West Thurrock, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

This smart neighbourhood restaurant and bar from Stuart Gillies, for many years Gordon Ramsay’s right-hand man, “never lets you down with quality, value or service – can’t get enough of this place”. The menu offers a mixture of classic British and modern European cuisine, with bottomless brunch on Saturdays and traditional roast on Sundays. There’s now a sibling restaurant on similar lines, Number Eight in Sevenoaks.

2022 Review: Darren Bennett’s stalwart, serving up creative modern British cooking (including a well-regarded afternoon tea) “continues to be reliable in all respects”, whether you stop to take advantage of the set menus or its popular side act as a wedding and events venue.

2022 Review: ‘A welcoming hub for the local island community’ is the aim of this new all-day neighbourhood dining spot – the first to open on the developing London City Island, opposite The O2 and a short stroll via pedestrian bridge from Canning Town Tube & DLR. Launched at the worst of times – in late 2020 – it started as a deli/take-away but opened its bar and restaurant as lockdown eased.

A “seriously dramatic room” plays host to meals in the restored 1873 pump house at Chatham’s historic dockyard on the Medway, which has been converted into a distillery and restaurant by Bob Russell and his sons Matthew & Stephen. Top Menu Tip – “amazing roasts on Sundays”.

A superb waterside position and outside terrace, with gorgeous Thames views over to The O2 earns a spot in the guide for this “warm and inviting historic pub”. It is run by Fullers nowadays, and is not as notable as the days (ten years ago) when it commanded lots of attention as part of ETM Group. But as an escape from Canary Wharf or for a scenic Sunday roast it’s still worth a trip.

2024 Review: “In the heart of Essex, this fabulous fish restaurant” (est. 2010, and revolving around the “plush conversion of an old pub”) “offers amazing dishes and attentive service in a truly beautiful setting”. “It can be fun watching the TOWIE types amongst fellow diners”, but if that loses its appeal, divert your eyes to the “pleasant views from the terrace on a sunny day”.

Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan was – as of mid 2025 – rumoured to be on the verge of buying a £1 billion stake in Richard Caring’s restaurant empire, of which this famous brasserie chain is the crown jewel. Presumably, he’s more interested in ‘rolling out’ the brand in The Gulf and beyond rather than dropping by for a Salmon Fishcake and ‘Ivy Chocolate Bombe’, but if he’d asked the opinion of our annual diners’ poll, we’re not sure that he’d sign on the dotted line. “How can a restaurant with this heritage produce such uninspired, tick-box food?” is a question merited by its poor ratings, ditto what explains the “very slow and disinterested service”? The answer may be that “you don’t come here for the food, obviously” but for the “gorgeous” interior design and “picturesque” locations that continue to underpin their appeal. Let’s hope for the Sheikh’s sake that the middle classes of the Arab World are as undiscerning as those from the UK!

James Dawson’s half-dozen wine bars are “super venues to try interesting new wines in”, with “informative service” – “food is something of an after-thought, but pretty good for all that”, and comes into its own with a “fantastic Sunday roast menu: lamb and beef are high-quality and cooked perfectly”. Top Tip – “great deals on a Monday when most others are closed”.

2022 Review: A marvellous waterside location, plus large terrace – in the heart of Canary Wharf overlooking Middle Dock – is a key strong point of this early 2020 newcomer. It’s not a foodie hotspot, but a good-looking after-work rendezvous or somewhere to head to at weekends for a bottomless brunch.

“Love this restaurant which we’ve been going to regularly since it opened!” – this large, modern brasserie has established itself over eight years as one of the best bets for a meal in Stratford’s East Village, thanks to its “friendly service” and a selection of dishes majoring in steaks and roasts from the charcoal oven. “First time and the hard surfaces made the restaurant very noisy, but the food is very tasty!”

2022 Review: Leyton deli and bottle shop that’s a fave rave for anyone living within striking distance (but we also received a very good report on it from a reporter living in SW19!). In autumn 2019, they opened an adjoining café serving snacks and small plates.

“Innovative, with a fantastic zero waste ethos” – Douglas McMaster claims to have created ‘the world’s first Zero Waste restaurant’ in this high-ceilinged post-industrial space, in Hackney Wick’s ‘White Building’ (above the Crate brewery). It’s currently celebrating its 10th year, although about half that time was spent in Brighton, and – notwithstanding its Green Michelin Star – it’s never made quite the waves in the capital that it perhaps deserves. Feedback remains limited on its funky sustainable fixed menu for £75 per person. (A main dish might be the choice of Merit mushroom, koji porridge, electric dairy or Fosse Meadow chicken, buttermilk, and sea kale.). For fans, though, this “…couldn’t be better. Service is awesome and the dining room has a top vibe. Great value too”.

2023 Review: A welcome 2021 relaunch after being closed for years – this roadhouse on the South Circular between Sydenham and Catford serves “generous” dishes that “elevate it beyond pub grub, but without pretending to be a gastropub”. The food comes courtesy of Jamie Younger, who runs Peckham’s Begging Bowl and was formerly at the Palmerston in East Dulwich; his “smoked and slow-cooked options are a triumph (red chicken, short ribs)”. The “huge outdoor areas” make “weekend lunch en famille with toddlers a jolly affair” – a market sector enticed by a discount club for parents with young kids.

2023 Review: “Great views” are by all accounts the main highlight of a meal at Gordo’s Limehouse pub overlooking a bend in the river. But perhaps we expect too much of a chef happy to dish out a roasting to his peers: “I know a lot of people don’t like it, but it did what it said on the tin – it’s good pub food, and it’s only if you anticipated more that you’ll be disappointed”.

This “independently owned and managed” old village inn “in a lovely setting” has been thoroughly stripped out and modernised, providing a comfortable venue for an upbeat menu that features oysters, Cornish caviar and a 500kg Chateaubriand steak to share.