Leonie Cooper

Want to know how to celebrate Burns Night in London? Well, we highly recommend honouring Scotland’s national poet Rabbie Burns on his birthday by eating plenty of haggis and supping just as much whisky. Burns Night always falls on January 25 – the day Robert Burns was born in South Ayrshire way back in 1759 – and this year you’ll find restaurants across the capital paying tribute with traditional Scots feasts on Sunday January 25, 2026, and throughout the week, as well as some special dishes available month-long.  RECOMMENDED: The best whisky bars in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Updated January 2026: We’ve refreshed our list of 50 best restaurants in London following the latest Michelin Guide announcements as well as our visits to a bunch of great new openings. Recent additions include cool Italian customer Martino's in Chelsea, stunning Michelin star spot Cycene in Shoreditch, Chingford chophouse Gina, super affordable Lebanese food at Finsbury Park favourite Palmyra's Kitchen and Ling Ling's at Godet in Islington. Sadly we've just had to remove legendary grill house FKABAM in Highbury, after it closed for regular service last month. We've also added Ikoyi back into the Top 50 after a recent revisit, which found the double Michelin star spot as epic as ever.  Best Restaurants in London: Our Critic’s Picks: 🍸 Best Michelin-star restaurant: Cycene, Shoreditch - intimate fine dining with foraged finds and superb seasonal ingredients. 🔥 Best Thai restaurant: Singburi, Shoreditch - cult favourite known for fiery dishes. 🥩 Best Middle Eastern restaurant: Berenjak, Soho - buzzy Persian grillhouse with counter seating and charcoal-smoked kebabs. 🍜 Best affordable restaurant: Lanzhou Lamian Noodle Bar, Covent Garden - late-night noodles at a great price. 🥧 Best British restaurant: St John, Clerkenwell - trad British dishes in a former smokehouse. 🍝 Best Italian restaurant: Trullo, Highbury - perfect pasta in a cosy neighbourhood classic. 🍻 Best gastropub: Rake at The Compton Arms, Islington - great pub food in lowkey surroundings. London doesn’t st

Camden is a drinking kind of place. From traditional pubs to indie landmarks and London's most goth boozer, whether you’re in the area for its thriving live music scene or not, you’ll find a welcome place for a pint. This is Time Out's guide to the very best pubs in Camden. Now let's get drinking.  RECOMMENDED: Hungry? These are best restaurants in Camden.

Where better to watch rugby and this year’s Six Nations than at one of London’s best rugby pubs? Our selection of top London sports pubs can be found near the home of English rugby, Twickenham, and beyond, but they all have one thing in common: more than a bit of a buzz on match days. Grab a pint of craft beer or a lovely lager and settle in for some serious sports action. 2026’s Six Nations starts on February 5, with France and Ireland kicking off the championship at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, which is north of Paris, and ends on March 14. RECOMMENDED: The best places to watch the Six Nations in London.

Need a place to stay in London? We’re here to make it easy for you. Every year, a wealth of new hotels open in the capital – a testament to the fact that London remains one of the most desirable places to visit in the world. That can, however, make it rather tricky to decide which hotel to choose. But worry not: we have slept our way across the city and hand-picked our favourites, to bring you this ultimate list of London hotels, from Mayfair to Shoreditch, and from budget to blowout (butler included).  Newcomers to our list include the all-new July in Victoria, apartment-hotels which opened in July 2025, and eco-hotel 1 Hotel Mayfair, as well as a few old classics we’ve re-reviewed just for good measure (hint: The Dorchester is just about as great as we remembered). We’ve got a brand-new number one too, but we won’t give that one away just yet. For everything from genuine good value stays to all-out, Zone 1 luxury, you’ll find something on this list for every kind of trip. Superb bars, great architecture, world-class hospitality and the opportunity to have a home-from-home in the best city in the world await you – here are the best hotels in London.  🏘️ Looking for even more options? Check out our list of the best Airbnbs in London Which area is best to stay in London? It’s not just the range of hotels that’s so impressive – you’re also spoilt for choice when it comes to picking a neighbourhood to stay in London. The city is made up of a sprawling network of dynamic neighb

