Chinatown, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“Kudos to the chef” – Seamus Sam, who arrived in mid 2024 and is maintaining the culinary renown of this funky 12-seater in the cellar of Layo & Zoë Pasking’s period pub on the fringe of Chinatown, where he delivers a five-course menu for £135 per person. By all accounts it’s “just a wonderful experience” with “extremely interesting cooking” and “some intriguing wine pairings”, all delivered by “excellent staff”. “Not one for claustrophobics” perhaps, but most reporters find its style “lovely and intimate”.

Irish Wexford Tomahawk… Hereford Fillet Chateaubriand… Argentinian Ribeye… USDA prime fillet – the high quality of the steaks are a point of pride for Simon Thomas who owns London’s biggest and busiest casino, where the restaurant occupies an interesting space converted from the old circle of the former Hippodrome Theatre. NB under 25s must have ID. Top Tip – superb pre-theatre deal at £24 for two courses.

“A top spot for a long, slow meal in Soho” – this “small but perfectly formed” first-floor dining room looks down onto the street through the ‘Tricolore’ flags and Union Jacks that signpost this “old favourite” pub. “You fight your way through the pub entrance, past the frenetic, cosy downstairs bar, but once you’re up the stairs to this petit space, your shoulders relax” as it has a timeless, “charming” quality. Neil Borthwick (aka Mr Angela Hartnett) is the latest in a line of top chefs who have defied the modest expectations of this “compact” space, delivering “the kind of simple, intelligent, well-thought-out food you always want to eat with gusto, rather than take pictures of”. “The staff are friendly and helpful without being intrusive and the atmosphere is relaxed and comforting (it’s like being wrapped in a big fluffy blanket and fed your favourite ‘get well’ soup!”). Top Menu Tips – “the aligot, the steak frites, the crispy pig’s head, all utterly delicious, consistent and with huge bursts of full-on flavour”; and “the madelaines with orange curd are awesome!”

An amazing oasis of calm for somewhere slap bang in the centre of the West End – this “civilised” hotel dining room in a cute courtyard near Piccadilly Circus makes a charming setting for afternoon tea in particular. At other times the "unobtrusive" food “does what you need for a business meeting” and will do nothing to detract from a more social occasion.

As a “cosy choice for a romantic breakfast”, this big, famous Soho landmark wins the odd tip. What’s more striking, though, is how somewhere with a gorgeous Champagne bar and unbeatable heritage (from 1867) can – under Soho House, who mostly run it as a hotel – have sunk into such stupefying obscurity and mediocrity.

“Exciting dishes, all full of flavour” and with “a sustainability ethos too” are hailed by fans of this well-regarded five-year-old, which started out on Heddon Street and nowadays occupies a “big and buzzy” site with open kitchen on the Haymarket – in fact, it was voted as providing many ‘best meals of the year’ in 2025. A sceptical minority, however, view it as hyped by the media and drag down its overall ratings (“I suppose if you knew nothing about the background, you’d just see this as a perfectly competent place between Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly. Me? I just see it as a lot of fuss about… what?”). Top Tip – “it does an excellent Saturday brunch and an excellent breakfast the rest of the week”: “the croissants are a tasty work of art”; “Black pudding Benedict on a honey waffle is divine as are the hash browns with the intense umami mushroom ketchup”.

2024 Review: “Pre or post-theatre, very much a favourite over many years” – this elegant seafood bar was added adjacent to the main restaurant fifteen years ago, and its more laid-back style means it’s tailor-made for a luxurious bite and glass of fizz. That said, it’s become “quite pricey” over time, and doesn’t have quite the dazzling golden glow of yesteryear.

“Tiny”, “cheek-by-jowl” Soho natural wine bar which excels for “delicious small plates of full-flavoured and balanced cooking”, plus “super-knowledgeable staff who have actually met the wine producers of the unusual wines they sell”. It’s still going strong after 15 years: foodwise, a typical meal might run: “bread; pickles; aubergine fritters; squash with cheese and seeds; lamb chop with beans; cheese and frangipane”; vinously: “started with sparkling red, moved on to a white from Puglia (who knew) and finished with a lovely rosé”.

“A hidden gem that’s so worth a visit, especially if you want to stay late” – this ‘boutique basement wine bar & kitchen’ in the heart of Soho was founded by not one but two master sommeliers, Gearoid Devaney & Xavier Rousset (originally as an industry insider club called ‘Trade’). The food is simple (pizzas and sharing boards) but the cocktails are excellent and there’s an exceptional selection of by-the-glass vintage wines.

This “delightful Central London spot” – the dramatically decorated all-day dining room of a boutique hotel on Haymarket – is a “lively and fun place to eat before going to the theatre in the West End”. It’s “dependable and comfortable, with a range of cuisine to suit most tastes” – plus afternoon tea, cocktails, and an outdoor terrace for al fresco meals.

