Guide to the best barbecue restaurants in London

Acme Fire Cult takes a unique approach to BBQ by placing veggies at the forefront of its menu. This culinary concept combines global fermentation and grilling techniques to transform aubergines, celeriac, potatoes, and other plant-based ingredients into main dishes. However, carefully sourced meat and seafood still take on a supporting role. They also collaborate with 40FT Brewery, offering their beers on tap and incorporating their by-products into their cooking.

Junsei is an authentic Japanese restaurant that specialises in chicken yakitori skewers cooked on a long open-fire grill at the front of the restaurant. The sleek restaurant serves both lunch and dinner, featuring dishes designed for sharing. Chicken skewers are a highlight, made using every part of the chicken grilled over white-hot binchotan charcoal. Other dishes include donburi and grilled vegetables. If you're unsure what to pick, trust the kitchen with an omakase experience, where the chefs will select for you.

A longstanding favourite, this restaurant by multi-award-winning Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt is rooted in wood-fired Old Nordic cooking traditions. Expect plenty of flames and dishes focused on Scandinavian cooking techniques using the best seasonal British ingredients. If you're going all out, opt for the chef's table 9-course experience.

Inside Hackney Church Brewery Co., you'll find LAGOM, a venture by Elliot Cunningham influenced by his Swedish roots. Elliot's cooking, celebrated by Jay Rayner for its daring live-fire techniques, is a feast prepared over open flames in full view. Their Sunday roast is legendary, and people have been known to wait a month just to get a table. Their other menu also features a burger that was recently crowned the best in the UK, alongside other dishes that change on a weekly basis but are cooked on an open fire with plenty of smokiness.

For a number of years, this lively barbecue restaurant has been feeding the hungry patrons of Shoreditch with its sizzling meat creations. Thanks to its open kitchen, the aromas of smoked dishes travel down the street, inviting you to step inside and try for yourself. Take a seat outside for an enjoyable al fresco dining experience, or opt for the cosy inside where you can witness the culinary magic unfold as your food is prepared on the open grills.

Mangal Ocakbasi, located just a stone's throw away from its more sophisticated sibling, Mangal 2, serves a traditional Turkish menu centred around kebabs and a variety of mezze dishes, all prepared on an authentic open charcoal grill. The vibe and cuisine at Mangal Ocakbasi exude simplicity and authenticity, devoid of any superfluous embellishments or pretentiousness. Here, you can indulge in Turkish favourites, all cooked on the open grill.

Brat, a one-Michelin-star restaurant, draws inspiration from Basque culinary techniques to offer a diverse menu featuring an assortment of fish and grilled dishes. Complementing the grilled cuisine, the wine list at Brat is both extensive and diverse, with a special highlight each month on a particular wine, providing customers with a deeper understanding of its origin.

Mangal 2 has established itself as a renowned Turkish ocakbasi restaurant in Dalston. At the heart of this culinary experience lies a spacious open charcoal grill, which lends its name to this style of cuisine. Mangal 2 serves a sophisticated Anatolian-inspired menu that reimagines traditional dishes for contemporary taste.  Additionally, the desserts, including the noteworthy carob cake, deserve special recognition for their taste and quality.

Indulge in a selection of tasty Spanish delights at Parillan, such as Galician steaks, whole fish, seasonal vegetables, and a variety of tapas-style bites. Enjoy your food in the indoor area, where guests can opt for a more hands-off experience, or cook your own food on miniature grills on the terrace. The wine list at Parrillan celebrates the flavours of Spain, with a particular emphasis on offerings like cava and sherries, showcasing the best of Spanish viticulture.

Hot Stone is a restaurant renowned for offering an all-round multi-sensory dining experience. It presents a contemporary interpretation of kushiyaki, a Japanese culinary tradition that refers to all skewered and grilled foods. Start your meal with an assortment of sushi and sashimi, followed by the opportunity to cook an array of ingredients on a hot stone right at your table, giving the restaurant its apt name. Select from various options, including vegetables, seafood, or indulge in Kobe or wagyu beef. The tasting menu is an excellent way to try a bit of everything.

Firebird is a restaurant and wine bar that revolves around the element of fire. Embracing the laid-back and straightforward cooking approach of the Mediterranean region, this spot presents a diverse selection of dishes infused with the flavours of the grill. They also offer a range of draft cocktails and an ever-evolving wine collection. The carefully curated wine list showcases the talents of small-scale producers from across the continent, with a particular emphasis on natural wines.

