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Best overall multi-cooker

Score: 5/5 stars

Wattage: 1400W

Cost to run: n/a

With 14 functions and 5.6-litre capacity, this is an excellent multi-cooker for medium to large households. It also features a 'turbo cooking' function that turns meals around 40 per cent more quickly – ideal if you're hurrying to get dinner on the table.

We were most struck by its user-friendly credentials: the cooker's lid lifts up and off, which makes it much easier to clean than some hinged models, and all 14 cooking modes are selectable via a simple push-button. There's a keep-warm function that automatically jumps into action once cooking is finished. The slow-cook function proved successful too, creating a richly infused chicken korma with succulent meat and a creamy sauce.

Sage Fast Slow Go multi-cooker

Best rice cooker for top-end multi-cookers

Score: 5/5 stars

Wattage: 1100W

Cost to run: n/a

This gadget is a stylish addition to the countertop, featuring a large digital touchscreen and brushed stainless-steel design. Its 14 functions are selectable via the push-button interface, with a particular focus on pressure cook and slow functions, as well as stews, stocks, yogurt and sous vide.

It's a chunky piece of kit, but its versatility warrants its price and size. Where this multi-cooker impressed us most was grain and rice cooking, and we produced a creamy risotto that didn't require the usual effort of stirring by hand.

Cosori 9-in-1 Electric 5.7L pressure cooker

Best stylish multi-cooker

Score: 4.5/5 stars

Wattage: 1100W

With a sleek polished-steel body and robust lid with matching metallic handle, this pressure cooker from Cosori instantly looks impressive. It comes well-equipped with a manual quick-start guide and recipe book, as well as a range of accessories, including a ladle, rice paddle and steam rack.

This machine has a 5.7L capacity, which is plenty of space to cook meals for a large family or household. There are 12 functions to choose from, including pressure cooking, slow cooking, sous vide and sauté, as well as presets to cook rice, stew, grains and more. There are also customisable timings on most settings. When using the sauté function, you can choose your preferred setting, which gives good control, and it meant our vegetables were evenly cooked on test.

Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid

Best large multi-cooker

Score: 4.5/5

Wattage: 1500W

Cost during test: 5.05p

Instant Pot is well-known for producing high-quality multi-cookers, and this gadget – complete with air fryer functionality – is equally impressive. Grill, roast, slow cook, and dehydrate are all selectable via the multi-cooker's interface, as well as sous-vide setting that allows you to precisely control the water temperature.

As multi-cookers go, it's fairly chunky-looking with a sleek black body and digital display. We loved the vast 6.2-litre pot, which is ideal for cooking large batches or feeding a crowd. The sliding lock function is also much slicker and easier to use than most traditional pressure-release switches. This appliance produced a pleasant beef stew too, with tender meat and a thick gravy.

Tefal Turbo Cuisine multi pressure cooker

Best multi-cooker for pressure cooking

Score: 4.5/5 stars

Wattage: 1000W

Cost during test: 4.38p

This Tefal multi-cooker benefits from a smooth, spherical body with a rounded, almost cauldron-like interior. Operating it is a simple affair thanks to the bright, clear display and well-written instruction manual, where you'll also find guidance on how to use the sous-vide preset. Other functions include sauté, steam, bake, stew, soup, slow cook, bread rise, rice, yogurt and porridge.

Because it's shorter than most other multi-cookers, it's a great choice for those with lower kitchen cupboards. Should you wish to move it around, there are also two wide handles for easy lifting, plus silicone feet to keep it fixed onto the worktop. The large, central button for releasing pressure is also a smart design feature, both for safety as well as aesthetic.

Ninja Foodi MAX 15-in-1 SmartLid 7.5-litre multi-cooker

Best air fryer multi-cooker

Score: 4.5/5 stars

Wattage: 1760W

Cost during test: n/a

Ninja's multi-cookers were among the first to feature air-fryer functions alongside a wide range of presets. This version comes with 15 settings, which include pressure cook, air fry, grill, bake, dehydrate, prove, sear/sauté, steam, slow cook, and yogurt, as well as five combi steam-meal options.

Its 7.5-litre capacity makes it a practical choice for households of between four and six, and it also features a single-lift lid with a sliding lock that doubles as a mode selector. The sear/sauté function was also effective, rendering the fat and caramelising the ingredients efficiently without burning. Some of the cooking aromas clung to the lid's seal even after washing, but there is advice in the manual for a cleaning function.

Slow-cooked lamb shawarma
Coq au vin
Slow-cooked pulled pork carnitas
Lamb shank shepherd's pie
Slow-cooked lamb gyros
Light paneer curry
Aubergine dhansak
Slow-cooker meatballs
Chicken risotto
Slow-cooker beef curry

What to consider when buying a multi-cooker

Multi-cookers can vary widely in versatility and capacity, with some larger models offering extra functionality that smaller ones don't. Before you buy, it's worth considering the following:

Size: If you're cooking for a larger household or plan on using your gadget to batch cook, you'll find bigger models offer ample capacity, but there are mini ones for smaller households too. Think about where your multi-cooker will sit: do you have sufficient countertop or storage space for it? Some also come with hinged lids, which means they stand quite tall – this is something to consider if you have lower kitchen cupboards.
Functionality: Multi-cookers can be a fantastic way to experiment with new cooking methods and can inject some excitement into everyday meal prep. Look carefully at the presets on offer and consider how or whether you would use them – some may save you investing in two or more large appliances further down the line.
Extra attachments: Several models also come with bonus accessories like utensils, while some have steaming baskets that allow you to double the capacity of your cooker. Cooking smells can often permeate the sealing ring of the lid when pressure-cooking, so others – like the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus multi-cooker – come with additional rings when switching between savoury and sweet dishes.

How we tested multi-cookers

Where a gadget has a range of functions, we like to run multiple tests to make sure everything is working as it should be. Most of the multi-cookers we tested come with 10 or more presets, including pressure cook, slow cook, sear/sauté, air fry, bake, grill, and roast, plus extra settings for specific ingredients like chicken, fish or vegetables.

We adapted a beef and vegetable casserole recipe by our friends at BBC Good Food to test pressure cooking, reducing the quantity of water by half and adding flour at the end of cooking to thicken the gravy.

We made chicken korma to help us determine the effectiveness of each multi-cooker's slow-cooking function, assessing whether they successfully tenderised the meat without overcooking it. Since spice aromas tend to linger in this dish, we also tested whether any cooking smells permeated the sealing ring of the lid.

Some of the multi-cookers also come with bake functions, so we tested these using a gluten-free lemon drizzle cake recipe. We looked for evenly baked cakes with consistent browning and a moist crumb.

All the multi-cookers we've featured in this review were tested in controlled conditions and using standardised criteria. In testing, we scored each model against the following:

Performance

We were looking for flavoursome stews and kormas with succulent, tender meat, even browning and well-infused flavours. Some pressure cookers can turn vegetables soggy because of the volume of water they need to cook, but we wanted our veg to have a soft yet slight bite.

Quality of materials

We looked for robust, sturdy designs with components and attachments that are built to withstand years of use. Multi-cookers also come with a large inner bowl that sits inside an outer with a lid – we wanted to see a good fit.

Design and aesthetic

Most multi-cookers are bulky and weighty, so you may not want to be moving it from the counter to the cupboard and back every time you use it. We wanted to see sleek, good-looking gadgets that would suit a range of kitchens and slot neatly amongst other worktop appliances.

Ease of use

We assessed each multi-cooker for its intuitiveness during set-up and cooking, assessing whether you need to rely on the manual to master the controls. The highest-scoring models came with simple functions, updates on the cooking process, properly fitting lids, clear controls and easy-to-open pressure release valves.

Value for money

Prices varied broadly across the models we tested, so we factored in performance, quality of materials, design, ease of use, and versatility to score each multi-cooker out of five.

Sustainability

We questioned whether the multi-cooker is covered by a fair guarantee, and whether there's any advice on how to recycle it at the end of its life. We also measured how expensive each gadget was to run based on a standard tariff of 31.8p/kWh, and whether its packaging could be recycled.

To find out more about how we review appliances and kit at olive, read our guide on how we test products.

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How we’ll be looking after our health in 2026

Rosalind Ryan — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:02:12 GMT

Get more advice and expert input with exercise: read our articles on the best Pilates exercises to try (and how to know you’re doing them right), 12 fitness habits to kickstart your regime reset and digestion and exercise: the common mistakes you’re making.

In the past year, there have been quite a few monumental shifts in our health and wellbeing – weight loss jabs like Ozempic hit the headlines and our high streets, while biohacking became the latest buzzword for anyone who wanted to boost their health, fitness and performance with the latest tech and advanced supplements.

But the overall trend emerging for 2026 is that we’re taking a step back from all those extremes. We’re looking at making life easier, integrating diet and fitness more fully into our existing regimes rather than pushing boundaries or overhauling our lifestyle in pursuit of a particular goal.

In fact, this year is all about making subtle tweaks to improve your health and wellbeing rather than clearing the decks to work on a whole new you. Find out how you can slow down and still stay healthy over the next 12 months.

Count colours not calories

In 2025, we were encouraged to eat 30 different plants a week – and with good reason. People who eat 30 different plant foods every week have better gut microbe diversity than those who eat less than 10. “Higher microbial diversity is associated with better metabolic health markers and improved glucose regulation,” says Alex Glover, senior nutritionist at Holland & Barrett.

But hitting that target of 30 plants a week can feel quite intimidating. The good news is the goal for 2026 is to ‘eat a rainbow'. This means eating plant foods from every colour of the rainbow to vary your intake of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients – active plant chemicals that have beneficial effects on your health. It’s not a new idea, but more of us are now embracing it for its simplicity.

Priya Tew, specialist dietician from Dietitian UK, says, “Eating a range of colourful fruits and veggies removes the idea of having to count or track your plant foods, which can feel overwhelming. But you don’t have to eat a full rainbow at every meal – it’s what you do more often that matters.”

Go for diversity over quantity, so try to eat something red, green, yellow, orange, blue, purple – plus white and brown – at least once a day. “Use frozen fruit and veg for ease,” says Priya. “A bag of colourful berries or mixed vegetables can help you get a range of colours in.”

We’re finally moving away from counting calories too, focusing on food quality and variety instead. Alex says, “This approach increases nutrient density, supports gut microbe diversity and improves satiety, which often makes calorie control easier. This encourages people to eat more nutritious foods, rather than restricting themselves. It’s a far more positive way of eating to sustain your long-term health.”

Get in a pickle

Fermented foods have exploded in popularity over the last few years, thanks to their delicious spicy flavour and positive effect on gut health. Most of us already know about kimchi and sauerkraut – and may even have a jar in the fridge – but pickled foods are now having their moment in the wellbeing spotlight.

Pickled vegetables are a type of fermented food, but there are different varieties; those pickled in vinegar and those pickled in brine. “While vinegar pickling is a common method, true fermentation in brine enriches them with beneficial probiotics for your gut,” Dr Marily Oppezzo told Stanford Medicine. Vinegar pickling can actually kill off the good bacteria, but vinegar-pickled foods still have health benefits.

Some research has found consuming vinegar can reduce post-meal glucose spikes and help you feel fuller for up to two hours after eating, while other studies revealed regularly eating pickled vegetables can reduce your risk of developing diabetes. Drinking pickle juice can also help ease muscle cramps and improve post-exercise recovery – no wonder it has become so popular among athletes.

But don’t overdo it. Priya says, “Adding vinegar, salt, sugar and spices to foods makes them a lot saltier, so it is key to eat them in moderation. Add a spoonful to your plate rather than making then the star of the meal.” If you want to keep an eye on how much salt you’re consuming, try making your own pickled veggies.

Choose planet-friendly protein

Protein is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet, but our needs go up as we get older, get active or get hench. No wonder there’s been a boom in high-protein foods on supermarket shelves. But eating a lot of protein, especially animal protein such as red meat or whey protein from milk, has a significant impact on the planet.

We now know meat and dairy products have the biggest negative effect of all foods on the environment – according to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization, they’re responsible for 14.5% of all global greenhouse gases. But scientists have developed a way of eating that allows both people and planet to thrive.

The planetary health diet (PHD) is the world’s first diet that combines human health benefits with the sustainability of the planet. The result is a largely plant-based diet, with small amounts of meat, fish and dairy. A recent report found if everyone followed the PHD, this could save 40,000 lives a day and reduce food-related emissions.

And don’t worry that you need to eat animal protein to hit your daily goals – plant proteins can provide all the protein you need, including essential amino acids (the building blocks of muscles). A growing body of research has found plant proteins perform as well as animal proteins at building and maintaining muscle strength.

So, which plant proteins should you choose? “The best options are natural plant proteins, like beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, mycoprotein, nuts and seeds, rather than fake meat alternatives, as these can be heavily processed,” Priya says. “You can definitely meet all your protein needs on a plant-based diet, but you will need to plan your meals a bit more and focus on the variety of foods you eat.”

Needs some more inspo? Check out the hashtag #banginsomebeans to find out how to up your protein intake next year without increasing the cost.

Boost not burnout

How many times have you heard about burnout this year? It seems to be our number one health concern, but how many of us actually know what burnout is? The term is often used to describe feeling overwhelmed with stress, but experts say burnout is not the same as stress.

Dr Claire Ashley, a GP, neuroscientist and burnout specialist, says, “Burnout is the end point to a very prolonged period of stress. We can normally recover from short-term stress after going on holiday, for example, but burnout is different. You might both care too much and don’t care at all about work, other people or yourself. But you’re too emotionally exhausted to do anything about it.”

You can recover from burnout, but it can take a long time – and a lot of professional support. “That’s why it’s so important to manage our stress levels,” says Dr Ashley. “But it has to be something quick, easy and accessible, otherwise we won’t do it.”

Her first tip for 2026 is to get outside at lunchtime. She says, “This reduces levels of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. In turn, this can improve sleep, which is one of the first things to suffer when you’re under extreme stress.” You can tackle a negative culture at work by sharing gratitude, like positive feedback from a client, to give everyone in your team a dopamine boost and help improve their mental health.

Dr Ashley also recommends “completing the stress cycle” at the end of every day. This could be playing some loud music when you get in the car (headbanging optional) or having a shower and getting changed as soon as you get in from work. She says, “Over time, it doesn’t matter how stressed you feel – your body will learn that work is done and now it’s time to relax”.

Balance not blowout

More Brits are now drinking decaf coffee, or drinking it more often, while around a third of us are ‘zebra striping’: alternating between alcoholic and alcohol-free drinks on a night out. We’ve become a nation of moderation when it comes to our wellness, and this habit will continue in 2026, particularly with fitness.

Monty Simmons, a personal trainer and specialist in biomechanics, believes people are turning away from extreme, competitive exercise regimes like Hyrox or the 75 Hard Challenge and are now looking for natural ways to work out that fit more easily into our daily lives, with a focus on sustainability and injury prevention.

“The idea of going for a long run or doing an intense workout when you’ve had a tough day at work isn’t realistic. It can also lead to injury through overtraining,” says Monty. This mindset can actually put us off exercise, so we end up doing nothing. Instead, we should aim for some stretching and a bit of movement every day.

Monty says the idea is to find an exercise you enjoy rather than signing up for something like a triathlon to motivate you. “Start off by going for a 10-minute walk every day – everyone has enough time to do that – and when that feels good, you can start adding in more exercise,” he says. But don’t do too much, too fast; the goal is to integrate fitness into your life rather than changing your life to do more exercise.

You can find exercises to improve your digestion, weight loss or kickstart your new year here.

Overall, the goal for 2026 is to find wellbeing rituals, such as eating sustainably and exercising mindfully, to make us feel good and that we can stick to.

“When we choose healthy habits that are more manageable, we reduce the pressure on ourselves to perform and make space for consistency,” says Lina Chan, director of women’s health at Holland & Barrett. “It’s these small, steady actions – not the moments of over-commitment – that build resilience, shape our long-term health, and create meaningful transformation.” We’ll raise a glass (of 0% beer) to that.

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Where to eat and drink in Málaga: an insider shares her favourite restaurants

Milli Taylor — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 12:01:07 GMT

Looking for the best restaurants in Málaga? Want to know where to eat and drink in the southern Spanish coastal city? Insider Milli Taylor says, "My family spent much of my childhood between Málaga and London, and eventually settled there permanently when I was 17. Although I stayed in London, I think of Málaga as my soul home and, however many times I visit in a year, the city still gives me the same buzz. This year, I co-hosted our first Spanish retreat, Sobremesa – a few unforgettable days of introducing food lovers to the city and teaching them to cook and bake with its extraordinary local produce from the market. Playing city guide was pure joy, so I’m thrilled to do the same here."

For more Spanish travel inspiration, check out our guide to the best Spanish food trips, best Spanish hotels for food lovers or the best restaurants in San Sebastian.

A local's best restaurants in Málaga

Eat breakfast at Churrería de Malagueña

I like to get into the city early for coffee and churros. Everyone will tell you to go to Casa Aranda and, don’t get me wrong, both places do great churros (also called porras or tejeringos) but I prefer the chewy texture at La Malagueña and the chocolate is far superior. Where Casa Aranda is fun and fast paced, it is very touristy and I find La Malagueña a more chilled out local spot, perched up on the bar watching the waiters move around each other like dancers.

Sample local wine at Antigua Casa de Guardia

It’s the oldest wine bar in Málaga and really feels like not much has changed there since it opened in 1840. I wouldn’t order food other than a couple of banderillas to whet the appetite but standing at the bar tasting sweet Màlaga wines from the barrel for a couple of euros a pop really roots you in a good time and place. In the summer this place is heaving but the service is quick and the glasses are small so it’s worth waiting for your spot. When you’re done they chalk up your bill on the counter and you’ll feel ready to head out and eat. antiguacasadeguardia.com

Head to Atarazanas Market for seafood

The market is a joy for the senses and to walk around. It’s divided into fresh produce, meat and fish. It’s become a little touristy but if you know where to go it’s still brilliant. You cannot eat fresher fish than here. You’ll need to try gambas rojas and razor clams, or any clams really that take your fancy. Málaga is home to the concha fina, a big juicy clam that is eaten alive and with lemon juice. My favourite place for seafood is standing at the bar in the hustle and bustle at Marisqueria El Yerno. mercadomalaga.es

Solo diners must try Mesón Mariano

I like watching the food come out the kitchen and the jamón being cut. This place is famous for its artichokes so if they’re in season you must try them. I also love the huevos rotos here.

For a fancy yet informal meal I love Mesón Ibérico

This place is really popular with locals and so I get there just before doors open to secure a spot. Service is so swift and friendly, and it’s a beautiful bar to sit in. As soon as you sit down you are given a few slices of salchichón de bellota while you look at the menu. My top tip would be to order the bacalao al pil pil. If you order the fabada asturiana they will tell you it comes from a tin but it is exceptional and after just one day in Málaga you’ll be embracing all food from tins. mesoniberico.net

After lunch try an ice cream at Casa Mira, an institution

There are a couple of spots: go to the one on Calle Larios for all the slamming lids and drama, or the smaller one by the cathedral if you want to sit outside in a quieter spot. The local ice cream is almond and pedro ximénez soaked raisins, and really does taste like Málaga in a mouthful.

No trip to Málaga is complete without eating espetos on the beach

These sardines are skewered on a cane and slow-roasted over wood fires right in the sand. It’s a tradition that goes back more than a century, originally created by fishermen cooking their catch on the shore. Today you’ll find the little boats turned firepits lined up along the coastline. You can smell them before you see them – olive wood smoke, charred skin and sea salt.

My favourite dessert is from a restaurant called La Cosmo

It’s the corn flan with corn praline that is so iconic they cannot take it off the menu. If you ask nicely and they’re not busy they’ll let you in just to eat dessert. lacosmo.es/en

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Best winter city breaks

Lucy Roxburgh — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 11:00:41 GMT

Planning a winter getaway? We've chosen the best winter city breaks to visit this year – from Christmas markets in Berlin and Bordeaux, Scandi-cool in Helsinki and Copenhagen or the chance of some winter sunshine in Jerez or Milan. Plus UK options from Bath to Edinburgh. They're the perfect city breaks to get in the festive spirit, pick up some extra special presents to bring home and make plenty of new food discoveries. We've shared what to do, where to eat and where to stay for the ultimate winter city break.

Still need winter holiday inspiration? See our guide to the best ski destinations or the best winter sun destinations for something a little warmer. For more like this, check out our guides to the best UK city breaks and our favourite European hidden gem hotels.

