15 things you forgot were delicious in London

London’s a big place – so big that you’d be forgiven for occasionally failing to give your favourite food joints as much attention as they deserve.

Sure, you think that incredible Turkish grill place near your old uni mate’s house on Green Lanes is amazing, but when did you last actually go? 

If you truly want to fall back in love with London, you’re going to have to get off the sofa, and close whichever food delivery app has you in its all-too-tempting clutches. Then it’s all about rediscovering the most delicious things the capital has to offer by getting out there and, in the chic-est way possible, ramming them into your mouth.

Here are the 15 oft-overlooked, but never underappreciated dishes that’ll have you salivating all over this city once again.

1. Buffet at Indian Veg

A simple yet somehow epic curry buffet on Chapel Market. If Indian Veg doesn’t win you over with its intense vegetarian propaganda, it’ll have your heart in an instant with that regularly topped-up mountain of perfectly crisp pakora.

2. Welsh rarebit at St John

The side dish that’s pretty much a meal on its own comes on a slice of toast as big as your head and an accompanying bottle of Lea & Perrins. Anything served with compulsory Worcestershire sauce is alright by us. 

3. Jambon-beurre at Pret

Bringing a bit of Parisian sophistication to the streets of the capital, Pret’s perennially tasty handful remains London’s most glamorous on-the-go high street snack. Late for a Fashion Week show but don’t want the rumblings of your stomach to distract the FROW? Get this chewy ham, cornichons and butter bun in you. 

4. Confit potatoes at The Quality Chop House 

Layers upon layers upon layers of thinly sliced carbs; crunchy on the outside and as light as an angel’s wings on the inside. It can only be Quality Chop House’s much-copied, but never bettered confit potatoes.  

5. Spaghetti al cartoccio at Ciao Bella

Just at the point where Lamb’s Conduit Street turns into a slightly drizzly Fellini movie, you’ll find the majestic Ciao Bella. Its white wine and seafood pasta comes with enviably lowkey tableside theatrics – the unceremonious opening of a greaseproof paper bag in which the fishy dishy is cooked. 

6. Smoked-eel sandwich at Quo Vadis

Legendary for a reason, affable chef Jeremy Lee has been adding eel to punchy mustard and horseradish cream and pickled red onion before popping it all inside some elegantly greasy and gently toasted sourdough bread for decades. May he do it for many decades more. 

7. Wonton noodle soup at Wong Kei

This Chinatown staple might have one of the longest menus in London, but if you know what you’re doing, you’ll go straight to its huge – and still surprisingly cheap – bowl of wonton noodle soup. 

8. Penne Pellicci at E Pellicci

Who can deny the glory of this classic caff’s house pasta dish, feat. homemade pesto and tomato sauce, pine nuts, spinach and parmigiano? The answer is no one.

9. A pint of prawns at The Cow

Order two pints at Notting Hill’s fishiest gastro boozer. The first of prawns, the second of Guinness to wash it down with. 

10. Big Plate Chicken at Silk Road

Big by name, somehow even bigger by nature. This is the mightiest menu item at everyone’s favourite reasonably priced south London Chinese, incorporating noodles so wide you could use them as belts. 

11. Giorgio Moroder pizza at Voodoo Ray’s

Serving up hot cheese to Dalston’s sweatiest party folk since 2012, Voodoo Ray’s never fails to satisfy. It’s a disco-ready slice of Giorgio Moroder for us, with goat’s cheese, sunblush toms, courgettes and fior di latte mozzarella. 

12. Chicken shish wrap at The Best Turkish Kebab

A Stokey staple since 1982, The Best Turkish Kebab’s chicken shish remains the business. Ask one of the marvellously moustachioed men behind the counter to add chips into the wrap, for flair, class and all-round hero status. 

13. Pickled Onion Monster Munch from the cornershop of your choosing 

Best eaten in the rain on Waterloo Bridge right after you’ve been dumped. Your tears will mix with the monster shapes and make them somehow even more soothing. 

14. Pork bap at The Southampton Arms

The platonic ideal of a pub snack. Arriving at the boozer to find they’re all sold out for the day can still reduce a grown woman (aka me) to tears. 

15. Lamb bhuna at the India Club

A bold and beautiful and totally timeless curry. Dishwhom?