The “large, two-storey” outpost of a brand from India’s Massive Restaurants group on Haymarket is worth knowing about if you’re fighting hunger in the heart of the West End; and offers “a good selection of food including a great variety of small plates” at a quality level that can surprise for such a touristy location. Wallet-friendly lunch and pre-theatre set meals add to its appeal.

“A delightful setting, atop wonderful art and with seriously good food” – that’s the elevator pitch for this latest incarnation of the Royal Portrait Gallery’s top-floor dining room, taken over by star Irish chef, Richard Corrigan in 2023. Of course, it helps that it enjoys “utterly fabulous” viewpoints over Trafalgar Square from the NPG’s roof (“magnificent if you are fortunate enough to get a window table”) but its high standards “confound the belief that restaurants attached to cultural venues are always disappointing”; and are similarly way above the lazy standards of a typical ‘room with a view’. True, service can be “a bit intermittent”, but is for the most part highly rated for its “charming” approach, and delivers “predominantly British cuisine” (with some focus on “fresh fish”) that’s “precise and imaginative”. “Some soft furnishings or acoustic devices to help reduce the noise of happy diners!” would please some guests, but most reports applaud the “beautiful” interior. But there is a bit of a catch! While acknowledging all of the huge number of plusses, many enthusiastic reports are, even so, delivered slightly through gritted teeth due to the “sky-high” prices. (“There’s no doubting that Richard Corrigan has brought a touch of excitement and flair to the gallery. But at a price. Yes, the menu is imaginative, the cooking sound and the service as professional as you would expect. But the bill proved shockingly high for lunch with a modest drink.”)

“Nothing like the classic Ivy of yesteryear” – the Theatreland icon used by Richard Caring as the pattern for his hugely lucrative knock-off chain gave a yet-more indifferent impression this year. That “it is not what it was” is ancient news, although there are still some devoted fans who declare it “a favourite”, citing its “always buzzing atmosphere” in particular and who still laud “delicious” posh-brasserie fare. “Once an icon, now a tourist trap” is now a more dominant theme in reports though, with reporters increasingly apt to find it “a disappointing flagship” that’s “no better than its suburban chain branches” with “low-end food and sloppy service”.

“Good honest food which will satisfy all tastes” helps win fans for this “smart and buzzy”, retro-feel brasserie: part of a boutique hotel in the Soho House stable. Its forte, though, is in serving “a top freshly cooked breakfast”, or as a brunch rendezvous – you wouldn’t go expecting a foodie extravaganza.

Part of the Gladwin Bros’ well-known ‘Local & Wild’ group, this Soho venue is focused on “sound cooking using ingredients with a known provenance” – many of them from the family estate in Sussex (hence the name). That said, the lukewarm performance here fails to match that of its better-established West London stablemates, the Shed in Notting Hill and Rabbit in Chelsea. But maybe a summer 2025 refit is about to change all that: it’s seen the introduction of a chef’s table, a central wood-fired kitchen grill, and a new bar.

“A Soho Classic”. “Jeremy Lee’s cooking is worth crossing town for” – “traditional modern British/Scottish cuisine with seasonal flare” – and he has, over the last dozen years, helped the Hart Bros reestablish this “up-market, white-tablecloth English landmark” as a magnet for a “totally reliable and stylish” occasion, particularly a “romantic” one. It helps that the “lovely staff” help create a “happy” and unforced atmosphere and that the successful private members’ club on the upper floors of the building add to the address’s allure as a destination for those in-the-know. The worst anyone says? “It all seemed a bit safe”. Top Menu Tips – “the smoked eel sandwich starter is a taste experience no serious foodie should miss”; and “the daily pie never disappoints”.

“This small, unassuming restaurant is a favourite haunt” in Soho, featuring “imaginative, unfussy and tasty food”, with “attentive service in a buzzy environment”. Founders Cameron Emirali & Luke Wilson are “lovely people” who “get everything right”, so “the ambience is fun, with everyone enjoying themselves”. Top Tip – “it’s worth sharing plates to get twice as much pleasure for the same price”.

“Chef Anthony Demettre will often come out and have a chat” if you dine regularly at this “good stand-by in the heart of the West End”, where “beautifully presented dishes with hints of France are served by smiling waiting staff” in a stylish and “well-spaced” chamber convenient for Trafalgar Square and Theatreland. Long-term fans remember the two smaller, more personal incarnations of his Wild Honey project (“I was concerned its spirit would have been lost in the move to a Sofitel. I need not have worried: Anthony Demetre was very much at the stoves and it was clear his enthusiasm for French regional cooking was still reflected in a range of memorable dishes of some skill, using top ingredients: no corporate corner-cutting here!”). Top Tips – “a new, more informal bistro sits alongside the main restaurant and offers a similar authentic menu for a more modest outlay”; “great-value lunch menu”.

“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”).