent bottle. We went for a 500ml carafe (because it WAS a school night after all), but if you’re going for a bottle you’re going to be paying between £30 up to £64, with some options upwards of £130 if you want to splash out on something special.

MUST TRY DISHES?

When it comes to The Brook and Badger, it's more about settling in for a good pint than it is tucking your napkin in for a six course meal. It offers strong takes on traditional dishes like gnocchi, and small plates like arancini, as well as knee-slapping pub classics, priced around £21 for veggie and fish options to £26-30 for the meatier chops. But in this case, you're ok to skip in favour of a hearty pint.

GET ON THE GUESTLIST?

If you’re a London local residing in the leafy, well-to-do West this is a lovely spot to know about. If you’re looking for a nice spot with a relaxed atmosphere but up-market vibe you’re going to love The Brook and Badger. I’d wager good money that within a month this place will be packed with after-work Guinness-drinkers, so consider this your official heads up.

You can book a table for The Brook and Badger via SevenRooms here

• Viral sandwich shop Mondo Sando sets April opening date for South London venue