Hardens Guide to the Best Restaurants in London Covent Garden
Hardens guides have spent 31 years compiling reviews of the best Covent Garden restaurants. On Hardens.com you'll find details and reviews of 117 restaurants in Covent Garden and our unique survey based approach to rating and reviewing Covent Garden restaurants gives you the best insight into the top restaurants in every area and of every type of cuisine.
Featured Covent Garden Restaurants
1. Frog by Adam Handling
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
35 Southampton Street - WC2E
The “stunning innovation” of Adam Handling’s “clever”, but “not crazy” cuisine (“the breads with chicken butter and crispy chicken skin were out of this world!”) wins a paean of praise for his Covent Garden HQ. And even some who feel that “not every dish totally works” award the “spectacular” cooking full marks on account of the “degree of talent and creativity on show”. The “great front of house staff” also get a big shout-out for their “friendly” style, which adds life to the simple interior with open kitchen (more casual in style than is typically found around such fancy food). A new outside terrace is a recent addition, as is delivery service ‘Hame’ (“the absolute king of the home delivery options we tried”).
2. Cinnamon Bazaar
Indian restaurant in
28 Maiden Lane - WC2E
“Amazing Indian street food”, “in a fun, vibrant environment” – this Covent Garden café provides “a cheaper alternative to the other Cinnamon restaurants”, with “lots of small contemporary Indian dishes” that mirror the quality of its pricier stablemates. There’s a “great early-evening set menu” for theatre- and opera-goers.
3. Le Garrick
French restaurant in Covent Garden
10-12 Garrick Street - WC2
“A good place for a romantic meal”, with its “candlelight and cosy booths”, this “welcoming Gallic restaurant” in a “warm basement” near Covent Garden is “perfect for anniversaries, engagements and proposals”. A stalwart of 35 years’ standing, it also makes “an excellent choice for pre-theatre dining”, serving “great classic French food – with a smile”.
4. Fumo
Italian restaurant in Covent Garden
37 St Martin's Lane - WC2
“Handily situated next to the Coliseum, serving tasty cicchetti” – this London outpost of a national chain within the San Carlo group is worth remembering for a light lunch or pre-theatre bite.
5. Chez Antoinette
French restaurant in Covent Garden
Unit 30 The Market Building - WC2
As a child, my grandmother used to prepare delicious Tartines in her kitchen for me. Having lived in London over the past 5 years, I became homesick and those memories came fluttering back. After a while, it became clear to me that I had to put all my effort and hard work into my...
6. San Carlo Cicchetti
Italian restaurant in Covent Garden
30 Wellington St - WC2
A “vibrant atmosphere (especially good for a group)” helps underpin the appeal of these “glitzy and lively” spin-offs from the San Carlo national chain of glam Italians, whose most central branch – just off Piccadilly Circus – is decked out with “marble tables and stylish chandeliers”. “Very tasty small plates” that are inspired by Venetian “cicchetti” are “served speedily”. In late 2021, they are due to open a second Knightsbridge branch, just across the road from Harrods.
7. Bunga Bunga
restaurant in Covent Garden
167 Drury Lane - WC2B
Five years after the opening of the legendary Battersea bar and pizzeria, Bunga Bunga has come to Covent Garden with an even bigger and bolder version of the original. On the ground floor, discover a family pizzeria and bar, BungaTINI. Below accessed through the meat locker li...
8. Volta do Mar
Portuguese restaurant in Covent Garden
13-15 Tavistock Street - WC2E
High-quality Portuguese cooking – rare in London – is the aim of this heart-of-tourist-Covent-Garden venture: opened in November 2019 by Salt Yard founder, Simon Mullins and his Portugal-born wife Isabel Almeida Da Silva. The aim is to celebrate the cuisine’s diversity “with influences from all the places around the world where Portugal had a colonial presence”, from South America to Africa and Asia. “The wines are all from Portugal, covering all areas and containing some real gems.” All early survey reports suggest it's well worth a visit.
9. MEATmarket
Burgers, etc restaurant in Covent Garden
Jubilee Market Hall, 1 Tavistock Ct - WC2
2019 Review: “Sitting above the indoor market at Covent Garden adds to the greasy-spoon vibe” of this central spin-off from the MEATliquor chain – “a good spot for a quick burger fix when out-and-about for the day in town”. There’s “not a worry about calories in sight” – just “burgers at their best, an excellent choice of sides (e.g. chilli cheese fries, monkey fingers and jalapeno poppaz) that add a bit of fire to the proceedings; and the milkshakes are a must-try!”
10. Shake Shack
Burgers, etc restaurant in Covent Garden
24 The Market - WC2
2021 Review: In less than 20 years, Danny Meyer has transformed his New York City hot-dog cart into a global fast-food brand giant with eight outlets in London – including a Covent Garden flagship that was revamped earlier this year. Ratings remain remarkably solid for “a chain that does what it’s supposed to do”.
11. Sushisamba
Fusion restaurant in Covent Garden
Opera Terrace, 35 The Market - WC2
“A fun night out” is not in doubt at this glitzy (if ever-so slightly “impersonal”) duo: be it on the 38th floor of the City’s Heron Tower (accessed via western Europe’s fastest lifts); or perched at the top of Covent Garden market, overlooking the back of the Royal Opera House. You get superb views in either location (particularly in the Square Mile, with its über-glam rooftop bars), plus “loud party music and great cocktails”. And, in fact, the Japanese/South American fusion food is yummy too. It’s just so “horrendously overpriced” that for a large proportion of folks it’s just “not really worth it”. The US-based group is an international one, with venues in Las Vegas and (scheduled for late 2021) Dubai.
