Leonie Cooper

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 homely pubs and restaurants all around town. What makes a good roast? For us, it’s simple; a cosy 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-cooked lamb, beef or pork and a decent plant-based option too. A Sunday roast is more than just lunch - it’s self-care. From snug neighbourhood staples to more bijou gastropubs, and even a heavy metal bar in Camden, we’ve got something for every taste (if that taste is for comforting mounds of roast meat, lashings of gravy and carbs for days).  A lot of these places get quite busy, so you’re always advised to book ahead to avoid disappointment.  May 2025: Sure, the summer isn't quite peak roast season in London, but we still need a decent hangover cure come Sunday, and a big old lunch (with a pint) always does the job. To make this ranking more seasonally appropriate, we've bumped up some of the best al fresco offerings, with From The Ashes's brilliant barbecue lunch taking the top spot. Here, you can sit in the sunshine at Five Points Brewery in Hackney while munching your meat. Another good option for this time of year is The Dragon Flame at the Star of

Peckham has got itself a serious drinking scene – from some of London’s most buzzing rooftop bars to fun hangouts under the railway arches. You can still keep your drinking on budget by seeking out cocktails during happy hour. Or pick a bar for its craft beers instead. Many of the below bars are truly unique – from a games-arcade-turned-boozer to carpark pop-ups galore. In Peckham, multi-storey carparks are less about manoeuvering and more about boozing. RECOMMENDED: Find more fun in the neighbourhood in our Peckham area guide.

It’s the neighbourhood where all the cool kids go out to play, so it’s hardly surprising that you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to drinking options in Hackney. Cocktail bars are cutting edge, but in a way that’s not too try-hard. Wine bars bring high-end vino down to earth. And some of the country’s best breweries are found in the area, with hip, hop-heavy taprooms for the beer-loving public to explore, as well as two of London's most hedonistic heavy metal dive bars. Browse through our list of the area’s best bars for boozing inspiration come day or night thoughout Hackney – including Stoke Newington, London Fields, Bethnal Green, and Hackney Wick. If you're hungry, here are Hackney's best restaurants.  RECOMMENDED: Try out the very best bars in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and has done far more than her fair share of drinking in Hackney over the years. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

After-hours fun in London is easy to find if you know where to look. To help you avoid the hapless post-midnight plod around town on the hunt for more liquor in London's best pubs, consult our definitive list of late-night bars and boozers in London. These are the best of the capital’s drinking spots that stay open into the wee small hours, listed in order of lateness (not necessarily greatness). Remember, cocktail hour can be any hour in London. If you fancy a dance with your drink, then check out London’s best clubs. RECOMMENDED: The best cocktail bars in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

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

In London, fried chicken shops are everywhere, but seeking out the best crispy chicken in the capital requires a little research. Whether it’s southern-fried thighs, crunchy Korean-style strips, Nashville hot chicken or a mountainous fillet burger you’ve got your sights set on, we’ve put in the legwork and found the best fried chicken in London for you. Now is the time to get acquainted with some of the best birds in town. RECOMMENDED: London's best ice cream shops. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

The yearly unveiling of the Michelin Guide’s ‘Great Britain and Ireland’ edition is always big news in the UK food-nerd world. For very good reason, too – London is one of the top-ranked cities in the world for fine dining. And it’s got plenty of those coveted stars. Newcomers on 2025’s list include the excellent Oma in Borough, and AngloThai and Lita in Marylebone. The UK's first vegan restaurant to win a Michelin star was also awarded, with Plates in Shoreditch scooping the accolade. They join plenty more places that also appear in our meticulously compiled list of the best restaurants in London. Newly minted two star restaurants for 2025 include the Ritz Restaurant and Humble Chicken in Soho. No new London restaurant was awarded three stars in 2025. While Michelin’s expertise on expensive, upmarket restaurants is well known, the Michelin Guide has been criticised for its lack of relevance to ordinary diners. Conspicuous by their absence yet again are London’s more affordable places to eat. Still, if you’re feeling flush, read on to find all London restaurants with a Michelin star (or two, or three). 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.

Battersea is more than just a lovely ol’ park. There are loads of banging bars, restaurants and places to picnic in the vicinity, from swish spots at the massive, sprawling Battersea Power Station development to casual places by the river. Here’s a list of our favourite spots to stop by around Battersea and Clapham Junction – keep it close, you’ll need it the next time you’re in the area. 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.

