Ashtead, Fish & Seafood - Restaurant Guide

This “long-established Brittany-French restaurant” is “much loved in Richmond for its good food – galettes, seafood and the rest”, “amazing value” and “decent (if sometimes hectic) service”. Its sale two years ago by founder Lindsay Wotton, who ran it for 35 years, has not dented its appeal.

“The view over the Thames makes it worth the voyage” to this outpost of TV-Rick’s empire (in reality, run by his ex-wife and sons) near Barnes Bridge – but only “if you’re lucky enough to be seated by the windows” – “otherwise it never seems quite to live up to the reputation of a famous name”. The food can be “good”, but “of course it is not cheap”, and too often it is “disappointingly ordinary” – “you’re paying for the name and location, not the food”. More than 50 years after opening his first restaurant in Padstow, the TV chef’s family is reportedly planning to open a venue in central London: no news on the location as of summer 2025.

These “huge American-style diners” win solid ratings for their rock’n’roll (and blues and country) delivery of a “meat-heavy menu”, washed down by bucket-loads of ice-cold beers or two-pint jugs of ‘slushy’ cocktails, designed for raucous partying. The “great-value surf ’n’ turf” and lunch deals go down well, too. The original Chelsea venue opened 35 years ago, and has been joined more recently by spinoffs in Covent Garden, Canary Wharf and Westfield Stratford.

“Sit at the counter in crowded seafood heaven” for “fabulous oysters” (both raw and cooked) and “always the freshest fish”, say fans of the “buzzy” original branch at Borough Market, which elicits the bulk of the large volumes of enthusiastic feedback in our annual diners’ poll (the Battersea outlet seems “soulless” by comparison). Service can be “somewhat chaotic”, but is “friendly”, and although the interior is not in its first flush of youth the overall vibe is upbeat.

2024 Review: “A wonderful display of fresh fish on ice” (“including the biggest scallops with the coral attached”) greets diners arriving at this “unique Italian” in a quiet corner of Kensington, whose “cooking is precise with a light touch”.

“Sit at the counter in crowded seafood heaven” for “fabulous oysters” (both raw and cooked) and “always the freshest fish”, say fans of the “buzzy” original branch at Borough Market, which elicits the bulk of the large volumes of enthusiastic feedback in our annual diners’ poll (the Battersea outlet seems “soulless” by comparison). Service can be “somewhat chaotic”, but is “friendly”, and although the interior is not in its first flush of youth the overall vibe is upbeat.

2025 Review: With its alpine-themed interior, this Italian-ish Chelsea haunt from the team behind Goodman and Burger & Lobster opened to rave reviews just before lockdown. This year, though, its offering – combining a raw bar, with prime cuts of steak or fish from the grill and a selection of pasta – received little but opprobrium in our diners’ poll for “ridiculously overpriced and average meals” (“you don’t have a value-for-money category. If you did, this would score 0/10!”).

“Gorgeous food from a great chef” is served in the foyer of the iconic Michelin Building on Brompton Cross, which has expanded in recent years from the original oyster bar concept to become a more casual alternative to Claude’s flagship upstairs, Bibendum. As part of the change, hot food is now a staple alongside its longstanding focus of luxurious, cold fruits de mer (“I always go there meaning to try something different but always end up with the Dover sole… expensive but worth it!”).

2025 Review: “Lots of the fish is aged in-house and the flavours are second to none” at this chic fishmongers and seafood bar in a bougie backstreet off Sloane Street; and “sitting at the counter being served by the chef feels special”. Sadly, though, its dazzlingly brilliant Haggerston sibling closed in March, leaving this Chelsea branch, which is primarily an amenity for the local ladies-who-lunch rather than a major magnet for serious foodies (as was the case in the East End, where the ambition was off the charts).

“Old established fish ’n’ chip restaurant” in the backstreets near Victoria station, whose long menu includes “a variety of great fish and seafood” (oysters, scallops, lobster, sea bream on the bone) alongside more obvious chippy classics. “Popular with regular locals”, the interior is fine but not why it’s survived since 1965.