Forget super spenny spots with Michelin stars, some of the finest food in London is dished up at street markets and in food halls. Oh, and eaten with a wooden fork. If you’re a foodie on a budget, street food stalls are here to save you. From sublime steak to brilliant burittos, we’ve rounded up the cream of the crop. Now pack some wet wipes and get out there (and do check your fave trader's IG before heading out, just to make sure they're open). RECOMMENDED: Find London’s best street-food markets and food halls.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Afternoon tea is what makes a trip to London truly iconic – even if you already live here. You’ll find some of the best at London’s chicest hotels and restaurants, and even art galleries and theatres. We’ve worked out what makes an afternoon tea a truly memorable (and delicious) experience. It’s not just perfect pastries, the most elegant of teeny tiny cakes and chic little sarnies with the crusts cut off, but swish service, the option to have something boozy and bubbly and a characterful room in which to enjoy it all. From The Ritz to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and even a working prison, there’s truly something for every cake-munching tea-drinker in this round-up of London’s best afternoon tea spreads.  Expect to pay in the region of £50 to £100 for the pleasure per person, but you’ll be in for a treat if you go with one of our recommendations. Many of these teas have set times for seatings, so booking in advance is always a good idea. London’s best afternoon teas at a glance: 👛 Best value: The Wolseley, Piccadilly  💸 Best for splashing out: Palm Court at The Ritz, Mayfair 💃 Best for a modern take on tea: London By Lily Vanilli at Four Seasons Tower Bridge, Tower Bridge 🔑 Best for a unique experience: The Clink at HMP Brixton, Brixton 🌷 Best for tea in a greenhouse: Petersham Nurseries, Richmond  December 2025: This list highlights some of London's latest and most intriguing afternoon sarnie sessions. Why not indulge at a themed teas have recently opened; including

Looking for the best restaurants in Mayfair? You’re spoilt for choice in this extremely swanky central London neighbourhood. There are enough Michelin stars to feed a village here and prices are fittingly fierce. But if you’re after some indulgence or looking for the perfect celebration spot, then this is where you should be taking your hard-earned cash, with hotel joints such as The Ritz and Claridge’s in-house eateries some of the area’s finest. A tip: look out for set lunch menus, which many Mayfair fine-dining restaurants such Pavyllon, Murano and Ambassadors Clubhouse offer, and make the whole experience that much more affordable. Go forth and feast: these are Mayfair’s most impressive food spots. Recommended: The best restaurants in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Borough is known for having one of the best food markets in the world, but it’s also home to some seriously good restaurants as well as the brilliant market. The Borough Yards development – just next to this historic, edible wonderland – is where you’ll find some of the latest and greatest spots to have a sit-down feast, including west African restaurant Akara and southern Thai sensation, Plaza Khao Gaeng. If you’re off to SE1 and your stomach is rumbling, then consult this list so you can hunt down all our favourite spots for a fabulous feed, from contemporary Greek classics at Oma and Pyro, to pasta at Padella, classy French cuisine at Camille and seafood at Applebee’s.  RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in London Bridge. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

There are many sides to Stoke Newington; there are the yummy mummys and Stokey dads, the bohemian crowd who moved in during the 1990s, and the locals who’ve been keeping the area’s welcoming Irish pubs going for decades. No wonder there are a multitude of watering holes to suit all kinds of outings. Plough through the great gastropubs and old school boozers, to find your favourite. These are ours. If you’re looking for more great local east London pubs, then try the best pubs in Hackney, as well as the best pubs in Shoreditch, and the best pubs in neighbouring Dalston. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best pubs in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.  So east London it hurts? Follow our Time Out East London WhatsApp channel for the latest news, openings and goss from the coolest bit of the capital. (Yeah, we said it.)

Peckham locals have always been proud of the area’s brand: a melting pot of cultural vibrancy, eccentric individuals, and an artsy, young DIY crowd thanks to nearby Goldsmiths University and Camberwell College of Arts. It rivals Dalston and all those other East End upstarts as the place to hang out, and it’s the perfect spot for new restaurants to find their feet. Here are some of the best in the area, as well as a host of notable places to eat just down the road in Camberwell, too.  RECOMMENDED: The best 50 restaurants in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

London is packed with beautiful old pubs, perfect for a cosy pint. But it’s not just beer on offer at these historic inns: there are countless stories worth digging for too.  Some of London’s pubs date back as far as the 1500s or earlier (the jury’s still out over London’s oldest pub) and they’ve gathered a few tales to tell along the way. Over hundreds of years they’ve seen all sorts, from pirates and smugglers at The Prospect of Whitby to Shakespeare himself at The George Inn. Look beyond the cosy fireplaces and wonky timber beams – there are some truly weird and wonderful backstories to London’s historic boozers. RECOMMENDED: The best pubs in Soho.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Ikoyi is a huge deal. Monumental, in fact. Arguably the most important British restaurant of the past decade, it’s also one of the only London locations to regularly find itself in official rankings of the world’s greatest places to eat. Michelin stars? You bet. Ikoyi has a casual two, and is shamelessly gunning for a third.  It is, of course, exceptional. At these prices it has to be. With the most expensive tasting menu we’ve ever come across (£380 a head, and that’s before drinks), food at Ikoyi can’t just be ‘good’. It has to be really fucking great.  Dishes that simultaneously make you think and make you feel held Jeremy Chan makes sure of it. Ikoyi’s steely and determined head chef has such a singular vision that people have come, night after night, since 2017 to spend the best part of an average weekly salary on a single meal.  A demi-brutalist space of warm walnut wood, and soft spotlights over each table, Ikoyi’s deeply chill dining room sits at the corner of the 180 Strand building. Also home to a branch of Soho House, elite deli 180 Corner, and the HQs of uber cool fashion brands Martine Rose and Harris Reed, as well as style mag Dazed and art fair dons Frieze, 180 Strand is where you’ll find the coolest creatives in London, and possibly everyone who ever bullied you in sixth form.  Named after the affluent suburb of Lagos where co-founder Iré Hassan-Odukale was born, Ikoyi has gently moved away from its original west African culinary concept. Now the focus is on

