Leonie Cooper

The UK is a glorious place to eat, drink and generally be merry. Sure, there are loads of great restaurants in London, but there are hundreds more across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; ones where you’ll make napkin-stained memories that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life. Especially if you head to Cumbria, which is home to the most Michelin stars in the UK outside of the capital. But as well as the diner’s paradise that is the Lake District, here is where else you need to head in order to sample some of the finest food and downright transcendent restaurant experiences the UK has to offer.  The best restaurants in the UK at a glance: 💸 The best for a big budget blow-out: Ynyshir, Ceredigion. 🧆 The best for vegetarians: Queen of Cups, Glastonbury. 🐚 The best for a seaside getaway: The Sportsman, Whitstable. 🥧 The best for experimental foodies: Osip, Somerset. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in the UK. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

July 2026: The latest additions to this list include excellent barbeque at Cue Point by Latimer Road, The Fat Badger and its seriously good no-choice menu, the second outpost of buzzy Thai canteen Speedboat Bar, witty Ukrainian bistro Sino, the standout Latimer gastropub, and the waterside Canal in Westbourne Park.  Whether you’re after something simple or a bit more flash (or even Michelin-starred), Notting Hill is packed with great cafés and restaurants, as are nearby Holland Park and Ladbroke Grove. Whatever you desire, from a quick bit to a slap-up gastropub meal, pile through our list below of the best eateries in this historic area. Fancy a pint afterwards? Here are Notting Hill’s standout pubs, or head for something a little more poised at the area’s best bars.  RECOMMENDED: The 50 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.

Most movie years post-pandemic have felt like rollercoasters, but 2026 so far has been particularly up-and-down – and at its highest points, especially exciting. Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day disappointed while Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey took on one of the oldest epics in literature and surpassed even the loftiest expectations. Several titanic franchises flopped hard, while smaller films like Obsession and Backrooms, made by total unknowns,  have come bursting through the box-office glass ceiling. The likes of Project Hail Mary and Toy Story 5 may not qualify as ‘original stories’, but both displayed an intelligence, emotionality and sense of crowd-pleasing fun missing from many of the IP-flogging blockbusters of the recent past. All in all, a pretty good year – and we haven’t even hit awards season yet. For now, though, here’s the best of what we’ve seen to date. 📺 The best TV and streaming shows of 2026 (so far)😂 The best comedy movies of 2026📕 15 book-to-movie adaptations to get excited about in 2026🔥 The 100 greatest movies ever made

July 2026: Beer garden season is in full swing and it's time to answer the call of the al fresco picnic table. Here's our list of the finest places in London to have an outdoor pint, featuring old classics as well as new contenders such as The Black Eel in Dalston and a handful of waterside favourites too. Quite a few of these boozers also feature in our 50 Best Pubs In London list, as well as in our Best Historic Pubs in London ranking (see Hampstead and Highgate heroes The Spaniards Inn and The Flask) and our Most Haunted Pubs in London lists. There are few better ways to make the most of a sunny (or even just slightly warm) afternoon in London than by spending it in a beer garden. Drinking cold pints (or spritzes, or some pink wine with a couple of ice cubes) with your mates feels good anywhere, but there’s something special about imbibing under London’s skies. And this city certainly has no shortage of spectacular beer gardens. Some have lush foliage and serene, chilled-out energy, while others are ideal for what feels like an open-air day party. Some serve up marvellous cocktails, while others provide for gorgeous river views. If you’ve had enough of the great outdoors, don’t forget to check out our list of London’s best pubs. Or, if you want to be outside but higher up, you might like our directory of the capital's finest rooftop bars.  RECOMMENDED: Excellent outdoor activities in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and once got lost in the

July 2026: We've updated our roasts list to reflect the fact it's sunny and pretty warm out. Try the Macbeth in Hoxton, which offers a great Portuguese-style Sunday sesh, the ravishing Jamaican-inspired roast at Buster Mantis in Deptford, or Rice Paddy's northern Thai meat platter in Peckham. There are a couple of posh restaurants in the mix too, with a Nordic roast at the plush Ekstedt at the Yard near Westminster and a serious meat feast at Quality Chop House in Clerkenwell. We also have a new Number 1 to welcome summer in; a masterful roast at The Golden Tooth on Green Lanes. London’s best Sunday roasts at a glance: 🥩 Central: Sessions Arts Club, Clerkenwell 😇 North: The Golden Tooth, Newington Green ⛪ South: Old Nun’s Head, Nunhead 🌈 East: The Nelson’s, Hackney 🍻 West: The Mall Tavern, Notting Hill Sunday lunch. There’s nothing quite like it. An elemental meal, one that Londoners take incredibly seriously. Debates about what constitutes the ‘perfect’ Sunday roast have been known to last for hours. There is no shortage of top roasts and Sunday lunch options in London. We’ve rounded up the city’s best Sunday meals from a host of pubs, restaurants and breweries all around town. What makes a good roast? For us, it’s simple; a welcoming room is a good start, maybe in a pub with an open fire during the winter months. Then it comes to the plate – we need perfect roast potatoes, well-cooked lamb, beef or pork and a decent plant-based option too. A Sunday roast is more than

