Buckhurst Hill, Fish & Seafood Restaurant Guide

“Fine fish” from Billingsgate and “good wine” make for an “excellent fish ’n’ chips meal” at this large South Woodford chippy.

“Epic!” – “Andy Beynon and his team are so welcoming” and deliver an “absolutely amazing” tasting menu experience at this funky-looking and “super-stylish” venue in Hackney (near London Fields). “You sit at a long, curvaceous, blonde-wooden counter, and service is by the whole kitchen team who are clearly passionate about what they’re doing”. The menu revolves around “inventive fish dishes” from “quality produce” that are “stuffed with really bold flavours”. Top Menu Tip – “loved the aged trout with smoked beurre-blanc. Raw red prawn with prawn head and Riesling sauce. Loved it all”.

First-time guests are “massively surprised” to find “really inventive and tasty cooking” – especially “seafood with a twist” – at this family-run Crouch End local. It’s a “lovely, romantic spot”, too – although “it can feel cramped and noisy when busy”.

“Exceptional” fish and seafood is served at this “cool” fishmonger-turned-restaurant near Highbury Corner, which is “different every time you go as they decide what and how to cook each dish according to what is fresh”. There’s a perennial complaint that it’s “quite expensive for a cramped space” that’s “a bit too crowded for comfort” – which is why those lucky enough to have been to the Cornish offshoot in Padstow say they prefer it.

A photo of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s visit is “proudly displayed on the wall” of this Muswell Hill institution, and fans say “the best player ever to pick up a snooker cue is bang-on with his choice of North London fish restaurant!”, acclaiming “fish ’n chips that goes down a treat”, and has done for more than half a century. It was sold by its family owners in March 2024 to a national group with plans to spin it out as a brand – fingers crossed its appeal survives!

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”).

“Irish hospitality + imaginative food cooked over wood fire = success”, according to all feedback on Richard Corrigan’s stylish five-year-old venue by Silicon roundabout, where the open kitchen dominated by a fiery grill leads onto a stylish modern interior. Though the food is strongly rooted in the British Isles, it’s very much a 21st-century menu: “the small plates allow for a range of excellent tasty dishes” (e.g. Sugar Pit Pork, Wood-fired Lobster, Sea Bass Ceviche). The location near Old Street tube perhaps feels a bit peripheral, but “once inside there’s an energetic atmosphere in what’s a big space. Downstairs in Gibney’s Bar is even busier and the noise level even greater”.

“Brilliant on every level” – this family-run Greek-Cypriot chippy in Clerkenwell has provided “great fresh fish at incredible prices” for more than five decades. “The staff are simply divine”, providing “really fun service”, and “the community work the restaurant carries out is unparalleled”.

“Want to impress a client?” – this seventh-floor City rooftop venue from D&D London near Moorgate “is a destination restaurant that’s worth the expense”. “Technically precise and well-thought-out fish dishes” from chef Gary Foulkes “make Angler justify its Michelin star, with the kitchen showing a delicate touch and the confidence to sometimes elevate some humble fish species” as well as more luxurious options. The main drawback is “the very hotel-like vibe of the dining room”, which feels “a bit bland (although this matters less for business lunching and dining”). And for non-suits, “you can’t help but feel the food’s a bit wasted here, especially on the business clientele who don’t seem to be paying it much attention!”

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”).

“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”.

“The quality and simplicity of the fish dishes” – “superbly fresh ingredients served in generous portions” – “speak for themselves” at this classic Thames-bank venue in Wapping (sibling to Essex institution Smith’s of Ongar): a “go-to” for its big fan club, where “the lovely views of the Thames and vibe further add to the great experience”. Top Tip – “the set menu is good value, but if nothing takes your fancy then the à la carte is also reasonably priced”.

“Well-spaced tables are comfortable to the point of luxury” in this club-like, wood-panelled chamber – the highpoint of the food offerings within Soho House’s gargantuan hotel: the conversion of the opulent former Midland Bank HQ just next to the Bank of England. Its “pricey” caviar, oysters, “top Dover Sole”, wide selection of steaks and Beef Wellington carved from the trolley all provide excellent sustenance for the local power brokers (“I have won more business here than in any other restaurant”).

“‘Unchanged by time’ defines Sweetings” – in a quiet way, “one of London’s iconic restaurants”, although its clientele is almost exclusively made up of City brokers who have sustained it on its current site by Mansion House tube since the 1920s (it was founded elsewhere in the 1830s). “Unchanged service (efficient and friendly); unchanged team (some of whom – like the loyal customer base – are unchanged from the last century); unchanged atmosphere in the last 50 years” at least. Arrive by noon if you want to beat the traders to a seat at the small counter or sit in the dining room. “Superb fish” is “cooked simply and well in the English grilled style”. “Kick off with the modestly priced pint of Black Velvet served in a pewter tankard. Try a half-dozen really fresh oysters with a lovely red onion and red vinegar dressing (you can almost hear the sea!). Follow with the fried plaice, homemade tartar sauce and new potatoes in butter”. “Perfect”. “It’s not cheap” but “thank goodness it’s still there”.