There’s something terribly trad about naming your restaurant Lilibet’s – a reference to the late Queen Elizabeth’s cutesy childhood nickname. A royalist flex can be blamed upon the location of this fancy new seafood spot, which is on the Bruton Street site of the 18th century townhouse where Lizzy II was born in 1926. Demolished in 1937, it made way for the vast office building which stands here today.  It is, essentially, the perfume counter at Selfridges with a bonus raw bar Inside this huge corner spot is where things get interesting. With its baby blue frilly swags, powder pink floral wallpaper, shiny silver candelabras and plump soft furnishings, Lilibet’s offers a rococo take on the OTT flamboyance displayed by its Mayfair neighbours Sexy Fish, Bacchanalia, Hakkasan and Park Chinois. It is, essentially, the perfume counter at Selfridges with a bonus raw bar, or the sugar plum fairy’s boudoir by way of Billingsgate, and although the frothy, frilly girlishness of the place should be too much, it is somehow just enough. Oddly enough, it’s from the same former Nobu exec chef who founded the ‘rock’n’roll’ ramen chain, Bone Daddies.   Wondrous wallpaper aside, starters are Lilibet’s strongest suit. Diminutive anchovy eclairs are as fabulous as the decor, offering a gruff creamy parfait tongue-slap but with a sweet and sour sauce that cuts, lazer-like, through the delicate honk of fish brine. Next comes a pretty, pretty crab tart with grapefruit, which is almost presumptuousl

The original Plaza Khao Gaeng surprised everyone with its monumental greatness. A restaurant slipped into a food hall mezzanine isn’t supposed to be one of the best in London, and yet the bijoux, southern Thai-inspired canteen blew minds and mouths with its relentless approach to flavour and fun when it opened in 2022. Run by a Brit, Plaza held up its hands when it came to its inauthenticity, but made up for it with the dedication that chef-founder Luke Farrell poured into the place. A couple of months after it launched, spin-off restaurant Speedboat Bar arrived, a day-glo, stand-alone tribute to Bangkok’s Chinatown in London’s Chinatown.  It’s a shouty, cocky spot that demands your attention Now, like Speedboat Bar, Plaza has a space to call its very own, rather than what felt like digs in a culinary halls of residence. Plaza Khao Gaeng 2:0 can be found in the ever-expanding Borough Yards development by London Bridge, where so many esteemed London restaurants have launched culinary siblings. You’ll find it next to a baby Barrafina, Akoko offshoot Akara, and Cafe François, a mini manifestation of Maison François in Mayfair.  At 78 covers, it’s at least twice the size of the original Plaza, and makes the most of a spacious railway arch. There are two dining areas, both rowdy and roomy, with a pleasing soundbed of clattering cutlery alongside what looks like a Wild West vaudeville stage in the cosier back room and buzzing strip lights which reflect the full-on, nowhere-to-hide

Dara Klein’s rustic Italian kitchen Tiella was the life and soul of the Compton Arms before the super talented New Zealand/Italian chef took a well earned breather and let the lads from Rake take over food duties in the much-loved Islington gastro-boozer. But Dara’s masterplan was always thus; a restaurant of her very own. In mid-January that dream becomes a delicious reality. Opening up in an old Victorian pub space on the always-charming Columbia Road, Tiella Trattoria & Bar will pay homage to Dara’s family roots in Puglia. Expect the soul-nurturing likes of passatelli in brodo, orecchiette with cime di rapa and pangrattato, and bay leaf panna cotta with blood orange on offer. And yes, the super-fresh chicken Milanese with green apple, celery, fennel, and creme fraiche from her Compton Arms menu will be making a return.

Now that one in every ten pints poured in the capital is Guinness, this swanky spot in Covent Garden is all the more exciting. After years of teasing, the Guinness microbrewery in Old Brewer’s Yard opened at the end of 2025 following a £73 million building project. Located on a historic site that first produced beer over 300 years ago, the 50,000-square-foot building features plenty of event spaces, a grillhouse, and rootftop restaurant with 360-degree views. Both have menus curated by executive chef, Pip Lacey, formerly of Hicce in King’s Cross, while in the Old Brewer's Yard bar are grab-and-go pies dreamed up by chef Calum Franklin, including a braised beef cheek and Guinness offering. There are two merch shops, The Store and Guinness Good Things where you can buy limited edition collabs with the likes of London indie fashion label Lazy Oaf. Most important of all is the a micro-brewery pumping out 14 different limited-edition brews. The names of the beers reference the local area, with Covent Classic IPA, Old Brewer’s Yard Porter, and Piazza Pale Ale all on offer, as well as seasonal specials, such Winter Warmer and Apricot Sour. Actual Guinness won’t be brewed on site - that all happens over in Dublin - but it will be readily available for drinking. Take a tour of the brewery (tickets are £40-50 depending on when you want to go), and get stuck into a tasting session of various Guinness-brewed ales, lagers, porters and sours, before pouring your very own pint of creamy Gui

