Banstead Restaurant Guide

“What could be better for romance?” than this “candle-lit”, “dark and mysterious” “hideaway” in Pimlico. With its “blend of clutter, old church chairs” and myriad nooks and crannies, it’s superbly “snug in the winter months” (or in summer, “ask for a table outside” on the terrace: “there’s no place better!”). “It’s like stepping back in time into another welcoming world, with delicious olde worlde French food” and “professional and friendly” service – if “brusque” in the classic Gallic style. When it comes to the “nostalgic” cuisine, it’s “good but not exceptional (it isn’t meant to be)”. When it comes to the dim lighting, “it can also help improve your date’s looks!”

Tapas Inspired by Spain and Lebanon What does Dar mean? It’s Lebanese for “lounge” and Spanish for the verb “to give”. And that’s a perfect combination with Spanish and Lebanese-inspired tapas as well as fine wines in a relaxed and convivial ambience. This new restaurant is un...

“The latest addition to the Dastaan stable” – Nand Kishor opened this new venue in autumn 2024: a debut that was not only “Surbiton’s No.1 food event of the year”, but comfortably the decade. “Every bit as good as the original (Dastaan), just in a more useful location – it’s much larger than its sibling and a bit of a noisily hectic venue – mostly because it’s so popular – the cooking is astounding (I occasionally feel like I’ve been punched in my face after a visit, and that’s meant entirely as a complement!)”. “The dining room is simple, colourful and that’s about it: very much ‘Home Counties curry house’. It’s the cooking that is very special, every sauce perfect” – “each dish is superb, the rice is world class (it’s the best Indian food I’ve ever had”). “At last, Andy Hayler has a reason to visit Surbiton!”

“A superb destination full of generosity and honesty” – Bruce Poole & Nigel Platts-Martin’s “faultless”, “neighbourhood” restaurant, just across from Wandsworth Common, is voted London’s No. 1 favourite in our annual diners’ poll for an amazing 20th year. How do they do it? First off, consistency – a typical report will often start: “we’ve been eating here twice a year for about 20 years and it’s never been other than a brilliant go-to for a special meal”. Secondly, nothing about the enterprise is pretentious or showy: it’s “quietly refined but never pompous”. Chef Matt Christmas’s modern British cuisine is “unfailingly excellent” but impressively straightforward – “there’s nowhere for the chef to hide and he doesn’t need to”; impeccable ingredients are “cooked to perfection”, “every single thing on the plate has a taste, and nothing is just there for colour or decoration”. Thirdly, the service. Bruce is a “sympathic owner and he’s in the the room”, along with his staff who are “friendly but not overbearing and extremely well informed (if you’re a wine buff – there’s an extensive list – they’ll happily advise and discuss. But equally they won’t be snooty if you just want the ‘house red’”). Fourthly, the “plain (in a good way)” dining room, which is perfectly in keeping with the un-forced style of the proceedings. Its “lively buzz (as it’s practically always full)” can occasionally seem “noisy”, and for the odd thrill- seeker it “lacks excitement”. But if your taste veers towards “‘mature dinner party’ rather than ‘wild night out’” it feels for all the world like a “proper grown-up restaurant”. Fifth and finally, the final bill – prices are not give-away, but taken as a whole – with the generous little extras like parmesan biscuits to start, excellent breads and butter, a little truffle at the end – it’s “still astonishing value for money”.

“A stalwart that never fails to please” say the many silver-haired fans of this enduring “old-style Italian” just south of Sloane Square, founded in 1994 by Paolo Caraffini and Frank di Rienzo and run to this day by their sons and daughters. That the surroundings are “comfortable and calm”; and that service is “so friendly and caring”; and that a meal is “always such good fun” is what keeps it busy (it’s “an unreconstructed monument to the days when eating out was actually going for a meal out, rather than an act of prostration in a temple of vanity”). Regulars “know the menu by heart” – “plain, solid and reliable” fare “of a decent standard but not too fancy”. Top Menu Tips – “Don’t tell anyone, but it’s the only place I’ve found in London where you can get a good sgroppino (look it up), which is hard enough to find in Italy outside the Veneto”; “loved the plate-sized Escalope a la Milanese, and, since it was so big, so did my dogs...!”

The Bunga Bunga restaurant on the ground floor comprises our gondola bar and authentic Italian pizzeria. Enjoy our well renowned Bunga Bunga stone-baked pizza which we consider the best in London, accompanied with a unique cocktail and wine list covering all regions of Italy.

