Signature restaurant dishes in London

Chinese drinking tavern Three Rounds has the ideal accompaniment to the potent baijiu spirits it likes to pour – a platter of expertly smoked and braised cold cuts. First slow-braised in rich soy and spice before being gently smoked for aromatic depth, the cuts of pork, beef, chicken are served charcuterie-style for nibbling alongside cocktails, craft beers, and other drinks. A plant-based version with tofu , mushrooms, and vegetables is available too.

Before the Athertons launched their Three Darlings restaurant, they teased the concept with a pop-up. Not a particularly unusual approach, though the combination of menu and venue – hot dogs and Harrods – did turn a few heads. Now fully up and running, the Three Darlings restaurant in Chelsea serves a pared-back version of one of Jason Atherton's luxury hot dogs available during the pop-up, featuring bacon crumbs, caramelised onion, mustard, and a side of fries.

Asma Khan's London restaurant Darjeeling Express is always a good shout for authentic Indian cooking in London, but there's a special signature dish that's a cut above the rest. Served on select days only, the Netflix star's most treasured recipe, Calcutta-style dum biryani, is ceremoniously unveiled as part of a multiple-course supper club. Served to everyone at the same time in the traditional dawaat style, it's a gorgeous showpiece combining craft and heritage.

Quo Vadis is a bastion of refined old-school hospitality where chef Jeremy Lee and his team take inspiration from classic British recipes to conjure up elevated dishes at once familiar and inventive. The menu changes seasonally, but Lee's signature dish, the smoked eel sandwich, remains a fixture, its smoky flavours counterbalanced by fiery horseradish and Dijon mustard and captured between two slices of toasted sourdough. Even if jellied eels give you the ick, you'll want to get in on this.

Truthfully, the perennially popular Dishoom restaurants could lay claim to several signature dishes, with the silky house black daal, the tender chicken ruby, or even the warming house chai all credible contenders. This time around we'll go with the dish that arguably made Dishoom a household name and hasn't really been replicated elsewhere – the bacon naan roll off their breakfast menu. Featuring smoked streaky bacon tucked into a freshly baked naan with cream cheese, tomato-chilli jam, and coriander, it's the perfect way to start the day.

You might not expect a relaxed, snug basement caff in Leyton of all places having a signature dish, but one bite of Deeney's haggis toastie will instantly change your mind. The Scotland-inspired take on the most comforting of comfort foods, the toastie is made with haggis, bacon, cheddar cheese, caramelised onion, rocket, and mustard, with both veggie and vegan versions available as well.

The signature dish at the Jugged Hare is, conveniently, the jugged hare – a historic speciality dating back to the 1700s and made by braising a hare in its own blood in a jug in a pan of boiling water. It's not one for plant-based diners, that's for sure, though to be fair, there's not much for them here in any case – this is one of London's leading restaurants when it comes to serving game, and the decorative taxidermy makes that even more clear.

St. John has been one of the most famous restaurants in London since the early 1990s and is credited with renewing interest in nose-to-tail dining around the globe. The seed of its success is surprisingly simple – the roast bone marrow and parsley salad. It exemplifies the qualities that have made the Michelin-starred restaurant such a hit: it's unexpectedly simple and refreshing, yet perfectly executed. A menu and bucket list fixture for a reason.

Din Tai Fung started as a small dumpling shop way back in the 1970s in Taiwan and has since grown to an international group with outposts around the world, even bagging a Michelin star in the process. The secret to its success has always been the xiao long bao, a signature steamed pork dumpling distinguished by having no fewer than 18 folds. Delicately shaped by hand, it's as much a piece of art as an extremely tasty morsel to pop into your mouth.

Beloved worldwide and often imitated, pad Thai is one of Thailand's greatest culinary accomplishments, so there's no shortage of pretenders to the throne. For a definitive version, however, head to Nipa Thai, an upscale dining establishment tucked away inside the prestigious Royal Lancaster hotel. Not only is it prepared with skill and confidence – chef Sanguan Parr leads an all-female, all-Thai kitchen in line with Thai tradition for an added bit of authenticity.

Long before the smashburger craze, there was the Dexter, a deceptively simple cheeseburger slung at a North London pub pop-up by Four Legs. The smashed dexter beef mince, homemade ketchup mayo, locally sourced brioche buns, American cheese, pickles, diced onion – it all comes together in what, for many, is the platonic ideal of a burger. It was truly ahead of its time and remains a safe bet for best burger in London to this day.

Alright, we're cheating a bit on this one as it's not strictly a dish (does calling it “liquid bread” help?) and you can get it in a can at your local off-license if needed, but we strongly feel the Dev deserves a spot on this list regardless. Unwittingly spearheading the craze that has bathed the streets of London in  the dark stuff, The Devonshire in Soho is widely considered to pour the most perfect pint of Guinness around. If you're a stickler for rules, however, sit down and treat yourself to the beef cheek and Guinness suet pudding instead.

Side by side in Brick Lane, these two bagel shops have had an infamous rivalry going on for decades. There's no clear consensus which is the superior one, with their respective popularities waning and growing over the years, so it's up to you to decide which one does the signature salt beef bagel better. Either way, you're the winner.

J Sheekey is a historic London restaurant and an enduring mainstay of nights out in the West End for decades. It specialises in fresh fish and seafood, turning out seasonal specialities with aplomb and the kind of old-school professional service you only rarely get anymore. The menu's pride and joy is the signature fish pie, a humble classic that here realises its full potential.

Speaking of historic restaurants with old-school service, let's not forget Rules. The oldest restaurant in London, Rules is steeped, marinated, and stewed in British tradition, from the top-hatted doorman onwards. The menu is chock-full of classic dishes, but saves the best for last – the iconic Rules golden syrup sponge, a comforting, nostalgic treat that's given all the respect and care a national treasure deserves. Don't forget to pair it with a nice Andalusian sherry.

There's an argument to be made that at this point, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is more synonymous with the beef Wellington than the Duke himself. Ramsay's signature dish is available at a selection of his many restaurants in London, getting the full bells and whistles treatment in the Beef Wellington Experience, which rounds things off with a welcome cocktail, starters, and a sharing dessert platter.

Though its origins are somewhat disputed, there's no denying this classic French dish comes with far more theatricality than you'd expect from dessert. Part of The Ritz Restaurant's selection dishes prepared tableside, the flambéed crêpes are as visually impressive as the rest of the baroque venue, searing themselves into memory as a feast for the senses. Add the fact that you're likely dressed to the nines as you splurge at this celebrated luxury restaurant, and you've got all the ingredients for an iconic dining experience.

The couple behind Honey & Co. has quietly built a mini-empire of warm, genuinely welcoming Middle Eastern eateries, and one of the building blocks of said empire is their signature feat and honey cheesecake. Anticipating the Dubai choc madness years in advance, it's served on a kadaifi pastry base and covered with Greek thyme honey, almonds, and blueberries, resulting in a most pleasing blend of subtle flavours.

A globally popular Chinese dish, the Peking duck is available on most Chinatown menus, but only one has won awards and accolades as “the best roast duck in the world”. Head to one of the Four Seasons restaurants to experience this culinary marvel for yourself, made according to a jealously guarded secret recipe and served with pancakes and traditional trimmings.

Big Mamma is a group of over-the-top Italian restaurants – well, pleasure palaces, really – that overwhelm the senses with appealingly kitschy decor, authentic Italian staff, and grandiose culinary offerings, the pinnacle of which are the signature desserts. Each restaurant has its own, from lemon meringue pie to ice cream cake or chocolate torte, with the common thread being they're all massive, incredibly indulgent, and unforgettable.