Leonie Cooper

Why not enjoy your dinner with a side of strange? London is home to hundreds of amazing restaurants, but sometimes everyone hankers for a talking point with their tapas. We’ve rounded up a serious bunch of entertaining eateries: oddball decor, kooky culinary concepts and – yes – cats. Our list of unusual restaurants will delight animal lovers, garlic fans, and yodellers and more. You’ll find these joints in venues as varied as a boat, a prison and a church crypt. This is dining with a difference.  RECOMMENDED: The best weird bars in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Feburary 2025: 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 this year’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 this year, 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 include the Ritz Restaurant and Humble Chicken in Soho. No London restaurant has been awarded three stars this year.  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.

London is full of perfect pizza. The finest of fast foods, this delicious staple has been elevated far beyond its humble roots by great Italian restaurants in London, pop-ups, street food vendors and pub residencies, and we know just where to find these world-class wonders, because we’ve been eating our way across London in order to discover the best. Whether it’s delivered in a cardboard box or served in a swish restaurant, excellent pizza is hard to beat. Browse our list of the best pizza places in town and try not to drool on your screen. Recent additions to the Top 20 include some nifty kitchen residencies; Dough Hands at the Spurstowe Arms and Old Nun’s Head, Bing Bong Pizza at You Call The Shots in Hackney, Little Earthquakes at the Railway Tavern in Dalston, Lenny’s Apizza at The Bedford Tavern in Finsbury Park and Short Road Pizza at the William The Fourth in Leyton and Three Colts in Bethnal Green. Try also, Spring Street Pizza in Borough for pizza with a Michelin-starred cheffy touch. RECOMMENDED: The finest fish and chips in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Pasta and pizza are way more than just fast-food comfort carbs at these exceptional London restaurants and trattorias, which excel in properly good and authentic Italian cuisine. The basics – a creamy carbonara, say, or a simple margherita – are all present and correct, but the capital’s repertoire extends to stylish antipasti, crusty sourdough pizzas, richly sauced pasta and beyond. You can also find finely crafted specialities drawn from the traditional trattorias of the rustic south and fashion-conscious north of the country at London’s best Italian restaurants. June 2025: Our latest update includes tasty neighbourhood joints such as south London fave, Peckham's Artusi (which now has a Soho outpost), as well as the legendary Ciao Bella, and Hackney newcomer Dalla as well as the well-worth-seeking-out Polentina in Bow. If you've got the cash to spare, then there are also super expensive spots such Luca, Murano and Sale e Pepe. But if you're on budget, then everyone’s fave one-stop pasta shop Padella is your best shout, and if you're really skint, then a simple coffee and cannoli at Bar Italia is the move. Wherever you end up, London’s Italian dining scene is irreproachable.  RECOMMENDED: The 50 Best London Restaurants.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

People are obsessed with Kent for a reason, and to be honest, the biggest reason is probably Margate. This humble seaside town blew up a few years ago (mostly with day-trippers), and since then its seen a string of fantastic restaurants, bars and more open on its seafront.  Put simply, Margate is the perfect day out, from its quaint vintage shops to its old-school arcades, as well as its thriving contemporary art scene (shout out to the Turner Contemporary, one of the best in the business). We’ve curated the perfect day in this delightful seaside town: here are the best things to do in Margate right now.  RECOMMENDED: 🚆The best day trips from London🐠 The best restaurants in Margate🏡 The best Airbnbs in Margate🌤️The best things to do in Kent🌊The best seaside towns in the UK 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.

When it comes to outdoor dining there are some excellent – and hopefully sun-dappled - options at some of London’s best restaurants. These terraces, canal-side spots, gardens and al fresco restos should make you feel like you’re on a proper holiday in your hometown. Whether you’re in the mood to have spaghetti in the sun or snack on sushi by starlight, our list has you covered. If you don’t mind heights, then check out some of the finest rooftop restaurants with views in London as well. June 2025: We've just added a few new spots to this list now that summer is in full swing; the terrace at London Fields favourite (and one of the best restaurants in London) Sesta, for example. Of course, London weather is temperamental at best, so quite a few of these restaurants (such as Acme Fire Cult and Ombra) offer covered terraces, just in case the heavens open. Hopefully things will stay dry though, and you can enjoy sitting outside while wearing sunglasses, looking important and snacking on a little salt cod fritter. Want to be outdoors all the live-long day? Get to Inis in Hackney Wick, which is open from 8am for breakfast Wednesday through to Sunday. RECOMMENDED: These are the best rooftop bars in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us now.

