Restaurants

  • London's top 50 restaurants

  • By Time Out Food & Drink editors


  • Indian | Oriental | Italian | Cheap eats | British | Vegetarian | Gastropubs | Best service | Best to impress | Best for grazing

    Best cheap eats

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    Albion

    Food For Thought
    The vegetarian food here is immensely satisfying, with wonderfully fresh produce pepped up with splashes of inspiration. The menu, which usually features a daily soup, quiche/tart, casserole or moussaka, draws in flavours from around the globe. From Jamaican curry to a Roman-style vegetable stew, it’s all good, and served in generous portions. Don’t forget to try their its ‘scrunches’ – raspberry or strawberry depending on the season – cream, fresh fruit and crunchy oats.
    When to go When you don’t mind the crush for a great value feed.
    What to have The hot stews and curries are perfect for the season, packed with flavoursome veg (such as juicy aubergines and parsnips).
    Food For Thought, 31 Neal St, WC2H 9PR (7836 9072). Covent Garden tube.

    Baozi Inn
    Chinese food in Chinatown very rarely goes beyond classic Cantonese cooking, but Baozi Inn (from the creators of Bar Shu, currently closed for refurbishment until April 2009) breaks the mould by serving the traditional street foods of Sichuan and Beijing. From the former, you can try spicy beef noodles with sharp red chilli oil or classic dan dan mian; from the latter, zhajiang mian (minced pork noodles) or the ubiquitous baozi (steamed buns) that are so popular in northern China.
    When to go For lunch on the cheap.
    What to have Slippery, al dente ‘dragon’ wontons in a flavoursome broth of your choice – spicy ‘red oil’, or clear and savoury.
    Baozi Inn, 25 Newport Court, WC2H 7JS (7287 6877). Leicester Square tube. Feature continues

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    Albion
    Terence Conran still has the magic touch, it would seem. His latest endeavour ‘The Boundary Project’ includes a caff (Albion), food shop and bakery, smart dining room (The Boundary) – and a hotel and rooftop bar ’n’ grill to open later in the year. It’s Team GB all the way at Albion, with well-priced, straightforward and nostalgia-tinged British food. The menu covers the expected fry-ups and nostalgia puds (apple crumble and custard), yet the cooking is suprisingly refined. The setting is as comforting as the food, with perky service to match.
    When to go when you need some something soothing to line your stomach.
    What to have Whatever calls to you – pies, puddings, a massive bacon sarnie.
    Albion, 2-4 Boundary St, E2 7JE (7729 1051/www.albioncaff.co.uk). Liverpool St tube/rail or bus 8, 26, 48.

    Mangal Ocakbasi
    Mangal was the first Turkish ocakbasi barbecue in London, and its success sparked a wave of imitators in Dalston and across London. It is still as unpretentious and unreconstructed as it ever was, and owes its success not to the occasionally gruff service, the terrible noise from the grill’s extraction chimney or the cramped interior, but to to the quality of its barbecued meats, which are sublime.
    When to go Cold evenings.
    What to have Grilled meats.
    Mangal Ocakbasi, 10 Arcola St, E8 2DJ (7275 8981/www.mangal1.com). Dalston Kingsland rail. Unlicensed.

    Song Que
    The freshness and vibrancy of Vietnamese cooking is a revelation, and a kitchen as authentic as Song Que’s is a real asset in London’s culinary landscape. Decor-wise, it’s nothing to harp on about – paper tablecloths and cheap furniture hulked together in a large, thankfully high-ceilinged room – leaving room for us to wax lyrical about the even higher standards of cooking. Song Que, while excelling in plenty of Vietnamese staples – fresh summer rolls bursting with vermicelli and herbs, garlicky stir-fried morning glory – they’re best known for the clear, flavoursome broth in their signature pho, a humble rice noodle soup. A favourite among connoisseurs is the version with rare sliced steak and a rich meaty broth; the balanced flavours come together with fresh herbs (sawtooth, sweet basil), lemon juice and chillies.
    When to go If you want something satisfying on a budget, or are looking for something to nurse that hangover on a cold night.
    What to have The pho is obligatory; supplement it with dish of chargrilled beef wrapped in betel leaves (bo la lot).
    Song Que, 134 Kingsland Rd, E2 8DY (7613 3222). Old St tube/rail.