Best winter city breaks

Lisbon, Portugal

Sweet aromas of roast chestnuts fill the air in the Portuguese capital from 11 November (St Martin’s Day). Grab a paper cone and wander the steep, cobbled streets, joining locals in corner kiosks as they shot cherry liqueur (ginja). Warming snacks include O Trevo’s suckling pig rolls and The Bifanas of Afonso’s paprika-laced pork bifana. Get cosy in a taverna for hearty stews and rice dishes or make a reservation for contemporary plates and wine flights at popular Prado.

The technicolour designs of Conserveira de Lisboa’s tinned fish make pretty stocking fillers to take home for loved ones, as do pastéis de nata scented lip balms and hand creams from Lisbon beauty brand Benamôr. For more unique gift ideas and festivities, Rossio Square comes to life in December with wooden huts in its Christmas market, as does the old Campo Pequeno bull ring, that hosts exclusively Portuguese artisans between 30 November-4 December.

Where to stay: In the ancient Alfama district in cobbled Campo das Cebolas, AlmaLusa Alfama boasts views of the Tagus River. The 25-room boutique hotel breathes life into a mustard yellow 12th-century building, offering friendly service, elegant design and a commitment to Portuguese products (think handwoven blankets, artisan ceramics and Benamôr toiletries). Ground floor Mediterranean-style café bar Delfina is a popular spot for breakfasts of mini custard tarts, local cheese and charcuterie, as well as port-laced cocktails and elevated Portuguese tapas dishes later in the day.

Doubles from £198, check availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or almalusahotels.com/alfama

Milan, Italy

Festivities kick off officially in the northern Italian design capital on 7 December with the feast of Sant’Ambrogio. Time your visit over this weekend to join the Italian national holiday, Ponte, when the Christmas markets scattered around the city add extra vibrancy.

Twinkling lights and festive window displays make shopping on Via Monte Napoleone particularly magical. Grab an espresso at Marchesi 1824 then build your own Italian gourmet hamper to send home at Pasticceria Cova Montenapoleone 1817 – think panettone, biscotti and pralines. Drink to the season at iconic Camparino in Galleria for a negroni in the shadows of the impressive duomo. The canal district makes pleasant mooching ground before lunch at neighbourhood favourite Trattoria Madonnina – must-order classics include veal Milanese and saffron-laced risotto.

Where to stay: The four-bedroom LaFavia guesthouse, an urban hideaway tucked inside a refurbished 19th-century building, takes its inspiration from owners Fabio and Marco’s travels: no two rooms are the same. Start the day with breakfast in the rooftop garden or on a pretty tray delivered to your room – eggs cooked to order, pastries, cakes, bread, homemade jams, fruit and juice squeezed from oranges grown in the owners’ citrus grove.

Check rates and availability at lafaviamilano.com

Jerez, Spain

It’s a wonder that the home of sherry isn’t already a go-to destination at this time of year, considering its sweet, nutty wines are synonymous with Christmas. The city comes alive during the festive season, with flamenco-filled street parties called zambombas. These begin at the start of December until Christmas Eve and are best experienced at Ruta de los Tabancos, where tapas and sherry flow freely, including amontillado served straight from the barrel. Make sure to try the next-level Cádiz-style chicharrón, slow-roasted pork belly seasoned with paprika and lemon juice, served on traditional papel de estraza (brown paper).

Peruse Jerez's Mercado Central that bursts with festive treats, including pestiños (honey pastries) and brandy de Jerez, that are perfect for Christmas gifting. Visit Bodegas González Byass – home of the legendary Tío Pepe – where the cooling temperatures bring a more intimate experience for tasting fino, amontillado and palo cortado in the soleras. Head to one of Jerez’s smallest but most revered sherry bodegas, Bodegas Tradición, where you can taste old and rare sherries (including a 1975 oloroso añada) surrounded by masterpieces of Spanish art and ceramics painted by an eight-year-old Picasso.

Where to stay: Astuto Boutique is hidden down a cobblestoned side street, where its pool and gardens offer a laid-back haven from the city, with it being fenced by a 12th-century Islamic wall. Its bright, pared-back rooms are intimate yet cosy. But the real gem is hidden on the rooftop, where you can enjoy 360-degree views of the entire old town with live music on the weekends.

Doubles from £71, check rates and availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or astutoboutique.com

Edinburgh, Scotland

Britain’s most Christmassy city? It is hard to look past Edinburgh which, around its central Princes Street Gardens, offers shopping galore and diversions, from ice skating to a Hogmanay torchlight procession as part of the city’s winter festival. After that excitement, chill in Edinburgh’s foodie neighbourhoods, such as Stockbridge, Leith or the simmering Southside, around Marchmont and Newington. Bordering the green Meadows and Holyrood Park (home of Arthur’s Seat) and close to the Hermitage of Braid and Blackford Hill nature reserve, the Southside boasts restorative walking country on its doorstep and cultural hotspots – notably, Summerhall Arts and music and comedy venue The Queen’s Hall.

Ace places to eat include casual faves such as bakery-café Kate’s, Mara’s Picklery, contemporary sandwich shop Alby’s, and NY-inspired slice joint Sear’s Pizza. Chef-owner Jun Au’s modern Asian venue Pomelo is loved for its cosy warmth, hand-ripped noodles and the vibrant creativity of its sharing dishes. Think roast cauliflower, Cantonese curry and spelt risotto, or scallop carpaccio, gordal olives and chilli crisp. For special occasions, intimate candlelit Condita is a special experience. From the individual hand-drawn menus to specialist ingredients cultivated on its owners’ Borders allotment, Chef Tyler King’s tasting menu takes the Scottish larder on a global tour in detailed dishes awarded a Michelin star in February.

Where to stay: Edinburgh's first member of the Design Hotels group is a slick and slender 98-room pad in the city centre that’s topped with a panoramic champagne lounge and terrace. Top and tail your weekend here, with breakfast from the gourmet pantry or the chef’s counter, then return for a glass of fizz and Queenie scallops as the sun sets over Edinburgh’s dramatic skyline.

Doubles from £108 per night, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com, expedia.co.uk or marketstreethotel.co.uk

Berlin, Germany

Its boulevards are dotted with designer shops, and when the iconic Kurfürstendamm is dressed to the hilt in Christmas lights, Berlin’s City West district is as glitzy as shopping destinations get. At the fabulous KaDeWe department store the decorations are so bling that they alone would make the visit worthwhile. You’ll also find hip boutiques and design shops in City West, many of them in Bikini Berlin, a concept mall with pop-ups, cafés, bars and food stalls – and Vitra & Artek plying modernist kitchen accessories. Then there’s Käthe Wohlfahrt, Berlin’s largest dedicated Christmas store.

Head to the area around Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church for roasted almonds, hot chocolate and mulled wine as you browse the City West Christmas Market, or pop to Markthalle Neun for your pick of food stalls.

Where to stay: The Waldorf Astoria Berlin, towers over the city. Enjoy views that reach from the Brandenburg Gate to what was once East Berlin and its iconic TV Tower. Rooms and suites are decorated in peacefully subtle hues, some with balconies. The hotel’s main restaurant, Les Solistes (there are also four other restaurants and bars), is under the direction of Pierre Gagnaire and combines traditional French cooking techniques with local ingredients. Head chef Roel Lintermans' menus include hare served three ways – roast saddle, civet à la royale (stew) and pie with plum paste. Don’t miss the grand dessert, a selection of Gagnaire’s five favourite puds, from coconut milk dotted with tapioca pearls to passion fruit fudge. And, if you’re there over New Year, head upstairs to the hotel’s 15th-floor Library Lounge for views of Berlin’s fireworks.

Doubles from £262, check rates and availability at hilton.com or booking.com

Read our guide to the best restaurants in Berlin.

Bordeaux, France

This city’s robust signature dishes, rib-sticking entrecôte cooked in red wine, butter, shallots, herbs and bone marrow sauce, confit duck and lamprey, come into their own in winter, and it’s an excellent place to shop for foodie stocking fillers. Each year, Bordeaux’s Allées de Tourny is transformed into a Christmas market with wooden huts and stalls selling local gifts, many of them food-related. Stock up on canelés from Baillardran, and don’t miss Maison Darricau for handmade chocolates peppered with honey and spices. For dinner, find rustic regional cooking (roast rib of black pig, beautifully pink lamb) and a great local wine list at La Tupina.

Where to stay: Twenty minutes’ drive from Bordeaux, Les Sources de Caudalie is the epitome of French country chic. There’s a stone manor house at its heart, a small lake, and a hard-working kitchen garden, plus a hamlet-like extension of suites. Great food and wine are the focus at this gastronomic getaway, but even the finest dining (the hotel’s main restaurant, La Grand’Vigne, holds two Michelin stars) is done without fuss. The newer, cabin-like suites (designed to reflect the oyster fishermen’s huts of Cap Ferret, in the nearby Arcachon Basin), with their whitewashed timber walls, retro-influenced furniture and spa-like bathrooms, are the ones to splash out on; in the evenings you’ll be serenaded by frogs as you return to your room along flower- and water-lined pathways. In the mornings, step onto your private terrace and watch carthorses ploughing the vines just outside.

Doubles from £272, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

Bath, England

Shop the Christmas market (27 November – 14 December) with more than 170 independent, sustainable retailers offering everything from baked goods to drinks and more. Don't miss the ice skating at Bath on Ice. If you're in Bath for the weekend, start the day at small but thoughtfully formed Landrace Bakery and choose from the counter heaving with fresh-from-the-oven Eccles cakes and cinnamon buns. Stroll up through the stunning Circus crescent to Berdoulat, an impeccably restored grade-II listed food emporium complete with over 50 spices from the jar, shelves of small-batch wines and a concession from Frome’s Rye Bakery.

Amble back down into town, via the sweeping grandeur of the Royal Crescent, to browse the market stalls. For lunch, unpretentious The Scallop Shell offers hake in crisp batter with proper ‘chippie’ chips. Around the corner is contemporary tea house Comins Tea, a serene spot to while away an hour or so making your way through its single estate teas. For dinner, try OAK’s exceptional meat-free feast in a little alcove with views of an unseen angle of Bath Abbey.

Where to stay: Hotel Indigo is a honey-hued Georgian terrace, a stone’s throw from the markets and city festivities. Unwind after a day out with barrel-aged negronis in The Elder’s cosy rooms, decked with plush red leather stools and panelled walls painted a deep-sea green.

Doubles from £107, check rates and availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or bath.hotelindigo.com

Helsinki, Finland

Head to Finland's seaside capital for a winter getaway filled with rye bread, cured fish and street food. At Christmas, the Helsinki Christmas market has more than 100 stalls and a daily visit from Santa Claus. Start your day with voisilmäpulla, a Finnish twist on a cinnamon bun, baked with a knob of butter in the middle with cardamom sugar that melts in the oven. Café Success dates back to 1957 and is the perfect spot to enjoy a comforting bowl of lohikeitto, a creamy salmon soup topped with mountains of fresh dill. Alternatively, go for breakfast and knock back a Finnish coffee and a korvapuusti cinnamon roll.

Where to stay: Located majestically amid the design district, the elegant Hotel Lilla Roberts embraces a cosy feel. A wooden fireplace crackles beside a wall of birch logs, and leather chairs are perfectly placed to watch hip passers-by. Bedrooms come with cosy fur blankets, plush rugs on parquet flooring and velvet armchairs in deep plums, mustard yellows and teals. Funky touches such as elephant lamps, zebra print throws and monochrome vases tie in with the glamorous feel, and bathrooms are stocked with Neal’s Yard toiletries. The hotel bar, Bar Lilla E, is a destination in itself for those in the know on Helsinki’s hip cocktail route. The dramatically spot-lit wooden bar (it just happens to sit next to a crackling fire) makes a stylish backdrop to a menu of Nordic-inspired cocktails.

Doubles from £145, check rates and availability at booking.com or lillaroberts.com

Winchester, England

Known for its historic college and cathedral, Winchester and its surrounding villages are becoming something of a culinary hotbed. The cathedral grounds are transformed over the Christmas season, with the Christmas market running from 21 November to 22 December.

For hotspots beyond the market, The Yard in the Candover Valley is a stunning working farm with a café that offers gourmet brioche buns and toasties, with coffee from on-site roastery Moon Roast. Academy is a coffee ‘laboratory’ which serves up speciality coffees, showcasing independent producers from around the world. And Cabinet Rooms is a family-run wine bar that serves cheeseboards and sharing platters in the evening to accompany a discerning wine list and seasonal cocktails, like its Montreal negroni and mango-chilli margarita.

Where to stay: Just a short walk from the house Jane Austen once lived in is The Wykeham Arms, an apparent favourite of Colin Firth and Robert Plant. It’s an 18th century coaching inn with beautiful curved, Georgian bow doors, a cosy but bright bar that’s managed to escape modernisation (we loved the tankards hanging from the ceiling) and a separate dining room decorated with wonky framed photos, Persian rugs, gnarled oak chairs and more tankards. It’s easy to imagine Austen in here, scribbling away by one of the original fireplaces.

There are rooms upstairs (including superior doubles with four-poster beds) and it’s a popular place for dinner – book in advance for prettily presented plates of ambitious seasonal food, including tempura oysters with wasabi ice cream; Hampshire ribeye steak; and chicken and pig’s trotter pie with mash and liquor.

Doubles from £152, check rates and availability at booking.com or wykehamarmswinchester.co.uk

Marrakech, Morocco

Souks made for eclectic Christmas gift-buying and usual daytime temperatures of 16-20C make Marrakech an ideal winter getaway. There are plenty of intriguing food stalls to be found among Marrakech’s crowded streets and, after sunset in the main square, Jemaa el-Fna, where pop-up restaurants serve Marrakechi delicacies (sheep’s eyes, anyone?). Fight for a spot on a surrounding roof terrace and watch the stalls set up while you sip a mint tea.

At Le Tobsil restaurant in the medina, guests sit on two levels around a courtyard, taking in live gnawa music (blues/Arabic fusion). Book and come hungry for the set menu of aperitifs, endless meze dishes, pastilla, tagine, couscous, fruit, mint tea or coffee, and pastries to finish.

In the city’s bakeries, look out for the local special-occasion cake, m’hancha, a coiled ‘snake pastry’ made with almond paste, orange flower water and cinnamon. Take home saffron and spices from the souks, eating street-sellers’ roasted nuts as you go. For something more refined, head to Le Jardin, a courtyard restaurant filled with verdant plants and wildlife – you’ll often find tortoises slowly meandering between tables. Sweet, flakey pigeon pastilla, Moroccan cous cous and whole grilled sardines are must-try dishes. Be sure to book in advance as these tables are highly covetable.

Where to stay: Riad Farnatchi is a luxurious, all-suites hotel – and a welcome oasis from the commotion of Marrakech. Five houses were remodelled (and joined together) to create Riad Farnatchi’s ten luxurious suites. All are gathered around two central courtyards, one of which is home to a small swimming pool, one abundant with orange trees, and each with plenty of private nooks to relax in with a mint tea. The 10 suites vary in size but each one blends Moroccan and European styles, with neutral white and stone-coloured walls and eye-catching black and white tiling. Book suite 10 and you’ll also have a walk-in shower, a marble-topped bath and your own roof terrace.

There is no minibar, nor tea and coffee-making facilities, but obliging staff are on call to deliver whatever you fancy, often accompanied by traditional sweets or biscuits. Breakfast can be taken anywhere throughout the hotel and includes a menu of eggs alongside fresh fruit and traditional homemade breads. The hotel restaurant Le Trou au Mur offers international dishes alongside refined versions of dishes that would be found in traditional Moroccan homes. Many restaurants in Marrakech are understandably dry, but Le Trou Au Mur is not one of them. Morocco also has a burgeoning wine scene – something the team there has embraced. The menu offers a range of local wines by the glass or bottle, with staff on hand to talk you through the selection.

Suites from £298 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

Boston, America

Boston delivers a mix of history, culture and charm with a buzzing modern food scene, and is magical in December. Boston is known for oyster bars and one of the oldest and most famous is Union Oyster House. Grab a cosy booth or get right in on the action at the raw bar where expert shuckers will prepare half a dozen to order and pour you pints brewed for the restaurant. Head to Quincy Market Food Colonnade, the largest covered food hall in New England, with 32 stalls selling everything from clam chowder and lobster rolls to pizza, Philly cheesesteaks and enchiladas. Work it off ice-skating on nearby Boston Common under the lights of the famous giant Boston Christmas tree.

Where to stay: The boutique XV Beacon hotel is located in a beautiful Beaux Arts building in the redbrick neighbourhood of Beacon Hill. Inside, there’s a serene, old-school glamour with polished wood and tiled floors in the lobby area, and 63 bedrooms luxuriously fitted with cosy, open-flame gas fires, four-poster beds, cashmere throws and crisp Frette linen. Hotel restaurant Mooo is popular with locals as well as guests. It’s all about the steaks (hence the name) with 13 cuts and sizes expertly grilled and served with roast garlic and bone marrow butter, and sides such as whipped potatoes, truffled parmesan fries and Maine lobster mac ‘n’ cheese.

Check rates and availability at mrandmrssmith.com or xvbeacon.com

Vienna, Austria

Head to Vienna for sachertorte, schnitzel and strudel galore. In winter, the palaces throughout the city look extra beautiful lit up on dark evenings with twinkling fairy lights. Christmas markets are found across the city, in the grounds of every palace and square. Spend a long weekend visiting them all, keeping warm with mulled wine and hot, crispy potato pancakes. Another must-try traditional treat perfect for winter indulging is kaiserschmarrn: a thick, shredded pancake with almonds and raisins, flambéed with Austrian rum and served with homemade apple or plum compote. Traditionally made and served in a large pan, it’s the perfect dessert to share in a group, whether in a chalet or fine restaurant.

Where to stay: Enter the plush Grand Ferdinand Hotel via its statement lobby (go easy past the life-size horse statue) and check into one of its moodily minimal bedrooms. Then, follow your stomach and either swing up to the Limone restaurant, with its panoramic views over the city, or swerve into the hotel’s dedicated schnitzel joint, Meissl & Schadn. The top-floor Limone sits beside a large terrace and lap pool but we recommend heading up at breakfast and loading your plate with Austrian sausages, pickled fish and typical bakes and eating them from the comfort of a floral-patterned armchair looking out across gilded rooftops, intricate domes and palaces.

Doubles from, check rates and availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or grandferdinand.com

Copenhagen, Denmark

Experience cosy hygge vibes alongside Copenhagen cool in the Danish capital. Wrap up warm for walks through the colourful Nyhavn district and head to the famous Tivoli Gardens after dark for fairy-lit fairground rides. The Broens ice rink in the heart of the city is surrounded by street food stalls for warming up after a spin.

Elsewhere, Meyers Bageri is a must visit for snegls – a take on a cinnamon bun, which is more buttery and topped with thick chocolate. For a weekday brunch, head to the aptly named Granola for a breakfast plate of golden pancakes, muesli, chopped fruit, yogurt, almond cake and whipped chocolate spread. And don’t leave before paying a visit to Lidkoeb – a stylish yet cosy cocktail bar with its own whisky den.

Where to stay: For a primer on mid-century Danish design that’s almost as good as a trip to Copenhagen’s Design Museum, book a room at stylish Hotel Alexandra. The hotel owner has curated pieces built in Denmark in the 1950s and ‘60s, so the bedrooms’ wooden floorboards and large windows form the perfect backdrop to a collection of rattan headboards, graphic turquoise armchairs and wooden writing desks.

The stylish lobby area doubles up as an all-day hangout, with an honesty bar, complimentary wine hour and a record player ready to play the hotel’s selection of vinyl. In the morning, head down to connected bistro Godtfolk and create your own breakfast wheels from the continental buffet laid out in the conservatory – dill gravadlax, Danish sausages, holey cheeses and slices of seeded, malty rye.

Doubles from £108, check rates and availability at booking.com or hotelalexandra.dk

Check out our guide to affordable restaurants in Copenhagen here.

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Best restaurants in Peckham

Helen Salter — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:45:02 GMT

Looking for restaurants in Peckham? Check out our favourite restaurants, bars and foodie spots in the SE area, from French-style bistros to Persian meze and plant-based Indian street food. After, read about our favourite new restaurants in London.