Year round, London’s restaurants and breweries are ablaze with barbecues and smokey, live-fire cookery. Here’s our selection of the best grills the capital has to offer including street food hot spots as well as taproom pop-ups. Here you’ll find everything from Jamaican jerk and Scandi-style wood-fired cookery to Texas platters and Korean BBQ. Want to DIY during the summer? Then here’s a list of the London parks that will let you set up your very own grill. And if you want advice from an expert, it’s over to chef and food writer Melissa Thompson on her fave BBQ spots in the city. RECOMMENDED: A guide to the best fried chicken in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

June 2025 update: Hacks, The Rehearsal and Overcompensating are the latest shows to earn a spot on our ‘best of the year’ list this week. The former sees Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder’s co-dependent star-and-assistant double act delivering another ten episodes of pass-agg magnificence, while Nathan Fielder delivers more must-see TV with his second season of The Rehearsal. Overcompensating, meanwhile, is one of the year's surprise hits, a raunchy-but-warm college comedy featuring several breakout performances. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘TV’s golden age’ enough times over the past couple of decades to get wary of the hyperbole, but this year does seem to be shaping up to be a kind of mini golden age for the TV follow-up. Severance, Andor and The Last of Us all look like building on incredibly satisfying first runs with equally masterful second runs (even more masterful, in Severance’s case). The third season of The White Lotus has proved that, whether you love it or find it a touch too languorous, there’s no escaping Mike White’s transgressive privilege-in-paradise satire. Likewise for season 7 of Charlie Brooker’s dystopian-flavoured sci-fi Black Mirror. Watercooler viewing is everywhere at the moment,  and that’s not going to change anytime soon. Netflix has announced the finale of Squid Game this summer, along with the end of Stranger Things, a second run of Tim Burton’s Wednesday, and about a zillion other things. Here’s everything you need to see... so far.  RECOMMENDED

Fancy a burger? Of course you do. The simple meat-between-bread combo is always a winner, whether for a quick fast-food fix or a decadent, gourmet feast. We’ve selflessly toiled away, trying and tasting a vast range of patties to compile this list of London’s best burgers, including the inescapable smashburger. London’s finest are utter meaty marvels: juice-seeping, oozing with flavour and far more complex in creation than they’re ever given credit for. Roll up your sleeves and tuck in to the best burgers in town. RECOMMENDED: These are London's best pizza restaurants. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Shoreditch is a dining destination for tourists, hipsters and ravenous city workers alike, so it’s no wonder that there are restaurants of all cuisines and price ranges in this always-buzzy area. But which of the many options deserve your time and money? Let us tell you, with our list of the best restaurants in Shoreditch and Spitalfields, which only features places that we know will hit the spot. Check out everything from Michelin-starred favourites for big spenders to stellar plant-based joints and some of the best Italian restaurants in the capital. Go east and feast. June 2025: We've just given this list a proper revamp, removing those Shoreditch spots that are no longer up to scratch and adding a load of new must-visit restaurants in their place. There's also a brand new number one - Plates, which is the UK’s only Michelin-starred vegan restaurant. Other new entries include sleek Ukranian restaurant Tatar Bunar, Japanese-Italian fusion spot Osteria Angelina, and bottomless lasagna paradise Senza Fondo. Plenty of local classics remain, from Brat and Smokestak to Smoking Goat, Rochelle Canteen, Manteca and The Clove Club.  RECOMMENDED: The best bars, pubs and rooftops in Shoreditch. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

It's a treat to be veggie in London, and there are plenty of fantastic vegetarian restaurants, cafés and street-food stalls that cater to those who want to feast without the flesh, but still scoff butter, cheese and eggs. Read on and you'll find down-to-earth veggie cafés, meat-free curry houses, healthy restaurants and swish spots that'll convince even hardened carnivores to give peas a chance. We've even included a few places that aren't fully veggie, but offer a great vegetarian menu, like outdoor BBQ spot Acme Fire Cult. RECOMMENDED: Go fully plant-based with the best vegan restaurants in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.  

