Leonie Cooper

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

Every week, a frankly silly amount of brilliant new restaurants, cafés and street food joints arrive in London. Which makes whittling down a shortlist of the best newbies a serious challenge. But here it is. The 20 very best new restaurants in the capital, ranked in order of greatness and deliciousness. All of them have opened over the past 12 months and been visited by our hungry critics. So go forth and take inspo from this list, which is updated regularly. Check in often to find out what we really rate on the London restaurant scene. And look here for all the info about the best new openings in February 2026. London's best new restaurants at a glance: 🍛 Central: DakaDaka, Mayfair 🍠 North: Ling Ling’s, Islington 🥟 South: Doma, Sydenham 🍝 East: Tiella, Bethnal Green 🥗 West: Martino’s, Chelsea February 2026: We have a new Number 1! The newly-opened Tiella in Bethnal Green has scooped the top spot thanks to knockout regional Italian dishes from chef Dara Klein. Other fresh additions include the slinky Martino's in Chelsea, foodie wine bar in a one-time Clerkenwell tattoo parlour Passione Vino, perfect produce at Dockley Road Kitchen in Bermondsey, Hunanese heat at Fiery Flavors in Surrey Quays, Ukrainian elegance at Sino in Notting Hill, cool diner energy at Dover Street Counter in Mayfair, Georgian classics at DakaDaka in Mayfair, and spicy southern Thai at the second branch of Plaza Khao Gaeng by Borough Market. Hungry yet? Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and

February 2026: It's still cold, and it's still grey - which means we're still in peak Sunday roast season. Not simply just a decent hangover cure, Sunday lunch is one of the most winter-y things a Londoner can possibly do. Our latest update to this list has prioritised the cosiest pubs in town, with extra points for roaring open fires (check out French resto Bistro Sable for a great one), as well as nooks and crannies to hunker down in. 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. Our worthy Number 1 is the simple, spectacular roast at London’s OG organic pub, The Duke of Cambridge in Islington.  London’s best Sunday roasts at a glance: 🥩 Central: Duke of Cambridge, Angel 😇 North: The Angel, Highgate ⛪ 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 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. Then it comes to the plate – we need perfect roast potatoes, well

January 2026: 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 is nearby Holland Park and Ladbroke Grove. Whatever you desire – from a Carnival time top-up to a blow-out dinner – pile through our list below of the best eateries in this historic area. The latest additions to this list include Jackson Boxer’s playful bistro Dove, the second outpost of Chinatown’s buzzy Thai canteen Speedboat Bar, witty Ukrainian bistro Sino, Dishoom side-hustle Permit Room Portobello - an all-day Bombay cafe in an old Victorian pub - and the waterside Canal in Westbourne Park. 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.

Squid Game, Parasite, and BTS – the rising influence and popularity of Korean culture has taken the world by storm in the last few years, and that very much includes food. When it comes to Korean cuisine in London it’s all about the three Bs: banchan (small side dishes), bibimbap (mixed rice) and barbecue. From bibimbap in unassuming takeaways to sizzling bulgogi on table-top grills and a dizzying array of banchan on fine dining set-menus, you’re spoilt for choice for Korean food in London. Here are the 20 best Korean restaurants in London, many of which you'll find in south west London's New Malden neighbourhood, which has been home to the largest Korean community in the UK since the 1970s.  RECOMMENDED: London’s 20 Best Japanese Restaurants. Angela Hui is an award-winning journalist reporting on the intersection of food and culture, hospitality industry and food justice. She is the author of 'Takeaway: Stories from a Childhood Behind the Counter'. 

