Bloomsbury, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“A small but perfectly crafted menu” from former Rochelle Canteen chef Anna Tobias wins admirers for her revamped greasy spoon in Bloomsbury, opened five years ago with help from the 40 Maltby Street team. “The ingredients are the star and the dishes sing – everything is so deliciously scrumptious”, say fans – “there’s no frill or nonsense here, just Flavour with a capital F”. There’s an undercurrent of feeling, though, that the prices charged might justify a little more pizzazz.

2023 Review: The “beautiful terrace” with its “attentive staff” at this very central hotel makes for an oasis of calm close to busy Oxford Street. Named in reference to Virginia Woolf, the queen bee of the Bloomsbury set, it has a “fun atmosphere”, and the heating and retractable roof make it ideal for afternoon tea throughout the year.

Wanting to eat in the wee hours? This stalwart chain has fed tolerable diner food 24/7 (VQ = Vingt Quatre, geddit?) to the denizens of the Fulham Road for as long as anyone can remember (before 1995 it was called ‘Up all Night’); and has a more recent outlet (unusually, licensed till 4am, though you must be eating) that’s more convenient if you are clubbing in the West End on the ground floor of a Bloomsbury hotel.

2022 Review: The former HQ of the Baptist Church provides the gracious quarters for this swish Holborn hotel, converted by design guru Jacques Garcia. Since Tony Fleming left in December 2019, the main food operation (formerly known as The Baptist at L’Oscar hotel) has shifted to this all-day ground-floor operation offering a more accessible, Parisian-café-style menu from breakfast through to dinner. Allan Pickett (former head chef at Orrery, and briefly chef-patron of Piquet) is the new head chef.

“If you love wine, come here!” – the original of Mark Andrew & Dan Keeling’s ten-year-old group “retains a particular (and distinctive) charm” and its “mammoth wine selection is an inspiration”, making it one of the Top-10 most commented-on venues in our annual diners’ poll. “The chalkboard of specials is always exciting… until you realise that the price is by the glass not the bottle! That said, even the cheapest options are worth drinking, the list is curated so lovingly” and there’s the “opportunity to experience some of those famous vintages” (if “at prices that climb to a level that can only be described as stratospheric”). The food also rates mention – “simple, classic dishes make up most of the menu” and are “fairly priced”; as does “the knowledge of the entire front of house team, which is exceptional”; and the “intimate” setting (a wine bar that was for decades ‘Vats’) is perfect for such a venue, if “a bit noisy and a bit cramped”. Top Menu Tip – “superb roast pheasant with trimmings: moist, tender flesh with a lovely gamey flavour”.

An “utterly charming gem” that stands out in Fitzrovia’s foodie Charlotte Street thanks to the “lovely, inventive Mediterranean-inspired food” provided by chef-patron Jun Tanaka. The “buzzy dining room” is among “the best in the area” – “relatively small with the casual feel of a neighbourhood restaurant” and “not at all stuffy for a Michelin star place”. Top Menu Tip – “the pain perdu is amazing”.

“Difficult to book for, but if one succeeds it’s fabulous… and what a choice of Champagnes!” – A good proportion of best meals of the year feature in reports on a meal at the 19-seat U-shaped counter whose performance in our annual diners’ poll lives up to its renown as one of London’s top culinary destinations. Star chef, James Knappett provides a carefully sourced and foraged seasonal menu for £195 per person, with the wines curated by his wife, wine expert Sandia Chang (who offers a £250-per-person Champagne pairing amongst the variety of choices). Complaints about the vertiginous pricing here have featured in past years, but were largely notable by their absence in the latest survey.

“Excellent tapas – in a pub!” ensures that this “lively gastroboozer”, easily overlooked in the backstreets of Bloomsbury near King’s Cross, does “a roaring trade, deservedly”. There’s “a decent selection of sherries as well as wines”, and a “relaxing, peaceful atmosphere for somewhere so central”. Top Menu Tips – “loved the marinated salmon and the Valencian carrots”.