There’s honestly nowhere in the world like Soho. The haunt of poets, gangsters, trendsetters and many a louche genius, the seedy, sleazy and impossibly romantic heart of London’s West End is also home to loads of great independent shops, cafés, bars and, most importantly, restaurants. Its culinary diversity has been fuelled by centuries of immigration and cultural cross-pollination. From rustic French fare to Mediterranean small plates and tasty tapas, here is Time Out’s list of our absolute favourite Soho restaurants. Whether you fancy a slap-up meal or are just in the market for a mid-town pitstop, we have you covered.  June 2025: We're constantly keeping an eye on this Top 50 list to make sure it's up to scratch, and with so many new restaurant openings in and around Soho, that means regularly adding new places and removing those that might have failed to deliver on our last visit. Recent additions include seriously good value omakase at Sushi Kyu, Cambodian pop-up Mamapen, revamped classic Kettner’s, breakfast and lunchtime bagel spot It's Bagels and Parisian-inspired wine bar Marjorie’s. RECOMMENDED: Here are London’s best restaurants. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor and spends so much time eating in Soho that she basically lives on Greek Street. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us

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

Since opening in late 2024, myriad rants have been inspired by The Yellow Bittern. Largely, these haven’t been about the food, but rather the pretentious-leaning lore around it. To wit; you can only book this lunchtime-only bistro by phone (or a giddily anachronistic postcard), it’s expensive but cash-only, and proudly displays two portraits of Lenin. The food itself has been painted as a sort of spartan, St John-ish take on meat pies, luxe gruel and many, many stews.  I have never felt more like George Orwell seeking sustenance after a morning’s grind at the typewriter Now that the dust has settled on The Most Controversial New Restaurant in London™, it seemed time to finally check out this contentious font of day drinking, stodge and socialism. A 2pm booking on a Friday is secured (it is only open on weekdays and seatings are at 12pm or 2pm) and we step off the chaotic King’s Cross end of the Cally Road into a room that’s somewhere between a French village luncheonette and an interwar Lyons teashop. There are brown tiled floors, chunky wooden dressers, vases of floppy astrantias, and the interior are walls painted primrose yellow, which gives the impression that the decorator was simply decades-worth of cigarette huffing. Oh, and don’t forget the communist bookshop in the basement. I have never felt more like George Orwell seeking sustenance after a morning’s grind at the typewriter.  We start as we mean to go on (in 1934, essentially), with Belfastian chef Hugh Corcoran t

Soho used to be full of places like this. Casually chaotic boltholes where you’d be plied with massive portions of perfectly serviceable food, before being booted back onto the street, very full, quite happy and a little bit pissed. From Lorelai to The Stockpot (ask your mum), this was what powered the neighbourhood until the fateful dawn of a sanitised Soho, which saw branches of Supreme and End Clothing replace the peep shows and smut shops. In many ways, 27 Old Compton Street is a passport back to 1987. It’s walk-ins only (but in a how-convenient way rather than an that’s-annoying way) and their thing is mega dishes of pasta that are never more than £14, with most hovering around the £11 mark. A couple of hastily erected vintage Vermouth prints and brown leather banquette seating gives the place a tidy feel and service is jolly but a tad rushed. And frankly, that’s fine with us. 27 Old Compton Street’s thing isn’t Sophia Loren-style glamour, but about priding ludicrous value over interior design swag and a server incessantly folding your napkin every time you go to the loo.  In many ways, 27 Old Compton Street is a passport back to 1987 For just £3.50 there’s an overflowing bowl of crispy courgette fries that’s somewhere in between quintessential fritti and batter-heavy chip shop scraps, while two burly cacio e pepe arancini in a pool of parmesan soup feels a steal at £6.50. A massive mortadella flatbread doesn’t scrimp on pistachio, mozzarella or honey, and is, essential

