London Restaurant Guide

“The best and freshest oysters by far, with seasonal varieties from time to time…”; “superb plateau de fruits de mer”; and “super-fresh fish” from an “ever-changing selection of specials”, all make this small group of seafood bistros “easy to love”. The style is “busy and jostling” throughout – “be prepared to share your table with other diners” in some locations – in others “some of the tables are so close, you’ll make new friends whether you want to or not!”. The Borough Market original and South Kensington spin-off attract most (and most favourable) reports – other branches (including at Battersea) can seem “a welcome addition but nothing remarkable”.

“Messy… but so tasty!” – the “best pizzas ever” win nothing but rave reviews for these “easygoing and fun” outlets (backed by the late Terry Wogan’s sons, Mark and Alan), which were out-scored only by the very narrowest margins by Pizza Pilgrims in the last survey as London’s best. “If you like funky topping combos, this is the place for you”.

This very “convenient” and sizeable bar-restaurant from Drake & Morgan, near the Guildhall, is valued for its efficiency and reliable (if pretty standard) menu. Nothing about it will set the world on fire, but it’s a pleasant and versatile standby that can be pressed into action for any number of occasions.

“Escape the feel of the City for very reasonable home cooked-food” in the ancient crypt of Bow Bells church. “There are no better dining establishments in the Square Mile: affordable, great service, good food with delicious daily changing salads” including “excellent veggie and vegan options”. Depending on when you go, it’s either a “quiet” space or quite a “noisy” one.

“A great setting for high-powered, top-quality steak” – “the old bank manager’s office” of the former Midland Bank HQ, bang in the middle of the City, has been transformed seamlessly by Soho House into a wood-panelled grill, with such old-world touches as beef Wellington from the trolley at lunch. Initially reserved for the club’s members but now open to all-comers, it retains its clubby atmosphere and is (perhaps reassuringly) “very expensive, but worth going, even if just to marvel at the building”. A “fun brunch” is a secondary attraction.

“There’s always such a buzz at any time” at the original Cecconi’s, “tucked away behind the Royal Academy” – a “bustling” and “sophisticated” all-day Italian brasserie, whose “open, bright, pavement terrace” helps make it a big favourite amongst the St James’s set, be it “for an upmarket business breakfast”, or as “a treat during a day’s shopping in the West End”. When it comes to the cooking, it “can be a bit hit or miss, but is generally good”. Nowadays owned by Soho House, the brand is being rolled out, but its diverse family of spin-offs echo rather than replicate the original. There’s a City outlet in The Ned’s capacious food hall, which like Mayfair is “fun” and “an excellent place to do business” of a less formal kind. Beyond that, the food is “reliable” but pretty “basic at the price”, and the setting can be “the noisiest ever”. A Soho pizza spot carries the name, on which there’s little feedback. New in September 2018, the Shoreditch branch is “a very good addition as a real neighbourhood restaurant”, with a “nice bar”, and a generally “winning formula”, including for brunch.

“A great choice for a quick catch-up in the City” – this NYC-style Jewish deli operation vies with Cecconi’s within The Ned’s humongous food court as its most popular destination, and grabbing a dog, Reuben or burger here is also popular for a casual business meal (although conditions can be “extremely noisy”). Some of the dishes can be “ordinary” – its best feature is actually breakfast: “good coffee” (with unlimited refills) and lots of yummy options (“the Challah French toast is fantastic!”)

“Sustaining their excellent reputation”: these NYC-style steakhouses offer a solid and comfortable, rather than a particularly vibey environment, but when it comes to the quality of their meat – sourced in the UK, US and Spain; and dry-aged on-site – they are “second to none”; and the City branch, in particular, slugs it out with its nearby rival Hawksmoor as a favourite haunt of carnivorous expense-accounters. “Expensive but always a treat”.

“Good value” sushi, sashimi and other Japanese dishes trundle past your seat at these two ‘kaiten’ (conveyor-belt) operations in the City, tempting you to help yourself. It makes a fun, fast and efficient way to grab lunch. The chain also has takeaway and delivery options for evenings.

Huw Gott and Will Beckett “do the ‘casual excellence’ thing very well indeed” and their still über-fashionable steakhouse chain (founded in 2006) occupies a niche in the hearts of London’s fooderati like no other, with its “distinctly clubby” (“big, loud and busy”) style, its “to-die-for cocktails” and its “top steaks”: British-bred and “char-grilled to perfection over wood fires, with deliciously indulgent sides”. Ratings for such a phenomenon have sometimes seemed middling in comparison to its renown – a reflection of the very full pricing that’s always been their policy. That said, despite some accusations that “it’s all gone downhill in recent times”, its grades actually bounced back significantly in the last survey, and remain in line with its past best. The City branch in particular shines. “Dark dens and out-of-this-world quality beef are the cornerstones of dealmaking. What deal would not reach a happy ending fuelled by a perfectly cooked rib-eye, grilled bone marrow, and beef dripping fries?”

“On a warm summer’s day, the roof garden is a secluded and delightful place to escape the pressure of the Square Mile”, say fans of D&D London’s long-established, 7th-floor perch, just a stone’s throw from Bank. Squarely aimed at a “very City clientele”, it’s a “swanky expense-accounter venue, whose starched napery will not disappoint your visiting client from NYC”; and where a meal can be started with preprandial drinks on the terrace. Fans feel it offers “high quality, well-prepared” French cuisine – the more downbeat version is that it’s “pricey for what it provides”: either way, you get “a great view!”

“A cramped City Italian with good food”, this traditional venue off Bow churchyard “generally performs well” and (in non-Covid times) is “packed at lunchtime – particularly at the tables outside, when weather permits”. “Portions are huge” and there’s “a fantastic list of regional Italian wines, some of which you might not find elsewhere”. Ratings dropped in the last survey year, though, with the odd ‘off’ report.

Yet another option for eating at The Ned! This time, this colossal hipster hotel near Bank has added a new basement bar and entertainment space, complete with regular live music. The food is more than just bar bites though – Lobster Thermidor anyone?

“It feels as if one has been decanted into the 1920s but I never fail to enjoy my visits!” – “This unique City institution has a charm and authenticity that can’t be imitated” – a “joyous throwback” (founded, on a different site, in 1830) which offers “simple, well-executed British seafood classics” (followed by steamed puddings) at lunchtimes only, to a largely besuited crowd. The “eclectic seating arrangements” can “be a surprise to newbies” – you either perch at “makeshift bar-tops”, or cram into the rear dining room where “service is hindered by the lack of room, but everyone mucks in and plates get passed around”. “The waiters are nearly as old as the building, but that just adds to its appeal…”. “Black Velvet is served in pewter tankards, and a ‘bill of fare’ serves instead of a menu”. The experience comes at “ridiculous prices”, but most reckon they’re worth paying… “and the place does now take cards”.