Chef's tables in London

Core by Clare Smyth offers a chef's table experience for up to 10 guests at a time. In elegant surroundings, you can watch the kitchen team whip up artisan dishes made with British produce for an exclusive tasting menu. You can expect refined recipes like scallop tartare, beef and oysters, and braised morel with confit and smoked duck.

Aulis is an intimate and exclusive chef's table restaurant from chef Simon Rogan. Just eight seats are available at this minimalist establishment, where the food is what really stands out. The seasonal menu changes regularly and is focused on the chef's farm-to-table ethos. Drinks pairings are on offer as well.

In a cosy basement setting with just ten seats at the counter, Kebab Queen is a unique experience. This place has redefined the humble kebab using Michelin-starred principles, serving specially prepared dishes directly onto the heated counter in front of you to be eaten by hand. The creative reimaginings of the classic night-time snack include things like a Dover sole kebab on an ironed hispi cabbage taco with roasted red pepper purée.

Decked out with water features and hand-crafted furniture, Benares is an opulent Indian restaurant in the heart of the city. This Michelin-starred restaurant has several private dining spaces including a chef's table for up to eight guests with views into the kitchen. At the chef's table you can savour à la carte or tasting menus with wine pairings available.

Tehran_Berlin doesn't do menus; instead you'll get a tasting menu packed with Iranian flavours. Vegetarian, pescatarian, and gluten-free diets are catered for. Book the chef's counter for a more exclusive experience where you can interact with the chef. Wine is available by the glass or you can choose pairings. The interior is stripped-back and homey with rugs and framed photos.

Enjoy socially responsible steak at Gaucho. The Charlotte Street location offers an exclusive chef's table experience – the Beef Bar. Enjoy a beef-centric tasting menu of the finest cuts, prepared to your liking by your personal chef. You can even try cooking on hot stones yourself. This inventive eatery has a dazzling modern look and celebrates Argentine cooking.

Head to Taku for luxury Japanese dining; this place was awarded its first Michelin star in 2023. This intimate chef's table restaurant has 16 seats and serves luxury omakase menus, a Japanese cooking tradition of leaving things up to the chef. In a cosy setting you'll enjoy high-end tasting menus of up to 20 courses.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal boasts two Michelin stars and has all the creativity you expect from the renowned chef. Dishes are inspired by historical British cookbooks and the decor includes custom wall sconces shaped like jelly moulds. Go behind the scenes with the chef's table experience, where a bespoke menu is served to you by the head chef.

Located at the former BBC Television Centre, Endo at the Rotunda is a top destination for an authentic omakase meal. At this Michelin-starred venue you can sit at a counter made from 200-year-old Hinoki wood as the chef serves you delicate sushi with striking presentation. Some of Japan's finest sake is available here too.

Behind gained notoriety when it won a Michelin star after being open for only 20 days. This intimate restaurant has just 18 seats arranged around the chef's counter. The focus is on seafood tasting menus, served to you by the chefs themselves. Wine pairings are available and you can also relax with a drink in the wine bar.

Based in a converted mews house, Muse is a signature restaurant from renowned chef Tom Aikens and it holds one Michelin star. It's a glitzy environment with plush seats, marble countertops, and two separate chef's tables. The seasonal tasting menus here take you on an intimate journey inspired by Aikens' memories, personal life, and career.

Adam Handling's flagship restaurant Frog offers diners an exclusive chef's table experience. This Michelin-starred restaurant serves tasting menus showcasing fine British ingredients and British cooking, and inspired by connections to Handling and his team. You'll be guided through the menu, with a veggie option available plus optional wine pairings.

Michelin-starred Pétrus is a restaurant by Gordon Ramsay. The space centres around a glass-encased wine room stocked with rare vintages. À la carte and tasting menus are on offer, serving modern French cuisine made with British ingredients. A chef's table experience is available featuring a bespoke seven course menu with direct views of the kitchen.

