Fish & Seafood Restaurants in Southbank
1. Block Soho
Steaks & grills restaurant in Soho
Clarion House, 2 Saint Anne's Court - W1F
We’re here for quality cuts, big flames and good times.With respect for these things, we serve up joyful food and drink, day and night.Bring a hungry belly – leave the rest to us....
2. Angler, South Place Hotel
Fish & seafood restaurant in City
3 South Pl - EC2
“Perfectly executed fish” from a “varied and delicate” menu adds to the elevation of this 7th-floor D&D London perch, at the top of a hotel near Broadgate, where the “nice verandah” comes into its own in the summer months. Cooking of this quality is rare in the City, and even non expense-accounters will seek it out. This year’s most critical report? – “probably worth its Michelin star, but pricey and the chef didn’t take any gambles”.
3. Ormer Mayfair by Sofian, Flemings Mayfair Hotel
British, Modern restaurant in Mayfair
7-12 Half Moon Street - W1
“A choice of four 8-course tasting menus and a fantastic selection of wines” greets visitors to this 1930s-style, oak-panelled chamber in Mayfair, which scored uniformly high marks this year for Sofian Msetfi’s accomplished, seasonal British cuisine. There are also vegetarian and vegan alternative menus (the latter of which requires 48 hours notice).
4. Bentley’s
Fish & seafood restaurant in Piccadilly
11-15 Swallow St - W1
“A classic for oyster lovers!” – acclaimed Irish chef, Richard Corrigan, continues to be a superb steward of this 106-year-old veteran (established in 1916), cutely tucked away in a side street near Piccadilly Circus, which he has rebuilt over the years into one of the Top 40 destinations in our annual diners’ poll. “For outstanding oysters or fish, you can’t go wrong”, with tips including “cracking fruits de mer” and “simply delicious fish stew”. His “fabulous” and “professional” staff help create a “lovely” atmosphere, although the top ‘craic’ in the ground-floor bar is often tipped over the grander but more sedate upstairs restaurant. (Another excellent option, particularly in summer, is the superb heated outdoor terrace). On the downside, the pricing is somewhat “prohibitive of a frequent visit”, but fans say “despite the expense, a meal here is an all-round package that is predictable in a good way”. Top Menu Tips – “oh-so-tasty options from the specials board” and “ask for more soda bread!!”
5. London Shell Co.
Fish & seafood restaurant in Paddington
The Prince Regent, Sheldon Square - W2
“A cruise through Regent’s Park to Camden Lock on the Grand Union canal is the perfect complement to five flavoursome fishy dishes, sluiced down with sommelier-advised wines” aboard the Prince Regent. Sister barge the Grand Duchess offers a similar seafood menu, permanently docked by Paddington station.
6. Wiltons
British, Traditional restaurant in St James's
55 Jermyn St - SW1
“Like a London club but with infinitely better food” – this “very civilised” St James’s veteran (London’s oldest restaurant, established in 1742, but not on this site) is “a real throwback to another era” (“it’s probably not the place to attract ‘influencers’, whoever or whatever they are!”). The menu (which majors in fish and seafood) is “as traditional as one can expect (as is the clientele)” – you are served “classic food, classically executed and classically served” and at its best results are “simply exceptional”. “Service is old-school professional” although, perhaps due to the strains of Covid, did not enjoy its customary 5/5 rating this year. Even so, Wiltons remains “a great place for meeting on business” and its pricing is such that it’s best to let the corporate credit card take the strain whenever possible. Top Menu Tips – “the Dover sole is still the best in the capital” and “their lobster thermidor is rich and everything you want in an indulgent food item”. Game is excellent in season and they do a “magnificent bone-in rib served from the trolley”.
7. London Shell Co. (The Grand Duchess)
Fish & seafood restaurant in Westminster
Sheldon Square - W2
A permanently-moored big sister boat for the London Shell Co's moving vessel, with room for 40 covers plus some al fresco tables in summer and a private Captain's Table (expect lots of fishy / nautical jokes - their strapline is "have your hake and eat it") and a focus on British cooking, especially Cornish fish and seafood.
8. The Melusine
Fish & seafood restaurant in St. Katharine Dock
Unit K, Ivory House, St. Katharine Dock - E1W
“Small and perfectly formed” two-year-old with a “wonderful waterside setting” in St Katharine Dock that serves “seafood that should appear on the end of Paul Whitehouse’s rod – it’s that fresh!”. “On a sunny day with an outdoor table, it’s the best” – the “fantastic shellfish” includes “the best langoustines ever and stellar scallops”. Theodore Kyriakou, who set up both Livebait and The Real Greek back in the 1990s, is part of the founding team.
9. Bellamy’s
British, Modern restaurant in Mayfair
18-18a Bruton Place - W1
“With its quietly thrumming ambience, well-spaced tables and unobtrusive service from staff used to looking after royalty”, this “eternally discreet” brasserie hidden in a cute Mayfair mews is a long-established favourite for a blue-blooded, establishment crowd (and “perfect for doing business in”). Elegantly suited owner, Gavin Rankin, smoothly commands the space – “his team are wonderfully welcoming” and “all this is supported by classic French food, an excellent and keenly priced wine list, and a set lunch menu that’s a bargain (ideal for when Finance put a cap on your entertaining budget)”. Top Menu Tips – “Martinis, oysters and staples like steak tartare are prominent”.
