London Barbican Restaurant Guide

At the heart of the brutalist Barbican complex (with views of the internal lake) this arts-centre amenity is, fans say, “a better-than-you’d expect place”: “a nice restaurant with good service and a range of choices to suit most tastes”. Possibly this is true, but, arguably, this is also an indictment of the modest level of expectations of most Britons towards their institutions and top caterers (in this case, Searcy’s).

“Proper British food” of the “sort that isn’t fashionable any more” is the USP of this pub near the entrance to the Barbican arts centre. The “seasonal fare with some wonderful dishes you rarely see in other restaurants” is “filling and tasty”, and the Sunday roast is particularly recommended. Top Menu Tip – “try the cod’s head: absolutely amazing, but not for the faint-hearted!”

The original (Whitecross Street) branch has become take-away only, but this simple Japanese business has a new sit-down venue five minutes away. Having always been one of the few dining options near the Barbican, it’s now practically in it – occupying a unit in a 31 storey building (Heron House) on nearby Moor Lane. Some reports rate it as very good, others only average, but it justifies its ongoing inclusion by the paucity of other decent options nearby.

2023 Review: “A vegan delight”, say fans of this meat-free three-year-old near Barts Hospital: a crowdfunded spin-off from an acclaimed Cambridge venture. Results can be uneven (“maybe I chose badly…”; “some of the food missed but more was a hit…”), but they must be doing something right as a new Broadgate branch launches in September 2022.

“While I do go to this place and enjoy it, I question whether it is good value for what it is: it’s safe and reliable but couldn’t be said to be top-notch” – the verdict we deliver pretty much every year on these civilised Italians in Chelsea and the City, which, so long as you are fairly cost-insensitive, provide a “smart and buzzy” environment for meeting a pal or holding an informal business lunch, with Italian cooking that’s “generally well done if a little uninspired”. Top Tip – cute, heated outside terrace in SW3.

2021 Review: “Ranks with the best beef I’ve ever had in London” is typical of the high praise earned by this smart three-year-old. “Mind you, it is right next to Smithfield” – a fact reflected in its straight-to-the-point menu – “and the maître d’ knows just the right wine to wash it down with”. It occupies an architectural gem of a townhouse once home to Sir John Betjeman.

Opening in early 2025 in Smithfield Market’s Long Lane, a Latin American fusion restaurant from chef Ricardo Younis Morena, who has worked across the region. He promises dishes inspired by Peru, Brazil and Mexico as well as his native Argentina, with cocktails, wines and craft beers to match.

“Simply love Hawksmoor!”. Founded by Will Beckett and Huw Gott, this phenomenal steakhouse chain remains one of the Top-5 most-mentioned restaurant groups in our annual diners’ poll and also one of the most popular. At heart – despite expansion to the 10 UK sites, one in Ireland and two in the US (Chicago, launched in July 2024, is the latest) – the essentials of the brand haven’t changed since they first opened near Spitalfields in 2006: “the steak and the sides are all thumping winners” (“chewy char on the all-grass-fed meat and perfect chips”); “cocktails are a standout attraction” (“those cherry Negronis are a bit too addictive!”); “service is smiley”; all the above is “unbelievably popular”; and consequently they are seemingly able to charge “silly prices”, while not deterring their huge fan base. Opening in the City also helped establish the brand as a huge client-entertaining favourite: “if you’re doing business with carnivores, the excellent steak, red wine, service, and professional ambience should help you seal the deal”. Meanwhile, “good fish and veggie options” have been added to the menu in recent times, perhaps to help defuse the obvious criticism that beef farming is not that super for the planet. In July 2024 – three years after the business tried to float on the stock exchange – majority owners, Graphite Capital, put their 51% stake in the business up for sale for a reported £100m valuation. Will and Huw will, it seems, retain their stake. Top Tip – “BYO is £5 on a Monday!”

“Fresh food and an affordable set menu for lunch” are prime attractions of this cheap ’n’ cheerful Turkish chain – a fixture after more than two decades in the City, where there are now five branches, plus a more recent pan-Mediterranean spinoff in Covent Garden, Olea Social.

This “friendly Italian near the Barbican” has a good-sized fan club. It serves “food that is just that little bit different” – “the cooking seems to have taken a step up recently, and the place is often bustling”. There’s a “great and fairly priced list of Italian wines” – “and do leave room for the puddings”.

2022 Review: A “family-run trattoria” three minutes’ walk from St Paul’s that rates highly for its “varied Italian menu” – and it’s notably well priced for the City, too.

Now in its 40th year, this “charming, family-run brasserie”, “hidden away near Smithfield Market”, is “about as close as you’ll get to France” without leaving Blighty. With a “great atmosphere, but still quiet enough to be able to chat”, it’s “a great place to seal a business deal” – but equally “French is always best for romance!”. In the evenings, “regular live music adds to the relaxed atmosphere”.

“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!”

2023 Review: A handy location, near the Guildhall, “buzzy” large interior and versatile menu of “decent (if unspectacular) food” mean it’s worth remembering this “reliable option in the City”, although it “can be incredibly busy”.

“The OG” of ‘nose-to-tail’ British cuisine and recherché offal-related dishes – Trevor Gulliver and Fergus Henderson’s Smithfield icon is “as brilliant as ever” after all these years (it opened in 1994). Occasionally reports accuse it of “complacency”, but for the most part they pay awed homage to its “top cooking and fine ingredients” delivered by “superb, genuinely engaging and caring staff”. There’s an “excellent wine list” too. “The matching stark white dining room” of this converted smokehouse “still has that Scandi-chic feel, but is oh-so-loud – perhaps the worst acoustic of any restaurant ever!”. Top Menu Tip – “Worth it for the roast bone marrow alone”; suckling pig is a favourite for a group celebration; and “it’s one place you must never pass on pudding!” (“amazing Marmalade Bakewell, Rhubarb Trifle, Steamed Sponge… all excellent)”.

“Authentically fiery dishes” light up the menu at this City Road restaurant where head chef Zhang Xiao Zhong hails from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan – a third-generation chef, his grandfather was personal chef to Deng Xiaoping, China’s leader through the 1980s.

“A great wine list from all corners of the globe” has helped underpin the ongoing popularity of this modern wine bar chain, despite a year that saw it sold out of administration and the closure of its popular King’s Cross branch. Although this period inspired iffy marks and the odd report of “totally disorganised” service, the four remaining outlets still inspire tons of, albeit slightly lukewarm nominations as a handy option “for a simple meal”: “don’t expect any sort of culinary fireworks” from the “straightforward” dishes “but there are some very nice, reasonably priced wines” and the interiors are “definitely pleasant”. Top Menu Tips – “lovely cheese croquettes and steak ’n’ chips”.