Blackfriars, International Restaurant Guide

“The South African wine selection can’t be beaten” at these steak-and-wine-bar fixtures on the edge of the City (Faringdon and London Bridge) – each with a wine cave and ‘walk-in cheese room’ showcasing British artisan cheeses. They pull in a crowd – “we could hardly hear each other!” – but also attract the odd complaint of “average food at huge prices (£100 per head was way over the top for a very dull meal)”.

“Really interesting food, superbly prepared” won more consistent raves this year at Jeremy Chan’s (chef) and Iré Hassan-Odukale’s (MD) ground-breaking venture, which moved to this ‘Midtown’ location on Aldwych in 2022 having won renown for itself in St James’s Market. At the vanguard of transforming impressions of African cuisine, chef Jeremy takes the spices of sub-Saharan West Africa and combines them with British ingredients in a ‘micro-seasonal’ culinary mash-up that’s won it two Michelin stars and the UK’s highest position on the World’s 50 best (at No. 15 in 2025). It’s “exceptional food but with an exceptional and terrifying final bill” – the set menu is £350 per person before wine. And while “Jeremy’s personal attention is without parallel”, the atmosphere of this copper-hued chamber can seem “sterile”. Top Tip – at £150 per person, the shorter express lunch menu is a relative bargain.

This South Bank pan-Asian is, for many, a “go-to near the National Theatre” – and chef-patron Peter Lloyd doubled up three years ago by taking over the former Cantine del Porte downstream at Shad Thames, which offers “great views of Tower Bridge and the river”. Both sites benefit from their “enviable locations” and – on most accounts – “give rise to little to complain about”, with “pleasing food and reliable service”. But the “tasty” cooking doesn’t always stand up to scrutiny (“my Singaporean friend was disappointed that the menu was not more authentic”) and even advocates can feel, “it’s not otherwise a destination, but it suits us pre-show”.