    Cah Chi
    The original Cah Chi in Raynes Park has long been one of our favourite Korean restaurants; this new branch has a different vibe, but it has the advantage of being slightly closer to central London. You won’t find watered-down Korean food – all the dishes we’ve tried here have been confidently rendered with no compromise on flavour. Crisp pa jeon (a sort of pancake) filled with fresh seafood and spring onions, or strips of raw beef sizzling in a stone bowl (dolsot) with rice, pickles and vegetables, being just two of many great examples.
    When to go For Korean food without the clichéd barbecue-side theatrics.
    What to have Fill up on the panchan (small side dishes) and move swiftly onto the grilled marinated meats.
    Cah Chi, 394 Garratt Lane, SW18 4HP (8946 8811/www.cahchi.com). Earlsfield rail.

    Rosa's
    If we had to make a comparison, Rosa’s would be Busaba Eathai’s homelier, cuter cousin – the pink and red decor with childlike stools for perching, communal tables and gentle lighting offers up the right mix of cosiness and charm. The food, while more home-style than Busaba’s, reaches similar heights with a hearty mix of familiar Thai dishes (pad Thai, stir-fries, curries), done consistently well with fresh ingredients. There’s supreme care given to cooking meats perfectly, seen in a faultless starter of satays and a succulent dish of lamb cutlets in aromatic yellow curry. The service is friendly but unintrusive.
    When to go Sundays, either to fuel up before or after perusing the Brick Lane markets.
    What to have Succulent lamb satay, and a properly fiery som tam (green papaya salad).
    Rosa’s, 12 Hanbury St, E1 6QR (7247 1093/www.rosaslondon.com). Liverpool St tube/rail.

    Nauroz
    The Pakistani family behind Nauroz has been moving around the London suburbs for nearly two decades. They set up a stunning karahi restaurant, make it hugely successful, then sell it and move on. You can currently catch them near Harrow, where the cooking is robust and focuses on earthy fried-onion masalas, tandoori kebabs, and top-notch breads. Robustly spiced deighi gosht (on-the-bone lamb chunks simmered in a silken masala of browned onions with cardamom) is an outstanding rendition of this homely dish. This place is just a caff really, so it’s not fancy, but it is usefully BYO.
    When to go When fate takes you near Harrow.
    What to have Meat or veg, and order a lassi to quench the heat.
    Nauroz, 219 Field End Rd, Eastcote, Middx, HA5 1QZ (8868 0900). Eastcote tube.

    The Clerkenwell Kitchen
    This fantastic eatery deserves all the praise it gets – not only does the owner Emma Miles, boast commendable culinary provenance (Miles used to work for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage restaurant), they do their darndest to make the Kitchen as sustainable as possible. Nearly all produce is sourced from within the UK, which goes towards the daily-changing, seasonal creations that have us coming back for more.
    When to go If your carbon footprint is playing on your mind.
    What to have The vegetarian dishes are a delight – especially the tortillas.
    The Clerkenwell Kitchen, 27-31 Clerkenwell Close, EC1R 0AT (7101 9959/www.theclerkenwellkitchen.co.uk). Angel tube or Farringdon tube/rail.

    Indian | Oriental | Italian | Cheap eats | British | Vegetarian | Gastropubs | Best service | Best to impress | Best for grazing

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37 comments

  1. Posted by Well, this is my answer to that seemingly impertinent question. , on 23 Oct 2009 11:21

    Well, this is my answer to that seemingly impertinent question. ,

  2. Posted by Raja on 22 Oct 2009 23:36

    Real Karahi Food - Hot Red Chillies in Eastcote all the way

  3. Posted by ruhel rouf on 28 Sep 2009 01:15

    the best turkish and meze to be found is i Olives and Figs restauarant in a small alley way in Spitalfields.I found the food is great value for money. Bring your own booze near Liverpool Street is just amazing. I am surprised there is no mention of the place.

  4. Posted by curryking on 02 Aug 2009 19:25

    ??? no mention of Tayyab's? the most popular restaurant with the pakistani and bangladeshi community in London - always huge queues for a tabel - and unbeatable home cooked - on Fieldgate street

  5. Posted by Great real pub... on 21 Jul 2009 16:19

    The Prince of Wales in Putney, is a hidden gem when it comes
    down to Gastropubs. I go there regularly with my partner or friends and we travel over the water from fulham to eat/drink there. I really rate this place.. Has anyone been there?