Martino’s has seemingly opened by stealth. There was no pre-launch hullabaloo, no formative hype, no dragged-out social build-up. One day it was just there, looking like it’d been around for decades, complete with a glamorous, older Sloane Square crowd that seemed to have been propping up the bar since 1978.  The taste is Brighton chip shop by way of a Calabrian trattoria Who might have the balls to pull off such a feat of modern hospitality sass? Martino’s is the latest from Martin Kuczmarski, the man behind The Dover, which has remained a searing hot ticket since it opened in 2023. Martino’s is a little less New York and a little more Milan, with a simple pasta and meatballs menu, and all-day dining (it’s open from 8am on weekdays). I’m here for an early Monday dinner, but it could be 9pm on a Friday for all we know; there are rowdy family get-togethers, cheery groups of friends and furtive martini meetings around the majestic oval bar in the middle of the room, which somehow manages to not pull focus, such is the twinkling beauty of every single facet of the stunning space.  But before we get too excited about what we’re calling the Sexiest Dining Room of The Year, we must mention the space-age holding pod that doubles up as the restaurant’s entrance. A dreamy decontamination chamber, this pearlescent womb smells like a Diptyque factory, and is adorned with fresh flowers and humming with charming staff who look up your handwritten booking in a massive leather-bound book.

Like reaching for ABBA Gold in times of house-party crisis, Hawksmoor is a trusty and reliable failsafe. The ultimate in crowdpleasers, this super-solid steakhouse chain has been impressing carnivores and cocktail-quaffers since its inception in 2006. It’s been a while since these meat magicians launched a new London branch of their midi-chain but they’ve made up for lost time by taking over one of the grandest dining rooms in the city.  Gutbusting done with a dose of glamour The stunning space inside the Grade I-listed St Pancras London Hotel, with its double-height ceilings, intricate molding, and uber-extra glitz was designed in 1873 by the daddy of gothic revival architects, Sir George Gilbert Scott. Closed in 1935, the dramatic room was then used as railway offices until the building reopened as a hotel in 2011. A number of different chefs have had their fun with the room since then, but its current form seems to suit it the most; a fittingly luxe backdrop for one of London’s most indulgent menus. There have been a few minor tweaks to the space; the walls are now a rather butch shade of British racing green, the booths are leather, and there’s a quite unnecessary, gigantic poster that reads ‘Beef and Liberty’, which we can only assume is the sweaty carnivore's own version of ‘Live, Laugh, Love’. Aside from the space and the adjoining Martini Bar, there’s not much about this Hawksmoor that sets it apart from the others. Simply put; steakheads will remain satisfied with t

A roaming, contempo Cantonese-inspired concept from chef Jenny Phung and partner James ‘Shep’ Shepherd, Ling Ling’s has been bobbing happily around north-east London for the past few years.  Favouring long-term residencies over a restaurant of their own (and in this climate, who can blame them?), there have been successful stints at The Gun in Hackney (RIP), as well as The Bluecoats in Tottenham, and Bambi in London Fields. The latest in their nomadic tour de kitchen? A year-long set-up at hip - but mercifully not too hip – ‘wine pub’ Godet. Lowkey Ling Ling’s happens to be one of the best places to eat in London right now A kind of Provençal country cottage meets a grubby old scroat boozer, Godet is quietly lovely. Painted an eccentric shade of depressive tangerine, there are French farmyard–friendly wooden tables, cutesy cafe curtains, the occasional church pew, jugs full of fresh flowers, and candles on every table. Vintage dub reggae drifts discreetly throughout the 19th century pub, which was once known as the Norfork Arms, courtesy of a vinyl-only real life human DJ. The romance is palpable. Despite this discreet backdrop, Ling Ling’s swiftly sets about trying to get into your pants with full-throttle flavour and seductive kitchen technique. First in the Ling Ling’s charm offensive is exceedingly crunchy fried pork and water chestnut wontons, their fresh and juicy insides complimenting their bubbly golden wrappers. The fact that they look like the platonic ideal of a c

Like the death of Harambe, the Brexit vote, and Beyonce’s Lemonade, shouty Thai BBQ restaurants with stark, industrial interiors, all seem a bit 2016. Yet Khao Bird makes no bones about hopping on the trend a decade too late. In fact, the likes of Soho’s Kiln and Shoreditch’s Smoking Goat (originators of the full-throttle Thai trend), seem to be busier than ever. What’s the harm in adding another rowdy larb-shifter into the mix?  This brick-and-mortar comes after a year long Khao Bird pop-up at Borough Market’s Globe Tavern and a stint in Brighton as Lucky Khao, and makes quite a big deal about opening up in what was the last adult cinema in Soho (but not such a big deal about the fact it was a branch of Chilango in the intervening years). With a chrome open kitchen, exposed extractor fans, buzzing pink neon, and hunks of smashed plaster clinging onto the walls for dear life, the vibe is that of a brutal house reno in Hertfordshire. Yet Khao Bird’s intense cuisine is more than a match for such chaos.  Raw beef larb is spicier than Casanova’s search history We start with a pomelo and prawn salad, which perhaps gives us the wrong idea about the nature of the cookery here. It’s light and tidy, a little spicy, sure, but overall, a deeply demure dish. But Khao Bird properly lays its cards on the table with its mutton fries, a non-negotiable order of chips so vast and melt-in-the-mouth, that it’s impossible not to let loose a sigh of pleasure when consuming them. On top of said ch

