18 Of The Best London Restaurants You Need To Book A Table At In 2026

London’s newest kid on the block, Cometa, is a seafood-forward Mexican spot shaking things up in the heart of Fitzrovia. Launched in February by the team behind Carousel, this buzzy newcomer pairs UK-sourced catches with bold Latin flavours, from zingy ceviches and oysters to lobster finished with bean puree, all backed by agave-centric cocktails. Add warm interiors and playful design, and you’ve got a must-visit for a memorable night out in London.

Having just opened its doors in January 2026, Tiella Trattoria & Bar on Columbia Road has made a pretty stunning debut. The first permanent restaurant from Kiwi chef Dara Klein, Tiella champions regional Italian classics with thoughtful seasonal twists.

Expect riffs on handmade pastas like the life-affirming trie with cime di rapa and pangrattato, alongside hearty, soulful plates such as braised Castelluccio di Norcia lentils with carciofo sott’olio, mozzarella di bufala and peperone crusco — all served in the backdrop of a charming restored Victorian pub. Walk-ins are welcome, so add it to your wish list and let the good times roll.

Hoppers is a celebration of Sri Lankan and South Indian flavours, and its newest Shoreditch outpost has just opened — marking the group’s fourth venue in London. Housed inside the Tea Building, the menu runs the gamut from punchy curries and crisp dosas to mouth-watering sambols, with cult favourites like the Crab Kari Omelette leading the charge, all served in a cool, design-forward space. Pro tip: order the Hoppers Experience, £35 for a greatest-hits feast. Hop to it.

Originally a horse stable in East London, Bruno is Michael Sager’s much-loved opening from 2024. Those emerald-green doors now lead into a cosy neighbourhood hangout, filled with effortlessly stylish locals and walls glowing with candlelight.

Named after Sager’s late father, Bruno radiates a real sense of family warmth. The kitchen runs on rotating chef residencies, with Josh Dallaway currently in residence, meaning the menu is always evolving. Don't fear if you can't nab a table; Victoria Park is just a trot across the road while you wait for a seat.

This London favourite has amassed a cult following, who proudly parade their screen-printed tote bags around the city. Housed in a charming three-story converted apartment building, Jolene exudes everything right about handwritten menus, polished concrete, and shared plates. By day, Jolene is a bakery and a haven for seasonal sweet treats; by night, it becomes a sanctuary of shared dishes sourced from local food growers. Jolene's hearty carbs shine bright through breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with their flour and bread milled in-house. 

Pick up an exquisitely layered strawberry Danish for breakfast; and for dinner, if the pappardelle with beef and ox tongue ragu is written on the blackboard, order it. For an authentic East London experience, grab a tote bag on the way out.

Staying in Borough Market, where the options are in their hundreds, Oma will transport your palate to the Mediterranean, especially if Greece hasn't made your Euro itinerary. This venture is the brainchild of David Carter, who's also behind Smokestak and Manteca. Perched above the bustling market, grab a table by the window and settle in to people-watch while you wait for your food to arrive. The menu takes simplicity seriously while not being afraid to experiment with traditional Greek and Mediterranean flavours, with inspiration spanning Europe and beyond. We won't blame you if you fill up on dips; we encourage it. They're that good. The hummus, rarely a showstopper anywhere else, is an unbeatable, silky, crunchy indulgence, particularly in combination with Oma's garlic-infused Turkish bagel, the açma verde.

You could be forgiven for walking through Carlotta’s doors and believing you’ve stepped back in time to an Italian wedding reception in family-owned trattoria somewhere in New Jersey, at some point in the mid-1980s. Think ruched curtain walls, chrome and leather and terrazzo, Sinatra, black ceramic panthers and, naturally, wedding cake. 

Head chef Armando’s menu is as Italian as it comes, all the way down to contributions from his Nonna Gina. But there is a distinct Americano twist here too (order the Fettuccine Alfredo al Tartufo), not to mention plenty of the United Kingdom’s freshest produce (the Tartare di Vitello Tonnato made from high-welfare Cheshire rose veal is a popular choice).

As you slide into Bob Bob Ricard’s intimate black velvet booths, a little brass button on your table asks you to ‘press for champagne’, so you know you're in for a good time. With two establishments in London (Central and Soho), Bob Bob Ricard pours more champagne than any other restaurant in Britain, which comes as no surprise whatsoever. Inspired by the golden age of travel, these interiors by the legendary David Collins promise cork-poppingly Orient Express luxuriance…for a fraction of the price.

More than a decade ago, Bob Bob Ricard made a stir when it put a £75 mark-up cap on its extensive list of fine wines, however pricey the plonk. It has firmly kept to its word, still offering the best value in best wine and champagne in town. Bob Bob Ricard’s menu of French and British classics is billed as “comfort food fit for a special occasion”. The whole menu is a hearty delight, but you can’t go wrong with the chicken and champagne pie. 

Nearby at Norma in gallery-filled Fitzrovia, this elegant townhouse offers a fever dream of moreish Moorish-ness: iridescent tiling, patinated coppers and curved archways framing ever more sexy and secluded tables covered in plates of lardo, seafood carpaccio and burrata. 

With Giovann Attard at the helm, Norma is the place to book for the evening if you’re looking to make a move (read: date night energy). But don’t discount its abbreviated (albeit totally solid) primi menu for a fuss-free decently-priced pasta at lunchtime. Your waiter will recommend the beef ragu. Listen to your waiter. 

Brasserie Zédel is bonkers. Truly. Keep travelling down the twisting staircase, past old posters of Parisian chanteuses and nouvelle vague movie stars, until the noise of a Piccadilly Circus traffic jam is drowned out by blaring jazz. You’ll find yourself in front of a live band, in a ballroom of gilded marble columns and soaring mirrored walls.

