London is full of culture, offers some of the best street art I’ve ever seen, as well as hundreds of handsome men in perfectly-fitted suits, and is known for its Indian food. However, I think London should be known for ALL of its food. I found so many fantastic restaurants, food halls, gorgeous places for a drink, and never wanted to leave. Anyway, the dining experience here always pushes me, opens my eyes to new and improved creativity, and brings a smile to my face as I experience new flavors and ingredients for the first time. London mostly uses Seven Rooms for reservations which can be annoying because if you want to make a res, you can’t cancel day-of without being charged! It’s difficult if you want to play it by ear based on how you feel that day or see what neighborhood you are in on the fly and where you want to eat. However, here are the spots worth visiting!
Where to Eat in London Right Now
1. Plants — If you follow Deliciously Ella’s recipes online or her instagram, then you’ll be excited to hear that I went to her restaurant called Plants in Marylebone in London! This is one of my most memorable meals because she makes vegetarian dishes feel stewy, warm, and homey. The place looks like a little tea parlor with colored and floral chairs, and ceiling lights that are covered in fabric. The menu is hard to choose from, but my favorites: Cashew — this was a sourdough flatbread dressed in melted cultured butter that I’m guessing was made from cashew was so warm and nutty and came with an extra plate of the butter! I enjoyed the turmeric latte since I don’t drink coffee, but the real star of the show is the Butter Beans with chili, Cavolo Nero, and rainbow chard. I will forever crave this dish and have a longing for whatever butter beans are!! I LOVED the sauce. It might have even had sweet potato in it. Rubbing it around with the kale and topping it onto the sourdough sealed the deal for me. Other dishes included Beetroot with dill hummus, Aubergine with garlic black rice and red pepper cream; Pumpkin with barley roasted figs, smoked chili jam; and Cauliflower with sriracha puree and hazelnut pesto.
2. The Rubens Afternoon Tea – Since I was here over Christmas, what I learned is that most restaurants are closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day (Dec. 26). I had to spend so much time researching what I could actually do during these three days since I was only there for a total of 6. I found an opening spot for afternoon tea at The Rubens inside The Palace Hotel, which faces Buckingham Palace. When we got there for our 4:30 p.m. tea, it was already dark outside (oh, winter in London), so instead of facing the dark and rainy-looking palace, we sat in the center of the room to enjoy all the color. The whole room is red, and it’s so fun to get a tower of scones, cakes, and even the tea sandwiches that I never thought I’d enjoy, with chicken, salmon, turkey with stuffing and more. They have an entire vegan menu option, and I actually liked my friend’s vegan desserts better than mine. I loved the Vanilla Sensation tea and the fact that you can get refills on all the food and tea during your stay. I’ll never forget the clotted cream that came with the scone – WOW!
3. Dishoom — This is every American’s favorite London spot and I know from proof based on how many people responded to my instagram story saying “THE BEST” (be sure to check out my highlights by the way). With locations in Kensington, Covent Garden, Shoreditch, Carnaby, and Edinburgh, you’ll be bound to snag a seat. We went for lunch, and I loved the vacation vibe it puts out with hanging plants outside, plus a very airy environment and a fun, quirky, brass inside. Get a bowl of Greens if you need some veg as the dressing over the broccoli, snow peas, and spinach is a tad sweet. Another plus here is that they have a vegan menu, so everyone is welcome! Get the Dishoom House Chaat with golden fried sweet potato covered in yoghurt, pomegranate, beet root, radish, and carrot, with a tamarind drizzle and green chutney. The Cheese Naan is great but almost a little too much cheese in between some bites, so I’d go for the regular next time! The Dishoom Chicken Tikka is extremely tender and the way it should taste as it’s a pretty simple dish. Tap out with a Mango Kulfi which is a milky popsicle. Next time, I really want to visit Gymkhana, which probably has more complex flavors and dishes, plus is recognized by Michelin.
4. Noble Rot — This place has been recommended to me by a lot of industry people and now I know why. They started out as a wine magazine, which is still published I believe 3 times a year. The SoHo location was tight downstairs with a straight shot of tables just on the right and left with booths facing each other. You can see all the magazines at the back of the spot and if you end up going to the loo, you’ll be surprised that there is another floor of tables. The green ceiling mixed with colorful artwork and glass bottles makes it feel very “insider” and industry-focused for some reason. They have a great two course lunch for 23 pounds, but I ordered off the regular menu once I saw the Smoked Haddock, Mash, Leeks, and Cream option. This was absolutely my favorite restaurant meal during my Christmas visit! The Bread & Butter was even delectable, and it looks like they always have The Roast Chicken with Morels for 2 on the menu so might be a fun signature dish to get. And yes, I bought the magazine for 12 pounds!
