London Nine Elms Restaurant Guide

This 15-strong London noodle chain (now with branches in Brighton, Birmingham and Bristol) is “a good stand-by” – perhaps it’s “not as good as some of its competitors”, but it is widely seen as “good value”: in particular “the lunch-time meal deal” is a winner.

This quintet of tapas bars from the well-known Iberian food importer attracts most attention for its locations – in particular its “lively and popular” original bar at the entrance to Borough Market; and most recent addition: a “lovely riverside spot overlooking the Thames at Richmond”. Despite its renown – and some praise for its “small plates but big flavours” – ratings are held down by prices many reporters consider “high” for what’s widely seen as “pretty standard tapas fare”.

“A very good fish selection with great daily offerings” and “excellent seafood” win very many nominations for these ever-popular fish-and-seafood bistros in Borough Market, Battersea Power Station and South Kensington. All offer a “pleasant experience”, with an appealing “casual” ambience, “friendly” staff and very “reliable” standards. In particular, SW8 has a “terrific location – right by the Power Station and the boat landing! – Step off and step straight inside!”

With its “great terrace” by the Thames and prime position at the Battersea Power Station, this smart modern Italian from D&D London was one of the first openings in the development and certainly looks “elegant and modern”. “Good, but a little expensive” summarises input on the traditional Italian menu, where even cheaper options like the small selection of ‘Pinsa’ (Roman-style pizza) will set you back £20.

“If you’re in the mood for some delicious Indian cuisine”, this duo from Vivek Singh make a more affordable alternative to his flagship Cinnamon Club, pleasing both vegetarians (“great- tasting paneer butter masala”) and omnivores (“the chicken 65 is a particular favourite”). The cavernous City branch can get “incredibly noisy”, but the newer Battersea Power Station branch earns a lot of positive feedback, and is seen as a “viable competitor to Dishoom”, its near neighbour.

A “buzzy” atmosphere and “welcoming service” are the strong suits of this “expanding group”, with 16 branches in London and another handful nearby. While nobody disputes that they’re “lovely to sit in” and offer “value for money”, the “Middle-Eastern-inspired cooking” divides opinion, with some reporters “pleasantly surprised by the tasty food” and others bemoaning “underwhelming” dishes that “sound better than they taste”.

Overlooking the back of the US Embassy, Robin Gill’s comfortable modern brasserie occupies a high-ceilinged unit on the ground floor of a block within the Nine Elms’s forest of new developments. Attractions include an NYC-style oyster bar; chiller cabinets showcasing its steaks; regular live music; an on-site bakery; and an outside terrace in summer. It’s still perhaps more of an amenity to the locals than it is a destination, but all reports rate it highly.

Now into its second year, this “neighbourhood restaurant in the most unlikely of places” – a railway arch near Battersea Park – offers a “small and perfect Italianesque/Med menu served by staff who care that you are having a happy time (but without being intrusive)”. Chef Alex Owens learnt her trade at the River Café, while owner Emily Few Brown runs the front of house.

The “buzzy” original in a Victoria hotel occupies “a great space” (modelled on Continental grand cafés); while its younger sibling in the new Battersea art’otel is agreeably modernistic in style. Both can provide “a decent dining experience”, but even fans sometimes noted “service issues” this year, which holds back a more wholehearted recommendation.

Review: “You nearly always have to queue for a table – often for at least an hour – but the atmosphere is amazing and the food is worth the wait” at Shamil & Kavi Thakrar’s unbelievably successful chain: again, the most commented-on business in our annual diners’ poll, which has stormed the capital since it first opened in Covent Garden in 2010. Outlets in Canary Wharf and Battersea Power Station opened in late 2024, bringing the total in London to seven, and each branch has its own intriguing character, with the unifying theme being a homage to the Irani cafés of post-war Bombay. “Very much a well-oiled machine, there is little sign of any drop-off in quality as the group expands”, while “for such large places the brilliant service is remarkably friendly and efficient”. Meanwhile, the “deeply flavoursome and satisfying” menu has introduced Londoners to “authentic and delicious dishes that aren’t just another copycat Indian selection”, with such “zingy and exciting flavours”. And morning-time in London will never be the same again, since the advent of their “great Anglo-Indian breakfasts”. All-in-all, “the whole approach is inclusive and exciting”, “it’s always buzzy and fun too”; and “overall and for the price point you can’t go wrong!”. Top Menu Tips: “the black dal is to die for!”; “superb okra fries”; “the roomali roti is sublime”; “the lamb chops are excellent”; “Chicken Ruby is dreamy”. In the mornings, “the unfailing Bacon naan is a thing of poetry”; “chilli cheese toast hits the spot every time”, and “drink the lemon ginger and honey chai”.

