Leonie Cooper

These days, it’s not just the specialty wine bars and caves that are putting together the best lists in London. A burgeoning interest in wine across all regions, colours and styles has encouraged many restaurants to up their game to meet the curiosity. So, the 20 suggestions here encompass wine bars, pubs and restaurants where you can order a glass without needing to buy food (although I strongly advise you do so, as each place recommended has an excellent menu that informs each venue’s drinks offering). Everything here has passed the vibe check and will hold a special place in my heart, and liver, for life. RECOMMENDED: These are London’s best bars.  Hannah Crosbie is a London-based wine writer for The Guardian, GQ, and the FT. She hosts regular wine clubs and has appeared on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch. She published her debut book, Corker: A Deeply Unserious Wine Book, in 2024

There’s no denying it. The mighty deep-fried chick pea-based snack that is falafel is one of the finest fast foods in the world. In London, this Middle Eastern street food with Egyptian roots can come as part of a mezze platter at posh restaurant or popped in a pitta at more casual hole-in-the-wall take-out joint. Crunchy on the outside and herby and moist in the middle, we have munched our way through the city’s best to bring you a list of London’s most fabulous falafel.  RECOMMENDED: The best Lebanese restaurants in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

October 2026: The latest additions to this list come from across the city, with Romy Gill at The Pem showcasing her fine-dining regional flavours in a posh Westminster hotel, Tamila in Kings Cross (and now with another outpost in Soho) doing an all-day menu of south Indian smashers, Kokum laying on some seriously high-end cooking in East Dulwich and the imposing Oudh 1722 giving Borough a taste of double Michelin starred Brummie chef Aktar Islam.  London’s South Asian food scene is a mosaic of flavours showcasing the culinary traditions of everywhere from India and Pakistan to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Rather than one unified cuisine, it reflects the complex cultural tapestry that has evolved through centuries of migration, trade, and gastronomic exchange across the subcontinent. For the diaspora, food goes beyond sustenance; it’s an expression of identity, memory, and community.  London’s best Indian and South Asian restaurants at a glance: 🇱🇰 Best for Sri Lankan food: Rambutan, Borough Market 🍛 Best for a quick curry: Tamila, Kings Cross ⭐ Best for a Michelin star meal: Trishna, Marylebone 🍚 Best for a street-food snack: Shree Krishna Vada Pav, Fitzrovia 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Best for a family feast: Kokum, East Dulwich Rooted in philosophical teachings, including the mindful and balancing principles of Ayurveda, South Asian food in London emphasises reverence for natural ingredients and the simple joy of eating. From masala-rich Pakistani karahis and delicate vegetaria

Dog parents like show off their perfect pups. We understand! Your cockapoo/border terrier/mystery mutt is a cutie. While this is pretty common practice in pubs, many of London’s restaurants have different rules, and aren’t quite as amenable to the presence of canine buddies. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the city’s best dog-friendly spots. These are places where you can have a lovely lunch or delightful dinner with your (well-behaved) pup curled up by your feet. There’s no need to worry about your pooch being home alone the next time you crush a plate of whipped cod’s roe and radishes – and maybe, just maybe, ‘accidently’ drop a little steak on the floor which your hairy pal can hoover up. These are London’s best dog-friendly restaurants. Woof. RECOMMENDED: London's best quirky and weird restaurants. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

London is full of perfect pizza. The finest of fast foods, this delicious staple has been elevated far beyond its humble roots by great Italian restaurants in London, pop-ups, street food vendors and pub residencies, and we know just where to find these world-class wonders, because we’ve been eating our way across London in order to discover the best. Whether it’s delivered in a cardboard box or served in a swish restaurant, excellent pizza is hard to beat. Browse our list of the best pizza places in town and try not to drool on your screen. London’s best pizza at a glance: 🍞 Best in central London: Carmy’s, Covent Garden 🌋 Best in north London: Bar Etna, Newington Green 🚗 Best in east London: Short Road Pizza, Leyton and Bethnal Green  🌸 Best in south London: Spring Street Pizza, Borough 🇮🇹 Best in west London: Napoli on the Road, Chiswick and Richmond Recent additions to the list include some nifty kitchen residencies; Dough Hands at the Spurstowe Arms and All My Friends in Hackney Wick, Fresh Hot Pizza at The Fox in Haggerston, Hot Saint at the Old Queen’s Head in Angel, Little Earthquakes at the Railway Tavern in Dalston, and Short Road Pizza at the William The Fourth in Leyton and Three Colts in Bethnal Green. You can find Ace Pizza at the Pembury Tavern in Hackney Downs, but they also have a standalone parlour in Victoria Park. Try as well Spring Street Pizza in Borough for pie with a Michelin-starred touch, Carmela’s on Upper Street for a cosy slice, Vincenzo’s