“We LOVE this restaurant. Use it for weddings, anniversaries, special occasions… it never disappoints!” – Eric & Sarah Guignard’s Gallic stalwart, 10 minutes walk from Surbiton station is “just the best neighbourhood restaurant” for its army of dedicated fans drawn from the inner London burbs, Surrey and beyond (some of whom have been coming since the place first opened in 2001). It is “a long thin room as it always has been” and perhaps “rather cramped”, but “year-in, year-out” the Gallic cuisine is “excellent”, “beautifully presented” and well-matched with “interesting wines”, all delivered by a “superb front of house crew” who “are very welcoming and remember preferences”. “Brilliant value all round”… “and great bread too at their ‘French Tarte’ patisserie” next door.

“It’s very small and I don’t like the music they play… but the food is very good!” – Scott Hallsworth & Adam Hills’s “very small, but lively” duo of funky izakayas in Parsons Green and Balham. Ex-Nobu head chef, Aussie Hallsworth started ‘Freak Scene’ as a pop up, and it has evolved a “very interesting short menu”, with the focus in SW12 more on sushi and robata.

“Good for business or a Sunday lunch” – this boutique hotel on the Hammersmith Road is converted from the Victorian former premises of St Paul’s boys’ school and its smart, small dining room overlooks the adjoining park. A range of menus encompasses breakfast, afternoon tea and Sunday lunch and there’s a brasserie-style menu served at other times. Top Menu Tip – “one of the largest selections of Malt and specialist Whiskies I have found”… there are about 600 available.

Ignore the “average curry house” looks: this place “turns out adventurous and seductive dishes as good as many of the Michelin-starred Indians”, offering “West End flavours at suburban prices”. It’s owner-operated by “lovely people” – chef Shilpa Dandekar, who trained under both Raymond Blanc and Quilon’s Sriram Aylur, and her husband Faheem Vanoo (although “now without their own day-to-day personal attention with the opening of their new restaurant in South Kensington, Pravaas”, see also). Top Menu Tip – “the best black daal”.

With its red neon signage, black-tiled exterior and bare-brick interior, this well-established steakhouse in the borders between Clapham and Brixton will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2026. The formula is straightforward, revolving around quality beef all supplied by Lake District Farmers (and roasts on Sundays). This year’s biggest criticism? “Good but pricey”.

At Spice Village, we claim that every meal has a story. Interestingly, Spice Village itself has a fascinating story.The story of Spice Village is a story of taste, passion, and excellence exhibited by Nasir & Suleman, two immigrant brothers who journeyed to Lo...

“Inventive” Japanese-inspired cuisine (including “great sushi”) wins praise from a big fan club for Robert & Pat Barnett’s “lovely” long-established venue, which is unusually glam and ‘West End-y’ for somewhere in the boonies of Parsons Green. Ever since its Mao Tai days (you’re dating yourself if you recall those) it’s had a forward-looking formula: currently this comprises sashimi, seafood tacos, tempura and kushiyaki and grills from the robata.

An “unexpected find in a quiet location” – this “gorgeous olde worlde pub with delicious food” and big dining conservatory is to be discovered in a leafy suburban street near Richmond Park’s Sheen Gate; and is “a great all-rounder”, run by TV-chef owner Paul Merrett. Other features include six boutique bedrooms upstairs, and a large kid-friendly garden.

A “very casual modern British” haunt that’s particularly worth discovering in the culinary wastelands around Oval: an easygoing, modern bistro that’s particularly nice in summer when the cute rear terrace comes into its own. The menu is diverse, but incorporates a strong selection of steaks (it’s a sibling to Clapham’s ‘Knife’, see also).

“A delightful find” that’s “a brilliant option close to the museums and the Royal Albert Hall”. “Not your standard curry house cooking by any means”, Shilpa Dandekar’s cuisine wins nothing but applause at this year-old modern Indian restaurant in South Kensington, in particular for “beautifully executed food that’s aromatic and full of flavour… and prettily presented too!”.

This Honor Oak Park institution “celebrated its well-deserved 40th anniversary” over the last year and “continues to provide some of the best Indian cooking in London” – it “looks and to an extent feels like a neighbourhood curry house, but the food is in another league”, with diners travelling from beyond southeast London to sample chef Jiwan Lal’s cuisine. They get a warm welcome, too (“I’ve been a regular customer for over 25 years and am greeted like an old friend”). Top Tips – “the good-value Sunday lunch buffet is well worth a trek”; “Swordfish tikka with a well-balanced radish pickle; Champaran mutton curry with excellent quality meat; Mango creme brulee with a very delicate crust”.

At 144 On The Hill, we celebrate bold flavours, the finest seasonal ingredients, and a touch of creative flair. Our menus change with the seasons, offering beautifully crafted dishes served in stylish surroundings. Dine in our swoon-worthy interiors, soak up the atmosphere on ...