Sometimes a menu item leaps up at you in the same way that a slobbering puppy might lick your mouth seconds after you’ve been introduced. At Tasca, that item is the jambon beurre gilda. The mere suggestion of the queen of pintxos in a daring tryst with the prince of sandwiches had me in raptures. Be still my beating epiglottis.  Was the dish as good as it was in my head? Better. A silver toothpick of nubbly, caperberry-brined pickle nestling against a sharp guindilla pepper and a dollop of espelette butter wrapped in ham, it was melty and meaty, and tangy all at once. Like a vintage John Waters movie, it’s a bit much, but that’s the whole point.   Who would be so bold as to conjure up this outrageous offering? That would be head chef Josh Dallaway, once of Sager + Wilde, working alongside former Bistro Freddie manager and sommelier, Sinead Murdoch. After munching their way around Portugal and Spain, the couple came back to east London with bellies full of tapas and heads full of ideas. In a year-long residency at Cav – a newly-opened wine bar in the railway arches of Paradise Row – Tasca hits all the 2025 buzz points; there’s bold Basque cookery, an embarrassment of ferments, and a cocktail menu that features a couture martini fit for the racks at Dover Street Market (theirs comes with dill and anchovy oil).  Like a vintage John Waters movie, it’s a bit much, but that’s the whole point Yet there’s something about the playful Tasca that makes it more appealing than other Iber

Think of the balmy Costa Del Sol, and you think of Marbella. Since the 1950s it’s been a tourist hotspot thanks to the promise of (almost) guaranteed sunshine and a sweet subtropical climate. Because of this, there are plenty of places to stay in this buzzy beach town – so many that you might end up paralysed by choice. If you’ve got the cash, then El Fuerte Marbella makes that decision a whole lot easier. This grande dame of the Costa Del Sol has been there since the start of this particular boom in Spanish tourism, opening in 1957 – back before the skyline was dominated by highrise blocks – and securing itself an enviable beachfront spot. Over the years the family-run hotel has just got bigger, with a complete refurb in 2023. It’s right in the middle of town, with the charming old town just a five minute walk away.  Why stay at El Fuerte Marbella? If you like things fancy, you’ll like El Fuerte. It’s a large, luxury hotel and their recent refurb still feels spanking brand new, with lots of putty pink Mediterranean tiling. Of the 266 rooms and suites, 78 come under the ‘Selected’ banner, which is basically a high-end hotel within the hotel. It’s all-inclusive but not as you know it; book a ‘Selected’ room (of course, they are more expensive) and you’ll have exclusive access to an all-day space with free snacks and booze, as well as a separate breakfast room to keep you away from the riff-raff. There’s also a lovely rooftop for all-day sunbathing and dips in the pool, which t

Ever thought, ‘we make a damn fine martini here in London’? Well, it’s now official, as the World Class bartending competition has just crowned its 2025 GB Champion – and he’s based right here in the capital.  The winner is Emanuele Mensah, who was representing the Connaught Bar in Mayfair. After a gruelling three day piss-up, sorry, contest, in Edinburgh, Mensah scored victory and will now go on to represent Great Britain at the World Class global final in Toronto later this year.  Ten bartenders took part in the GB finals, and were tested on ‘everything from technique to storytelling and cocktail innovation’. They were judged by a panel of industry experts. ‘Emanuele impressed judges with his creativity, passion, personality, and storytelling,’ said a statement. ‘He brought something truly unforgettable to every step of the journey, and now, he’ll go on to represent GB on the global stage.’ It’s basically the Olympics, but for booze! Emanuele Mensah was born in Italy, and moved to London when he was 23. He previously worked at Lyaness and is currently prep mixologist at the Connaught Bar. The Connaught Bar is one of the finest cocktail bars in London. ‘What with the marble floors and plush leather sofas, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a Bond movie,’ reads our Time Out review of the fancy joint. ‘Spiffy waiters wheel out a martini trolley and mix your indulgent beverage right in front of you.’ These are the best hotel bars in London. Get the latest and greatest from

