London Best Restaurants - Fathom

Fathom Favorites : London Restaurants

Yalla Yalla

This casual Soho cafe is striking in unsuspecting places: a black and white striped floor, bright yellow chairs, and superior Lebanese street food delivered to the table with informal playfulness — like a confetti of veggies dusted with sumac in the fatoush, zesty dollops of hummus, even spicy wraps ready for take out. There are also locations in Fitzrovia and on the Greenwich Peninsula.

1 Green's Court
London, W1F 0HA
+44-207-287-7663

12 Winsley St.
London, W1W 8HQ
+44-207-637-4748

Greenwich Peninsula Square
London, SE10 0DX
+44-772-584-1372

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Gymkhana

London's reputation for good Indian restaurants gains a new notch and holds steady with Mayfair's Raj-era restaurant. Get ready for an education in high-end Hindi home cooking — from Tandoor oven roasts to seasonal curries to creative kebabs, the tastes and flavors are powerfully spiced and indulgent.

42 Albemarle St.
London, W1S 4JH
+44-203-011-1021

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The Ledbury

Medals, awards, recognitions, and an unrelenting reservation system have kept this Michelin-starred establishment humming without distraction. The formal dining room is lavish and crisp, and the food — contemporary French — could be described in the same way. Australian chef Brett Graham is precise and fastidiousness. His passion for hunting and gardening shine on his plates.

127 Ledbury Rd.
London, W11 2AQ
+44-207-792-9090

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Caravan

A beloved brunch spot housed in an old grain store. The avocado on toast is a must, followed by the smoked haddock and leek rabbit.

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1 Granary Sq.
London, N1C 4AA
+44-207-101-7661

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Clove Club

In the former Shoreditch Town Hall, a striking setting and an instagram-friendly aesthetic, equals a nine-course hoopla and a fun, foodie scene with look-at-me-now plating.

380 Old St.
London, EC1V 9LT
+44-207-729-6496

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Bellanger

An Alsatian brasserie joins its sister restaurants The Wolseley, The Delaunay, and Brasserie Zédel (all named for defunct car brands under the Corbin & King restaurant group). Pop into the all-day cafe for a croissant and cafe au lait and stay for a lavish lunch of boudin blanc and crepes suzette — enjoyed from a big booth surrounded with polished brass and plenty of buzz.

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9 Islington Green
London, N1 2XH

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Kitty Fisher's

A handsome bar and dining room with a gentlemanly quality. (The name refers to a famous courtesan of the 18th century.) Much of the cooking is done on a wood fire, meaning everything from bread to duck breast to spring onions come with, at the very least, a hint of smoke. Expect the of-the-moment dining crowd. Once those bold faced names move onto the next big thing, you can focus more heartily on the incredible steak for two.

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10 Shepherd Market
London, W1J 7QF
+44-203-302-1661

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Palomar

It's lively and jubilant, with roots in Jerusalem, but a kosher restaurant this is not. The menu plays hits of the Fertile Crescent, a mouth-watering mix of Arab and Mediterranean ingredients (oxtail, fried eggplant, Yemeni bread, kubenia) delivered to the table one glorious mezze plate at a time. Clouds of labneh may be spoon-fed to you at the hostess stand; ask for desert, and perhaps a dollop of everything will appear in a wonderful mess at your seat at the bar. There's no telling what will happen here, but you can be sure to have an incredible, un-forgetful meal.

34 Rupert St.
London, W1D 6DN
+44-207-439-8777

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Nopi

Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi, of Ottolenghi deli fame, now has a proper restaurant in Soho, or, more precisely, "Nopi" for "north of Piccadilly." The menu is, of course, Middle Eastern, with an emphasis on shared plates. Reservations are a must.

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21-22 Warwick St.
Westminster, W1B 5NE
+44-207-494-9584

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Hix Oyster and Chop House

What began as a solo restaurant on the outskirts of London's meat market, has become a 10 venue enterprise for chef Mark Hix's signature modern Bristish style, and people are clamoring for more. Items of note: beef and oyster pie, house-smoked salmon, rabbit terrine, a medley of steaks, and feasts reserved for large groups of diners.

36-37 Greenville Rents
London, EC1M 6BN
+44-207-017 -1930

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River Café

The one, the only, the legendary. The light and airy riverfront restaurant created by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray is where the English fell in love with casual Italian cuisine and where many now-famous chefs (like Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and April Bloomfield) learned to cook it.

Thames Warf, Rainville Road
London, W6 9HA
+44-207-386-4200

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Rochelle's Canteen

The tucked-away Shoreditch restaurant is a favorite of in-the-know foodies. Housed in a former bike shed and overlooking a playground, the focus is on fresh ingredients cooked simply and purely for breakfast, lunch, and tea. When it's warm, sit outside.

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Arnold Circus
London, E2 7ES
+44-207-729-5677

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Ottolenghi

If there was a heaven for salads and prepared foods, it would look like the spread at this airy, casual Notting Hill restaurant, the perfect spot for lunch or a tea-time snack. By popular demand, there are three other outposts in Islington, Kensington, and Belgravia.

