Oxshott, Fish & Seafood Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: An “incredible selection of fresh fish” from its in-house fishmonger, Jarvis, next door is the draw to this offshoot of a Borough Market stalwart of two decades standing. “Everything can be grilled for you to order” – and there are “very good specials”.

This “friendly family bistro serving classic” Breton galettes, seafood and cider has been a fixture near Richmond Bridge for 35 years, and is for many local reporters “a go-to restaurant for lunch or dinner” – whether at one of the “far tables which overlook the Thames” or in the “private room upstairs, ideal for parties”. In early 2023 founder Lindsay Wotton put the business up for sale so she could retire.

A “lovely location on the river” with “vistas over the Thames” is an uncontested attraction of the London outpost of the famous TV chef, near Barnes Bridge. It’s not a huge advertisement for choosing a place according to the celebrity name over the door, as results are “hit and miss” to the extent that many diners view it as “consistently disappointing”, “especially given the elevated prices”.

2021 Review: Helping make Tooting’s Broadway Market a foodie destination, this “very affordable” three-year-old seafood specialist wins praise for its “fabulous food, great service and big smiles”. The “really inventive” approach extends to drinks, which include an “amazing gin cocktail” flavoured with oysters. Antiques trade veteran Jimmy Luttman is an “excellent” host.

“BBQ, live music, decent cocktails and craft beer” channel the spirit of the American South at this “buzzy”, long-running spot in Chelsea and its more recent spin-offs in Covent Garden and Canary Wharf. The food is “more about quantity than quality”, although the “great-value lunch deals” are popular: “£10 meat taster is unbeatable”.

“A wonderful display of fresh fish on ice” (“including the biggest scallops with the coral attached”) greets diners arriving at this “unique Italian” in a quiet corner of Kensington, whose “cooking is precise with a light touch”.

“Crowded… slightly crazy-busy… top oysters supported by a changing menu of fish and crustacea” – that’s the package at this trio of “busy” bistros in Borough Market, Battersea Power Station and South Kensington. “You come here for the seafood, not to be fawned over. The decor’s a little rough and ready but the food’s so fresh and delicious”.

This Chelsea four-year-old (by Chelsea Green) with an Alpine-themed interior is from a duo involved in Beast and Burger & Lobster; and offers a raw bar along with prime cuts of steak and fish from the grill, sold per 100g – all of which attracts little commentary from reporters beyond the consistent complaint that it’s “way over-priced”. In September 2023, a new offshoot – Wild Notting Hill – will open on the site that was formerly 202 (RIP).

The “plateau de fruits de mer takes some beating” at Claude Bosi’s oyster bar, downstairs from his grand – and rather more expensive – flagship restaurant, in the foyer of Chelsea’s iconic Michelin building. (Some hot alternatives to the cold luxurious seafood bites were introduced a couple of years ago.)

“Crowded… slightly crazy-busy… top oysters supported by a changing menu of fish and crustacea” – that’s the package at this trio of “busy” bistros in Borough Market, Battersea Power Station and South Kensington. “You come here for the seafood, not to be fawned over. The decor’s a little rough and ready but the food’s so fresh and delicious”.

“Make sure you sit in the front garden” or the “nice covered terrace” to get the most out of this “lovely local”, not far from Notting Hill Gate. Despite the “fresh fish on display”, lots of regulars “only ever have pizza, which is very good indeed with lots of very fresh-tasting toppings”. “Nice gelato” too. And it’s “excellent value for the quality and area”.

“Incredible seafood in the most unique of settings” inspires outstanding feedback on chef Leandro Carreira and restaurateur Alex Hunter’s “amazing and inventive” 14-seater chef’s table experience under Haggerston railway arches, where the moodily-lit counter looks onto the gleaming open kitchen. A 12-course tasting menu involving every type of sustainable sea creature is presented at £150 per person. (Very good all-round ratings too for the original branch – a simpler and cheaper seafood bar in the bouji backstreets, off Sloane Street).

“The lobster noodles are as legendary as ever” – “best in the world!” – chorus a legion of fans for this 45-year-old Queensway institution that’s “tops for Chinese seafood in London”. It’s a “buzzy family restaurant” too, with “really lovely friendly staff”, even if it’s “a bit too brightly lit”.

“The lobster roll is just lovely” at this surf’n’turf-meets-burger chain, where you’ll find “plenty of very tasty grub”. “I was expecting to be disappointed, but the food was excellent”. A dozen years on from its launch, the group’s nine London venues tend to be “full of people done up for a big night out, taking lots of selfies for their Insta”.

2021 Review: Mussels, prawns, calamari and other seafood by the, er, bucket-load is the promise at this “lovely local” yearling on the Bayswater/Notting Hill border – a “comfortable” modern bistro with simple-but-effective decor, serving “a wide selection of very fresh fish and seafood” (in small metal pails) that’s “very good value”. Top Tip – oyster happy hour 4pm-7pm weekdays and 4pm-6pm on weekends, when oysters are £1 each with any bottle, jug, cocktail or bucket of beers.

“Reliable Sardinian shellfish and pasta” win consistent high marks for this seafood specialist in Mauro Sanno’s smart Belgravia group, which has been feeding well-heeled locals for 15 years. The pavement seating in the summer is a better bet than the sleek but stark modern interior.

One of London’s original gastropubs, Tom Conran’s Irish-themed “neighbourhood joint” in Bayswater still hits the spot after nearly 30 years. “Whoever is in the kitchen does a terrific job, as the food is delicious”. It “can be noisy with bigger parties” and “the upstairs dining room is only small” – but you can always eat in the main bar.

“They must have spent a fortune on the decor” of this “absolutely stunning” Richmond newcomer, with a “terrace overlooking the Thames”: Richard Caring’s first spin-off from Mayfair’s legendary Scott’s. But while everyone is sold on the “wonderful dining room with its riverside view”, views on the cuisine diverge. Fans say its luxurious seafood menu “has transferred very well” delivering “top-quality” Fruits de Mer, Lobster Bisque and other fishy delights. But its ratings in our annual diners’ poll are not nearly as strong as in W1. Firstly, there are numerous reservations about it being “totally overpriced”. Secondly, it can seem like a poor substitute (“I was excited to visit the newly opened Scott’s in Richmond, a great addition to the area, so I thought. But this version is nothing like the original, it is like an Ivy Café under another name”).

Mykonos, it is promised, will come to Knightsridge in autumn 2023, with the opening of this self-consciously glam newcomer – a spin-off from the celeb-filled Greek island original, which is jetting into the Harrods hinterland via Cannes and Dubai to create ‘a new dining concept with a relaxed neighbourhood atmosphere’. It’s on a site that was for decades Montpeliano, and – with its reservations-only (no walk-ins) policy – seems to be aiming to capture the same supercar-driving set as its predecessor did in its heyday. If the advance visuals are any guide, the bright interior will be rather gorgeous, in which to enjoy a sharing plates menu of Med-inspired surf ’n’ turf.

Within the gorgeous tiled space of Harrods Dining Hall, TV Tom’s seafood counter (as well as the National Dish, menu options include caviar, whole lobster, and seafood curry) is a favourite for the odd reporter, and no-one rates its food less than good. Even so it is sometimes rated as disappointing, due in large part to the Knightsbridge prices.