For centuries, French cuisine has been considered the world's very best. Although that golden crown might have slipped somewhat, French-accented cuisine is having a real resurgance in popularity. Its emphasis on technique and ingredients-first approach make it hard to beat when you fancy feasting on something rich, complex, and unimpeachably lavish. So whether you want an old-school onion soup or an elaborate, immaculately conceived dish served with undeniable je ne sais quoi, we've got you covered. Here’s our pick of the best bistros, brasseries and fine-dining spots in London spanning every budget, with everything from Michelin-star restaurants to petit back-alley bistros and chic cafes. RECOMMENDED: Here are London's 50 Best Restaurants. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

There's nothing to get you building up a thirst like admiring a beautiful body of water. And fortunately, London's full of places where you can soak up some riverside or canalside atmos while sipping a crisp and delicious pint. In our guide to the best riverside bars and pubs we provide top-notch Thames-side drinking spots, as well as some first rate canalside pubs and bars fit for a pleasant day of drinking in the capital. The list below runs from west London to east London and takes in the Thames, the River Lea and the Regent’s Canal. RECOMMENDED: Check out London's best rooftop bars and best beer gardens. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Chains are underrated. Ordering your favourite dish and having it taste exactly the same, every time, is a weirdly beautiful thing. From upmarket steakhouses to ramen, we’ve rounded up our very favourite restaurants and cafés with more than a few branches in London and put them in order of deliciousness. Hoppers, Franco Manca, Dishoom, Nando’s, Pizza Express, Bao, Yard Sale, Flat Iron and all the rest – we salute you.  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.

Bottomless brunch. These words strike excitement – and also a slight sting of terror – into our hearts. Endless quaffing of 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're worried you may explode? Also possible. Are you in? Yes, you are. In London, you’ll find bottomless bubbles and bloody marys, as well as options with red wine, and cocktails. The food doesn’t have to be straightforward breakfast stuff either. Brunch can be anything from bao to barbecue. 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.

The foodie equivalent of a blockbuster franchise that becomes increasingly ludicrous with each new movie, the Big Mamma Group is back with a sixth London restaurant, this time set among the shiny skyscrapers of Canary Wharf.  The showy-offy spaghettone al tartufo is made up of metre long strands of pasta Barbarella takes its name from the high-camp sci-fi flick of 1968, a film known more for the appearance of a pert Jane Fonda in silver bodysuit than anything resembling a cohesive plot. It’s fitting, as this Barbarella isn’t really about the food, but the sheer spectacle. Every detail is made for your phone camera; from the gleaming leopard-print tables (somehow… lit from within?) and mega palm trees, to the zebra skins on the wall (ethics be damned!) and a giant glass chandelier (imported from Venice, of course) dangling imposingly over the central bar.  Food is of the non-specific Italian variety, and there’s plenty of it. The massive menu comprises lots of pizza, loads of pasta, and various permutations of meat and cheese. Some dishes are named as they would be in Italy, the ‘paccheri alla norma’ pasta for example, or ‘tagliata di manzo’ beef fillet. Others have punny names that sound like someone’s dad has snuck into the development meeting; the ‘Looking For Truffle’ pizza or ‘Sundae Mood’ ice cream. There’s also a pizza named after Versace, for some reason. Barbarella is not about authenticity, it’s about having fun, and still isn’t sure if it wants to banter you relent

Bold move, Lupa. Very bold.  There’s already a glut of great Italian restaurants in London, and quite a lot of them happen to be right here in Highbury. The incomparable Trullo, for example, is just around the corner! But Lupa has something the others do not. Lupa not only promises ‘Roman comfort food’, but the slim chance of catching sight of its Very Handsome co-founder, the actor Theo James.  This is a ballsy offering of big, bold food, heavy with hearty guanciale  That man’s intense bone structure and dreamy eyebrows are not the only draws however. Carousel co-founder Ed Templeton is also behind this new opening, and in the kitchen is the extremely capable Naz Hassan, who we last encountered during his tenure as head chef of the much-missed Pidgin. Hassan has done time in some of London’s most esteemed kitchens, from high-end Indian at Bibi, supercharged steak at the Cut at 45 Park Lane, and non-specific Euro sharing plates at Crispin. And it’s evident from our first bite that such a gifted all-rounder hasn’t encountered any trouble turning his hand to Italian cuisine.  It’s a courgette flower, lightly battered, deep fried and stuffed with smooshy burrata, then draped with a fat anchovy and resting in a pool of its own green courgettey juices. Sure, it’s steep at £10.50 for a single courgette flower, but it sets the tone for the cavalcade of sturdy Roman flavours that are about to descend upon us. This isn’t a delicate menu of rural farm fare, but a ballsy offering of big

