London Westminster Restaurant Guide

“Seemingly effortlessly classy and convivial” – these attractive spinoffs from the national San Carlo chain provide “casual dining with Italian small plates in a lively setting” and can be particularly “great for a pre-theatre meal” given their “very convenient locations for the West End” (including a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus). There are drawbacks though: “quality of the dishes is a little variable”; “tables are squeezed in”; and conversation can be “difficult” (“this place is described as ’buzzy’, for which I would read loud”).

For a comfortable meal in an impressive space in Mayfair, this wood-panneled chamber has much to recommend it, and is one of the better-preserved traditional dining rooms (dating originally from the 1850s and made over in the 1930s). Chef Sofian Msterfi injects North African ideas from his Moroccan roots into some of the dishes on his five-course (for £95 per person) or seven-course (for £140 per person) menus. The odd reporter feels this is “too much concept” for their tastes, but for the most part it’s an approach that’s very well received.

“Timeless elegance at a mind-boggling price” is a trade-off practically all diners are still content to make at what is technically London’s oldest restaurant (on its current site since the 1980s, but with a history dating back to 1742). “For those who treasure the traditions of yesteryear, they are continued here with impressive commitment”, complete with “boothed seating, crisp white tablecloths and napkins, and immaculately cleaned glasses and cutlery”: a “lovely subdued, elegant and spacious”, interior with a “respectfully quiet” ambience. (There is also “bar-style seating for seafood”.) “You marvel at the slick professionalism of the well dressed-waiters”, who deliver resolutely “old-style British food” – particularly fish, seafood and game in season: simple “but the quality and cooking is simply perfect”. “The only drama is the bill!!” (Style note – “I was concerned about the dumbing down of the dress code – previously jacket and tie de rigueur for men – but it was pleasing to observe that other customers were smartly dressed as are all the waiting staff.”) Top Menu Tips – “sensational roast beef cooked rare with several generous slices and a fine Yorkshire pudding: home-made horseradish sauce was a fine savoury accompaniment; crunchy millefeuille with cream and sweet slices of English strawberries is a sheer delight”.

2023 Review: “Great name… even better food” say fans of this casual, Japanese-inspired dining experience within a Soho hotel, whose all-day dining possibilities (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and afternoon tea…) were conceived by star chef Garry Hollihead. Too limited feedback as yet, though, for a full rating of its mix of poke bowls, salads, sliders and main plates, complemented by an oriental cocktail list and sake menu.

“Sit in the buzzing and upbeat Oyster Bar” on the ground floor, tip regulars at Richard Corrigan’s West End landmark, in a quiet lane between Piccadilly and Regent Street: one of London’s most venerable and popular dining destinations, which celebrates its 110th anniversary in 2025. Under his careful stewardship, the establishment remains “a classic for a reason!”: “expensive, but very good in all departments”, not least “top-quality fish and crustaceans” (and “it’s always worth looking at the specials board”). Long-serving staff provide “service with a smile” and keep the vibe “upbeat”, although “upstairs, the atmosphere can vary when there are few people there”. Although it is heated all year, the outside terrace is a particular delight in summer. Top Menu Tips – “superb oysters” as you’d hope (“including the baked ones”); “the Irish soda bread is yummy”; “fish ’n’ chips to die for”; “Cornish crab is very special”; “splendid fish stew”.

This “glitzy ‘see-and-be-seen’ Italian” in the ever-more chic environs of Lower Regent Street is the London flagship for Carlo Distefano’s national chain, which was founded in Birmingham in 1992 and expanded to most UK cities before hitting the capital in 2012 (the group also has a number of simpler ‘Cicchetti’ locations around town, see also). The aim is a traditional one: an “extensive menu” of classic dishes delivered in a golden glow of crisp tablecloths and smartly dressed servers. The food is consistent, if fully priced; and the service can be “attentive but lacking charm”.

2024 Review: A “real favourite” of well-heeled foodies, this classy if relatively unsung Mayfair hotel dining room boasts in “William Drabble, the most underrated of chefs – and one of great longevity” after 15 years at the helm. There is an eight-course ‘Menu Gourmand’ (for £125), but also à la carte options (starting in the evening with a two-course meal for £82 – lunchtimes are cheaper).

“Seemingly effortlessly classy and convivial” – these attractive spinoffs from the national San Carlo chain provide “casual dining with Italian small plates in a lively setting” and can be particularly “great for a pre-theatre meal” given their “very convenient locations for the West End” (including a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus). There are drawbacks though: “quality of the dishes is a little variable”; “tables are squeezed in”; and conversation can be “difficult” (“this place is described as ’buzzy’, for which I would read loud”).

Star West Country chef, Michael Caines, is hitting London for the first time at this cosseting hotel dining room – formerly the Game Bird, whose new name is not yet disclosed as of July 2025 (the name above is a guess / working name). As part of the deal, Michael’s acclaimed Lympstone Manor property will join The Stafford Collection as an associate member, reflecting a new deep partnership between the hotel and the chef. As The Game Bird, the dining room’s emphasis was not on haute cuisine, but spoiling, high-quality British dishes, but this will apparently change with Michael’s arrival bringing a style of cooking in line with that at his highly ambitious Devon property (prepare for lots of references to Michelin). Not every star chef who won fame in the shires thrives on hitting the capital: here’s wishing him well on winning his spurs.

