London Bloomsbury Restaurant Guide

This hip American hotel opened in summer 2019 with several restaurants, including this garden restaurant overseen by Adam Rawson which offers a ‘seasonal menu, featuring light proteins and a predominantly natural wine list’. He will also be looking after ground-floor, street-facing ’neighbourhood’ bar, Double Standard (see also, and rooftop restaurant Decimo too).

“A joyous celebration of how restaurants used to be and how they should be”; “eccentric Otto” is “a breath of fresh French air”, and his “gift of showmanship”, “traditional service” and “classic Gallic cuisine” – all in a “pleasant and old-fashioned”, if slightly “faded”, dining room in out-of-the-way Bloomsbury – is part of a nowadays “unique” approach that most diners feel is “always a wow”. “Otto’s duck and lobster à la presse is superlative” (he’s recently added pigeon too), “the steak tartare is London’s best” and such culinary throwbacks form part of a “magnificent”, unreformed, old-school menu. Caveats? – some of the food is “devastatingly cream-rich – not all modern eaters could manage it” – and “though it’s all very likeable, watch out as the bill stacks up quickly”. “But it’s one-of-a-kind”.

This “time-warp classic Italian trattoria” – a Bloomsbury fixture for more than 35 years – is “fun, bubbly, and has food as Mama would have made it” (somewhere between “delicious” and “not bad”). “The buzzy atmosphere makes you feel like you’ve stepped in off the streets of Rome”, and with its “1970s food at 1990s prices, the place deserves a medal” for value. Top Tip – “charming with young children”.

“Images redolent of ‘Le Gai Paris’ (the naked bottoms went perfectly with my slow roasted pork belly!)” grace the muralled walls of this “friendly and efficient” Gallic corner bistro, near the British Museum: “a reliable and enjoyable choice”, serving affordable classic French dishes.

A “mouthwatering array of wonderful cheeses” – they stock from the UK, Ireland, France and Italy – is the most obvious reason to pay a visit to these cafés-cum-cheese shops. But they also serve excellent snacks and meals throughout the day, making the most of “fresh seasonal ingredients”.

“Great, good-value tapas” is a slightly surprising find at this classic London pub, “hiding” in sidestreet near King’s Cross: “a real revelation in an area not noted for good places to eat”.

Keralan specialist in Bloomsbury – an early champion of South Indian cuisine in London – serving “interesting and unusual dishes”, and offering “a considerably better choice than the chains”. “There’s always a smiling welcome and excellent friendly service”.

“The real deal!” This “popular” Bloomsbury chippy – “run by the same family for more than 40 years” – is one of the best in town, certainly of those within striking distance of the West End. “The choice is always good, and simply grilled is a fantastic option”, or fried in matzo meal; and you can round off with “excellent English puddings and custard”. It’s a good idea to book.

With its foliage and fairy lights, it’s hard to believe that this hotel terrace (with fully retractable roof) is just two minutes’ walk from grungy Centre Point. Feedback is limited, mostly focusing on its afternoon tea possibilities; “great cocktails too in the adjoining Coral room”.