If the Pocket feels familiar, that’s because it comes to you from the same independent pub pros as Gospel Oak’s incredibly good Southampton Arms. Despite appearances, the rustic-leaning Pocket hasn’t been here for 100 years, but was opened by stealth in the spring of 2025, complete with new-old wood panelling, a 1930s anaglypta ceiling, a nerdishly impressive collection of 1970s pub ashtrays (on the walls alas, not the tables), and a battered upright piano (which gets played three times a week).  The Pocket’s premise is simple, and, let’s be honest, perfect: ‘No reservations. No green food. No shit beer. No terrible modern music,’ they say. The bar snacks come in various shades of beige (scotch eggs, sausage rolls, pasties, and pork pies), the music comes from either the piano or a vinyl record player which favours vintage jazz and soul, and the crowd is gorgeous. Beer is priced in order of strength, meaning it’s possible to get that rare thing - a London pint for a fiver. We are fully in the Pocket’s pocket. Time Out tip The Pocket is mere steps away from another great Islington pub, the Compton Arms. If you’re looking for more of a gastro experience, pop over for one of their unfailingly good kitchen residencies; as of summer 2025, it’s the powerhouse Rake boys.

I’ve long attempted to work out what exactly people mean when they call something a ‘neighbourhood restaurant’. In the London context at least, I have arrived at the conclusion that it is simply a restaurant that isn’t in Soho (or Shoreditch at a push). Pasero then, plonked on the Seven Sisters end of West Green Road in Tottenham, certainly makes the cut, a welcoming space with something of the 1960s primary school aesthetic about it, with shades of beige, terracotta and British racing green, as well as a small deli and bottle shop.  It’s like Monty Don’s offering a helping hand in the kitchen Opened in 2022, the idea was for it to be a hub for a series of rotating chefs, a bit like Carousel in Fitzrovia. Of course, this is a lovely idea – Marie Mitchell one week, Ling Ling’s the next, and Anna Sogaard right after – but surely a logistical pain in the arse. After almost three years, the Pasero people have decided to make their lives easier and go steady with a full-time chef. It’s a good one, too - previous Pasero pop-up champ Diamantis Kalogiannidis, who honed his skills at double Michelin star wonder Da Terra in Bethnal Green.  His blackboard menu is short and sweet. A ham-hock croquette is a powerful thing. Almost as large as a scotch egg, and with a crunch to rival on a Twiglet on the outside. Inside, it’s densely packed with sweet, moist and perfectly pink hock. This is a hearty, Hampton Court Palace banquet-worthy snack, the ideal thing for King Henry VIII to nibble on

Padella, a sleek but casual pasta bar from the duo behind Islington’s Trullo is just a stone's throw from Borough Market. Dishes are small enough – and, at around £10-15, cheap enough – to let you to order three between two. Do this. In fact, bring extra friends so you can order a bit of everything. Who cares if you’ll likely be sat in a row? Talking is so overrated. There’s a changing mix of classics and lesser-spotted varieties such as tagliarini (skinny tagliatelle) or pici cacio, a kind of hand-rolled no-egg noodle from Siena. Padella’s version is not just chewy and satisfying (a bit like Japanese udon), but comes smothered in a simple yet moreish sauce of parmesan, butter and cracked black pepper. Order this Trullo fans will be pleased to see the signature eight-hour beef shin ragu (served over pappardelle) here. Time Out tip There are no bookings at Padella, yes, you have to join a queue, but come for an early lunch (11.30am), or early dinner (5pm) when doors open, and you won’t have to wait long to get fed.

Bancone is a sleek Italian restaurant in Covent Garden with a short, simple menu that’s split into three sections: antipasti, pasta and dessert. Chefs in the front window roll out pasta dough almost all day: putting on a show for people passing by, frantically cutting and shaping for those patiently waiting for their pasta inside. There are generally around eight plates of pasta on the menu, and half of them are usually suitable for veggies. Proper al dente pasta is slightly undercooked, and hard to get right, but the chefs here nail it. Their best dish is the poetically named ‘silk handkerchiefs’ (it’s technically called fazzoletti) with walnut butter and confit egg yolk. Simple, but delicious: soft sheets swimming in a rich sauce, with little chunks of walnut for texture. The restaurant itself is a little office-like (it looks like it used to be one), but no matter, you don’t come here for the looks. You come to Bancone to devour cheap, delicious pasta at the bar, and to people-watch those around you doing the same thing.  Time Out tip Check out the other branches of Bancone across the city, in Soho’s Golden Square, Borough Yards and Kensington.  Order this Alongside those glossy, infamous handkerchiefs, check out Bancone’s signature negroni menu. We like the one with orange blossom.