12. VyTA
Italian restaurant in Covent Garden
21 The Market - WC2E
In the heart of tourist Covent Garden – on the corner of the market itself, near The Punch & Judy pub – this large (200-seat) Italian arrived in late 2019. It’s the first venture outside Italy for Nicolo Marzotti, who has 13 restaurants back home. The jury is still out on whether or not it transcends its tourist trap location (including some seating on a balcony over the main market square).
13. The Petersham
Italian restaurant in Covent Garden
Floral Court, off Floral St - WC2E
A classic ‘rus in urbe’ venue – this lavish, flower-filled destination in a still-new-feeling Covent Garden development channels the charms of the well-known Richmond Park plant nursery in its two restaurants, interiors shop and florist. A “nice place”, undoubtedly, but one too often accused of serving “tiny, overpriced portions” of modern Italian food.
14. The Oystermen Seafood Kitchen & Bar
Fish & seafood restaurant in Covent Garden
32 Henrietta St - WC2E
“Superb oysters” are the star attraction at this “casual and relaxed” venue just a few steps from bustling Covent Garden – but there’s “plenty of superb fresh seafood to choose from, if oysters aren’t your thing”. Ceviche and crab are highly recommended, while “the staff are absolutely lovely and very accommodating”.
15. La Goccia
Italian restaurant in Covent Garden
Floral Court, off Floral Street - WC2E
The courtyard on a summer’s day is a “top setting” and adds lustre to this swish Italian in Covent Garden’s relatively new Floral Court development. There was more appreciation too this year for Italian cuisine that – while “not cheap” – provides “lovely, fresh, simple dishes with super presentation”.
16. Cora Pearl
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
30 Henrietta Street - WC2E
“Cosily atmospheric”, with a “stylish theatrical ambience”, this little sister of Kitty Fisher’s in Shepherd Market (both are named after historical courtesans) is “particularly welcome in Covent Garden”. There’s a “delicious short menu” of “sophisticated British comfort food”, and “efficient but personal service which creates a warmish glow”. Top Tips: “the chips are to die for” and the kitchen “does rose veal like nowhere else”.
17. The Ivy Market Grill
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
1 Henrietta St - WC2
“Always ambient and fun” – Richard Caring’s stretching (twisting?) of the Ivy brand is easy to snipe at but has so far avoided degenerating into farce. For sure, “the food is certainly nothing superior”: fans may claim it’s “more than adequate”, but its overall ratings nowadays are only just the right side of poor. That said, even critics of the cooking often feel that the “lovely” interiors and “welcoming service” provide compensation, and fit the bill for making an occasion of a meal. In the capital, the most mentioned outlets are The Ivy Chelsea Garden (“delightful garden tables and ideal for a noisy girls’ night out”); and The Ivy Kensington Brasserie (“huge fun, loads of buzz” and “always a treat”). The Ivy City Garden and Canary Wharf’s Ivy in the Park follow along in terms of volume of feedback. The newest member of the spin-off family is The Ivy Victoria – a vast space with 300 guests over two floors.
18. Din Tai Fung
Chinese, Dim sum restaurant in Covent Garden
5-6 Henrietta Street - WC2E
“Makes me feel as if I’m back in Asia” – this “busy and large” Covent Garden “canteen” is the first London outlet of an “international chain specialising in dumplings”, founded in Taiwan 50 years ago. “In Bangkok, in Manila, in Singapore, this is mall food” – and after the launch here newbies were “not sure the PR hype was warranted” with “better in Chinatown”. Still, for “top soup dumplings” (xiao long bao) and “consistent dim sum” it does win lots of votes – “and if children get bored they can watch the chefs making the dumplings in the kitchens”.
19. Bageriet
Sandwiches, cakes, etc restaurant in Covent Garden
24 Rose St - WC2
“Would you find better in Stockholm?” – the Swedish buns at this tiny Covent Garden coffee house are “deliciously authentic”. “Serious coffee at a decent strength, and as for the cakes... well, just leave space in your schedule for an exercise class after eating one”. “The only issue is the very limited space of eight seats – at least 50% of the time you can’t get in!”.
20. Rules
British, Traditional restaurant in Covent Garden
35 Maiden Ln - WC2
For a “quintessentially British” meal, it’s hard to beat this Dickensian icon in Covent Garden (London’s oldest restaurant to operate continuously on the same site – since 1798), which has a “beautiful” Victorian interior; and which delivers an archetypal mix of grills, game and stodgy puds. To an impressive extent, it has avoided pure Tourist Trap status; and many regulars have “so many happy memories here, going back decades” thanks to its “comforting” formula. No denying, however, that it has become “very overpriced” in recent years and increasingly risks “living on its old reputation”. But, for the time being, the overall verdict remains that “it’s one of a kind and the world would be poorer without it”.
View full listings of 117 Covent Garden Restaurants
Popular Covent Garden Restaurant Searches
london Restaurant News
Top Covent Garden Restaurants
Hot Newcomers & Coming Soon
Hot Newcomers
Coming Soon