Fancy a frolic in the playground of the rich and famous? Then the glamorous, Belle Époque-era Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo is a fabulously fitting base. Built in 1889, and ideally situated next to the world-famous Casino de Monte-Carlo – as well as the twisting streets that become the Circuit de Monaco for Formula One’s infamous Monaco Grand Prix – Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo is equally iconic. Boasting the world’s only swimming pool to be designed by Karl Lagerfeld, it’s also home to a two star Michelin restaurant, and a world-class spa. Why stay at Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo? From the moment we strolled down the glamourous tree lined drive up to the hotel (which is also where we saw some very, very expensive parked cars), I knew we were in for a treat. On a par with the most White Lotus-y hotels in the world, the Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo is all about Mediterranean glamour and monied excess. There’s usually an extremely extra floral display in the tapestry-draped lobby, and the gentleman’s club style lobby bar (which comes with an adjoining cigar terrace) boasts a signed Picasso lithograph, as well as exclusive Warhol and Francis Bacon prints. What are the rooms like at Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo? There are 126 guest rooms – 64 of them suites – and the recently refurbished rooms on the second and third floors are where you’ll want to stay. Designed by French hotel interiors king Jacques Garcia (who also spruced up the hotel when it was taken over by its current owners in

Ever wanted to dine on the set of a Stanley Kubrick film? Well say hello to Motorino, a big-budget mega resto in a humongous glass and concrete new build which we’re sure wasn’t there last time we were in the outer reaches of Fitzrovia, but seems like the kind of glossy superstructure where Google might set up an office. If Motorino looks familiar, it’s not just because of its Eyes Wide Shut-meets-tech start-up energy, but because it’s a carbon copy of Covent Garden’s Town, which Motorino founder Stevie Parle opened earlier this year. The glossy dark woods; the strangely sexual Clockwork Orange-style space age interiors; the modern Italian-ish small plates menu; you can find much the same an 18 minute walk away on Drury Lane.  You probably shouldn’t tell your Italian friends they serve an agnolotti carbonara, but you should definitely order it But Motorino has something its sibling doesn’t; one of London’s hype-iest chefs beavering away in the kitchen. That would be Luke Aherne, who recently left Marylebone’s rather lovely Lita after helping it to win a Michelin star less than a year after it opened.  Who knows why he left Lita in such a hurry, but Aherne has brought his juicy Southern Mediterranean skill-set with him. It starts with an indecently indulgent focaccia that manages to be salty yet sweet, crispy yet soft, and comes rampantly splashed with a rosemary balsamic that is nothing less than febrile. A bowl of pickles and ferments might look like a Birdseye frozen veg p

Slowburn isn’t like other restaurants. That’s because Slowburn almost isn’t a restaurant, it’s a slap-up dinner party in a working denim factory. The best seat in the house is next to a gigantic industrial washing machine, scrappy paper patterns for jeans line the walls and there’s a lingering smell of starch in the air.  Strangely, this isn’t an entirely unique proposition – Bow’s lovely little Italian spot Polentina is another garment factory dining room – but it remains refreshing (and pleasingly odd) to enter such an unconventional space, and even more appealing to discover terrific cookery inside it.  A hilariously decadent rosti with ox cheek and tail is more meat than it is potato During the week, the warehouse is home to Blackhorse Lane Ateliers, full of buzzing sewing machines and selvedge aficionados. Come Friday evening, the denim-heads are booted out, tables and chairs are bought in from storage and the kitchen fires up for the weekend. Conceptually, it makes so much sense. With so many restaurants struggling under the strain of rent and rates, why not get a little imaginative and lean into that dual-purpose life? We won’t be surprised if your local dry cleaners has turned into a New York-slice pop up by next summer. Chef and founder Chavdar Todorov started Slowburn in late 2020, delivering local meals during lockdown on his motorbike. Over the past five years he’s honed his hearty home -cooking-but-better, menu. It’s not a vegetarian restaurant by any stretch of

