Famous Restaurants in London You Must Visit

By Vanessa Teo
Published: July 17, 2024

Looking for a bite to eat? Look no further - we've got you covered with a guide to some our favourite famous restaurants in London!

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There are hundreds of famous restaurants in London - from Michelin-starred extravaganzas to cheap-and-cheerful eateries. Looking for something a little different? Check out these well-known venues for a memorable meal out.

Currying Flavour

The East End area of Brick Lane is so famous for its Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants that it’s been nicknamed the Curry Mile. However, the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant, Veeraswamy, is situated on Regent Street and has been serving up spicy delights from several different Indian regions since 1926. Awarded a Michelin Star in 2017, it was one of the establishments that sparked Britain’s love affair with curry. Where: Regent Street, Piccadilly

Classic Cuisine

Fans of cinematic and literary classics, from Alfred Hitchcock to Sherlock Holmes, will recognise the name Simpson’s in the Strand. Founded in 1828, it was originally a well-known chess venue and also received regular visits from famous names such as Dickens, Gladstone and Disraeli. The restaurant serves classic British food, and its Scottish beef is a particular speciality. Where: The Strand, Charing Cross

Off to the Dorchester

Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester serves contemporary French cuisine in exquisite surroundings with a shimmering fibre-optic backdrop. It was awarded three Michelin stars in 2010 and is one of only four UK restaurants with the top rating, making it the perfect location for that special occasion. Where: Park Lane, Mayfair

Chip off the old block

Fish and chips is the Londoner’s traditional comfort food of choice. The origins of this much-loved combination are disputed, but the Golden Hind has been serving up golden fish and crunchy chips since 1914; mushy peas are optional. It can get quite busy, so you may need to queue - an opportunity to indulge in another quintessentially British pastime. Where: Marylebone

Join the Bao Club

The Michelin Bib Gourmand is awarded to restaurants that provide high-quality food and value for money. 2017 winner Bao derives its name from fluffy white steamed buns, gua bao, and its menu is based on Taiwanese street food with inventive twists. Xiao chi (literally, ‘small eats’) also feature heavily; they’re tasty snacks a bit like Asian tapas. Where: Soho

Star-gazing

Celebrity haunts come in and out of fashion, but The Ivy has consistently remained a top spot for star-spotters. Founded in 1917, it’s planning a host of special events to celebrate its centenary this year, from the launch of a new cocktail menu to the introduction of ‘Window to the Ivy’, a special stained glass chocolate mousse dessert. Located in the heart of the West End’s theatre district, it’s a favourite haunt for a pre-show meal. Where: Covent Garden

Go East

As a true cosmopolis, London is home to people - and cooks - from all over the world. Roka, a regular foodie favourite, offers award-winning Japanese food for the western palate. Specialising in robatayaki cuisine - literally ‘fireside-cooking’ - the principle dishes originate from Japanese fishermen, who would cook fish on charcoal grills while at sea and share the meal with other boats using their oars. Where: Charlotte Street, Canary Wharf, Mayfair, Aldwych

Food with a view

The OXO Tower is a much-loved icon and home to a pretty famous restaurant in London. Originally owned by the makers of OXO stock cubes, it was refurbished in the 1990s as a mixture of homes, retail design studios, galleries and eateries. Enjoy a contemporary British menu in a relaxed setting with beautiful views of the river, St Paul’s and the City of London. Where: Bankside This concludes our roundup of famous restaurants in London. Of course, this list includes only a tiny number of the more than 17,000 restaurants you can visit. Take your pick from dozens of national cuisines and many more hybrid menus, as well as 65 Michelin-starred establishments and 15 Michelin Bib Gourmands - not to mention pubs, bars, cafés and more. Hope you’re hungry!

Vanessa Teo
London Travel Expert

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London Christmas
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Christmas In London: What's On?