October 2026: Sunday roast season has finally returned to London. A boozey, end-of-the-weekend lunch is what we're all about in this city, and as well as more unique takes on the roast from the likes of the Macbeth in Hoxton and Buster Mantis in Deptford, we're all about celebrating the classic meat-spuds-and-gravy variety of Sunday lunch. Enjoy masterful takes on the roast at The Golden Tooth on Green Lanes, The Duke Organic in Islington, and The Camberwell Arms in south London. And we're happy to announce the return of two of our favourite roasts; the all-vegan slap-up roast at LD's Kitchen, now at the Imperial Palace of Big Red in Camden, and Ling Ling's Chinese-inspired roast at Godet in Islington.  London’s best Sunday roasts at a glance: 🥩 Central: Quality Chop House, 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 –

October 2026: The current Number 1 on this tasty list of plant and dairy-based goodness is the new branch of Holy Carrot in Spitalfields, which - unlike its Notting Hill counterpart - caters for vegetarians as well as vegans. We’ve even included a few places that aren’t fully veggie, but offer a great vegetarian menu, like Dalston BBQ spot Acme Fire Cult, Slowburn in Walthamstow, and global comfort food bistro Jikoni in Marylebone, which has just opened a great spin-off cafe inside the brand new V&A East in Stratford that offers one of London’s best breakfasts. It’s a treat to be veggie in London, and there are plenty of fantastic vegetarian restaurants, cafés and street-food stalls that cater to those who want to feast without the flesh, but still scoff butter, cheese and eggs. Read on and you’ll find down-to-earth veggie cafés, meat-free curry houses, healthy restaurants and swish spots that’ll convince even hardened carnivores to give peas a chance.  RECOMMENDED: Go fully plant-based with the best vegan restaurants in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

There’s enough colour and flavour in Victoria to satisfy any culinary craving, whether you’re after an Aussie brunch, a delicate tasting menu, a good old fashioned British roast or some of the best burgers for miles, with a host of competing patty-providers right by the station. Moving out towards Pimlico, you’ll find fancy contemporary cooking and some stonking Chinese cuisine. Here’s our pick of the best. 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.

London’s finest restaurants emanate glamour. We’ve got some of the biggest and boldest dining rooms in the world, and they just so happen to serve great food too. If you're after a blow-out evening where razzle-dazzle comes first, then you’ve come to the right place. The city’s fanciest dining rooms and most ravishing kitchens are all here for you to swoon over like you’re picking your way through an edible jewellery box. And they’re not all in Mayfair (though, let’s be honest, a lot of them are). Some of our glammest dining rooms can also be found in far-flung Farringdon, Vauxhall and King’s Cross.  RECOMMENDED: These are the best restaurants in Mayfair.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

London is an expensive city. We know it. You know it. But there are some hacks to make this incredible place a little less hard on your wallet. These tried-and-tested pubs (many of which feature on our list of the 50 best pubs in London) offer somewhat cheaper pints than many boozers in the city. Sadly, the £8 pint is real, but there are some places on this list where you can get one for less than a fiver. Incredible scenes. RECOMMENDED: These are 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.

Looking for the best restaurants in Mayfair? You’re spoilt for choice in this 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 could 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. The best Mayfair restaurants at a glance: 🍛 Best for Indian food: Bibi 🍔 Best for posh burgers: Dover Street Counter 🎨 Best for gazing at art: Mount St Restaurant 🇪🇸 Best for Spanish cuisine: Sabor 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.

September 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 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: 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 region of £30 to £100 for the pl

Covent Garden has always, for some indeterminate reason, felt a little like New York. Don’t ask us why! We don’t make the rules! It stands to reason then, that a New York-worthy slice shop would open here, in a grand corner building where Neal and Monmouth Street meet. Carmy’s - a drop-in, spin-off of Islington pizza restaurant Carmela's - doesn’t just offer fast and breezy service, but a short, impeccable menu of five pizzas that range from simple, unadorned cheese slices to a potent vodka sauce, pepperoni, stracciatella, and a monster ‘loaded pep’ slice that combines almost all of the above. It’s a true feat of culinary engineering, in which a pepperoni slice is dolloped with huge splodges of fresh, creamy stracciatella and smeared with hot maple syrup (hot honey who?), yet retains its enviably thin and crispy base. Sogginess? Not even the merest suggestion. Fridges are stocked with cans of dive bar favourite PBR, for the full American experience, and a couple of counter seats inside, though most prefer to stand by the outside tables while scoffing their slices. If a slice isn’t enough, they also sell whole pies. 

