Fish & Seafood Restaurants in Chigwell
1. Bellamy’s
British, Modern restaurant in Mayfair
18-18a Bruton Place - W1
“A haven of calm in an ever-changing world”: “they cater for the most conservative of palates (and the deepest pockets)” at Gavin Rankin’s “old-school, brasserie-style restaurant in Mayfair” (which had the rare privilege of hosting the late Queen Elizabeth on a couple of occasions). Its Anglo-French fare is “super reliable, if not exciting” and service “immaculate”. “If you like the kind of place where you still need to dress up a bit, this is it”, but “the ambience is set by its older, quietly-spoken crowd: don’t visit if you are planning a loud-laughing night!”. Top Menu Tip – “good value lunch menu; and staples such as iced lobster soufflé, smoked eel mousse and steak tartare”.
2. Wiltons
British, Traditional restaurant in St James's
55 Jermyn St - SW1
“A last redoubt of traditional gastronomy” – London’s oldest restaurant in St James’s (est. 1742, but on this site since the 1980s) maintains its “quiet” and “calm” style, with “understated but excellent service” and “booths that make a superb place to do business”. Classic fish dishes – for example “very good Dover sole off the bone” – are the speciality and “ever-reliable”. A less welcome constant are its “eye-watering prices”: “everything was as I hoped it would be… apart from the bill!”
3. Bentley’s
Fish & seafood restaurant in Piccadilly
11-15 Swallow St - W1
“Owner Richard Corrigan is often around and the food is always good” at this “iconic” fish and seafood “classic” – 107 years old (est. 1916) – which is to be found in a side street, near Piccadilly Circus. It offers two distinct experiences: “upstairs for very elegant fine dining, or in the bar downstairs for top-notch seafood with less formality – both excellent” (although the latter gets many people’s vote, as “there is always a good buzz in the bar area with a few famous faces sometimes”). “Possibly the best oysters in town (and the best shuckers too)” number alongside “top crab” and “the notably good fish pie” as its best menu options, all in a “reassuringly good-but-expensive” mould (“comfort seafood at West End prices”). Service that’s “very attentive and kind” from long-serving staff is intrinsic to the performance.
4. The Melusine
Fish & seafood restaurant in St. Katharine Dock
Unit K, Ivory House, St. Katharine Dock - E1W
“Consistently delicious seafood” and a “lovely location” by St Katharine Dock have put this three-year-old securely on the map. The interesting wine list is strong on “Greek offerings” – thanks no doubt to co-founder Theodore Kyriakou, a veteran of Livebait and The Real Greek in the ’90s. Top Tip – “go on Wednesdays for the half-price wine”.
5. Ormer Mayfair by Sofian, Flemings Mayfair Hotel
British, Modern restaurant in Mayfair
7-12 Half Moon Street - W1
Although this luxurious Mayfair hotel dates from the 1850s, its swish basement dining room owes its looks to the 1930s. Under chef Sofian Msetfi, the “fabulous” cuisine (choose either a 5 or 7-course ‘tasting’ option) continues to achieve high ratings with a recently awarded Michelin star and even the weakest report this year awarded “full marks for presentation and service”. “A friend of mine who swears not to visit hotel dining rooms granted it high praise after our dinner there!”
6. Cornerstone
Fish & seafood restaurant in Hackney Wick
3 Prince Edward Road - E9
“Tom Brown’s single-minded passion for fish and seafood shines through” at his “mecca of fine dining” – a post-industrial space “tucked away not far from the canal” in “wondrously trendy Hackney Wick”. “We love its informality and the friendliness of the staff” who give “detailed descriptions explaining the provenance of each dish” from “a stunning menu”. “So, get your skinny jeans on, tousle that beard (man bun optional) and go!” Top Menu Tip – “fabulous crab bun with pear hoisin”; “shrimps in a sort of panna cotta, decorated with sprouting herbs and vegetables… inspired”.
7. Forman’s
Fish & seafood restaurant in Bow
Stour Rd, Fish Island - E3
2021 Review: This in-house restaurant of the famous smoked salmon smokery (est. 1905) on the River Lea is a “lovely place to eat the best smoked fish, with a great view” – in fact, two views: from a viewing gallery over the smokery, and across to the Olympic stadium next door. For West Ham fans, it’s ideal for a pre-match lunch; for everybody else, “a bit out of the way, but worth the schlep”.
8. Behind
Fish & seafood restaurant in Hackney
20 Sidworth Street - E8
“Wow!” “Andy Beynon continues to produce superb, good-value cuisine in a relaxed and intimate setting” at his small venue, near London Fields: “an immersive experience, where the chefs prepare the food around you as you sit at the bar”. “There are no waiters: the chefs cover service, chat about the food and ferry each new course from the nearby open preparation areas”; and the team gives the impression of being “super keen and far from weary, jaded or sitting on their laurels”. “Sustainable fish is the clear focus here, and everything is on point in each exceptional dish”.
9. Alec's
British, Modern restaurant in Brentwood
Navestock Side - CM14
“In the heart of Essex, this fabulous fish restaurant” (est. 2010, and revolving around the “plush conversion of an old pub”) “offers amazing dishes and attentive service in a truly beautiful setting”. “It can be fun watching the TOWIE types amongst fellow diners”, but if that loses its appeal, divert your eyes to the “pleasant views from the terrace on a sunny day”.
