The best restaurants near Oxford Circus

A small ‘modern Filipino’ restaurant, Donia recreates the sweet and sour flavours of the Philippines using the best British produce, and very much delivers. Go for chicken offal skewers, prawn and pork dumplings with white crab, and the sharing plate of lobster ginataan with creamy coconut and pumpkin sauce.

Craving some pillowy Taiwanese buns near Oxford Circus? Then head down to the original Soho branch of Bao – a slick outfit that started out as a ‘gazebo with a coolbox’ before moving into the big time. The signature bao sees braised pork sprinkled with peanut powder, but also check out ‘small eats’ such trotter nuggets or smoky mapo aubergine with chi shiang rice.

Set in the basement of the Broadwick Soho hotel, this atmospheric restaurant is all crimson silk walls and Sicilian ceramic table tops. It’s pleasingly kitsch, flamboyant and fabulous, and food is of the Italian classics variety. Book a table at rooftop bar Flute for a sundowner aperitivo on the terrace or a raucous post-prandial tipple.

For edgy, exciting Thai food less than ten minutes from Oxford Circus, head to the ground floor of chef Ben Chapman’s Soho barnstormer, where a stainless-steel counter (for walk-ins only) gives terrific views of the theatrical open kitchen. Kiln’s stripped-back rustic dishes are mostly cooked on the chargrill or over coals in the ceramic charcoal burner – and the flavours are blindingly intense.

It’s all about roll-your-sleeves-up DIY at this branch of Kintan – a bargain-priced Japanese yakiniku restaurant in a basement off Oxford Circus. Smoky thick-ridged grills are built into each table (much like Korean BBQ) and the fully illustrated medley ranges from USDA kalbi short-rib to excellent pre-marinated spicy pork. Wipe-clean menus are splashed with red-sticker deals, while daily ‘happy hours’ just keep rolling on.

Small but lovely, this sibling of Mayfair’s Chisou offers the best of both worlds: it feels old school, but the music’s upbeat and the blowtorch-wielding chefs are from all nations. Fish fans drool over the modish carpaccios, the magnificently silky o-toro tuna and the market-fresh ‘omakase’ sushi sets – perfect if you’re looking for a Japanese lunchtime sweetener within walking distance of Oxford Circus.

It’s safe to say that Delamina will be loved by the West End ladies who lunch, although all are welcome at this ‘wholesome’ Middle Eastern/Med-accented restaurant on Marylebone Lane. Our advice? Ask for a street-level table (if you’re into people-watching), fill up on snacky small plates (deep-fried okra with tahini dip, chilli-spiked courgettes) and then skip straight to the smooth halva with date syrup.

On the fringes of Soho, this Berwick Street sizzler comes from the Salt Yard stable, but adds some smoky grills to its repertoire of Spanish and Italian small plates – get up close to the action by sitting near the glowing coals. We also reckon Ember Yard’s bar snacks are some of the best in the ’hood (try the smoked chorizo with saffron aïoli). Great cocktails too.

Chain chippies are two a penny around Oxford Circus, but it’s worth talking a walk towards Soho for a taste of the real thing. Golden Union looks determinedly old school, but its approach to beer-battered sustainable fish is forward-thinking for sure. Everything is perfectly cooked in a light, crispy casing with firm, fluffy chips on the side; also check out the pies and fishcakes – they’re homemade too.

You may have a wait on your hands at this swinging tribute to Bombay’s 1930s jazz age just off Carnaby – but you’ve just negotiated Oxford Circus, so this should be a cinch. Plus, you’ll be rewarded with a roster of commendable curries, cracking black dal and some of the best service in the capital. Stop by for brunch too – the bacon naan roll is a London legend.

If you’re looking for a casual Yotam Ottolenghi fix within striking distance of Oxford Circus, then warm, buzzy Rovi is your go-to destination. Their offering sizzles with bright ideas on small plates – from charred tropea onions with whipped feta and ‘green gazpacho’ to skewers of baby squid and lardo with red pepper and aïoli.

More wrapped-up bliss within striking distance of Oxford Circus, although Le Bab is a proper sit-down affair and its kebabs are decidedly posh. They’re also served ‘open’ and painstakingly arranged over thin, house-made flatbread – a bit like Scandinavian smørrebrød. It almost seems a pity to roll them up. Fillings change seasonally, with preserved and fermented ingredients adding to the Nordic vibe.

The London outpost of Istanbul’s celebrated Yeni Lokanta, this Soho spot off Regent Street is a deliciously atmospheric delight for fans of contemporary Turkish cuisine. To eat, it’s top-drawer stuff all the way – from the signature manti dumpling (served gratis as an amuse-bouche) and succulent skate cooked in raki to crisp-edged kadajifi fritters spiked with candied orange zest. Yeni ain’t cheap, but we advise you to start saving.

Every fashionista’s favourite Soho spot, Rita’s is super-cosy with diner-style red leather booths, wood furnishings, a rustic Mexican tiled bar and even a much-coveted central London enclosed garden space out back. Come for American-style small bites and inventive bigger dishes as well as their iconic martinis.

Home to Spanish tapas queen Nieves Barragán Mohacho (ex-Barrafina), Sabor is a highly distinctive setup spread over two floors on Heddon Street. It’s a place of two halves: downstairs is the Counter (a no-bookings tapas joint dealing brilliant rustic-style small plates); upstairs is El Asador, a dining room dedicated to regional wood-fired feasting with bookable seats at chest-high communal tables (great for groups). Wherever you sit, the food’s all-round flawless and eating there is such fun – especially if you’re close to the action downstairs.

‘Dumplings to suit every taste’ – well, that’s what they say at UD, and there’s no arguing with a menu that straddles everything from satay chicken to spinach and tofu. Vegans can even order a bespoke eight-piece platter, while other dishes such as tempura aubergine with golden syrup dressing are also worth considering. Spread over two floors just off Carnaby Street, Ugly Dumpling lives up to its cute, quirky name.

With a steamy charcoal grill holding centre-stage and a menu offering a mishmash of Asian creations, Inko Nito is the laidback Japanese fusion restaurant you probably need after negotiating Oxford Circus. The standout breadcrumbed fried chicken comes with yoghurt and peanut dip, and the signature nigaki is sushi’s unholy answer to the open sandwich. Don’t leave without trying the coconut soft-serve, sprinkled with Japanese granola.

Harry Edmeades (aka Señor Ceviche) had plenty of practice before opening his first bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Kingly Court, and it shows. There’s a touch of Lima’s boho Barranco District about the vibrant interiors – a theme that spills over into the equally colourful ceviches, anticuchos skewers, salads and beefy grills. The music’s upbeat, the staff are almost improbably good-natured, and the cocktails ooze Latin spirit.

The Kingly Court branch of Shoryu Ramen is at street level, so you won’t have to overwork those tired legs if you’ve trudged from Oxford Circus. Tonkotsu ramen is the main event, although the list of additional toppings includes some unusual options (piri-piri sauce, anyone?). However, it’s the Dracula version with extra garlic that has us slurping up every last drop.