British, Traditional Restaurants in Esher
1. Maggie Jones’s
British, Traditional restaurant in Kensington
6 Old Court Pl - W8
Named for the booking pseudonym of the late Princess Margaret (who lived for many years at nearby Kensington Palace), this stalwart bistro is perennially popular for its superbly welcoming, quirky style (a kind of quaint, old-farmhouse, rustic chic) rather than its 1970s Anglo-French cuisine. A fire closed it in early 2024 – a reopening in 2025 is suggested by its website.
2. Butler’s Restaurant, The Chesterfield Mayfair
British, Traditional restaurant in Mayfair
35 Charles St - W1
Old-fashioned Mayfair dining room within a luxurious 94-bedroom hotel, whose retro offerings include Dover sole filleted at the table and a wide variety of afternoon teas. For a traditional British experience, it’s recommended in all reports.
3. The Game Bird
British, Traditional restaurant in St James's
16-18 St James’s Place - SW1A
This “sumptuous” and “traditional” dining room hidden away in St James’s is long on “elegance and friendly service” and remains something of an “unknown gem”. The cuisine results from the collaboration of star chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen (from sister property up North near Blackburn, Northcote) with the executive chef here, Jozef Rogulski and – although some disappointments were registered this year – overall ratings remained high. Top Tips – in the afternoon, there’s “an extensive range of teas and trolley service for both savoury and sweet choices”; and “the very elegant breakfast is a lovely experience”.
4. Wiltons
British, Traditional restaurant in St James's
55 Jermyn St - SW1
“Nowhere else like it!” – for “sheer class, history and pedigree” it is hard to match London’s oldest restaurant in St James’s (est. 1742, on this site since the 1980s). If you are a traditionalist, it is “perfect, perfect, perfect” – “a quintessentially British restaurant specialising in premium-quality fish and seafood – plus also game and meats” – whose discreet and comfortable old-world surroundings are typical of nearby clubland, complete with booths and well-spaced tables; and all orchestrated by “impeccable staff”. It’s best enjoyed if your Wealth Manager is treating you, obviously, although complaints about its notoriously terrifying prices were quite muted this year. Top Menu Tip – “Start with a dozen wonderful, plump oysters and a sharp red onion and red wine vinegar sauce. Then call over the carving trolley for several slices of perfectly rare meat from the large roast sirloin of beef”. Or take your pick of the caviar, lobster or twice baked Stilton souflé and “it’s a case of lunchtime heaven”.
5. Cheneston’s Restaurant, The Milestone Hotel
British, Traditional restaurant in Kensington
1 Kensington Ct - W8
Cheneston's, named after the early spelling of Kensington, embodies refined fine dining with a touch of British culinary heritage. Discover a symphony of comfort and creativity orchestrated by Executive Chef Daniel Putz, crafting signature dishes infused with inspiration fro...
6. Maddox Tavern
British, Modern restaurant in Westminster
47 Maddox Street - W1S
“These very big premises were once a prestigious tailor’s” – then more recently a branch of the Browns brasserie chain – and are now “a pub-like restaurant in the middle of Mayfair”. Fans are impressed by “its competent realisation of a standard menu” of British classics. But service can be “somewhat patchy” and food can be “fairly average” as a result.
7. Capital Hotel, The Restaurant at The Capital
British, Traditional restaurant in Knightsbridge
22-24 Basil Street - SW3
All shopped out at Harrods? Two minutes’ walk from the back doors, this small boutique hotel dining room has gone informal in recent years, replacing its former haute cuisine offering with bare table-tops and an all-day menu. It was most recommended this year for its afternoon tea, which is served from noon so can double for lunch. The current theme is Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.
8. Boisdale of Belgravia
Scottish restaurant in Belgravia
13-15 Eccleston Street - SW1
“Simply a great night every time” – “a wonderfully club-like, somewhat masculine environment” characterises Ranald Macdonald’s red-walled Belgravian stalwart, which he started as a young man in 1986 shortly after a stint in the wine trade. The decorative theme is Scottish – the owner is after all the 24th chief and captain of Clanranald – and the menu features “top steaks” alongside haggis, lobster and burgers; plus a wide large variety of other, predominantly British dishes. Regular live music is a feature, as is “a great cocktail bar and lovely cigar terrace”. “Okay, the food’s nothing to write home about, but there’s nothing wrong with it either”.
9. The Six Restaurant & Bar Hampton Court
British, Traditional restaurant in Richmond upon Thames
2 Lion Gate - KT8
2023 Review: A couple of excellent reports suggest it’s worth considering this old pub reinvented as a hotel and restaurant (a couple of years ago), between the maze of Hampton Court Palace and Bushy Park. The refit is very attractive and the menu of superior gastropub fare is well-rated.