“The fish never disappoints” at this “true neighbourhood restaurant” from Mauro Sanna’s smart Sardinian group – although it is “a bit on the expensive side”, as might be expected from the Belgravia location. Top Tip – “book a table on the small elevated section at the back, where the acoustics are better: the late Dame Maggie Smith always sat there”.

For a relatively “cheap ’n’ cheerful” meal, but in a ‘proper’ restaurant and “out of the Portobello Market crush”, this “great neighbourhood Italian” just off Notting Hill Gate continues to come recommended. “The pizza’s delicious, but there’s also good fish” as hinted at by the large tank in the dining room. In summer, there’s a brilliant front terrace for making the most of the weather. (“Was taken by an Italian friend and the food was well up to reputation”.)

Founded in 2011 by four friends, this interesting concept hit ten sites in London in April 2025 with its debut in Kensington (replacing Street Burger on the high street) and also has a Brighton outpost as well as a handful of footholds in the Middle East and Asia. Fans are still in the majority and say its posh comfort food (the clue is in the name) is “a surprisingly good offering”. But while there are few harsh criticisms, its ratings have over the years slipped to a level that’s only “OK”.

2024 Review: Diminishing feedback in recent years makes it hard to recommend this “noisy and fun”, family-run Sardinian on Brockley Rise quite as resoundingly as we used to. Fans, though, still say it’s “a super, local Italian trattoria, with a great menu: especially the quirky ice cream and sorbet flavours”.

“Known for the most delicious lobster noodles” – a dish which has earned it widespread fame, and which “remains a must-eat” – this “old-favourite Chinese with great seafood” in Queensway “has returned to form” after “seeming to lose its way at one stage” (a revival reflected in the food ratings). It’s well worth exploring the menu further: “they also have the best roast duck”. The cavernous, ’70s-tastic interior is either an essential part of its nostalgic charm or dire, depending on your tastes.

“Just what Richmond needed!” – this “stunningly decorated” and “buzzy” three-year old “has a wonderful site by the Thames” and is “proving a valuable asset to the area”, especially as a “date-night go-to” for a taste of “pure opulence”; and in warmer weather “its roof terrace makes for a superb sunset dining experience (as long as it’s not raining!)”. In terms of its seafood cuisine, fans say it’s “expensive, yes, but serves excellent quality fish, with service all splendidly orchestrated by Pierre, the general manager”. Critics of the place agree with a lot of the above description, but for them the experience is nevertheless “unquestionably overpriced” for food in particular that’s “very average” (“better than much in Richmond, but still not great!”).

“An unexpected find in Hammersmith” – this “classy” seafood yearling continues to thrive despite an unpromising site right on the trafficky Broadway roundabout. “The fish is so fresh”, “excellently cooked and not exceedingly expensive”; and “the menu changes depending on what’s available at the market” (“we found ourselves comparing food notes with the next table!”). It’s run by a team with a number of seafood ventures around town, and executive chef Ollie Bass launched a Faber seafood counter at the Rosewood hotel’s Holborn Dining Room in summer 2025.

Open in early 2025 in Belgravia: a very posh, converted pub complete with white tablecloths and a counter for fresh fish and seafood on ice, and featuring its own-label caviar. On the first floor, there’s also an upstairs restaurant serving Basque food from the grill by ex-Brat and Barrafina chef Adam Iglesias. One initial reporter found it “very good all-round” and the press have also invariably raved. In her March 2025 review, The Guardian’s Grace Dent fell for an “utterly lovable mega-posh pretend pub”, although she acknowledged that its prices might leave “anyone remotely normally waged standing outside in the cold, staring through the window like Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Match Girl”.

2024 Review: Mykonos, it is promised, will come to Knightsridge in autumn 2023, with the opening of this self-consciously glam newcomer – a spin-off from the celeb-filled Greek island original, which is jetting into the Harrods hinterland via Cannes and Dubai to create ‘a new dining concept with a relaxed neighbourhood atmosphere’. It’s on a site that was for decades Montpeliano, and – with its reservations-only (no walk-ins) policy – seems to be aiming to capture the same supercar-driving set as its predecessor did in its heyday. If the advance visuals are any guide, the bright interior will be rather gorgeous, in which to enjoy a sharing plates menu of Med-inspired surf ’n’ turf.