Going for dinner at a hotel is A Very American Thing To Do.  Most Brits will only eat at a hotel if they are actually staying there and can’t be arsed to leave the building in order to get fed. It’s fitting then, that the NoMad’s newly revamped in-house restaurant is a high-octane tribute to the big, ballsy American brasserie.  It’s good, but it’ll send your arteries straight to hell Previously known as the slightly more descriptive ‘Atrium’, the roomy, well, hotel atrium’s rebrand as Twenty8 NoMad also reeks of flashy New York, utilising the kind of chaotic jumble of letters and numbers that brings to mind Manhattan staples Bungalow 8 and Eleven Madison Park. It’s brash, even grating, but we’ll give it a pass, as it fits the aesthetic bang on, which is all Manhattan-by-way-of-the-Marais, an extravagant Yank take on the French brassiere, complete with excessively high ceilings, balustrades and balconies. ‘Intimate’ it is not, but cosy is overrated, and we’re struggling to think of anywhere else in London that seems at once like peak Studio 54 and the ideal date spot for Romeo and Juliet.  Into this truly special space steps a lavish ‘raw bar’, supersized-steak frites and an entire menu devoted to the martini. Our dirty vodka offering comes with a whole second helping, courtesy of a sidecar on ice, as well as three blue-cheese stuffed olives. It’s the first in a carnival of oversized (read: American) offerings. A starter of crispy artichokes, which, though deep fried, are sur

The Camberwell Riviera has surely reached its final form.  The gastronomical possibilities on the lively Church Street strip are now nigh-on endless; there’s the holy meat juice bread at FM Mangal, posh pub fare at the Camberwell Arms, burly bargain wraps at Falafel & Shawarma, lamb skewers at Silk Road, panuozzo and pizza at Theo’s, Kurdish soul food at Nandine, superlative sarnies at Cafe Mondo, and cult croissants at Toad, as well as Vietnamese, Nigerian and Greek spots. Is there even room for another restaurant? Hello JoJo seems to think so.  There’s something faintly medieval about the menu Though the concept doesn’t bark originality (Hello JoJo is planning to open as a bakery by day, while in the evening it serves seasonal plates both small and large), when we visit on a Friday, the place is rammed. The people of Camberwell truly love to eat! Their name might sound like a brand that makes hemp dungarees for toddlers (and the red and blue colour scheme does give off some serious preschool energy) but the Hello JoJo crowd are pleasantly pitched in the mate date and actual date hinterlands. Everyone blethers raucously and the front door is propped open so you can enjoy the tender chugging sound of the 171 bus. Such heady conviviality is helped no-end by £6 glasses of house wine. A warm, mini loaf of brown bread comes to the table alongside a requisite pickle plate, and a serving of cool, deftly whipped goat’s curd topped with a pool of luminous celery splodge and crunchy

It’s wild that nobody before has ever thought to name a restaurant ‘Town’. Think of the endless possibilities of ‘Town’! It’s the place everybody wants to go; the place where so many thrilling things happen; the place where, if you can make it there, you are highly likely to make it anywhere.   Town isn’t about the chaos of the city, but super seasonality, regenerative farming, and letting the produce speak for itself This new, shimmering incarnation of ‘Town’ can be found on the fringes of Covent Garden, far enough away from the frantic piazza so as not to be heaving with tourists and/or street performers. It’s a truly grand room, a Ballardian boudoir in shiny, wipe-clean burgundy, with an open kitchen framed by a massive, oval-shaped and lime green opening. The retro-futurism thing is further dished up via the soundtrack; Dorothy Ashby’s ‘Afro-Harping’ slinks groovily in the background, and there’re a vinyl copy of Lou Donaldson’s 1968 sax odyssey ‘Alligator Boogaloo’ perched on a record player (which nevertheless remains switched off for the duration of our visit).  Such a space-age aesthetic is perhaps at odds with Town’s menu, which has more in common with the rustic likes of surrealist late-1990s cookery show River Cottage than it does Barbarella. You see, Town isn’t about the chaos of the city, but super seasonality, regenerative farming, and letting the produce speak for itself. It is, essentially, a plotline from The Archers. In practice, this means that the food is

If you’re seeking a historical feast, you’ve come to the right place. One of London’s most elderly restaurants, Wiltons has been in the game since 1742. Beginning life as simple shellfish mongers, Wiltons became a proper restaurant in 1841, and, after numerous address changes, moved into their current premises in 1984. Still, 40+ years in the same room is pretty good going for a city that turns restaurants over like pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. You’ll find a carving trolley here that’s almost as famous as their regal regulars Foodie lore runs deep at this London institution; they supplied oysters to Queen Victoria (there’s a signed picture of Her Maj in the ladies loo), and you’ll find a carving trolley here that’s almost as famous as their regal regulars. The dining room itself is pitched somewhere between Victorian grandeur and Jilly Cooper camp, with giant oil paintings of be-suited board members hanging next to jolly wooden booths, perfect for politicians who might need to plot the downfall of a colleague over an ice-cold Chablis. Red velvet swags hang heavy with portent over indoor windows which seem to lead nowhere, and the female waiting staff wear matronly tea dresses. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the food at Wiltons was as old school as the decor, but there’s some seriously impressive cooking happening here. An implacably good, twice baked stilton soufflé is wildly cheesy, served in a sterling silver dish, perfectly crisp on the outside and cashmere-soft on the insid