  6. Posted by grace jones on 21 Jun 2009 14:37

    this website rocks

  7. Posted by Will of London on 15 May 2009 16:16

    It is one thing to debate about suitability of omnivorous critics reviewing vegetarian cuisine. I do feel that one may find such a standpoint to be a 'slippery slope' argument – surely such logic would conclude that only vegetarians would be competent to review veg meals, and one might similarly go on to argue that as the subtle differences between different Moroccan herbs may be lost to those unaccustomed (i.e. foreign), only native Moroccan food eating people (note: this is irrelevant of their race/colour, such a category only concerns that one's 'home food' is Moroccan) should be deemed truly competent to review Moroccan food, and so on. What I believe (and correct me if I’m wrong) to be the fallacy here is that the herbivores amongst us must remember that the meat eaters go vegetarian quite often (porcini risotto with truffle shavings anyone?) and it is only suitable that critics represent the mainstream. Like it or not, even for dishes which do not contain meat, the omnivorous palette IS the mainstream and therefore justifies an omnivorous critic. In any case, I accept that this itself is a contentious line of reasoning and do believe debate on this topic may not necessarily be unhealthy.
    It is, however, a completely different animal (pardon the pun - I couldn’t resist) to talk about ‘the harmful effects to the environment’ eating meat indirectly causes, and I suspect I am not alone in being quite irritated by the veggies’ pretentiousness in the matter. Sure, cattle may consume part of the Earth’s resources. But are you suggesting that we cull all cattle and livestock in order to ensure that there are more resources left for humankind? Or is your proposed solution to let them all go back into the wilderness? For surely, they will consume as much resources in the wild. Why stop at livestock anyway? Why not start terminating humans whom you deem unfit and a waste of Earth’s resources? For surely, humankind as a species uses up the Earth’s resources the most – makes more sense to address the real issue at hand. Yes, I am being sarcastic. All I’m trying to say is- since when did preferring broccoli to beef suddenly make you guys rulers of the universe?
    Let’s also not forget that there are a million ways in which veggies themselves can help reduce the burden to mother nature that they themselves are causing. Recycle more. Invest and donate into research for renewable resources. Cycle around, don’t drive. Watch your carbon footprint. Instead of acting like you are the saints of this world simply because of your dietary preferences, get off your high horse, and if you care about the environment so much, go do something about it. Otherwise, the L.s and S.s, and Tommos – you really are just full of organic fertiliser.

  8. Posted by For Michael on 08 May 2009 14:25

    Michael,
    Buy the Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide. There is a section on Haute Cuisine. Just be aware in London that there are some expensive restaurants that don't have very good food and some cheap ones that have very good food. Also try the red star recommendations in each section, you can tell by the average pricing which are the more expensive/ "exclusive". (Note Hakkasan is expensive & has very good food) but is far from exclusive (as it is basically a canteen style restaurant with a beautiful interior).

  9. Posted by Michael Fenton on 06 May 2009 19:12

    Could someone out there please tell me where I could get a copy of a guide/brochure of the best restaurants in London eg Simpson the Strand, Rules, La Gavote, Connaught Hotel,Gay Hussar etc.
    In a nut shell - expensive, exclusive, up market!

  10. Posted by Matt on 23 Apr 2009 04:40

    Vegetarian/Vegans out there do not seem to understand that the majority of people in London are not vegetarian. Hence restaurant numbers in the review are weighted towards those catering to omnivorous diets.

  11. Posted by Tracey Z. on 10 Mar 2009 00:52

    We recently went to Amaya during our first visit to London and had an unforgettable meal. It was one of the highlights of our trip.

  12. Posted by Tommo on 06 Mar 2009 13:46

    M.moss - your argument falls over at the first hurdle!!! If you object so much to the resources it takes to produce wheat, you'll be comforted to know that 70% of grain and cereals grown in the US are fed to animals reared for the meat industry. It takes 16 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of meat. According to Compassion in World Farming, about 20% of the world's population could be fed with the grain and soybeans fed to US cattle alone!! On top of this, a 2006 United Nations report summarised the devastation caused by the meat industry by calling it "one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." Need I say more?!

  13. Posted by pooperscooper on 03 Mar 2009 13:56

    i used to live in Snaresbrook, England and The Carvery was a great resturaunt!

  14. Posted by taylor on 18 Feb 2009 11:22

    it really bothers me the way that ciprianni, zuma, nobu, jaks ( the most amazing well priced food i have ever had in my life on walton street) are not mentioned. I should be a bloody critic

  15. Posted by jackerypie on 16 Feb 2009 02:05

    Hey, i think the following places are worth a shout for ultra cheap eats...all up the west end
    Bodean's, best burgers in town from 5quid with chips.....
    Indian YMCA...unfussy authentic indian food, curries from 3quid...
    Rasa,,,,South Indian food....there lunch box menu is really amazin
    Icco....pizza from 3.50.and they are actually really nice...much better than pizzahut....though that wouldnt be hard
    Italia Uno(charlotte st)amazin meatballs with rice for

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