Zedel’s brasserie is all haute Parisian fare, all gorgeous, all ooh la la, but (mon dieu!) at a miraculously affordable price. With a stacked wine list of the very best French grapes by the glass, carafe or bottle, along with an equally comprehensive cocktail menu, Zedel’s prix-fixe menu of classic dishes of Old France is only £16.95 for two courses, or £19.75 for three.

You’ve had your fill of buttery French fancies at Zedel, and plenty of slippery Sicilian seafood at Norma and Carlotta, so how about some proper English grub? Tidy. Jump on the Tube and head out east. The Cooke family has run F Cooke in London’s East End for 164 years and counting, making it not only the oldest but arguably the O.G. fast-food restaurant in the world. Forget burgers and fries, think Victoriana, because F Cooke: Eel, Mash and Pie is just that.

Pies will cost you less than a tenner, and jellied eels not much more. Take mash on the side and don’t say no to the parsley liquor, a sauce concoction of eel juice and parsley (ask for gravy and you’ll be slapped). Be brave. Trust me, it’s delicious. 

Stay out east to explore Brick Lane’s famous curry houses in Aldgate and Whitechapel. An evening stroll down the lane dodging the cheerfully persuasive hawkers, with the scent of spices curling though the air, is a must.

Wind along Whitechapel Road through the Jack The Ripper tour groups to discover Tayyabs, a stalwart of the East End’s thriving Punjabi heritage. Founded 1972, this family-owned and -run establishment is thronged by queues every night of the week but fear not, with a generous supply of tables across multiple storeys, you won’t be lining up for long. With a BYOB-friendly policy (hot tip: the off-licence next door offers a great selection of Transylvanian wines), you can’t go wrong with Tayyyabs’ ultra famous lamb chops, arriving at your table sizzling in the pan.  

While you're in the east, skipping Mambow would be a culinary crime. After building a loyal fanbase at the Peckham food market, this modern-Malaysian gem opened its first bricks-and-mortar spot in 2023—and quickly racked up awards for its bold, vibrant flavours. Chef-owner Abby Lee draws inspiration from her grandmother’s recipes, serving up dishes like otak-otak prawn toast with red curry and kaffir lime, or sambal-stuffed skate wings wrapped in banana leaf. It's fresh, fiery, and absolutely finger-licking good. Wash it down with a glass of chilled red and thank us later. 

Pioneers of the nose-to-tail dining movement, this iconic London eatery—now with a handful of locations—has been delighting locals and visitors alike for over 30 years.. An impressive feat in the cutthroat culinary world.

The original Smithfield location is a near-blank canvas: almost harshly minimalistic, but that’s the point—here, the food does all the talking. Expect dishes like roast bone marrow with parsley salad, crispy pig skin with ketchup, and baked John Dory with peas.

And don’t skip dessert. It’s unapologetically British and seriously delicious—think Eccles cake with Lancashire cheese, lemon posset, and ginger loaf drenched in butterscotch sauce.

For a 100 per-cent plant based affair, making the trek past the Tower Of London to Borough Market for Mallow is not to be missed. From the team behind the much-loved ethical dining establishment, Mildreds, Mallow serves exclusively seasonal, sustainable food, drawing inspiration from the gastronomic cultures across the world. In keeping with its minimal waste policy, all ingredients are sourced from small, sustainable businesses, many of which are sited locally in Greater London.

This means two things: firstly, Mallow is worth visiting again and again thanks to its frequently changing menu and, secondly, you’ll discover the wealth of London bustling providores supplying everything from coffee beans to tempeh, tofu to high-quality tea.

Any foodie worth their salt will tell you that gastro-touring is just as much about discovering streetlife as it is about discovering the food. Ignazio Nuccio, the Michelin-star-minted chef, takes voyage gourmand quite literally as creative director of Bustronome – fine dining by bus. As you do. 

Bustronome’s haute cuisine four-course lunches and six-course dinners are brought to your table on a high-end double-decker bus, all while you admire views of London’s cityscape accompanied by commentary via an audio tour guide. With wine and champagne pairings, generous vegetarian options, dedicated adult and children menus and an abiding commitment to sourcing the premium quality British produce, think of Bustronome as less a bus trip and more the best-appointed terrace in town.

Hop off the bus and and onto a barge for a very downunder affair on top of the world with Darcie & May Green. Bringing Australian coffee culture to London, the Darcie and May beloved boats are hard to miss, covered prow to stern in punch-in-the-face vibrant murals by the godfather of British pop art, Sir Peter Blake

The beloved haunt of many an expat Australian, Darcie and May’s open roof terrace is a popular summer destination for brunch and dinner. With establishments across London, both floating and not, Darcie and May’s quintessentially Antipodean cuisine might just make you a little bit homesick. Pick up a box of their ‘Luxury Aussie Lamingtons’ on the way out. Made from scratch daily in their Paddington bakery, these pillowy treats support those on the frontline in the NHS across the UK.

Dine with the rich and powerful at The Peers’ Dining Room, House Of Lords, Palace Of Westminster. You read that correctly, yes, the palace, the big clock one, you know… from the postcards. While it’s not a daily restaurant, the public can occasionally book in during Parliamentary recesses or special openings.

When available (usually as limited afternoon tea sessions on select weekdays), expect a formal showcase of classic British cooking served in a grand historic room overlooking the Thames. Arrive early for a drink in the adjoining bar, dress smartly, and think of it less as a casual meal and more as a once-in-a-lifetime London dining flex.