Warlingham, International Restaurant Guide

“Very good in all respects… and it’s NOT in London!” – Andrew McLeish is entering his 25th year of owning this “stylish” well-known destination a short drive from Bromley: “a welcome spot in a culinary desert thanks to its high standards” and a favourite for many occasions (including a “romantic” celebration among a widespread fan club that includes a huge number of reporters living in BR postcodes). “A consistent friend that never disappoints”, “service is professional and friendly”, the cuisine is of “high quality”, the setting is “comfortable” and “there’s a good choice of wines by the glass from the Coravin system”. There’s an à la carte menu and brasserie section as well as a fancier ‘Gourmet Menu’ at £125 per person.

Overlooking Wandsworth Common, John Brinkley’s local venue offers “pleasant if unremarkable” cuisine and benefits from his knowledge of wine – “more quiet than the one at Hollywood Road but a great place to have a nice relaxed dinner”.

This “fantastic” Earlsfield venture offers ‘vegan soul food’ that is both “incredible value” and full of “lovely, interesting flavours” (“would never even have known it was vegan!”). Founded by school friends Arvin Suntaramoorphy and Shyam Kotecha, it takes an ethical approach to business, allowing guests to pay less if they are unsatisfied, and feeding the penniless for free in return for a couple of hours’ labour. There’s a spinoff branch in Honor Oak Park.

“A very good find” in St John’s, between Deptford and Lewisham, this pub-with-rooms boasts well-prepared food and “warm and efficient staff”. Attractions include a “great Sunday lunch, with a full range of roasts served with great big Yorkshire puds and plenty of gravy”.

This spectacular tavern, which opened in Queen Victoria’s coronation year next to Greenwich’s Royal Naval College, has “a great setting beside the Thames” complete with a historic interior, and is not surprisingly “a favourite with tourists”. It can provide a good trip, but it can also “be let down by its typical pub grub”.

Inspired by Art Deco Paris, this wood-panelled Gallic brasserie south of Elephant & Castle provides a “wonderful atmosphere”, a menu of “food you want to eat” and “Meteor à la pression” – better still, there’s a jazz club upstairs. Les patrons, brothers Noland & Florent Regent, grew up next door in the Lobster Pot – another Francophile’s delight, run by their parents for 25 years until 2016.

“Every year I struggle to come up with new ways of saying just how wonderful this extremely underrated spot is”, say fans of this cherished local – a bright spark in the culinary void near Surrey Quays station. “They’ve been in situ for ages (thank goodness) yet the menu is always changing and continues to impress”: “sourdough pizzas are the main event – the pear and gorgonzola and the tiger prawn with chorizo are particular favourites – and it also has a modern European and grill menu”.

“An institution that’s been there forever” (well, since 1964) – this “fun, local bistro” is a “go-to in Pimlico for ‘cheer-you-up’ comfort food” from a menu that has barely changed over the decades (moules marinière, fish pie with piped potato, calves’ liver and bacon, crème brûlée). The original wood panelling is unchanged, and “the very friendly team have also been there since the dawn of time!”

The old car park behind Borough Market is now a covered street-food zone with about 15 different stalls – “I know it’s a bit of a tourist trap these days, but there’s still something about walking around, grabbing something new to try, or just hitting your old favourite”.

In a dramatic modern pavilion in Chelsea’s Duke of York Square, this “buzzy and fun” venue (named after the Romany travelling wagon) boasts “plenty of outside seating” and is a particular summer favourite. Food-wise, it takes its cue from the Caravan group it is part of, delivering a global menu of “innovative” sharing plates (“interesting choices for most palettes and to suit those with food intolerances”).

In the traditional heart of posh Chelsea, this Sloaney backstreet boozer is nowadays part of Butcombe Inns, whose four siblings in the capital likewise occupy nice properties in expensive postcodes. With its small garden and cute dining room with retractable roof, it wins solid ratings but nothing like the attention it once enjoyed, and is primarily recommendable as a relatively affordable fallback in this pricey bit of town.

‘A taste of South Africa’ is the promise of this City-fringe duo in Farringdon and London Bridge, which combine “an excellent choice of steaks” and dishes from the braai with a wide selection of South African wines. There’s also the prospect of a trip to the (very un-African) walk-in cheese room to end off a meal. But even those who acknowledge “decent Saffa-inspired grills” can say “the overall feel of the place is a little tired” or “functional”. And that it’s “not cheap for what it is” was also a repeat-complaint this year.

“Handy for the South Bank arts venues” – chef-patron Peter Lloyd took over the much-loved RSJ eight years ago with enough success to add another south Thames site near Tower Bridge to the brand (although a third site, in Islington, lasted just months in late 2023). “Soft shell crab, Roti canai, Singapore chilli lobster; Lamb Shank Massaman” have all been enjoyed – if there’s a gripe, it’s that the food is “good, but nothing exceptional” (“we enjoyed it, but my friend who is Singaporean by origin was disappointed that the menu was not more authentic”). Top Tip – “the pre-theatre menu of 3 courses for under £30 is excellent value”.

Evocative Edwardian tiling – dating from 1904 – and a sympathetic revamp from David Collins studio maintains this “bustling” gold-hued, Grade II period interior as one of London’s traditional gems. It was relaunched in October 2023, with six outlets. None of them is for value-seekers, but such limited feedback as we have suggests that pushing the boat out for Sushi by Masa (from NYC celeb chef Masayoshi Takayama) is justified: “the exquisite delicacy of the sushi, hand-rolled at the counter in front of you, means Masa’s three-star New York reputation is intact” (eat à la carte or there’s an £80 fixed menu). It’s a better bet than a trip to the adjacent Kerridge’s Fish ’n’ Chips (which can seem “shockingly expensive”).

“Recovering nicely from the Covid effect” – this “perennial favourite for lunch” near Tower Hill is a classic bolt hole for professional buddies conspiring to kill off an afternoon over a decent bottle. Run by an independent wine merchant in a superbly characterful Victorian cellar, it provides “basic platters” of cheese or charcuterie (with veggie/vegan options) to help absorb the “very good wine at accessible prices, with good advice from the owner”. A flat £12 corkage fee makes it a good place to explore more expensive vintages, and it hosts regular events – “did a Chinese wine tasting... who knew?”

Proximity to Richmond Park – a large terrace for sunny days – and a comfortable, attractive interior help justify the ongoing inclusion of this eighteenth-century Fuller’s pub, near Sheen Gate. In other respects, its ratings remain resolutely ordinary.

Quirkiness in spades is the particular appeal of this Dickensian watering hole – London’s oldest wine bar, whose best tables are in a superbly ancient candle-lit cellar which originally housed wine shipped to its front door by barges on the Thames. But in summer its outside comes into its own, boasting as it does a huge terrace adjoining leafy Victoria Embankment Gardens. “It has a very good wine list” – while the cold food is somewhat incidental: “a simple menu of quality ingredients” majoring in cold cuts and cheeses. Fun fact: it’s owned by entrepreneur Simon Gordon (the place was already called ‘Gordon’s’ when he bought it), who owns the increasingly ubiquitous Facewatch anti-shoplifting software, which was originally developed to stop thefts at the bar.

“Absolutely fantastic flavours” are on the “great tasting menu” at Malaysia-born and Sydney-raised, Ramuel Scully’s idiosyncratic venue in St James’s Market, whose cuisine is flavoured by unusual ferments – some of them as much as a year old. It no longer generates the massive excitement of its early days, but still inspires lots of supportive feedback.