15 Top London Restaurants
Barboun is a sophisticated and elegant Great Eastern Street destination. Airy with illuminated pillars and soft cream décor, you can enjoy an array of Levantine-influenced wood-fired dishes along with creamy whipped feta, wildflower honey, and other gentle seasonings. Indulge in sugary Turkish tea before you leave, served in an ornamental tulip drinking glass.
Akoko is a Fitzrovia portal into West African fine dining. Deliciously scented with jollof rice and sweet pepper, Akoko has achieved earthy beauty with soft lighting, terracotta décor, and contemporary African art. Savour grilled plantain with spiced peanuts and cashew cream, and venture a dish of barbequed quail sprinkled with citrus and mustard seeds.
Prepare for a buzzy atmosphere and relaxed vibes at Larry’s in Peckham. You can feast on hearty and American-inspired dishes alongside vibrant retro décor. From crispy pork belly with Szechuan peanuts, savoury steamed clams in XO sauce, or lox with potato latkes and dill pickle, you can find something to satisfy you.
A ray of sunshine in the heart of Camden, Ma Petite Jamaica provides reggae rhythms, rum, and hearty jerk recipes in unison! Settle down in a brightly painted chair and feast on hot wings oozing delectable juices, or flavoursome curried goat served amid a mound of steaming rice and peas.
Subtle in appearance but explosive in flavour, Gunpowder is a Bengali-style restaurant with locations in Spitalfields, Tower Bridge, and Soho. Placing a modern twist on family recipe-inspired dishes, Gunpowder is a study in vibrant and bold flavours. Try their succulent spiced Chettinad duck skewers, grilled baby chicken in tandoori spices, and crispy venison doughnuts.
Venture down to Green Lanes and you will find Antepliler, the last word in authentic traditional Turkish cuisine. Venture a taste of their richly-flavoured lahmacun, or their famed cheesy kunefe, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, topped with a sweet light cream. This eatery has a casual and bustling atmosphere.
Enter the glowing coral-pink interior of Chuku’s in Tottenham. A Nigerian tapas restaurant with a modern take on traditional dishes, Chuku’s serves delicacies like soft, crisp-skinned fried plantain dusted with cinnamon, sugar, and coconut, and plump honey-glossed pan-fried king prawns. This is an irresistibly-fashionable slice of Lagos.
Christopher’s is a Covent Garden restaurant and martini bar that harkens back to modern American-era glamour. With an extensive menu of impeccably-arranged dishes, Christopher’s emits a luxurious atmosphere with grand décor and pretty lights. Indulge in their signature French toast, deliciously-soft and fluffy, drizzled in rich and lush chocolate.
Food lovers rejoice in Camden’s Mango Room, serving authentic Caribbean cuisine with a fine dining twist. Exposed brick rooms and soft lighting lend a friendly and warm ambience. Feast on tiger prawns with zingy pineapple salsa, or ackee and saltfish served up with steaming sweet peppers, scallions, and plantain.
Chutney Mary by Green Park Station is a dazzling oasis of gourmet Indian cuisine. Glittering chandeliers softly light the modern and elegant space. Enjoy venison samosas with a crisp and delicate pastry shell, or try a dish of seared duck breast sweetened and sharpened with tart ginger and caramelised onions and apricots.
With locations across London, Gökyüzü serves deliciously authentic Turkish dishes. Feast on complementary warm flatbread with garlicky cacık and tart dressed salad, then move on to a fresh seafood or a succulent meat dish of doner or chicken shish. Gökyüzü has a warm and communal atmosphere with squishy teal pleather seats to relax in.
Tufnell Park’s Lalibela is an Ethiopian eatery vibrant with kitsch décor. Spongey injera is provided to scoop up food, delectable with tender pumpkin in a garlicky tomato-and-lamb wot, and their light and buttery kitfo. Coffee to end the meal is roasted right in front of you, with pistachio and frankincense to scent the flames.
A New York steakhouse in London, Goodman is the go-to location for a special evening dinner. Dark wood panelling, leather seat booths, and pendant lamps casting a golden glow give the space intimacy. Enjoy dry-aged steak cooked over charcoal, served with Béarnaise sauce alongside thick crisp-skinned chips, or perhaps a burger oozing delectable fillings.
Experience the sun-kissed Caribbean in London at Turtle Bay! Providing rum, reggae, and jerk to the sun-starved masses, this place has serious party vibes. Indulge in succulent chicken wings smothered in Jamaican jerk marinade, sizzling with chillies, cracked black pepper, and cinnamon, and sweeten the deal with barbequed pineapple in a rum-caramel sauce.
Taste vibrant Northern Indian cuisine at Gymkhana in Mayfair! Choose from two plush dining areas, resplendent with marble table tops, dark wood booths, and old-fashioned globe lights. Dishes like wild Muntjac biryani and aromatic Chettinad duck send heady wafts of spice into the air, getting you ready for the feast of your life.
By Isabella Hassan