Best places to eat and drink in Peckham

Maiz, Peckham Rye

Maiz is London's first dedicated 'pozoleria' and the latest addition to London's advancing Mexican food scene.

This relaxed spot is the vision of two Mexican chefs: Dany Vázquez, who previously worked at Eleven Madison Park as well as under José Andrés, and London-based chef Erick, who ran the Los Ilegales food truck in Greenwich.

Maiz has a cantina atmosphere comparable to Mexico City’s buzzy taquerias, where you can spot the chefs loading up tacos while you sip on a Michelada.

Expect a punchy menu offering two authentic Mexican dishes: pozole and street food-style tacos. Deep bowls of red pozole – a traditional Mexican stew made with hominy, pork and a red broth that’s simmered with spices and chillies for hours – offers soothing comfort and offsets the fresh, tongue-tingling tacos which disappear in minutes. Taco highlights include the 24-hour beef birria, served with melted cheese and its own consommé, plus the 12-hour cochinita pibil (pork), sprinkled with pickled red onion and habanero sauce.

The strong cocktail list straddles mezcal and tequila-based creations with classic tipples – make a beeline for the 'Chelada' for a fresh and lighter take on the spicy classic. instagram.com/maizgroup

Kokum, East Dulwich Road

This smart neighbourhood restaurant on the East Dulwich/Peckham border serves some of the highest quality Indian cooking this side of the river. It should be no surprise, given the restaurant is the vision of Sanjay Gour (ex-head chef at Gymkhana) and Simeron Lily Patel – co-founders of the Michelin-rated Dastaan and Black Salt Sheen.

Far from Michelin prices, Kokum offers a competitively priced menu that bridges delicate starters with bowls of gravy-laden curries and flaky lachha paratha.

Dahi puri saw dainty layers of potato, chickpea and moong sprout submerged in deceptively fiery layers of tang, sweet and spice. Pickled and charred tandoori roast cauliflower sat in a pool of hot makhani sauce, jewelled with pockets of mint and coriander chutney. The curries that followed accommodate to the neighbourhood clientele, with deep bowls of lamb rogan josh and lemongrass-infused makrut lime prawns. A side of dal makhani – eight-hour slow-cooked black lentils – countered the mains with its dark sultriness.

There’s plenty of choice to drink too – the sharp cocktail list includes an espresso martini spiced with chai liqueur, and a punchy strawberry blush, pepped with tamarind spicy vodka and lengthened with basil tonic.

Desserts include a rich kulfi made with Iranian pistachio and rum-flambéed gulab jamun, tempered with vanilla ice cream. kokumlondon.com

Lai Rai, Rye Lane

Meet friends for fuss-free snacks and cold beers at this dinky new-school Vietnamese on Rye Lane. With the name Lai Rai meaning ‘little by little’, the space is a homage to Vietnamese canteens, with a buttery colour palette, neon lighting and slick red stools. By day it serves bánh mì and Vietnamese coffee, by evening the menu mutates into playful twists on familiar Vietnamese flavours – you won't find any bowls of pho here.

Small plates include crunchy prawn lollies on sugarcane stalks and a light, multicoloured papaya jellyfish salad with lumps of pineapple, charred tomatoes, fresh Viet herbs and peanuts, wiped clean with charred bánh mì chunks. Larger dishes include a twice-cooked chicken leg atop a herby dressing and grilled betel leaf beef, swimming in a smoky pool of house-made coffee barbecue jus.

Vietnamese-inspired cocktails include the Xoài Kick, a bracing mix of tequila, mango, red chillies and fruit salt, and a Viet coffee-laced vodka martini.

Finish with a scoop of freshly churned ice cream made by small south London manufacturer Clingy Wrap, with funky flavours including fish sauce vanilla caramel and kumquat cucumber sorbet. If you're looking for something altogether unexpected, you’ll find it here. lairai.london

Hausu, Station Way

Housed inside a Victorian Grade II listed train station, Hausu makes a cool and cosy date night spot run by head chef Holly Middleton Joseph. Luckily, the backdrop of clattering trains is cleverly masked by a vintage high-fidelity sound system that plays funk and soul.

The menu's modern sharing plates promise bold flavours such as its signature spin on prawn toast, piled high with a mountainous helping of prawn and scallop mousse coated in black sesame seeds and deep fried until crisp. To finish, it’s plated with a fermented chilli ketchup and dusted with dehydrated scallop roe.

The menu changes with the seasons, along with the DJs, so every time you swing by it feels like a new experience. Plus, when you're ready to go home you’re handily already at the station. hausulondon.co.uk

Dough Hands, Nunhead Green

Dough Hands has garnered a cult following due to its crisp dough and feather-light crust, made possible by baking its pizzas low and slow at 350 degrees. Led by pizzaiolo Hannah Drye, this trendy pizza joint is co-pioneering the emerging London pizza, a style which mashes up various influences including a New York inspired thin crust and light base.

Dough Hands is currently doing a permanent kitchen residency at fun-loving south London pub The Old Nun's Head, as well as Hackney-based The Spurstowe Arms. The menu features a handful of 12-inch pizzas. The Jode – arguably the most popular and delicious – sees spicy sausage and stracciatella drizzled with hot honey, finished with a sprinkle of fresh basil and parmesan. Veggies have a cause to celebrate thanks to the Shroomy 2.0, one of the freshest vegetarian offerings we’ve tried. Expect mushrooms roasted in soy sauce, topped with soft taleggio cheese, tarragon, garlic and grana padano. The soy provides a rich umami kick which isn’t typically seen atop mushroom pizzas.

Sides are kept simple, with just the garlic bread available, covered in a herby garlic butter. Dips includes everyone’s favourite garlic and herb, as well as Dough Hands’ signature hot honey and very own fermented hot sauce. Happy Endings ice cream sandwiches are also available at the bar.

We washed down our pizzas with a cold beer – we opted for a pint of Lucky Saint lager and a Lazer Crush by Beavertown, a razor-sharp alcohol-free IPA. instagram.com/doughhandspizza/

Taquiza, Rye Lane

Mexican-inspired eatery, Taquiza, is a fun, laid-back spot, perfect for dinner with friends. It's an open and buzzy space, situated under a Peckham archway, with a menu of eat-with-your-hands dishes: grilled elote showered in chipotle aïoli, chilli and queso añejo (Mexican cheese), 12-hour beef tacos with salsa roja, onion and coriander, chiles toreados (blistered chilli peppers) and smoked tofu chorizo tacos with xcatik cream (a spicy chilli pepper cream), guacamole and jalapeños. There’s an impressively sized pasilla chocolate mousse for dessert, topped with vanilla cremate and sprinkled with pumpkin seeds and pistachio. Wash it all down with margarita picantes or, if the evening calls for it, a shot of smoky mezcal. instagram.com/taquizaldn/

Peckham Arches, Blenheim Grove

Find this trendy south-east London haunt underneath the railway arches of Peckham Rye station, complete with a botanical garden terrace, two cocktail bars and art gallery. Watch chefs as they sling pizza from a wood-fired oven, laden with toppings such as Italian spicy sausage, mozzarella and Frank’s hot honey or – our favourite – ’nduja with mozzarella, pickled red chilli and red onion, finished with lashings of creamy garlic sauce. Choose from a selection of hot, crunchy morsels on the ‘nibbles’ menu – the mushroom and truffle arancini and the crispy courgette fries are not to be missed. Cocktails are given equal attention, offering refreshing mezcal and tequila numbers like a picante, a grapefruit margarita and a passion fruit mezcalita. Natural wines, ‘regular’ wines, draught and local beers are also available. peckhamarches.com

En Root, Peckham Rye

Brothers Nish and Harsh have come a long way since selling hot sauce at markets in 2016, expanding to a bricks-and-mortar in Clapham and, more recently, a plant-based restaurant in Peckham decked with plants, draped mandala tapestries and decorative cushions.

Sip on the watermelon juice with beetroot, apple, ginger and mint during summer evenings, or ask for the modestly priced cocktail menu, where juices are livened with rum. Nourishing vegan fare lies at the heart of En Root, offering Indian classics and street food nibbles infused with Gujarati spices. Start with sharing bites: puri is filled with beetroot, onions and chickpeas, and submerged in date tamarind masala water, while the plantain chaat – seasoned plantain on a bed of beetroot, onions, chickpeas, ‘spice krispies’ and chutney – is an explosion of sweet crunch.

For mains, saag aloo-filled dosas come with lentil soup and coconut chutney. Or, for optimum health, try the buddha bowl, generously filled with rainbow salad, baba ghanoush, sprouted lentils, curried chickpeas, plantain and avocado. To finish, the mango lassi cheesecake on an oaty coconut base offers a healthier twist on the original – best served with creamy chai. enrootldn.co.uk

Peckham Cellars, Queen's Road

Elegant floor-to-ceiling Crittal windows frame this breezy, laid-back wine bar on Queen's Road in Peckham. Start with a glass of lemony Gusbourne fizz from Kent before delving into a wine list defined by sustainably minded, small-scale producers, with plenty of affordable options by the glass. We try another Kentish stunner – Westwell's Ortega Amphora 2019, fermented in terracotta jars – with fragrant apricot and honey suckle notes, before moving onto summery, cherry-tinged chilled gamay, available on tap at the bar.

A quietly industrious open kitchen, led by chef Henry Freestone – garlanded with a Bib Gourmand in 2020 – amiably sends out plates of unfussy yet deceptively luxurious food. Highlights include springy sourdough with whipped lemon and rosemary butter, porchetta layered with crispy, salty shards of crackling, and filo-wrapped asparagus with a soft-boiled duck egg for dipping. Save space for pudding – a decadent lemon meringue pie sundae is the childhood dessert of dreams. peckhamcellars.co.uk

Levan, Blenheim Grove

Inspired by the new-wave bistros of Paris, Levan’s short menu is split into three sections – snacks, small plates and larger sharing dishes. Start with a few snacks –tuck into a unique comté panisse that’s deep-fried to produce bouncy, cheesy domino fries to dip into saffron aïoli.

The highlight of the small plates is the ravioli – thick pasta parcels filled with brown butter-caramelised celeriac, accompanied by knobbly, deep-fried jerusalem artichokes and crisp cavolo nero. For mains, the vacherin pie is rich and cheesy, peppery and earthy – a shiny golden dome with frilly outer crust that collapses into layers of dauphinoise potatoes, slow-cooked black trompette and chestnut mushrooms and melted vacherin cheese. Finish with tarte tatin. The golden puff pastry melts away, with salted caramel-braised apple slices adding lip-smacking salty-sweetness.

The carefully curated wine list focusses on low-intervention and natural wines. Jura chardonnay is super fresh with toffee notes, while vibrant trousseau makes for a light and fruity red with a hint of smoke. There are just two cocktails: the simple ‘white’ mixes Tanqueray 10 with Belthasar riesling vermouth over a large block of ice, while the ‘red’ is served in a more elegant flute with wine-based Ciroc vodka, sweet and dry vermouth. levanlondon.co.uk

Frank’s Café, Rye Lane

This is about as trendy and hipster as you get, but in the best possible way. On top of a multi-storey car park in Peckham, there's a pithy list of on-trend drinks, from negronis, margaritas and cucumber gimlets to jug cocktails such as white port and tonic, and fruity rum punch. Snacks include brown sugar hot wings, deep-fried mackerel in a bun, and lamb breast kebab with burnt chilli yogurt. It closes for winter and opens in the spring each year. boldtendencies.com/franks-cafe

Persepolis, Peckham High Street

Pay a visit to Persepolis for a taste of Persia in the heart of Peckham. Beyond the deli’s impressive selection of tins, spices, Persian yogurts and display of shisha pipes, you’ll find a cosy hideout where diners feast on freshly made meze platters and veggie and vegan delights such as eggs scrambled with dates and fragrant spices, and dairy-free knickerbocker glories.

This popular café is a favourite among locals for its no-nonsense, avocado-free breakfasts (think mango and tamarind smoothies and pots of Persian tea with cardamom); however, the £20 tasting menu is the real standout: a colourful carousel of food spanning meze, soup, mains and a dessert platter filled with ice cream, paklava and fruit. foratasteofpersia.co.uk

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Best new restaurants in London to visit in 2025

Alex Crossley — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:52:06 GMT

Looking for new restaurants in London? We've visited the hot new openings in the capital to experience the restaurant for ourselves to bring you our regularly updated best London restaurants list.

Read on for all the best new openings (including some from the end of last year) and we'll be continually adding new restaurant openings for 2025 as they launch, after we've expertly reviewed each one.

For more restaurant guides check out our best restaurants in Soho, Covent Garden, Shoreditch and the best restaurants with rooms in the UK. If you want to pull out all the stops, find out the UK's best showstopping restaurants to impress or try the best chef's table experiences in the UK.

Best new London restaurant openings 2025

Motorino, Fitzrovia

For modern London-Italian fare

Modern and open, Stevie Parle’ and Luke Ahearne’s Italian-inspired bar-restaurant is a space for all occasions – quick lunches, group meals or cosy dinners. Booths line the walls, while bigger tables keep sight of the buzzy open kitchen. It’s a place you can talk without being overheard, or laugh without annoying your neighbours.

We started with Moto Classic martinis, then tore into springy rosemary-scented focaccia, complemented by crisp, acidic pickles. From the starters, delica pumpkin with stracciatella, candied hazelnuts and radicchio moved comfortably between sweet, creamy and bitter. But the dish that defined the meal was the agnolotti carbonara. Each small pinched pasta pocket was filled with a classic pecorino and yolk-rich carbonara, and topped with salty bites of guanciale. The fun comes from eating it whole, as it bursts between your teeth. Clever and deeply satisfying.

We’d heard about chef-owner Stevie’s Wildfarmed steaks from his own herd but, as tempted as we were, went another way. An old spot chop, sliced into slabs, was juicy and beautifully cooked, where the pink becomes blush, the rich meat cut through by mustard fruits and apple. Cornish blonde ray followed, robust and flake-apart, with a shellfish sauce that added depth without dulling the fish. Add a couple of glasses of the light Burgundy pinot noir and you have a perfectly balanced lunch. motorino.london Keith Kendrick

Island, Kings Cross

For elevated surf and turf

Island takes the concept of surf and turf, and adds two cult chefs - Tom Brown (on surf) and Brad Carter (on turf) – to create a unique and playful menu. Although they aren’t cooking here day to day there’s some serious skill behind the open grill that lends a beautifully smoky edge to dishes.

The dining room occupies the top floor of buzzy Mare St Market – it’s a big space but the cosy velvet-lined booths, banquette seating and chandelier-covered ceiling manage to make it warm and welcoming.

We kicked off with a lamb and clam skewer – chunks of lamb belly, the fat rendered crispy and smoky, topped with tiny salty clams. Not listed on the menu but recommended by our server were seaweed flatbreads, puffed and golden with the edges almost like fried bread.

We shared a whole grilled john dory which came doused in caper-spiked café de paris butter, the sweet flesh falling of the bone. An aged dairy ribeye was served with a deep umami version of peppercorn sauce and in place of chips little crunchy ‘turf’ roasties dusted with bone marrow powder (we also got the surf version dusted with mussel powder).

A Bogtrotter-style layered chocolate cake to share finished us off – rich and dark with a shiny chocolate glaze, it was a perfect end to the meal. island-restaurants.com Janine Ratcliffe

74 Charlotte St by Ben Murphy, Fitzrovia

For modern European

74 Charlotte Street by Ben Murphy sees the chef (who ran the kitchen at Launceston Place to great acclaim) in his first solo spot. The room is calm and elegant: coming in from a rainy winter evening the golden light and a warm atmosphere was immediately welcoming, as was the beautiful crescent-shaped cocktail bar where we kicked off with an icy, citrussy yuzu gimlet and a French 75. Such is the commitment to a perfect cocktail that my drink was decanted into a fresh frosty glass halfway through to keep it chilled.

Don’t skip the bread – a pillowy loaf of tear-apart milk bread served with a cube of beurre noisette and a dish of hummus with vivid green pumpkin seed oil was just gorgeous. We loved the tender butter poached lobster tail with a tartlet topped with tiny discs of pumpkin to look like fish scales, and the iberica presa pork served perfectly pink with tiny grilled baby gem, carrot purée and a savoury jus – each dish looking like a little work of art. The wine list has some interesting by the glass options, with a Turkish sauvignon blanc being a particular surprise.

Desserts are fun – there’s a retro mint green ice cream trolley with a seasonal flavour (mince pie on our visit) and a lovely chocolate tart, dense and rich with crisp chocolate pastry and hazelnut praline. 74charlottestreet.com Janine Ratcliffe

Ria's, Soho

For deep-dish Detroit pizza

Ria’s is a cosy, laid-back spot selling fluffy Detroit-style pizza and natural wines. It's perfect for intimate dates and candle-lit catch-ups, full of charm and character. The latest Soho site is snug yet elegantly furnished, building on everything that made the Notting Hill original a hit, with exciting new slices and a sultry wine cave.

Ria’s ferments its dough for up to 72 hours, which gives it a deeper flavour and a deliciously chewy crust. Deep-dish pizza is filling but the pies at Ria’s never feel too much. Our favourite flavours were the House Pie and the Soho Chilli Crisp. The first had a red sauce base and a lip-smacking combination of ricotta, basil and lemon drizzle. The latter was laden with ’nduja, Lao Gan Ma crispy chilli oil, pickled shallots, spring onions and aged parmesan – tongue-tingling and tangy.

There is a great range of natural wine to sip alongside your slice at Ria's: we enjoyed a glass of Orange de Rias for its tropical brightness, and a glass of Herrigoia – a crunchy, easy-going red with tart cherry notes. There's also a small but sharp cocktail list, bottled beer and a good range of soft drinks.

If you’ve got room for dessert, treat yourself to a deep-fried Mars bar with soft serve vanilla ice cream. Sprinkled with a little bit of sea salt, it really is the ultimate treat. rias.world/soho Helen Salter

2210 by NattyCanCook, Herne Hill

For reimagined Caribbean food

As a Brixton resident I was extra excited about this opening. The Clink project at HMP Brixton inspired Nathaniel Mortley to turn his life around, launching a social media channel which led to residencies and now his permanent home in Herne Hill. Though born and raised in Peckham, Natty’s heritage is Bajan, Jamaican and Guyanese, thus he spotlights flavours and ingredients from the region in his elevated dishes.

We kicked off by dunking grilled roti triangles into whipped scotch bonnet butter. Next came crispy spring rolls stuffed with ackee and saltfish, and pork belly with crackling trim, spiced jus and puddles of scotch bonnet mayo. I recommend sharing the hearty mains, all served with a choice of aromatic jollof rice or spiced rice and peas. There’s a sophisticated take on jerk chicken with mango and pineapple salsa, a much talked-about lamb rump with tamarind jus, and pan-seared spiced duck breast served with a show-stealing confit leg croquette. My highlight was whole brill lifted with a lightly spiced plantain velouté, pickled plantain cubes and vibrant coriander pesto.

Don’t miss deep-fried apple crumble for dessert, presented in croquette form encasing spiced, pickled apple, with coffee chantilly cream and basil oil crème anglaise to lift. Cocktails pack a punch – signature rum punch is a popular choice, while margaritas are laced with scotch bonnet, and negronis infused with tangy sorrel.

It’s a family affair – Natty's delightful godmother Cecilia was our server, his mum is his accountant and an old school friend helps out front of house. This, paired with the throwback soundtrack causing us to wiggle along in our plush grey chairs, ensures that good vibes prevail. I’m already planning a trip back for the Sunday roast, with the promise of scotch chimichurri roasties, followed by a brisk walk in neighbouring Brockwell Park. 2210bynattycancook.com Alex Crossley

ALTA, Soho

For sophisticated northern Spanish cuisine

There’s a focus on northern Spanish cuisine at this large, sophisticated addition to Soho’s Kingly Court. The two-floor space combines industrial warehouse features (large windows, exposed ceilings) with earthy touches – rough stone walls, textured wood and soft lighting. At the helm is Rob Roy Cameron, a chef well versed in the region thanks to years as Albert Adria’s right-hand man.

