London Pimlico Restaurant Guide

“Fantastic Spanish food” – including a wide range of “good-quality tapas” but also with an interesting variety of larger main dishes – has attracted a loyal local following for this Hispanic veteran in Pimlico over more than three decades – “great service adds to the fun”. Not far from Victoria, it’s a handily situated and affordable venue for larger groups.

“An institution that’s been there forever” (well, since 1964) – this “fun, local bistro” is a “go-to in Pimlico for ‘cheer-you-up’ comfort food” from a menu that has barely changed over the decades (moules marinière, fish pie with piped potato, calves’ liver and bacon, crème brûlée). The original wood panelling is unchanged, and “the very friendly team have also been there since the dawn of time!”

“Huge portions of fresh and wonderfully satisfying Turkish home cooking” are the order of the day at this Pimlico grill not far from Victoria station, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. “The lamb shish kebab has a wonderful seasoning and succulence, and arrives with plenty of rice and salad”.

2021 Review: “Like a home away from home”, this Pimlico stalwart keeps regulars happy with a “lovely range of tapas” and Spanish classics, “supervised brilliantly by the amazing host, Issy”. “In an age of ever-changing restaurants, it’s a great pleasure to enjoy such consistency over many years.”

“Where every visitor to this country might usefully try our traditional national dish” – this 60-year-old Pimlico veteran a short stroll from Victoria station serves “excellent fish, good chips and mushy peas”, and service is “pleasant” too. Not compulsory, but you can stray beyond cod ’n’ chips if you want to: be it with fritto misto, lobster thermidor, sea bass cooked on the bone…

“A Pimlico gem”, say fans of this “informal local Turkish” fixture behind Victoria station, whose “very welcoming service team” have helped earn it a loyal following over two decades. You could make a meal of the mezze, but the best reviews are of dishes from the ‘Fire Grill’ (e.g. “delicious Chicken Pirzola and Ottoman grill of mixed meats”).

“Katie Exton and her team continue to shine” at her “lovely, cosy Pimlico neighbourhood restaurant” which “punches well above its price point”. “It’s not super luxe by any means, but its focus is put onto things that matter most” with “an intimate vibe” and “a quality of cuisine that’s far higher than the venue would suggest” (“interesting dishes and flavours without being too crazy”). She is a wine expert by training, and it shows in the “brilliantly curated and sensibly priced wine list with an incredible choice for a restaurant of its small size”. “A useful place in this area: particularly good for meeting people getting into Victoria”. Top Menu Tips – “the lamb and game are unbeatable”.

The “buzzy” original in a Victoria hotel occupies “a great space” (modelled on Continental grand cafés); while its younger sibling in the new Battersea art’otel is agreeably modernistic in style. Both can provide “a decent dining experience”, but even fans sometimes noted “service issues” this year, which holds back a more wholehearted recommendation.

2021 Review: The “lovely Thai food” at these reliable cafés is “impressively authentic given that they are a chain” – “excellent value” and “fast”, if occasionally let down by “iffy service”. Founded in 2008 by Saiphin and Alex Moore, who inherited the name of their first East End site, the group has 18 branches in London and expanded to Liverpool, Manchester, Reading (delivery only) and Leeds following the sale of a majority stake to US investors. The couple also have two spin-offs, Lao Café in Covent Garden and the new Chinese noodle bar Hoh Sek in St Katharine Docks.

“Beautifully prepared and served” by hospitality students, a meal at Westminster Kingsway College in Vincent Square is “always a pleasure (and I’ve never had a bad experience)” – it’s “excellent value, too (don’t tell everybody)”. And while it can be “a bit funny” at times being a ‘crash test dummy’ for its student servers, “there’s no need to be patronising – the kids achieve a high level across the board”. Meals are served on weekdays during term time in the Escoffier Room and more casual Brasserie, with wine pairings available.

“Good grills” (“great steak” in particular) are the centrepiece of the menu at this popular indie spot in Pimlico’s stylish Eccleston Yards development. The overall experience is boosted by its chic ex-warehouse interior, “friendly staff” and the “very pleasant outdoor space”.

“More hit ’n’ miss than they used to be, but still a go-to chain” – the Elliot brothers’ successful group is heading towards 20 branches in the capital, but “still producing quality dishes despite becoming quite a brand”: “lovely scorched, pillowy-based pizzas with plenty of power in the ingredients” and “reasonably priced for the quality!” Latest to launch, in June 2024, was a branch by Euston.

“A hidden gem in the heart of Pimlico” – this “fun and buzzy” space is part of the “super-cute” Eccleston Yards development, and is very stylishly housed in a 9,000 sq ft former power station (combining a restaurant, bar, retail store and events space). There’s a “small but good menu” with eastern Med influences and “lots of vegetarian options” (although the “wine prices can be hard to swallow”).

A post-War gem in Westminster, this “bright, Formica-tabled institution serves old-fashioned greasy-spoon fare” and is a place of retro pilgrimage nowadays. Don’t be put off by the “intimidating queue, which moves reasonably quickly – and there’s always a table miraculously free in the end”. “We returned for the first time in six years and it’s still as great as it ever was…” – in fact, it’s barely changed since opening in 1946.

2022 Review: Caffeine aficionados should truffle out this all-day dining spot and coffee house from sisters Juliana and Valentina Beleno, who import green beans from their native Colombia and roast ’em themselves. It’s a pleasant spot, too – for a snack or brunch on the likes of poke bowls and Latino-inspired salads – located in the attractive Eccleston Yards development.

“A bit of a dive to be honest, but the food is still so good!” – no-one claims Mr Taro’s group is particularly stylish, but for “very generous portions of the classic Japanese dishes (including decent sushi, teriyaki and katsu curry)” these functional canteens hit the spot, and at a very good price. The latest (summer 2024) additions to its roster of eight venues are Catford in southeast London and Brentwood in Essex.

“They succeed in making vegan food interesting!” at this successful chain, founded in Soho in 1988 and which is no longer merely veggie but since 2021 fully plant-based. “While packed and buzzy in set-up, it’s nevertheless a good destination for a healthy stopover” according to the many who commented on it in this year’s annual diners’ poll: “as a meat-eater, I was taken under sufferance but impressed!”. In May 2024, they added a new branch near Victoria coach station.

“A gem!” – easily missed on the fringes of Westminster (not far from Vincent Square) – this welcoming Nepalese café realises its dumpling, noodles and other simple fare with a light touch. And if you need a lunchtime snack in Paddington, their truck in Merchant Square is also a handy option.

Open in summer 2024 atop a new converted warehouse (the ‘Ice Factory’) bordering Belgravia’s Eccleston Yard development near Victoria, this rooftop newcomer is a follow-up from Joe Mercer Nairne & David O’Connor, who are behind Medlar in distant Chelsea. The latter has long felt overlooked – especially by the large tyre manufacturer who runs a restaurant guide – perhaps here the duo will achieve the Michelin-esteem that has eluded them for so long.