Updated September 2026: Welcome to our ranking of the Top 50 restaurants in London for the year. Every summer we announce a brand new Number 1 and give this legendary list a full makeover. This is a snapshot of where London dining is at right now; a city of global flavours, hilariously varying budgets and the best food you’ve ever eaten. We’re extremely proud of what this city has to offer and especially pleased to crown gutsy French bistro Camille in Borough Market as the Best London Restaurant of 2026. The most recent entry into the list is Impala in Soho, a north African restaurant from Meedu Saad, the former head chef at Kiln, which was Time Out's Best London Restaurant of 2019.  Best Restaurants in London: Our Critics’ Picks: ⭐ Best Michelin-star restaurant: St John, Clerkenwell - a London institution and inspiration for pretty much every great modern restaurant you’ve ever eaten at. 👛 Best affordable restaurant: Lanzhou Lamian Noodle Bar, Covent Garden - late-night noodles at a great price. 🥦 Best vegetarian restaurant: Holy Carrot, Spitalfields - a lively bistro with inventive plant-based dishes.  🍻 Best gastropub: The Golden Tooth, Green Lanes - a proper pub with proper food. Order the stargazy pie.  💘 Best new restaurant: Impala, Soho - north African heat in the heart of Soho. London doesn’t stand still and neither do we. We’re constantly adding new restaurants to the list and taking away ones that no longer make the grade. From freshly starred fine-dining room

We can't believe it either, but it might be time to start thinking about the festive season. Yes, really. But, nowhere does Christmas quite like London. Come December, this city comes alive with dazzling festive lights, Christmas markets, theatre and endless shopping. Whether you’re venturing in from a nearby city or travelling from across the pond, there are endless reasons why a stay in the UK’s capital should be at the top of your list this festive season. Ready for some serious Christmas spirit? Look no further – we’ve handpicked the best hotels to stay in at Christmas in the Capital. And we’ve covered all the bases: hotels with Christmas markets on your doorstep, hotels that look out over ice skating rinks, and hotels that go all out for their very own festive offerings, with everything from bespoke Christmas packages to mega trees and blowout festive menus. And yes, you can stay on Christmas Day too. Ready to get festive? Us too. Read on for the best Christmas hotels in London this year.  📍 RECOMMENDED: Ultimate guide to the best hotels and Airbnbs in London  The best hotels for Christmas in London at a glance 👪 Best for families: Claridges 🏢 Best views: Shangri-La The Shard ⛄ Best for snow lovers: The Berkeley 🎄 Best Christmas tree: Landmark London ☕ Best festive afternoon tea: The Dorchester Who makes the cut? Headed up by editor Joe Mackertich, our team at Time Out London spend their time reviewing hotels all over the Capital – new openings, old class

July 2026: This list highlights some of London's latest and most intriguing afternoon sarnie sessions. Indulge at a themed tea, such as Fortnum & Mason's current Winnie The Pooh-inspired offering to celebrate a century of the beloved bear or a Monet-inspired tea at Rosewood London in Holborn. You could also embrace the sun and channel some English country cottage energy at Petersham Nurseries over in Richmond. 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 modern tea: London By Lily Vanilli at Four Seasons Tower Bridge, Tower Bridge 🧀 Best for something different: Afternoon cheese at Covent Garden Hotel 🌷 Best for tea in a greenhouse: Petersham Nurseries, Richmond  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, 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 reg

London has loads of lovely beer gardens, but there’s nothing like a rooftop bar when the temperature heats up. The combo of a killer view and a punchy cocktail sipped against the city's skyline is unbeatable. And that skyline looks pretty damn good from a Shoreditch vantage point, too. Here are east London’s brightest and best rooftop bars. RECOMMENDED: London's best restaurants for outdoor dining.

June 2026: Thinking of taking your drinking outside? It's finally warm enough. All of London's best rooftop bars are now open for the summer season, including the classic Frank's in Peckham, The Standard's 11th floor bar and Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden. Here they all are, alongside some other great year-round spots for you to enjoy a beer in the sun.  From swanky skyscrapers to casual warehouse hangouts and hidden pub terraces, London has a real crush on a rooftop bar. Sometimes we’re even blessed with perfect weather when we’re up there. To enjoy natural high, there are all kinds of rooftops which offer a winning combination of incredible city views and perfect drinks, be they on top of carparks, or hotels. So take your pick from spots in stylish Shoreditch, buzzing Soho and Covent Garden, hipster haven Peckham and more – it’s time to soak up those sunsets. Some are only open in the summer, but quite a few are year-rounders, where you can sit under heaters, or, if you’re hardcore, in the brisk London breeze. If you’d rather something a little more grounded, then have a look at London’s best beer gardens.  RECOMMENDED: Fancy a majestic meal up in the air? Check out London’s best rooftop restaurants. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Why visit a bog standard boozer when you can enjoy a pint in a weird and wonderful London drinking den instead? Get lost in a theme so immersive that you’ll feel you’ve dived straight into your drink. The best quirky bars in London at a glance: 🚢 Best for drinking on a boat: Tamesis Dock, Vauxhall 🤠 Best for authentic Americana: Dukes of Highgate, Highgate 🚇 Best for drinking in a rooftop tube: Village Underground Rooftop, Shoreditch 🍻 Best for dive bar energy: Big John’s Biltong Bar, Deptford 👾 Best for arcade games: Four Quarters, Peckham Delve into secret bars in the most unlikely of places. Or just have a laugh over arcade games, eye-catching lights, staff in character, and cocktails served in the world’s whackiest drinking vessels. We’ve rounded up the coolest and quirkiest bars and pubs in London, guaranteed to brighten your evening. RECOMMENDED: The very best bars in London. Quirky and unusual things to do in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Islington is no slouch when it comes to dining out. From Highbury and the fringes of Holloway Road to Angel via Canonbury, the gastronomical delights on offer in this north London neighbourhood almost put the best restuarants of Soho to shame. Whether you’re looking for perfect Italian pasta joints, sexy small plates or mouth-numbing platters of Chinese mapo tofu, you’ll find plenty to satisfy you in Islington. Ready for your restaurant crawl of Upper Street and beyond? Let’s get started. The best restaurants in Islington at a glance: 🥬 Best for vegans: Tofu Vegan 🦪 Best for slick small plates: Primeur 🍝 Best for date night pasta: Trullo 🍲 Best for tastebud-smashing Thai: Farang Going further afield? These are the 50 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.

