Chinatown, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“A really special experience for serious foodies” – Layo & Zoë Paskin’s (also of Barbary and Palomar fame) intimate 12-seater is part of a period Chinatown pub, where they have created different venues on each level. Here in the former beer cellar, “the only option is the kitchen counter, so you are right in on the action” and the creation of “superbly executed cuisine” from a small team, which is now headed by Seamus Sam, former head chef at Tom Aiken’s Muse, whose August 2024 arrival post-dated our diners’ poll. Feedback volume and ratings have slipped marginally since Luke Selby left for Le Manoir at the end of 2022. The most critical report? “A perfectly competent meal, served in an appropriately reverential atmosphere, albeit a cramped and uncomfortable setting (but then places of worship often are) by suitably devout believers and not cheap”. But perhaps there will now be an uptick under the new chef? Top Tip – a variety of drink pairings range from ‘Firm Favourites’ to ‘No & Low’ (a mixture of alcohol-free and low ABV wines).

Irish Wexford Tomahawk… Hereford Fillet Chateaubriand… Argentinian Ribeye… USDA prime fillet – the high quality of the steaks are a point of pride for Simon Thomas who owns London’s biggest and busiest casino, where the restaurant occupies an interesting space converted from the old circle of the former Hippodrome Theatre. NB under 25s must have ID. Top Tip – superb pre-theatre deal at £24 for two courses.

“Tiny, but perfect in every other way” – “you couldn’t ask for better bistro food” than that produced by Neil Borthwick (Angela Hartnett’s husband) at this quirky dining room, where “simple dishes are realised with flair” and with “big, big flavours”. “Downstairs is a throwback to Soho boozers of yesteryear, you head upstairs to eat” – the room where General de Gaulle composed some of his speeches during WWII. “With six or seven small tables, it’s a rustic and cosy room, complete with very friendly and entertaining service, a humble and charming chef, and a feel of spit-and-sawdust, it’s the perfect spot for a cosy Soho supper”. Top Menu Tip – “the crisp bacon jowl will live long in the memory… and even longer on the hips!”

“Hidden away in Soho”, this surprisingly “calm” hotel restaurant in a quiet courtyard just minutes from Piccadilly Circus is “a great place to take a visitor” to escape the hustle of the surrounding streets. “Efficient service” and a “high-ceilinged dining room” make it a decent option for a working lunch, pre-theatre dining or post-work drinks, although foodwise it’s a question of “pleasant comfort food”. Top Tip – recommended for afternoon tea.

Despite its cosy and historic charm, it’s tempting to omit this cosy Soho landmark which dates from 1867. It once was a major West End destination, and still has a gorgeous Champagne bar, but Soho House (owners since 2016) seem to have been mostly interested in converting its upstairs event spaces into 33 bedrooms, leaving the downstairs dining room run to be run in partnership with a North London pub (The Clarence Tavern x Kettner’s): “the food is average but it has a nice setting”.

“Helping reclaim the West End with proper food!” – Jack Croft, Will Murray & James Robson’s four-year-old venture progressed via pop-ups (including a year on Heddon Street) to occupy this big site with an open kitchen at the south of the Haymarket. “It’s a lovely, buzzing environment” in which to enjoy some “beautiful” modern British food: a mix of bold small plates and larger dishes with a focus on sustainability. “They’ve hit on a winning formula for breakfast” too. Top Menu Tip – “Braised Dairy Ribs are massive chunks of love and the crab with ponzu snapped crackled and popped as much as anything ever eaten”.

“Pre or post-theatre, very much a favourite over many years” – this elegant seafood bar was added adjacent to the main restaurant fifteen years ago, and its more laid-back style means it’s tailor-made for a luxurious bite and glass of fizz. That said, it’s become “quite pricey” over time, and doesn’t have quite the dazzling golden glow of yesteryear.

“A tiny Soho wine bar”, with an ever-changing array of biodynamic wines and selection of vinyl for you to choose from. Launched in 2011, it doesn’t attract the volume of feedback it once did, but can still produce “sensational small plates of seasonal European cuisine”.

“Wine is the star attraction in this luxurious hidden basement in Soho”, with a “lengthy, well-thought-out list” from master sommeliers Gearoid Devaney & Xavier Rousset (who founded it as Trade, a club for industry insiders). “The light bites are not to be ignored”, which “make this one of the better options for quiet drinks in the centre of town” – and late opening is another feature.

2021 Review: In the heart of the West End, this decidedly glam yearling scored better in our survey than the mixed rep it received in press reviews. The first UK outpost of a 30-strong international chain hailing from India and the Gulf, its repertoire of tapas-y offerings are very much of the funky, evolved school of Indian cuisine, and reporters salivate over “an amazing choice of inventive dishes” that are “far better than you would expect” in this touristy locale.

“The fine rooftop setting” with “charming views over to Trafalgar Square” (and Big Ben off in the distance) help lend a “special” sense of occasion to this well-known destination that can otherwise seem a tad “Spartan” and “echoey”. “After the National Portrait Gallery’s stunning makeover, it reopened”, overseen by Richard Corrigan in July 2023. Chef Corrigan’s involvement keeps the menu focused on the British Isles and “though the food isn’t wildly ambitious, you can taste everything: it’s a masterclass in the clarity of its flavours”. At least, that’s what its biggest fans think – a number of sceptics say it’s “not cheap” and “nothing memorable, but pleasant nonetheless”. Top Menu Tips – “Oysters, Sea bass in hollandaise with greens and the creamiest mash imaginable; finally, Chocolate fondant plated prettily with raspberries and teeny madeleines. Yom!”