Whether you’re margherita-loving purist or an all-the-toppings enthusiast, a fan of New York-style, Detroit-style, Neapolitan-style or your own whacky style, everybody’s their definition of a dream pizza. But cities all over the world have put their own spin on the dish, too, and that’s why we called on our international network of editors and writers to share the weirdest, tastiest and most lip-smacking pizzas where they live. So, feast your eyes on Time Out’s freshly-baked roundup of the best pizzas on the planet.  RECOMMENDED:🍝The best cities in the world for food🥪The best sandwiches in the world🥩The best steaks in the world This list was edited by Liv Kelly, Time Out’s travel writer. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Why not enjoy your dinner with a side of strange? London is home to hundreds of seriously amazing restaurants, but sometimes it’s nice to have a talking point with your tapas. We’ve rounded up a great bunch of entertaining eateries: oddball decor, bizarre culinary concepts, oompa bands, and boats. Our list of unusual restaurants should delight poker players, garlic fans, yodellers and more. You’ll find these joints in venues as varied as a prison, a fake sex shop, and a converted cabmans shelter. This is true dining with a difference.  London’s best quirky restaurants at a glance: ⛵ Best for eating on a boat: Barge East, Hackney Wick 🍝 Best for bottomless pasta: Senza Fondo, Shoreditch 🧛 Best for goths: Garlic & Shots, Soho 🧀 Best for cheese fanatics: Pick & Cheese, Camden 🎰 Best for gamblers: Heliot Steak House, Leicester Square  RECOMMENDED: The best weird 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.

Oysters. Food of the gods. Sloppy globules of joy. But, more often than not, pretty pricey. Which is why the oyster happy hour has long been a firm favourite, letting mere mortals feast on these salty treasures for a more reasonable price. We’ve got together a list of the various spots across London that will offer you the chance to dine like a king, despite having relatively empty pockets. Don't forget that mignonette.  RECOMMENDED: The best seafood restaurants in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

February 2026: Our latest update to this list includes 411's Cowgirls & Cocktails brunch in Angel, if you fancy donning a cowboy hat as you sink endless booze. Maybe you're after something a touch classier? If so, try The Aubrey's chic weekend offering, which includes oysters, caviar and Champagne.  Bottomless brunch. These words strike excitement – and also a slight sting of fear– into our hearts. Endless quaffing of wine, cocktails and/or fizz, usually within a 90 minute time limit, and some hearty breakfast foods seem like the perfect backdrop to catching up with mates on a weekend. Simply bash your cash down and let the London restaurant of your chosing do the rest. Will you get drunk? Most likely. Will you be so full of food that you may explode? Also possible. Are you in? Yes, of course you are. In London, you’ll find bottomless bubbles and bloody marys, as well as options with wine, beer and cocktails. The food doesn’t have to be straightforward breakfast stuff either. Brunch can be anything from bao to barbecue and sushi. Time to go hard then go home. All that sounds a bit too much? You could just stick to regular old brunch. RECOMMENDED: Find more great breakfasts in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

February 2026: As we start to slowly leave winter behind us, we've highlighted some of the more appropriate seasonal spots for brunch. Try Lolo in Bermondsey if you want a lively Spanish take on brunch; start your Saturday with some heat at Thai-inspired Chet's; and feast on prawn toast scotch eggs at Jikoni in Marylebone. We've also included a few places that prove brunch isn't just a weekend treat, with some recent openings that serve brunch every single day, such as Permit Room Portobello - Dishoom's all-day cafe in Notting Hill - and excellent Syrian cafe Aram, which you can find in the glamorous Somerset House.  The humble brunch is perhaps one of the greatest inventions of the modern age, especially if it incorporates pancakes, bacon and eggs. (Or you can enjoy a totally vegan take on proceedings at LD’s at The Black Heart). London is particularly well stocked with places to indulge in the famous breakfast/lunch hybrid. Let us guide you to the best restaurants for a fabulous brunch, from a traditional full English to innovative twists on the majestic meal, such as a bacon bao brunch or fried eggs on chilli-cheese crumpets. Booze optional.  Best brunches in London at a glance: 🌽 Best for vegans: LD’s at The Black Heart, Camden 🍖 Best for Spanish-style brunch: Lolo, Bermondsey 🏰 Best for a spectacular setting: Aram, Somerset House 🌳 Best for an al fresco brunch: Pavilion Cafe, Victoria Park  🌮 Best for a Mexican feast: Corrochio’s, Stoke Newington  RECOMMENDED: Lik