There’s no name outside so look for the carved stone lintel reading ‘Westminster Library’ when you visit this “fabulous institution” sitting “in the shadow of Westminster Abbey”. “Still great after all these years – Vivek Singh’s “posh Indian” remains one of the Top-40 most commented-on entries in our annual diners’ poll, and is also one of the most popular. The building provides a “very original setting” – complete with wood-panelling, leaded glass and book-lined walls – while transporting you to the subcontinent!”. It’s a “sophisticated” combination, with “classy” and “luxurious” cuisine providing “a paradise of fabulous flavours”, while “the buzz of happy diners gives a nice, comforting backdrop to one of the best meals you can have in central London”. (That is provided you don’t mind sharing the wonderful space with miscellaneous politicos and union leaders… “amusingly, it turns out that the new breed of MPs are just as keen to be fed here as the recently deposed mob!)”. Top Tip – “strong wine list, including a number of wines from India itself”.

“Such a shame not more people recognise this as a top Indian” – so say fans of Roop Partap Choudhary’s lavishly decorated venue in Holborn’s spectacular old town hall. “They seem to have observed the leading groups and copied the best bits” and the result is “really well-executed food” (if perhaps “with few surprises”). Last year, he also debuted in the large space off Trafalgar Square that was formerly Jones Family Project (RIP): “a well-designed if cavernous space” but sometimes “a little raucous due to its seeming popularity with big work groups”.

Amidst the gents’ outfitters of Jermyn Street (whose suave suits and shirts clad many of the clientele here), this popular stalwart (founded in 1945) is a super-convivial rendezvous for its St James’s pack of wealth advisors, art dealers and property agents; and it is “buzzing” (from its popular breakfast-time onwards) at its “closely spaced tables” (“not too bad if you are seated by a wall, but potentially claustrophobic in the middle of the room”). In that vein, it’s a “fun experience with a high standard of service and care”, plus “great Italian food”. A caveat? “Everything works but the prices are a bit daft”.

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...

“A real journey of discovery” is to be had at Adam Handling’s renowned Covent Garden flagship, where fans of his eight-course – haute but unstuffy – theatrical experience for £199 per person say it’s “sheer culinary perfection from start to finish!”, complete with “bangin’ tastes, engaged staff and great fun for any occasion”. For many of its fans, it’s “a go-to for a special celebration (or any excuse we can make for a special celebration!)” as it “somehow keeps managing to exceed expectations with new twists on old favourites and new innovations both culinary and presentational”. On the flipside, though, there is a notably large band of more cautious sceptics, who either feel that “it’s trying too hard”, or who note that “while lovely, it is very costly”. (“Don’t get me wrong – there is nothing wrong with the food here per se, with some fantastic dishes such as the lobster wagyu. Where it falls down a bit is value-for-money compared to competitors, with the pricing pushing very much at the upper end of what I would expect from a Michelin one star, but the overall experience being more in the mid-point of that category”).

“Everything is comme il faut” at this “rapid-service and good-value” duo from Lyon-born Aurelia Noel-Delclos, which capture “something of the style and liveliness of a French bistro”. The newer branch, in Victoria, has “clearly been discovered by Civil Service bods, so is often full” (and the “excellent breakfasts” there are an added bonus). Covent Garden is easily overlooked in the tourist ‘Ground Zero’ at the heart of the market itself. Top Menu Tip – “well-flavoured chicken breast with a good piperade and smoked new potatoes; good example of duck confit; decent creme brulée”.

“A fun place – great for a meal before a show… and the food is imaginative and good too” – Vivek Singh’s spin-off from the famous Cinnamon Club is well-supported for its “solid modern Indian cooking” at “relatively good value” prices for the West End. On the downside, service can be “disorganised” and the (“noisy” and “really packed in”) dining room “doesn’t really inspire” although “as it fills, it becomes animated with a buzz of excitement”.

“An enjoyable tapas-style menu in Covent Garden” is served at this two-floor venue near the Royal Opera House: a lively spot “with quite a lot of its former pub architecture retained”. Part of the Salt Yard Group, Hispanic flavours are to the fore here as well as some Italian inspirations. Top Menu Tips – “the broccoli and courgette tempura are two standout dishes”; “pan con tomate is particularly good”; “good orange panna cotta with matching ice cream”.

Ties festooned from the ceiling is the signature look of this veteran St James’s location, which makes a civilised launch-pad for an evening in the West End. With help from the menu – well-rated in reports – offering light US-inspired bites (ribs, jambalaya prawns, mac ’n’ cheese).

Star chef, Sally Abé was key to the ‘girl power’ formula of this traditionally decorated dining room in a five-star hotel near St James’s Park tube – named with the nickname of Emily Wilding Davison, a leading suffragette – which she relaunched four years ago. The move was a brave effort by the hotel to put its traditionally decorated (slightly stilted) dining room on London’s culinary map and to link it with both a forward-looking approach but also the traditional British cuisine that Sally is known for. But it’s all change as of April 2025 when Abé announced her departure (for the Bull at Charlbury). Given that she was so central to its PR and approach, it’s hard to work out its destiny now that she’s stepped down, hence we’ve left it un-rated.

An “atmospheric gem” that brings a “rustic taste of the French countryside to Covent Garden”, this bistro is “one of the few London restaurants that has been under the same family ownership since the 1980s”. “Fantastic for date night”, “perfect for pre & post-theatre dining, or a catch-up with friends”, it has a “terrace ideal for people-watching on a sunny day over a glass of Côtes de Provence rosé”. One or two dissenters, though, leave nonplussed: “didn’t live up to its promise” – “the food was very average”.