London Chiswick Restaurant Guide

You could be in ‘La France profonde’ at this “great neighbourhood restaurant” by distant Acton Green. Foodwise, it’s “more than a bistro – this is seriously good classical French cooking, more than worth the detour”. There’s “no greedy pricing, even on the wine”, and “if it feels a bit old-fashioned, that’s attractive in this era of chef worship and cult-like trends!”. Top Menu Tip – “the cheese soufflé is a must every visit”.

With its airy dining room and cute garden, this popular old boozer – a spacious Victorian tavern overlooking Acton Green Common – might look an unlikely-seeming destination for “a lovely tapas lunch”. The idea of a Spanish-inflected menu has worked well for years, though, supplemented by some larger, more typical pub dishes, including Sunday roasts. The quality of the cooking can be variable, with the occasional complaint (“terrible paella!”) interspersed in reports of “very good Spanish food”.

“Wonderful breakfasts, tasty coffee and cakes… and with a proper vinyl music background – what’s not to love?”. This pitch-perfect “indie coffee shop” near Turnham Green church “also sells records” and morphs into a mini music venue in the evenings, with live gigs and a licensed bar.

2022 Review: A “lovely local” near Turnham Green, this “family-owned Italian” is “tiny but with terrific food and atmosphere”. There’s a good range of pizzas but the Puglian dishes are what makes it special.

This “vibey” independent coffee shop off the Chiswick High Road roasts its coffee and bakes its pasteis de nata in-house. With its menu of simple bakes, sarnies and smoothies, it’s a natural choice for a quick bite of brunch. (From their website, you can also stock up on T shirts and baseball caps as they also run an apparel range under the Tamp brand).

“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”.

This “excellent small sushi bar with no frills” near Turnham Green tube may look unprepossessing, but is above par for a local Japanese café.

Shopping in Chiswick of a weekend? The large outside deck of this prominently situated brasserie on the high street remains “a top place for brunch” and – as one of Soho House’s earlier outposts – is a magnet for local media moguls and C-suite types out with their lovely families.

“Where else can you get a range of Japanese, char kway teow, laksa and pad thai, all in one restaurant?” – Ding Chu’s pioneering Pan-Asian canteens (first branch WC1 in Bloomsbury in 1996) continue to put in a consistent if low-key performance. “Busy, crowded and cheap”, “you will find something to your taste”, “service is friendly and efficient” and – for the likes of “a quick meal after going to the cinema” (either in WC1 or W4) – it’s ideal.

This longstanding “local favourite”, tucked away on the Chiswick-Acton border, benefits from a characterful Art Deco interior and “amazing secret garden” out back. The “efficient and friendly staff” serve a Mediterranean-influenced menu that “changes frequently to reflect seasonal ingredients”.

“Delicious amuse bouche and melt-in-the-mouth guinea fowl!” – Nathan Cornwell’s “exciting” cooking provided numerous reporters with their best meal of the year at this Chiswick venue, which owner Kimberley Hernandez is working hard to put on London’s culinary map. One challenge is the anonymous location: a very pleasant but slightly uneventful space, easily missed amidst the jumble of chain-restaurants and furniture stores on Chiswick’s high street.

2022 Review: This “spacious” late-Victorian tavern on Chiswick’s main drag is thriving under “very impressive new management” who have installed a new pizza kitchen and revived the “lovely garden” with a large covered terrace. “They took over just before the first lockdown and worked their socks off to get it right – and boy, have they succeeded” with its “honest and reliable” food offer.

2023 Review: This “rather sweet little café” in Chiswick from transplanted South African Angie Steele provides “very friendly and quick service for a light menu” of healthy-ish treats from breakfast to 5pm.

“For a jolly night out with the girls”, these “warm and luxurious” west London haunts are just the job. An “extensive list of cocktails” is key to their allure – “the food is not the main attraction although it’s perfectly acceptable”. Lorraine Angliss (who also owns Annie’s and Little Bird) opened the Richmond original in 2009; its Chiswick sibling followed in 2022.

“Some of the best Lebanese food around W4”, “miles away from the usual formula” can be enjoyed at this Chiswick High Road outfit with a “great owner from Beirut”. It’s “also a fab cake/dessert shop during the day”, which makes it “great for either brunch or dinner”.

On the site of The Crown (RIP) – and before that Carvosso’s (long RIP) – Chiswick’s former police station has been through a number of incarnations as a would-be pub, with none sticking despite it having a characterful site. This latest is from the mighty JKS Restaurants so hopes are high, although the JKS track-record pub-wise is ever-so slightly ‘meh’ so far, so who knows? It’s a big site, featuring a pub floor, reception room, two private dining rooms, a big, covered outdoor courtyard, and a south-facing front terrace, with a menu inspired by British pub classics.

A “buzzy” atmosphere and “welcoming service” are the strong suits of this “expanding group”, with 16 branches in London and another handful nearby. While nobody disputes that they’re “lovely to sit in” and offer “value for money”, the “Middle-Eastern-inspired cooking” divides opinion, with some reporters “pleasantly surprised by the tasty food” and others bemoaning “underwhelming” dishes that “sound better than they taste”.

“Evolving the humble pizza into something that’s much more”: Michele Pascarella opened five years ago in Chiswick just off the high street in this “small, rather cramped and noisy” spot. Fans say that pizza “doesn’t get better than this” and they are “imaginative” in style, with a selection that‘s “seasonally changing, plus classics”.

“Boasting handmade pasta every day” – this Chiswick yearling takes on the attractive if slightly cramped site off the high street that was formerly Michael Nadra (RIP) and offers “an elevation of traditional pasta dishes”. Fans say its “homemade sauces and dishes are outstanding” and the worst criticism it attracted is hardly damning: “not bad, just not amazing; nice plating but it’s still just a nice plate of pasta”. Top Menu Tip – very affordable weekday set lunch (from one course for £12 to three for £20).