London Chelsea Restaurant Guide

“Buzzing, busy, delicious, rushed, noisy, crowded…” – this noodle bar is everything you might expect from a Vietnamese street-food outlet; and is notably “good value for the area”, situated as it is in a posh courtyard off Chelsea’s King’s Road. You could be forgiven for not realising that the name apparently means ‘happy Buddha’.

What does it say about the culinary tastes of the British middle classes that this spin-off chain, with about 40 locations based on the original Theatreland icon, has been such a rip-roaring success? True, there’s some “great people-watching” at the “always buzzing” Chelsea Garden venue (which has one of SW3’s best gardens). And, without doubt, those branches in Kensington, Tower Bridge and Kingston also particularly stand out amongst the rest for their “super atmosphere”. In general though, the knock-off look of their locations “isn’t a patch on the original on West Street, yet pretends to be exactly the same”. And when it comes to their brasserie dishes: although its many followers tout them as “acceptable, albeit nothing special”, their rating-average identifies them as “underwhelming tick-box fare”; all offered by service that’s very “indifferent”. And yet they are “always busy”! In June 2024, it was announced that billionaire Richard Caring had successfully sold his entire Ivy restaurants stake. Now that he is laughing all the way to the bank, it will be interesting to see if ratings reverse, continue or deepen their southward trend.

“Stunning food in a stunning setting with St Paul’s as a to-die-for backdrop…” (in EC4); “the superb atmosphere of the very colourful room sets the mood…” (in SW3): – Praise isn’t short on the ground for these maximalist pan-Asian venues. They are easy to diss, but most reporters actually feel that, OK, they’re “a bit pricey” for their hotch-potch of pan-Asian “classical dishes”; seem “slightly tasteless”; are “very noisy”; but, for all that, overall are “still a lot of fun”. There is also though, a minority of diners that loathe them for a variety of reasons; and feel that “the prostitution of the Ivy brand continues apace”. (“The western siblings are fine, but this faux-Asian set-up is a travesty – the worst sort of western cultural appropriation and arrogant corruption…”; “opulent surroundings and extravagant presentation cannot disguise overpriced and underwhelming food…”; “it’s all flashing lights and selfies. We will not be going back!”)

This “fun place” on the King’s Road with “happy, smiling staff” and an “eclectic” faux-rustic interior is, for most diners, an enjoyable spot for a meal – even if the cooking doesn’t always do full justice to the Gladwin Bros’ ‘Local & Wild’ ethos (of food farmed and foraged by their family). We do have reports of “delicious light lunches” with “glorious comfort food”, but it’s patchy: for instance, one would-be fan opines – “having visited the family vineyard in Nutbourne on several occasions, we came with high hopes. The food was surprisingly mediocre, the game pie dry and unappetising. What should be a real gem was disappointing”.

“LOVE this chain and would happily eat there any day!” – These “always buzzy” Nordic operations (originating in Copenhagen 30 years ago) provide a “tasty mix of sushi and grilled yakitori kebabs” in Scandi-minimalist dining spaces. One or two reporters hesitate at the prices for these luscious morsels – “not sure you can justify the cost of leaving full up” – but the overall satisfaction-level is high. They added a branch in Richmond’s former House of Fraser in May 2024 followed by another on Islington Green in September.

“If you want a traditional Italian restaurant in Chelsea, this is the place”, say regulars at this tiny, “tucked away” trat’ “in a Chelsea side street off the King’s Road” – a quirky site they’ve been going to for yonks (mostly since before the founder, Roberto Colussi, died a few years ago). It can seem a bit “disorganised”, but “even on a quiet Tuesday lunchtime, it’s pretty much full and for a good reason: it’s excellent value for money” by the standards of the area.

The old car park behind Borough Market is now a covered street-food zone with about 15 different stalls – “I know it’s a bit of a tourist trap these days, but there’s still something about walking around, grabbing something new to try, or just hitting your old favourite”.

Just off the King’s Road, this Chelsea Malaysian endures on a site that’s prominent if you are local, and out-of-the-way if you are not. It owes its longevity to a menu of “really good Malay/Chinese combinations”.

“A great pit-stop on a night out” – these “busy, buzzy” rustic spots in Chelsea’s King’s Road and Battersea’s ‘Nappy Valley’ major in a wide selection of sourdough pizzas, although the exact offering is slightly different at the two sites (for example pasta in SW3 but not SW11). Attractive lunch deals too. Top Tip – the ‘La Terrazza’ heated rooftop terrace in Chelsea is worth discovering but walk-ins only and has its own menu.