Nakimushi’s premise is solid: bring together two chefs who’ve smashed successful pop-ups and have them deliver superior Japanese cuisine under the same roof. What’s not to like!  First up is Robin Kosuge, whose Robin’s Ramen residency was known for rowdy, broth-spattered evenings that resembled all-nighters at Berghain as much as they did a ramenya. Then there’s Yuji Shimokawa Kelly, previously of Dinings SW3, and founder of the roaming Urchin, which specialised in high-end Japanese bistro fare. Both pop-ups took place at Holland Park’s Supermarket of Dreams, which is, handily, run by the same group as Nakimushi, as well as nearby Eel Sushi Bar and Dorian. Talk about keeping it in the family.  At Nakimushi - which translates as ‘crybaby’ - ramen is available at ever-so-slightly-too-cosy communal tables in a small ground-floor room, while more general Japanese cookery is found on the marginally less frenetic but still cramped first floor (cue plenty of table Tetris every time anyone needs to pop to the bathroom). Compactness of the venue aside, someone’s done a solid job of giving this slender Victorian townhouse a Tokyo-tastic makeover, with atmospheric pale wood panelling, framed prints and all manner of Japanophilia on the walls. Though we’re still not quite sure what inspired them to place a prep kitchen and fish larder basically in the bathroom, only separated by a single pane of glass, which really doesn’t do anything to stop the smell or the feeling you’re being watched

Well, isn’t Cloudstreet a cutie pie. We’ve always had a soft spot for this tatty Victorian courtyard; a Steptoe and Son-worthy stables in Stoke Newington that’s ditched the ponies for excellent one-man micropub Macintosh Ales, mullet specialists Cut & Run salon and a gaggle of artists’ studios. Cloudstreet quietly opened at the tailend of summer, headed up by chefs Georgia Lahiff and Frank Guest. The pair met while working at acclaimed Sydney restaurant 10 William Street, with Georgia then cooking in Rome and Frank doing stints at the now shuttered Lyle’s as well as Sune in London Fields. They also recently hosted pop-ups at Giacco’s in Finsbury Park and Ancestral Wines in Forest Hill, where they replicated a casual Italian tavola calda cafeteria.  Brilliantly, Cloudstreet doesn't feel like anything they’ve ever done before. Despite being surrounded by the shady palimpsest of historical British livery and the whimsical moniker (a tribute to the much-loved Australian novel of the same name) Cloudstreet seems as if you’ve stumbled across a small bistro in a medieval village in the south of France. Like some kind of hospitality Brigadoon, which only makes itself known once every 100 years, Cloudstreet leaves you wondering if you ever really ate that monumental onion tart or merely hallucinated its presence.  On a sunny day, it could be mistaken for Aix-en-Provence  The restaurant (and kitchen) is sequestered into a brick-lined tiny stable with flaking paint on the walls and has

You’ll find Astrid - a demure double-sited Euro bakehouse with impeccable curb appeal - in the leafy residential fringes of Alexandra Palace. Former journalist Charlotte O'Kelly began baking during lockdown and hasn’t stopped since. After delivering curated breakfast boxes to local residents, she opened the Wes Anderson-inspired mint green hatch in 2024. The bigger, sit-in bakery a few doors down followed not long after. The smaller spot offers all manner of sweet treats, from juicy almond croissants through to fruity pastries which incorporate more obscure fruits (greengages!) as well as fluffy brioche cardamon buns and a seriously good croissant. The larger venue sells deli bits (eggs etc) as well as Astrid’s award-winning granola, savoury offerings (ham and cheese croissant, focaccia and sausage rolls), and bread. Their sourdough is triumph; a world away from tougher, teeth-snapping versions we have known, this bouncy, light loaf is made with wholemeal spelt and heritage einkorn.  Time Out tip Come Christmas, swing by for a festive panettone: there’s Astrid’s classic version, triple chocolate or clementine and milk chocolate varieties on offer.  Find Astrid at 118a and 114 Alexandra Park Road, N10 2AH