10. The Ivy Cobham Brasserie
British, Traditional restaurant in Cobham
48 High St - KT11
This Surrey branch of The Ivy’s stylish national brasserie offshoot is an “incredibly popular” sort of place, where the most appealing location to eat is the Orangery. From providing one reporter’s “worst dining experience of the year” to another’s “dazzling delight”, it continues to split opinion, but the majority verdict is that “the atmosphere and ambience (which “exude fun and enjoyment”) excel more than the food” (which is “acceptable but nothing special”).
11. The Canbury Arms
British, Traditional restaurant in Kingston upon Thames
49 Canbury Park Road - KT2
2022 Review: “Beautifully refurbished” by the current owners (Young’s Brewery), even if not everyone is a fan of its chain-ification, this “great local” – replete with roaring fires, seasonal grub and pleasant garden – is of note for its daily chalkboard specials, but they also do fancy game nights.
12. Fox & Grapes
British, Traditional restaurant in Wimbledon Village
9 Camp Rd - SW19
“A favourite in the Wimbledon Village/Common area!” – this Georgian pub is co-owned by TV chef Paul Merrett and his Jolly Pubs group (which includes the Victoria in East Sheen). Aside from the odd nod to cheaper pub-grub dishes, most of the menu is somewhat more ambitious bistro-style fare.
13. Rock & Rose
Pan-Asian restaurant in Richmond
106-108 Kew Road - TW9
“For a jolly night out with the girls”, these “warm and luxurious” west London haunts are just the job. An “extensive list of cocktails” is key to their allure – “the food is not the main attraction although it’s perfectly acceptable”. Lorraine Angliss (who also owns Annie’s and Little Bird) opened the Richmond original in 2009; its Chiswick sibling followed in 2022.
14. The Plough
British, Traditional restaurant in East Sheen
42 Christ Church Rd - SW14
Proximity to Richmond Park – a large terrace for sunny days – and a comfortable, attractive interior help justify the ongoing inclusion of this eighteenth-century Fuller’s pub, near Sheen Gate. In other respects, its ratings remain resolutely ordinary.
15. Smoke & Salt
British, Traditional restaurant in Tooting
115 Tooting High St - SW17
“Worth the rattling ride down on the Northern line!”, says a fan from E18 of this neighbourhood spot, “tucked away in the relatively unlikely environs of Tooting”. The “clever food” centres on brined half-chicken portions (with crispy battered cauliflower as the veggie alternative) plus a supporting cast of starters, small plates and puddings – results are “outstanding”.
16. The Swan
Mediterranean restaurant in Chiswick
1 Evershed Walk,119 Acton Ln - W4
This longstanding “local favourite”, tucked away on the Chiswick-Acton border, benefits from a characterful Art Deco interior and “amazing secret garden” out back. The “efficient and friendly staff” serve a Mediterranean-influenced menu that “changes frequently to reflect seasonal ingredients”.
17. The Andover Arms
International restaurant in Hammersmith
57 Aldensley Rd - W6
“A very good neighbourhood gastropub” – this Hammersmith backstreet boozer is no longer No. 1 on TripAdvisor (as it was several years ago), to the great relief of the local residents. The relatively new management are “really helpful” and the “no-nonsense pub grub” is much jazzier than under previous regimes. Top Menu Tip – “Sunday lunch is very good with lots of families happily munching into a roast”.
18. The Bird in Hand
Pizza restaurant in West Kensington
88 Masbro Road - W14
“Great food and drink, especially pizza” makes it worth remembering this stylish (if sometimes noisy) Olympia pub-conversion, a few minutes’ walk from Brook Green (part of the Oak group).
19. The Cadogan Arms
British, Modern restaurant in Chelsea
298 King’s Road - SW3
In terms of delivering “really decent” food on the King’s Road (a rarity) and “an amazing Sunday roast”, the three-year-old revamp of this “beautiful” early Victorian Chelsea pub must be accounted a success, and it becomes “BUSY!”. If the backers were not JKS Restaurants in partnership with Kitchen Table’s James Knappett one would say ‘job done’, but by the standards of such megastar restaurateurs, the result is good – not outstanding.
20. The Surprise
British, Traditional restaurant in Chelsea
6 Christchurch Terrace - SW3
This elegant 1853 tavern near Chelsea Physic Garden makes “an excellent local, if with prices befitting its location” and a menu of quite ambitious pub grub, following its transformation by Jack Greenall (of the Lancashire brewing dynasty). He now owns a select trio of west London pubs having acquired the Walmer Castle in Notting Hill and The Carpenter’s Arms in Hammersmith last year.
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