Covent Garden , British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“Chic and cosy” Covent Garden townhouse with “very friendly staff” and a “nice short menu” of accomplished comfort food. “The set lunch” and early-evening menu is “very welcome for pre-theatre dining” – and means “you can afford to go regularly”. Like its Shepherd Market sibling Kitty Fisher’s, it takes its name from a historic courtesan with local connections.

Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan was – as of mid 2025 – rumoured to be on the verge of buying a £1 billion stake in Richard Caring’s restaurant empire, of which this famous brasserie chain is the crown jewel. Presumably, he’s more interested in ‘rolling out’ the brand in The Gulf and beyond rather than dropping by for a Salmon Fishcake and ‘Ivy Chocolate Bombe’, but if he’d asked the opinion of our annual diners’ poll, we’re not sure that he’d sign on the dotted line. “How can a restaurant with this heritage produce such uninspired, tick-box food?” is a question merited by its poor ratings, ditto what explains the “very slow and disinterested service”? The answer may be that “you don’t come here for the food, obviously” but for the “gorgeous” interior design and “picturesque” locations that continue to underpin their appeal. Let’s hope for the Sheikh’s sake that the middle classes of the Arab World are as undiscerning as those from the UK!

“Famous for being London’s top romantic dining spot with good reason” – this bewitching Covent Garden “haven” comes complete with an “exquisite” rear conservatory, with “a glass roof that opens in summer” and “the treat of a log fire in winter” – and “on the first floor you dine under a vibrant canopy of flowers”. By most accounts the European cuisine is “beautifully presented and tastes as good as it looks” too, although a slight slip in its ratings of late supports those who feel that “it’s more hit and miss since the pandemic”. No change in its “wonderful wine selection” however: “a surprisingly eclectic list of wines, alongside the bonus of an extensive cognac offering (and Armagnac dating back 70 years!”). “A must for a special celebration”.

This “calm and very comfortable” hotel mezzanine on the edge of Covent Garden is a useful place to know about in a busy area – providing a “very soothing experience, with fairly traditional cooking, good-quality ingredients and generally good service”. It also serves an “amazing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory afternoon tea”, in which “both savoury and sweet elements are first class”. Top Tip – “fully gluten- and lactose-free menu available”.

“Some tables afford a view of the Thames, while there is some real dining theatre” at the Savoy’s elegant dining room, whose history in the last 20 years has seen many re-treads under differing names (most recently Kaspar’s). Now back under its old moniker but run by Gordon Ramsay, it divides opinion, with some reporters feeling the “very solid” fish and seafood cooking is let down by a space “very much like a hotel breakfast room”, while others see a “very nice room” let down by “unimaginative food at fancy prices”… so a consensus of sorts! For a traditional, grand family meal or business – including breakfast – it has its fans; to others it’s just too uneventful at the five-star prices.

2024 Review: “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.

“Nothing like the classic Ivy of yesteryear” – the Theatreland icon used by Richard Caring as the pattern for his hugely lucrative knock-off chain gave a yet-more indifferent impression this year. That “it is not what it was” is ancient news, although there are still some devoted fans who declare it “a favourite”, citing its “always buzzing atmosphere” in particular and who still laud “delicious” posh-brasserie fare. “Once an icon, now a tourist trap” is now a more dominant theme in reports though, with reporters increasingly apt to find it “a disappointing flagship” that’s “no better than its suburban chain branches” with “low-end food and sloppy service”.

“Quiet culinary bravura paired with both genuine respect for food and wonderful staff, and all served in one of prettiest rooms in London” maintains a very high level of popularity for renowned Aussie chef, Skye Gyngell’s “very elegant” chamber – a big, airy, light-filled space in the distinguished surroundings of Somerset House, that “always brings a sense of occasion”. Often tipped for romance, there’s just one complaint – “it was all fine… except for the prices!”. Top Tip – “their scratch supper menu is one of the great bargains of all time… as well as being delicious!”

“A delightful setting, atop wonderful art and with seriously good food” – that’s the elevator pitch for this latest incarnation of the Royal Portrait Gallery’s top-floor dining room, taken over by star Irish chef, Richard Corrigan in 2023. Of course, it helps that it enjoys “utterly fabulous” viewpoints over Trafalgar Square from the NPG’s roof (“magnificent if you are fortunate enough to get a window table”) but its high standards “confound the belief that restaurants attached to cultural venues are always disappointing”; and are similarly way above the lazy standards of a typical ‘room with a view’. True, service can be “a bit intermittent”, but is for the most part highly rated for its “charming” approach, and delivers “predominantly British cuisine” (with some focus on “fresh fish”) that’s “precise and imaginative”. “Some soft furnishings or acoustic devices to help reduce the noise of happy diners!” would please some guests, but most reports applaud the “beautiful” interior. But there is a bit of a catch! While acknowledging all of the huge number of plusses, many enthusiastic reports are, even so, delivered slightly through gritted teeth due to the “sky-high” prices. (“There’s no doubting that Richard Corrigan has brought a touch of excitement and flair to the gallery. But at a price. Yes, the menu is imaginative, the cooking sound and the service as professional as you would expect. But the bill proved shockingly high for lunch with a modest drink.”)

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.

“It’s been going for very many years, has become far too busy and can get very cramped”… but that’s been a typical description of the capital’s oldest wine bar (est. 1890) near Embankment Tube for as long as anyone can remember. One casualty of popularity in recent times has been the hot food specials – it’s now just the cheeses, cold cuts, pâtés and salad selection, although they recently introduced meat and mezze sharing boards. The “great wine list” is the same pull it always was. Top Tip – try to visit in winter and arrive early for a table in the candle-lit cellar… but in summer they also have one of central London’s biggest, nicest outdoor terraces.

Overlooking Covent Garden’s piazza from the first floor of a Georgian townhouse, this modern British bistro is overseen by well-known chef Mark Greenaway. That it provides “decent value for WC2” makes it a useful amenity for feeding the family or pre-theatre. Critics find the menu “too pared back” or “somewhat pedestrian”, but all reports acknowledge that its fare is “all well-cooked”.

Two years into the former ‘Naked Chef’s comeback to the UK restaurant scene, reporters are split on the quality of his all-British menu – although the setting, inside the Theatre Royal in the heart of Covent Garden, is by general agreement a “welcoming” one. Its most ardent fans applaud the “really nice food cooked and presented perfectly” from a menu of undemanding classics (fish ’n’ chips, chicken & rabbit pie, burger, rib-eye, lemon sole…), but there are numerous critics who dismiss it as “expensive and poor quality… the venue’s nice, but that’s it”.

2023 Review: Styling itself as ‘Your new home in Covent Garden’ – this new all-day British brasserie in London’s Theatreland opened in spring 2022 (just before our survey) in the prominent and convenient site formerly occupied by Tredwell’s (RIP). In limited initial feedback, reports are of highs and lows – it seems safest to leave a rating till next year.

“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”.

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).

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.

“An undiscovered gem and a super place to take a date, with the best views of Trafalgar Square…”; so say early fans of this rooftop bar-restaurant in the Page 8 Hotel at St Martin’s Place (formerly Japanese restaurant Bisushima, RIP) which has a spectacular outlook. Too little feedback as yet to rate its modern British cuisine, which includes a pre-theatre set menu and lighter bites at the bar.

2023 Review: “A gourmet meal on a sightseeing bus in London” – might sound hellish but is surprisingly well-reviewed, including by some locals: “the food was tasty and it was a great experience!”