Convenience is rarely this stylish. Not only is Okupa situated firmly within Athens’ coolest neighbourhood Psyrri, it’s got a solid restaurant, a welcoming co-working space, and rooftop pool that comes with a view of Greece’s most legendary ruin, the Acropolis. A relative newcomer, Okupa opened in 2024, but its bones are ancient – as you enter, look down via a glass walkway to see the 2,500-year-old tomb of Lady Melenissis. Inside, there’s a simple but stylish midcentury design aesthetic and a variety of rooms for different budgets, as well as regular events for guests and locals, such as sound bath sessions, yoga classes and (fun) seminars. The onsite listening bar is packed with the founders’ impressive vinyl collection and hosts sets from acclaimed global DJs.  What are the rooms like at Okupa? There are 32 rooms across the hotel, with 1960s-inspired terrazzo floors, clean lines and our room has all your basic amenities (coffee, teas, a kettle and a hairdryer, shampoo and conditioner). Ours also has a decent-sized terrace with a table and – if you stand up – a decent view of the Acropolis. If you’ve a little less to spend, you can go dorm-style, with four and six bunk hotel style rooms. A friend had the honour of staying in one and said it was a little warm and claustrophobic, but the price (which starts at around £26 a night) is pretty hard to beat considering you get access to the rest of the hotel, pool included. Heck, you might even make some new friends. You can also

One of the prettiest islands in the known universe deserves one of the prettiest palazzos. Il Capri was originally built as a lavish private villa, but has been running as a hotel since 1899 up in the hills of Capri Town. In 2022 it received a well-earned and ultra-glam revamp, encompassing a pastel pink paint job on the grand gothic facade which overlooks the whole of the busy Marina Grande down below, with immaculate views of Mount Vesuvius from the rooftop restaurant and many of the rooms and suites. Despite its grandeur, it’s an intimate place with just 20 rooms, so if you’re looking for a little privacy, then this bougie boutique is the one - it’s also adults only, so your rooftop pool-time won’t be disturbed by kids running about the place.  What are the rooms like at Il Capri? There are 20 rooms and suites, most of them with private balconies or terraces overlooking the stunning Gulf of Naples, found via Kubrick-esque corridors. There are no TVs, but with views like this, why would you need one? The 1950s-coded peppermint pink palate is a theme throughout the hotel’s public spaces and rooms, with spacious bathrooms clad in putty-shaded titles and walls painted a soothing blush. Beds are cosy, floors are sisal, while furniture strikes the perfect balance between vintage tiki-chic and modern elegance. Vintage posters from the current owners’ personal collections adorn the walls. Free mini-bars come stocked with mini Campari mixers, local Limonata, house-made pastries, fi

Rarely has an opening been as thirsted for as the long-awaited new restaurant from Sertaç Dirik. For those who haven’t been paying close attention to nitty gritty of the London dining scene, Sertaç is the twinkling boy wonder who resuscitated his dad’s Dalston kebab joint with ultra-cheffy, Copenhagen-honed technique, all done while sporting a commendable range of 1990s metal and punk t-shirts. It’s now been almost three years since Sertaç left Mangal 2, presumably taking his sweet time to ensure his solo debut was just-so. Named after the menu’s headline act of slow-cooked goat, Kid could easily refer to Sertaç himself; still only 30, but generally accepted as one of the UK’s greatest young chefs. Wisely, he hasn’t gone it alone, joining forces with hospo big gun David Carter, founder of fire-fed heavy hitters Manteca, Oma and Agora. Much like Carter’s acclaimed roll-call, Kid is all about smokey, flame-licked food. In fact, entering the brooding restaurant, with its dark brick walls and back-lit collection of urns, feels a lot like we’ve stepped inside an actual kiln.  Where Mangal 2 was a workaday canteen, Kid offers a more sensual backdrop, with a charcoal grill as its mission control. There's an earthy main dining area, an intimate, clubbier room facing Frith Street and a handful of counter seats for a direct view of the action. But you don’t need to see the grill to taste its power; deeply juicy and rudely thick slices of sucuk sausage come with grilled peach, which tur

Don’t be fooled by the Holy Tavern’s 18th century affectations. This side street boozer might look the part, what with its scuffed wooden floor, peeling paint and tatty Delftware-style tiles, but it’s actually only been a pub since 1996. But none of that stops it from being utterly charming. First known as the Jerusalem Tavern, it’s been the Holy Tavern since 2022 and the building does actually date back to 1720, so it’s far from ersatz, feeling like a historic coffee house from the era.  Outside might look a little gothic, but inside is cosy as anything, complete with a roaming cat and assorted nooks and crannies. During the summer you’ll find local office workers supping pints by al fresco beer barrels, but as soon as the clocks go back the pub truly comes into its own; lit by candles and with the strange feeling that William Hogarth might tumble through the doors at any moment. Beer comes from St Peter’s Brewery in Suffolk, adding to the olde worlde feel. Time Out tip Some of the best restaurants in London can be found in Clerkenwell. Why not follow your pint up with dinner at St John, Bouchon Racine or Quality Chop House.