At Dinings SW3 you'll find a modern take on a Japanese izakaya, with attentive service and innovative dishes. Sit at the sushi bar, with just six seats, to enjoy the sight of the skilled chefs preparing your food in front of you. The menu features sushi, sashimi, and inventive fusion dishes like miniature steamed burger buns.

Seventh-floor restaurant Angler serves changing menus that centre on British seafood and produce. This restaurant is elegant and has a roof terrace for drinks. Book the chef's view to dine in a semi-private space with a view into the kitchen as well as of some of London's iconic sights outside. You'll get a unique tasting menu but can also organise a bespoke menu.

Seafood fans can enjoy fine cuisine at The Sea, The Sea. This Haggerston restaurant is intimate and compact, offering a chef's table dining experience for 14 guests at a time. In the modern and low-lit space you'll sample fresh seafood dishes that push the boundaries, served to you by the restaurant's Executive Chef.

Head to Kol for high-end Mexican cuisine that's been awarded a Michelin star. This vibrant modern restaurant offers creative tasting menus, including vegetarian selections. Experience the full creativity of the kitchen with the chef's table experience in a private dining room overlooking its own kitchen, inspired by the grand houses of Oaxaca.

Sit at a horseshoe-shaped chef's table to enjoy a modern British tasting menu at Kitchen Table. This theatrical restaurant has two Michelin stars to its name, with each course focusing on a single ingredient, all sourced from carefully-chosen independent suppliers. Drinks pairings are available too. The look of the space is moody and modern.

Corrigan's Mayfair celebrates fine British and Irish produce, and is the signature restaurant from chef Richard Corrigan. Game meat is a particular speciality. As well as the elegant main dining room, there are multiple private spaces, including the chef's table for up to 14 guests. Enjoy views of the kitchen in this club-like space, along with the full à la carte menu.

You'll find Michelin-starred Italian food at Murano from top chef Angela Hartnett. The venue is upscale and contemporary whilst the menus are modern and seasonal. The chef's table experience involves an exclusive tasting menu devised by Hartnett and her team, plus a private dining room with a direct view into the kitchen.

Hélène Darroze at The Connaught has a whopping three Michelin stars, making it one of London's most decorated restaurants. The dining room features curves, warm tones, and specially-commissioned art by Damien Hirst. A meal here is always special but you can enhance it with the chef's table experience, featuring a bespoke menu and lots of interaction with the chefs.

Arros QD is a modern Spanish restaurant from Quique Dacosta, who holds eight Michelin stars and is named as one of the world's top 50 chefs. This award-winning restaurant is slick and modern, specialising in paella and tapas. The dining room centres around a six metre wood grill, with seats available at the counter to see the chefs in action.

Gordon Ramsay's Heddon Street Kitchen specialises in modern European cooking. Food is served all day in this sleek and contemporary space. Sample an exclusive sharing menu at the chef's table, where you'll get a feast of dishes to try along with a welcome cocktail. This luxury experience lasts for four hours.

Check out Maru for an exclusive Japanese meal. This restaurant from Taiji Maruyama specialises in omakase in an intimate setting with only two sittings each day. You'll get a tailor-made multiple-course meal with a focus on fresh fish and seafood. There's warm hospitality too at this unique dining destination.

After the shuttering of Fenn, Joe Laker, the former head chef, and his sous-chef Michael Miles launched Counter 71, a chef's table restaurant in Shoreditch. The menu is conceived as a seasonal tribute to the British Isles, featuring delectable dishes like eel tart with fried seaweed and caviar. Counter 71 caters to only 16 diners each night, seated around the central green marble counter.

The Michelin-starred Humo, a 2023 addition to Mayfair's luxe dining scene, is backed by the team that has already given us the acclaimed Endo and Sumi restaurants. The restaurant features a massive wood-fired grill surrounded by a counter and promises a unique, innovative culinary voyage. It also offers the Abajo chef's table experience in the downstair area, with the menu divided into chapters so that patrons can understand the culture behind the flavours.