Find the right London Irish pub and you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’re in heart of Dublin – perfectly poured pints of Guinness included. These London pubs will whisk you away to the Emerald Isle, and are perfect places to spend St Patrick’s Day on March 17. They’re also pretty brilliant the rest of the year, too, and we’ve picked the best of the bunch, largely old-school boozers honouring Gaelic traditions. At some, you’ll find the country’s music, food and even dancing; at others, you’ll be served tasty Thai food. So get stuck into the craic: here’s a round-up of the best Irish pubs and bars in London. RECOMMENDED: London's best gastropubs.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Head to Hackney and you’ve got a seriously exciting evening of dining ahead of you, as some of the city’s boldest chefs have set up shop in this patch of east London. High-end restaurants sit alongside chic brunch spots, inviting gastropubs and well established neighbourhood joints. Whatever you’re after, you'll more than likely find it here. Go east(ish) and eat. The most recent additions to the list include the excellent Tiella on Columbia Road, Ace Pizza in Victoria Park, and pubby pasta spot Elephant. The list also features restaurants previously named by Time Out as the very best in London; modern Korean marvel Miga, chef Abby Lee’s incredible Mambow in Clapton, and the classy canal-side Cafe Cecilia. The best Hackney restaurants at a glance: 🍝 Best for regional Italian food: Tiella 🍀 Best for Indian-Irish fusion: Shankeys 🇻🇳 Best for Vietnamese classics: Hai Cafe 🥂 Best for weekend brunch: Bistrotheque  💰 Best for a great value Michelin star menu: Casa Fofo RECOMMENDED: Here are London’s 50 Best Restaurants. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor and thinks Hackney restaurants are some of the best in London (but don't tell the other boroughs, they'll only get jealous). For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. So east London it hurts? Follow our Time Out East London WhatsApp channel for the latest news, openings and goss from the coolest bit of the capital. (Yeah, we said it.) 

My misty-eyed infatuation with this new wave, old school-indebted trattoria dates back to the heady days of 2023, when chef-founder Dara Klein began doing alchemical things with pasta and breadcrumbs at alt-gastropub The Compton Arms in Islington. From a tiny kitchen the Brawn and Sager and Wilde-trained chef fired out heroic plates of deceptively simple but deeply satisfying Italian food inspired by her Pugliese heritage. Dipping into rarer regional cracks of Italian cuisine Like every decent crush, there was a moment of jeopardy when Dara hung up her apron at the end of 2024. But there was a plan. Of course there was a plan. Such was the effusive reaction to her residency, the Italian-born, New Zealand-raised chef was off to open a restaurant of her own. And here it is, inside a gorgeously gabled Victorian boozer on the eastern fringes of Colombia Road that was once known as The Globe, and, as elder millennials may remember, Stringray Cafe, the perfect place for a comedown pizza after you’d tumbled out of a Whitechapel warehouse party hours previously.   The building has been done up, but not too done up. It still feels pubby, with a handpainted Tiella sign, 1930s-styled stained glass windows, mahogany wood-pannelling and, inexplicably, a giant portrait of Cher above the bar. As Dara sagely points out, a true trattoria is the Italian equivalent of a British pub; a welcoming hub where the community comes together over food and booze. Tiella is that to the highest degree.  Un

The not-that-little sister of one of central London’s most important restaurant launches of the past few years, Dover Street Counter sits two doors down from its glossy sibling, The Dover. Just as elegant, but with a naughty glint in its eye, it’s almost enough to make Mayfair cool for the first time since the Beatles played on that roof.  McDonald’s for oligarchs Unlike The Dover, Dover Street Counter is an all-day affair (and, equally, a great place to have an all-day affair). With a shorter menu and a more casual set-up, food is important here – of course it is – but this place is about much more than what you’re eating. It’s about vibes, and DSC has a surfeit of them. The experience starts before you get inside, with a sleek curved glass frontage, that’s all 1930s shopfront by way of a Parisian Fin de Siècle knocking shop. Push open the door to find a thick, floor-to-ceiling curtain, which not only keeps out both winter drafts and summer sunshine, but separates two worlds from each other: dreary, workaday real life from a glamorous, wonderland of martinis and controlled mayhem. The soundtrack is largely ‘90s hip-hop that it’s impossible not to like. They probably want you to think of it as a mere diner, but it’s so much more.  The first room of many is lined by a chrome counter dotted with domed rattan lights, seemingly pinched from the set of Emmanuelle. The kitchen is in full view, but there are a couple of small tables on the floor if watching someone flip cheeseburge