Remember The Nest, or, if you’re even older, Barden’s Boudoir? The excellent basement club below what is now the Red Hand has finally got the relaunch it deserves. A roomy 150 capacity cocktail bar from Andy Kerr (founder of Discount Suit Company and The Sun Tavern) and Tom Gibson (Ruby’s, Corrochio’s, The Bluecoats), they’re calling it a ‘1980s NYC style mutant disco’ with classy cocktails and regular DJs. Much cosier than any of its former incarnations, Parasol features little booths spread around a main dancefloor. Drinks are not just delicious, but pretty reasonably priced - there's a £7 martini (the Umbrella Vesper), and all the rest are a tenner. We like the smooth and chocolately Kinder Bueno, made with whiskey, Irish cream liqueur, hazelnut, cacao and clarified milk, and the punchy Korean Jesus, with tequila, mezcal, plum soju, gochujang, sesame, coriander, ginger and honey. Time Out tip Run by some of the same team as Parasol, line your stomach with extremely good tostadas and tacos at nearby Corrochio’s (one of Time Out’s favourite Mexican restaurants in London) before getting on the cocktails here. What’s nearby? Dalston is simply riddled with bars. Go on a proper crawl with help from our list of the best bars in Dalston. Not after any more drinks? Here are the best 20 things to do in Dalston, from Turkish grill houses to independent cinemas, live jazz, and drag shows.

Japanese and Italian may seem unlikely bedfellows, but this mash-up – also known as itameshi – dates back to the 1920s in Japan. And though Angelina opened up on Dalston Lane Terrace’s restaurant strip in 2019, it's still a pretty unique concept in London. Inside, it’s a restaurant of two halves: the front is all monochromatic fancy dining with ashen marble tables, bold foliage and lantern lighting, while the back is home to a bustling L-shaped bar overlooking the kitchen. On offer is a 13 dish kaiseki tasting menu for what feels like a rather reasonable £68 a head. Though it changes every five weeks, our most recent visit saw the production line of laser-focused chefs rattling out creamy and crispy (and pleasantly sizable) starters, such as cod cheek karaage and tempura courgette flower stuffed with miso ricotta. Fun to eat and even more enjoyable to say is the wagyu ragu, which comes layered on a pleasantly goopy dashi and egg custard. A nori-dusted focaccia is a revelation, served with a marmalade and uni butter that tastes like breakfast in the best possible way. There’s more wagyu to come, slivers of A5 dolloped with citrus ponzu, before a ravioli souped in a tonkotsu-style broth. Previous visits have seen velvety soy butter on a John Dory fillet, sea bream sashimi delicately infused with bergamot, and bonito-dusted doughnuts with anchovy aioli.  Time Out tip If you fancy an a la carte taste of itameshi, Angelina have a second space in Spitalfields. Osteria Angelina spec

After 20 years, dim sum chain Ping Pong is no more.  The Chinese restaurant group – which once had 12 locations across London – opened in 2005. The company announced news of its closure over instagram, writing: ‘It’s a wrap. After 20 unforgettable years, all Ping Pong locations are now permanently closed. We’re incredibly proud of what we built, an independent hospitality brand full of creativity, flavour, and soul.’ Ping Pong fans were aghast at the closure, expressing their deep sorrow at the post. ‘Noooooo. You were the best dim sum. Where am I going to get the veggie buns and sticky rice from?!’, wrote one. ‘This is incredibly sad news! Wish we’d have known. Would’ve loved to visit it one last time,’ said another.  The restaurant’s founder Kurt Zdesar, who left the group in 2007 and went on to launch the Chotto Matte chain, commented: ‘The UK has become increasingly difficult to survive this current economical environment. Very sad news.’ At the time of its closure, there were four London branches of Ping Pong left; in Soho, Southbank, Bow Bells House and St Christopher’s Place. The best new restaurants in London. 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 to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. 