10. Lyon's
Fish & seafood restaurant in Crouch End
1 Park Road - N8
This “brilliant, buzzy local seafood restaurant” is much-loved in Crouch End and beyond for its “exciting, high-quality dishes from a short menu” and “exceptionally friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff”. It works equally well for a meal with a large group or a “snack at the bar”.
11. Prawn on the Lawn
Fish & seafood restaurant in Islington
292-294 St Paul's Rd - N1
This 10-year-old fishmonger-turned-restaurant near Highbury Corner is a “great all-rounder”, with “fresh fish” from Devon or Cornwall (it has another branch in Padstow) “often cooked originally”. Even after a move to “slightly larger premises on St Paul’s Road” it’s still “a simple space, so the ambience is not highly rated given the expense” – “shame it’s so small that you can’t always get a booking”.
12. One Hundred Shoreditch
Fish & seafood restaurant in Shoreditch
100 Shoreditch High Street - E1
2022 Review: Hipster haunt, Ace Hotel Shoreditch – and its restaurant Hoi Polloi (RIP) – have gone, but this new Lore Group (Sea Containers et al) opening in autumn 2021 is stepping into its boots and aiming to boost appeal with an expanded rooftop bar and terrace (panoramic views of East London), and a restaurant and wine bar specialising in sustainably sourced seafood. It being EC2, there’s even going to be a take-out hatch (that’s a sign of groovy sophistication these days, apparently…)
13. Toff’s
Fish & chips restaurant in Muswell Hill
38 Muswell Hill Broadway - N10
“Sensationally good grilled plaice” and the “freshest fish and prawns” help make this 55-year-old north London chippy a “favourite place to go to be cheered up” (“my partner and I think it’s well worth catching the two buses needed to get there!”). “Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan is known to frequent it when playing in the Masters Championships at nearby Ally Pally”. Top Menu Tip – “always order the delicious Greek salad, with the family’s own-recipe dressing”.
14. Fish Central
Fish & seafood restaurant in Clerkenwell
149-155 Central St - EC1
This “authentic chippy” in Clerkenwell – a Greek-Cypriot family-run veteran of more than 50 years’ standing – scores well for its “excellent fish” and “warm, humorous service”.
15. Angler, South Place Hotel
Fish & seafood restaurant in City
3 South Pl - EC2
“Fine fish, delicately cooked and served” is the speciality at this “smart modern restaurant on the top floor of a hotel” near Broadgate, from D&D London. Food of this standard is rare in the City, and “not even the dullest business chat can take the edge off the outstanding cooking and wines”. It’s a discreet place, too, “and the team knows when to shoot the breeze with diners and when to withdraw to let the serious negotiations take place”.
16. Smith's Wapping
British, Modern restaurant in Wapping
22 Wapping High St - E1
“A top selection of fish” – “simple and so fresh” – is served at this smart, white-tablecloth restaurant in a “fantastic setting, on the Thames at Wapping, with great views of Tower Bridge”. “Service is slick and the atmosphere reflects the bright, buzzy feel of the whole place”. The only drawback is that “it’s always full and difficult to get into”. The original Smith’s was founded 66 years ago in Ongar, Essex.
17. Lutyens Grill, The Ned
Steaks & grills restaurant in City
27 Poultry - EC2R
“Is this what business lunching was like 50 year ago?” – this “elegant and wood-panelled” steakhouse, “hidden away in the vast opulence of the Ned” (itself the former Midland Bank HQ) “always impresses a client” with its “wonderful club-like atmosphere”, “the smell of leather and the feeling of luxury” (it’s where “old-school stockbroker dining meets Wolf of Wall Street”). “Power lunches abound within a serene ambience” – “the food leans heavily towards meat with beef Wellington a highlight”.
18. Lure
Fish & seafood restaurant in Tufnell Park
56 Chetwynd Rd - NW5
This modern fish ’n’ chip shop in Dartmouth Park is “a nice, healthy (and non-smelly) alternative” to the classic old-school chippy, with “good-quality” fresh fish.
19. Sweetings
Fish & seafood restaurant in City
39 Queen Victoria St - EC4
“It’s as though time was paused 100 years ago” at this Square Mile legend, founded in the 1830s and on its current site since the 1920s. Arrive early if you want to beat the City pinstripes to a table or a spot at the counter, although “it’s worth the wait for a seat while sipping a tankard of Black Velvet”. “Traditional, hearty British fish is served in a manner unchanged by time” – oysters, smoked eel, whitebait – and “the fish pie is still good and not too expensive”. “Longstanding staff add to its stalwart appeal”.
20. Burger & Lobster
Burgers, etc restaurant in City
Bow Bells Hs, 1 Bread St - EC4
“The lobster roll is just lovely” at this surf’n’turf-meets-burger chain, where you’ll find “plenty of very tasty grub”. “I was expecting to be disappointed, but the food was excellent”. A dozen years on from its launch, the group’s nine London venues tend to be “full of people done up for a big night out, taking lots of selfies for their Insta”.
View full listings of 80 Fish & Seafood Chigwell Restaurants
Popular Chigwell Restaurant Searches
Chigwell Restaurant News