We were advised to order four to five snacks and starters to share between two. The highlight was a set of five rich, smoked Txistorra pork sausages charred on the grill and doused in aged PX vinegar, closely followed by a striking sardine and wine-soaked raisin empanada neatly encased in a puff pastry blanket, the fish head and tail peeking out for show. Sharing mains are cooked on the wood-fired open grill, providing a theatrical focal point on the restaurant’s ground floor. Think 35-day aged sirloin and ribeye, pork chops and Basque classic turbot. Must-order salt-baked Charlotte potatoes are finished in the pan, topped with a disc of mojo verde butter that slowly melts into the hot, crispy flesh. Desserts are by no means an afterthought – finish with dark chocolate ganache lifted with olive oil and salt, topped with sourdough ice cream and charred Italian meringue. The drinks menu is strong – Basque 75 is a pétillant combination of txakoli, oak-aged vodka, verjus, orange blossom and oloroso sherry, while a considerable selection of vermouths and sherry are a welcome feature alongside natural wines. alta-restaurant.com

som saa, Shoreditch

For Thai food

After a fire devastated its kitchen early in 2025, som saa has reopened with its same regional Thai authenticity and buzzy vibes, but with a few new angles and a bit more bar-snack energy – recalibrations the team introduced after months to reflect and refresh.

We started where the menu now gently nudges you to start: the nibbly bits. Tua phrik krob — deep-fried cashews with makrut lime leaf and dried chilli — are toasty, fragrant and entice you to keep reaching back into the bowl. Nang gai thort, crisp chicken skin with sriracha, makes you yearn to recreate it at home from the family roast.

From there, the table builds itself. Gai yaang (BBQ chicken) comes off the grill juicy and lightly charred, with a tamarind jaew dip that keeps the sweet-sour heat tidy. Yum sanat, a warm northern salad of grilled pork, aubergine and herbs, has that lovely Thai balancing act: smoky meat, soft veg, bright herbs, a little roasted rice nuttiness. Dtom juet — clear soup of shiitake, samphire, kajon flowers and tofu skin — is the reset button in the middle of all that spice.

Curries and braises keep the meal anchored. Mu parlow (five-spice soy-braised pork with fermented chilli sauce and a soy-cured egg) is glossy, savoury comfort, while gaeng gari yort mapraow orn — tofu with heart of coconut palm — brings an aromatic, gently sweet warmth. A side of sticky rice feels less like an option and more like the point.

Olive tip: Start with four or five small dishes, then add a curry and rice. If the daily som dtam is on, order it — it sharpens everything around it. somsaa.com Keith Kendrick

Cô Thành, Covent Garden

For Vietnamese noodles

On visiting Ho Chi Minh in 2013, Hong Kong based Brian Woo was transfixed by local Nguyễn Thị Thanh's street stand, returning daily for her rotating noodle soups. He befriended the ‘Lunch Lady’, training with her for three years before opening a restaurant in her name in Hong Kong. Now Cô Thành comes to Covent Garden, taking the elegant former Frenchie site and adding a vibrant Vietnamese canteen sheen – mirrored tabletops, signage popping from exposed brick walls and colourful plastic stools outside.

Sharing starters include minced beef wrapped in betel leaf, sausage skewers glistening in tamarind glaze and beer battered chicken wings with sweet, spicy fish sauce. Next comes an extensive list of noodle soups, my highlight being fragrant bún bò huế, the broth sweetened with pineapple that tenderises the rare beef and beef shank slices along with springy meatballs, fresh herbs and shredded morning glory. Seafood-packed bún Thái has a tom yum edge thanks to tamarind, galangal and ginger, while bún mám packs a fermented umami punch, and bún riêu’s crab base is ideal for thinner vermicelli noodles. We were recommended to drop a couple of unique yellow chillies into our broth, allow them to infuse their floral fragrant spicy kick and then remove.

Dinky desserts punch above their weight, from kem chuối inspired coconut and banana ice cream lifted with lime zest, to tiramisu laced with rum and dark roast coffee that caramelises into the mascarpone. Dipping deep-fried sponge fritters into Vietnamese drip cà phê took me right back to Hanoi’s quirky coffee shops. Next time I’ll be trying the clarified bloody mary style cocktail, Vietnamese Maria, for a savoury pick-me-up. cothanhrestaurant.com/london Alex Crossley

The Salusbury, Queens Park

For modern European cooking in a neighbourhood restaurant setting

Half pub, half dining room, The Salusbury brings a confident new energy to leafy north-west London. We visited on a busy Friday night, the bar buzzing with chatter and that end-of-week cheer. Step through to the dining room, though, and the volume drops – it feels like a little pocket of calm tucked just off the action.

Modern European cooking leads the charge and the kitchen delivers. We kicked off with the du jour snack, parmesan churros, and these were easily the best version we’ve tried: crisp, savoury and impossible not to leave even a crumb behind. A silky Dorset crab linguine with a peppery cacio e pepe kick had us chasing every last strand, helped along by warm rosemary focaccia that’s clearly made with care.

Generous portions continue into the mains. Roast cod came piled high with mussels and sweet leeks in a bowl-sipping cider broth, while Somerset chicken arrived succulent and bronzed with golden gnocchi, sweetcorn and girolles.

Desserts hold their own too – the salted caramel tart has just the right wobble and a perfectly judged sweetness. A polished, promising new neighbourhood staple. thesalusbury.co.uk Barney Desmazery

Khao-Sō-i, Soho

For fiery Northern Thai cuisine

London doesn’t lack for Thai restaurants but at Khao-Sō-i – named after the curry noodle dish of Chiang Mai – chef Win Srinavakool has created a menu shaped by the flavours of northern Thailand, with smoke from a wood-fired grill and bold (okay, hot) spice.

We began with moo ping: wafer-thin Norfolk pork belly skewers grilled over wood with a sticky, caramelised edge and a deep, savoury warmth. Tum khanun – young jackfruit salad tossed with northern herbs – whacks your tastebuds with refreshing and tingling heat and zest.

It’s a perfect spot for an after-work or after-shopping catch-up, buzzing with chatter, the throb of music and the theatre of the open grill. The main event is the namesake khao soi. We tried it two ways: gai (chicken) and bai pye (torched beef chuck eye). The pleasure is in shaping it. Each bowl arrives with coconut cream, chilli flakes, herbs and crisp noodles on the side, so you build your own version: richer, hotter, crunchier, or all of the above, before you pull the noodles from the creamy spiced broth and slurp like no one’s watching.

There’s an extensive drinks list but ice-cold Neckstamper pale ale is the way to go to douse the fire and cleanse your palate before diving in to luxurious cha thai cheesecake or bai toey ice cream with cloud-like cubes of brioche.

Olive tip: If you go as a two-some order separate dishes and share. You’ll want to experience as much of the menu as possible. khaosoilondon.com Keith Kendrick

Il Bambini Club, Hoxton

For Italian food in beautiful surroundings

Walk into the main entrance of The Hoxton hotel and you are immediately swept into the chic world of Il Bambini Club. The room is warmly lit and beautifully furnished – think curved banquette seating, colourful stripes and florals, and giant fringed lampshades. A big open kitchen runs along one side, which adds to the appealing buzz.

We tucked ourselves into one of the comfy booths and kicked things off with pair of cocktails – a rosso spritz with Martini Riserva, cherry and sparkling red, and a punchy vesper martini.

The concise menu is trattoria-style. Antipasti of zingy yellowfin tuna tartare came heaped on a pile of crushed avocado, and a whole burrata was served with a juicy panzanella salad (for smaller appetites these would make a perfect lunch or light dinner). After consulting our waiter went for piatti (mains) of meatballs cloaked in a rich tomato sauce with dollops of whipped ricotta and a roasted sea bass – the sweet flesh cut with bitter escarole and capers. From a mostly Italian wine list the chilled Nero d’Avola is great value at £9 a glass – a lovely partner to the food or light enough to drink as an aperitivo.

For dessert we shared the very generous tiramisu – creamy and light with a decent kick of espresso and booze. It gave us an excuse to linger, have one more drink and enjoy the cosy vibes of the beautiful room. bambini-restaurant.com Janine Ratcliffe

The Elizabeth, Belgravia

For cosy bistro vibes

This exciting opening sees legendary chef Anthony Demetre, who pioneered modern British cooking at restaurants like Arbutus and Wild Honey, overseeing the new menu.

Stepping into the intimate dining room, all leather banquettes and dark wood panelling, felt like entering a Parisian-style bistro. We loved the cosy feel, especially as we were able to get a sneak peek at our neighbour’s dishes to help ordering.

The concise menu follows a three-course style which felt refreshing in this age of sharing plates. From starters we chose a Demetre classic, pâté en croûte. Layers of guinea fowl, pork and duck in a crisp pastry shell which came in a generous slab with a dollop of pickled walnut ketchup. After consulting our server we went for mains with an autumnal feel – a steamed Cornish sea bream with a piquant diced piperade and a rich bouillabaisse sauce poured tableside for drama, and a meltingly tender duck confit with comforting stew of chickpeas, spinach and oregano.

There’s a pleasingly retro cocktail list – I tried the zingy Lemondrop and my non-drinking guest was given a Juke of Westminster – a non alcoholic wine shrub posing as a glass of red. There’s also a great selection of wines by the glass starting at £7.50.

We did end up sharing a dessert of perfectly executed crème brûlée with a rich vanilla spiked custard and shatteringly crisp crust which was a lovely light way to end dinner.

olive tip: There’s an amazing value set menu at lunch and early dinner (two courses for £25 or three for £29.50) – on our visit it included Cumbrian beef tartare with ’nduja mayo and beef dripping toast; chicken with pearl barley, morteau and duxelles; and a pear tart with clotted cream. theelizabethsw1.co.uk Janine Ratcliffe

Platapian, Soho

Of the many surprising dishes at Platapian, the Soho Thai restaurant from the people behind Patara, one especially stood out: cabbage roasted until soft yet still with bite, the wedges dressed with fish sauce and whole chillies to deliver a sweet-salty heat that works beautifully with the vegetable’s faint sourness.

But it’s by no means the only eyebrow-raiser in this stylish, sleek space on one of London’s busiest streets. We started with crispy chicken skin with a squeeze of lime – think gourmet pork scratchings. Stuffed snub nose chilli stuffed with minced chicken and prawn is big enough to share, plump and aromatic, and, despite its name, only mildly hot. Then a pandan-leaf wrapped parcel of miang kham scallop, beautifully silky and smoky.

Mains kept the balance between comfort and freshness. Short rib beef in five-spice ‘paloh’ with grated salted egg yolk is the stand-out. Flake-apart meat in a rich gravy was positively swoon-worthy. While southern-style yellow curry with crab, mellow and light, saucy with coconut, was a hug in a bowl. Together they showed how Platapian’s menu celebrates the whole of Thai cuisine.

From the drinks list, Tom Yum-tini and a whisky sour are smart, punchy and in simpatico with the elegance of the restaurant, while desserts use Thai ingredients to twist familiar Western dishes, such as a smooth pandan crème brûlée.

olive tip: When we went on a Thursday night, Platapian was packed, buzzing and loud – so if you want to talk ask for a counter seat near the front. pataralondon.com Keith Kendrick

Taco Bros, East Finchley

For taco lovers who’ll cross town for them

Taco Bros is the sort of neighbourhood place you wander into for something simple and good, then find yourself staying longer than planned, thinking, okay, we’ll order another round. Taco Bros grew from a taco truck and still carries that scrappy charm, though the new bricks and mortar space has its own warmth. Family photos, bright ceiling decorations and the hum of early evening give it the feel of a home kitchen that happens to pour margaritas.

I started with the guacamole, which arrived with a heap of crisp tortilla chips and a bowl of green that kept a little of its rustic chunkiness, the sort that feels properly made by hand rather than fussed with.

The fish tacos took me straight back to their market days: batter shatter-crisp, slaw bright, tortillas full of flavour. The lamb birria came with a jus that was rich and intensely fatty in the most comforting way, sharpened by white onion and lime. Even the chicken enchiladas felt like a quiet hug, all smoke and gentle heat.

The margarita list is long and playful. I went for mango, sweet and sunny, though I found myself wishing it was a touch more sour. There’s a full spread of Mexican soft drink brand Jarritos too, including flavours I’d never seen before. I finished with churros, hot and crisp with enough dulce de leche to make me grateful for the walk home. tacobrosldn.co.uk

Legado, Shoreditch

For regional Spanish cuisine in a contemporary setting

At Nieves Barragán Mohacho (chef-owner of Michelin-starred Sabor)’s regional Spanish restaurant, a bar complete with Estrella Galicia’s signature ceramic taps welcomes guests into the contemporary space. A wine rack spans almost an entire exposed brick wall and prime kitchen pass seats watch over chefs adding finishing touches to no fewer than nine menu sections.

We were advised to order three to four dishes each, including two starters, a rice dish and a dessert to share. Things kicked off strong with pan tomate – the olive oil doused tomato toast elevated with dry-cured beef – and tempura-coated piquillo peppers filled with creamy goat’s cheese. Seafood highlights included glistening pan-fried squid stuffed with girolles set on a rich squid ink bisque and tiny fried camarones coated in glossy egg yolk. The ibérico lagarto pork atop rice cooked in earthy mushroom stock is a menu must-order, while sliced tomatoes topped with red mullet bottarga and shaved cured blue fin tuna heart were a surprise highlight.

Dessert left us gleeful – saffron honey ice cream quenelle with white chocolate mousse and caramelised pistachios – and we’ll be back to try the Segovian sponge cake. Unique 3-sip amuse-bouche cocktails are served in quirky cups – Spanish bitter aperitif Bonanto is balanced with sharp, sweet rhubarb. To follow, there are multiple sangria options, plenty of Spanish-style gin tonics (re:strong!) and a regional wine and sherry list including my favourite albariño grape from Rías Baixas.

olive tip: I would usually order suckling pig if on the menu, and the one at Sabor is epic, but we opted for the more manageable (for two) half pig’s head, deep-fried and sprinkled with jamón powder, which we pulled apart to find juicy treasures. legadorestaurants.com Alex Crossley

Canal, Westbourne Park

Tucked down a cobbled mews between Notting Hill and Maida Vale, and built into the new Mason & Fifth hotel-apartment complex, Canal is one of London’s most exciting recent openings. Its towpath perch on the Grand Union Canal sets a modern, urban stage for food that’s both precise and packed with flavour.

Provenance is proudly front and centre – sourdough comes from Layla, while charcuterie like jamón and Mangalitza sausages arrive from Coombeshead Farm. The menu is cleverly pitched so there’s something for everyone. A fat diner-style cheeseburger bucks the smashburger trend and feels all the better for it, while scallops arrive plump and caramelised, served in their shells with ’nduja butter begging to be mopped up with that sourdough. Crab on toast is so fresh it tastes like it’s just left the boat, and chicken with sweetcorn and girolles might be the most impressive chicken breast you’ll eat this year. Desserts are just as memorable – a tiramisu that’s unapologetically boozy, and a brown butter almond cake with sour cherries that’s indulgent yet balanced. With seasoned owners and staff who know their craft, Canal feels confident from the start – we can’t wait to return. mason-fifth.com Barney Desmazery

The Lavery

For modern European cooking inside a Grade II-listed townhouse

The Lavery is an elegant space in smart South Kensington, where you can expect chic yet understated Georgian interiors: high ceilings, wooden floors, beautiful fireplaces and floor-to-ceiling windows. The menu and service are as chic as the interiors – no surprise given that the kitchen is led by Yohei Furuhashi, former chef at River Café, Petersham Nurseries and Toklas. His menu showcases Mediterranean seasonality while incorporating ingredients from the British Isles.

Starters strike a beautiful balance of fresh flavours, from grilled squid with fresh borlotti, rocket and chilli to Honeymoon melon with shaved courgette and almonds. Standout mains include Scottish sea trout baked in fig leaves and sea salt served with pea, fennel and basil aïoli, and linguine with lobster in tomato and vodka sauce. Desserts are worth lingering over, from a feather-light bean chocolate mousse to the perfect almond tart accompanied by strawberries and cream. You’ll be well looked after from the moment you arrive to the last lick of the dessert spoon. For excellent value, visit for the three-course set lunch menu for £38 per person. thelavery.co.uk Lily Barclay

Noisy Oyster, Shoreditch

For modern bistro dishes

Noisy Oyster is a new opening from the team behind Soho’s Firebird – a sleek modern bistro with a focus on sustainable seafood and killer martinis. The room is an airy, industrial space with shiny, steel-topped tables and huge open windows leading onto a large buzzy terrace.

Kick things off with one of the cult icy-cold mini martinis – the Oyster, made with Sapling gin, Otto’s vermouth and an oyster leaf garnish is great paired with a smoked tomato water and oyster dressed with crème fraîche. From the playful menu, small plate wins include a raw scallop crudo topped with zingy pickled raspberries and basil oil, and a dish of rich, creamy stracciatella topped with anchovies and almond pesto (don’t forget to order the light, puffy focaccia to spoon this onto). Guinness bread topped with a generous slick of whipped butter and piled with Yarra Valley red caviar is the obvious Instagrammable dish but still delicious.

Standout larger plates include a crunchy breaded hake with a seasonal peach panzanella, and monkfish skewers with XO sauce, topped with a melting, paper-thin slice of lardo. We tried a twist on rum baba for dessert soaked in fig leaf bourbon and served with crème anglaise and strawberries but the soft-serve Jersey ice cream topped with caviar is intriguing enough for a repeat visit. noisyoysterlondon.co.uk Janine Ratcliffe

Lai Rai, Peckham

For modern Vietnamese

Meet friends for fuss-free snacks and cold beers at this dinky new-school Vietnamese. With the name Lai Rai meaning ‘little by little’, the space is a homage to Vietnamese canteens, with a buttery colour palette, neon lighting and slick red stools. By day it serves bánh mì and Vietnamese coffee, by evening the menu evolves into playful twists on familiar Vietnamese flavours – you won't find any bowls of pho here.

Smaller plates include crunchy prawn lollies on sugarcane stalks and a light, multicoloured papaya jellyfish salad with lumps of pineapple, charred tomatoes, fresh Viet herbs and peanuts, mopped clean with charred bánh mì chunks. Larger dishes feature a twice-cooked chicken leg atop a herby dressing and grilled betel leaf beef, bathed in a smoky pool of house-made coffee barbecue jus.

Vietnamese-inspired cocktails include the Xoài Kick, a bracing mix of tequila, mango, red chillies and fruit salt, and a Viet coffee-laced vodka martini. Finish with a scoop of freshly churned ice cream made by small south London manufacturer Clingy Wrap, with unique flavours such as fish sauce vanilla caramel and kumquat cucumber sorbet. If you're looking for something altogether unexpected, you’ll find it here. lairai.london Helen Salter

SINO, Notting Hill

For Ukrainian fine dining

Sino means “hay” in Ukrainian, but the word goes much deeper to encapsulate the country’s agricultural roots. At their contemporary fine-dining restaurant on All Saints Road, Ukrainian duo Polina Sychova and Eugene Korolev weave this concept into everything they do, from the menu to striking ceiling installation and handcrafted crockery. Interiors are soft, natural and warm – brushed clay walls, beige banquettes and linen drapes dressing the windows.

Chef Eugene combines his Michelin-starred experience and Ukrainian heritage to revamp traditional dishes – bitesize potato and sorrel waffles stacked with sorrel-flecked soured cream and smoked pike roe; chicken kyiv presented in a bonbon-style sphere bursting with wild garlic butter alongside bison grass mash; and beef cheek dumplings bathing in oxtail broth spiced with star anise, fragrant with lemon verbena and umami-rich thanks to smoked mushroom garum. Don’t miss tartare-style marinated aubergine served with Kyyrma smoked cheese flatbread and spiced adjika dip to start. Elevated desserts include a riff on honey cake; its layers of honey and buckwheat flour crowned with buckwheat chocolate in a moat of whipped walnut sauce. Eastern European wines hail from Kyiv, Georgia’s Kakheti region and the Black Sea, while Ana Reznik’s cocktails play on nostalgic flavours from a childhood in Ukraine. sinorestaurant.co.uk Alex Crossley

Tatar Bunar, Shoreditch

For Ukrainian cuisine

Southern Ukrainian cuisine is in the spotlight at this likeable new restaurant from Ukrainian restaurateurs Alex Cooper and Anna Andriienko. Named after Alex’s hometown of Tatarbunary, the menu is inspired by old family traditions and his grandmother’s recipes, as well as the richness of Bessarabian produce. There’s also a wine list packed with Ukrainian producers. Interiors are a soothing lush blend of creamy neutrals and natural textures with materials sourced from Eastern Europe such as reclaimed Carpathian wood and Bessarabian stone, with ceramics from Kyiv artist Svetlana Sholomitska.