Ynyshir isn’t simply a restaurant, it’s something to be conquered. As the final boss of British dining, much myth and fable has been built around this Welsh wonderland - a place where an epic all-nighter meets a 30 course tasting menu in a setting that does little to dispel the Viking lore, what with the numerous animal pelts, heavy hide curtains and the presence of an onsite blacksmith.  Located on the west coast of Wales (closest neighbour: an RSPB nature reserve), Ynyshir is remote, but getting there isn’t the hardest part. That would be saving up £450 plus VAT for the pleasure of eating there. With Gareth Ward at the helm, the restaurant won its first Michelin star in 2014, and its second in 2022. He’s a mountain of a man, presiding over the operation like Thor by way of Heston, his hammer replaced by a purpose-built underground Himalayan salt chamber. This is where we first encounter Ward, with each Ynyshir guest whisked into the chilly bunker to gaze upon dangling flesh and meet the maniac who’ll be cooking for them for the next five hours. Back inside the Camden-goth dining room, your test of stamina begins. Ward’s food is every bit as wild and whimsical as the building, arriving in handmade goblincore crockery via well-drilled staff in thick leather aprons. All 20 diners face the kitchen, with seats placed side-by-side for the best view of the action, which (as well as live fire cookery and knifework so skilled as to put Uma Thurman in Kill Bill to shame,) includes a

It’s rare that an 18-course dinner leaves you wanting more, but that’s what happened at Gwen. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but behind an ordinary wine-bar exterior on the high street of tiny Machynlleth, Wales (population 2,100), is the baby sister of culinary Valhalla, Ynyshir.  But if you thought Gwen would be any less intense than its mountain of a sibling, you’d be wrong. Sure, Gwen’s Mexican-Japanese tasting menu is a full 12 courses fewer than the one served by Gareth Ward down the road, but it’s still 18 dishes, though at £180 plus vat, less than half the price.  Former Ynyshir head chef Corrin Harrison launched the bijoux eight-seater in 2023, and when he left for Mor in Cornwall earlier this year, it was assumed Gwen would close. That was until Ward parachuted in his buddy Peter Iglesias Sanchez, who’d just left Decimo, the in-house Mexican restaurant at The Standard hotel in London. ‘I feel like I’ve signed Cristiano Ronaldo,’ Gareth reportedly commented. Sanchez’s cooking is beautifully non-denominational Sanchez’s first move was to get rid of Gwen’s counter seating. Before, meals in the miniature space were reminiscent of a group therapy session, with diners breaking sourdough bread over one shared table. Now the set up is more agile - guests sit side saddle on two-tops in a black-brick front room for a host of fish dishes, before heading through a dungeon-eqsue leather curtain into the fire-powered back kitchen for a bunch of barbecue, then finall

Serving stately home realness in the middle of Stoke Newington, Clissold House is one of the few London cafes where you might accidentally run into a wedding party while you’re ordering your oat milk flat white. Built in 1793, the Grade II-listed grand building has been home to various public cafes over the years (as well as being a popular wedding venue), but none have spruced the place up like the playful Fink’s. On the move? Swing by the lower level hatch in Clissold Park’s rose garden for coffee and soft serve, or settle down in the spacious boldly-painted rooms in the main house, or take a table on the outdoor terrace. Fink’s - who run a host of other cafes in the local area - serve an all-day breakfast from 8am, which includes a California-style breakfast burrito fully-loaded with crispy bacon, fries, eggs and avocado as well as cute and spongy house-made crumpets and sausage baps. On the lighter end of the spectrum you’ll find yogurt with granola and poached fruit. The lunch-adjacent likes of frittata, salads, sandwiches and stuffed pitas arrive at 11am, and the counter serves up deli bits and bold bakes such as blackcurrant, almond and polenta cakes, banana bread, cinnamon brioche buns and jalapeno cheese scones.  Time Out tip Fink’s don’t mind you using the cafe as a workspace, but there’s a no laptops after 11am rule.

There are many wonderful Turkish restaurants in London. There’s FM Mangal holding down the juicy meat-bread scene in Camberwell, Gokyuzu doing serious mixed grill business on Green Lanes and Durak Tantuni shifting heroic beef wraps on West Green Road. And that’s just the tip of the pide. Tarama is whipped into a fluffy frenzy Styled as a ‘meyhane’ - the raki-soaked Turkish equivalent of a provincial British gastropub with good food, good drinks, and the strong likelihood of banter - Kismet is the latest in a long line of impressive residencies upstairs at Borough Market’s Globe pub. Deftly, it bridges the gap between London’s old school Turkish institutions and the chichi Euro small-plates scene. Which makes sense, as it’s run by Dom Hamdy of the Bistro Freddie and Crispin coterie of restaurants alongside former Bibi and Harwood Arms chef Keiran Mustafa, who was recently cooking at nearby Oma, the UK's first Michelin-starred Greek restaurant. If you want, you can gaze directly into Oma through the first floor balconies of Kismet, extremely handy if you’re plotting a tarama-slathered remake of Rear Window. So what does Kismet do differently from the rest of the London Turkish cohort? Well, not much, but that’s a good thing. If anything, the menu leans more Cypriot than most mangals (Mustafa’s family moved here from Cyprus in 1964 and the year is imprinted on neat branded plates) with fresh and herby, Levantine flavours and a little less bready stuff (the brimming basket of fl