Get prepped for a proper coming together of icons, as much-loved chef Angela Hartnett is set to open a brand new restaurant at London landmark, the Royal Opera House. The Michelin-starred founder of Mayfair’s Murano will be launching the new venture in September. The restaurant will be on the fifth floor of the Royal Opera House and will also spill out onto the venue’s terrace bar.  The restaurant will serve lunch and dinner and the Turin-inspired terrace bar will be open throughout the day, serving drinks and nibbles and offering impressive rooftop views of Covent Garden. You don’t have to be heading off to an opera to gain entry either - anyone will be able to visit.  Speaking about the restaurant, Hartnett said: ‘Opening at the Royal Opera House – such an iconic London institution – is a real privilege. We’re creating something entirely new for the space: relaxed, with food that celebrates exceptional produce and simplicity. Most of all we want the restaurant and bar to be for everyone, not just for those attending a performance.’  The menu for the restaurant hasn’t been released yet, but we’re promised ‘sophisticated yet simple, Italian-inspired cooking’. Sounds more than good to us.   Angela Hartnett founded Murano in 2008, one of London’s best Italian restaurants. It gained its Michelin star in 2009 - just a few months after opening. Hartnett then went on to launch the more casual Cafe Murano, which has sites in Covent Garden, St James’s and Bermondsey. She currently ho

It’s what you’ve all been waiting for, yes, it’s CAMRA’s Pub Design Awards 2025! Celebrating ‘the most visually stunning, historically significant and lovingly restored pubs across the UK’, one London pub scored big in the awards.  Congratulations to The Forester in Ealing, which won the ‘Community Local’ category. The award was judged by design and conservation experts, and are run  alongside the good people of Historic England to ‘highlight both the importance and vulnerability of pub architecture’. The Community Local category is all about outstanding renovation of street-corner pubs, a Fuller’s pub, the Forester won because of its ‘respectful refurbishment’ of its Edwardian fireplaces and Art Nouveau-style stained glass.  Andrew Davison, Chair of the Pub Design Awards judging panel, commented: ‘The Pub Design Awards recognise the highest standards of pub architecture, rewarding artistic flair and painstaking historical conservation. ‘From inviting streetcorner locals to striking medieval coaching inns, there are some stunning pubs in the UK, and the craftmanship involved in making these venues a gorgeous place to enjoy cask beer and real cider or perry should rightfully be applauded. I encourage heritage enthusiasts and pub lovers alike to visit these inspirational buildings.’ The Forester, 2 Leighton Road, Ealing, W13 9EP. The 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 fo

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

Who doesn’t like Italian food? London certainly has a soft spot for it, and we’ve got a host of Italian restaurants dishing out super authentic, super delicious dishes that are worthy of a Naples trattoria. Here at Time Out we’ve just announced the 20 best Italian restaurants in London and holding its place at the top spot is one of the 50 best restaurants in the city – Trullo in Highbury. Celebrating its 15th anniversary this month (it opened back in June 2010), this small but powerful pasta restaurant is running a ‘Hall of Fame’ menu until the end of the month, so you can taste some of their most classic dishes and hand-rolled pasta, including ox heart with salsa rossa, pappardelle with slow-cooked beef shin ragù, and their mighty tiramisu.  ‘The Highbury trattoria hasn’t got any flashy gimmicks or TikTok-friendly marketing ploys,’ wrote our most recent, five star review of Trullo. ‘Instead, Trullo’s reputation is built on consistently excellent food and its expertly calibrated atmosphere, neither of which have slipped an iota in the restaurant’s history.’ Our list also includes some classic London restaurants, such as the ever-entertaining Ciao Bella in Bloomsbury, the drop-in, late-night favourite Bar Italia in Soho, and the pricey Sale e Pepe in Knightsbridge, which dates back to 1974.  New entries to the list include fashionista’s favourite Dalla in Hackney, the all-day Leo’s in Clapton and pleasingly hard-to-find Polentina in Bow.  Read Time Out’s full list of the best

After 25 years of trading, the legendary, family-run Thai canteen shut down its Leytonstone location in autumn 2024. It was revealed that the restaurant would be moving to Shoreditch this year, and news now reaches us that they’ll be flinging open the doors to the new spot on June 19. That’s so very soon! The new restaurant will be located at Unit 7 Montacute Yards, just off Shoreditch High Street. Singburi was named Time Out’s restaurant of the year in 2021. Famously hard to score a table, it had no website and you could only book by phone or when you were at the actual restaurant. Even so, Singburi gained semi-mythical status due to its famous blackboard specials menu, and dishes such as their phenomenally good crispy fried pork belly moo krob. Chef-patron Sirichai Kularbwong will be joined by chef Nick Molyviatis (previously at Oma, Agora, Speedboat Bar, Plaza and Kiln) for Singburi 2.0, with Kularbwong’s parents - who ran the original Singburi - retiring from the kitchen.  Speaking about the new restaurant, Molyviatis commented: ‘At its heart, the menu is an evolution of the Singburi blackboard menu, and a reflection of what we love to eat and cook. Thai food is communal - dishes are served all together, and they should complement each other.’ The menu will include dishes such as dill and lemongrass pork sausage, tiger prawn southern curry, mussels and wild ginger pad phet, and smoked beef rib panang curry. Photograph: Singburi/ Tony Mak The interiors of the new joint w

