Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Table of Contents
Updated by Alex Wijeratna
As anyone knows who reads the papers, London’s had a restaurant boom, or rather, a restaurant atomic-bomb explosion. More than ever, Londoners love their restaurants—all 6,700 of them—from its be-here-right-now, wow-factor West End gastro-emporiums to its tiny neighborhood joints. You, too, will be smitten, because you’ll be spending, on average, 25% of your travel budget on eating out.
Today, nearly everything on the culinary front has dramatically changed from the days of steamed suet puddings and over-boiled Brussels sprouts. Everyone’s mad about food, while a wall of City and hot global money has souped up standards remarkably. Celebrity chefs abound. One week it’s Wolfgang Puck at CUT at 45 Park Lane that’s the flavor of the month, the next it’s Jason Atherton at the Pollen Street Social in Mayfair. Thankfully, pride in the best of authentic British food—local, seasonal, regional, wild, and foraged—has made a resurgence and appears on more menus by the day. The new wave of waste-not, want-not “nose-to-tail” eating—where every scrap of meat is deemed fair game for the plate—made its first spectacular comeback at St. John in Clerkenwell, and chimes perfectly with the new age of austerity.
Needless to say, it’s the top of the food chain that hogs much of the news. Throughout London you’ll find an ambitious bunch of haute-cuisine heroes kicking butt to world-class standards. Heston Blumenthal protégé Ashley Palmer-Watts single-handedly revives olde-English gastronomy with ultramodern methods at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal; Aussie Brett Graham is cooking on turbocharged gas at The Ledbury in Notting Hill; inventive Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes creates an inimitable modernist escapade at Viajante in Bethnal Green; and young gastro-warrior Ollie Dabbous sets the cat amongst the pigeons in his industrial-chic, knappery-free, haute haven at Dabbous.
To appreciate how far London has risen in the global culinary firmament, just look back at the days of famed author Somerset Maugham, who was once justified in warning “To eat well in England, you should have a breakfast three times a day.” Change was slow in coming after World War II, for then it was still understood the British ate to live, while the French lived to eat. When people thought of British cuisine, fish-and-chips—a greasy grab-and-gulp dish that tasted best wrapped in old newspaper—first came to mind. Then there was always Shepherd’s pie, ubiquitously available in smoke-filled pubs—though not made, according to the song from Sweeney Todd, “with real shepherd in it.”
These days, standards are higher and poor-quality Shepherd’s pie has been largely replaced by the city’s unofficial dish, the ubiquitous spiced Indian curry. London’s food quake is built on its incredible ethnic diversity, and you’ll find the quality of other international cuisines has also grown immeasurably in recent years, with London becoming known for its Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai, Spanish, Italian, French, Persian, and North African restaurants. With all of the choices, traditional British food, when you track it down, appears as just one more exotic cuisine in the pantheon.
Planning
Eating Out Strategy
Where should you eat? With thousands of London eateries competing for your attention, it may seem like a daunting question. But fret not—our expert writers and editors have done most of the legwork. The selections here represent the best this city has to offer—from kitschy desserts to to haute cuisine. Find a review quickly in the neighborhood listings. Whichever way you look at it, you’re sure to get a taste of London.
Reservations
Plan ahead if you’re determined to snag a sought-after reservation. Some renowned restaurants are booked weeks or even months in advance. It’s always a good idea to book as far ahead as you can and reconfirm when you arrive in London. Note that some top restaurants also now take credit card details and charge a penalty fee if you’re a no-show. In the reviews, we mention reservations only when they’re essential or not accepted.
What to Wear
When in England’s style capital, do as the natives do: dress up to eat out. Whatever your style, dial it up a notch. Have some fun while you’re at it. Pull out the clothes you’ve been saving for a special occasion and get a little glamorous. As unfair as it seems, the way you look can influence how you’re treated—and where you’re seated. Generally speaking, jeans and a button-down shirt will suffice at most table-service restaurants in the budget to moderate range. Moving up from there, many pricier restaurants require jackets, and some insist on ties. Shorts, sweatpants, and sports jerseys are rarely appropriate. Note that in reviews we mention dress only when men are required to wear a jacket, or a jacket and tie.
Tipping and Taxes
Do not tip bar staff in pubs and bars—though you can always offer to buy them a drink. In restaurants, tip 12.5% of the check for full meals if service is not already included; tip a small token if you’re just having coffee or tea. If paying by credit card, double-check that a tip has not already been included in the bill.
Children
Unless your children behave impeccably, it’s best to avoid the high-class establishments; you’re unlikely to find a children’s menu there, anyway. London’s many Italian restaurants and pizzerias are popular with kids. Other family-friendly establishments include chains like Byron, Côte, Pizza Express, Busaba Eathai, Wagamama, Giraffe, and Carluccio’s.
Hours
In London you can find breakfast all day, but it’s generally served between 7 am and noon. Lunch is between noon and 3 pm, and brunch between 11 am and 3 pm. Tea, often a meal in itself, is taken between 3 pm and 6 pm, and dinner or supper is typically eaten between 7 pm and 11 pm, though it can be taken earlier. Many ethnic restaurants, especially Indian, serve food until midnight. Sunday is proper lunch day, and some restaurants are open for lunch only. Over the Christmas period, London virtually shuts down and it seems only hotels are prepared to feed travelers.
Prices
London is a very pricey city by global standards. A modest meal for two can easily cost £40, and the £110-a-head meal is not unknown. Damage-control strategies include making lunch your main meal—the top places have bargain midday menus—going for early- or late-evening deals, or sharing an à la carte entrée and ordering a second appetizer instead. Seek out fixed-price menus, and watch for hidden extras on the check, that is, bread or vegetables charged separately.
Previous Chapter | Beginning of Chapter | Next Chapter | Table of Contents