For a long time the Shaston Arms was a leftfield Soho pub choice. Not one of the big hitters, (Coach & Horses, French House, Blue Posts etc), but certainly not one of the abject shitholes (of which we’ll refrain from naming to protect their modesty). A decent choice nonetheless, the Shaston wasn’t as historic as the rest. It’d actually been a regular shopfront until Dorset brewery Hall & Woodhouse took it over in 1999, named it after a Thomas Hardy town and turned it into an ersatz Victorian boozer.  Lamb chops couldn’t be cooked better  In 2025, the space was picked up by the same team behind Barnes’ bucolic Waterman Arms gastropub, of which we have previously sung the praises. They gussied up the tatty wooden booths, gave it a moody red ceiling and one of those vintage-styled fairground signs that looks like it was hand-painted by a biker who doesn't actually own a bike. Situated in the pedestrianised Carnaby quarter, it quickly became home to Soho’s biggest vertical drinking squad.   But as well as jubilant street boozing, a very small space has been carved out for dinner. It’s a bit of a squeeze, what with the dining area made up of five tables sunk into a mahogany-lined moat against the back wall of the pub. But somehow it works, with plush velvet curtains tied open and separating it from the main bar, making diners feel like they’re watching a 19th century music hall performance. Champagne Charlie has, however, been replaced by IPA Ian.   It’s quite a mad little menu,

Spring has quietly, gracefully, been one of London’s best restaurants since Skye Gyngell decided to spruce up these former Inland Revenue offices in 2014. (A warning: it’s also one of the priciest). An Aussie earth mother who knew her way around a greengrocer, Gyngell made her name as head chef at Petersham Nurseries Café, delivering seasonal fare so fantastically finessed that the blousy Richmond teahouse scored a Michelin star under her guidance. Before she died in 2025, Gynell spawned a legion of devoted imitators, from Cafe Cecila’s Max Rocha to Wachaha’s Thomasina Miers. The continued excellence of Spring makes for a fitting tribute to her legacy. Dill is everywhere, whether you asked for it or not The grand and airy room in the 19th century New Wing of Somerset House feels like a Home Counties spa hotel; somewhere you might take the girlies to recuperate after a particularly feral night at ABBA Voyage. There’s lots of muted grey, a bonkers porcelain petal sculpture, fresh snapdragons on every table and staff float about in trad-wife adjacent smocks. But don’t be distracted by such whimsy. Spring floats like a butterfly, and stings like the proverbial bee. Food here is hearty by stealth; an elegant crab bruschetta is weighty with white meat, hiding a heft of citrus-spiked flavour under decorative purple flowers and pops of green foliage. A creamy risotto of fleshy, copper-coloured girolles is solidly sensual, as are fleshy lumps of tuna tartare, which mingle with crisp

Café Clement knows its angles. Situated on the most stylish block in central London, this glitzy all-day bistro’s highbrow neighbours are artsy 180 Strand, bougie and phenomenally pricey deli Corner Shop, double Michelin star champ Ikoyi and Frieze’s bakery and artsy restaurant Toklas. Quite frankly, Cafe Clement wouldn’t be seen dead anywhere else. A molten volcano masquerading as a cheese souffle chuckles in the face of Mounjaro It’s on the ground floor of St Clement, the glammy new hotel from hospitality kingpin and founder of the Soho House empire, Nick Jones. With St Clement, Jones means business - of the regular and show variety. Before the hotel’s official opening there are penthouse parties thrown for the Rolling Stones, and, three weeks in, Café Clement has already seen a rotating door of A-listers hoofing up souffle. In part, that’s due to the lure of Jones, whose inbox is a who’s-who of the past 30 years of the global entertainment industry, but also thanks to the pull of former River Cafe head chef Danny Bohan, who’s hit the ground running with a menu of flair-packed French and Italian classics. From the outside, the brusque building gives ‘glum office block’, but inside a contemporary take on art-deco shimmer puts the nearby Savoy to shame. You enter Cafe Clement through the hotel’s fragrant lobby (the bespoke scent is a nod to the ‘oranges and lemons’ in the St Clement’s nursery rhyme) and up a curvy green-carpetted staircase that feels not unlike you’re negoti

Albers’ sweet, airy and pine-clad corner space feels as if you’re in the neat studio of a particularly humble architect or maybe a Scandinavian school for gifted children. There’s even a dash of the minimal Quaker Meeting House about it. It’s this 1960s Montessori energy that makes you feel what’s about to happen will be effortlessly great, despite the fact quite a large amount of serious effort has been put in, from the deftly sourced fresh produce, to the welcoming, friendly team.  Which is exactly what happens at our midweek dinner in the Dalston hinterlands. Mains feel like they’ve been prepared by a kindly aunt Opened in 2024 by former tree surgeon and artist Scott Pattinson, and named after his dog (who in turn was named after Bauhaus-trained painter and Black Mountain College teacher Joseph Albers), the fact Albers feels like a classroom is no surprise. A self-taught chef, Pattinson’s menu is guided by feel rather than rigorous structure. This makes for a confident but playful meal. Oysters come bobbing in peach vodka and horseradish, a touch wet maybe, but what’s more fun than fruity vodka running down your chin? The menu’s robust, clarified pina colada, maybe.  ‘White miso-glazed turnip with pear and toasted milk’ sounds like something Beatrix Potter might whip up had she been a harried Hackney millennial, but is surprisingly charismatic,  with lean wedges of pear balanced on squidgy turnips that have been coyly caramelised at the edges, then coated in a deeply umam