5.Som Saa — This regional Thai comfort spot is one of my favorite meals in London! I love the high-arch, brick walls that separate the main dining room from the bar/cocktail area, as well as the abundant vegetation and palm leaves. It’s fun, trendy, and encompasses knock-out food. If you sit in the bar, grab a couple snacks like the Polamai Nahm Pla Wan which is sour fruits with sweet fish sauce. You don’t think you need to order fruit for an appetizer until you have this flavor combo. Always trust the fish sauce! Even though I’m from Texas, I’m not a beef jerky fan, but the Whiskey Marinated Beef Jerky with Jaew Dipping Sauce converted me, and my dining partner even asked for an extra side of the sauce to save for later. For the main menu, get all over that Beef Cheek Curry with peanuts and Thai basil. This is one of the best Thai dishes I’ve ever had. It’s fall-off-the-bone tender, braised perfectly, and the heat and curry spice level is dreamy. The Gai Yaang, a Thai Style Grilled Chicken Leg with Tamarind Dipping sauce, is also a great way to dive into the feast. For your greens, go for the stir fried English and Asian vegetables. For dessert, unless you need another helping of that beef cheek curry, save up for the Salted Palm Sugar Ice Cream (have you seen this anywhere?) with Turmeric Grilled Banana. Put Som Saa on the top of your list! And if you like their tunes, they kindly provide a playlist here.
6. Anita’s London — My all time favorite gelato (or any ice cream) spot is this Israeli Italian place that I first had in New York. They have heaping towers of creamy and delicious gelato with flavors that I can guarantee you won’t find anywhere else. I truly love it more than any other brand and no matter what city I am in, it is worth it for me to go out of my way to go! I loved the Salted Cashews flavor, which almost tasted like caramel, and the Milk Chocolate Pretzel.
7. Borough Market — This big city has markets and food halls all over the place. Borough Market might be the most impressive market I’ve ever seen in my life (I do love Las Ramblas in Barca). I mean you want paella, massive oysters, Ethiopian food, Egyptian Koshari, stuffed donuts from Bread Ahead Bakery, cheese, fruit, freshly baked bread, brownies, specialty meats, etc. This place is unbelievable. On another visit to Borough Market, 5 years after my first visit, I tried SHUK, which means Street Food in Hebrew and is a market stall serving Tel Aviv food with homemade pitas holding vegetables and meats made with flavorful spices and tahini. This was probably my favorite meal when I visited during the Christmas holidays, and it lasted me 2.5 meals because it was SO huge. I skipped the pita sandwich, which comes with Beef Brisket, Spiced Lamb or Chicken Shawarma and went for the Salad Box with Sweet Potato with Chili Yogurt, Beetroot with Jalapeño Dressing and added Chicken. I loved that the box included so many green lettuces and herb toppings that truly made it my perfect lunch (and snack later). This market has some of the most diverse food options. You should do some research beforehand in case you are too hungry because you’ll want to order the first thing you see. We saw this cool risotto stand with mushrooms that we couldn’t stop watching as guests crowded the window watching them flip, turn and cook, plus a lot of brownies randomly, and even these viral strawberries with a flowing chocolate fountain that were way too expensive for me to fancy.
8. Ben’s Cookies — This is located at Covent Garden and every Londoner’s suggestion for a good cookie in the area. I actually tried them in NYC years ago when they did a pop-up. They have several flavors like Peanut Butter, Triple Chocolate Chunk, Matcha and White Chocolate, and I had to get the chocolate chip, which uses milk chocolate interestingly enough. It’s a good deal for a whole box!
9. Sketch — This is the only restaurant I had read about over the years in London before I even planned my first trip. I saw the pink velvet chairs, zig zag tile floors, and giant wall posters all over instagram, so we went for high tea at 3 p.m. on a Friday. This place is truly magical. It just reinforces how important design, imagery, and service is as I felt completely transported to another planet. ALSO, I HAD NO IDEA AFTERNOON-TEA INCLUDED AN UNLIMITED CAKE AND SCONES TOWER! Things just kept getting better and better and a bottle of rosé really kicked it off. Back to the tea. The teas are from India and they sell them at a shop next door. You can try as many as you like and they taste like they were legit made right then in front of you. Our first bite was caviar and a creamed egg followed by our tower of tea sandwiches: Curry Chicken, Ham, a Foie Gras Tart, Smoked Salmon, and an array of incredible sweet treats, including the Strawberry Cake, Chocolate Eclair, Cheesecake Parfait, Pear Tart, and some crazy pink Marshmallow Twist. I’ve never felt more giddy than when our waitress came over asking what we wanted seconds of. For 75 pounds for this experience and not eating all day, you bet I got a second piece of cake, salmon, and even asked if we could get that dairy-free chocolate cake the lady with an allergy next to us got. Beat the system ladies! That’s another thing, they are great with allergies if you are gluten free, dairy free, or nut free. Next, you get a scone and jam. I think this might have been my favorite bite because it was sweet and savory. Then, we got a big piece of strawberry and whipped cream cake to share. Good thing we didn’t eat before this, right? Check out the bathroom pods and colorful windows up there before you leave. It’ll prove you really were transported to space during this experience. Seriously, I’ll never forget this experience, and you shouldn’t skip it!