The Michelin-starred Humo in Mayfair is brought to you by the group behind the acclaimed Endo and Sumi restaurants. With a commitment to delivering a distinctive and inventive dining experience, this restaurant is centred around an impressive wood-fired grill. Enjoy various grilled dishes infused with the flavours imparted by British wood. 

Yanji BBQ goes beyond being a mere restaurant and is more of a multi-sensory experience. Here, you have the opportunity to cook your own food right at your table, immersing yourself in the local cooking tradition known as gogi-gui. Pick from a diverse menu of skewers, including meat, seafood, tofu, vegetables, and more.

Brigadiers was brought to life by the JKS siblings, known for their successful ventures like Hoppers and Bao. This unique spot blends the concepts of a barbecue restaurant and a TV sports bar. The menu features dishes like succulent ribs and chops, best paired with a selection of draft beers.

This Middle Eastern restaurant serves food in a family-style format, with a strong emphasis on live-fire cooking techniques. Indulge in the must-try grilled short rib or opt for the delectable honey-roasted aubergine served with hazelnut dukkah if you prefer a vegetarian option. The space is trendy and ambient, with dim-lighting and exposed brickwork.

Smokehouse is a contemporary restaurant that specialises in barbecue cuisine, offering various dishes influenced by global flavors. Ingredients are sourced from small suppliers, and food is grilled over charcoal or roasted and smoked using sustainable English oak wood. The à la carte menu features options like hot smoked chalk stream trout, smoked chicken with chanterelles and tarragon, and a substantial 1.1kg Hereford tomahawk steak. You can also enjoy Sunday roasts and family-style feasts and an extensive drinks list including 20 craft beers on tap, alongside a curated selection of wines from family producers and small cooperatives.

Smoking Goat is an intimate, cosy restaurant that specialises in fragrant BBQ Northern Thai cuisine. With a warm and dimly-lit vibe, it provides the perfect setting to indulge in their menu, which is designed for sharing. The tangy fish-sauce chicken wings steal the show and have gained a bit of a cult following over the years.

Kiln is the go-to spot for open-kitchen cooking and BBQ Thai cuisine. Their sharing menu showcases beloved classics such as Northern-style Laap sausage, slow-grilled red mullet, and succulent lamb and cumin skewers. Despite its well-deserved reputation as one of the country's top restaurants, Kiln maintains affordable prices, ensuring accessibility for all.

Spanning five railway arches and a pair of goods yards, Peckham Arches is a versatile event space that can accommodate up to 600 people, in addition to offering food, drinks, an art gallery, and other facilities. Taking advantage of local, seasonal ingredients, the open-fire kitchen showcases bold Middle Eastern BBQ cookery highlighting large flame-grilled cuts of meat, fish, and vegetables.

East London eatery Burnt Smokehouse is a chilled spot based in a railway arch. This casual restaurant has industrial stylings and served succulent barbecue dishes such as burgers and tender cuts of meat. Vegetarian options and side dishes are on offer as well. The meat here is halal and diners who want to drink alcohol can BYOB. 

Caia is a relaxed neighbourhood wine bar, music venue, and open-fire restaurant situated on Golborne Road beneath the Brutalist Trellick Tower in Notting Hill. The menu, cooked over an open flame, features dishes with the perfect amount of smokiness. The drinks menu includes everything from classic cocktails to unique in-house creations. This underground venue also boasts an extensive vinyl collection.

Temper restaurants are a haven for meat enthusiasts. They proudly take a stand against industrial farming, using unique approaches that involve in-house butchering, which also takes place right in the heart of the restaurant. With open kitchens and fire pits, the act of barbecuing becomes a show to admire, and the basement venue in Soho boasts one of London's largest fire pits. They also serve a range of innovative cocktails.

Decimo, a high-end restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, blends Mexican and Spanish cuisine from its 10th-floor location in King's Cross, offering panoramic views and a cactus-filled interior. The menu comprises a mix of live-fire Spanish and Mexican cooking designed to share, including dishes like the Instagram-famous Decimo Tortilla and Iberico pork. There's also a curated wine list and an extensive cocktail menu.