Gleneagles isn’t like other luxury hotels. Not only does this stately Scottish bolthole have a den full of ferrets, a deeply zen outdoor sauna and the kind of breakfast that puts Las Vegas’ bountiful buffets to shame, there’s also a spooky wine cellar where you can indulge in a Champagne-drenched feast. Oh, and they’ll let you shoot a gun. Beat that, The Ritz. If you’ve ever heard anything about Gleneagles Hotel, it’s probably thanks to its world-renowned golf courses. Politics purists might remember its stint hosting the 2005 G8 Summit, when Blair, Bush and Berlusconi hobnobbed over haggis. If you really know your rock’n’roll lore, it might even be to do with Oasis’s gig there for Sony Records execs in 1994. Even if you’re not concerned with any of the above, Gleneagles’ brand of luxury is pretty easy to enjoy, even when the hotel’s grey stone facade matches the gloomy sky. This 1924-built cathedral to hospitality is glorious, a sprawling pile that’s The Traitors castle minus Claudia Winkleman, but complete with fleets of Land Rover Defenders. And it’s even more glorious when the sun comes out. What are the rooms like at Gleneagles? There are 205 rooms and 27 suites on offer here, spread across the Main House and the Braid House wings. These range from the most affordable (though ‘affordable’ would be the wrong word here) to the Estate Rooms and the Signature Suites. These are, unsurprisingly, nuts – some feature their own libraries, roof terraces and private libraries.  W

With their all-are-welcome attitude, whack-it-on-a-plate comfort food and casual, pull-up-a-chair canteen spaces, diners are the American version of British caffs, albeit with more generous opening hours. They’re a community asset; independent and often family-run spots serving grub from the heart. Taquitos and tostadas come alongside chicken plates and patty melts  Johnny Boys is a good-natured attempt to bring the West Coast diner to the mean streets of Stoke Newington. Visually, it’s on point, with luminous orange tiles bringing to mind LA’s legendary Canter’s Deli and Norm’s diner, while Formica tables are tucked into cosy booths and a Coca-Cola branded sign hangs outside. If you remember the biker-adjacent Jim’s in Clapton (now a rather decent Italian restaurant called Leo’s), you’ll know this isn’t the first time an all-American eatery has opened in north-east London. But Johnny Boys is different, drawing not just on blue jeans and Bruce Springsteen, but the Mexican and Jewish immigrant communities of southern California. Which is why the short-but-sweet menu sees taquitos, tostadas and pastrami sandwiches alongside chicken plates, patty melts and cheeseburgers.  Johnny Boys is the project of LA native Julian Denis, who also runs nearby vegan Chinese restaurant Facing Heaven and the taco-slinging Easy 8 bar. What can you say, the man loves a theme. The attention to detail here is immaculate, as well as the perfect crockery, there’s the vintage Pizza Hut-worthy stained

For Londoners of a certain age - or those in possession of a Coutts bank account - the name Langan’s is synonymous with martini-fuelled long lunches and intoxicating celebrity glamour. Opened in 1976 by debauched restaurateur Peter Langan and actor Michael Caine, the Mayfair brassiere became a byword for a certain kind of decadence. A ritzy hangout for the likes of Jerry Hall, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando, Langan’s was it.   Langan’s French-leaning offering is made up of classics and crowd pleasers Half a century later, and proceedings are somewhat less headline-grabbing, but still as endearing camp. If ever a building could be described as ‘showbiz’, it would be Langan’s, which is also the only London restaurant with official tube signage directing you all the way from Green Park station towards the front door. Passing the iconic red neon, you’ll enter a contemporary take on the disco era; there’s a gleaming, mirrored bar, gold column lamps on green marble tables, fluted glass chandeliers and suited waitstaff with different colour blazers denoting rank greeting regulars with an easy charm. Though most of the restaurant’s original art collection was sold off at auction in 2012, the walls are lined with newer prints and paintings by a who’s-who of modern art, with appearances by everyone from one-time regular David Hockney through to Tracey Emin, Peter Doig and David Shrigley.  Langan’s French-leaning offering is made up of classics and crowd pleasers, with the likes of

Texas Joe’s is delightfully incongruous; an American BBQ smokehouse in the middle of the most Dickensian street in south London. The first sign that you’re not in Bermondsey anymore is the gleaming 1962 Cadillac Coupe DeVille parked on the Victorian cobbles outside. It’s the kind of classic motor you rarely see in the States, let alone London Bridge. The smokehouse itself is clad in coal-black clapper-board in tribute to true Texan roadside joints Kreuz’s, Snow’s and Black’s.  Our fiesta of BBQ starts with perfectly pink pork ribs Inside draws you deeper into the kind of old-school Americana that’ll have you humming honky tonk hits before your denim-clad hiney even hits the seat. The walls are covered in vintage Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic posters, proper Mexican sombreros and a giant painting of John Wayne. And that’s before we even mention the two-metre long dive bar diorama. It’s a hoarder's paradise, or, if you’d rather, an episode of American Pickers come to glorious life.  The master of ceremonies is Texas Joe himself, who walks around like he owns the place (probably because he does) in an embroidered, Nudie-style western get-up and Stetson. That’s his car outside. He opened the place a decade ago, and has weathered the temperamental dude-food storm by holding firm to his meaty manifesto. The restaurant has now been co-signed by the US’s current wave of outlaw country stars, with Margo Price and Charley Crockett both regulars, proving this is no parody but the

