London Westminster Restaurant Guide

“Tucked away in Dukes Hotel, off St James’s Street”, this swish brasserie provides food that’s “remarkably good and relatively inexpensive”. “I have found it more or less empty at lunch-time, so peace and quiet reigns”, but arguably “it deserves better support”. Top Tips – “well-cooked breakfast” and “very reasonably priced set menus”.

This “sophisticated Italian restaurant” north of Pall Mall, from Sicilian-born Carlo Distefano’s national group, inspires relatively limited feedback despite (because of?) its heart-of-the-West-End location. It’s consistently well-rated, though – fans say it “can always be relied on for business and social meals”.

These “slick and professional” Italians (offshoots of the national San Carlo chain) are “buzzy and convenient sorts of places, where you can enjoy an upbeat bite without hanging around too long”. They serve “an extensive menu of small Venetian sharing plates”: “at best they’re excellent” and almost invariably a meal is “good fun”. The best known outlet is steps from Piccadilly Circus – “it might look like a tourist trap in its prime location but it’s a reliable and smartly decorated venue”.

“The atmospheric book-lined walls of Westminster’s former public library are a highlight” and add “a lot of character” to Vivek Singh’s famous venue a short stroll from the Palace of Westminster: one of the Top 40 most-mentioned restaurants in our annual diners’ poll and the best-known top Indian destination. “It’s worth a visit just for the bar!” – where an evening often commences – but the prime attraction is “clever”, “high-end” nouvelle Indian food “that’s truly different” and with “very delicate spicing”. “The huge area can make service a challenge” but generally staff cope well.

“A classic for oyster lovers!” – acclaimed Irish chef, Richard Corrigan, continues to be a superb steward of this 106-year-old veteran (established in 1916), cutely tucked away in a side street near Piccadilly Circus, which he has rebuilt over the years into one of the Top 40 destinations in our annual diners’ poll. “For outstanding oysters or fish, you can’t go wrong”, with tips including “cracking fruits de mer” and “simply delicious fish stew”. His “fabulous” and “professional” staff help create a “lovely” atmosphere, although the top ‘craic’ in the ground-floor bar is often tipped over the grander but more sedate upstairs restaurant. (Another excellent option, particularly in summer, is the superb heated outdoor terrace). On the downside, the pricing is somewhat “prohibitive of a frequent visit”, but fans say “despite the expense, a meal here is an all-round package that is predictable in a good way”. Top Menu Tips – “oh-so-tasty options from the specials board” and “ask for more soda bread!!”

“Outstanding showmanship” (“food theatre for the TikTok generation”) “but matched with exceptional cooking running behind the gimmicks” (“dry ice, melting bubbles etc thrill but don’t hide the perfect texture and a palate of savoury flavour combinations”) has carved an impressive reputation for Adam Handling’s acclaimed Covent Garden flagship. Despite its status as a foodie temple, staff are “so relaxed and fun” and the atmosphere generally is very “informal”, which fans feel “makes the experience even better”: “you can really focus on the food”. And with “the kitchen being open, it allows you to see Adam leading his very disciplined brigade”. On the downside, ratings dipped a little this year, with some diners questioning “startling prices”, or accusing the culinary pyrotechnics of allowing “a triumph of style over substance”. (“The technical excellence is unquestionable, but really too much showing off… serving waffles with caviar and honey ought to be a capital offence!”). Success came in other respects, though: it was finally – not before time – awarded a Michelin star.

“An old classic that always feels fresh” – this spry 75-year-old Italian in St James’s is “very consistent” and provides “a lovely, busy atmosphere” that’s “suited to eating with clients or friends”. That it’s “a bit pricey” is a theme running through most reports on it, though (“very pleasant, but I have a strong sense that many – most? – diners are on expenses… lucky them!”; “…lovely for the deep-pocketed, with traditional fare that’s well done, but at astronomical prices”). Top Tip – “they do a decent line in business breakfast”.

The “gorgeous food, with amazing flavours and presentation” at this Covent Garden café matches the high standards Vivek Singh sets at his grander Cinnamon restaurants, some of the best-known Indian kitchens in London. It’s a useful destination pre-theatre.

