London Southbank Restaurant Guide

“The atmospheric book-lined walls of Westminster’s former public library are a highlight” and add “a lot of character” to Vivek Singh’s famous venue a short stroll from the Palace of Westminster: one of the Top 40 most-mentioned restaurants in our annual diners’ poll and the best-known top Indian destination. “It’s worth a visit just for the bar!” – where an evening often commences – but the prime attraction is “clever”, “high-end” nouvelle Indian food “that’s truly different” and with “very delicate spicing”. “The huge area can make service a challenge” but generally staff cope well.

The “gorgeous food, with amazing flavours and presentation” at this Covent Garden café matches the high standards Vivek Singh sets at his grander Cinnamon restaurants, some of the best-known Indian kitchens in London. It’s a useful destination pre-theatre.

Five years after the opening of the legendary Battersea bar and pizzeria, Bunga Bunga has come to Covent Garden with an even bigger and bolder version of the original. On the ground floor, discover a family pizzeria and bar, BungaTINI. Below accessed through the meat locker li...

“Outstanding showmanship” (“food theatre for the TikTok generation”) “but matched with exceptional cooking running behind the gimmicks” (“dry ice, melting bubbles etc thrill but don’t hide the perfect texture and a palate of savoury flavour combinations”) has carved an impressive reputation for Adam Handling’s acclaimed Covent Garden flagship. Despite its status as a foodie temple, staff are “so relaxed and fun” and the atmosphere generally is very “informal”, which fans feel “makes the experience even better”: “you can really focus on the food”. And with “the kitchen being open, it allows you to see Adam leading his very disciplined brigade”. On the downside, ratings dipped a little this year, with some diners questioning “startling prices”, or accusing the culinary pyrotechnics of allowing “a triumph of style over substance”. (“The technical excellence is unquestionable, but really too much showing off… serving waffles with caviar and honey ought to be a capital offence!”). Success came in other respects, though: it was finally – not before time – awarded a Michelin star.

An “always good”, culinarily interesting Covent Garden three-year-old, from Salt Yard founder Simon Mullins and his Portuguese wife Isabel Almeida Da Silva. Named after the ‘return from the sea’: it serves a menu not just from Portugal but from the territories it traded with or colonised, from Brazil in the west via parts of Africa to Goa, Macau and Nagasaki in the east.

“Reliably great after all these years” – Pascal Aussignac and Vincent Labeyrie’s renowned institution near Smithfield Market occupies a stylishly converted former Lyons Tea House and continues to mine southwest France for its culinary inspiration: notably “very inventive presentations of foie gras” paired with “a different range of wines that one sees in most other restaurants, given its regional emphasis”.

We’re here for quality cuts, big flames and good times.With respect for these things, we serve up joyful food and drink, day and night.Bring a hungry belly – leave the rest to us....

“Love the spin on the Peruvian x Japanese dishes” – Kurt Zdesar’s Nikkei concept fueled by its ‘Tokyo to Lima’ cocktail menu is growing like topsy, expanding from its Soho home (undergoing ‘an exciting restyle’ as of summer 2022) to Marylebone Village in January 2022, with forthcoming debuts in Doha, Riyadh and San Francisco as part of a plan to expand to 20 sites globally in the next 5 years. The vibe is as energetic as its expansion plans: “too noisy for the seniors in our group, but all the youngsters loved it!”

Some “outstanding fine Japanese cooking” is reported at this upmarket St James’s basement, which has been through a number of names and owners in recent times, and re-opened in its current guise in Autumn 2021. It comprises a ground-floor bar, plus 70-seat subterranean dining space, incorporating three six-seat counters for teppanyaki, a robata chef’s table, and a sushi counter. There is still the odd “disappointing” report, but the overall direction of travel here seems promising.

This international chain has three London representatives – in Soho, the City and Canary Wharf – and focuses on light Italian dishes (pizza, pasta and salads) showcasing the eponymous cheese from Campania alongside other Italian produce; plus a range of cocktails and wines. A good spot “for post-work drinks and nibbles”.