The return of roast season brings with it the reappearance of two of Time Out’s favourite Sunday lunches.  On Sunday September 27 – evidently the first official day of Roastmas 2026 – not only will LD’s Kitchen vegan roast be served once more, but so will Ling Ling’s Chinese-inspired Sunday lunch, which was previously our number one roast in London.  LD’s Kitchen (which was previously available at The Black Heart in Camden) will now be served around the corner at the Imperial Palace of Big Red on Chalk Farm Road. Their ‘new improved roast menu that’s gonna blow your mind’ is fully plant-based. The previous menu included ‘pork’ tofu belly, beef-style steak and a chicken-ish main served either classic or Southern corn fried alongside roasted sweet potato, swede and basil puree, creamy mustard leeks and spinach, maple and fennel glazed carrots and collard greens with garlic, a crispy yorkshire pud and garlic and rosemary roasties. Black HeartLD's Kitchen Sunday Roast After residencies at The Gun in Hackney and the Bluecoats in Tottenham, Ling Ling’s has been based at ‘wine pub’ Godet in Islington since last October, but have only just announced the return of their roast. Chef duo Jenny Phung and James Shepherd’s Chinese-inspired take on Sunday lunch features beef short rib and five spiced pork belly as well as five spiced seabass, glass skin chicken with ginger and spring onions, and miso aubergine for the vegetarians. All of these come festooned with roast potatoes, seasona

Around this time every year we give our list of the 20 best restaurants in the UK a proper update and we’re happy to announce there’s a brand new number one on the list. The latest list topped is a bijoux eight-seat spot in Machynlleth, Wales (population 2,100), and is the baby sister of double Michelin starred culinary Valhalla, Ynyshir.  Gwen, which opened in 2023, has recently been overhauled by chef Peter Iglesias Sanchez, who left Decimo, the in-house Mexican restaurant at The Standard hotel in London earlier this year. ‘I feel like I’ve signed Cristiano Ronaldo,’ Gareth Ward, who runs Ynyshir reportedly commented. Mike SimGwen, Machynlleth Like Ynyshir, Gwen offers a no-choice tasting menu, with 20 small courses inspired by Mexican and Japanese technique. Read our full review of Gwen here. ‘Skilful, scrumptious and a little bit naughty, this is how tasting menus should be done,’ states the glowing five star assessment.  The tasting menu at Gwen costs £180 a head plus VAT, which isn’t cheap, but dinner runs for three and half hours, and it’s seriously some of the best cooking Time Out’s had the pleasure of shoving in our mouths. The small restaurant is hidden behind an ordinary high street wine bar exterior and is made up of two rooms; the first seven courses are eaten in the front, then diners move to the kitchen for the next courses, before returning to the front room for dessert. The rest of the top 20 spans England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a stro

Everything is bigger in the US; including their sandwiches. And you’ll now get to see for yourself as much-loved American chain Jersey Mike’s is about to launch its debut UK outlet. After slinging subs for 70 years, Jersey Mike’s will be coming to Soho later this year (they’re saying late autumn), setting up shop on Argyll Street before three other branches launch in central London. Could this be what becomes of the old Angus Steakhouse building by Oxford Street station? They’ve already got over 3,000 branches in the US, so this sub takeover has been a long time coming. Jersey Mike’s are known for their Italian-leaning submarine rolls which come filled with sliced meats and cheeses such as provolone, ham, swiss cheese, turkey and cappacuolo, then sloshed with ‘the juice’: an in-house dressing of  red wine vinegar and oil. You can also choose to have your sub ‘Mike’s Way’ - with onions, lettuce and tomatoes. Subway, who? Photograph: James ScherziSandwiches at Jersey Mike’s The first branch of Jersey Mike’s was called Mike’s Subs and opened in 1956 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Current chairman Peter Cancro started working there when he was 14 years old, and in 1975 when he was 17, he bought the business for $125,000 after borrowing the cash from his high school football coach. He changed the name to Jersey Mike’s in the 1980s. Speaking about the London openings Peter Cancro has commented: ‘Jersey Mike’s has always been about making a great sub, taking care of our customers

Rake – AKA chefs Jay Claus and Syrus Pickhaver – has been leading the kitchen of the Compton Arms since the start of 2025, but all good things must come to an end. The duo have announced they’ll be leaving the Islington gastropub at the end of year, which also means the end of one of Time Out’s favourite Sunday roasts. But all is not lost. They’re working on a new independent project and if we know anything about the Compton Arms, it’s that they’ll have a worthy successor in the pipeline.  The Compton Arms was previously home to Four Legs, who went on to open The Plimsoll and Tollington’s, as well as chef Dara Klein, who now runs one of the best Italian restaurants in London, Tiella in Bethnal Green.  You’ve still got a fair bit of time to enjoy Rake’s old school British cookery, which includes the fishy likes of ray wing tenders on crumpets, stargazy pie and beer-battered cockles and clams. Last service is on December 19.  ‘Rake’s ethos, in its current and future form, has always been about hospitality without pretension as much as it is about cooking. Our time at the Compton Arms has provided us the opportunity to finesse exactly what that means, cooking generously, drinking well and creating a place where people can relax and spend time with friends,’ says Jay Claus, who we recently named one of London’s best young chefs. ‘The end of the residency is an evolution rather than an ending for Rake.’ Speaking about their next project, Syrus Pickhaver added: ‘We’re excited to be