“Very peaceful… staff were lovely… we had an extra plate of sandwiches and I chose the mini set of Martini which were totally lush…” – this posh St James’s hotel’s top culinary attraction, according to our survey, is afternoon tea in its very comfortable drawing room or conservatory.

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“Invitingly tucked away off Victoria Street”, “it feels like stepping into Paris” at this “good little bistro”, where “helpful staff” deliver “a short but interesting” all-day menu of “simple but delicious fare” at “good value prices” (“excellent saucisson, and good bavette steak, duck leg… a very good tarte Tatin and reasonably priced house wine!”). Only fleeting mentions for the branch cutely located in the tourist hell of Covent Garden on the lower ground level of the market itself, but all good.

These “slick and professional” Italians (offshoots of the national San Carlo chain) are “buzzy and convenient sorts of places, where you can enjoy an upbeat bite without hanging around too long”. They serve “an extensive menu of small Venetian sharing plates”: “at best they’re excellent” and almost invariably a meal is “good fun”. The best known outlet is steps from Piccadilly Circus – “it might look like a tourist trap in its prime location but it’s a reliable and smartly decorated venue”.

“In a part of Mayfair heaving with Michelin stars, William Drabble and his team (operating out of a townhouse hotel) continue to knock it out of the park”, providing a “wonderful and very extravagant time”. “William is always in the kitchen where he belongs, not in the TV studios” and some fans feel he “doesn’t get all the plaudits he deserves” for his “exceptional cuisine, with big bold flavours. Nothing is done only for effect, as every ingredient on a plate serves a purpose. The tasting menu delivers upon this, course after course. Combine all that with knowledgeable and approachable staff and this really is a place to rave about”.

Some “outstanding fine Japanese cooking” is reported at this upmarket St James’s basement, which has been through a number of names and owners in recent times, and re-opened in its current guise in Autumn 2021. It comprises a ground-floor bar, plus 70-seat subterranean dining space, incorporating three six-seat counters for teppanyaki, a robata chef’s table, and a sushi counter. There is still the odd “disappointing” report, but the overall direction of travel here seems promising.

“The cramped basement is super-cute and atmospheric” (“its booths and candles making it one of the more romantic venues in town”) at this “little piece of Paris in the heart of Covent Garden”. With its “decent French provincial-style cooking” it is particularly tipped as a “very acceptable pre-theatre option”.

“A hidden gem in the heart of London” – this “discreet” dining room is tucked away in an Edwardian St James’s five star, but well worth discovering nowadays as its “top-of-the-range”, classic British cuisine is going from strength to strength, and its plush, traditional style is suited to many types of occasion including business and romance. In August 2021, Lisa Goodwin-Allen of Northcote in Lancashire (same ownership) was named as the new overseer from afar of the menu here. Perhaps she’s behind the boost in ratings, although there’s been no discernible revolution in its general culinary approach.

An “always good”, culinarily interesting Covent Garden three-year-old, from Salt Yard founder Simon Mullins and his Portuguese wife Isabel Almeida Da Silva. Named after the ‘return from the sea’: it serves a menu not just from Portugal but from the territories it traded with or colonised, from Brazil in the west via parts of Africa to Goa, Macau and Nagasaki in the east.

“A quick lunchtime drink can turn into several hours of cocktails and delightful bites” at this St James’s institution: “a bar full of Americana and with staff who put on a great show of mixology”. The Med-inspired brasserie menu is arguably “limited” but suits the venue, which is a “very buzzy” and “efficiently run” space.

“Like a London club but with infinitely better food” – this “very civilised” St James’s veteran (London’s oldest restaurant, established in 1742, but not on this site) is “a real throwback to another era” (“it’s probably not the place to attract ‘influencers’, whoever or whatever they are!”). The menu (which majors in fish and seafood) is “as traditional as one can expect (as is the clientele)” – you are served “classic food, classically executed and classically served” and at its best results are “simply exceptional”. “Service is old-school professional” although, perhaps due to the strains of Covid, did not enjoy its customary 5/5 rating this year. Even so, Wiltons remains “a great place for meeting on business” and its pricing is such that it’s best to let the corporate credit card take the strain whenever possible. Top Menu Tips – “the Dover sole is still the best in the capital” and “their lobster thermidor is rich and everything you want in an indulgent food item”. Game is excellent in season and they do a “magnificent bone-in rib served from the trolley”.

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