There aren’t many London boozers like the incomprable Seven Stars, known not just for a resident cat who wears an Elizabethan ruff (currently The General, though regulars will remember its feline predessor, Clement Attlee), but their near-lethal martinis. Tucked away behind the Royal Courts of Justice, the tiny, charismatic pub - and long-standing Time Out favourite, named our Best Pub of 2003 - is where barristers bring their clients for celebratory champagne or commiseratory scotch after a big case. More importantly, it’s where in-the-know Londoners sequester themselves away for an all-night session under the watchful eye of legendary Aussie landlady and London hospitality hero Roxy Beaujolais. Known for its resident cat who wears an Elizabethan ruff  Dating back to 1602, a good 64 years before the Great Fire of London, the Seven Stars creaks with history, thanks to ancient, rickety floorboards, and terrifyingly steep steps to the loos, though the interiors are largely Victorian thanks to decades of refits. Walls are covered with vintage crime movie posters, as well as black and white photos of Roxy with the great and the good of Soho across the years, giving the place the feel of a rough and ready French wine bar.   Seats at the tables covered with green and white checked oilcloths are hard to come by, but considerate bar staff do their best to alert customers to vacancies, and if you’re peckish the blackboard bistro menu always delivers. 

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.

As well as new openings from some of London’s most popular chains (Dishoom and Bubala), October brings with it a brand new flagship from one of the most famous sushi masters in the world: Endo Kazutoshi. Endo’s new joint might already be fully booked until the end of the month (despite the £305-a-head price tag), but the wise among you will be heading for a lowkey breakfast at Clementine, a new cafe in Islington from one of the city’s finest pastry chefs. Here are the other foodie openings to look out for in October. The best new London restaurants opening in October 2026 Ben McMahonEndo Kazutoshi 1. The sushi sensation Endo, Chelsea With his legendary Endo at the Rotunda restaurant in White City still closed following a fire, Endo Kazutoshi is opening up a brand-new sushi joint. At this tiny, 10-seater omakase there will be no menu, with guests dining at the whim of Endo, who will whip up whatever sushi takes his fancy on the night as they perch at a 200-year-old hinoki counter all the way from Kyoto. Above Endo will be a listening bar called Moga. At first it’ll only be open to guests dining at Endo, but any old randos can get a cocktail there from December onwards. Opens: October 1 Address: 8-9 Blacklands Terrace, Chelsea, SW3 2SP Spring Street Pizza BarSpring Street Pizza Bar 2. The Italian cocktail and snacks spot  Spring Street Pizza Bar, Borough One of south London’s top pizza restaurants is opening a 2,500 sq ft cocktail bar. Spring Street Pizza Bar will open in

The excellent Café TPT on Wardour Street has announced its plans to close. The much-loved Chinese restaurant – a Chinatown staple – has been open for almost two decades, but will be serving its final meal on October 27. The restaurant announced the news on Instagram, but no reason was given for the closure.  Café TPT wrote: ‘What started as a restaurant became so much more than that - it became a place filled with familiar faces, friendships, celebrations, laughter and countless memories. To every customer who has walked through our doors, supported us, celebrated with us and made Café TPT part of your lives - thank you. We truly wouldn’t have been here without you. After so many years, it’s time to say goodbye.’ View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cafe TPT (@cafe_tpt_restaurant) Of the Hong Kong-style canteen, which serves Cantonese and Malaysian dishes and promises ‘Chinese street food’ on its awning, we wrote: ‘The menu in the window of Café TPT looks longer than the complete musings of Confucius. It’s not unusual to see a big menu in Chinatown, but such a vast repertoire seems impossible from a kitchen galley the size of an origami junk. Not so, because dishes from Hong Kong, mainland China and the diaspora are all produced competently, and some of them with commendable aplomb.’  Café TPT was known for its roast duck on rice, stuffed tofu in hot stone bowls and over 50 seafood dishes. It will be missed.  Café TPT is at 21 Wardour Street, W1D