Near the entrance to Battersea Power Station in an attractive, spacious new unit, this South African all-day cafe beamed down at the very end of 2023. Specials include a pork schnitzel fried in corn flakes, healthy salads and in-house twists on familiar cocktails. The Evening Standard’s Jimi Famurewa was very impressed by brunch here in his February 2024 review (“I cannot see a universe where most of us will not be charmed by the gloss, rigour and sun-warmed generosity of Tashas”). Some of our initial feedback agrees saying it’s “hit the ground running and very good in every respect”. Not everyone’s impressed, though, with the odd report of “disappointing” food and service that’s “unconcerned”.

This 10-year-old group with six sites offers a “good-value and tasty” take on the Middle Eastern kebab, served with a “modern twist” alongside “noteworthy cocktails”. “A seat at the counter is fun” at the original Kingly Court branch in Carnaby Street, which has a ‘fine dining’ option downstairs, Kebab Queen (see also).

“A beautiful room overlooking the Power Station” – the 16th-floor flagship restaurant at Battersea’s new art’otel showcases “classic Portuguese dishes” from chef Henrique Sá Pessoa of Lisbon hotspot Alma. A year on from its opening, there is the odd doubter who feels “they charge too much money… the best part is the view”; but most reports say it “truly delivers on both taste and ambience”.

This “relatively new addition” to the capital’s Italian restaurant scene “doesn’t disappoint”, serving “delicious homemade pasta and a good variety of starters” at the four sites it has opened in two years (Islington, Battersea Power Station, Shoreditch and, most recently, Richmond). It‘s the brainchild of Andy Bassadone – one of the UK’s most successful restaurateurs who, for example, rolled out Côte; and it is part of the Various Eateries group owned by Hugh Osmond (of PizzaExpress and Punch Taverns fame).

“Eat in or take out, these buns are delicious” – the universally agreed take on this Taiwanese street-food operation founded 13 years ago by Shing Tat, his wife Erchen Chang and sister Wai Ting Chung, now with six sites across the capital and part of the JKS Restaurants group. The “good-value” filled steamed buns “really make you want to go back” – “I called in 3 times in the same afternoon!” – while “the noodles are fab, too”. The only real complaint concerns the settings, with some branches “far too cramped” given their popularity.

“The tacos are still loaded and delicious and the frozen margaritas are exceptional” at the Hart Bros’ “lively” Latino haunts: particularly the original SE1 branch – a “fabulous Mexican street food venue under the arches in Borough Market”. (The newer Soho branch with its basement ‘Mezcaleria Colmillo’ bar inspires good marks but much less feedback). In April 2024, they launched a new, 90-cover site in Battersea Power Station, with adjoining 60-cover, open-all-year, outdoor riverside terrace.

After nearly 10 years, this individual concept – a “British pub and chop suey kitchen” (originally dreamt up by Alan Yau, now in other hands) has spawned this large sibling – a 185-cover space on Level 1 of Battersea Power Station. The aim here is more sleek and contemporary and necessarily less pub-like, so how much of a family feel there will be is debatable: indeed the press release says: “Expect sleek, contemporary interiors that still feel warm and inviting—a departure from the cosy old-school pub aesthetic of its Soho sibling.”

“God those rotis are heaven!” – they make it “worth joining the inevitable queue” (including “lots of Malaysian students and Asian visitors enjoying a taste of home”) for this “small Malaysian street-food cafe” in a packed little basement near Euston station. “A lot of patience is required lining up outside”: the queue here is such a regular fixture that the council have allowed the installation of a long decked area in the parking bays on the street to accommodate it. “The fluffy roti canai itself is amazing: you watch chef swirling and stretching paper thin dough”. But the “rich and aromatic” noodles and curries also on the menu can be just as rewarding. Don’t expect a long foodie religious experience. The “functional” service will get you in and out in no time. There are also now a growing number of spin-offs, of which the most high-profile is in Battersea Power Station, whose shiny vibe could not be more at odds with the grungy original; and where there’s “more of a feeling of a fast-food joint”. Even so, it comes “highly recommended for anyone looking to try some authentic and tasty Malaysian cuisine”: “it’s good to find such a reasonable place near Battersea Power Station. You can sit outside if weather permits. But it’s very popular and no booking, so go early to get a table”. Also in Waterloo and – since this year – in Spitalfields. Top Tip in NW1 – takeaway lunch is easier than queueing and amazing value too.