Exmouth Market is an exceptional street. On a wet and blustery winter evening, there are still scores of people spilling out of Cafe Kick, Berber & Q’s Shawarma Bar and Morito et al, clinking beers, chugging wines and puffing on crafty cigs all down this pedestrianised strip of year-round urban hedonism.  It’s the perfect scene for the second outing from eccentric wine guy Luca Dusi, whose Shoreditch bar, with its ‘no list, purely vibes’ approach to serving customers has been enchanting Londoners since 2015.  Exmouth Market just got even more exciting The new Passione Vino offers the same intrepid method. Rather than a chalkboard or menu, intuitive staff will ask what you’re into and, after a kind of sommelier-adjacent cold reading, will return with a couple of bottles for you to try, before you’re poured a glass of your favourite. Wine here is exclusively Italian (Passione Vino started life as an import company), but you’re allowed to throw out names of global grapes and knowledgeable staff will suggest their Italian equivalent. Not sure what you like? That works too, with recommendations coming thick and fast, alongside brief but impassioned explanations of various vines.  If the space looks familiar, that’s because they’ve taken over the original home of long-running Clerkenwell tattoo parlour, the Family Business (don’t worry they’ve not closed, just moved next door). The gold foil ‘Electric Tattooing’ lettering remains emblazoned on the steamy windows, and the buzz of t

Conceptually, Poon’s has a lot going for it. First, there’s the location; a stunning, high-ceilinged antechamber in the west wing of Somerset House, all dolled up with hand-painted willows weeping down pastel pink walls. Then there’s the deep, storied lore. This is the latest incarnation of a London institution, with the first Poon’s Restaurant opening in 1973 and bringing Cantonese food to the tatty streets south of Soho and helping give Chinatown its name. Next came the flashier Poon’s of Covent Garden, which welcomed the likes of Frank Sinatra and Mick Jagger (not to mention a Michelin Star), in 1980.  There’s liver so enticing that even offal-phobes might lap it up Founders William and Cecilia Poon retired in the mid-2000s, but their daughter Amy has been keeping the family business alive, through what the marketing team are at pains to point out is a ‘food and lifestyle brand’, as well as various wonton-related pop-ups. This marks her first stand-alone restaurant, and a lot of thought has gone into the elegant space, which is as long, skinny and splendid as any 1990s-era supermodel.  Food isn’t quite as ornate. Although prawn toast, which is dubbed ‘The hill that Amy didn’t die on’ for reasons unexplained, looks the part, all chubby and deep-fried in sesame seeds, it doesn't taste of much. One of those famous Poon’s dipping sauces would be nice, but alas, it is served nude. Luckily, a bowl of slippery wontons are served with a helping of Poon’s branded Chilli Vinegar Dre

You have to hand it to Hanbaagaasuuteeki for its supremely confident choice of location. This Asian-inspired burger joint has opened up within patty-spitting distance of Shake Shack and Bleecker Burger, making this London’s prime hamburger nexus. Need meat sandwiched between buns? Victoria’s hectic transport hub is calling.  It feels a lot like hallowed West Coast burger joint In-N-Out with a K-pop twist  Happily, Hanbaagaasuuteeki pulls off its cocky move in a major way. A drop-in spot with high stools, counter-top tables and bright red splashes of colour, it feels a lot like hallowed West Coast burger joint In-N-Out with a K-pop twist.  As well as a few cursory sides, the menu features nine burgers, kicking off with a ‘1950s-style’ double cheeseburger, a tribute to the ultimate in trad fast food with a gentle Japanese lilt (its onions are rehydrated in dashi vinegar). It’s good, sure, but why not try something a little more exciting than the all-American classic. Hanbaagaasuuteeki’s more inventive burgers don’t seem like novelty additions, nor a panicked afterthought. On the freakier fringes of the menu is where the magic happens.  Take, for example, my favourite, the shrimp kong baga. Surf and turf if you happen to be surfing on the shores of Okinawa, this smashed, lacy beef patty comes topped with a cavalcade of crispy, deep fried shrimps, topped with sweet and tangy 1000 island-style dressing as well as melted cheese. There’s a scattering of seaweed strands on the top,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don’t like it when you’re in a restaurant and the next table suddenly starts an impromptu social media shoot, making you an unsuspecting star in someone else’s content? It seems legendary restaurateur Jeremy King doesn’t care for it either. The restaurateur behind The Wolseley – as well as the soon-set-to-relaunch Simpson’s in the Strand – has addressed the influx of influencers at The Park, which he opened in 2024 by Hyde Park. Writing in a newsletter (via the Standard) he commented: ‘In recent weeks, The Park has been subject to unexpected visits by camera-wielding influencers. This has taken us completely by surprise, probably because we do not spend a lick of time on TikTok. But some of our digitally-oriented team members have shared that The Park and its restrooms are trending.’ He added: ‘We take this very seriously, and have already addressed the matter… with the appropriate parties. In the meantime we have implemented protocols to minimise any potential disruption of your meal, and can assure you that you will not end up in the background of anyone’s Reel.’ Does this mean influencers have been banned from The Park? It’s not entirely clear, but it certainly sounds like words have been had. ‘We are not quite ready to declare The Park a mobile-free zone, but if another young lady shows up with a three-person camera crew, makeup artist and vanity mirror, we’ll have no choice but to reconsider our position,’ he added. Photograph: The Park Restaurant Jeremy King made his