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63 Ledbury Rd. (location on map)
London, W11 2AD
+44-207-727-1121

287 Upper St.
London, N1 2TZ
+44-020-7288-1454

1 Holland St.
London, W8 4NA
+44-020-7937-0003

3 Motcomb St.
London, SW1X 8LB
+44-020-7823-2707

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Wolseley

The room is a beautifully ostentatious showpiece, and everyone here acts like they're on display, too. The vibe is clubby and buzzy and very aren't-we-doing-well-for-ourselves, which is meant as high praise. The menu covers brasserie classics like steak frites, duck confit, a towers of oysters. If you forgot to make a reservation, you can snag a table in the cozy front room cafe.

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160 Picadilly
London, W1J 9EB
+44-207-499-6996

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J Sheekey

Everybody loves J Sheekey, the theater district seafood restaurant that never goes out of style. There's a high likelihood that someone famous will be across the low-ceiling dining room having classic Dover sole. That's par for the course in Richard Caring's buzzy Caprice restaurant empire, which also includes The Ivy in West End, Le Caprice in Picadilly, and Scott's in Mayfair. If you can't get into J Sheeky, try the Oyster Bar next door.

28-32 St Martin's Court
London, WC2N 4AL
+44-207-240-2565

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Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Heston Blumenthal is one of the world's most influential and experimental chefs, and his flagship in Bray, The Fat Duck, is a singularly transformative meal. His new outpost at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is not, probably because he has to cater to a more touristy and business-y clientele. But the food is prepared with his signature skill and panache, with historical references throughout the menu.

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66 Knightsbridge
London, SW1X 7LA
+44-207-201-3833

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Cecconi's

It's over the top, glamorous, and potentially ludicrous. Which is what makes it so fantastic. The well-heeled crowd comes for the people-watching and for Italian classics like veal Milanese and pappardelle with lamb ragu.

5a Burlington Gardens
London, W1S 3EP
+44-207-434-1500

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Brawn

An airy and free-spirited restaurant on Columbia Road from the owners of the also excellent Terroirs in Covent Garden. It's getting a lot of attention for its excellent big-flavored food (lots of charcuterie and pig) and wines.

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49 Columbia Rd.
London, E2 7RG
+44-207-729-5692

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St. John

Chef Fergus Henderson spawned the modern nose-to-tail dining craze from here, making this and the new Spitalfields Market outpost, St. John Bread and Wine, a must-stop on any foodie tour of London. Not for the faint-hearted who don't want to see duck hearts on a menu.

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26 St. John St.
London, EC1M 4AY
+44-207-251-0848

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Barrafina

Cool tapas in a sleek setting. The ingredients are carefully sourced but not fussy, and they have an especially nice selection of Spanish charcuterie. No reservations, but the reliably lively crowd makes the inevitable wait for a perch at the bar counter more tolerable. The original Frith Street location has moved around the corner to Dean Street; there are two other outposts in Covent Garden.

26-27 Dean St. (location on map)
London W1D 3LL
+44-207-440-1456

10 Adelaide St.
London WC2N 4HZ
+44-207-440-1456

43 Drury Lane
London WC2B 5AJ
(no phone)

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Fernandez y Wells

A small but airy wine and food bar with excellent Spanish fare, mostly in sandwich-y form. Around the corner at 73 Beak Street is their cafe, which serves pastries and coffee.

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43 Lexington St.
London, W1F 9AL
+44-207-734-1546

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Polpo

A small, charming, and very delicious Venetian-style restaurant ("bacaro") in Soho, serving small plates ("cichetti") like crostini, meatballs, and fritto misto in Canaletto's former home. Reservations are only accepted at lunch; dinner is first-come, first-served. If you have to wait (and you will), the Campari Bar downstairs isn't a bad place to do so. Or try their other locations in Covent Garden, Smithfield, Chelsea or Notting Hill.

41 Beak St.
London, W1F 9SB
+44-207-734-4479

6 Maiden Lane,
London WC2E 7NA,
+44-20-7836-8448

3 Cowcross St.,
London, EC1M 6DR
+44-20-7250-0034

81 Duke of York Square
London SW3 4LY
+44-207-730-8900

126-128 Notting Hill Gate
London W11 3QG
+44-207-229-3283

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Zuma

It's a scene at the see-and-be-seen perennial in Knightsbridge, but don't let that distract you from the divine Japanese/Asian menu. Reservations may be impossible, but a party of one can easily get a seat at the sushi bar. Courage, grasshopper.

5 Raphael St.
London, SW7 1DL
+44-207-584-1010

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Moro

London is crazy for Spanish food, and it's at its best at Moro, where farm-fresh food is prepared with Ibero-Arabic flair by the married chefs, Samuel and Samantha Clark. If you can't get into Moro, try Morito, their tapas bar next door at 32 Exmouth Market. And by the way, their cookbooks makes for a great souvenir.

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34-36 Exmouth Market
London, EC1R 4QE
+44-207-833-8336

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Roka

The sceney sushi and robata restaurant in Soho, an offshoot of perennial favorite Zuma, is one of London's best Japanese restaurants. It's a little clubby and a little noisy, but the food is great. If you're in a real party mood, take your action to Shochu Lounge in the basement.

37 Charlotte St.
London, W1T 1RR
+44-207-580-6464

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