We start with forshmak: chunky dollops of finely chopped herring pâté on onion bread, the oily richness balanced by a disc of pink pickled onion and smoked soured cream. Bryndza, a crumbly, tangy, feta-like sheep’s milk cheese is topped with luscious slices of sweet tomato and sprat fillets for a caprese-like dish with an Eastern Europe spin. On the heartier side, banush – cornmeal and cream porridge – is velvety, cheesy and comforting, topped with meaty wild mushrooms. Mains come from the grill: we tried charred, juicy lamb chop served with yogurt, flavoursome pickled tomatoes and a bright and spicy sauce made with red peppers, the latter of which also accompanies tender, delicate grilled rabbit. Desserts are robust and rib-sticking. Crème brûlée comes with a secret surprise inside – a sturdy steamed varenyk dumpling filled with soft cheese – while crêpes come with three individual fillings: poppy seed sauce, blackcurrant jam and cottage cheese, all swimming in creamy custard.

Tatar Bunar is generous to a fault – portions are sizeable, the glasses of wine are large and the flavours are bold and unapologetic. A refreshing addition to London's restaurant scene. @tatarbunar.london Hannah Guinness

Lupa, Highbury

For a neighbourhood Italian

This cute neighbourhood corner spot is inspired by the osterias of Rome – where co-owner Ed Templeton lived for a time – with their comforting, simple dishes and casual, friendly atmosphere. The bright, breezy room feels fresh but keeps lots of the original charm intact, including the beautiful, almost floor to ceiling original windows.

Chef Naz Hassan's menu is concise and a table of four could happily order most of the menu. Kick off with a punchy martini, heady with Malfy gin and fig leaf liqueur, and a snack of courgette flower stuffed with burrata, deep-fried and served on an umami courgette purée boosted with dashi. There are some pasta greatest hits – try the cacio e pepe with handmade pici in a generous slick of peppery, cheesy sauce.

Mains include a thick slice of porchetta stuffed with apricot, gorgeously burnished with deep, crunchy crackling – order the creamy green vignarola veg as a perfect accompaniment. There are only two puddings but the tiramisu delivers – feather light and creamy with a proper kick of booze. Punters may book hoping to see a glimpse of co-owner Theo James (of White Lotus fame) but they’ll come back for the spot-on cooking. lupa.restaurant Janine Ratcliffe

Osteria Angelina, Shoreditch

For Italian and Japanese fusion

Angelina in Dalston offers a unique fusion of Italian and Japanese cooking. This new offshoot caters to a more casual set-up, with tasting menus swapped out for a pick-and-mix of Italian-Japanese dishes and an open kitchen and pasta studio to be viewed from marble-topped tables.

Small plates are split into pane (hello nori-flecked focaccia), insalate including Usman's magic mirin and star anise tricolore tomato salad, crudos, such as tuna belly with citrussy ponzu and wasabi, and fritti featuring courgette flowers stuffed with creamy miso and caramelised onion ricotta, topped with hazelnut furikake for extra crunch. Pastas are a highlight – the menu advises to order a couple and we agree. Kombu and truffle laced tortellini contrasts slow-cooked duck ragu and crunchy lotus flower pieces on folds of fazzoletti. Larger grill dishes include umami-rich grilled chicken in taro sauce slathered in miso butter, best paired with okonomiyaki-style shoestring fries. Finish with bruléed black sesame cheesecake or cheese panna cotta topped with caviar for a savoury burst.

Playful combinations continue on the drinks list – Riso and Rosmarino pairs cynar and rosemary with sake and cucumber, while smoked pineapple and Sicilian smoked cactus distillate create a zippy Shinjuku Albatross. Lesser spotlighted regional Italian wines sit alongside sakes and a selection of digestifs including grappas and Japanese whiskies. angelina.london/osteria Alex Crossley

Town, Covent Garden

Stevie Parle's latest swishy, provenance-focused restaurant

Any restaurant menu that opens with an extensive snack selection is on the money for London 2025: fried sage leaves with heather honey and chilli are a cocktail’s perfect partner. At Town, the new venue from Stevie Parle and Jonathan Downey the vibe is very much a modern take on early James Bond cool and classy. There’s a standalone bar (cocktails by Kevin Armstrong of Satan’s Whiskers fame, 3 choices of martini natch) which draws the eye on one side, while the space age pass to the kitchen is ringed in glowing baize green and every bit of detail from the ceiling to the frosted glasses shouts ‘attention’.

The provenance of produce is equally hot. Wildfarmed beef is raised for the restaurant and served wine-cured with crunchy candied walnuts and posh ‘cheese whizz’, as steaks or in fat form as the cooking medium for pink fir potatoes. There are Seasalter clams swimming in sherry or as a main, curried with cod; Isle of Mull scallops with smoked chilli butter and Kentish asparagus swathed in Mangalista lardo. Kasmiri saffron risotto is served with bone marrow to be scooped out and stirred through, mighty rich in flavour and a show-off on the plate. Buttermilk pudding with roasted nespole (loquats) or a scoop of Todoli lemon and Thai basil sorbet make a refreshing end. There is of course an excellent wine list. town.restaurant Lulu Grimes

Kerfield Arms, Camberwell

Popular NE London pub team heads south of the river

The team behind Islington favourite The Baring has kept things stripped back and simple at their new south London pub. The Victorian-era building boasts plenty of space to play with – for now, a bar with independent brews on tap divides a casual area dedicated to drinkers and walk-ins and a dining room for the full shebang, with the promise of outdoor seating and a private dining room next to the first-floor kitchen to come.

To kick things off, a silky house martini combines olive oil fat washed Sapling gin and fennel-infused vermouth, while cherry blossom liqueur and sparkling rosé add spring flourish to a French 75. Order a portion of fried pizza dough fingers to scoop up taramasalata while you peruse the menu of seasonal stars. In the inaugural shish kebab, melting squiggles of squid and lardo slivers are barbecued on a skewer and served in spiced pul biber butter along with shaved fennel and whispy monk’s beard. Half a beefy smoked Marmande tomato, topped with cubes of smoked ricotta and pangrattato crumb, is balanced in a moat of zippy tomato consommé. For mains, grilled monkfish comes with tiny waxy Jersey Royals and friarielli greens in a rich shrimp bisque, while four pink, succulent Yorkshire hogget chops are nestled into a plate of violet artichokes, plump broad beans, creamy bagna cauda and rich hogget reduction. The short but strong dessert menu includes strawberry and chamomile custard doughnuts and chocolate olive oil mousse with rustic brownie and crème fraîche. thekerfieldarms.co.uk Alex Crossley

Pyro, London Bridge

Greek restaurant where smoke and fire do the talking

Just a few minutes from Borough Market is Pyro, a light-filled, open-kitchen spot where smoke and fire do the heavy lifting. Headed up by Yiannis Mexis, formerly of Hide, the Greek menu leans into open-flame cooking with balance and control.

Potato pita is essential: pillowy, dotted with onion seeds and perfect for scooping up cooling tzatziki or smoky aubergine topped with walnuts and pomegranate. A pork pluma skewer is rich, roasted and herb-packed, expertly balanced with sour apple. Sea bream crudo, by contrast, is light and bright – green olive and caper leaf add savoury lift, while precisely diced chillies lend occasional, welcome heat. The octopus is soft and lightly charred, paired with a spiced red wine sauce and silky yellow split pea. Lamb, cooked over alder wood, is standout – tender, subtly sweet, served with lamb-fat flatbreads and an anchovy-spiked yogurt. Sides more than pull their weight: crisp layered potatoes with garlicky skordalia and a confidently simple lettuce salad. Portokalopita, soaked with citrus syrup and served with a perfumed citrus leaf ice cream, ends things on a bright note. Pyro is a restaurant that lets fire do the talking but knows when to let something stay cool, crisp or raw. It’s considered and deeply satisfying. pyrorestaurant.co.uk Lydia Anderson

The Knave of Clubs, Shoreditch

Lovingly restored pub with rotisserie kitchen

The Knave of Clubs is back on the East End pub scene with a proper old-school flourish. Originally serving the bird market traders on Club Row in the 1880s, this local continued life as an East End boozer until the 1990s when it underwent a full transformation into French restaurant Les Trois Garçons for a decade or so. The pub has been lovingly restored on the ground floor, huge wall mirrors have been unearthed and polished, the bar revamped and a toastie, oyster, snack and rotisserie chicken menu installed. The driving force behind this redo are Benjy Leibowitz (ex NYC’s NoMad), James Dye (The Camberwell Arms) and Patrick Powell (ex Allegra) all of whom are committed to the local feel of the pub – it’s one big room with the rotisserie kitchen at the end open. You can book for lunch (advised, it’s popular) and evenings are walk-in, dogs are welcome and the vibe is buzzy. Try the prawn scotch eggs and venison sausage rolls to start. There's only one dessert, a very good chocolate mousse. theknaveofclubs.co.uk Lulu Grimes

Bubala, King's Cross

Popular Middle Eastern small plate restaurant opens its third site

The third spot from Marc Summers (Berber & Q) boasts its very own wood-fired oven, as well as a bright, light-filled space and high ceilings – unlike its cosier counterparts in Soho and Shoreditch – and with shelves adorned with pickle jars and greenery.

Trust that ‘Bubala Knows Best’ with the vegetarian or vegan set menus. Start with a pickle plate – three types all in different brines – closely followed by the superlative dips. The beyond silky baba ganoush comes with a well of curry leaf oil and toasted pine nuts, alongside a sleek fava bean dip with vadouvan. Smoky laffa bread is fresh off the grill and wonderfully charred. The oyster mushroom skewer with tamari and coriander seed is a stand-out dish with umami meatiness that will convince even the staunchest mushroom naysayers. Crisp falafel with a vibrant green centre is served with tangy mango pickle amba and sumac onions. Even something as simple as a side salad is injected with Bubala flair – oak and mustard leaves with onion, pomegranate molasses and mint is a refreshing complement to the deep-fried falafel, charred, smoky vegetables and creamy dips. Wash it all down with a spicy margarita rimmed with flecks of char from the grill. bubala.co.uk Emily Marten

Dove, Notting Hill

A Jackson Boxer revamp into a true neighbourhood gem

Jackson Boxer's latest venture is a revamp on the same site as seafood restaurant Orasay – a place the chef wants to be familiar and accessible but still feel special and playful.

This is evident in the menu, where comforting classics are peppered with pops of intrigue, such as octopus gildas to start alongside fino sherry and tonic. The springy, deep-fried potato pizzette comes laden with folds of mortadella and a huge burrata ball, while the yuzu-laced tuna tostada makes a lighter option.

Next, four helmeted grilled Atlantic prawns in a zippy smoked garlic and black lime butter and Iberiko tomatoes drizzled in spicy chilli oil and soured cream. The must-order (if you can, only 10 are made for each service) is an umami-rich hunk of a burger formed from 50-day, dry-aged beef rib cap, brisket and chuck, flame-grilled with gorgonzola dolce and champagne-braised Lyonnaise onions so caramelised and melded together in a glazed potato roll… best accompanied with crunchy duck fat chips. Those too late are rewarded instead with steamed hake and Romana courgette in a rich champagne broth or sharing cuts such as wood-roast chicken in Café de Paris butter, 30-day Tamworth pork double loin chop and 50-day Highland beef sirloin chop.

Finish with a retro-chic fior di latte soft serve doused in peppery olive oil with chewy oat cookies on the side. Paired with Orasay’s original interiors, elegant yet unfussy in style with earthy-hued linens and exposed brick walls, this next iteration takes Dove into true neighbourhood haunt territory. dove.london Alex Crossley

Crunch, Soho

Smash-hit sandwiches go upmarket in this slick new all-day Soho spot

Landing on the buzzy corner of Dean Street and Old Compton Street, Crunch brings its cult-followed Spitalfields sandwiches to a permanent Soho address – and the result is part elevated sandwich shop, part stainless steel lined sandwich theatre. The vibe is sleek but casual, with polished metal counters, high stools and a front-row view of the sandwich station, where flat iron steaks hit the grill and brioche buns get that signature toast.

The menu is concise but clever – the main event is the Soho-exclusive steak sandwich, a decadent, juicy, grass-fed beef patty in golden, crisp-edged brioche. Don’t skip sides: the thousand-layer crispy potatoes with bloody mary ketchup are addictive, and the lasagne bites are punchy, deep-fried delights. For something sweet, the deep-fried french toast made from brioche offcuts, custard-soaked and topped with apple, chocolate chunks and dulce de leche, is reason enough to linger.

The service is fast and friendly, perfect for solo diners perched at the bar or a quick lunch with a friend. A breakfast menu is on the way, too – worth keeping an eye on for early morning indulgence. sandwichuprising.com

Best new London restaurant openings in late 2024

Babbo, St John's Wood

Smart yet relaxed Italian dining, serving updated trattoria classics with finesse

Tucked away in St John’s Wood, Babbo brings a refined yet welcoming modern touch to classic Italian trattoria fare. The space is elegant yet relaxed, striking the right balance between sophistication and comfort. Service is warm and efficient, making it the kind of place for both special occasions and relaxed midweek dinners.

The meal begins with a generous bread basket – five types, all fresh and warm from the oven. Starters include perfectly cooked zucchini fritti and a clever take on veal tonnato, studded with hazelnuts for added depth and texture. The lobster spaghetti is rich with a deeply flavoured bisque base and vibrant tomato notes, while the grilled lamb chops arrive perfectly pink and full of smoky char. On the side, potatoes al forno steal the show, extra crunchy and moreish. As well as a full menu Babbo also serves pizza which, although we didn’t try them on this visit, looked signature thin and crisp. From the desserts, tiramisu is the standout – light, creamy and classic. Pair it with a strong espresso or a glass of vin santo to finish.

With a well-balanced menu of updated Italian classics, Babbo offers some of the best trattoria-style cooking in London – refined, comforting and worth returning for. babborestaurant.co.uk Barney Desmazery

AngloThai, Marylebone

Thai flavours with British ingredients

AngloThai is the debut restaurant from husband and wife team John and Desiree Chantarasak, and marks the culmination of a nearly four-year site search after numerous highly successful pop-ups and residencies. Now the couple bring their unique vision for contemporary Thai-British cuisine to the historic Seymour Place in London’s vibrant Marylebone neighbourhood. À la carte by day and tasting menu by night, the menu is full of dishes that blend the bold flavours of Thailand with modern presentation and innovative techniques, while still respecting traditional cooking styles. It also adapts to the seasonal offerings of the British Isles, and is paired with a wine list that champions thoughtful producers and superior craftsmanship. This 44-cover restaurant was one of the hottest tables of 2024 and the momentum is carrying over to 2025, with AngloThai winning it's first Michelin star. anglothai.co.uk Janine Ratcliffe

Silva, Mayfair

For varied all-day dining

Silva, the Latin word for forest, carries this theme in its interiors with woodland friezes and natural tones in the airy dining room and snug bar. A compact, seasonal menu takes inspiration from the Med and Japan with a raw section designed to wake up the palate – wild sea bass crudo, jalapeño, yuzu and ginger dressing has delicate tang. Classic steak tartare is made hearty by topping a chunky potato waffle and a signature dish of crispy egg with girolle and parmesan sauce is also a generous starter.

Lighter mains like roasted cauliflower with butter beans and caponata or steamed halibut are balanced by the more robust Creedy Carver duck with coco beans and addictive rosemary and garlic roasties. Silva’s busy kitchen team, headed up by Slawomir Sawicki, can be seen through the street-facing windows below a pretty striped awning on the increasingly restaurant-focussed Bruton Place. Open all day from breakfast to dinner. silvarestaurant.co.uk

Leydi, Holborn Viaduct

Sharing plates from Istanbul

Leydi sees the return of the talented Selin Kiazim (previously Oklava) to London and brings with it the spirit of Istanbul, serving an all-day menu oozing with Turkish favourites but with Selin’s unique modern twist. Launched opposite the Old Bailey in an area in Farringdon with an abundance of history, the restaurant pays tribute to the vibrancy of Istanbul’s eating culture, featuring generous, celebratory Turkish food meant to be shared and savoured. The drinks menu boasts bespoke creations from Kevin Patnode, two-time winner of the best bartender in Turkey, in addition to a transcontinental wine list with a distinctive Turkish influence. With décor featuring plush banquettes, warm lighting and understated references to Istanbul’s architecture and interiors that can only be described as elegant, this intimate 90-cover dining room sets its sights on charming the capital. leydilondon.com Janine Ratcliffe

The Grill at The Hero, Maida Vale

Sustainably sourced meat and fish cooked over open fire

Find this beautiful dining room above one of west London’s busiest locals. While the pub serves great-value comfort food, like sausage and mash, and cheese and onion pie, The Grill’s focus is on sustainably sourced meat and fish cooked over open fire. Gutsy dishes like sweetbreads with lobster gravy make it a destination, alongside grilled monkfish tail, turbot, pork chop or ribeye with elevated sides of honeyed chicory, jerusalem artichokes and excellent chips. For the best experience, book a booth facing the open kitchen but, wherever you sit, the unique waiter station which stretches the entire length of the room, makes you feel part of the action. Wood panels and leather seating create a grown-up, calming atmosphere. theherow9.com/the-grill/ Christine Hayes

Wildflowers, Belgravia

Stylish restaurant and wine bar with a Med focus

Partners Laura Hart, whose background is in interior and floral design, and chef Aaron Potter, have created a space that’s welcoming and stylish in equal measure. Med-inspired dishes are cooked over coal in an open kitchen, cocktails are imaginative twists on classics (try a melon negroni or almost-dirty martini) and its understated design encourages you to relax and linger over your food. The menu includes little intrigues like Romeo & Juliets (cheese and quince one-bites) and the best versions of trending dishes like sugar pit pork chop, Galician ex-dairy ribeye with smoked bone marrow rice and fior di latte gelato – a soft serve that’s reminiscent of Wimpy, in the best possible way. Upstairs the light-filled wine bar offers a decent selection by the glass and Italian-style snacks, making it an ideal place to swing by when shopping at nearby King’s Road or Pimlico Road’s upscale interior design quarter. wildflowersrestaurant.co.uk Christine Hayes

Fonda, Heddon Street

For regional Mexican dishes

Santiago Lastra, chef-owner of Mexican fine dining restaurant Kol, brings a more informal option to Heddon Street. A fonda is a Mexican family-run inn, to which there are nods in the décor (earthy tones, handwoven fabrics and Mexican crafts), regional Mexican menu and homely touches, including a trio of salsas – smoky salsa macha, lively gooseberry salsa verde and fiery salsa roja – brought to the table for customers to apply to dishes as they wish.

Kick off with Yucatan ground pumpkin seed speciality sikil pak topped with vibrant green pine oil and deep-fried totopos. Specials include tuna belly crudo in soy, sesame and fermented gooseberry dressing; and quesadillas stuffed with Oaxacan-style cheese from Canterbury. The traditional clay comal is the kitchen’s focal point and the dedicated comal list includes Marmite beer-battered baja fish dressed with chipotle mayo, Hispi cabbage and pistachio guacamole. Costra is an elevated tribute to CDMX post-clubbing snacks – 30-day aged rib-eye topped with grilled spenwood and manchego infused with macha sauce.Moving on to sharing mains – black sesame, short rib stock and chocolate paste take centre stage in the rich, 60-ingredient short rib mole. Charred adobo-laced monkfish comes on soft Ratte potatoes doused in Arbol chilli infused butter. For dessert, Santi's American cheesecake topped with blackcurrant compote is a popular choice; steamed corn tamales are doused in butterscotch cream and silky chocolate sorbet laced with Oaxacan oak-smoked pasilla chilli oil is a surprising highlight.

Santiago’s commitment to sourcing British ingredients continues through to cocktails – think fresh gooseberry juice and rhubarb liqueur to add zing to margaritas; and rhubarb palomas rimmed with gooseberry salt. Honcho the sloth guides guests down to the basement dining room and agave bar for a mezcal night cap. fondalondon.com Alex Crossley

Three Little Darlings, Chelsea

'English bistro' with an all-day menu

Jason and Irha Atherton’s ‘English bistro’ is named for their three daughters. Its all-day menu appeals equally to families, to groups of friends and for date nights, with seasonal variations and sensible pricing to encourage regular visits.

