London Belsize Park Restaurant Guide

“Owner/front-of-house Giuseppe is Sicilian, chef Antonio is Sardinian, and the cuisine is a mix of the two” at this cute Primrose Hill corner-site, praised for its “fabulous cooking and charming service”. An impressive wine list explores biodynamic bottles from the two islands.

2021 Review: Now fully vegan, this 1968-vintage Primrose Hill outfit can claim to be Europe’s oldest veggie restaurant, and is still co-owned by musician Roger Swallow of the Albion Band, long-time resident in LA. The food has had its ups and downs over the decades and is nowadays mostly (if not uniformly) rated “enjoyable and tasty”, even by reporters “neither vegetarian nor vegan”. It closed for major refurbishments in summer 2019.

“Everyone seems to be a regular” at this “old and long-established Greek restaurant” – a large Primrose Hill landmark which is still “buzzing from morning till night”, as it has been for over three decades now. “The longstanding staff are very friendly” (but “service is not too good at busy times”). “You can always find something to eat on this long menu, but – though filling – it is very basic”.

This “fun and buzzy local restaurant” in Primrose Hill is especially a brunch favourite. The food menu is a bit “hit/miss”, but it wins particular shout-outs for its “good coffee” and “hard to beat salads”.

2021 Review: This “excellent local” bistro in Primrose Hill – “there should be one on every high street” – has a “good buzz” and does “a nice line in deconstructed versions of French classics”. The original La Petite Ferme near Exmouth Market is a “lovely little” venue “offering brilliant value”.

An “attractively presented dining room” is the setting for “excellent kosher food” at David Levin’s modern brasserie in Belsize Park. “Usually the culinary experience is firmly in the back seat at kosher restaurants, but not here”.

Simon & Jolanta Bradley’s “efficient” veteran of 30 years’ standing near Swiss Cottage station “never lets you down” and it’s a “great option if going to the Hampstead Theatre around the corner”. But while fans say “the quality of the food is such that it shouldn’t be only for pre-theatre”, there’s also a view that “it can feel rather soulless” as a destination in itself.

This “superb, cosy local” in Belsize Park now also has an offshoot that’s proving “a great addition to St John’s Wood”. The focus is on “interesting food cooked with fire” from chef-owner Jake Finn (ex-LPM and The Ritz), who takes inspiration from Mediterranean, Peru and Japan: “a sharing concept from a menu that’s not huge but with good variety and lots of veggie options”. Both sites provide “wonderful combinations, simply done”, with meat, fish and veggies that are “both charred and succulent”. “It’s not inexpensive, but great value given the quality of ingredients and cleverness of the cuisine”. Top Menu Tip – “whole sea bream, fennel, radish and fresh herbs is a standout”.

Modern Italian cuisine with Antipodean influences – including an impressive list of Australian and New Zealand wines – is to be found at this new venture in the heart of Belsize Park from Aussie founder and coffee entrepreneur Jeffrey Young, who is also behind the England’s Lane café next door. It opened in April 2023, too late to inspire survey feedback, but early online buzz suggests it’s worth giving it a go.

“Top pizza by the boys from Napoli!” – Carmelo Meli and Emanuele Tagliarina’s “small” venues offer “great pizzas” (it’s down to the San Marzano tomatoes and EVO oil apparently) and “a good atmosphere”. The original in SW3 is the highest rated, and W11 also wins numerous favourable reports. Also now in Hampstead (since 2022) and – new in mid-2023 – Soho.

2023 Review: This three-year-old neighbourhood Italian wins solid ratings for its modern cuisine and is a bright spark in Belsize Park’s fairly dim culinary constellation.