Hackney Wick has long been known as a place for late-night adventures, from off-the-grid warehouse parties to clubs and bars including Colour Factory, Number 90 and Grow.  There’s also Victorian boozer The Lord Napier Star, which sat derelict for over a quarter of a century before being reopened in 2021 by the Electric Star Pubs group, which also includes the Star by Hackney Downs, Star of Bethnal Green and Leyton Star among others. Now, says Rob Star – who runs the mini pub chain – the future of the Lord Napier Star is at risk. ‘The Lord Napier is under threat… it’s because [of] plans to build a block of flats right next door to where our beautiful garden is,’ explains Rob in a video posted to Instagram. ‘They’re going to build balconies basically overlooking this area. It also means they’re going to overlook our lovely roof terrace - and that means one thing; the neighbours are going to complain.’ The pub is currently licensed until 1.30am on the weekends. Star added that complaints could lead the pub losing their late licence, which could ‘send our business under’.  Photograph: The Lord Napier StarRob at the Lord Napier Star Rob Star has asked fans of the pub to contact Tower Hamlets council via email to voice their objections to the development, which involves the demolition of an existing building and the building of a five-storey mixed-use property with eight residential units.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rob Star (@robstar_pubs)

A pizzeria which was named in the top 100 best pizzas in the world is opening up a London restaurant. Forbici, which was one of only two UK restaurants in the ranking (alongside London’s Crisp), is launching its first London site later this month in London Bridge. It came 83rd in the 2026 Top 100, which was announced earlier this summer at a ceremony in Milan. Forbici, which opened its first site in Manchester last year (and followed it with a second in the city, as well as a restaurant in Sheffield), serves Neapolitan style pizza. Forbici means ‘scissors’ in Italian, as all of the restaurant’s pizzas are cut into four table-side with a pair of sharp snippers. The London menu will include provola e pepe (tomato, smoked provola, black pepper and fresh basil) as well as porcini e tartufo (a white pizza with fior di latte, porcini mushrooms, truffle sauce and chives) pizzas.  Image: ForbiciForbici illustration in London As well as being only one of two UK pizzerias in the top 100 list, Forbici has some formidable fans, with storied chef Marco Pierre White saying the original Manchester branch served him ‘the very best pizza I’ve ever had in my life’ last year.  Image: ForbiciForbici illustration in London The London Bridge branch will open at 120 Tooley Street on October 27. Speaking about the opening, Andrew Garton, Forbici’s CEO, said: ‘London feels like a natural next step for us, and we’re excited to bring what we do to the capital for the first time. We know London has

One of Time Out’s favourite burger restaurants in London is opening its biggest location yet.  Heard Burgers will be launching its third – and largest – London site this November in Covent Garden.  Joining restaurants in Soho and Borough, Heard Burgers Covent Garden will take over a space once used by Byron on Wellington Street and will offer two floors of perfect patties. As well as Heard’s regular menu and collabs, this branch will be home to what the brand is calling ‘a dessert and cocktail speakeasy’. Which basically means a basement where you can get pudding and drinks, including hot apple pie, brûlée cheesecake and milk soft serve, as well as ice cream sandwiches and sundaes. Chef Jordan Bailey came up with the Heard concept after stints at the three-Michelin-starred Maaemo in Oslo and his own two-Michelin-starred Aimsir in Ireland. Ingredients at Heard are all super high-end, with aged British beef, quality British cheese and roast potato buns toasted in butter. The house special, The Heard, is a double smash patty burger with jalapeño hot honey, Ogleshield cheese, white onion and burger sauce. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Heard. (@heard.burger) Heard is also known for its regular collaborations with some of the UK’s best restaurants. Currently on offer at the Borough and Soho locations is Pataka Burger, which was devised with Michelin-starred chef Aktar Islam of Birmingham’s Opheem and Borough’s Oudh 1722, which is available until O