10. Sea Containers, Mondrian London
British, Modern restaurant in Bankside
20 Upper Ground - SE1
“It feels like a place to see and be seen, which can account for the expense, but fun and with good river views…” – not a bad overview of this “buzzy” dining room, designed by Tom Dixon, near Blackfriars Bridge. (A harsher view is that it’s “a typically over-priced hotel joint, trying to be smarter than it really is”.) Top Tip – “super weekend brunch, lots of choice, and the bar is good too”.
11. Seabird at The Hoxton, Southwark
Fish & seafood restaurant in Southwark
The Hoxton, 40 Blackfriars Road - SE1
“Fabulous views”, “delicious seafood”… “it ticks every box” according to fans of this 14th-floor rooftop: part of a Southwark hotel, which sets a glam tone. Ratings have softened a little since it opened a couple of years ago, however, with mounting concern that the height of the prices is starting to match that of the venue!
12. The River Restaurant, The Savoy
Fish & seafood restaurant in Covent Garden
The Savoy, 91 The Strand - WC2
In its heyday, this elegant room overlooking the Thames was one of London’s key options for any kind of major occasion. But its relaunch and rebranding (from Kaspar’s Seafood Bar & Grill, RIP) to this – its original identity, but now under Gordon Ramsay Holdings – in late 2021 inspired surprisingly limited survey feedback this year (and indeed few press reviews). It is sometimes recommended for the top fish and seafood that is its focus, but all-in-all reactions are muted and uneventful for what should be a top destination.
13. Smith & Wollensky
Steaks & grills restaurant in Covent Garden
The Adelphi Building, 1-11 John Adam St - WC2
Fans proclaim “excellent steaks” (including imported prime, dry-aged USDA fillets) and “not a fault to find” at this plush steakhouse off the Strand: the first international branch of the famous NYC chain. Its pricing, though, has often struck Londoners as “totally out of order”, leading to poor ratings across the board.
14. Fishworks
Fish & seafood restaurant in Covent Garden
2-4 Catherine Street - WC2B
“Lovely fresh fish”, “cooked simply” and “at prices which should shame its neighbours”, is the attractive offer from this trio of straightforward seafood brasseries in some of the pricier parts of town – Covent Garden, Marylebone and Swallow Street, just of Piccadilly. Top Tip – “there’s a fishmonger’s attached”, so you can take some “high-quality fish” home with you.
15. The Oystermen Seafood Kitchen & Bar
Fish & seafood restaurant in Covent Garden
32 Henrietta St - WC2E
“Lovely oysters and fab fresh fish generally” from a “daily changing blackboard of specials” fuel a meal at this successful joint which is “just like eating in a seaside restaurant”. It’s “a bit cramped and uncomfortable” for some tastes, but conversely “feels surprisingly intimate for Covent Garden”.
16. Burger & Lobster
Burgers, etc restaurant in City
Bow Bells Hs, 1 Bread St - EC4
“Does what it says on the tin”, with “no delay making choices”. This “simple, good and easy” surf-and-turf chain has grown to nine sites in the capital in 11 years – most with “sufficient space to eat and talk” (rare enough in fast-food joints). The formula is working around the world, too, with openings from New York to the Genting Highlands in Malaysia. “Love the way they give you plastic sheets to cover yourself from flying bits of lobster!”
17. J Sheekey Atlantic Bar
Fish & seafood restaurant in Covent Garden
28-32 St Martin’s Ct - WC2
A semi-independent addition to the original venue next door, its “reliably fresh fish” and glam, casual styling make this American-style seafood bar “a great post-theatre favourite”. There are no specific gripes about food or service, but “the pricing seems to be approaching the level of the main restaurant, taking away some of its raison d’être”.
18. J Sheekey
Fish & seafood restaurant in Covent Garden
28-34 St Martin’s Ct - WC2
“Tucked away in a side alley in the centre of Theatreland”, this “old school” veteran (est. 1896) regained its No. 1 slot in this year’ poll, both as London’s most-mentioned destination; and also for providing the capital’s best fish and seafood. “All the classics are perfectly prepared” (“the freshest shellfish, unforgettable dressed crab, oysters and huge portions of Dover sole, washed down with a chilled bottle of Chablis… perfection”). And, they are served in a “quirky and atmospheric” series of picture-lined rooms, whose nooks and “intimate booths” further buoy its traditional appeal. Post-Covid, meals here did not always seem as sure-footed as in the past, with staffing often diagnosed as a problem. But recovering ratings this year suggest more of a return to the “classy” form that’s typically the norm here. “It’s pricey, but Sheekey’s still keeps its spot as one of the capital’s greats!”
19. Wright Brothers
Fish & seafood restaurant in Southwark
11 Stoney St - SE1
“The best oysters and crustacea in a bustling market-facing venue” is how many restaurant-goers think of this “buzzy and packed” small group, whose SE1 branch at Borough Market is better known than its Battersea Power Station sibling. “Order from the blackboard for the freshest catch.” “You come for the seafood, not the sparkling repartee” and service “can get a bit frazzled”. (We have continued to list the South Kensington outlet, but as we go to press it is ‘temporarily closed’ due to staff shortages).
20. Applebee’s Fish
Fish & seafood restaurant in Southwark
5 Stoney St - SE1
“Reliably good fish and seafood” make this straightforward operation “an attractive option at the edge of Borough Market”. It’s a flexible spot, which makes for an easy transition between indoor and al fresco eating.
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