Choose your spot on the covered terrace off Pavilion Road or take a seat in front of the pass and watch the chefs cooking on the Josper grill. Sharing small plates include woodfired fermented Orkney scallop with fermented miso; char siu Shorthorn short ribs; octopus with butter bean aïoli and Yukon Gold cooked in the embers with Lincolnshire Poacher – a posh twist on a cheesy baked potato.

The quality of ingredients elevates the experience and surprising twists are designed to delight: monkfish tail is served with a wedge of vibrant Baches citrus; and skate wing schnitzel with katsu sauce and lime. Desserts range from comforting to luxe – bun and butter pudding or soft serve topped with caviar. The wine-curious may be rewarded with a trip to the secret cellar. threedarlingslondon.com Christine Hayes

Stay tuned for more reviews of new restaurants in London

Reviews by Janine Ratcliffe, Christine Hayes, Lulu Grimes, Helen Salter, Hannah Guinness, Alex Crossley

Check out more London restaurant guides here:

Best restaurants in Soho: where to eat and drink

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:14:10 GMT

Looking for the best Soho restaurants? Check out our ideas for eating and drinking in Soho from Brewer Street to St Anne's Court, from Old Compton Street to Chinatown (find the full list of the best restaurants in Chinatown here).

For more London food recommendations, check out our reviews of the best restaurants in Covent Garden, best restaurants in Kings Cross, best restaurants in Mayfair, best restaurants in Marylebone and best restaurants in Paddington.

Best places to eat and drink in Soho

Ria's, Foubert's Place– for deep-dish Detroit pizza

Head to this cosy, laid-back spot for fantastic deep-dish Detroit-style pizza and natural wines. It's perfect for intimate dates and candle-lit catch-ups, full of charm and character. The latest Soho site is snug yet stylishly furnished, building on everything that made the Notting Hill original a hit, with exciting new slices and a low-lit wine cave.

Ria’s ferments its dough for up to 72 hours, which gives it a deeper flavour and a deliciously chewy crust. Deep-dish pizza is filling but the pies at Ria’s never feel too much. Our favourite flavours were the House Pie and the Soho Chilli Crisp. The first had a red sauce base and a devilishly delicious combination of ricotta, basil and lemon drizzle. The latter was laden with ’nduja, Lao Gan Ma crispy chilli oil, pickled shallots, spring onions and aged parmesan – tongue-tingling and tangy.

There is a great range of natural wine to sip alongside your slice: we enjoyed a glass of Orange de Rias for its tropical brightness, and a glass of Herrigoia – a crunchy, easy-going red with tart cherry notes. There's also a small but sharp cocktail list, bottled beer and a good range of soft drinks.

If you’ve got room for dessert, treat yourself to a deep-fried Mars bar with soft serve vanilla ice cream. Sprinkled with a little bit of sea salt, it really is the ultimate treat. rias.world/soho

Mamapen, Great Pulteney Street – London’s only Cambodian pops up in Soho

This lively pop-up is currently the only place to eat Cambodian in London. Chef Kaneda Pen’s classic and contemporary cooking is inspired by his mother, his love of BBQ and his Scottish partner. So sour pineapple curry with roasted sweet potato and pickled mango; and Khmer BBQ chicken with shaoxing teriyaki glaze with tuk trey koh kong dipping sauce, sit alongside braised beef tattie mince noodles with cucumber, spring onion and chilli. Lunchtime specials for takeout keep local workers happy. Find it until the end of the year in one of Soho’s busiest pubs. http://sunand13cantons.co.uk/cambodian-food-london

This small but mighty restaurant has carved its reputation as a Soho institution thanks to ten years of warm hospitality and top-notch cooking. Perch at the counter to get close to the lively action or take a seat at one of a handful of cosy tables in the back for a quieter evening.

Head chef Dan Murray takes influence from Southern Spain, North Africa and the Levant to create a succinct menu of dishes packed with texture and flavour. Think silky lamb croquette cubes topped with pickled walnut HP sauce, smacked baby cucumbers with pickled slices, green tahini, candied almond clusters and crispy chilli oil, and charcoal chicken slathered in chilli butter with yogurt and charred onion. Bookend with saffron-infused negronis alongside swirly Yemeni kubaneh bread and mezcal old fashioneds paired with bitesize cubes of pistachio baklava ice cream sandwich. thepalomar.co.uk

Marjorie's – for Parisian-style wine bar vibes

Though slap bang in the middle of Soho, this Parisian-inspired wine bar is tucked away, its happy punters spilling out onto the pavement giving neighbourhood feels. Upstairs is dominated by a large counter table where you can perch beside owner Michael and team as they pour wines.

A wooden dresser showcases the 100% French wine line-up, covering a diverse mixture of regions and styles. New bottles are opened each day to keep the ‘by the glass’ list interesting. There’s always a sparkling, three reds, three whites and two skin-contacts on rotation – that might be a pétillant, oak-aged chenin blanc from the Loire, a chilled beaujolais or a robust Crozes-Hermitage.

Downstairs, in full view of group tables in whitewashed alcoves, is where the open kitchen action happens under the guidance of Giacomo Peretti. After the obligatory baguette with French butter, up your amuse-bouche game with a savoury twist on the Ferrero Rocher – a Morello cherry rolled in chicken liver parfait and hazelnuts. Soft lamb tartare follows, studded with a pretty riot of summer vegetables – sliced radishes, peas, broad beans and edible flowers.

My highlight, spotted on a fellow foodie’s Instagram, was the ever so comforting poached chicken and nutty rice bathing in a rich, frothy brown butter emulsion. Order radicchio and leaves doused in floral orange blossom dressing to pair.

For dessert, a towering slice of puff pastry mille-feuille comes layered with silky crème diplomat and strawberries, while cocoa nib and hazelnut-flecked warm chocolate mousse was greedily spooned up like custard. marjorieslondon.co.uk

Khao-Sō-i, Market Place – for northern Thai cuisine

Olive tip: If you go as a two-some order separate dishes and share. You’ll want to experience as much of the menu as possible. khaosoilondon.com

Fonda, Heddon Street – for contemporary Mexican

Tucked just off Regent Street on Heddon Street, Fonda feels like a secret. Co-owned by Santiago Lastra of Kol, Fonda is a more relaxed cousin – casual yet quietly refined.

Start with the frozen margarita or a salt-rimmed, non-alcoholic paloma – refreshing, sharp, all edge and sparkle. The ceviche leans into fresh and floral: soft tuna, basil and tomato meet fresh cherry in a combination that’s quietly brilliant. The Baja taco is everything a fish taco should be – lacy crisp batter, tender cod you can actually taste and a pistachio mole that brings it all together. Octopus tacos layered with Ratte potatoes and bruléed bone marrow are deeply rich (ask for the pickled vegetables to cut through).

Finish with the mezcal rice pudding - silken, smoky and punctuated with cherries that burst and bloom. It’s a place to settle in, let the plates keep coming and forget the busy city just round the corner. fondalondon.com

ALTA, Kingly Court – for sophisticated northern Spanish cuisine

Northern Spanish cuisine is the focus at this large, sophisticated addition to Soho’s dining arcade. The two-floor space combines industrial warehouse features (large windows, exposed ceilings) with earthy touches – rough stone walls, textured wood and soft lighting. At the helm is Rob Roy Cameron, a chef well versed in the region thanks to years as Albert Adria’s right-hand man.

A set of five rich, smoked Txistorra pork sausages charred on the grill and doused in aged PX vinegar are the sharing snack highlight, closely followed by a striking sardine and wine-soaked raisin empanada neatly encased in a puff pastry blanket, the fish head and tail peeking out for show. Sharing mains (35-day aged sirloin and ribeye, pork chops and Basque classic turbot) are cooked on the wood-fired open grill, providing a theatrical focal point on the restaurant’s ground floor. Must-order salt-baked Charlotte potatoes are finished in the pan, topped with a disc of mojo verde butter that slowly melts into the hot, crispy flesh. Desserts are by no means an afterthought – finish with dark chocolate ganache lifted with olive oil and salt, topped with sourdough ice cream and charred Italian meringue. The drinks menu is strong – Basque 75 is a pétillant combination of txakoli, oak-aged vodka, verjus, orange blossom and oloroso sherry, while a considerable selection of vermouths and sherry are a welcome feature alongside natural wines. alta-restaurant.com

Ham Yard Hotel, Ham Yard – for a leisurely Sunday roast

Ham Yard Hotel’s ethos matches its bold name: expect bags of character, typical of all Firmdale Hotels, from co-owner Kit Kemp’s bright and colourful interiors, with patterned textiles, unique finds such as reclaimed African prints and plenty of original artwork.

The Long Lunch is Ham Yard’s take on a leisurely Sunday roast. Expect an elevated experience but in a relaxed and friendly setting – think musicians playing jazz and glasses of wine being poured from magnums. The sharing menu lets you choose your own roast (from lamb leg with braised shoulder to a smart monkfish wellington if you want to try something different) and then have endless sides for the table to share. Gooey Montgomery cheddar cauliflower cheese and impressively crisp roast potatoes were highlights that you’ll definitely be asking for more of.

As the lunch service goes on, you’ll spy the extravagant dessert trolley being loaded up and wheeled around to be served tableside. Make sure you save room for your choice of profiteroles (with a range of sauces to add), tiramisu, baked cheesecake and more. firmdalehotels.com

KILN, Brewer Street – for Thai food

Ben Chapman’s latest outpost has all the ingredients for yet another frustratingly brilliant Soho restaurant – small, no-reservation policy, sterling reviews. But, it’s worth any queue. Grab a spot at the pass, where the flames of the charcoal fires will keep you as warm as the spices from the confidently succinct, regional Thai menu.

As well as delivering on atmosphere, Kiln actually offers the lesser-known and ever rarer phenomenon of good value in London. Aged lamb skewers, delicately fragrant with cumin and Szechuan pepper and cranked-up in flavour with the lick of those flames, are £2.90 for two. A delicious main of clay-pot baked glass noodles with Tamworth pork belly and brown crabmeat, which comes with an intense, zingy herb dip on the side, is a highlight. We’re warned about the heat of the roasted long pepper and Tamworth pork shoulder curry but its tingle was just the right side of numbing, mellow and spicy sweet. Wild mushroom salad seasoned with soy and lime, inspired by the region of Isaan, in the northeast of Thailand, was precisely the sort of plate that the term umami was coined for. kilnsoho.com

Platapian, Greek Street – for stylish Thai dining

Find this sleek space from the people behind Patara on one of London’s busiest streets. We started with crispy chicken skin with a squeeze of lime – think gourmet pork scratchings. Stuffed snub nose chilli stuffed with minced chicken and prawn is big enough to share, plump and aromatic, and, despite its name, only mildly hot. Then a pandan-leaf wrapped parcel of miang kham scallop, beautifully silky and smoky.

Of the many surprising dishes at Platapian, one especially stood out: cabbage roasted until soft yet still with bite, the wedges dressed with fish sauce and whole chillies to deliver a sweet-salty heat that works beautifully with the vegetable’s faint sourness.

olive tip: When we went on a Thursday night, Platapian was packed, buzzing and loud – so if you want to talk ask for a counter seat near the front. pataralondon.com

Imad Alarnab’s story is a remarkable one. After spending years as a successful restaurateur in Damascus, his businesses were destroyed by the war, and he was forced to flee the country for safety. Shortly after arriving in London in 2015, he began cooking Syrian food at supper clubs and pop-ups (at which he raised thousands of pounds for refugee charity, Choose Love), before crowdfunding for his own permanent restaurant.

Located on the top floor of Soho’s Kingly Court, the restaurant has the feel of a family-run taverna, with white walls accented by bright blue windows and tiles, dotted with heart-warming photographs from Imad’s past. As for Imad’s food, its every bit as uplifting as his story. Every dish we tried from his sharing-style menu of Syrian dishes was a hit, from the super-crisp, perfectly seasoned falafel with lightly pickled, sumac-dusted red onions, to the pool of chickpea-topped hummus with hot, fluffy pittas for dunking. Other highlights include the fattet macdous – a dish of silky soft baby aubergines filled with cumin-spiced minced lamb, served with tahini, crispy pittas, pine nuts, herbs, and juicy pops of pomegranate – and the shish tawook, which combines beautifully tender, charred chicken with homemade paprika crisps, tomato mayo and pitta. imadssyriankitchen.co.uk

Bubala, Poland Street – for Middle Eastern small plates

The second spot from Marc Summers (Berber & Q) and Helen Graham (Palomar) is decked out in the same earthy-chic style as the original Spitalfields restaurant. Gather round the table at the back to get a slice of action from the open kitchen and peruse jars of ferments and infusions that make their way into dishes and cocktails. Peanut-infused bourbon is stirred with chocolate bitters for a warming old fashioned, blood orange syrup is shaken up with tequila in a rose petal and Persian salt-rimmed margarita, and citrus syrups are topped up with sparkling water and fresh herbs in the non-alcoholic gazoz options.

To start, order fresh laffa flatbread to dip into silky baba ganoush, followed by charcoaled leek swirl skewers and corn ribs, slathered in a punchy chipotle, Aleppo chilli, black garlic and cumin sauce. Lip-smacking mains include buttery hispi cabbage coated in a dried orange, nori and sesame crumb, and deep-fried, brined cauliflower served with caramelised spiced spinach bkeila. Potato latkes are given a modern twist, pressed with garlic butter into stacks and fried to order, and fresh vesuvio tomatoes and mango are soaked in a sweet and tangy tamarind and date syrup dressing. Finish with coconut and tahini fudge, subtly laced with blood orange and coated in crackly sesame seeds. bubala.co.uk/soho

Bao, Lexington Street – for Taiwanese buns

Bao began life as a tiny bar in Hackney, selling pillowy soft ‘baos’ (steamed milk buns) stuffed with various fillings. Following its success, the team opened a restaurant in Soho. Husband and wife team, Shing Tat Chung and Erchen Chang, alongside Shing’s sister Wai Ting Chung are behind the venture, and it was the trio’s travels across Asia that inspired the menu.Their signature bao take centre stage – try classic braised pork and panko-crumbed daikon radish bao – but there’s also xiao chi (small eats) on offer. As for drinks, expect hot oolong and cold foam tea, plus cider, sake and whisky. It’s a cosy space with shelves lined with homemade pickles – including golden kimchi. baolondon.com

Crunch, Dean Street – for smash-hit sandwiches

Gaucho, Swallow Street – for steak

Step through the doors of Gaucho Piccadilly and you step into the original. The flagship that launched a now 20-strong group, this is where the magic started. Dark walls and flickering candlelight – the décor remains familiar just like the head chef Mario, who’s been grilling here for 25 years.

There are elegant starters – crispy prawn chicharrón with sweet-spicy aji amarillo and lime-bright crab tostada – but you’re here for steak and a serious glass of something red. Ask the sommelier for a pairing from the knockout New World wine list, and trust the superb waiting staff – they’re as much part of the institution as the steak.

Once the haunt of power lunchers, today it’s shoppers and tourists looking for post West End indulgence. And they find it – topped off with a rich dulce de leche cheesecake crowned with chantilly, hazelnuts and cherries. gauchorestaurants.com

123V Bakery, Stephen Street — for vibrant vegan fare

Chef Alexis Gauthier – vegan pioneer at his eponymous Soho restaurant – recently opened a nearby diffusion venue, housing a “fun, unbuttoned” restaurant, Studio Gauthier, and bakery-café 123V. The latter serves vibrant vegan sushi, brunch dishes and plant-based burgers. 123vegan.co.uk

Sucre, Great Marlborough Street — for Argentinian fine dining

Sucre has to be one of Soho’s most beautiful (and impressive) dining rooms, with sky-high ceilings (the room was formerly a concert hall for the London College of Music), huge chandeliers made from more than 1,000 glass decanters and a room-length open kitchen at one end where you can watch chefs cooking over charcoal.

Executive chef Jack Godik has given the menu a recent refresh but it remains centred around South American fire cooking. Seasonal small plates of chargrilled Trombetta courgettes with ricotta and a seaweed and almond crumb, and red Alistado prawns with wafer-thin pickled pineapple sit alongside classics like the melt-in-the mouth cheese-stuffed empanadas.

Monkfish tail cooked on charcoal and served with a punchy salsa macha, and tender iberico pork matambre are the main course highlights, along with baked shellfish rice with langoustine and mussel aïoli.

For dessert, a beautiful creamy Basque cheesecake with a strawberry compote just screams summer, and there’s a really inventive cocktail list – try the spicy, sharp Peperita with green pepper infused tequila, agave and lime.

There’s also a newly launched fire-fuelled tasting menu which offers a selection of menu greatest hits for £80pp. sucrerestaurant.com

Bar Termini, Old Compton Street – for negronis and espresso

Fifties-style Italian café-bar Bar Termini is known for its pre-bottled negronis, but pop in during the day to sip an espresso at the marble-topped counter or recline on a green-leather banquette with a bicerin espresso, stirred up with thick chocolate and foamed milk. bar-termini-soho.com

Kati Roll Company, Poland Street – for Bengali kati rolls

For many years, this unassuming eatery – located just off Oxford Street – was a secret spot for diasporic Indians in London who were in the know. It’s decked out in a fiesta of bright orange paint and faded Bollywood posters, with rustic wooden benches and a silver serving counter at the very end. They specialise in kati rolls – the iconic Bengali street food from Kolkata – which consists of vibrantly spiced fillings, wrapped up in your choice of either buttery fried paratha or iron-griddled roti. Their ‘Achaari Panner Roll’ marinated in spicy pickle is especially tasty. Order extra chutney on the side if you like it especially saucy. tkrc.co.uk

Long Chim, Rupert Street – for casual Thai from renowned chef

David Thompson’s bright pink book Thai Food is on every enthusiastic cook’s bookshelf. Now the Australian chef, with restaurants in Sydney and Bangkok, is back in London with a residency hosted in Rupert Street’s Hovarda, revamped with Thai murals and neon art. Order street food classics like skewers of spicy grilled squid, southern-style with pickled ginger; cockle salad with smoky chilli paste and thai basil; sweet crispy pork with five-spice; and curry of monkfish with cucumber relish. Watch a whole load of wok action in the open kitchen as you enjoy classic cocktails with a Thai twist, like coconut and lemongrass gimlet. The spontaneous will love its communal tables reserved for walk-ins. longchim.london

Kapara – for fun Middle Eastern feasts

Channelling Tel Aviv, this vivacious Soho complex mixes music, food and cocktails. Chef Eran Tibi’s creative food revels in theatrical presentation and playful dish names. Dessert ‘gramp’s cigar’ very much looks like it, while deep-fried paprika marinated chicken thighs, with orange harissa kimchi and wild garlic mayo, are subtitled ‘crispy crunchy bums’. kapara.co.uk

Bocca di Lupo – for regional Italian dishes

Bocca Di Lupo (along with its ice cream shop Gelupo that sits opposite) has been a Soho institution for regional Italian cooking and wine since its 2008 opening. Friendly and knowledgeable Italian staff will help you navigate the impressive seven sections (from fritti to grill) of the somehow still concise menu – a tour of Italian regions and specialities, the daily changing offering adapts with the seasons, too. Go sharing with six to seven plates between two, or go with a classic starter and main, with most dishes available in both small or larger sizes to suit your choice.

Sit at the bar to watch the kitchen in action, or the smart dining room at the back. Puffy sage and anchovy fritti make the perfect snack to kick off your meal with drinks – cocktails are also divided by region, with plenty of wines by the glass. Sea bream carpaccio doused in rosemary salt and blood orange is a highlight, along with mini fried flatbreads stuffed with fennel-studded finocchiona and soft squacquerone cheese. The chefs make strong use of seasonal ingredients – tender rabbit orzo and trofie with wild garlic pesto on our spring visit elevated familiar dishes. If it's on the menu, don't miss the silky pappardelle ragu either.