There’s all manner of edible excellences launching right now in London. Whether you’re after Welsh laverbread sandwiches, Caribbean glazed plantain, Cantonese fish balls, a Lunar New Year feast from two of London’s best chefs, or simply a nice bit of smoked sausage, we’ve got you.  These are the 9 best new openings of the month.  The best new London restaurants opening in February 2026 Photograph: Bara 1. The cute Welsh cafe Bara, Peckham Stockpile for St David’s Day at lovely little Welsh cafe, Bara - which means ‘bread’. The project of Masterchef Professionals quarter-finalist Cecily Dalladay (from south Wales) and Zoë Heimann (from south London), the cafe is inspired by a 1950s Welsh Gas Board cookbook that used to belong to Cecily’s grandma. Expect a Caerphilly Cheesesteak sandwich, Pembrokeshire lobster roll, and brunch offering of a ‘Swansea Breakfast’ (smoked bacon, leeks, cockles and laverbread on toasted focaccia), as well as honey butter pancakes, brown crab rarebit, and leek bubble-and-squeak sarnies.  Address: 44-46 Choumert Road, SE15 4SE Opens: Feb 12   ROKAS JUOZAPAVICIUS - WWW.ROKPHOTO.NET 2. The return of a modern Caribbean classic  The Good Front Room, Dalston Chef Dominic Taylor is relaunching his Good Front Room concept at a permanent site in Hackney. It started life as a pop-up at The Langham after Taylor won Channel 4's Five Star Kitchen: Britain’s Next Great Chef, which was judged by none other than Michel Roux Jr. Expect food that harks back to his

One of our favourite sandwich shops, Dom’s Subs, has teamed up with Time Out cover and podcast star Big Zuu to create two special sarnies. The pair of creations are little different for your usual sandwich, with both of them containing packet noodles. There’s a Tarragon Chicken with Chicken Super Noodles version for the meat eaters, and a Veg Tikka Masala with Curry Super Noodles and crispy poppadom crumb for the vegetarians. They’re available from today (Feb 4), and will be on sale while stocks last. ‘British sandwich eaters love a wild combo – and noodles in a sub roll is next level,’ commented Big Zuu of the collab. ‘The Super Noodles Sandwich is bold, fun and surprisingly banging. I love seeing people push boundaries with their food, and this one definitely deserves its moment.’ Big Zuu will be giving away 100 free sarnies on launch day (yes, that is today) at the City of London flagship branch of Dom’s Subs at 7 Cullum Street, EC3M 7JJ.  Dom’s Subs is also behind one of our favourite bars in London, Rasputin’s in Hackney, which is just around the corner from its burger joint, Jupiter Burger, which makes the cut on our best burgers in London list.  Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