“The magic has gone” for many critics of this Theatreland icon whose ‘chainification’ under Richard Caring (who put the Ivy group he created up for sale for £1bn in January 2024) has reduced this original site to “living on its past celebrity status”: “everything is slightly better than at the café and brasserie spin-offs found in humdrum regional shopping centres and other backwaters… but not much”. It’s certainly “a lot easier to book than it used to be” – the A-listers are long gone and “the clientele seems less highbrow, with more sportswear and baseball caps”. But – to be fair – its ratings are middling, not terrible; and many diners feel that “while not as special as it once was, we still enjoy it”. Though more “corporate” in atmosphere, it still has a “beautiful interior”; service is “a little bit patchy” at times, but mostly gets it right; and the menu of “British classics with a smattering of Continental and Asian dishes” – never the prime attraction – is “acceptable”. Top Tip – “Can’t go wrong for a business lunch” that’s “reliable if nothing special”.

“Clubby and crowded, but with an endearing Soho atmosphere nonetheless” – this retro all-day brasserie in a boutique hotel is “a go-to place” as a “fun” and stylish haunt… so long as you don’t mind it being “full of annoying Soho House types (I would use a stronger word, but it probably includes me!)”. It “won’t win any awards for the food” – which is at the comfort end of the spectrum, with “mince and tatties always on”.

“This farm-to-table bistro” from the Gladwin Brothers is celebrating five years in Soho and mostly receives a good rep, for its “delicious and local” cuisine and “friendly” approach. It’s not entirely consistent though – even those who laud “admirable sustainable credentials and well-intended cuisine” can say “it does not quite hit a notable standard”.

“It always feels special” to visit the Hart Bros’ ‘Grande Dame of Dean Street’ (est. 1926 in a historic building, where Karl Marx started to pen ‘Das Kapital’) – a cosseting haven of “warm and friendly” hospitality with “lovely decor”; and “for somewhere this clubby-feeling in the centre of town, it doesn’t break the bank”. Jeremy Lee’s “monthly changing seasonal menu is a delight” – contemporary but with a slightly retro British vibe (and “it‘s always exciting to see what the pie of the day is”); thoughtful wine selection too – “some fair-priced reds” in particular. (At least that’s the story painted in the vast majority of reports: ratings would be even higher were they not capped by a small but noticeable minority who found the performance this year “disappointing on a couple of occasions”; or “tired”). Top Menu Tips – “the smoked eel sandwich is so good it manages to live up to its reputation!”. And “pie of the day is unmissable”, “with wonderfully thin, crisp, buttery pastry”.

“Scrumptious food, Soho ambience: a winner!” – Cameron Emirali and Luke Wilson’s “intimate” fixture has won renown above its size and inspires feedback from diners living all over London. The food from the open kitchen “is amazing and interesting” and “it’s a place to come back to” (“I’ve eaten at 10 Greek 20+ times, I’ve never had one bad mouthful of food”). Top Tip – ask for their ‘Little Black Book’ of ‘rarer wine gems’.

“Stylish, friendly and with inspired cooking” – that’s the most favourable take on Anthony Demetre’s rather grand hotel dining room off Trafalgar Square, with its parquet floor and banquettes running down each wall. (It’s not to be confused with the ‘Wild Honey’ he ran in Mayfair for many years). The cooking is modern British in style and even more reserved reports acknowledge it’s “perfectly sound”. It’s also to be found in an area where value is thin on the ground: “in fairness, where else are you going to get such a good meal at this price in SW1 for goodness sake?”

“The perfect place to eavesdrop and/or bring a lover… it just screams (murmurs?) romantique!” – this “legendary Soho institution” has navigated the sad loss of its owner and founder in September 2022, and remains one of the Top-20 most commented-on destinations in our annual diners’ poll. Set in a “super-cosy”, Dickensian townhouse, its effortless charm bewitches all of the many who comment on it; and “long may its handwritten menus, its candles in bottles on the table, its tiny tables in the wood-panelled room and charming service continue”. “The range and quality of their legendary wine list at exceptional prices for London is the main gastronomic attraction, but their modern British food is pretty good too”: “never fussy, but always very well done and incredibly tasty”. “The church pew seating can get uncomfortable over a long sitting… nothing that another bottle of wine won’t solve!”. “I was worried it would decline after Andrew passed away, but the staff are doing his memory true service, continuing the Edmunds tradition of real hospitality: it is better than ever!”

“Wow factor = 10/10 – it’s an incredible experience”. This chef’s table and development kitchen in a Soho alleyway is “the place to go for a taste of Simon Rogan’s excellent and inventive cuisine” and does justice to the renown of his renowned Michelin three star HQ, L’Enclume, far away in the Lake District. “The decor was improved” in 2023 and you are served at a curved counter with 12 seats. Service is “very friendly” and you eat from a tasting menu designed by executive chef Oli Marlow and head chef Charlie Tayler for £185 per person, with much of the produce sourced from ‘Our Farm’ – Simon’s business in the lakes. Practically all reports rate the culinary results as “exceptional”.