London Pimlico Restaurant Guide

“Reliable Spanish restaurant” of more than 30 years’ standing in Pimlico “with good-value tapas”, “open-air seating and friendly staff” – a “regular meeting place” for groups of friends or colleagues to catch up over a plate of paella and a glass of wine.

A period piece from 1964, this Pimlico institution has barely changed since the Swinging Sixties, when the Beatles, the Mamas & Papas and Julie Christie all ate here. The original wood panelling is still in place, along with the signature dish from Day One – fillet steak with a caramelised mustard and brown sugar crust. Founder Jeremy Friend, now 90, still lives just down the road and pops in several times a week – as do politicos from nearby Westminster, who sit downstairs where they can’t be overheard. Top Tip – the mark-ups on wine (including half bottles) is generous.

“Generous portions of beautifully prepared food”, “great service” and a “lively atmosphere” combine to ensure this Turkish-Cypriot grill near Victoria station “never fails” to hit the spot. It has been consistently well rated for two decades.

“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.

“A default treat in Pimlico” – this Anatolian fixture near Victoria station with a “welcoming and helpful team” has served up “wonderful mezze and great grills” for more than 20 years. (“Made multiple visits this year, accompanied several times by close Turkish friends who say the food is authentic, and there’s a very fine Gold Raki”.)

“Katie Exton the owner has created a treasure” at her “upmarket neighbourhood restaurant” in Pimlico, which she founded in 2017 (having been a sommelier at Chez Bruce, The Square and The River Café) and which flies somewhat “under the radar” in spite of its “absolutely first class” quality. It’s a “smart and unpretentious place” – if you were picking fault you’d note that it’s also “small, busy and quite clattery”; “but the good food and good vibes make for happy customers”. Chef Graham Brown’s “beautiful seasonal cuisine” is nigh on “impossible to fault” and Katie presides over her “interesting and accessible” wine list with aplomb.

Modelled on Continental cafés, this duo occupy a Victoria hotel and the ground floor of the art’otel by Battersea Power Station. Only the former gets much in the way of nominations, particularly as a good-value destination with kids in tow. There’s a variety of salads, pasta and soups with simple grills and bakes (including to share) the main event. Top Menu Tip – “the fried zucchini is tops”.

“Exceptional food cooked by final year students” at Westminster Kingsway College makes the Escoffier Room one of the capital’s “great value” dining experiences, at £45 for a tasting menu. There’s a “lovely ambience to the place”, with meals “served by 2nd years, which can mean some funny moments” (“the lad serving us was on his first day!”). It’s “absolutely enjoyable”, if “somewhat chaotic” – and you need to “book early to avoid disappointment”. The college’s more relaxed brasserie and café/bar work on similar lines.

“Part of the Eccleston Yards gentrification development round Victoria coach station” (which is itself “beginning to develop a bit of a buzz”) – this useful venue provides a “great location” (complete with “a lively terrace”) and serves a “slightly unusual menu (including good steaks)”. Ratings would be higher were it not for those who find it “a little pricey”.

“Sneakily good pizza” – double-fermented Neapolitan-style – ensure that many branches are “always packed” at the Elliot brothers’ still-expanding chain, whose new summer 2025 opening at the Truman Brewery on Brick Lane marked a return to the site of one of their earliest pop-ups in 2013. Nowadays, it’s one of the more commented-on multiples in our annual diners’ poll. Top Menu Tip – “pepperoni and honey!”

Set in a stylish and roomy post-industrial space – the former coal store of a converted Pimlico power station – this buzzy operation from caterers Jemima Jones and Lucy Carr-Ellison is “always a reliable place to go with girlfriends” to feast on Middle Eastern-influenced dishes, using ingredients from their family farms in Somerset and Northumberland. The space is big enough to host events seating up to 180 guests.

