Warlingham, International Restaurant Guide

Andrew McLeish’s longtime beacon on London’s south-east fringe receives nothing but plaudits for its “imaginative” and “excellent quality” field-to-fork dining (an ethos reflected in the restaurant’s rooftop beehives), with its loyal army of local fans saying it’s a “very special place that easily beats most high-end offers in Central London”. Even those who have “been using Chapter One for special occasions for over 20 years” don’t get bored since “the menu is changed weekly” to keep things fresh; there’s also a more informal brasserie menu and “the addition of the conservatory bistro is a must for the summer”.

2024 Review: This “lovely food-led pub” – a carefully modernised beauty from 1854 on Crystal Palace’s thriving ‘Triangle’ – showcases chef David Yorkiston’s “really great cooking – way, way above typical gastroboozer fare”. “Controversially, it has banned kids under 10” but not everyone objects (“we think the atmosphere is all the better for it, even if it means we can’t go there as often as we’d like)”.

A “very handy local” in a former pub on a corner overlooking Wandsworth Common that has “a good buzz when busy” and enjoys a fair amount of support in southwest London. Foodwise, reports suggest it’s decent if rather middle-of-the-road, but the wine offering – from owner John Brinkley’s shop in Chelsea – is a strength.

“Massive portions of delicious vegan food” hit the spot at this Earlsfield 10-year-old from former school friends Alvin Suntaramoorphy and Shyam Kotecha (who have a spinoff branch in Honor Oak Park). Their ‘vegan soul food’ is “so good that even carnivores demand more” – but if you’re not satisfied, they say you can renegotiate the bill. It’s also BYO with no corkage charge, and if you’re broke they’ll feed you in return for some washing up. Top Tip – “leave room for the decadent puds”, such as “their delicious vegan ice cream”.

2022 Review: One of the few early 2021 newcomers (at which time it was delivery only) – this ‘soul food fusion’ newcomer operates out of the Peckham Levels. The aim? – ‘a bold and culturally relevant brand to disrupt the traditionally Euro-centric and often whitewashed London food scene’. This translates into hearty spicy scoff – Trinidadian Bara Tacos (fried bread with a chickpea filling), Philly Banh Mi Cheesesteaks… deep-fried Oreos.

This welcoming Victorian pub-with-rooms on a corner site near St John’s station, between Deptford and Lewisham, is a “favourite with locals” for its freshly cooked food – in particular a wide selection of “good burgers”.

A “fabulous riverside location” is the making of this grand 1837 tavern, where artistic and political types of the Victorian era (including Charles Dickens) would gather for famous ‘whitebait suppers’ – ‘Greenwich whitebait’ still feature on the menu (but turtle soup has long since disappeared).

From a French family who have operated in this corner of Kennington for almost 35 years – this brasserie with an upstairs jazz club on a corner near Elephant & Castle remains “a great neighbourhood choice”. The brothers behind it, Noland & Florent Regent, grew up next door in the Lobster Pot, which their parents ran for 25 years until 2016. The Gallic menu – snails, foie gras, cassoulet and madeleines – is complemented by “great beer”, including Meteor from France and Orbit from less than a mile away.

“Thank you for everything. Especially the cheese sablés”, say fans of the old regime at this local venue: long one of the few highpoints near Surrey Quays station. Since Valentine’s Day 2025, though, it’s been a case of all change, with the old management leaving and the arrival of the ‘Sammy’s Bistro’ team. On the menu: a few classics such as Boeuf Bourguignon and a few handmade pasta dishes and wood-fired pizzas. Reports please!

A period piece from 1964, this Pimlico institution has barely changed since the Swinging Sixties, when the Beatles, the Mamas & Papas and Julie Christie all ate here. The original wood panelling is still in place, along with the signature dish from Day One – fillet steak with a caramelised mustard and brown sugar crust. Founder Jeremy Friend, now 90, still lives just down the road and pops in several times a week – as do politicos from nearby Westminster, who sit downstairs where they can’t be overheard. Top Tip – the mark-ups on wine (including half bottles) is generous.

2022 Review: The World’s End – a huge Grade II listed late-Victorian gin palace that’s long been a landmark of the more distant stretches of Chelsea’s King’s Road – offers an ‘immersive’ experience nowadays, comprising basement ‘Bletchley’ Bar (1940s vibe), top-floor Chelsea Black Martini bar and a ground-floor restaurant. Initially branding as ‘Journey’ was replaced with ‘Jolie’ mid-lockdowns in autumn 2020 – a ‘salon’ serving French-inspired sharing plates and with bottomless brunch a big feature.

2022 Review: “Excellent value, especially set meals” (at what feels like 1980s prices) mean this age old Italian greasy spoon in Chelsea has a wider constituency than you might imagine.

“Any food stall here will satisfy” in the dedicated street-food zone that has taken over the old car park at Borough Market, which is invariably “busy” at lunchtimes. The competition between stalls means the quality is high – it’s “streets ahead” of similar markets elsewhere [geddit?].

“A must for weekend brunch” in the summertime if you have a taste for people-watching – this prominently situated venue, just off the King’s Road, occupies a dramatic modern pavilion with a large outdoor terrace on Chelsea’s Duke of York Square. Taking its name from the Romany travelling wagon, it is part of the Caravan chain, whose menu of global hit dishes it shares (edamame, salt and pepper squid, sourdough pizza, caesar salad, schnitzel, tiramisu and so on).

In the traditional heart of posh Chelsea, this Sloaney backstreet boozer is nowadays part of Butcombe Inns, whose four siblings in the capital likewise occupy nice properties in expensive postcodes. With its small garden and cute dining room with retractable roof, it wins solid ratings but nothing like the attention it once enjoyed, and is primarily recommendable as a relatively affordable fallback in this pricey bit of town.

2024 Review: “A unique experience!” – “For a dinner with a twist, sit ‘outside’ within Borough Market and enjoy a set menu with wine pairing” at Tomas Lidakevicius’s offbeat venture, attached to a greengrocer’s stall. “You’ve no need to choose anything and everything is good”: “the lovely setting helps for sure, but the great food from a tasting menu with seasonal veg as its centrepiece speaks for itself”. “Loved it!”.

“The South African wine selection can’t be beaten” at these steak-and-wine-bar fixtures on the edge of the City (Faringdon and London Bridge) – each with a wine cave and ‘walk-in cheese room’ showcasing British artisan cheeses. They pull in a crowd – “we could hardly hear each other!” – but also attract the odd complaint of “average food at huge prices (£100 per head was way over the top for a very dull meal)”.

2022 Review: A ‘botanical, waterside Garden of Eden’ – according to the Canary Wharf PR team – this foliage-filled street food market (with siblings including Pergola Padington, The Prince Earl’s Court and Lost in Brixton) opened on the Crossrail Place roof garden in May 2021 (on a site that was formerly E14’s Giant Robot). A roster of street-food stars inhabit a space that’s a little slicker than its siblings, but there’s also an in-house food offering and three bars.