London Aldwych Restaurant Guide

“The pan-Asian food is yummy… the black cod is exceptional” and the “buzzy” atmosphere is “stunning”, say fans of Arjun Waney and Rainer Becker’s svelte Japanese-inspired venues, where “you can either sit at the counter watching the kitchen (great if you’re just two), or at a table”; and where “a typical meal is sushi or sashimi as a starter then a robata (charcoal grill) dish for a main”. Its ratings slid this year, though. Never cheap, prices are becoming “sky high”; the cooking is “not as reliably good as it once was”; and there was the odd incident of “shocking” service.

Iré Hassan-Odukale and Jeremy Chan have won huge renown for their ‘haute’ interpretation of West African culinary themes, but this year saw very unsettled reports. Perhaps, in part, this owes to the disruption of a move to 180 The Strand, although the copper-hued, minimalist design there isn’t wholly at odds with the look and feel of the former location in St James’s Market. But to a large extent, this year’s themes are a continuation of last year’s; and complaints that seemed to set in after they jacked up their prices following all the Michelin and ‘World’s 50 Best’ accolades. True, some reports do acknowledge an “outstanding gastronomic experience” from the blind tasting menu which sees jollof rice and plantain jostling with luxury ingredients, foams and emulsions. But too many are mixed: “we had a couple of stunners, but a dish that was so bitter it was unpleasant. So expensive and given the unpredictability it makes Core look like a bargain…”; “really did not enjoy this. Dull atmosphere, combinations of food which just did not work and service not firing on all cylinders. First time I’ve ever not enjoyed a two-star restaurant…”; “was expecting something so special: it wasn’t!”

Who knew Arthur Andersen’s previous HQ (also apparently a former car park) could look so chic! The founders of Frieze art fair are behind this “stylish and buzzing” yearling in a Modernist building, off the Strand – “an interesting mid-century space”, which is “spacious” and “with a lovely secluded outside terrace”. Chef Yohei Furuhashi delivers an “on-trend concept”: “ingredients so fresh and of superior quality” are interfered with as little as possible: “this is how delicious food should taste, with flavours bursting in one’s mouth, not dishes laced with salt lazily passed off as a meal in most restaurants” (“impeccable…. I’m still dreaming about the artichoke and pea salad”). “Prices seem to have jumped up in recent months” though, placing it in value terms as “pricey, but worth it”.

2022 Review: This independent fixture in legal-land (near the LSE) is a long-running staple of the area – welcoming, “always good value”, and with some interesting picks and bin-end deals on the wine list.

2023 Review: “Good scruffy fun with a side order of nostalgia” is to be had at this “hidden gem” in the Strand (a favourite with staff at the Indian High Commission opposite). “An almost anonymous doorway leads you up some stairs” where you “step back in time, not to a cheesy incarnation of the British Raj, but to the early days of independence”. Founded in 1951 (Prime Minister Nehru was among the founding members), the ‘club’ is open to the public and serves food that can be (but is not invariably) “excellent” at a “great price”, in an authentically “slightly chaotic atmosphere”. It’s been under siege for the past five years from a landlord itching to redevelop, but it’s “an institution that deserves to survive, and an oasis of good value in central London”. Top Tip – it’s unlicensed – “pause for a drink in the bar downstairs before or after eating” or carry your pint to the table.

The “super-fresh fish” – “simply prepared” and “never overcooked” – “never disappoints” at this “good value” trio of West End seafood brasseries, in Covent Garden, Marylebone and Swallow Street, off Piccadilly.

This conveniently situated mezzanine venue in a luxury hotel near Covent Garden is a real treat thanks to its “lovely setting” and “high standard” of cooking. The kitchen is “particularly accommodating for those with dietary restrictions” – “the wheat and dairy-free afternoon tea is joyous, with wonderful flavours and ingenious combinations, plus a wide selection of unusual teas”.

This stunning Covent Garden mansion (once a high-class brothel) is named for the son of one of Thatcher’s cabinet ministers, who launched it in its current guise as a grand American restaurant; and for about a decade it was the height of fashion. It retains a “great atmosphere” – and also, something of a following for business, brunch and its martini bar. But, given its location and dramatic interior, it attracts remarkably little feedback these days.

“Reliably good Italian food at fair prices” and particularly “switched-on service” won revitalised support this year for Angela Hartnett’s “very serviceable” mini-chain, which is generally a “very safe choice”, and – at its best – “memorable” in the level of “very confident” cooking it can achieve. Even fans, though, concede the “atmosphere can be a bit low key”, in particular at the “rather gloomy” WC2 branch (and the best reports are at St James’s).

“Reliably good Italian food at fair prices” and particularly “switched-on service” won revitalised support this year for Angela Hartnett’s “very serviceable” mini-chain, which is generally a “very safe choice”, and – at its best – “memorable” in the level of “very confident” cooking it can achieve. Even fans, though, concede the “atmosphere can be a bit low key”, in particular at the “rather gloomy” WC2 branch (and the best reports are at St James’s).

2021 Review: “Surprisingly good food and charming service” make it worth remembering this historic hostelry (refurbed in recent times), near the Royal Courts of Justice. You can eat in the ground floor bar, or in the upstairs ‘Pig and Goose’ restaurant.

The “absolutely delicious” South Indian vegan and vegetarian food at this quintet of low-key cafés – stretching from Harrow to Covent Garden – is “good enough to keep carnivores quiet”: in particular “the dosas, which are just what you want from a dosa: crispy, tender, flavourful”. The formula is “simple but it works, even if the menu is always the same”; and it helps that the experience comes at “very reasonable prices”.

“Simplicity and style are in abundance” at Skye Gyngell’s dining room in Somerset House – not only “an absolutely beautiful space”, but whose “seamless service” and “wonderful food” make it “a delightful experience from start to finish”. Skye’s cuisine has a deft delicacy of touch, but the most popular option is the ‘Scratch’ menu – “lovely reimagined ‘leftovers’ from earlier services, provided from a no-choice menu between 17.30 and 18.30 at £25 for three courses” (“designed to reduce food waste, it’s a great idea and useful for a post-shopping pick-me-up before the train home or a pre-theatre supper”). Although this is the kind of venue that’s “gorgeous for lunch with a visiting mother”, it’s actually most nominated as either a gastronomic highlight or for client-entertaining: “the slightly zen nature of the food and purist environment makes it a brilliant choice for a certain type of business”; and “clients are always impressed with Spring”.