Boozehounds will be weeping into their morning coffee as news reaches us that legendary late-night drinking spot and dive bar Troy 22 has closed for good. The bar at 22 Hanway Street, just on the fringes of Soho (some would say that’s actually Fitzrovia, but that’s another argument for another time) announced the closure on their Facebook page earlier this week. ‘The legendary Troy Is closed forever thanks everyone who were part of our history,’ read the post. In March of this year, the bar announced that they were moving to a new space at 20 Hanway Street. ‘Same vibes, same energy – just a new space right next door! Our ground floor opens earlier for cocktails, art and hangs, and when the night kicks in, head down to the basement for that signature Troy 22 dive bar feel, complete with all the original decor and a dance floor made for late-night moves.’ Alas, the move wasn’t to last long.  Troy 22 was known for its late opening hours (until 2.30am on Friday and Saturdays). It’s always sad when a legendary drinking spot closes, but you might be comforted by the excellent historical synergy at play here, as archeologists agree the historical city of Troy fell at least twice. The bar had been in business for over 50 years. Saving London Pubs recently shared a plea to save the original 22 Hanway Street venue, objecting to a planning application to change the first floor bar into a residential flat. Our up-to-date list of the best bars in Soho Not happy with that? Here are the bes

Marylebone’s very tasty AngloThai is getting stuck into fast food. For one day only, the Michelin star restaurant is collab-ing with Shake Shack to release a special, limited edition burger.  Its skilled head chef and co-founder John Chantarasak has created the special menu item by artfully bringing together an Aberdeen Angus beef burger fried in red curry paste, which is then topped with ox tongue glazed in scallop roe and smoked chilli jam, before some wild garlic and green olive purée is added, alongside som tam infused pickles. Gosh. The whole thing is served on a toasted potato bun brushed with spiced honey butter. It’ll be available on July 11 at the Covent Garden branch of Shake Shack only, from 12pm until they sell out. You’ll also be able to order some laab spiced fries; crinkle cut fries seasoned with a laab spice blend, and topped with fermented yellow soybean mayonnaise and wild garlic sweet chilli relish.   AngloThai opened at the end of 2024, and won its first Michelin star within months of launching. The restaurant fuses Thai flavours with British, seasonal ingredients. Time Out gave it a glowing five star review, and praised its ‘reimagining [of] some of Thailand’s most celebrated dishes via the lens of fastidious fine dining’. ‘As a long-time admirer of Shake Shack, I'm thrilled to be creating my very own burger and fries that showcase the bold flavours and ingredients we like to cook with on our menus at AngloThai,’ says Chantarasak. ‘I'm a big fan of the mu

Truly, pizza season is upon us. Practically every other restaurant opening in London this July is dedicated to the perfect culinary offering that is a round-ish slab of dough covered in cheese and assorted veg/meats. And you won’t hear any complaints from us about it. As well as ‘za, you’ll soon be able dine in Mayfair’s highest restaurant, eat at a swish supper club at 180 Stand, and drink in a scuzzy Bethnal Green bar that pays tribute to the long-lost Crobar. Find out how, below. Lateef 1. The Italian pub Elephant, Clapton A long time ago, this place was known as the Elephant's Head. On July 9 this Victorian-era pub takes on a new lease of life as Elephant, a southern Italian-inspired gastropub with ex-Manteca chef Francesco Sarvonio doing imperious things with pasta. Come for ziti genovese ragù, buffalo mozzarella with tomato carpaccio and fried courgette flowers with spicy honey aioli, as well as a daily pizza menu. Hackney dads will be more than happy to hear of the ‘kids eat free’ policy, so you can stuff little Milo’s face with marinara while necking a negroni.   43 Lower Clapton Road, Lower Clapton, E5 0NS  All My Gods 2. The dive bar All My Gods, Bethnal Green Fans of Denmark Street’s foremost whiskey den Dram will be excited to hear that the same team are behind new dive bar All My Gods. Opening at some point in July, the knowingly sleazy spot is a passion project of tattoo artist Roxy Velvet, who founded the now-shuttered Velvet Underground, London’s first fem

Ever heard of the Prix Versailles? Well, it’s a series of architecture awards given to outstandingly impressive buildings and interiors and they’ve just announced their 2025 list of the World’s Most Beautiful Restaurants. Among this list of 16 downright gorgeous eateries is a single London entry; the very fit Julie’s in Holland Park.  The list is made up of new openings and re-opened restaurants, and Julie’s is one of the latter. The west London bistro has been around since 1969, but relaunched last spring, with a brand new interior and fancy new menu from chef patron Owen Kenworthy. Julie’s is named after its first owner, Julie Hodgess, an interior designer who kitted out stores for high-end hippy fashion house Biba in the 1960s. ‘Her restaurant set the template for bohemian west London with stained glass, expensive antiques and fabrics bold enough to make your grandma blush,’ we wrote when we visited the restaurant last year. ‘The latest incarnation of Julie’s doubles down on the fabulous interiors, with fresh chintz, chicly mismatched furnishings and staff in Laura Ashley-esque outfits complete with frilled necklines.’ Other restaurants in the final Prix Versailles 16 included the art deco-styled Beefbar in New York, and the cutesy branch of macaron bakery Ladurée on Rue Royale in Paris.  Want to check out some other quite beautiful London restaurants? Then have a look at our list of London’s most romantic restaurants, which features some absolute stunners. The 8 best new