Like a view with your vichyssoise? Then you’re going to eat up our recently updated ranking of the 18 London restaurants with the best views. At the hallowed number one spot is Forza Wine at the National Theatre, which is situated in a prime position on the South Bank, meaning serious views of the Thames over to Embankment, as well as a food menu so good that the restaurant has also made it onto our 2025 list of the top 50 restaurants in London. ‘Forza Wine’s spot at the National Theatre ticks all the boxes,’ we said. ‘Cocktails, natty wines and seasonal small plates from their self-proclaimed “Italian-ish” menu. A wraparound outdoor terrace with views of the South Bank. A spot at the top of a cultural institution, in a building loved by 1960s architecture pervs across the land.’  New entries into the list include Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat, aka the highest restaurant in Europe, which is in seventh place. Lucky Cat opened earlier this year and is on the 60th floor of 22 Bishopsgate. The food? Fine. The views? Sensational. The Portrait by Richard Corrigan is at number two, which you’ll find on the very top floor of the National Portrait Gallery. We said: ‘Basically every London skyline landmark is visible at once from the bright, simple and airy restaurant space, and the menu is stonking, offering modern British delights with an emphasis on the light, fresh and seasonal.’ Another gallery spot, the Tate Modern Restaurant, also features on the list.  We also feature a couple of

Another London boozer bites the dust. Soho pub The Shaston Arms will be shutting its doors on June 15. In a statement, brewers Hall & Woodhouse said, ‘We are disappointed that after 25 wonderful years, we are sadly saying goodbye to The Shaston Arms in Carnaby. Our wish was to renew the lease on the building, but we understand that the landlord wishes to pursue a restaurant offer on Ganton Street.’  Though it looked like a Victorian-era pub, The Shaston Arms actually opened in 1999, and was previously a pair of shops. Run by Dorset-based brewers Hall & Woodhouse, the name ‘Shaston’ was taken from the Shaftesbury-inspired town present in a number of novels by Dorset-born writer Thomas Hardy.  A number of other Hall & Woodhouse pubs in London remain, including the famous Ship and Shovell by Embankment, which is split across two buildings facing each other that are joined by an underground cellar. Earlier this year another much-loved London pub closed, north-west London’s Ye Olde Swiss Cottage.  Want to drown your sorrows? These are the best pubs in Soho, according to us. The Ritz has been named the UK’s best restaurant at the National Restaurant Awards.  And the UK’s first-ever cat café is at risk of closing.  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. 

I like trains more than your average person. Not in a weird, obsessive way (honest!) but I will admit to using my lunch break in order to look at pictures of vintage rolling stock. I’ve also travelled three days on Amtrak from Los Angeles to Chicago, and always enjoy the low-level thrill that comes with a window seat and a decent view. Yet the idea of 48 (or more) hours stuck in cattle class on a British train has never quite appealed. A weekend on Belmond’s luxury Royal Scotsman sleeper however? Well that’s a different proposition entirely. Leonie Cooper for Time Out Starting at an eye-watering £5,300 per person for a two night trip, this lavish train is more expensive than a stay in London’s poshest hotels. In lieu of a surprise windfall from a forgotten and fabulously wealthy great uncle, I was jammy enough to be invited as guest onto the Royal Scotsman as it sailed around the Highlands for a weekend of unrivaled, track-based opulence.  Leonie Cooper for Time Out With its 1930s-styled soft furnishings, the occasional potted palm and mahogany-paneled corridors, the Royal Scotsman might look like something out of the pages of an Agatha Christie murder romp, but actually only dates back to 1985. A ride on this train isn’t about getting anywhere quickly: it’s about the indulgence of the journey, not the destination. This is Belmond’s bag, who run 32 luxe hotels from Cape Town to Cusco, as well as six equally glammy tourist trains, including the Venice Simplon-Orient-Expres