That smell of pine trees, mulled wine and nervous, last-minute shopping can only mean one thing. Yes, the merriest of months is nearly at its merry peak. Christmas. Love it, hate it (easy, Scrooge), it's an inescapable ball of bright, fancy fun. Churchyards have erected their inexplicable Christmas tree stalls. Secret Santa is making its way around reluctant offices. Neighbours are battling one another for the house decoration Olympics. London truly comes alive over Christmas, with myriad shopping and entertainment possibilities popping up all over. If you live here, you already know this. If you don't, boy are you in for a surprise. Negotiating the festivities might seem a little daunting. If you're only here for a bit, you'll want to fit in as much festive fun as humanly possible. Don't worry. Take a cold, steamy breath. And take a pew. Our guide to spending Christmas in London is your one-stop-shop for navigating all the Christmas craziness. Featuring the likes of: Shopping extravaganzas Winter Wonderland Christmas Markets galore Pantomimes ...and much, much more! Oh No You Didn't! Oh Yes We Did. So, pantomimes are a bit of a cultural delicacy in the UK. We love them. And if you're visiting from afar, why not see what all the fuss is about? These super-campy theatrical takes on beloved classic tales such as Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Aladdin and, in more recent years, a stage version of Elf are sure to get audiences fired up for the Christmas season. You'll be in fits of laughter watching slapstick antics, men in drag and sometimes even an animal actor. What's more, they typically star a roster of nationally-known sweethearts of British soaps and comedians, so it's always fun to see a familiar face on the stage providing the giggles! Expect many sides to be split among the old and young alike at any one of these excellent family favourite stage shows. Take a look at the Big Panto Guide to see what's on this season. The Best Of The Festive Rest If festive songs are what puts you in the Christmas spirit then take yourself to the Courtyard carol singing at Hampton Court Palace. In the week leading up to Christmas, all the songs will be sung, and Christmas fun will be done. Accompanying you on this festive journey is the Epsom and Ewell Silver Band. So, don't embarrass yourself. Hungry from all the festive fun? Fortnum & Mason offer up a tasty afternoon tea with an unrivalled level of festive cheer just a moments’ walk away from Covent Garden where you can shop under a massive Christmas tree. Nothing is more magical at Christmas time than meeting Santa himself. The Royal Albert Hall offers up a festive tour designed for both children and families, serving up a warm plate of Victorian themes, stories, and engaging activities. St Pancras International station has a tree that is likely to make any child - and adult - excited for Christmas. This year's includes an ode to London Zoo's animals in the form of a tree-shaped pop-up storybook. Past creations have included a tree by Tiffany & Co. that emitted their classic scent over station-goers and a 14-metre high tree made of toys that shot bursts of snow out of the top every few minutes! And, well, that about does it for all of our Christmas in London recommendations! Of course, London's a big old place, so we're sure we missed some of the innumerable treats. However, if we missed any you love, let us know in the comments below. Plus, if you're interested in any of these, we'd love to hear about your experience! Bon voyage, and most importantly, Merry Christmas!
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Firstly, the battle cry of the London independent artisanal business: “High End Cocktails, Low Rent Basement.” And our personal favourite: “Great Cocktails, No Wallies.” In the basement of 8 - 9 Hoxton Square, London N1 6NU The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town A secret bar beneath The Breakfast Club in Shoreditch, which you enter through a retro-looking SMEG fridge after telling a member of staff you need to see the Mayor. No, you’re not tripping. No, we’re not joking or trying to make you look like a fool. In your quest to visit the best secret bars in East London, you’re going to need to take a few risks. Flirt with the possibility of looking like a bit of a fool and tell a member of staff, “I need to see the Mayor.” For superb cocktails and all-American bar food, it’s worth the risk. The Breakfast Club, 12-16 Artillery Lane, London E1 7LS Discount Suit Company From the makers of Bethnal Green Road’s fantastic Sun Tavern comes Discount Suit Company, an underground cocktail bar in a space that was once a tailor’s stockroom. They’re excellent value, the cocktails here, with the menu a mix of classic old-timey charmers and signature concoctions. Look for the tired, falling-down lettering on the Wentworth Street building, spelling out (with letters missing) the name of the bar. Open the nondescript black down and head down to the bare-brick speakeasy for cocktails and cheese from Neal’s Yard. 29A Wentworth Street, Spitalfields, London E1 7TB Nightjar Nightjar is another of the best secret bars in East London to regularly make the list of the World’s 50 Best Bars. 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Yep, it’s a secret bar within a bar and if you find that confusing, try being the unlucky person to first stumble across this place whilst staring brokenly into the mirror wondering where all the years went and all that chub came from. The mirror swung open and all their wishes were fulfilled. They wanted another drink. They got one. This place wants to inject a little bit of hedonism into late-night Shoreditch, with high end cocktails and a relaxed ambience, a wild crowd and DJs on Fridays and Saturdays until 2.30am. You might even hear a bit of that Cockney slang that's made this area famous. 49 Hackney Road, London E2 7NX  By Appointment Only Imagine starting at a new office in the City. You get to the end of the first week. It’s been ok, but you’re not sure you’ll stick around for too long. Sam seems alright, Dan too. Do you want to go out for Friday drinks? Not really...but you’ve got five seconds to come up with an excuse and...they’re up. So you go, not expecting much, you’ll just join them for a half and then slip out. Hopefully you’ll be sat next to Sam. Lovely Sam. You follow the crowd out of the office and arrive at...what looks like a guard tower at the entrance to an Ottoman palace. By Liverpool St. Surrounded by glassy modernism and chain restaurants. You follow the team into the guard tower and down the steps into an opulent, wonderfully low-lit bar, the walls covered in arabesque tiles, a beautiful bar and gold and drapes all across the labyrinthine series of chambers and alcoves. This is By Appointment Only. A Friday-only, reservation-only cocktail bar under Bishopsgate, filling with elegance an old Victorian bathhouse. Maybe stay for more than a half, yeah? By Appointment Only, 7-8 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3TJ La Cabina This secret bar in East London has the kind of hidden entrance you’ve wanted to go through since you were a kid. You book and you’re given a four digit code. Punch this into a telephone box on Kingsland Road and the false back of the phone booth will swing open, revealing a staircase down to La Cabina. This place is particularly popular with those wanting to keep going until dawn, with a late license and tapas dishes served until 5am. The food fits La Cabina’s ‘From Sevilla to Shoreditch’ tagline, with menu highlights including curls of roasted octopus served with fried potatoes and a pepper sauce, and haggis scotch eggs. The cocktail list includes some inspired concoctions, including a Bloody Mary/Gazpacho mash up. Reservations essential (otherwise you’ll be randomly punching numbers into that phone box all night long). 232 Kingsland Road, Whitmore Estate, London E2 8AX Alright, now take a sit down. Catch your breath. It's not every day you learn there's a hidden city underneath the city you've been looking at all this time. We know. It's not every day you realise that all those seemingly uninviting doors/fridges/mirrors actually lead to hidden wonderlands. So just take a minute. Take a minute to catch your breath, then head here.
Matthew Pearson
Tower of London
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