Ikoyi is regularly named one of the best restaurants in the world. In last year’s list of the planet’s top eateries by World’s 50 Best, Ikoyi was one of only two London restaurants to make the list (placing 15th overall).  But such greatness doesn’t come cheap. The sleek fine dining spot’s 14-ish course set menu comes in at a whopping £380 per person, making it one of the most expensive set meals in London (the most pricey is at Sushi Kanesaka in Mayfair, which is £420 a head).   Ikoyi, which opened in St James’s in 2017, won its first Michelin star in 2018. It scored its second in 2022, which is the same year the restaurant moved to swanky new digs at the 180 Strand building in Temple. I was lucky enough to visit recently and got to sample head chef Jeremy Chan’s quite spectacular cookery.  Leonie Cooper for Time Out And was it worth the whopping cost? Well, in a world where a decent Sunday roast might set you back £80 along with drinks, while a meal out in Soho can be anything upwards of £100 for even a casual dinner, it might not be so crazy. Especially when you consider that we were in Ikoyi for four full hours (6pm-10pm), and were presented with what is officially some of the greatest food in the world by an ultra talented team. Dishes at Ikoyi are made with the finest produce and rarest ingredients around, and presentation is as skilful as it is pretty. Chan’s big on technique, with days-long processes behind some of the dishes. Food at Ikoyi is, says Chan, ‘spice-ba

Sad news for lovers of sparkles and public humiliation – one of east London’s greatest drag karaoke bars is shutting down for good at the end of the month. The Karaoke Hole on Kingsland High Street in Dalston will sing its last song on January 31. The bar opened in the former Dance Tunnel basement club space below Voodoo Ray’s pizzeria in 2018, and was open Thursday through to Saturday nights, with karaoke nights hosted by the best drag stars in the city. The bar was a ‘naughty little sister’ venue to the nearby LGBT+ club Dalston Superstore, which is one of our favourite bars in east London. They announced their closure on Instagram, writing: ‘It’s with a heavy heart we’re letting you all know the Karaoke Hole will be closing its doors… You’ve shaped the Karaoke Hole with every performance on our little stage and we want to thank you for your support. Come kiss the glitter curtains and stage goodbye!’  View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Karaoke Hole (@thekaraokehole) The team behind the club will continue to host events. ‘Although our home is closing, we’re not leaving.’ They added: ‘The Karaoke Hole will be going on wheels and at [an] event near you!’ Wanna get up and sing? Time Out’s favourite karaoke bars and pubs in London. And this is our guide on other great things to do in Dalston. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in th

A brand-new pizza parlour is coming to Peckham. Connie’s Pizza will open in south London on January 26. It is the latest project from Andrea Asciuti, founder of 081 Pizzeria on nearby Peckham Rye (and in Shoreditch), and promises to offer ‘Bri-talian’ style pizzas, using seasonal local ingredients, such as leeks, mushrooms and aubergines. Pizzas will be light and crispy, made with 36-48 hour fermented dough and American flour, and look set to pass the no-flop test. There will be eight different kinds of pizza on the menu, including tomato and aubergine, classic margherita with British mozzarella, nduja and British stracciatella, and sautéed mushrooms, truffle and basil. Connie’s is named after Andrea Asciuti’s wife and takes over the site formerly occupied by South African restaurant Little Kudu. There will also be a number of side dishes on the menu, such as meatballs, deep-fried mac ‘n’ cheese and mozzarella sticks. There will be only one dessert; fiocco di neve mini brioche filled with ricotta and whipped cream.  081 Pizza was ranked 43rd on the best pizzas in Europe list by 50 Top Pizza in 2024.  Find Connie’s Pizza at 133 Queen’s Road, SE15 2ND. Here’s our list of the best pizza in London.  Plus: the 19 best pizzas in the world, according to Time Out editors. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for t

I am crawling through a decidedly cosy tunnel inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, and – let’s be real – I'm totally freaking out. The tallest man-made structure in the world for 3,800 years (until it was bested by the dastardly Lincoln Cathedral in 1311), this primo pyramid stands at a whopping 140 metres, still outscaling the Statue of Liberty and far loftier than Big Ben. Yet despite its legendary status, it turns out that its hot, sweaty and deeply claustrophobic innards can be a little bit intense. Who knew?!  RECOMMENDED: Time Out editors on where you should travel this year Photograph: Leonie Cooper for Time Out I’m not sure I’d ever thought about venturing inside the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World, suffice to say I’m now in a queue that would make the lunchtime line outside London’s Toad Bakery look pathetic. I’m also on my hands and knees, trying not to bash my head into rocks that were placed here well over 4,000 years ago. It’s only about 100 metres from the Pyramid’s entrance to get to the King's Chamber, which is empty apart from the stone sarcophagus of Khufu, having been ransacked for shiny golden grave goods millennia ago. Despite being such a short distance, it takes about 15 minutes to reach because of all the single-file queuing and crawling involved in getting there. The King’s Chamber itself is a small room and oddly resembles a Boiler Room broadcast, thanks to the sarcophagus looking not unlike decks and a man standing confidently behind it, se

