London Soho Restaurant Guide

“Enjoyed sitting at the bar in Borough Kitchen…”; “a great place near the South Kensington Museums…”; “a great site on the banks of the Thames in Richmond” – it’s often the handy situation, “casual atmosphere” and affordable prices of this Hispanic group that generates interest amongst diners. “The food is of a reasonable standard”, but considering they are run by the UK’s premier Spanish food importers, performance is notably “chain like”, with “nothing spectacular” food-wise and “average service” often the end-product.

Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan was – as of mid 2025 – rumoured to be on the verge of buying a £1 billion stake in Richard Caring’s restaurant empire, of which this famous brasserie chain is the crown jewel. Presumably, he’s more interested in ‘rolling out’ the brand in The Gulf and beyond rather than dropping by for a Salmon Fishcake and ‘Ivy Chocolate Bombe’, but if he’d asked the opinion of our annual diners’ poll, we’re not sure that he’d sign on the dotted line. “How can a restaurant with this heritage produce such uninspired, tick-box food?” is a question merited by its poor ratings, ditto what explains the “very slow and disinterested service”? The answer may be that “you don’t come here for the food, obviously” but for the “gorgeous” interior design and “picturesque” locations that continue to underpin their appeal. Let’s hope for the Sheikh’s sake that the middle classes of the Arab World are as undiscerning as those from the UK!

“The eponymous buns grab the headlines, obviously, but the noodles are great too” at these “consistently tasty” Taiwanese street-food spots where it’s easy to enjoy “a pleasing feast – ordering far more than you could eat as the delicious portions are generous and service is charming and efficient”. Founded as a single market stall 14 years ago by Shing Tat Chung, his wife Erchen Chang and sister Wai Ting Chung, it has developed into a highly rated seven-strong chain, with new Singaporean backers replacing the JKS group last summer.

“Restaurants like this are such a rarity nowadays” – and this “raffish and romantic”, “cosy, dimly-lit and lively” ancient townhouse retains its quirky “very special” and “sensual” appeal (“still love it after all these years: 35 and counting!”). “Even without the characterful Mr E [who died in 2022] the feeling of old Soho is maintained (he would be proud)” and its very tightly packed interior is a major magnet for lovers, old mates and ‘meeja’ types. The simple and “honest” “seasonal” British cooking is “always changing, interesting and doesn’t break the bank”, and – in particular – the “astonishing wine and sherry selection” is “a joy” (being particularly strong in “very fairly priced, older red vintages”). “Knowledgeable and friendly staff further add to the experience” of “a delightful place with great charm” and “real hospitality”. Top Tips – “Stay on the ground floor for the full Dickensian experience” – “the level of romance depends very much on where your candle-lit table is located in this quirky place”. And plush it ain’t (“I defy anyone to feel romantic or raffish after sitting on a pew seat through dinner…”; “we do know people who are simply too big for it to be comfortable”).

“Very clever cooking – far more satisfying than a carnivore might expect” – is the reason for the ongoing success of this vegetarian group, founded in Soho almost 40 years ago and expanded into a modern chain over the last ten years. “Is it vegan? Yes”, fully plant-based since 2001. “Do you have to be vegan to enjoy it? No” – “the quality and intensity of the flavours” wins over many omnivores, while “the extremely friendly service and full-to-the-gills interior creates an ambience that is conducive to enjoyment”.

2023 Review: This well-travelled ten-year-old cult pop-up has been “a great addition to Soho” since it alighted in 2021 on the cute, quirky site formerly occupied by Aurora (RIP), opposite the venerable Andrew Edmunds on Lexington Street. Gabriel Price’s highly rated cooking takes an American-inspired approach to the best of English ingredients, pleasing critics as disparate as Jimi Famurewa and Tom Parker Bowles, while Missy Flynn looks after the front of house and guarantees “so much fun”.

“Proper steak venues” with “fantastic prime cuts for sharing” is how fans applaud Neil Rankin’s cocktail-fueled smokehouses: vibrant hang-outs featuring live-fire BBQ in the open kitchens that form the heart of each outlet (and with a selection of taco platters backing up the menu’s core of smoked meat dishes). Ratings have varied of late, though, and Paddington and Shoreditch branches closed in autumn 2024, now leaving only Soho, Covent Garden and the City. Top Tips – look out for Bottomless brunch deals; and the £15 steak frites lunchtime offer (in Covent Garden only).

2022 Review: “Our daughters love this restaurant – especially the cubed steak and iceberg lettuce!”. This manifestly cool Soho three-year-old offers sushi and sashimi as well as a wide range of fish and meat from the robata grill.

2024 Review: The “divine chicken” at these funky East-meets-West outlets – founded by three mates who missed the Korean fried chicken they ate in Melbourne’s Chinatown – is “worth the pain of the uncomfortable seating and queue”. The business has graduated from home cooking and pub pop-ups to five permanent sites with a Soho flagship and a thriving delivery arm.

“The food remains exceptional” – “cheung fun and venison puffs are still raging crowd-pleasers” – at this modern Cantonese-inspired pair: the “fabulously blingy” Soho original and its follow-up in the City’s Broadgate development (there are also international branches in India and Saudi Arabia). One or two uneven reports this year raise concerns, including about “ragged service” – though, to be fair, the latter has never been great. Founded in 2004 by Alan Yau following his success with Hakkasan, the brand now sits in the hospitality portfolio of Isle of Man-based online gambling billionaire Mark Sheinberg. Top Tip – “the Infinite Yum Cha brunch on Sundays is extremely good value – and delicious”.

“Sneakily good pizza” – double-fermented Neapolitan-style – ensure that many branches are “always packed” at the Elliot brothers’ still-expanding chain, whose new summer 2025 opening at the Truman Brewery on Brick Lane marked a return to the site of one of their earliest pop-ups in 2013. Nowadays, it’s one of the more commented-on multiples in our annual diners’ poll. Top Menu Tip – “pepperoni and honey!”

“Always enjoyable… especially the duck and the sesame toast!” – This marriage of Chinese chow with a gastropub vibe was originally dreamt up by group-creating genius Alan Yau (he of Wagamama, Hakkasan, Yauatcha and Busaba Eathai fame). But curiously, despite a cosy, heart-of-Soho setting and a steady stream of supportive feedback, it has never won a big following. Perhaps it’s the low-key interior or the “pub-average service”, but that’s really searching for criticism. Still, maybe the brand’s moment has come under new owners: after nearly 10 years it’s finally to spawn a sibling: a 185-cover space on Level 1 of Battersea Power Station. The aim here is more sleek and contemporary and necessarily less pub-like, so how much the pub element of its original concept will survive is unclear.