“A favourite for midweek sushi” – this 12-year-old pan-Asian group from Israeli-born Ohad Kastro started in Primrose Hill and has expanded to six outlets in a series of well-heeled locations, with Barnes and Chelsea particularly commented-on. Perhaps not a choice for foodie purists, they provide a convivial setting for “an interesting and varied menu of Asian-inspired” dishes prepared to an admirably consistent standard. (One gripe – the “astonishing number of takeaway food packages collected by delivery drivers” was an irritant in a couple of reports this year).

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!”).

This elegant 1853 tavern near Chelsea Physic Garden makes “an excellent local, if with prices befitting its location” and a menu of quite ambitious pub grub, following its transformation by Jack Greenall (of the Lancashire brewing dynasty). He now owns a select trio of west London pubs having acquired the Walmer Castle in Notting Hill and The Carpenter’s Arms in Hammersmith last year.

In terms of delivering “really decent” food on the King’s Road (a rarity) and “an amazing Sunday roast”, the three-year-old revamp of this “beautiful” early Victorian Chelsea pub must be accounted a success, and it becomes “BUSY!”. If the backers were not JKS Restaurants in partnership with Kitchen Table’s James Knappett one would say ‘job done’, but by the standards of such megastar restaurateurs, the result is good – not outstanding.

Phil Howard’s stylish, but “relaxed and friendly” HQ sits in one of the side streets surrounding Brompton Cross and its straightforward excellence makes it “a go-to for a high-quality meal” (numerous diners reported their best meal of the year here). Phil “has a very sure instinct about sourcing and his approach to his modern European cuisine is informed by tradition (but not in any way old-fashioned) and delicious”; with a ‘flexitarian’ approach evident in many dishes (“love what they do to a cauliflower”). Top Tip – “consistently the best lunch in town”.

“Just like being in Paris” – this “classic French brasserie” in a Chelsea backstreet is “a perennial favourite”, run by “a strong core team who have been here for ages”, with patron “Didier Garnier keeping a close eye on things”. It’s “always full with many locals”, and is also a “great place to dine with business colleagues – good food and service guarantee you can concentrate on the business at hand”. A key feature is “possibly the best-value wine list in London, especially if you are a fan of Rhone and/or Claret” (and with “a good selection of half bottles”).

The ‘f-word’ is increasingly applied to the bills here, as well as the famous TV show that created the celebrity of the world’s most famous chef, of which this “unassuming door in a quaint little Chelsea street” is the original flagship. “You might mistake the venue itself for a townhouse: the dining room is actually quite small and intimate”: nitpickers would also say “the decor is a bit dull” and “looking a bit dated”; and with “an ambience bordering on stilted”. Feedback on service likewise ran the whole gamut this year – from “impeccable”… to “perfect, but without displaying any personality”… to “ice-cold and robotic”. Perceptions of the cooking are also very varied, and hard to isolate from both the expectations raised by three Michelin stars and the “eye-watering prices”. Fans say it’s “the treat of the year” with “fabulous” cuisine: be it from the three-course à la carte for £180 per person, the longer ‘Menu Prestige’ for £210 per person; or the ‘Carte Blanche’ surprise menu for £260 per person. But dishes can also seem “pretty but over-engineered”; and even some who think the food here is “enjoyable” sometimes acknowledge “it doesn’t merit three Michelin stars”. Real doomsters just find the restaurant’s ongoing renown “baffling – if this was a new restaurant I don’t think it would even get one star”. And then there is the cost. Even diehard fans say “the pricing is the top end of the top end” (and that “you do get stung on the drinks”). And those who consider it “the most overrated place ever” just say: “don’t waste your money!”

In Old Church Street, Chelsea, the first pub from the Gladwin brothers opened in mid 2024 – the latest addition to their ‘Local & Wild’ stable of restaurants supplied by the family farm in West Sussex (which includes Rabbit just up the King’s Road). The grand late-Victorian tavern on a corner site was lavishly renovated as recently as 2021, when it was known as ‘The Chelsea Pig’.

For “a more upmarket Thai experience”, head to the branches of Khun Patara Sila-On’s “very pleasant” group (which is over 30 years old, with branches from Asia to Europe). “Well-presented flavoursome dishes” from “good-quality ingredients” are provided by staff who “always seem happy to see you”.

“The prettiest of restaurants” – this atmospheric haunt off Chelsea Embankment is perfect for a “romantic evening experience”, which can kick off in the cute ‘Ruby Bar’; and which has beautiful river views from the upstairs ‘Drawing Room’. Its owner, impresario Sally Greene, spent a reported £3 million upgrading the Georgian property from the former Cheyne Walk Brasserie five years ago, and hired Jason Atherton protégé Iain Smith to put together a grill menu of luxurious surf ’n’ turf using prime British ingredients.