Roll up, roll up – there’s a brand new number one in Time Out’s list of the 20 best new restaurants in London.  Congratulations to the extremely well-deserving Tiella! The Italian restaurant, which opened last month, has shot straight to the top of our ranking of the finest new places to eat in the capital. The list collates our critics’ reviews to find the best new openings of the past 12 months, and this Bethnal Green trattoria blew us away.  ‘Tiella is what eating out is all about: the warmest of welcomes, a subtle dose of glamour, incredible food, and the vague sense that nothing much else matters beyond the restaurant’s front door,’ reads the review. ‘A triumph.’  Read the full Time Out review of Tiella here. Tiella began life as a kitchen residency at The Compton Arms in Islington, which is also where Four Legs – the chefs who went on to open The Plimsoll and Tollington’s in Finsbury Park – started their journey.  It’s the project of Italian-born, New Zealand-raised chef Dara Klein, who previously worked at nearby Brawn, as well as Sager and Wilde and Trullo (another of our favourite Italian restaurants in London).  Tiella The menu digs into regional Italian classics, with dishes such as chicken Milanese, Venetian anchovies in saor, and passatelli in brodo from Emilia Romagna currently available.  Tiella can be found inside a revamped 175-year old pub, once The Globe, at 109 Columbia Road in Bethnal Green, east London. It’s open Wednesday-Sundays. ‘Like McDonald’s for

In Mayfair and looking for the perfect burger? May we point you in the direction of Dover Street Counter, one of our new favourite restaurants in London.  We’ve just reviewed this slick new diner, which comes from the same team as The Dover, the New York-style Italian restaurant which opened in 2023, and which we loved so much that it made our list of the best restaurants in London. Unlike The Dover, Dover Street Counter is open for lunch, offering tuna melts, and a host of other juicy sandwiches, including fried chicken and a French dip with roast beef. The menu also includes some rather moreish ‘disco fries’, loaded chips with pickled chilli and ginger, mayo and tangy ‘disco jus’. Read Time Out’s full review of Dover Street Counter here. According to the restaurant’s website, it serves ‘feel-good’ food and drink, which also extends to salmon steak, lobster, buttermilk fried chicken, a chopped salad, and of course the aforementioned burger.  Dover Street Counter ‘The cheeseburger is so on point as to almost be a cartoon-like rendition of the all-American meal, the perky beef patty topped with luminous yellow cheese, pickles, ketchup and mustard,’ reads our review. ‘I had a hangover before I ate it, and after three bites, I did not. Surely the sign of a burger doing its job.’ Dover Street Counter is at 31 Dover Street, Mayfair, W1S 4ND. A late night spot, it is open until 1.30am from Thursday until Saturdays, and a not-to-be-sniffed-at midnight from Mondays to Wednesdays. I

Arôme Bakery – which features in Time Out’s list of the best bakeries in London – is opening up a third branch. The cult-worthy French-Asian bakery already has branches on Mercer Street in Covent Garden and Duke Street in Marylebone, and will be launching on Shaftesbury Avenue this spring.  The bakery combines Parisian patisserie flair with global flavours, stocking the likes of housemade shokupan (Japanese milk bread), sausage and cheese croissants with Japanese bbq sauce, tomato confit pain suisse and miso bacon escargot with spring onions and coriander. The new branch will reportedly offer soft serve ice cream as well as the traditional Arôme bakes and pastries. You’ll find it at 92 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 5EA at some point this spring. Want to know where else to eat in Chinatown? Take a look at our list of the top 20 places in the central London neighbourhood, spanning Malaysian, Korean, Singaporean, Thai and Taiwanese cuisine alongside regional Chinese flavours like Sichuanese, Cantonese and Gansu style classics – not to mention an entire alley of pan-Asian dessert options. Also check out our guide on how to celebrate Lunar New Year in London. In 2026, Chinese New Year falls on Tuesday February 17, ushering in the Year of the Horse.  The best bakeries in London, according to Time Out. 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 O

