Bistros, trattorias and the everyday rooms where London actually eats.
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where London actually eats.
Britain's first gastropub on Farringdon Road in Clerkenwell London, opened 1991 by Mike Belben and David Eyre, still serves Mediterranean-leaning.
Signature: Bife Ana steak sandwich, Whatever is on the chalkboard
Order: The Bife Ana steak sandwich, on the menu since 1991, and a pint of bitter.
Tip: Walk-in only. The chalkboard menu rewrites every day at 12:00; the best dishes go by 14:00 on a busy lunch.
Gordon Ker's basement chophouse on Great Windmill Street in Soho London, opened 2015, runs charcoal-grilled chops in a 1850s-era basement room.
Signature: Lamb chops, Pre-theatre skinny chops
Order: The all-in chops board with beef, lamb and pork, plus the bone-marrow gravy.
Tip: Sunday roast is £20 and books two weeks ahead through Resy. Pre-theatre chops at 17:00 walks in for half-price.
Steve Williams's wine-bar-with-kitchen inside a Maltby Street railway arch in Bermondsey London, opened 2010, runs a daily-changing chalkboard of small.
Signature: Whatever is on the chalkboard, Smoked-eel sandwich
Order: Whatever the smoked-fish or charcuterie opener is, with a half-bottle of growers' Champagne.
Tip: Open Wed-Sat lunch and dinner; closed Sun-Tue. Walk-up only; first sitting at 12:00 always has bar seats.
Mike Davies's gastropub on Camberwell Church Street in south London, opened 2014, runs a daily-changing seasonal menu and a famous family-style Sunday roast.
Signature: Sunday roast, Whole roast meats
Order: Sunday roast for four (booked in advance), or whatever whole-animal cut is on weeknight dinner.
Tip: Sunday lunch books a fortnight ahead and serves until they run out. The bar room takes walk-ins all evening.
The candlelit Lexington Street bistro in Soho London, opened 1985 by print-dealer Andrew Edmunds, still runs a daily-handwritten Modern European menu.
Signature: Whatever the daily seasonal plate is, Sticky toffee pudding
Order: Whatever seasonal main is on the handwritten menu, and the sticky toffee pudding for dessert.
Tip: Bookings take a six-week lead; bar seats at the front are released as walk-ins after 21:30 on weekdays.
John Devitt's hand-pulled udon counter on Frith Street in Soho London, opened 2010, runs the city's most serious Japanese noodle kitchen. Priced at ££.
Signature: Hot udon with English breakfast, Mushroom udon
Order: Hot udon with the English breakfast (bacon, egg, mushroom) at brunch, or the kake bukkake at dinner.
Tip: Walk-up only. Doors open 12:00; arrive at 11:45 for first sittings without a wait. Closed Sundays.
The Layo Paskin brothers' Jerusalem-leaning counter and dining room on Rupert Street in Soho London, opened 2014, runs a kitchen-counter front and a calmer.
Signature: Kubaneh bread with tahini, Octopus mishmish
Order: Kubaneh bread (warm pull-apart with tahini and pepper jam) followed by the octopus mishmish main.
Tip: Counter seats face the open kitchen and take walk-ins. Tables in the back take bookings two weeks ahead.
Neil Borthwick's upstairs dining room above the historic French House pub on Dean Street in Soho London, opened 2017 in the room Free French resistance used.
Signature: Daily-changing chalkboard
Order: Whatever the seasonal main is on the chalkboard, with a glass from the focused wine list.
Tip: No mobile phones, no music. Tables book one week ahead. The downstairs pub still pours a proper half-pint of bitter.
Jacob Kenedy's regional Italian dining room on Archer Street in Soho London, opened 2008, plates dishes from Piemonte, Friuli, Calabria and beyond.
Signature: Suckling pig porchetta, Whatever regional special is on
Order: Suckling pig porchetta with crackling on a soft roll, and a Lambrusco from the carafe list.
Tip: Counter seats face the open kitchen and take walk-ins. Tables in the back book a fortnight ahead through their site.
The 1944 Brewer Street deli's first sit-down restaurant on Greek Street in Soho London, opened 2018, runs hand-rolled pasta and Italian-deli classics.
Signature: Hand-rolled pasta, Tiramisu
Order: Whatever fresh stuffed pasta is on the daily menu, and the tiramisu in the original Lina recipe.
Tip: Walk-up only at the deli original on Brewer Street; the Greek Street site takes bookings via Resy two weeks ahead.
Brett Redman's small-plates dining room on Stoney Street next to Borough Market in London, opened 2010, runs wood-fire cooking and a market-driven.
Signature: Wood-fired flatbread, Burrata with seasonal greens
Order: Whatever the wood-fired flatbread topping is, and a burrata with whatever's in season.
Tip: Walk-up only at the bar. Tables book a fortnight ahead. Closed Monday; the Borough Market kitchen runs Wed-Sat.
Jonathan Lawson's Italian-leaning dining room on Rivington Street in Shoreditch London, opened 2017, runs hand-rolled pasta, North African accents.