Back in 2024 Birmingham restaurant Opheem became the first Indian restaurant in the UK to score the honour of two Michelin stars – and now its chef Aktar Islam is now opening his first London restaurant. Oudh 1722 will open in Borough this March in the three storey Union Street townhouse previously occupied by Lupins, which closed in November of last year. It will specialise in Awadhi cuisine from the royal courts of Lucknow in northern India.  Speaking about the new opening, Aktar Islam said: ‘Awadhi cuisine represents a rich culinary tradition I have always deeply respected, yet one rarely seen in its authentic form here in the UK. With Oudh 1722, the intention is to bring the flavours of Awadh to London, drawing on the techniques, generosity and sense of hospitality that defined the Nawabi courts of Lucknow.’ What does this mean for the menu? Lots of kebabs, layered biryanis and aromatic curries.  Aktar Islam has appeared on Great British Menu and MasterChef: The Professionals. Opheem is only one of two Indian restaurants in the UK to hold two Michelin stars (the other is Mayfair’s Gymkhana), and one of only four to hold the honour worldwide.  Oudh 1722 will open at 66 Union Street, SE1 1TD, this March.  These are the best restaurants in Borough according to us. Take another look at the list in a few months’ time and see if Oudh 1722 makes the cut. The best Indian and south Asian restaurants in London. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews

Beloved Stokey bar Ryan’s closed last month after 32 years in business (no!) but all is not lost for the legendary Stoke Newington Church Street venue, which has a massive beer garden.  The space will be reopening as a pub named in honour of local hero Mary Wollstonecraft. The Mary Wollstonecraft Freehouse is set to open soon, named after the 18th century writer, philosopher and feminist, who lived in the area. It’s not the only local landmark named after Wollstonecraft. A controversial statue in tribute to the writer by Maggi Hambling was unveiled on Newington Green in 2020. Mary Wollstonecraft was born in Spitalfields in 1769, and her pioneering and groundbreaking work A Vindication of the Rights of Woman was published in 1792. She died in 1797 at the age of just 38, and less than two weeks after giving birth to her daughter, Mary Shelley, who would go on to write the classic gothic novel, Frankenstein, in 1818.  Photograph: cktravels.com / Shutterstock.com Ryan’s closed on December 28, 2025, signing off with ‘It’s been a blast’ on its Instagram account. ‘After 32 great years it is time to say goodbye to Ryan’s N16… We want to thank all our lovely customers for the memories and boy there are a few!’ The Mary Wollstonecraft will open at 181 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 0UL, later this year.  Check out our list of the best pubs in Stoke Newington here. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Ou

At the start of 2025, the highly delicious Whyte’s closed down its London Fields restaurant just over a year after opening. Despite scoring a five star review from Time Out for the ‘simple east London space with one of the city’s hottest chefs in charge’, and securing a place in both our best restaurants in Hackney and best new restaurants in London lists, chef Whyte Rushen and restaurateur Livi Akers shut up shop after 15 months. The team then went on on a ‘world tour’, cooking at 30 cities across the globe. Think of it as a culinary gap year.  Happily for us, they’re now back in their home town, and after a festive pop-up at Dalston’s Marquee Moon last month, are set to properly return to the London food scene for a short run as an izakaya-style four-day run called Rotten Octopus.  Taking place at Clara’s Bistro in Shoreditch from January 17-20, the stint will be inspired by the eateries of Tokyo, where Whyte’s recently held a three-week residency. Dishes on the 14-dish menu include eel three ways (sweet BBQ unagi, nori tempura and smoked eel skin broth); roasted kippers with house tartare potato salad; drunken clams, karaage quail, slow cooked pig ear roll, and char sui honey chicken.   Rotten Octopus, Clara’s, 17 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA. The best restaurants in London, according to Time Out. Plus: this iconic London street is officially one of the UK’s best places to visit in 2026. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and tre

New year, new food.   2026 is ushered in via a wave of brand new eateries across the capital. Ignore the call of dry Jan and instead book yourself into one of these many new openings. Finding your purse-strings to be extra-tight post Christmas, then a single bun at Claridge’s brand new bakery might be the best option, or maybe try a bargain bowl of wonton noodles at Hoko’s new outlet in Covent Garden (or just look at our cheap eats list instead, for meals under a tenner in London).  The best new London restaurants opening in January 2026 Photograph: Caitlin Isola 1. The Italian hotspot Tiella Trattoria & Bar, Bethnal Green Ever since Dara Klein popped up in The Compton Arms kitchen with her earthy Italian takeover, we’ve been big fans. Since letting Rake take over the Islington gastropub’s food service, she’s been plotting something of her own. Her first stand-alone restaurant Tiella will feature dishes from Dara’s Compton Arms residency as well as other Puglia-inspired classics, from panelle and orecchiette to her majestic take on a milanese. There’ll be a 15 seater bar as well as space for 30 in the restaurant. Expect to see us there, nightly.  Opens: Mid-Jan Address: 109 Columbia Road, Bethnal Green, E2 7RL Photograph: Claridge’s 2. The world-beating bakery Claridge’s Bakery, Mayfair One of London’s most prestigious hotels/restaurants/bars is set to add another delicious string to its bow with the grand opening of Claridge’s Bakery. In charge will be legendary baker Ri