“Flying slightly under the radar”, this “superior City venue” is “a lovely find, right in the heart of the the Square Mile where it can be hard to encounter a good meal” (“clients are always pleased to visit it!”). “The front of house team are so charming” and deliver “precise and tasty” Gallic cuisine. The major attraction here, though, is the “comprehensive wine list” – “one of the best wine selections in London: it’s hard to find a better selection of Burgundy, but the other region lists are well represented”, with “many rewards to be found, both on pricing and rare gems”.

This “sophisticated Italian restaurant” north of Pall Mall, from Sicilian-born Carlo Distefano’s national group, inspires relatively limited feedback despite (because of?) its heart-of-the-West-End location. It’s consistently well-rated, though – fans say it “can always be relied on for business and social meals”.

Zima is a Russian Restaurant located in the heart of Soho offering traditional Russian dishes with a modern twist.Treat yourself to the best priced caviar in London and other favourites of Russian cuisine, sip on our homemade selection of infused vodka and enjoy the wel...

“You go here to have an all-embracing ‘good time’” if you pop down to this “quirky and fun” destination, near Elephant & Castle. “It specialises in Latin American recipes from across the continent” using “genuine ingredients” to produce “unusual and delicious dishes”. “What also makes this restaurant stand out is the outstanding wine list and friendly and knowledgeable service”: “they always make it feel that there is a big party on!”

“One of London’s finest gastronomic experiences” – Victor Garvey’s “slightly unorthodox” Californian in Soho (’SO’ho via ’LA’) had its late-2019 debut slightly stymied by Covid, but is nowadays “consistently serving some of the most interesting food in London, using exceptional produce”; and with “brilliant ideas and concepts in each dish”. Staff are “chatty” – “overly so” for one or two diners, but “passionate and knowledgeable” to others – while the setting is “lacking atmosphere” or cleanly designed according to your taste. Dishes inspiring comment have included “amazing extra-large langoustines”, “superb tuna and caviar” and a “delicious grapefruit dessert”.

These “slick and professional” Italians (offshoots of the national San Carlo chain) are “buzzy and convenient sorts of places, where you can enjoy an upbeat bite without hanging around too long”. They serve “an extensive menu of small Venetian sharing plates”: “at best they’re excellent” and almost invariably a meal is “good fun”. The best known outlet is steps from Piccadilly Circus – “it might look like a tourist trap in its prime location but it’s a reliable and smartly decorated venue”.

“Invitingly tucked away off Victoria Street”, “it feels like stepping into Paris” at this “good little bistro”, where “helpful staff” deliver “a short but interesting” all-day menu of “simple but delicious fare” at “good value prices” (“excellent saucisson, and good bavette steak, duck leg… a very good tarte Tatin and reasonably priced house wine!”). Only fleeting mentions for the branch cutely located in the tourist hell of Covent Garden on the lower ground level of the market itself, but all good.

“The cramped basement is super-cute and atmospheric” (“its booths and candles making it one of the more romantic venues in town”) at this “little piece of Paris in the heart of Covent Garden”. With its “decent French provincial-style cooking” it is particularly tipped as a “very acceptable pre-theatre option”.

“A classic for oyster lovers!” – acclaimed Irish chef, Richard Corrigan, continues to be a superb steward of this 106-year-old veteran (established in 1916), cutely tucked away in a side street near Piccadilly Circus, which he has rebuilt over the years into one of the Top 40 destinations in our annual diners’ poll. “For outstanding oysters or fish, you can’t go wrong”, with tips including “cracking fruits de mer” and “simply delicious fish stew”. His “fabulous” and “professional” staff help create a “lovely” atmosphere, although the top ‘craic’ in the ground-floor bar is often tipped over the grander but more sedate upstairs restaurant. (Another excellent option, particularly in summer, is the superb heated outdoor terrace). On the downside, the pricing is somewhat “prohibitive of a frequent visit”, but fans say “despite the expense, a meal here is an all-round package that is predictable in a good way”. Top Menu Tips – “oh-so-tasty options from the specials board” and “ask for more soda bread!!”

These “slick and professional” Italians (offshoots of the national San Carlo chain) are “buzzy and convenient sorts of places, where you can enjoy an upbeat bite without hanging around too long”. They serve “an extensive menu of small Venetian sharing plates”: “at best they’re excellent” and almost invariably a meal is “good fun”. The best known outlet is steps from Piccadilly Circus – “it might look like a tourist trap in its prime location but it’s a reliable and smartly decorated venue”.