Signature: Hand-rolled pasta, Whatever Sicilian special is on
Order: Whatever fresh pasta is on, and the Sicilian-spiced lamb if it's on the night.
Tip: Counter seats wrap the open kitchen. Walk-up only at the counter; tables book a week ahead through their site.
Owen Kenworthy's Modern European dining room on Columbia Road in Shoreditch London, opened 2010, runs a daily-changing menu of small plates.
Signature: Charcuterie board, Whatever offal special is on
Order: House charcuterie board, then whatever offal main is on the night.
Tip: Best on a Sunday after the Columbia Road flower market closes at 14:00; the kitchen runs to 17:00.
Max Rocha's solo Cafe Cecilia by Regent's Canal in Hackney London opened 2021. Modern European plates with Anglo-Irish notes, drawing on River Cafe and St.
Signature: Guinness bread with kippers or boiled eggs, Skate with spinach
Order: Whatever fish course is on, with the Guinness bread to start and a bottle from the natural-wine list.
Tip: Book Wed-Sun on Resy; lunch and dinner slots release a week ahead. Saturday brunch is the quieter door.
The 1946 Westminster greasy spoon on Regency Street in London, white-tiled formica-tabled cafe, runs the canonical London full English at the counter.
Signature: Full English breakfast, Beef pie
Order: The full English with white bloomer toast, plus a mug of strong tea.
Tip: Cash and contactless. Closed Sundays and Saturday afternoons. The 09:00 queue is film-crew familiar.
The Pellicci family's 1900 east-London cafe on Bethnal Green Road, Grade-II listed for the 1946 marquetry interior, runs a daily Italian-British greasy spoon.
Signature: Full English breakfast, Pasta lasagna
Order: The full English with extra fried bread, and a slice of their housemade lasagna.
Tip: Cash and card; closed Sundays. Queue runs out the door on Saturday morning. The interior is the listed treasure.
Dan's 48-hour-fermented sourdough pizza counter on Upper Clapton Road in east London, opened 2013, runs a six-site Sodo group focused on seasonal toppings.
Signature: Margherita with 48-hour sourdough base, Anchovy and oregano
Order: Margherita on the 48-hour base, plus a chalkboard daily special with whichever in-season vegetable.
Tip: Walk-up only at Clapton; the Bethnal Green, Hoxton, Walthamstow, Hammersmith and Deptford siblings take Resy bookings.
Tom Barton, Phil Eeles and Dorian Waite's first Honest Burgers counter in Brixton Village London, opened 2011, runs dry-aged Ginger Pig beef.
Signature: Honest burger with rosemary chips, Plant burger
Order: The Honest burger (smoked bacon, mature cheddar, red onion relish), with rosemary chips on the side.
Tip: Walk-up only at the Brixton original. Online queue system; expect 30 minutes on weekend lunches.
The Jugged Hare on Chiswell Street in the City of London, opened 2012 by ETM Group, runs a game-led gastropub menu with hung-game cabinets in the dining room.
Signature: Whole roast game, Sunday roast
Order: Whole roast partridge or grouse in season, or the family-style Sunday roast in winter.
Tip: Lunch and pre-theatre runs walk-in friendly. Sunday roast books a fortnight ahead through their site.
Harneet Baweja's family-recipe Indian small-plates kitchen on White's Row in Spitalfields London, opened 2015, plates regional Indian home cooking, no buffet.
Signature: Spicy venison doughnut, Chettinad pulled lamb shoulder
Order: Spicy venison doughnut, then Chettinad pulled lamb shoulder for two.
Tip: Tiny room. Bookings open six weeks ahead and burn fast. Counter seats released as walk-ins from 17:30.
Robin Hancock and Ben Wright's seafood counter on Stoney Street next to Borough Market in London, opened 2002, runs a daily-fresh oyster menu and a serious.
Signature: Native oysters, Fish pie
Order: Half a dozen West Mersea or Lindisfarne native oysters, then the fish pie with mashed potato top.
Tip: Counter seats face the bar. Lunch runs walk-in; Saturday at noon is the un-touristed slot before market crowds peak.
Skye Gyngell's Modern European dining room inside the New Wing of Somerset House in central London, opened 2014, runs vegetable-led seasonal cooking.
Signature: Whatever spring vegetable course is on, Brown butter custard tart
Order: Whatever the spring or autumn vegetable opener is, and the brown butter custard tart for pudding.
Tip: The Scratch dinner uses kitchen offcuts to fight food waste and costs £25; the regular menu runs £55 for two courses.
The Evangelou family's Primrose Hill Greek taverna on Regent's Park Road in London, opened 1979, still the village's Sunday-lunch destination for lamb.
Signature: Lamb kleftiko, Saganaki
Order: Lamb kleftiko (slow-cooked in paper for three hours), with saganaki to start.
Tip: Sunday lunch books two weeks ahead through their site. Tuesday-Thursday dinner walks in any time after 19:00.