The 25 most essential dishes to eat in London, according to the New York Times

You could eat at a different restaurant in London every day and still barely scratch the surface of all the brilliant dishes being concocted by its best chefs. So, narrowing them down to just 25 is no easy task. But recently the New York Times has been up for the challenge. 

The paper’s T Magazine asked six London-based chefs to put their heads together and compile a list of the most delicious and most memorable dishes in London right now. Each chef – including Chishuru’s Adejoké Bakare, Café Cecilia’s Max Rocha and Rambutan’s Cynthia Shanmugalingam – nominated 10 plates that they thought worthy of inclusion and then fought their case in a friendly discussion back in June. The only rule was that none of the panelists’ own dishes could appear on the final list.

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The NYT said: ‘[The participants] all love London, and each has gotten to know its dining rooms as well as its kitchens over the years, working long hours but also eating late-night meals at nearby spots after shifts and trading industry gossip about the best place to find this or that delicacy. 

‘This list is, of course, highly subjective, but it nonetheless reflects the richness of the city’s ever-broadening culinary scene.’

The final list features entries from a load of Time Out favourites. Miga, our number one restaurant for 2025, made the cut for its hwe muchin – a plate of raw fish (normally sea bream, turbot and tuna or salmon) and baby greens salad dressed in a gochujang-based emulsion. Panellist Jeremy Lee (of Quo Vadis) called it ‘unbelievably delicious’. 

FKABAM’s ‘visually striking’ and ‘flavour-forward’ squid ink and smoked cod’s roe flatbread got a mention, as did signature stir-fried clams at the newly opened Singburi 2.0 in Shoreditch (pictured above). Bathed in browned garlic, basil and house-made nam prik pao, the clams were nominated by Shanmugalingam for being ‘light, fragrant, fiery and delicious’. 

Of course, no roundup of London’s most essential meals would be complete without a full English breakfast. NYT’s expert panel agreed that the mighty fry-up at the beloved East End institution E.Pellici was worthy of a place on the list. Claire Ptak, owner of Dalston’s Violet Cakes, added: ‘If, like me, you’re not a breakfast person, the lasagna is also amazing.’

London’s 25 essential dishes, according to the New York Times 

1. The Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad at St. John
2. The Chocolate Nemesis at the River Cafe
3. The Clams at Singburi
4. The Cantabrian Anchovies and Rosemary Oil at Brawn
5. The Rava Masala Dosa at Saravanaa Bhavan
6. The Clay Pot Baked Glass Noodles With Tamworth Belly and Brown Crab Meat at Kiln
7. The Soft Serve at Soft & Swirly
8. The Bife Ana Rump Steak Sandwich at the Eagle Farringdon
9. The Hwe Muchim at Miga
10. The Crispy Garlic Chilli Beans at Hunan
11. The Ezme at Umut 2000
12. The Egg Mayonnaise at Café Deco
13. The English Breakfast Udon at Koya Soho
14. The Classic Set at E. Pellicci
15. The Tomato Fritters and Aioli at 40 Maltby Street
16. The Crème Caramel at Bouchon Racine
17. The Pan-Fried Duck and Chestnut Buns at Dim Sum Duck
18. The Bifana at Quality Wines
19. The Jollof Rice at Tasty African Food
20. The Squid Ink and Smoked Cod’s Roe Flatbread at F.K.A.B.A.M
21. The Roast Pork Sunday Lunch at the Camberwell Arms
22. The Tinda Masala at Tayyabs
23. The Black Pain Perdu at Sollip
24. The Trout Rillettes, Elderflower and Linseed at Planque
25. The Rigatoni Con La Pajata at Polentina

Find T Magazine’s full list here.

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