There’s a brand new number one in Time Out’s list of the best London restaurants with views, and it’s a newly-opened joint just by Hyde Park. Congratulations to Shanghai Me, which opened last year on the 28th floor of the London Hilton on Park Lane. The same address was once home to Galvin at Windows, which closed in 2024 after 18 years of trading. Our four-star review of the high rise Chinese-Japanese fusion restaurant praised the extensive menu, which features the likes of wagyu dim sum, cod and miso, and black truffle yellowtail.  ‘There was a desire to be cynical about Shanghai Me. But it’s actually fun,’ wrote Joe Bishop. ‘The dishes are enjoyable, the people watching is second to none, the view is stunning, the mainly Italian serving staff were jovial and had character. If you’re going for a silly, opulent date night to rub shoulders with London’s anonymous elite, you could do a hell of a lot worse than this.’ The review also mentioned the scale of what you can see from the restaurant windows: ‘Our view was punctuated magically by the fireworks from Wembley Stadium at the end of an Oasis concert’. That’s a solid eight miles away.  Our full list of the 18 best London restaurants with views also includes Forza Wine’s spot on the South Bank, and Tate Modern’s in-house eatery on the 6th floor, which boasts views of St Paul's Cathedral.  🌅 London restaurants with the best views, according to Time Out.  Plus: this fancy north London pub has been crowned the third best gastro

The Red Lion & Sun in Highgate has just been named the third best gastropub in the UK. The north London institution scooped the honour in the 2026 list of Britain’s top 50 gastropubs, which featured 13 London gastropubs overall.  The Red Lion & Sun offers what it calls ‘rustic modern British pub food’. On the current menu you’ll find the likes of braised beef cheek, bone marrow and pancetta pie, gnocchi with wild mushrooms and sage, and a wagyu double cheeseburger. It’s also known for very good Sunday roasts.  Heath Ball, who runs the pub, commented: ‘As a team, we feel humbled to be ranked number three in the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs. Moving from 6th to 3rd place is a huge achievement for us and reflects the consistency, care and hard work that goes into everything we do. We’re proud to see that recognised.’ The Devonshire in Soho topped the 2026 edition of the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list, after placing second in 2025. As for the other London boozers? The Canton Arms in Stockwell came 11th, The Baring in Islington was 17th, The Marksman in Hackney came 23rd, The Hero in Maida Vale was 24th and The Kerfield Arms in Camberwell placed 25th. Photograph: Laura Gallant for Time Out After that, The Waterman’s Arms in Barnes was placed at 33, The Tamil Crown in Islington at 35, The Harwood Arms in Fulham (London’s only Michelin starred pub) at 36, The Bull and Last in Highgate at 39, The Knave of Clubs in Shoreditch at 43 and The French House in Soho at 47.  The Un

Estou a rastejar por um túnel surpreendentemente apertado dentro da Grande Pirâmide de Gizé e, sejamos honestos, estou em pânico. Durante 3800 anos foi a mais alta estrutura do mundo construída pelo homem (até ser ultrapassada pela traidora Catedral de Lincoln, em 1311). Mede uns impressionantes 140 metros, continua a ser mais alta do que a Estátua da Liberdade e bem mais imponente do que o Big Ben. Ainda assim, apesar do estatuto lendário, por dentro é quente, húmida e profundamente claustrofóbica. Quem diria? Fotografia: Leonie Cooper para a Time Out Nunca tinha pensado seriamente em entrar na mais antiga das Sete Maravilhas do Mundo, mas aqui estou eu numa fila que faz parecer ridícula a fila à porta da Toad Bakery, em Londres, à hora de almoço. Também estou de gatas, a tentar não bater com a cabeça em pedras ali postas há mais de 4000 anos. São apenas cerca de 100 metros desde a entrada até à Câmara do Rei, que está vazia, à excepção do sarcófago de pedra de Quéops, saqueado há milénios. Mesmo sendo uma distância curta, demora cerca de 15 minutos a percorrê-la, por causa das filas em sentido único e do rastejar constante. A Câmara do Rei é pequena e, estranhamente, faz lembrar um Boiler Room, com o sarcófago a parecer uma mesa de mistura e um homem de pé atrás dele, confiante, como se estivesse a fazer um set. Inside the King’s Chamber | Fotografia: Leonie Cooper para a Time Out O túmulo em si é minúsculo e pouco há a fazer para além de ali ficar, rosado, pegajoso e m