The coffee shop recently named World’s Best Coffee Shop for 2026 will be staging a London takeover this weekend. The USA’s Onyx Coffee Lab will be coming to Rosslyn London Wall over Saturday September 26 and Sunday September 27 to serve its own coffee as well as a retail range including an Onyx x Rosslyn diner mug. There will be two signature beverages: the Onyx Delight honey-cinnamon latte and the exclusive Malted FOMO, an americano with a foam topper and English beer syrup. Onyx, which is based in Rogers, Arkansas, launched in 2012 and this year became the first ever American cafe to top the list of the World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops. It’s apt that Onyx will be coming to Rosslyn, which was itself named the number one coffee shop in England in the European list of 100 Best Coffee Shops earlier this year. Rosslyn, which has nine outlets in the City of London, was named 12th overall in the European top 100 – the highest ranking English coffee shop.  ‘Onyx are one of the leading specialty coffee roasters on the planet, and listed as the best coffee shop in the world right now,’ said James Hennebry, Co-Founder of Rosslyn. ‘Getting their full team behind our bar… serving alongside our own baristas, is a huge moment, not just for Rosslyn but for anyone in London who enjoys coffee.’ There’ll also be some special snacks on offer; a ham and cheese croissant from Hackney’s Forno and an apple pie soft serve ice cream made by Happy Endings.  Onyx Coffee Lab comes to 118 London Wall, EC2Y

Two London bars have been given the nod in a new list announcing the 100 best bars in the world. In slightly confusing news, the bars have made the just-announced 51-100 spots in the er, The World’s 50 Best Bars: a global ranking of the 50 best bars in the world, which is actually made up of 100 bars. Time Out’s Top 50 Bars in London London bars in the 50 Best Bars 2026 51-100 longlist The actual 50 Best Bars 2026 will be revealed on October 7, but until then we have the 51-100 spots to keep us entertained. The two London bars to make the grade are the Soho branch of Three Sheets at no.73 and Scarfes Bar in Holborn in 77th. The only other UK bar revealed was Edinburgh’s Panda & Sons, which is higher than both the London spots, coming in at 72. Three Sheets| Three Sheets There may very well be more London bars in the top 50, but we won’t know until the ceremony takes place in Milan next month. It’ll be the 18th edition of the World’s 50 Best Bars awards. The ranking is compiled by 800 bartenders, writers, drinks educators and industry specialists.  Three Sheets Soho Time Out’s four-star review of the 73rd-best bar in the ranking said: ‘The Three Sheets Soho team have devised a menu which takes drinks you know well to sexier, more modern places. As such, the selection is never alienating, but pretty much always surprising.’ Scarfes Bar Seventy-seventh-place Scarfes received a five-star review from Time Out: ‘Picture your classic hotel bar. It’s probably got dark wood panell

Television chef Gennaro Contaldo is set to open a trattoria in Soho. The Italian cook, known for his association with Jamie Oliver as well as with Antonio Carluccio, will launch the brand-new Bolo on September 25.  Opening at 17 Air Street, previously home to another Italian restaurant called Il Conte, Bolo will seat 32 guests and is apparently inspired by 1970s Italy. The menu will include Contaldo’s signature pork and beef bolognese (Bolo is named in tribute to the dish) as part of six fresh pasta dishes available daily. One will be named ‘Antonio’ in tribute to Carluccio, a pappardelle with porcini and mascarpone bolo, while another is called ‘The Limone’, which celebrates the chef’s childhood on the Amalfi Coast via the medium of lemons, butter and mint with tagliolini.  James NorthBolo by Gennaro Speaking about Bolo, Contaldo says: ‘After more than 60 years in the kitchen, I’m still a romantic at heart. Love the food, love the people you’re cooking for, and everything else will work out beautifully in the end. Italy has given me so much throughout my life, and I’ve always wanted to celebrate that generosity through the food I cook. I want people to come to BOLO, eat well, feel at home and experience a little piece of the Italy that I know and love.’ The menu also includes starters of tomato bruschetta, ’nduja meatballs and bolo arancino, as well as ricotta doughnuts, gelato and sorbetto for dessert.  Looking for excellent pasta in London? Check out our list of the bes

Fancy a big night out in a beautiful room with excellent food? Then look no further than our brand new ranking of the most glamorous restaurants in London.  And if you’re thinking fancy means super expensive, you’d be wrong, as the number one spot has been secured by one of central London’s swankiest but best-value restaurants (especially if you order the £16.95 set menu): Brasserie Zédel.  ZedelBrasserie Zedel We’re big fans of this French fancy by Piccadilly Circus, which has operated under the Brasserie Zédel name since 2012 but was once the bowels of The Regent Palace Hotel – built in 1915 and rejigged in the early 1930s to give it some extra Jazz Age oomph. The grand, underground West End dining room was known as the Atlantic Bar and Grill in the 1990s and a solid celebrity haunt, attracting the likes of Madonna, Kate Moss and Robert de Niro and Harvey Keitel.  Now you’ll find live jazz and French classics in the sparkly and massive main room, which seats up to 240 diners. The sub-£20 set menu is still one of the best in town; oeufs mayonnaise and steak haché is our go-to order.   Helen CathcarttSimpsons in the Strand Other glammy spots to make our razzle-dazzle top 20 include the newly reopened Simpson’s in the Strand and its glorious main dining room the Grand Divan, which dates back to 1828, as well as Sessions Arts Club in Farringdon, which you’ll find in a Grade II-listed former courthouse, and The Wolseley on Piccadilly, which is in a 1920s car showroom. The mo