Congratulations are in order for a little spot known as The Ritz. Maybe you’ve heard of it? Yes, this plucky up-and-comer has been named Best Restaurant in the UK 2025 at this year’s National Restaurant Awards.  We jest, of course. The Ritz Restaurant is world-famous, but seems to be having something of a second wind. Earlier this year, their executive chef John Williams secured the Mayfair spot’s second Michelin star (after getting the first in 2016).  The Ritz Restaurant has been open since 1906 (when the hotel itself opened), and Williams has ruled the roost since 2004. Speaking about the win for The Ritz, restaurant editor Stefan Chomka commented: ‘As a bastion of fine French food served in unashamedly refined surroundings, The Ritz stands alone in the UK. ‘The top 100 restaurants list reflects the diverse nature of our eating out scene and the changing trends within it, whether they be less formality, more farm to fork menus, or embracing new cuisines, but it’s also wonderful to see a restaurant unwavering in its focus finally get the recognition it merits. The Ritz is an exemplary restaurant, one fully deserving of the title National Restaurant of the Year.’ We had similar thoughts when we last visited the restaurant, awarding it a glowing five star review. ‘It’s a performance worthy of any world-beating theatre down the road, and it’s all we can do not to burst into applause after each dish,’ we wrote.   The awards - which were held on June 9 in London - also saw anot

A homegrown, London-based pizzeria has just come first at the 50 Top Pizza Europa Awards and we couldn’t be prouder. For the second year in a row, west London’s Napoli on the Road has decimated the doughy competition to be named Europe’s finest pizza slingers. Bravo! The ceremony was held in Madrid on June 4, and as well as receiving first place in the contest, Napoli On The Road - which has outlets in Chiswick and Richmond – won the title of Pizza of the Year 2025 for their signature pizza Ricordi d’Infanzia, which is topped with slow-cooked ragu with beef, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, fondue and basil. Napoli on the Road was set up by pizzaiolo Michele Pascarella, who hails from Maddaloni, near Naples. Pascarella was previously named World Pizza Maker of the Year 2023 by 50 Top Pizza and Best International Pizza Maker 2024 by the Accademia Nazionale Pizza DOC. He certainly knows his dough.  ‘Winning for a second year means more than I can say,’ commented Pascarella. ‘This award belongs to the entire team, who share my commitment and passion every day. Taking first place at the 50 Top Pizza Europa in 2024 changed my life and it’s an honour to receive this recognition once again.’ This is Time Out’s list of the best pizza in London.  And our roundup of the best Italian 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 for our free Time

Another month comes with another bunch of plucky cooks risking it all to launch themselves upon London’s hungry masses. When it comes to new chain-y stuff, Lina Stores continues its eau de nil-shaded takeover via the medium of al-dente pasta with a Canary Wharf branch, while Harry’s opens its fourth Italian restaurant in King’s Cross. Meanwhile, Fortnum & Mason Royal Exchange will be home to a summer residency by seafood zaddy Rick Stein. Here’s the best of the rest.  The 10 best new London restaurants opening in June 2025 Lupa 1. The one with a famous person Lupa, Highbury Depending on your level of addiction to Deux Moi, the most compelling thing about this north London-based Roman-style trattoria isn’t the supplì al telefono croquettes, but the fact that White Lotus alumni Theo James is part of the team. The dishy actor has joined forces with restauranter and Carousel co-founder Ed Templeton to open Lupa, and ex-Pidgin head chef Naz Hassan will be in charge of the kitchen. Expect carbonara, puntarelle, and a steady influx of flustered local mums. Lupa opens late June.  3 Highbury Park, N5 1UA Felix Dol Maillot 2. The Euro burger place Dumbo, Shoreditch French smashburger titans Dumbo are opening their first London location in mid-June. Their first joint outside of Paris, the powerfully brief menu sees them serving up cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, fries (French, of course) and chicken nuggets. And that’s basically it. 119 Bethnal Green Road, E2 7DG 3. A telly chef bran