Most of the UK restaurant industry took their August 9 to 5 off, and who can blame them? But the summer lull is now over and we’re heading into autumn with a bumper month of terribly exciting new openings for seekers of the best London restos.  We hope you’re feeling hungry, because not only does September herald the return of the king (aka Mangal II’s Sertaç Dirik), but a brand new gastropub from Public House Group – the hotshot squad behind Notting Hill’s bougie Fat Badger and Maida Vale’s The Hero.  There’s also a fresh kitchen residency at one of east London’s best pubs, The Adam & Eve, as well as the arrival of a Soho location for one of the best smashburgers around, Dumbo, and a new temporary home for Malaysian pop-up Duda Diner.    The best new London restaurants opening in September 2026 Photograph: KidChef Sertaç Dirik and restaurateur David Carter of Kid 1. The big one KID, Soho It’s hard to argue with the kitchen clout of Mangal II’s saviour aka chef Sertaç Dirik and Oma kingpin David Carter. Since Sertaç left the family business a couple of years ago, baby we’ve been burning for the announcement of his very own restaurant and it’s finally here. The dashing duo are opening Turkish restaurant Kid in the middle of town, promising magnificent meze and serious salatas, as well as the titular braised kid goat and köfte of many colours.   Opens: September 1 Address: 53-55 Frith Street, Soho, W1D 4SJ Photograph: CasetteCasette 2. The French Peckham transplant  Cassett

One of our favourite fast and easy restaurants in London has announced it’s closing down at the end of next month. Sonora Taquería in Stoke Newington will be shutting up shop on October 31, for what they call an ‘indefinite break’.  The taco shop, which has been one of our favourite Mexican restaurants in London, started life as a street food stall and was Netil Market’s most in-demand trader until it pulled down the shutters in 2022. It’s known for its quite frankly excellent barbacoa and carne asada tacos, as well as quality quesadillas.  SonoraSonora Taqueria Sonora Taquería is run by husband-and-wife team Michelle Salazar de la Rocha and Sam Napier. The couple released a statement about the closure of the restaurant, which opened in 2023: ‘Throughout these years we’ve also gone through an immense amount of hardship in our personal lives, while simultaneously trying to run this business to the best of our abilities.’ They continued: ‘We feel very proud to have been very successful at it but it has also given us a new perspective on what we want for our lives as a couple. We feel ready to move on and try something new. This has always been a tool to showcase Sonora, Mx, and we’re really proud to have done so. So now it’s time for us to go back home and touch base.’ View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sonora Taquería 🌵 (@sonora.ldn) Sonora Taquería, 208 Stoke Newington High Street, N16 7HU The best Mexican restaurants in London. Get the late

Europe is full of great bars. And we should know, the Time Out team has drunk in a fair few of them.  The European Bar Guide has been releasing rankings of the best boozers in Europe since 2017, collating reviews of independent and quirky bars and pubs across the continent. This year, only one London bar made the cut, but it’s a classic.   Coming in hot at number 47 is Gordon’s Wine Bar by Charing Cross station in central London. The historic basement bar has been around since 1890 and – if you can face the often farcical queue to get in – is a real vibe inside. Kind of damp and kind of creepy, but also kind of romantic at the same time, it’s (probably) London’s oldest wine bar and a great place to share a platter of crackers and stinky cheese with a date. ‘A true one-off – which for London is saying something,’ says the European Bar Guide, which we think is a compliment.  Alas, Gordon’s has actually dipped in the top 100 ranking, as it was placed at number 44 last year. Maybe those queues have something to do with it. The people behind the guide have scoured the continent for the very best watering holes offering the perfect balance of character, atmosphere, events, value for money, good food and, of course, good drinks. The highest ranking UK entry was the Holly Bush Inn in the village of Makeney, Derbyshire, which ranked at 17. And at number 1? Well, that was in Budapest. The best bars in London, according to Time Out. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from

From the classic fry-up to the millennial favourite avocado on toast, we love a good breakfast at Time Out. You can score sublime morning meals across the city, but there’s one that’s recently taken our fancy and shot straight to the top of the very best brekkies in London list.  The new number one breakfast in London comes courtesy of… The Angel in Highgate. The Angel, which relaunched in 2024 under new management, is now run by the same team as the nearby Red Lion & Sun gastropub, but there’s been a pub on the same site for around 400 years. Though we doubt they were serving vegan sausage baps in 1687.  Our glowing review of their breakfast was written by Ella Doyle, who commented: ‘It’s rare to find a breakfast in London that doesn’t secretly make you think “I could’ve made this at home”. But trust me, none of you are getting anywhere close to this kind of finesse on a hangover.’ She added: ‘The Angel breakfast menu has got it all, from expertly crafted brunch classics – full English, avo toast and the likes – to a wonderfully thick Croque Madame, Thai sausage bap with lime mayo and crispy prawn chilli oil, and a whopping great kipper glistening with parsley butter.’ Angel Highgate The Angel opens at 8am and breakfasts run, quite brilliantly, until 4pm every day – apart from on Sundays, when they make way for roasts at 11.45am. The breakfast also includes mushrooms on toasted sourdough and Greek yoghurt with blueberries, banana and granola.   Our list of the best breakf