Gloria – the Shoreditch outpost of the French-born but Italian-obsessed restaurant group Big Mamma – is bringing back its whopping 10-layer lasagna.  To celebrate seven years of the restaurant, the looming lasagna dish will be on the menu again just for the month of February. It’s stacked up with ragù alla bolognese, bechamel, parmigiano and mozzarella fior di latte, and £1 from every portion sold will go to a good cause: food redistribution charity the Felix Project.  It’s also the 10th anniversary(ish) of Big Mamma, which was founded in 2015 in Paris. The group is known for its lavish, OTT-styled restaurants as well as hype-y dishes such as the aforementioned mega lasagna, as well as pasta served directly from hollowed out wheels of cheese and one-metre-long spaghettone.  Photograph: Joann Pai Big Mamma now has a host of restaurants across London, including Circolo Popolare in Fitzrovia, Ave Mario in Covent Garden, Jacuzzi in Kensington, Carlotta in Marylebone and, the latest opening, 1970s-themed Barbarella in Canary Wharf.  ‘The room is like the inside of your Italian nonna’s parlour, if she also had the kind of hoarding problem that would get her on to a late-night Channel 4 documentary, read Time Out’s original review of Gloria. ‘Every inch is covered with a knick or a knack: your head needs to spin 360 degrees to take it all in.’ Gloria features in our list of the best restaurants in Shoreditch.  According to one study, Big Mamma restaurants are some of the most love

Me estoy arrastrando por un túnel estrecho dentro de la Gran Pirámide de Guiza y —seamos sinceros— me entra el pánico. La construcción realizada por el ser humano más alta del mundo durante 3.800 años (hasta que fue superada por la catedral de Lincoln en 1311) mide unos imponentes 140 metros de altura, aún más alta que la Estatua de la Libertad y mucho más elevada que el Big Ben. Pero, a pesar de su estatus legendario, resulta que sus entrañas, calurosas, sudorosas y profundamente claustrofóbicas, pueden ser un poco intensas. ¿Quién lo iba a decir? Foto: Leonie Cooper No creo que nunca me hubiera planteado entrar en la más antigua de las siete maravillas del mundo; baste decir que ahora mismo estoy en una cola que haría que la de la hora de comer frente a la Toad Bakery de Londres pareciera patética. También estoy a cuatro patas, intentando no darme golpes en la cabeza con piedras que fueron colocadas aquí hace más de 4.000 años. Desde la entrada de la pirámide hasta la Cámara del Rey hay solo unos 100 metros; esta estancia está vacía salvo por el sarcófago de piedra de Jufu, saqueado hace milenios de todos los brillantes tesoros funerarios. A pesar de ser una distancia corta, se tarda unos 15 minutos en llegar debido a las colas en fila india y al arrastre necesario para avanzar. Inside the King’s Chamber | Foto: Leonie Cooper La Cámara del Rey es una sala pequeña y, curiosamente, recuerda a una retransmisión desde una sala de calderas, gracias a que el sarcófago se as

The very first Poon’s Restaurant opened in 1973, bringing Cantonese food to the streets south of Soho and helping forge London’s second Chinatown (the first was in Limehouse). Founded by Bill and Cecilia Poon, it was followed by the celeb-magnet that was Poon’s of Covent Garden, which welcomed the likes of Frank Sinatra and Mick Jagger, and also won a Michelin star in 1980. At its peak there were seven branches of Poon’s, including in Russell Square and Whiteley’s in Bayswater.  Though the Poons retired from the restaurant business in 2003, their daughter Amy Poon has been keeping the family name alive via various pop-ups and a food and lifestyle brand, and has just opened her first restaurant.  Poon’s at Somerset House can be found in a high-ceilinged antechamber in the west wing of the historic London building. It opened in November 2025, and we’ve just visited to give our verdict. 👀 Read Time Out’s review of Poon’s at Somerset House here. Poon's at Somerset House Check out Time Out’s list of our favourite Chinese restaurants in London, as well as our top 20 restaurants in Chinatown, which spans Malaysian, Korean, Singaporean, Thai and Taiwanese cuisine alongside regional Chinese flavours like Sichuanese, Cantonese and Gansu style classics – not to mention an entire alley of pan-Asian dessert options.  The best restaurants in London, according to Time Out. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time