London Vauxhall Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: “Grab a seat outside either at the counter shelf or at one of the tables” of this eleven-year-old deli “in an off-the-beaten track, verdant garden square in Vauxhall” for an authentic lunchtime treat from a short Italian menu. In colder weather you eat inside at a few closely-packed tables surrounded by shelves of produce.

“An architectural salvage display room” lit by chandeliers – in a Georgian mansion fronting the Vauxhall Cross gyratory system – provides a “lively, boho and very relaxed” backdrop for this unusual but successful venue. Amazingly, it “works so well”, with “above average (if expensive) modern British fare” from highly regarded chef Jackson Boxer. (“Well worth the detour/ taking your life in your hands navigating the Vauxhall one way!”).

“Kowsar Hoque’s stylish Indian emporium” in Kennington, opened by his father almost 40 years ago, “continues to deliver excellent dishes which are reasonably priced for the high quality and make you feel you’re in the company of experts”… actually you are likely in the company of our less-than-expert ruling class, given that the venue has long been a favourite of MPs from nearby Westminster, including David Cameron and BoJo.

“Excellent food in a leafy setting, especially on a warm and bright day” makes the elevated café at Lambeth’s Garden Museum “a complete go-to” for foodies in the know. George Ryle, the chef who co-founded it to great acclaim in 2017, left after five years to return to his native Yorkshire, but the kitchen has barely missed a beat under his successor Myles Donaldson (ex-Noble Rot and Anchor & Hope among others).

2023 Review: ‘Where there’s tea there’s hope’ is the philosophical underpinning of this “quirky café”, which occupies a converted pub by Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, and “does amazing breakfasts” and “unusual teas”, plus yummy buns. “They are a tea house though, so there is no coffee available!!”

2022 Review: This once-thriving burger brand from Nick Jones’s Soho House group has been reduced to a single branch, under the arches in Vauxhall, and a supporting role at stablemate Chicken Shop in St John’s Wood. Fans reckon it’s “good for when you’re in a hurry” – perhaps they should hurry, while it’s still there.