Time Out’s expert-curated list of the Top 20 Peruvian restaurants in London is out – and a Fitzrovia restaurant has taken the number one spot.  If you want a taste of the world’s culinary capital for 2026, then swing by our list-topper Lima, which opened in 2012. In 2014 the South American restaurant was given the nod by Michelin, making it the first Peruvian restaurant in Europe to receive a star. Lima no longer has that accolade, but it’s still a great spot in our book. Lima also has a restaurant in Shoreditch, which opened last year, but the OG is our favourite.  ‘This is Peruvian cuisine at its poshest. Lima’s fine-dining kitchen is headed by chef Diego Recarte, who brings technique and precision to Nikkei-based dishes,’ writes Daniela Toporek, a London-based, Mexican-American food and travel journalist with a passion for discovering and sharing Latin-American culture and cuisine in the UK.  Nikkei cuisine is a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian culinary practices, dating back to 19th century Japanese migration to Peru. 🇵🇪 The best Peruvian restaurants in London. Other restaurants to make the Time Out top 20 include Llama Inn, a colourful and modern Peruvian on The Hoxton Shoreditch hotel rooftop, as well as Darkest Peru, a Peruvian café in Hoxton, and long-running Tierra Peru on Essex Road in Islington, which began life as a food stall in Camden.  Try also Fulham-based Jarana, which opened at the end of 2025 and specialises in tequeño (fried wonton wraps filled with chic

American meat institutions InterStellar BBQ and La Barbecue are both coming to London next month for a serious BBQ collaboration. They’ll be popping up at The Ned in the City of London throughout September for a one-month residency in the hotel’s Electric Bar & Diner. Pitmasters John Bates from InterStellar BBQ and Ali Clem from La Barbecue will be prepping the ‘ultimate BBQ tray’ for the takeover. The £150 tray (based on two sharing at £75 a head) will feature signature dishes from both Austin-based restaurants, including InterStellar’s peach tea glazed pork belly, pulled lamb shoulder, chimichurri beef short rib, and La Barbecue’s pork ribs and chopped cheese sausage, alongside sides of Texas toast, La Barbecue queso shells & cheese, InterStellar beans and beetroot salad. Which should keep you going for a while. If that’s not enough, then La Barbecue USDA prime brisket sourced from Creekstone Farm can be added for two people at an extra £50. Still hungry? Go for InterStellar’s banana pudding with Jack Daniel’s caramel. Jack Daniel’s cocktails will also be on hand, including a Texan Sun with corn and honey and a hard shake with banana and raisin, as well as picklebacks.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Ned (@thenedlondon) Both InterStellar and La Barbecue received their Michelin stars in 2024. La Barbecue launched in 2012 and InterStellar opened in 2019.  The residency runs from September 4 until October 4 at The Ned’s Electric Bar & Din

We recently revealed Time Out’s brand new list of the 50 best bars in London for 2026, which contains all manner of boozy goodness. Exmouth Market’s Café Kick triumphed overall, Islington’s TRAMPS was ‘best new bar’, the top wine bar was Harringey’s Bonne Route and the city’s coolest bar was Ellie’s in Dalston. But what of the capital’s finest dive bar? Our top ranking dive in the list was a south London cult favourite, which, if we’ve honest, we’ve had a hard time not gatekeeping. Big John’s Biltong Bar can be found on Deptford High Street and not only serves cheap pints, but dishes up its own dried meat, as made by friendly proprietor Big John. ‘The diviest of dive bars, it appears to have collapsed into place or, perhaps, been excavated,’ wrote Dan Stubbs in his five star review of the bar. He added that Big John’s, though ramshackle, is full of heart and soul. ‘Whether it’s being among customers loudly singing along to a song you don’t recognise, the feeling of immediately being welcome or chatting to New Zealand native Big John himself, who might tell you about playing an Orc in the Lord of the Rings movies if you’re lucky.’ Big John’s opened in 2018. Other dive bars in Time Out’s top 50 bars list include Mascara Bar in Stamford Hill, the rocky Blondies in Clapton and Helgi’s in Hackney.   Big John’s Biltong Bar is at 29 Deptford High Street, SE8 4AD and open weekdays from 4pm and weekends from 2pm. Go and sink a pint and chew on some meat for us.  The best bars in Lo

An independent ‘micropub’ in deepest south London has just been named Greater London Pub of the Year 2026 by beer aficionados at the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA). The Cockpit opened in 2020 at the back of Roses Florist in Chislehurst, Bromley. The tiny boozer shares its space with the flower shop and deals in cask ale and fine cider. According to CAMRA, the boozer enforces a £1 fine for mobile phone usage and foul language. It also serves local gin and Neal’s Yard cheeses.  Speaking about the win, Adam Miller, who runs the pub with Paul Steadman, commented: ‘Flabbersmacked we are. Absolutely gobberghasted. Honoured to be rubbing shoulders with such a resplendent arsenal of boozers, let alone to be recognised by CAMRA as top of the pubs for Greater London this year. ‘A sea spanning embrace to everyone that has supported us since opening five years ago, so many of you have invested a titanic amount of enthusiasm into what we love to do, it makes every day a joy.’ View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Cockpit (@thecockpitmicropub) The best pubs in London 2026, according to CAMRA The winner was decided from the 12 Greater London regional winners for 2026, as listed below. Last year’s Greater London winner was The Hope in Carshalton.  Bexley – Long Haul Bromley – Cockpit Croydon & Sutton – Dark Horse East London & City – Cock Tavern Enfield & Barnet – Little Green Dragon Kingston & Leatherhead – Antelope North London – Wenlock Arms Richmond & Hounsl