St James's, Fish & Seafood Restaurant Guide

Like a submarine, this famous St James’s basement – a colossal 1929 ballroom rescued and revamped by the late Sir Terence Conran in 1993 – now lurks out of sight and out of mind for most savvy Londoner diners: remarkably, it inspired zero feedback in our annual diners’ poll this year, a sure sign that the smart crowd moved on from its Q-bar, ‘grand-entrance’ staircase and designer-interior well over a decade ago. But, for a glam (if very pricey) night out, tourists and out-of-towners still keep it buoyant, attracted by its regular programme of entertainment fueled by posh brasserie nosh. Top Tip – especially if you hit the steak or caviar sections, à la carte prices here are pretty splashy. Maybe visit for brunch, Sunday Lunch or Mon-Thu pre-theatre, where there are prix-fixe menus for £40-£50 per head.

“You know that you’ll get a decent meal” at these “unpretentious” ‘Fishmongers & Restaurants’ in Covent Garden, Marylebone and off Piccadilly, where you can buy retail from the wet counter or proceed to eat in at the adjoining dining room. “A wide variety of fish and seafood can be cooked to your specification” and “it’s the perfect place for some nice, simple cooking”. Any drawbacks? The food is “good but rather unimaginative”; “ambience is a little lacking; and the service level is not as good as could be”.

Hang with a “smart, interesting-looking set of diners” at Costas Spiladi’s luxurious Greek venture in St James’s – part of his international chain, whose 10 other branches include three in NYC, as well as outlets in Miami, Athens and Dubai. It aims to evoke the brilliant blue waters of the Med and showcases an “excellent” array of fish and seafood on glittering counters of ice, where you choose your catch and specify how it’s to be prepared. On the downside, service can be “variable” and it is – predictably – “very expensive”.

“A horror-fest of crassness” bringing “Essex-on-Berkeley” to Mayfair – Richard Caring’s famous and glitzy seafood scene is “just not my type of restaurant” for most of the good number who comment on it in our annual diners’ poll. “With the accent on glossy surroundings, flamboyant menus of sushi, fish and seafood all backed up by that wretched waterfall”, “it’s basically a night-club with food” and “absurdly expensive for what it is”: an impressive 2/3 of those who rated it did so as their most overpriced meal of the year.

A “great concept, expertly delivered” – the two headline dishes are served up in posh, comfortable diner style at this nine-strong London group (with another dozen branches around the world). As a gimmick it doesn’t generate the buzz it once did, but both of the main dishes receive a good rep in feedback, in particular the “excellent and good-sized lobster” (and “for lobster it’s not that expensive”).

“Brilliant seafood and the best vibe” fuel the festivities at this upbeat venue – “still one of the most fun restaurants in London”, where “watching Soho life go by is just brilliant!”. The premises was converted almost 30 years ago from an Edwardian butcher’s, famous for supplying The Ritz, the Savoy and Winston Churchill – hence the name and wonderful interior. Grab a high stool, a glass of fizz and a simple plate of something fishy and it’s a great antidote to life’s challenges.

“Delicious pizza and pasta” at remarkably sensible prices for the area draw a steady crowd to this recently refurbished family-run Italian (est. 1953) on a Mayfair corner site.

A “great concept, expertly delivered” – the two headline dishes are served up in posh, comfortable diner style at this nine-strong London group (with another dozen branches around the world). As a gimmick it doesn’t generate the buzz it once did, but both of the main dishes receive a good rep in feedback, in particular the “excellent and good-sized lobster” (and “for lobster it’s not that expensive”).

“Extravagantly sized platters” of “hot and cold seafood at good prices” are the winning proposition at this Soho venture from Amsterdam’s De Visscher family. It’s a “bright, clean and open space”, whose atmosphere can seem “a bit prosaic, but who cares when you can get stuck into a tower of fishy treats?”

“A wonderful oasis of civilisation in the middle of tatty, tourist London” – Richard Caring’s “confident”, “old-school” Theatreland “icon” (est. 1896) hides behind intriguing etched-glass windows in an unpromising alleyway between St Martin’s Lane and the Charing Cross Road. A “seafood lovers’ mecca”: it’s yet again voted as London’s No. 1 destination for fish in our survey, and also – for the umpteenth year – the most commented-on restaurant in our annual diners’ poll. “If you want gourmet preparations, you need to go elsewhere” – the straightforward cooking includes “no bells and whistles” and the focus is on “really well-executed traditional dishes” (such as their celebrated fish pie; “excellent Dover Sole off the bone”; or “perfectly pan-fried King scallops”). It occupies a series of “old world, cosy, crowded dining rooms with photos of celebrity guests adorning the wood-panelled walls” and it’s “always a civilised pleasure to eat here”. “Patchy service” has sometimes been a concern post-Covid, but its rating rebounded noticeably this year and, all said, it’s judged as being “first-class”.

“Counter seats are the best” at the Hart Bros’ “magical slice of Spain” – a “joyful” and thriving homage to Barcelona’s famous Cal Pep, which since its 2007 launch has steadily appeared near the top of our annual diners’ poll as one of London’s most popular restaurant groups. Its branches have multiplied, but – to a miraculous extent – the formula has stayed the same. “At the bar, it’s fun to watch the talented staff who were clearly enjoying their jobs, meticulously preparing the outstanding dishes”: “brilliant small plates, with plenty of choice” and “packed with authentic flavours” (“particularly strong on fish and seafood”); plus “an excellent range of sherries” and wines. But, while it’s maintained “impressive consistency over many years”, it can feel “like a bar experience at restaurant prices” nowadays, and its ratings drifted south of their usual peaks this year. There’s also the odd tale of caution in reports: “I’ve been almost every year since it opened. It’s still great fun and pretty good, but the last three visits have fallen below the super-high quality of the past”. Top Menu Tips – “love the Croquetes; the Cos salad with anchovy and crispy pancetta; and perfectly unctuous Tortilla”.