Steakhouse pros Hawksmoor have announced plans for their summer holiday - and everyone’s invited. This August, they’ll be hosting four nights of al fresco dining in the ancient woodlands of Hertfordshire. The five course menu will include a host of Hawksmoor classics, from barbecued pork ribs, to Caesar salad, and scallops in garlic butter, with two mega dishes for the mains; Hereford rib of beef roasted over charcoal, or grilled Brixham monkfish with parsley and garlic oil.  There’ll also be some serious sides; ash-baked potatoes, barbecued bone marrow, heritage tomato salad, and grilled purple sprouting broccoli. For pud – if you have room – there’ll be a seasonal pavlova, and Tunworth cheese with blossom honey on toasted sourdough. There’s a wine pairing too! How much for such delights? £195, and that includes all your food and booze. The outdoor dinners will take place in the grounds of posh spa hotel The Grove, which is just north of glamorous Watford, on August 1, 2, 8 and 9, from 6.30-9pm.  If you’re feeling particularly flush, you can book an overnight package that includes a room at the hotel, which is £1012, based on two people sharing. London’s best restaurants for steak.  This foodie feast one hour from London is the perfect summer day trip.  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 to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best o

Been struggling to get a table at Speedboat Bar in Chinatown? Well your chances of eating at one of London’s best restaurants have now doubled, as a second location for the Thai-inspired spot will be opening next month. Set inside the Electric House in Notting Hill, Speedboat Bar 2.0 will feature the same menu as the Rupert Street original, reports Restaurant Online. Electric House is run by the Soho House Group, but this won’t be a members club affair – all will be welcome to feast on Speedboat Bar’s iconic chicken matches with green mango kerabu, and tom yam mama noodles with squid, pork and prawns. The original Speedboat Bar opened in 2022, and has been a feature of Time Out’s 50 Best Restaurants in London ever since. A project of chef Luke Farrell – who also runs the southern Thai-leaning Plaza Khao Gaeng in the Arcade food hall by Centrepoint – the food at Speedboat Bar is inspired by dishes popular on the Yaowarat Road in Bangkok’s own Chinatown area. It’s part of the all-conquering JKS restaurant group, who are also behind the likes of Hoppers, Bao and Gymkhana.  Our original review praised Speedboat Bar for its ‘blow-your-socks-off’ way with flavour. ‘For all of Speedboat Bar’s flashy, fabulous chaos – the real Thai racing boats strung from the ceiling, the pool table in the first-floor bar, the wobbling three-litre towers of Singha beer that are constantly being carried across the room and the 1am weekend licence – there is some seriously sophisticated cooking going

Last year Time Out crowned Leyton the coolest neighbourhood in London – and now things in this part of east London are about to get even cooler. A brand new street market is launching on Francis Road on Saturday July 5.  KERB – which recently announced plans for a new sports bar in Spitalfields Market – will be bringing 20 rotating food vendors to Francis Road, reports Leytonstoner. Vendors will include Uzbek plov rice bowls from Oshpaz, homestyle Syrian food from Utopia, Vietnamese family recipes from Hanoi Cà Phê, mother-daughter Japanese cooking from Banzai Kitchen, and tacos from Mexclub.  The market opens for business at 10am (and closes at 4pm), and there will also be vendors selling local produce from the likes of Woodkin Mushrooms micro-farm, pickle pros Shedletskys, cakes and bakes from Liv’s Baked Goodies and Jones’ Crumpets. You won’t be shopping in silence either, with DJs from local music shop Dreamhouse Records providing the soundbed.  Leyton is part of the mayor’s new ‘Summer Streets’ scheme, which will see some of London’s most popular neighbourhood spots go car-free for longer during the summer months. The areas are spread across the city, from Leyton to Brixton, Shoreditch and the West End, and the project is being funded by £300,000 from the Mayor’s Summer Streets Fund.  These are the best things to do in Leyton and Leytonstone.  You can read more about Time Out’s Coolest Neighbourhoods for 2024 here. ICYMI: the ‘best’ pub in London has been crowned for 202