“It’s always a pleasure to return” to this “dignified but unstuffy favourite” with the “lovely atmosphere of old Soho” – nowadays part of Dan Keeling & Mark Andrew’s all-conquering little clan, but for many decades previously adored as ‘The Gay Hussar’ (long RIP: famously a parlour of political and literary intrigues). “An excellent choice for lovers of the grape”, the “ridiculously comprehensive” wine list “will blow your mind!” But “the food is pretty good too” (“especially if you order the chicken with morels and vin jaune!”): “straightforward, largely Gallic dishes” which are served in the “tight, buzzy and intimate space” which takes in two floors of the building (and there is also “a nice private room for a party upstairs”). “The smaller space means the service is better and friendlier than its siblings”: the team is “helpful” and "super-knowledgeable" – “the only problem is deciding what to drink!”. It’s also “a pity that it’s so hard to book a table at a sensible time…”. Top Top – “the set menu lunch is unbeatable value”.

This dramatic dining room (a former banking hall with an astonishing 5-metre corniced ceiling) of an Ian Shrager-designed hotel north of Oxford Street provides a superb setting for Jason Atherton’s well-established Fitzrovia destination. It has fans for all occasions thanks to its accomplished brasserie cooking, but it’s for wowing clients that it’s most often nominated in our annual diners’ poll and “there are booths that are ideal for business discussions”.

“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”.

2023 Review: “The magnificent and historic, late-Victorian dining room makes for a truly stunning backdrop to any meal” at this “beautifully renovated” chamber: the main dining room of the monumental hotel (originally Hotel Russell) that dominates the north of Russell Square. Critics say the space is “the star of the show”, feeling that the cuisine from the newly installed Galvin Brothers regime “fails to live up to it”; but taken overall, ratings for its “menu of British grill favourites” are good. Top Tip – “a very good family Sunday lunch option”.

Brunch is an institution at this “good stalwart” in Fitzrovia – Adam White’s upbeat all-day operation – and also at its attractive younger siblings in Bloomsbury’s Brunswick Centre and Nova Victoria. The attraction in each case is the “quirky decor” and “fun” style – even fans concede “the food is fine without being outstanding”… “nice enough for the price”.

2024 Review: This historic Holborn tavern – dating from 1549, if rebuilt a century ago – deploys its wood-panelled Dickensian atmosphere to good effect, with appetising bites served in the bar and a more involved menu in the upstairs Oak Room, complete with dining booths and an open fireplace.

What a splash! – This big, throbbing, retro-futuristic Theatreland brasserie from chef Stevie Parle (Pistaio, Joy, Palatino, Sardine) opened too late for our annual diners’ poll, but was pronounced an easygoing West End hit by a chorus line of critics – “an instant classic”, Tom Parker Bowles of the Mail; “unmissable”, Grace Dent of the Guardian; “the new Wolseley”, David Ellis of the Standard; “I’ll go every day”, Giles Coren of The Times. The sleek decor, the beef from the organisation Wildfarmed and signature Kashmiri saffron risotto with marrow bones are all singled out for praise.

2022 Review: In late 2019, the team from well-known café, 26 Grains of Neal’s Yard, opened a big sister over the road from Borough Market. It’s a casual, tastefully decorated haunt serving simple food; and where at night, the vibe is less café, more wine bar. In late 2020, Tom Cenci (the ex Duck & Waffle head chef, whose own Loyal Tavern venture did not survive the pandemic) took over what has become an extended residency. The cooking (by him and one other chef) centres on sustainability, and less-used cuts of meat (particularly Irish beef).

“A popular chain with an interesting and varied international menu” – “V.G. value too” – these Kiwi-run cafés are “still seeing off all of the competition” for their many fans. In particular, they do a “great brunch, and they’re right to boast about their filter coffee” – and given the volume of feedback they generate, there is remarkably little negative criticism. Depending on the venue and the time of day, they work equally well for a “working lunch meeting” or “families out for the day visiting the sights”. Top Menu Tip – “the cornbread is to die for”.