Gelupo is across the street so don’t miss the ice creams in house for dessert – the prettiest pale pink rhubarb sorbet is almost vegetal in its intense flavour and not too sweet, while blood orange granita is a refreshing end to a decadent tour of Italy. boccadilupo.com

Japan Centre, Panton Street – for Japanese snacks

The sushi fridges at Japan Centre – in a back street right behind Piccadilly – are a brilliantly overwhelming place to browse; complete with abundantly filled fridges of freshly prepared sushi rolls, sashimi and perfectly triangular onigiri. However, the hot deli counters are even more exciting – with things like karaage chicken, tonkatsu udon noodles, katsu curries and donburi rice bowls all available for very reasonable prices, to dine in on their communal benches or to takeaway. The okonomiyaki stick is a perfect bite – a pancake stick with octopus, tangy brown sauce, nori seaweed dust and umami rich bonito flakes sprinkled all over the top. Ask them to warm it up, it’s even tastier hot! japancentre.com

Yasmin, Warwick Street – for rooftop dining with Middle Eastern flavour

Come for the sunny terrace and jewel box interiors, stay for the sharing plates at chef Tom Cenci’s latest venture at Piccadilly Circus. Inspired by a stint in Istanbul, the menu majors on superior dips, flatbreads and zingy salads and grills. Sesame seed hummus gets a lift with raisins and peanut dressing; whipped sheep’s cheese features hot honey and isot biber (dried chilli pepper). The sumac smoked duck salad with grilled corn is a must order. Pair salmon and olive skewers with smashed cucumber and batata harra potatoes. Signature desserts are the pistachio ice cream sandwich and turkish delight cheesecake. Delicately spiced cocktails work throughout dinner – try Shapash, which blends tequila with chili, watermelon, strawberry and citrus. yasminsoho.com

Singapulah, Shaftesbury Avenue – for Singaporean comfort food

Londoners and tourists queue for up to 40 minutes at key times to bag a seat at restaurateur Ellen Chew’s celebration of Singaporean food, with beloved suppliers namechecked on the menu (such as fishball supremo DoDo, and Udders ice cream – its durian flavour has a Marmite response).

Head here for comforting bowl of noodles, nasi goreng and beef rendang. Singapore laksa is served over mee tai bak – short noodles which make it easy to eat with a spoon (less of a slurpfest!). Snacks and small bites include fried chilli crab bao and kueh pie tee savoury pastries topped with prawns and peanuts, best shared with three or more. The utilitarian space is softened with a pastel colour scheme, colourful ads as artwork with shelves lined with ceramics and products. Signature cocktails and mocktails feature ingredients such as Yeo’s chrysanthemum tea. singapulah.co.uk

Paradise – for Sri Lankan cuisine

After a brief revamp, Dom Fernando has relaunched his critically acclaimed restaurant Paradise in London’s Soho with a new design and dining experience. There’s now a tasting menu in the evenings (with a choice of vegetarian or meat options) that continues to draw on Sri Lanka’s diverse and multicultural history, as well as Dom’s heritage. An à la carte option is available at lunch, closely aligning with the highlights from the tasting menu. Accompanying the menu is a comprehensive wine list of ever-evolving natural biodynamic wines that can be ordered by the bottle – or there’s the option of suggested wine pairings or Sri Lankan inspired cocktails that highlight ancient fermenting and clarification techniques. paradisesoho.com

Chotto Matte, Frith Street– for Nikkei cuisine

Blending Japanese and Peruvian cuisines, Nikkei combines ingredients from both, so along with gyoza, sashimi and nigiri there are ceviches, tostadas with chilli, corn, casava and coriander. Chotto Matte’s owner Kurt Zdesar and his team make regular trips to Peru to ensure the menu at this glamorous bar and restaurant is constantly evolving.

Cocktails play a starring role, from the classic Peruvian pisco sour to twists like kumquat margarita. Raw starters include tuna sashimi with miso mustard and honey; and yellowtail with yuzu truffle soy and jalapeño. There’s drama, too, with some dishes flamed at the table, and luxurious touches in otoro (premium tuna) and wagyu, alongside more humble corn ribs, and lamb chops with coriander and chilli miso. Chilled tunes and vibrant art walls create a club-like vibe. chotto-matte.com

Bébé Bob, Golden Square – for rotisserie chicken and champagne

Bébé Bob is younger sibling to Bob Bob Ricard (of champagne button fame), so high glamour is the name of the game. Ultra-comfortable and gorgeous to look at, the venue is a clever backdrop to what is essentially a menu centred around roast chicken (Vendée or Landes). But, what roast chicken. Rotisseried and served with roast potatoes (chicken fat, of course) and/or chips, and a salad, if you like. Super-luxe starters include three types of caviar or VSOP prawn cocktail, and desserts offer an option of lemon-infused vodka served at -18C, or a perfectly formed paris-brest. Drink champagne, or choose a wine, of which there are a commendable amount served by the glass.

The menu has recently expanded to include a chicken burger – a 12 hour brined chicken breast encased in a crunchy coating, spicy gochujang mayo, crisp pickled slaw, an incredibly umami cured egg yolk and, naturally, topped with Oscietra caviar. In keeping with Bébé Bob’s MO, it’s an elevated version of a classic fried chicken burger, and it’s a treat. bebebob.com

Nessa is a sophisticated restaurant situated right in the bustle of London’s Soho. Enter the striking horseshoe bar and you’ll see a range of UK producers on display, including no- or low-alcohol options – as well as the option to order snacks and small plates. The space has been fully renovated with the style of the neo-baroque building in mind – it’s stylish with lots of marble, oak and brass fixtures, and fittings on the art-lined walls. In the dining room, you’ll find booths and an open kitchen, where Executive Chef Tom Cenci (formerly of Loyal Tavern and Duck & Waffle) has devised a menu of British influences with global flavours, focusing on seasonality.

Signature dishes include celeriac carbonara with pancetta and truffle, Sirloin grass-fed Irish beef and roast rump of West Country lamb, courgette cassoulet with white beans and lemon herb crumb, and poached Cornish cod with parsley root purée and hazelnut crumb. For sides, try the spice bag or charred broccoli with caesar dressing. Nessa offers a relaxed yet stylish dining experience, perfect for anything from a quick snack to a full meal, all served in a space that’s as inspiring as the food. nessasoho.com

Kricket, Denman Street – for Indian small plates

Contemporary and cool, Kricket specialises in Indian small plates using local vegetables along with fish and meat sourced within the British Isles. Expect to queue at these no-reservations restaurants but dishes like samphire pakoras and Keralan fried chicken are more than worth the wait. We have the recipe for Kricket's kichri. Kedgeree as we know it was an adaptation of the original recipe for kichri, which consists of rice and lentils. You can use poached eggs rather than raw egg yolks, if you like. kricket.co.uk

NOPI – for Ottolenghi's vibrant small plates

When Yotam Ottolenghi opened NOPI in 2011, it was quite a departure from the more casual cafés he was known for, and reviews commented as much on the glamorous mirrored loos, marble floors and burnished light fittings as the quality of its Med-meets-Middle-Eastern menu. Since 2024, NOPI’s newly appointed head chef Elaine Goad has embraced a fresh perspective on the restaurant’s iconic menu.

The small plates tick all of the Ottolenghi boxes; fresh, vibrant, veg-rich dishes, including roasted aubergine with cashew tahini and tomato sambal, and crispy mushrooms with wild garlic aioli and Thai basil. Cod is elevated with a smoky miso glaze served on an artichoke purée and peas. Finish with the coffee financier, a delicate sponge with crunchy pecan running through it, served with a soft maple cream. There’s a more casual arrangement downstairs, where diners share a large farmhouse-style table that offers a front row seat to the open kitchen so you can watch the talented team at work. ottolenghi.co.uk

Three Sheets – for sleek cocktails

Max and Noel Venning need no introduction in the cocktail world. The original Three Sheets in Dalston is a bartenders’ institution, thanks to its stripped-back interiors, late-night vibes and innovative. The brothers were pre-batching cocktails before it became a trend, setting standards high with their floral sparkling French 75 served in a champagne bottle. This iconic cocktail is still on the menu at the new spot in the heart of Soho, joined by many new stand-out contenders.

An elegant version of a dirty martini has a delicate floral finish thanks to Ethiopian Koseret tea-infused Belvedere and a silkiness courtesy of an olive oil fat wash. Mezcal Sunrise is a juicy, long drink with smoky depth and floral bergamot notes from earl grey-infused mezcal, bright and citrussy freshly squeezed mandarin juice and a touch of marigold powder for subtle earthiness. Sazzaquack makes a short, smooth whisky number with notes of black treacle and a subtle spice finish thanks to homemade five spice tincture. The vibe is a little sleeker than the original, with marble tables, teal blue booths and black and white photographs of Soho's characters reminding punters that they are in the hearty of London's drinking district. threesheets-bar.com

Humble Chicken, Frith Street — for nose-to-tail yakitori and modern cocktails

Humble Chicken’ name gets straight to the point. This intimate Soho restaurant from chef Angelo Sato is all about grilling every part of the bird (from gizzard to thighs) over binchotan charcoal (a high-quality charcoal used in Japanese cooking). Start with a selection of refined snacks, including a delicate, umami miso foie gras tart and creamy freshly made tofu with tangy kimchi, before diving into the yakitori menu with gusto. Skewers — smoky, juicy, delicious — arrive speedily from the open kitchen, with highlights including meatball with salty tare sauce and egg yolk for dipping, rib with spicy miso and chives, and (our favourite) absurdly tender chicken oysters with smoked garlic and ponzu. Larger plates include crispy chicken leg with rice, and save room for dainty desserts such as deconstructed strawberry cheesecake, and purin, a Japanese dessert akin to a creme caramel, and just as delicious.

There’s Asahi on draft and a small selection of sakes, wines and Japanese whiskies, but it’s the cocktails that deserve most attention on the drinks list, including a tangily fruity lychee martini; a silky Nikka whisky, coconut milk and oolong highball, and a sultry miso and coffee old fashioned. humblechickenuk.com

Dram – for whisky cocktails

You’d be forgiven for walking past the low-key, unassuming Soho frontage with its sanded wooden shutters on Denmark Street, but step inside and this Grade II listed building starts to slowly unfold with surprises. There's a basement bar, an open garden terrace, an upstairs pool table room, a private events space and even a hidden drinks development ‘lab’. The more you explore, the more you begin to appreciate the creative vision behind the venue. Founders Chris Tanner, Martyn ‘Simo’ Simpson and Jack Wallis have masterfully reimagined what a bar can be.

The concept shines particularly through the venue's duality of flavour, with a brilliant upstairs-downstairs twist. Upstairs, the menu offers light, highball-style cocktails from Dram's tapped cocktail bar, while the basement bar features complex, sophisticated concoctions. For instance, the Tomato & Peach lets its savoury elements shine in a bright tomato spritz upstairs, while the peach notes take centre stage in a more refined rum-based martini downstairs. drambar.co.uk

Speedboat Bar, Chinatown – for fiery Thai cuisine

Despite London having possibly the best nightlife in the UK, it feels rare to get a spot like Speedboat Bar. Open until late on the weekend (you can get your fill of fiery cuisine and party vibes until 1am), this Thai canteen in Chinatown, brought to you by Plaza Khao Gaeng’s Luke Farrell, has décor almost as bombastic as the flavours. Once you’re done looking at the framed pics of the Thai royal family or playing a game of pool, get your tongue tingling with a menu that would satisfy any chilli fanatic. And don’t forget to cool down after with a creamy cocktail or a tower of beer. speedboatbar.co.uk

Maresco, Berwick Street – for fish-focussed, modern tapas

Following successful openings in Crouch End and Stoke Newington, the team behind local favourites Bar Esteban and Escocesa has ventured into central London with this intimate 48-cover space in the heart of Soho. Billed as a modern tapas bar (with a more formal dining room on the basement floor), expect a seafood-focussed menu at Maresco, featuring top-quality Scottish produce served with Spanish flair and (a lot) of Spanish wine. maresco.co.uk

The Listening Room – for Japanese-inspired cocktails and omakase small plates

Soho’s Wardour Street contains a secret. Downstairs from Japanese-inspired grill and omakase restaurant MOI – and via an impressive retro-futuristic spiral staircase – resides The Listening Room, a spacious underground listening bar. Serious about audio, bespoke speakers are from London-based sound system maker Friendly Pressure, and the walls are covered in soundwave-like textured curves for great acoustics.

The drinks menu is led by ex-Langham Dino Koletsas and infused with Asian flavours. The shiro negroni, a refreshing white spin on a negroni with yuzu sake, potato shochu and chrysanthemum bitters has a pleasantly floral nose. Them Apples cleverly recreates the flavour of fresh green apple without using the ingredient itself: instead sparkling green tea, whisky, tomato liqueur and marigold combine for an ultra-refreshing sip. The extensive sake and natural wine list is accessible to both the more experienced and more nascent sipper.

Order sushi, small plates and skewers hot off the grill from the upstairs kitchen by executive chef Andy Cook who worked with Gordon Ramsay to open his outpost in Tokyo. The crisp, warm and slightly sweet steamed buns served with smoked cod’s roe was a strong start. Sushi is not one to miss either – we chose Icelandic sea urchin and chutoro tuna temaki delicately wrapped in nori, whose rich flavour was perfectly complemented by dots of wasabi and slices of pickled ginger. moirestaurant.com

Manzi’s, Bateman's Buildings – for fish and seafood dishes

Latest off the block from the Wolseley Hospitality Group, Manzi’s is as glamorous as nautical comes. Set over two floors and with bright, airy blue and white interiors, this is a place of comfort and attention to detail. Head chef Christian Turner’s menu encompasses a beautifully executed monkfish wellington and cioppino fish stew, as well as oysters and dressed crab, Galician-style octopus, fish finger sandwiches and lobster rolls. Non-fish dishes are also available, including leeks mimosa and devilled egg, and roast Landes chicken. manzis.co.uk

Chung’dam, Greek Street – for modern Korean cooking

Named after the bustling Cheongdam-dong district in Seoul, Chung’dam is a contemporary Korean restaurant combining modern Korean cooking with traditional cooking techniques, paired with the finest ingredients in a sleek and refined space that’s designed to facilitate an interactive dining experience taking you on a journey through all your senses. With an impressive cocktail list that features rice wine and soju alongside a global wine list, Chung’dam attempts to live up to the vibrant reputation of its namesake. chungdam.co.uk

The Seafood Bar, Dean Street – for quality, sustainably sourced seafood

Already a raging success in the Netherlands because of its commitment to serving quality, sustainably sourced seafood at a reasonable price, this is the first international branch to open in London on Dean Street, Soho. The restaurant occupies the ground floor of a Georgian townhouse and the grand dimensions, pale wood and white interior and high ceilings give the space a luxurious but airy feel.

The menu is comprehensive with several different sections covering hot and cold starters, crustaceans, oysters, fruit de mer platters, mussels, mixed seafood grills, caviar and even fish and chips. We almost go for the full bells-and-whistles giant double-decker fruit de mer platter that every table seems to be ordering, but our waiter after a hunger check-in advises a smaller platter, plus a couple of hot starters, which are both winners; sweet, juicy clams in a delicate wine and garlic sauce, and plump creamy, gratinated scallops in the shell. Our fruit de mer platter is a shellfish-lover's dream with some more unusual offerings such as razor clams, periwinkles and whole brown shrimp alongside mussels, cockles, clams, prawns, crab, seaweed salad and oysters. Everything is served simply on ice with lemon and mayo allowing the freshness and quality of the seafood to shine through – a perfect pairing with a crisp glass of Grüner Veltliner. theseafoodbar.com

Yeni, Beak Street — for wood-fired modern Turkish food

With most dishes at Yeni given the funk of fermentation or seasoned with smoke, this is food that’s big on flavour but handled with enough respect to let the quality of the ingredients shine. The open fire kitchen is centre stage in the tall-ceilinged room, start with a G and house-made T (tonic meets kombucha) then it’s all about choosing sharing plates for the table or letting the chef choose for you with a daily changing tasting menu. About half the menu is creatively vegetarian – beetroot is almost sticky from being slow braised in olive oil then punctuated with sour cherries, salty galomizithra cheese and a crunch of hazelnuts. Choose a filling of either beef or dried aubergine for the Turkish manti dumplings which come in a broth made so complex and creamy from using double-fermented yogurt that you’ll be ordering more wood-fired puffy tava bread to mop the bowl clean with. yeni.london

Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizza, Wardour Street — for impeccable pizzas in laidback surroundings

London is no stranger to a good pizza — from Yard Sale to Homeslice, Theo’s, Vicoli dio Napoli and Voodoo Ray’s (and many more), there’s stiff competition for who serves the best slice in town. Rudy’s outpost in Soho (they have pizzerias scattered across the north of England, including Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Leeds) makes a worthy addition to the scene.

Start with an aperitivo of Campari and soda, which arrives premixed in a dinky little bottle alongside a bowl of salted crisps for snacking, before moving onto generous sharing platters loaded with deli treats and house-baked bread.

Pizza toppings are crowd-pleasing, from parmigiana with roasted aubergine to spicy calabrese with ‘nduja sausage and cinghiale with wild boar salami. Our lavishly topped capricciosa with creamy fior de latte, prosciutto, mushrooms, Kalamata olives and artichoke hearts ticked all the boxes, but it was the base that really impressed — well-flavoured and pillowy while still being satisfyingly chewy. All of Rudy’s pizzas — baked daily using 24-hour fermented dough — are made by trained and accredited pizzaiolos and it shows. rudyspizza.co.uk/soho/

Dishoom, Kingly Street – for Indian food

Breakfasts at Dishoom, the small chain of Bombay-café-inspired restaurants, have won a cult following. Not least for the bacon naan rolls – crisp bacon wrapped in tandoor-charred naan with a dollop of chilli tomato jam and cream cheese. Pair with a breakfast lassi or house chai. See our full round up of the best Indian restaurants in London.

Lina Stores deli, Brewer Street – for Italian produce

Pretty Italian deli Lina Stores has been a destination for local foodies since 1944. The mint-tiled corner store is packed with anything from metre-long pasta frills to pretty bottles of passata – perfect for stocking fillers and souvenirs. There’s also a fresh pasta bar and a counter piled high with ’nduja, finocchiona and gorgonzola. linastores.co.uk

Lina Stores restaurant, Greek Street – for pasta

Head chef Masha Rener has kept the menu simple and seemingly authentic at the Italian deli's original restaurant opening, with every ingredient hailing directly from Italy – from bright and buttery Cerignola olives right down to the sugar used in exemplary Italian desserts and cakes.

Fresh pasta, handmade an hour before service, is given pride of place, served as the main event rather than traditional pre-main primi. Bright yellow strands of pappardelle soak up light, gamey rabbit ragu, perfectly formed gnocchi is brightened up with popping peas, and a vibrant mint and courgette mixture is stuffed into little tortellini parcels. Pici alla norcina is the highlight, though – springy worms of pasta in a creamy, nutty sauce of porcini mushroom and Norcia sausage (often celebrated as the best in Italy). The antipasti menu includes silky aubergine fritters in a crunchy golden shell, crisp radicchio salad with anchovy dressing, and little bowls of almost-too-pretty-to-eat baby artichoke hearts. Creamy lemon sorbet refreshes after so many comforting carbs, the little half-lemon bowl a nostalgic nod to Italian holidays, and is served with a shot of limoncello to send you merrily on your way. linastores.co.uk

Duck Soup, Dean Street – for date night

For a post-shopping drink or two, head to wine bar and restaurant Duck Soup. It’s pared-back but cosy, and super friendly. Its range of natural and biodynamic wines, served by the glass, changes weekly, as does the short menu of European dishes chalked up on a board. You can even browse the in-house vinyl collection and choose your own soundtrack. ducksoupsoho.co.uk

Blacklock, Great Windmill Street – for a chophouse

Go for the ‘all in’ option at cool and casual restaurant Blacklock and you’ll be faced with pre-chop bites (duck rillettes, kimchi, pickle) followed by huge sharing platters of skinny chops (including short rib beef, lamb cutlets and pork loin) plus chargrilled flatbreads to soak up the juices. The £5 cocktails are fab, too. theblacklock.com

Bar Swift, Old Compton Street – for cocktails

From the team behind Nightjar and Oriole, Swift is a classy spot that covers all your cocktail needs. Stand at the slick upstairs bar for a pre-theatre aperitivo (we love the refreshing lemon sorbet, prosecco and Italicus sgroppino) or sink into a sofa in the basement for your whisky of choice from an extensive list. barswift.com

Koya Soho, Frith Street – for noodles

Duck through the curtains at Koya Bar and you’re transported straight to Tokyo. A wooden counter spans the narrow space: punters huddle over bowls of springy udon noodles on one side, while chefs add eggs to breakfast bowls, and slip noodles, prawn tempura, tofu and miso pork into hot broth on the other. koyabar.co.uk

Daroco, Manette Street – for great Italian food in glitzy surroundings

Pizza isn’t hard to come by in Soho, but truly great pizza is more elusive. Daroco’s menu of elevated Italian dishes features amped-up classics like tonnato, arancini and tiramisu, but it’s the pizza menu that really shines. The super-soft, charred crust (less ‘crust’, more a pillow) is a masterclass in dough work, while toppings are simple but just that little bit extra – we had the “mortadelight” with mortadella, Stracciatella and pistachio cream.