“Hands-down the best fried brekkie of all time – the GOAT!” is served at this Westminster institution, whose Formica-tabled interior has changed little since it opened in 1946, and a retro-loving crowd gathers daily for what is “just the best cafe experience in London” (“the food is OK, but the queuing and miraculously getting a seat in a full room followed by the bellowing of orders are really what makes every visit special!”). It went on the market, though, in December 2024 – “When I heard that the caff was up for sale I nearly cried” – and although Westminster Council have pledged not to sell it to property developers, no further announcement has been made as of summer 2025. Top Tip – “go with a friend and order one toast and one bread: the white buttered bread is a guilty secret!” BREAKING NEWS: In July 2025 its sale was announced to Turkish-born, London-schooled restaurateurs Fevzi & Zafer Gungor, who are apparently looking to roll out the Regency name to Amsterdam, Berlin, Istanbul and Dubai.

2022 Review: Caffeine aficionados should truffle out this all-day dining spot and coffee house from sisters Juliana and Valentina Beleno, who import green beans from their native Colombia and roast ’em themselves. It’s a pleasant spot, too – for a snack or brunch on the likes of poke bowls and Latino-inspired salads – located in the attractive Eccleston Yards development.

“Well priced” Japanese dishes make this small, no-frills 26-year-old chain a useful option, whether for a “quick pre-theatre visit” when in town or in one of the more far-flung branches (Catford or Brentwood), where “decent quality sushi is found in a local high street for the first time”. Top Tip – “the delicious honey tea”.

After 25 years in St James’s, chef patron Gianni Andolfi and his team shifted early last year to a tucked-away, corner-site on the Victoria/Westminster borders, near Rochester Row. Hitherto it’s been known for straightforward Italian cooking at very competitive prices for the West End – let’s hope they will keep it up and win a new audience in this ‘off-the-beaten-track’ locale.

“Very clever cooking – far more satisfying than a carnivore might expect” – is the reason for the ongoing success of this vegetarian group, founded in Soho almost 40 years ago and expanded into a modern chain over the last ten years. “Is it vegan? Yes”, fully plant-based since 2001. “Do you have to be vegan to enjoy it? No” – “the quality and intensity of the flavours” wins over many omnivores, while “the extremely friendly service and full-to-the-gills interior creates an ambience that is conducive to enjoyment”.

“A gem!” – easily missed on the fringes of Westminster (not far from Vincent Square) – this welcoming Nepalese café realises its dumpling, noodles and other simple fare with a light touch. And if you need a lunchtime snack in Paddington, their truck in Merchant Square is also a handy option.

“Very handy for Victoria station” and directly opposite the Apollo Theatre – “this small Italian restaurant serves up good, hearty, authentic grub at a reasonable price” and is “convenient for a quickish meal”. (“We asked them to bring us what they would recommend: the lasagna was the best I’ve tasted for many years, the pizza was good and the bruschetta were absolutely delicious – will return!”).

“Bravo!”. “At last, the team behind Medlar [David O’Connor & Joe Mercer Nairne] get the well-worthy Michelin recognition they have long deserved at this new high-end all-rounder tucked away in Eccleston Yards, on the edge of Belgravia”. “It’s not the easiest place to find in a new redevelopment close to Victoria station”, and a few diners feel that the “bare and unrefined” room “could use a touch more pizzazz given the level they are aiming for”. More positively, it’s certainly “understated and not too full of itself” and overall the “fantastic ethos” of the enterprise cuts through any lingering reservations to make this “a stunning addition to the capital”. “It’s all the things you love about Medlar, but dialled up a notch”. Service from “engaging” staff is “faultless” and the cooking “top class” – “premium ingredients, creatively combined and outstandingly prepared all make Cornus a special find”. “The wine list is fascinating and the head of wine, Melania, has some really superb recommendations”. “It’s not cheap, but nor should it be, there are other options in town for that”. Top Tip – “the set lunch and lunchtime corkage of £20 per bottle make this a great value option”.