London Canary Wharf Restaurant Guide

Judy Joo has opened a second branch of her Korean chicken restaurant, this time in Canary Wharf.

“Maybe the brand is a bit stretched”, but Richard Caring’s bold expansion is paying off by-and-large, certainly in commercial terms, and – though most branches’ average food-rating is run-of-the-mill – by the standards of large chains, the group delivers a consistent-enough formula, whereby folks accept predictable nursery fodder in return for a dependable dose of ‘affordable glamour’. The “beautiful and festive” Ivy Chelsea Garden (SW3) is the best known in the stable and it’s particularly “wonderful if you manage to get a table in their fabulous garden”. The “big and buzzy” Ivy Kensington Brasserie (W8) is less highly rated, but nevertheless fills a vital niche in the local market for a comfortable, atmospheric and versatile rendezvous (“its bar is also a fun place for a drink”). The City branches (The Ivy Tower Bridge, The Ivy City Garden EC2) and Canary Wharf outlet (The Ivy in the Park, E14) are the highest rated all-round (perhaps reflecting the ongoing lack of convivial spaces out east). “Awesome views” at Tower Bridge are distinct client-pleasers. Other branches taking above-average flak include The Ivy Soho Brasserie, W1 (“busy mayhem” with “slow and disorganised service”) and The Ivy Market Grill, WC2 (“nothing special, rather overpriced, and very busy”). See also Granary Square Brasserie.

“I’ve never had a bad meal at Roka, and I’ve eaten there many, many times” – Arjun Waney and Rainer Becker’s small modern Japanese group delivers an “exceptional”, “all-round” package of clean-tasting fusion food served in stylish and “buzzy” contemporary surroundings. Dishes are “beautifully presented but also amazingly well-flavoured” – be it “fantastic black cod”, “fabulous sushi” or grilled tapas-y bites from the robata grill. Top Tip – in E14, the “weekend brunch menu is splendid value for money: especially the children’s menu”.

“Top ramen with great broth and good combinations”, win fans for this genuinely Japanese chain (originating in Fukuoka), which has branches in Holborn, Embankment and Canary Wharf. Ratings, though, fall short of the top heights at the hands of those who feel its food is “not bad, but not memorable”. A fourth branch is to open in Fitzrovia in autumn 2019.

Atop Canada Place, opposite One Canada Square tower, this D&D London operation is well-known to denizens of Canary Wharf as one of its top expense-account destinations, thanks not least to its stunning views across the development. Those not slaving in the local money mills are less inclined to make the trip (except perhaps for brunch), but Jeremy Trehout’s modern European cuisine is consistently well-rated this year. Top Tip – the adjoining grill is cheaper than the main restaurant.

“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”.

Review: 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?”

From its first branch, on Great Portland Street, which opened in 2007, these “buzzy”, “authentic” and relatively stylish Spanish tapas-haunts grew into a national chain, boosted by their “consistent standards, fair quality and sensible prices” (although “service is a bit uneven”). Tough times saw the group go through a CVA in the second half of 2020 and the closure of Manchester and Glasgow outlets (leaving Leeds outside the Capital), but all London branches were saved and the formula and management seem to have survived the restructuring.

“Not Japanese nor pretending to be” – this Danish fusion-chain offers a suspicious-sounding-but-successful mix of “fancy sushi” with “plenty of other stuff on skewers” (i.e. yakitori ‘sticks’). “Some of the non-traditional additions don’t quite work, but those that do are lovely”; and as a group, “where so many others fail, it delivers well on consistency”. Its “big and spacious”, Scandi-style branches create a “vibrant and exciting” environment too, “but, oh my word, the prices…”

“When all you want is an old-school burger”, these US-based arrivals of recent years really “hit the spot” – you can “build your own”, with “tons of accessories”; plus “seriously addictive fries”, “thick milkshakes”, and “more soda flavours than is reasonable”. “The eat-in experience is as depressing as McDonald’s”, though, in fact perhaps more so – “some branches have a strangely gloomy ambience” – but fans feel that “if you don’t mind 1980s-rock, a trip can still be surprisingly fun”.

“An amazing choice of wines” is served by “lovely staff, who are passionate and knowledgeable about the list” at these “proper wine bars”, whose liquid offering is “complemented by a very good food menu” of “well-made” dishes (small plates, plus cheese and charcuterie). The Battersea original is still the branch attracting most feedback, although the chain is spreading eastwards, and its operation in the crypt of St Bride’s Church and newer Liverpool Street branch are “very competent”: next stop is an opening in Canary Wharf.

A “wealth of wines by the glass” and “tasty nibbles”, help make this growing group of self-service wine bars a “fun way to try a selection of vintages from a multitude of small producers”. At the Battersea Power Station branch’s school you can educate your palate towards Wine & Spirit Education Trust certification and watch wine being made from grapes grown in Oxfordshire and Surrey.

“Good basic BBQ and fried foods” plus “similar lobster and seafood options” (and “live music is another plus”) have kept this gen-u-ine American crabshack an always-packed-and-noisy feature of the King’s Road for 30 years (it was founded in 1991). “Good-sized portions” and good times are also reported at its newer, if less-established ,spin-offs in Covent Garden and Canary Wharf.

Review: Martin Williams’s glossily-glam steakhouses have a touch of Vegas-glitz to their ritzy design, and particularly win nominations as impressive venues for business, boosted by the range of top-quality meat (the highest grades of USDA, Wagyu and Kobe beef) and an extensive wine selection. Since the top man returned to rescue Gaucho as CEO, however, some reporters feel “it’s lost its way since the wonderful early days”.

The cut-price surf ’n’ turf at this “fun, relaxed and reliable” operation “never fails” – “have a lobster roll as a starter, then a burger as a main”. Under the same ownership as the Goodman steakhouses, the London-based chain has consolidated to nine domestic branches plus the Smack lobster roll delivery-only spinoff, while expanding internationally in the US, Middle East and southeast Asia.

“So delicious and affordable every time!” – the Elliot brothers’ “speedy and cheerful” small chain put in a stellar performance in the last survey as London’s top pizza multiple, pipping rival Homeslice by tiny decimals. “You can see the dough being made on entering: everything is very fresh, and you get crisp, thin pizzas with quality toppings”.