One of the few non-booze bars in London – Club Soda Tasting Room – has announced that it’ll be closing down very soon.  The bar and bottle shop on Drury Lane in Covent Garden was founded by Laura Willoughby as part of her mindful drinking business, and was London’s only non-alcoholic tasting room when it launched at the end of 2022.  News of the closure was recently announced on Instagram: ‘We’re at the end of our lease and the landlord needs to finally sort some long-standing drain issues (honestly… if you know, you know).’ You’ll have to almost the end of Dry January to get your last rounds of non-alc bevs in, with the Club Soda Tasting Room closing on January 25. ‘And don’t panic – this isn’t the end. Not even close,’ writes Club Soda, who plan to open a new version of the bar and bottle shop soon. ‘We’re already on the hunt for a new home for the Tasting Room’.  Club Soda Tasting Room stocked everything from non-alcoholic beers to CBD drinks, ‘adult’ soft drinks, low and no wines, booze-free spirits and other grown-up alternatives to booze. You’ll still be able to buy them all via the Club Soda online shop after the tasting room has closed down. Check out our list of the best places in London to drink when you’re not drinking alcohol. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, stra

We absolutely loved Tamila when it opened last year in King’s Cross, so there has been much rejoicing over news that a new branch of the south Indian mini-chain will be opening in Soho. The biggest branch to date, Tamila will pop up on Poland Street in February. It marks the third outing for the restaurant, which also has a location in Clapham. Tamila comes from the same team as desi gastropubs The Tamil Prince and The Tamil Crown, which are both in Islington. Speaking about the new opening, co-founder Prince Durairaj has said: ‘Soho has always felt like a playground for some of London’s most exciting and much-loved restaurants, so opening here has been a real dream of mine. It’s such a special and energetic part of the city for hospitality, and I feel incredibly grateful to be bringing Tamila into the mix and rubbing shoulders with places I’ve admired for years.’ The Tamila menu will include a host of dishes from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, including a Thanjavur chicken curry and Chettinad lamb curry, as well as a garlic coriander naan. Like the existing Tamila sites, there will be a highly decent vegetarian offering, with various meat-free dosas and dhals.   Time Out’s five-star review of the King’s Cross branch praised Tamila’s tandoori and curry dishes. ‘Paneer tikka is cooked to an affectionate level of tenderness, with a dusty heat, bulbous skewered onion, and a sharp pineapple chutney,’ wrote Ed Cunningham. ‘The dhal flashed all sorts of vegetables across

New pubs don’t open up as much as new restaurants. In fact, it’s likely that more pubs in London are closing down than opening up, which makes the launch of new boozers in the capital something to celebrate. One pub however stands pump and cask above the rest; The Pocket in Islington, which we have crowned the best new pub in London for 2025. It was the only new pub to make our recently updated top 50 pubs in London list, and as such was the only real contender for the title. The Pocket opened in March 2025, on the site of a long-shut bar called the Four Sisters pub on Canonbury Lane. Owner Pete Holt also runs the Southampton Arms on Highgate Hill by Hampstead Heath, an old school ale and cider house with an open fire and a piano, which also features in our pubs top 50.  A former carriage house, The Pocket has local ales and ciders, sells scotch eggs and sausage rolls, and like the Southampton Arms, also has a piano, with regular music afternoons and evenings.  Our five star review of the new pub reads: ‘The Pocket’s premise is simple, and, let’s be honest, perfect: “No reservations. No green food. No shit beer. No terrible modern music,” they say. The bar snacks come in various shades of beige (scotch eggs, sausage rolls, pasties, and pork pies), the music comes from either the piano or a vinyl record player which favours vintage jazz and soul, and the crowd is gorgeous. Beer is priced in order of strength, meaning it’s possible to get that rare thing - a London pint for a f

You want new restaurants? We got new restaurants. So, so many of them. 2025 has been stacked with tonnes of saliva-inducing new openings across the city, from Balkan barbecue joints and swish South Ken brasseries to new school Vietnamese cafes, Italian-Japanese pasta parlours, a massive new Hawksmoor in a historic hotel and the sprawling Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Covent Garden.   Sure, we’ve lost a lot of amazing places this year, but clever chefs have been plastering over the gaps with global-trotting menus and inventive dishes – Thai mutton fries, anyone?  Time Out already keeps a rolling tally of the very best new restaurants in London, updating our list monthly with the freshest reviews from Time Out critics. But right here we name the overall 2025 champions. These are the five best new London restaurants of the year.  The best new restaurants that opened in London in 2025 Photograph: Belly Bistro 1. Belly Bistro, Kentish Town This Filipino restaurant was pure 2025. Though every dish was super photogenic and Insta-friendly, it wasn't just an influencer’s dream – Belly Bistro also had a menu that tasted as good as it looked. This meant you didn’t need a ringlight and a humiliation kink in order to enjoy their tempura cod pandesal (essentially a posh filet o’ fish with American cheese and salty salmon roe), smoked aubergine and tomatoes with bagong shrimp paste, and smoked trout kinilaw (a fun, Filipino take on a ceviche). Big, bold, and deserving of every bit of prai