Sushi heads, you’re in for a treat.  Chef Masayoshi Takayama – the man who launched one of New York’s most influential sushi restaurants, Masa – is set to open his first ever proper London restaurant.   Tobi Masa will open at Mayfair’s Chancery Rosewood hotel – aka the former US Embassy – in September. It’ll be serving up some of Masa’s signature dishes such as Masa toro tartare and peking duck tacos, as well as a host of brand new dishes, unique to the London opening. You can currently get a little taste of things to come at Sushi by MASA in the Harrods dining hall, but this outpost is set to close in the autumn.  Masa opened in New York in 2004 and is one of the most expensive restaurants in America, with the omakase offering set at $750 (£553) per person (and that’s before drinks, tax and tip!). It also offers a chef’s table experience for $950 (£701) per person. Oof. Masa has held three Michelin stars since 2009, which maybe justifies the cost. Maybe?!  Prices for Tobi Masa have yet to be confirmed, but we can’t imagine it’ll be cheap. ‘I’m so proud to be partnering with a creative and innovative brand like Rosewood. We are very excited to embark on this new adventure together, and especially in such a historic landmark building in the middle of Mayfair,’ said Takayama of the new opening.  Tobi means ‘to fly’ and draws its inspiration from the 10-foot high, 30-foot wide eagle on top of the building, which has been there since the site, built by architect Eero Saarinen, op

A bunch of London names have scored big at the Pub and Bar Awards 2025. The winners? The Red Lion & Sun in Highgate was named London Pub & Bar of the Year, while Soho’s The Devonshire scored the Industry’s Choice Award, which was voted for by 100s of pub and bar industry folk. Congrats to both of them, despite the fact that we’d say they’re actually gastropubs – complete with sitdown restaurants – rather than proper boozers.  If you prefer crisps, pints and a sticky carpet, take a look at our best 50 pubs in London list, with not a gastropub in sight. And if you do like a gastropub, then have a look at Time Out’s top 20 gastropubs list.   Another London win came for Mr Fogg’s, which weas named Bar Group of the Year for its trademark Disney-ification of the Victorian gin palace. Mr Fogg’s has venues in Mayfair, Covent Garden, Fitzrovia, Soho and the City.  The overall winner was the Bull in Charlbury, which was named the UK’s best pub. Which, granted, is very nice, but is another gastropub. Justice for the real pubs, say us! Since 2023, the Bull has been run by the Public House Group, which is behind The Hero in Maida Vale and The Pelican in Notting Hill.   Almost 100 county winners were announced at the awards, which took place at Big Penny Social in Walthamstow, as well as 13 regional winners. The 50 best pubs 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 WhatsAp

A brand new sports bar – complete with an outdoor terrace – is set to open in Spitalfields Market this August. KERB Social Club comes from, funnily enough, street food folk KERB, who also run Seven Dials Market in Covent Garden. The plan is to create a space where ‘American sports bar energy’ meets ‘proper pub comfort’.  The bar’s outdoor terrace will overlook Spitalfields Market. Inside, there’ll be a large main room, as well as five private rooms, which you’ll be able to book for everything from karaoke to pool nights, darts, gaming and chess nights.  KERB Social Club will feature three food traders: fried chicken from Only Jerkin’, hot dogs from Oh My Dog, and Detroit-style pizza from Cutie Pies. Joe Howard Speaking about the new bar, general manager of KERB Social Club Abi Watson said: ‘KERB Social Club is what happens when you take the spirit of a proper British local, mix it with the casual chaos and fun of an American sports bar, and give it an inclusive, modern KERB twist. This isn’t about gimmicks – it’s a reminder that community hangouts really matter. And for us, opening our first Social Club in a legendary market like Spitalfields makes it even more special.’ Time Out’s ranking of the 50 best bars in London. 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 i

One of London’s favourite caffs is releasing a very special football shirt to celebrate 125 years of business. Founded in 1900, E Pellicci was opened by Priamo Pellicci and is currently run by Anna and Nev alongside their 84-year-old mother Maria. It is the oldest family-run restaurant in the UK. Pellicci’s was awarded Grade-II listed status in 2005 for its art deco-style panelled wooden décor, described by inspectors as ‘an increasingly rare example of the stylish Italian cafe that flourished in London in the inter-war years’. The décor was carved by regular customer and carpenter Achille Capocci.  The football shirts - which will be on sale for four days only – also boast an art deco-inspired design, with the caff’s famous logo on the front of the shirt. The shirts are £40, and come in blue or white. They can be purchased here.   Priamo Pellicci began working in the cafe in 1900, and his wife, Elide, ran the business after her husband’s death in 1931. Elide is the ‘E’ in the E Pellicci. Her son, Nevio Senior, who was born upstairs, ran the caff until he passed away in 2008. Nev’s wife, Maria, is the head of the family business today and has been cooking there every day since 1966.  E Pellicci is known for its fry-ups, pasta dishes and celebrity clientele. Since last year, the podcast Down The Caff has seen Anna and Nev interview famous regulars, including actor Ray Winstone and musician Hak Baker.  Read Time Out’s oral history of E Pellicci.   ICYMI: The award winning Londo