10. Gunpowder — This no-frills restaurant is also in the Shoreditch/Spitalfields ‘hood. It’s pretty bare inside and small enough to get away with it. I came in right when they opened at 5:30 p.m. and sat in the window by myself. I rarely dine alone, but I hadn’t eaten lunch or Indian food yet at this point in my trip, and I was in a situation where I needed it ASAP. It’s interesting dining alone when you eat as much as I do because there are limitations on how much you order so I had to be very strategic. True or false — my server told me to take it down a dish because I ordered too much. True, and bless his heart. The situation ended in this: Egg Curry Masala, Chettinad Pulled Duck with Oothappam, and Sigree Grilled Mustard Broccoli (you can get a half). The experience at Gunpowder is so enlightening because of the presentation and the common Indian spices, even though you won’t see anything traditional — or even naan — on the menu. If you aren’t a fan of the creamy Indian dishes, you are safe here. I’ll forever crave that Egg Curry Masala and that pancake that was wrapped around that braised duck. Also, they have a cookbook, linked here.
11. Ottolenghi — This was the one restaurant I was most hyped for on my first London trip. After discovering this Israeli-British chef in my cookbook club, I knew that if the eggplant I made tickled my tongue for days, eating it straight from the source was going to be even more incredible! He has six restaurants in London and I somehow found myself wandering into Spitafileds location TWICE in just three days. When you know, you know? The gorgeous baked goods displayed perfectly in the window with the vibrant and delicate vegetables won my cravings over. At lunch, get three salads for £16.50 or make it four at £18.50. The portions are large enough to share a plate of four for an afternoon snack or getting three makes a big lunch for one. I LOVED the Crushed Peas and Edamame with Wasabi and Cucumber so much that I went back just for that. Ottolenghi has a way with vegetables that encompass crunch, spice, nuts, raisins, and herbs in a way that you actually won’t crave meat or dessert at the end of your meal. I also enjoyed the Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Red Onion Jam, Goat Cheese, and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds; and Hawaij Cauliflower with preserved lemon yogurt, raisins, pistachio and dill. Sweep over the dessert table after for a decadent chocolate cake, berry cheesecake, bundt cake, chocolate chip cookie, or strawberry cake.
12. Rasa Sayang — This Malaysian restaurant always has a line outside and we snuck in right before seeing Mrs. Doubtfire on the West End since we wanted to eat in Chinatown. I had the Chicken and Rice, and it was pretty good, but I would only recommend going here if you are in the area and need something quick.
13. Old Spitalfields Market — This airy, outdoor, yet covered, market right in Shoreditch is clean, modern, and full of food, art, photographs, hats, clothes, and even Chanel and Rag & Bone. It’s fun to be able to shop and eat at the same time. Grab a Mango, Banana, Passionfruit smoothie at Pink Grapefruit, and then head to Ottolenghi for a proper meal. Or try out some hummus, a donut, naan, dumplings, pizza — whatever you want. The market is open 7 days a week.
14. Harrods Food Hall —Talk about overwhelming! Yeah, the designer purse selection is truly fantastic, but then you turn a corner into the food hall entrance and you’re surrounded by chocolate bars and candy tins galore. The hall is truly one-of-a-kind, with one room full of ready-to-go items in a glass case ranging from sushi, Mediterranean food and Indian food to a salad bar and quiches, and then a second room encompasses individual sit-down counters where you can order a meal from a menu. Well, I walked through all the rooms twice and you know what I settled on, a chocolate bar made in Amsterdam!! The STACH bar I got was Peanut Butter Cookie Crunch and some of the softest, creamiest chocolate I’ve ever had. My lunch that day couldn’t have gotten any better until I walked out of Harrod’s and grabbed two sushi pieces at Wasabi. That place is hilarious and yes, it’s in NYC, too. Who knew you could toss a couple bites of sushi into your mouth while walking down the streets of London?
RELATED: Where to Eat In Paris HERE
As you can see, I found many of my favorite restaurants in Shoreditch. Here are some other recommendations I didn’t make it to, but will check out next time I’m there.
- Barrafina
- Black Axe Mangal
- Gymkhana
- Hide
- Leroy
- Lyle
- Rochelle Canteen
- Roti King
- Sexy Fish
- The Ivy
- Kiln
- Jacuzzi
- Seven Dials Market
- Humble Crumble
- Angelina
- Hoppers
- The Palomar
- Koya
- Isabel
- The Dusty Knuckle Bakery
- Sessions Arts Club