Dumpling Xi is set to open its first ever UK restaurant. Dumpling Xi is one of the biggest dumping chains in the world, with over 900 locations globally and restaurants in 40 Chinese cities. It will take over a Shaftesbury Avenue space previously occupied by The Theatre Café Diner. No official launch date has been announced, but the shop fit is underway with, rather excitingly, a sign outside the restaurant advertising front of house and kitchen jobs that states ‘training in China may be required’.  The first Dumpling Xi opened in Hegang in 2002, with 2024 seeing the brand travel to the US, Korea and Spain. Dumplings are prepared fresh every day, and are made in northern Chinese style.  The news follows the announcement that Din Tai Fung, the Taiwanese dumpling chain, will be opening its fifth London location in King’s Cross. Currently, you can visit Din Tai Fung restaurants in Canary Wharf, Covent Garden, Selfridges and Centre Point by Tottenham Court Road station. The opening date for Din Tai Fung King’s Cross hasn’t been revealed yet, and exact details of the restaurant are also still under wraps.  Dumpling Xi will open at 154 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8HL. The best Chinese restaurants in London. Did you see that this London pizza restaurant is one of the 50 best in the world? 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 n

The team behind Sune – a Broadway Market bistro we once branded ‘practically perfect’ – is opening a pub and restaurant in Smithfield Market. The historic meat market, which is currently in the middle of a huge redevelopment programme, will see The Poet opening this November.   The Poet will be in the Victorian-era curved corner space once partially occupied by Bubb’s Le Restaurant Français, which closed in the early 2000s. The team, made up of Charlie Sims, Honey Spencer and Spencer Large, will launch The Poet with exec chef Charlie Tayler, who was most recently cooking at the Michelin-starred Aulis in Soho, reports the Standard.  There will be separate pub and restaurant areas, with food available in both. Expect elevated pub grub like prawn Scotch eggs coated with scampi fries, smoked eel caesar salad and a fallow deer and juniper suet pudding.  Photograph: ©giuliasavorelliThe Poet team The large space will see more rooms opening up next year, with an onsite cocktail bar called Shambles and a chef’s table dining area on a mezzanine.  The Poet will open around the same time as the new London Museum, which launches in Smithfield Market on November 28, after closing down its Museum of London site at the nearby Barbican. The £437m revamp project, a partnership between the City of London Corporation and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, marks the culmination of a decade-long transformation of Smithfield’s historic General Market, which is returning to public use for the first time in

The future of Covent Garden’s Café Pacifico – which opened in 1982, making it one of the UK’s oldest Mexican restaurants – is in doubt. Restaurant Online reports that liquidators have been appointed to Laverlathe Limited, which was Café Pacifico’s last known operating company, and remains named on the Langley Street restaurant’s website. Laverlathe was ‘compulsorily wound up in March following a petition filed last November’, writes Restaurant Online. The publication adds: ‘It is not currently clear whether the business has been sold to a new operator or is continuing to trade under the control of the liquidators.’  Café Pacifico calls itself ‘a fixture of the London Mexican restaurant scene. Being the first of its kind, it first introduced Mexican food, tequila and culture to the UK.’ The ‘homemade’ menu includes nachos, quesadillas, crispy empanadas, burritos, tacos and fajitas, as well as sweet adobo pork ribs with pineapple honey glaze.  Café Pacifico, which remains open, used to have a sister restaurant La Perla on nearby Maiden Lane. According to Restaurant Online, it continues to be linked to Primos Mexican Cantina on Blackstock Road in Finsbury Park. However, this is operated via a different holding company to Laverlathe, so we reckon they’ll be safe. Now got a craving for chimichangas? Check out our expert-curated list of the top 20 Mexican restaurants in London. Did you see that Newington Green is the coolest neighbourhood in London in 2026, according to Time Out?