London, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

A handy location, near the Guildhall, “buzzy” large interior and versatile menu of “decent (if unspectacular) food” mean it’s worth remembering this “reliable option in the City”, although it “can be incredibly busy”.

“King of the City lunching scene” – Soren Jessen’s “buzzing” stalwart in the very heart of the Square Mile, near Bank, continues to maintain its “consistent standards” and is “a decent if very ‘City’ restaurant”. “Classic dishes” (“including some added when Mark Hix was still consultant chef”) are served alongside “a well-chosen wine list” (and they do an “awesome breakfast” too).

“As Gordon Ramsay chain restaurants go, the food is dependable enough” at this generously spaced modern brasserie, in a big mall next to St Paul’s (but even those who agree it’s “absolutely fine” may also consider it “very poor value”). “Despite being in EC4, the restaurant has a decent vibe”, and it’s tipped both for a business lunch and its “generous Sunday lunch”.

“Delicious shakshuka with maxing smoky flavours” is typical of the “colourful and flavoursome” brunch-friendly dishes at this “very buzzy if not loud” chain, known for its “top coffee” (which they roast themselves), and whose best-known sites are the Exmouth Market original and large Granary Square branch. Recently, they also added an opening in Canary Wharf and a brew bar at their Caledonian Road roastery (not listed), with further ‘measured expansion’ planned. For the most part, they are still mostly seen as a “reliable” choice for an “interesting and healthy” breakfast: “not everything is a hit but for a casual lunch I am pretty happy”. Top Tip – “when the sun is shining, it’s worth waiting for an outside table” in N1.

“It’s wonderful being able to choose so many wines by the glass” from the “eclectic list” at these popular modern wine bars, liked for their approachable contemporary style. “Obviously the liquid refreshment is the main point here”, but the “simple” cooking can be “more assured than you might expect”, if from a “limited menu”. A new branch opened in late 2021 at Borough Yards in SE1, while in late 2022 its oldest site, on Seymour Place in Marylebone, shut up shop. Other particularly notable branches include the one right by King’s Cross station (with a convenient and excellent terrace) and Chiswick.

In a converted banking hall near the Bank of England, this well-established brasserie exists to serve a City clientele, from breakfast on. Opinions divide on whether it’s a little “disappointing”, like many in the Square Mile, or “perfect of its type and better than it needs to be”.

This “high-grade hidden gem, just below the Millennium Bridge” – aka the Wobbly pedestrian bridge, directly opposite Tate Modern – is owned by a South African wine producer and “focuses on high-quality steaks and a Saffer-heavy wine list”. If you’re really interested, it’s worth seeking out the “great off-menu wines”. Top Tip – “the house biltong is delicious”.

“Jason Atherton’s City branch is still guaranteed to wow guests – from the plush elevator to the stunning views, everything screams impressive” at this 24th-floor venue in Tower 42 (fka the NatWest Tower). The food is “tasty” – if “not the most adventurous” (i.e. plenty of steaks) – “but staking out a view in one of the deep booths, glass in hand, and watching the city spread out for miles is a pretty spectacular way to spend an evening”.

“Unbeatable views” from the 37th floor of the City’s Walkie-Talkie building accompany chef Michael Carr’s menus at this “high-end” operation from caterers Rhubarb. “The food varies from average to exceptional”, but there “enough courses that succeed” to make dining here a worthwhile – even “romantic” – experience.

The 36th-floor brasserie at the top of the City’s Walkie-Talkie Tower may be the exception to the rule that restaurants with a “spectacular view” serve exorbitantly expensive menus of very ordinary grub. Yes, it’s “fairly pricey”, but consistent strong marks for food confirm reports that a meal here is “surprisingly good”.

“You wouldn’t go for ‘haute cuisine’, but as a jolly place to eat comfort food in a spectacular setting, it is hard to beat” – that’s the upbeat view, anyway, on this now-“ubiquitous” brasserie chain. Eight years and 40 openings later, the spin-offs increasingly eclipse the Theatreland original (see also), whose Edwardian features provide the style-guide for its nationwide ‘roll out’. “Even if the unchallenging food reaches no heights, there’s a consistent buzz”, which makes them a “posh”, “fun” choice for a get-together, if not a particularly foodie one. This is particularly the case at the landmark London off-shoots: at ‘Chelsea Garden’ (“gorgeous greenery”); Kensington (“slick”, with a “pretty glitzy crowd”); and on the Thames (“great views over Tower Bridge”). But while it’s always been acknowledged that the mass offering is “a shadow of the mothership’s” – with “average grub at not-so-average prices” – the feeling that the brand has become just “a chain that does not excite” is gaining ever-stronger currency. Service seems more “stretched” nowadays, and a sliding ambience rating is making the whole offering seem ever-more “overrated, for all its modern art and perky décor”.

“If you like game, this is the place for you” – a “lively” City gastropub with a focus on “fabulous British food” led by game in season, spit-roasted suckling pig and rare-breed meat. Handy for pre-show dining for visitors to the neighbouring Barbican arts centre, and “great-value Sunday lunches too”.

The “amazing setting” – part of Shakespeare’s Globe with “spectacular views” over the Thames – is the USP of this venue. There’s an “excellent range of cakes, sandwiches and teas” (including the oddly named ‘Mr Falstaff’s’ savoury afternoon tea… forgetting Sir John’s knighthood). But more generally, while the food’s fine, “it’s not a serious challenger for the title of restaurant rather than gastropub”.

Stunning 40th-floor views over London and 24/7 opening have drawn busy crowds to this perch at the top of the City’s Heron Tower for 10 years now, and the signature “tasty duck and egg waffle” and other faux-rustic dishes go down well enough alongside a cocktail or two.

“This low-key wine bar is an absolute gem”, “hiding” in the new waterside Westin Hotel, “with a huge window looking across the Thames” to Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe theatre (“spending the evening watching the river drift by with a glass in hand is a really great way to end a tough week”). The interior has a contemporary Scandi look and the menu is put together by Jorge Colazo, ex-head chef at Aquavit. Feedback is too limited for a rating, but initial reports are upbeat, talking of “interesting wine and imaginative small plates”.

The new City outpost of The Wolseley in King William Street, slated to open in autumn 2023, is to be much larger than the Piccadilly original, with two private dining rooms and three bars serving the familiar menu featuring power breakfasts, schnitzels and crustacea. This is a vital opening for new owners Minor International, more than a year after taking control from the Wolseley's widely respected founders, Chris Corbin & Jeremy King.

A new, even more ambitious venture from the team behind two of London’s favourite neighbourhood restaurants, Nest in Hackney and Fulham’s Fenn (Johnnie Crowe, Luke Wasserman and Toby Neill); the 15-course tasting menu (£120) from chef Kate Austen will focus on hyper-seasonal food. Opening September 2022, it’s named after the church next door (St Bartholomew The Great), not the luxury island.