Pasta dishes are luxurious and included paccheri with lobster bisque and pappardelle with venison Genovese. Our chocolate mousse pudding was rich and finished with sea salt and olive oil, while the cannoli was served deconstructed with serious flourish. Speaking of flourish, the Daroco aesthetic is fun and just a little ostentatious, with a buzzy open kitchen, plenty of mirrors and velvet – a hidden gem feel and a very memorable pizza oven covered in blue ceramic butterfly frieze. In short, it’s the place to go if you want to eat a really huge, delicious pizza but feel a bit extra while you’re doing it. daroco.com

Robata, Old Compton Street – for Japanese robata grill cooking

Located on Old Compton Street in the heart of Soho, Sonny Huang’s Robata restaurant specialises in robata grill cooking, a Japanese tradition that was first introduced by ancient fishermen who took boxes of hot coals with them on their boats to cook the food that they gathered from their day’s catch.

The menu is broken down into five sections – small plates, raw and sushi, bao buns, robata skewers and robata large – and diners are encouraged to share dishes. Stand-out plates include miso aubergine topped with pickled shimiji mushroom and red chilli; sweet soy glaze and spring onion pork belly skewers; and Chilean wagyu smoked and cooked over burning hay. Robata also serves an extensive selection of sake and sake-based cocktails including the Umetini (Roku gin, umeshu plum sake and orange bitters). Head chef Charles Lee worked in a number of Michelin-starred restaurants during his career before arriving at Robata, and his menu shows the diversity of Japan’s food, highlighting traditional cooking techniques and contemporary flavours, along with using high-end British produce. robata.co.uk

Berenjak, Romilly Street – for Iranian food

This is a buzzy casual restaurant and tables are a tight squeeze. Out front, the open kitchen spills out its sights, sounds and smells onto the counter diners – there’s a flaming tandoor (oven), mangal barbecue, and vertical rotisserie. The menu at Berenjak is broken down into mazeh that are designed to be mopped up with house-made flatbreads – either taftoon, seeded sourdough, baked in the clay tandoor, or whole wheat sangak cooked on hot pebbles – kababs and khoresht (stews), and sides, including various pickles, rice and beans.

It’s hard not to order everything but we’re reliably informed by our enthused German waitress that jigar (mangal-grilled calves liver) is a good place to start. She was right, as were all her recommendations. Served on soft and blistered lavash bread with mellow sliced red onion, a wedge of lemon to squeeze over, and shredded mint, the offal was burnished, buttery and blushing. berenjaklondon.com

Hoppers, Frith Street – for Sri Lankan dishes

Named after the lacy, bowl-shaped pancakes that are a staple of Sri Lanka, Hoppers has quickly established itself as one of London’s hippest hangouts. From the can-do-no-wrong team behind Michelin-starred Gymkhana, Hoppers references the food of southern India and Sri Lanka. There’s a succinct menu starring traditional hoppers: light fermented rice and lentil pancake bowls, with a softly steamed egg and a selection of confidently spiced karis.Load up on the ‘short eats’, though. Mutton rolls are like crunchy cigars – with a golden crumb, shredded gamey meat and lightly spiced tomato chutney. Bone marrow is so seductively sauced that you would be forgiven for refusing to share. The best, perhaps, are buttered devilled shrimps: juicy and fiery. There a fab and refreshing cocktails also. hopperslondon.com

Try our egg hoppers recipe here…

Temper, Broadwick Street – for BBQ

Blink and you’ll miss Neil Rankin’s barbecue restaurant in London’s Soho. From ground level it looks like just another wine bar, but head underground and it’s a dark den of mezcal, smoke, meat and, er, Pickled Onion Monster Munch.

Temper is cavernous, with booths and tables filling every corner, but if you want a piece of the real action, grab a counter seat around the open kitchen where tacos are hand-pressed, flatbreads are blistered, and whole animals are butchered and roasted over glowing coals. It’s not for the squeamish but this waste-little, love-food attitude did it for us. (As did the surprisingly ergonomic bar stools and Irn Bru spritzes and mezcal negronis). temperrestaurant.com

Pastaio, Ganton Street – for pasta

Chef Stevie Parle’s Pastaio brings handmade pasta and affordable wines to Soho. The agnoli was a triumph of pared-back cooking; perfectly cooked and crafted pasta, a generous game filling and a seriously moreish sage-butter sauce. pastaio.co.uk

Head to the top of Kingly Court in Soho to discover this this lively opening inspired by Korean flavours and LA’s Mexican food scene, with menus designed by prolific chef duo Ana Gonçalves and Zijun Meng of Tata Eatery, and craft sake from London’ only sake brewery, Peckham’s Kanpai. Inside, expect stripped-back interiors with concrete walls, neon lighting and Korean wall art.

An eclectic menu covers everything from Korean corn dogs to tacos and kimchi pancakes. There are larger dishes on offer — go for the Korean tacos with 48-hour slow-cooked beef short rib, ssamjang, slae and homemade wrappers — but it’s the sharing snacks and cocktails that especially impress. Bacon mochi, fudgy chewy rice cakes wrapped in caramelised bacon with gochujang caramel are succulently umami, while ‘chikin’ turns out to be a mound of tender nuggets and rice sticks decadently blanketed in garlic cream and parmesan.

The drinks list features fresh twists on classic drinks, such as a plum Americano made with Korean plum wine and Kanpai umeshu. We tried the pleasingly fiery Michelada Boilermaker — spiced Korean beer served with a shot of sake alongside — and the sultry and silky burnt rice old fashioned to finish. koreandinnerparty.com

Bob Bob Ricard, Upper James Street – for an impressive dinner

Bob Bob Ricard is a Russian-inspired restaurant in Soho that exudes luxury, with ornate interiors loosely based on the Orient Express (train-carriage style booths, brass rails and coat racks), slick service and iconic ‘press for Champagne’ buttons. It’s all about excess, with hearty portions, theatrical presentation and copious amounts of fizz.

The menu focuses on English classics, with Russian influences highlighted in pink (think plenty of truffle, shots of -18 degree vodka and caviar). Highlights include traditional truffled potato dumplings served with crispy onions and shimeji mushrooms, puff-pastry-topped fish pie with chunky pieces of smoked haddock, sole and cod and the perfectly pink 28-day aged Scotch beef fillet wellington accompanied by silky truffled mash. Chocolate Glory’ is a showstopping dessert or keep things lighter with a zesty trio of lime, lemon and pink grapefruit sorbets served with Platinum vodka. bobbobricard.com

L’escargot, Greek Street – for a Soho institution

L’escargot was big news in the 80s and is somewhat of a Soho institution but it’s sparkle faded over the years. Now, after a refurb and now with a brunch menu, it’s worth putting on your radar once again. The 280-year-old town house is also a member’s club, and it shows in this room: dark wood and comfortable, red velvet-covered chairs, it hasn’t lost the French bistro charm. lescargot.co.uk

Photography Credits: Leigh Griffiths (Long Chim)

Check out more London restaurant guides here:

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The travel trends of 2026: here’s what’s the travel experts predict will shape your next holiday

Meera Dattani — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:21:01 GMT

From reading retreats and longevity travel to seeking comfort in childhood memories, and combining travel with mind and body improvements, here are some of the trends shaping travel into 2026 and beyond.

Railway travel: new – and cooler – highs

Two trends collide as travellers hop on board the train trend while also escaping hot European summers. According to no-fly railway specialist Byway Travel, there’s increased interest in cooler Alpine spots in Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland – and it helps that these places are just made for overland train travel. Staggeringly beautiful routes winding their way through mountain passes are often only accessible by train (or a hike) and with a variety of mountain guesthouses and hotels on the way, it’s never been easier to connect the popularity of railway travel with a desire to holiday in more comfortable temperatures.

Read 8 of the most breathtaking train journeys across the world to get inspired and plan your ultimate train trip...

Identity travel: a sense of self

It’s nothing new that many travellers are seeking out more meaningful experiences, as they look to make holidays a truly impactful break away from hectic everyday lives. But for some, travel is also about finding a deeper connection to themselves, their families and their ancestors.

Consulting firm Grand View Research’s research shows increased interest in this form of genealogy or roots travel (also known as heritage travel or ancestral tourism). They found 60% of millennials are prioritising cultural experiences and specifically a desire to reconnect with their roots, especially those from a diaspora, coupled with the fact that genealogical information is now much easier to access due to a rise in the purchase of DNA kits and vastly improved digital archives and records. This could mean exploring your family’s Scottish history, tracing your ancestors’ journey from West Africa, or discovering an unexpected connection from genealogy results. It’s a form of travel that feels more reflective, adding another, and more personal, layer to the destination.

Longevity travel: wellness with a twist

At 2025’s Luxury Summit in Las Vegas, industry experts cited longevity travel as a top trend for 2026. Combined with the overall beauty trend of biohacking – making intentional changes to your diet, lifestyle, and mindset to maximise what the body can do – travelling for deeper restoration and better health is set to grow.

According to a survey by eDreams ODIGEO which incorporates travel brands such as Opodo, 92% of global respondents already feel that holidays have a ‘very’ or ‘quite’ positive impact on their mental wellbeing. As we focus increasingly on improving our mental health and sleep hygiene and an enthusiasm to embrace traditional healing methods, it’s no surprise that it will become more of a factor in shaping our time off.

Check out our round-up of the best health retreats to try, from stress-relieving retreats in Thailand to sleep clinics in Spain.

Respectful safari-ing: keep your distance

In summer 2025, dozens of safari jeeps were filmed blocking wildebeest crossing a river during the Great Migration in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, causing outrage across the board. Not only was it morally and ethically wrong, is a crowded experience on safari even enjoyable?

Travelling to see wildlife has and always will be a huge draw, but it seems a ‘less is more’ approach is being cultivated. Tour operators aim to make safari more sustainable by encouraging travellers to enjoy wildlife experiences outside the peak season, visit lesser-visited national parks and reserves (including to lesser-visited countries such as Uganda, Gambia, Malawi and Zambia) and incorporate experiences that show Africa as a place of diverse communities, culture and entrepreneurship, and not just a wildlife haven.

Quiet travel: calm over crowds

It’s a noisy world outside and we’re all craving a little peace. But it’s not just about total quiet; the sounds of nature can be just as soothing. As tour operator Black Tomato says, recent studies have connected natural soundscapes to higher satisfaction and pro-environmental attitudes.

This could mean seeking out quiet hours at busy attractions, listening to monks chanting, farm stays that allow you to experience rural idylls, hearing the squawks and sounds of the jungle, or enjoying the stillness and darkness of the night sky. With so many of us managing a fast pace of life, and an over-stimulated one at that, seeking out natural or low-stimulation on our travels is one trend that will endure way beyond 2026.

We've chosen 10 destinations to disconnect – ultimate remote places to stay to get away from it all.

Nostalgia travel: safe spaces in testing times

Whether it’s going off grid or simply unplugging from your phone or laptop, retro stays that remind us of holidays past are on the up. Think forest cabins with actual record players, watching DVDs and playing board games: going analogue has never been more on-trend.

Booking.com’s 2026 survey highlights a growing number of travellers who want to “relive meaningful moments and share them with others.” It found that 46% of global travellers are drawn to destinations that make them feel young, connected or at home.

Event-driven travel: travelling for the moment

2026 is the year for one of the world’s biggest sporting events, the Fifa Men’s World Cup. It’s also the first time it will be hosted by three countries – USA, Canada and Mexico – and data from eDreams ODIGEO show that searches for Mexico have increased by 15% and by 14% for Canada.

Similarly, interest in Milan is up 24% as the city and nearby resort town Cortina D’Ampezzo prepare to host the Winter Olympics in February, all motivated by a desire to be part of something beyond evergreen experiences and attractions. Travelling for music festivals and concerts in also on the up, alongside planning around cultural festivals such as Rio carnival, Day of the Dead in Mexico and Japan’s Sapporo Snow Festival.

Group travel: solo but not alone, with women leading the way

While solo travel can mean anything from travelling completely independently to joining a guided group tour as a solo traveller, Hostelworld’s 2025 State of Solo Travel 2025 report found that many solo travellers (58%) said meeting new people was the best aspect, up from 43% in 2024.

While freedom and spontaneity were the biggest reasons to go solo, over two-thirds actively look to meet new people. At the heart of this trend are female solo travellers; they’re more likely to take solo trips, citing stepping out of comfort zones, increased self-confidence and feeling mentally refreshed among the benefits.

Connected to this is the rise in women-only group travel, often tours created by women for women with a focus on female-owned businesses and experiences. This year, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) reported that the number of travel companies focusing exclusively on female travellers had increased by 230% in the last few years.

We've got 8 of the best foodie destinations for solo travellers around the world, or 8 UK food trips for solo travellers if you want to start closer to home.

Book club retreats: readaway travel

Reading on holiday is nothing new, but the desire to focus on reading and take part in reading-focused trips is set to grow. In their Unpack ’26 trends report, travel company Vrbo reported that searches for ‘book retreats’ and ‘book club retreat ideas’ are up 100% and 265% on Pinterest.

They also found that 91% of travellers are seeking trips focused on reading, relaxation and quality time with loved ones, tapping into the wider trend for more meaningful, mindful and slower-paced holidays. Many retreats choose books based on the destination, mixing the book with a sense of place and community, bringing the book alive in the very place it’s set in. According to market research company Future Market Insights, the entire literary tourism sector, including visiting places because of their connection to a book, was worth an estimated $2.4bn last year.

The olive team’s best hotel check-ins of 2025

Helen Salter — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:20:31 GMT

Looking for idyllic foodie destinations to book in the New Year? Want to know the hottest hotels worth visiting in 2026? Read on for the olive team's curation of the best island resorts, charming B&Bs and breathtaking mountain lodges to stay in across the world.

For more travel inspiration, check out our curation of the best UK boutique hotel for food lovers, best pubs with rooms, best hotel baths worth travelling for in the UK and the best spa hotels for food lovers.

The olive team’s best hotels of 2025

Lapland Guesthouse, Lapland

"After a three-hour drive through the frozen fir tree-lined roads of Lapland, we arrived at the Lapland Guesthouse, a settlement of snow-covered log cabins adorned with twinkling lights, like something from a fairytale. My wooden cabin was a cosy sanctuary, bathed in golden light, with huge rugs, soft blankets, a full-size Christmas tree and its own sauna! Later that evening the owner took us on a snowmobile ride to chase the Northern Lights, which weren’t expected as it was cloudy. We arrived at our spot in the middle of nowhere and built a fire to warm up some cloudberry Glogg – suddenly the clouds parted and the most vivid green light began to pulse in the sky. It was a truly magical experience." Janine Ratcliffe

Cabins from $300 per night, check availability at laplandguesthouse.com

Stay tuned for the full review, plus a deep-dive into the communities and cuisines of Lapland.

Eriro Alpine Hide, Austria

"Waking up to the sound of cowbells at mountain lodge Eriro in Austria was one of the most idyllic moments of my year, especially when one of the cows came to graze on his breakfast grass beside us as we tucked into our crisp waffles drizzled in mountain honey. Being in the midst of the breathtaking peaks before the ski lifts opened to the public was a magical experience I will never forget.” Alex Crossley

Rooms from £1,582 per night, check availability at eriro.at/de/or booking.com

Argos, Cappadocia, Turkey

"Imagine waking up in a cave, but it’s the most luxe cave you could dream of. You open the front door and step out into what feels like a CGI landscape from a certain sci-fi fantasy film franchise starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. You stroll for a few yards down a sloping cobbled street – the strange, volcano-wrought expanse of Pigeon Valley yawning in front of you – until you reach another ancient cave dwelling. This one has been converted into a spa, which transports you into a surreal realm of subterranean reverie. If it weren’t for my camera roll, I’m not completely certain I’d believe this sequence of events really happened to me." Freddie Stewart

Rooms from £350 per night, check availability at argosincappadocia.com or booking.com

Potato Head, Bali

"Checking into Potato Head felt like stepping into a place where everything had intention, from refreshing cold towels and coconut water to having mosquito spray provided on arrival. From waking up to daylight pouring into the Oceanfront Studio and the sound of waves, to eating plant-based Indonesian dishes made from ingredients grown on their regenerative farm, it was unlike any hotel stay I’ve ever experienced. It was an immersion in food, sustainability and wellbeing that I will never forget – I'm even planning to have my honeymoon there!" René Lorraine

Rooms from £157 per night, check availability at seminyak.potatohead.co/sleep or booking.com

Eliamos, Kefalonia

"Visiting Kefalonia in May, before peak season on the island began, was the perfect way to kick off summer. Staying at Eliamos meant opening up the bedroom doors every morning onto a private terrace and infinity pool with endless views over the sparkling Ionian Sea. It was the ultimate week of relaxation, with those unbeatable views on offer from the open-air restaurant too, the perfect spot for ordering crisp tomato fritters (an island speciality), drinking fresh juices and planning your next swim." Lucy Roxburgh

Rooms from £536 per night, check availability at eliamos.com or booking.com

Hotel Chais Monnet & Spa, Cognac

"Staying in a former 19th-century cognac house turned five-star retreat meant that I was surrounded by reminders of the site’s historical heritage – like the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Les Foudres, which was hidden away in the cathedral-like ageing cellar lined with enormous, century-old cognac barrels." Hannah Guinness

Rooms from £326 per night, check availability at chaismonnethotel.com or booking.com

Royal Hideaway Corales Villas, Tenerife

"I think the only thing better than my first time experiencing the panoramic views of Tenerife’s volcanic peaks, rugged landscape and clear blue Atlantic Ocean at Royal Hideaway Corales Villas, was that I was enjoying them in a swim-up pool with a cocktail in hand. Truly one of the most simultaneously beautiful and tranquil hotels I have ever been to. Very White Lotus-lite (without the drama), with the hotel’s focus on wellness including earth-inspired rituals and personalised face and body treatments." Jordan Edmonds-Moore

Rooms from £343 per night, check availability at barcelo.com or booking.com

The Fleur de Lys, Dorset

"This charming village pub was the perfect place to hole up in on a chilly autumn evening. Low ceilings, a log burner and wax-dripping candles set the cosy scene, followed by a succession of comfort food winners like Westcombe rarebit croquettes and steaming hot sticky toffee pudding. Waking up the following morning to a spread of flaky pastries, turmeric shots and a bloody mary station was the cherry on top – a heavenly Sunday morning scene." Helen Salter

Rooms from £210 per night, check availability at fleurdelyscranborne.co.uk or booking.com

Hotel Gilbert, Vienna

"Hotel Gilbert felt effortlessly relaxed and cool, and being a stone’s throw from the trendy MuseumsQuartier, it makes a fantastic spot for a city break. We tucked into delicious veggie-centric small plates with Middle Eastern influences at &Flora – the restaurant within the hotel – plus the breakfast buffet was fantastic, a huge seasonal spread. I recommend making use of the bike rentals for exploring the city, and when you’re done, head to the bar for ‘wine time’, where you can enjoy a complimentary glass of wine in the evenings." Helena Busiakiewicz

Rooms from £211 per night, check availability at hotel-gilbert.at/en or booking.com

Ace Hotel, Toronto

"A memorable moment for me this year was opening the door into my tenth-storey room at Ace Hotel in Toronto to the soothing sounds of Canada's Jazz FM playing from the bedside radio. I was a little jetlagged, but the uplifting tones coupled with the warming, stylish mid-century furnishings made me breathe a sigh of relief as I gazed outside to the sun setting on downtown Toronto." Emily Marten

Rooms from £203 per night, check availability at acehotel.com or booking.com

Stay tuned for the full review, plus the hottest places to eat and drink in Toronto.

Kasbah D'Eau, Essaouira

"Stepping out onto my balcony at Kasbah d’Eau felt almost unreal. For somewhere so close to Essaouira – the so-called Windy City of Africa – Sidi Kaouki was eerily still in September. Vast stretches of sandy beach lay completely empty, save for donkeys and camels roaming freely, and surfers in the distance. The warmth of Berber hospitality at a family-run cooking class was a highlight and hoisting myself onto a camel was definitely not on my 2025 bingo list – but I’m very glad it was!" Zazie Atkinson

Rooms start from £140 per night B&B, kasbahdeau.com