The best restaurants for lunch in Shoreditch

Everything about this East End spot oozes Shoreditch; the simple logo, the unfussy food and the minimal space it's set in. But really, it's all about the food, and it makes for an excellent lunch spot. Leroy nabbed a Michelin star only one year after opening and held it until 2024. Chef Simon Shand has continued to craft a menu of simple, flavoursome dishes that steer away from anything too complex, like rabbit ravioli with wild mushrooms and sweetcorn. There's also a sommelier on-hand to talk you through the list of eclectic wines to accompany your chosen dishes.

This is another perfect spot for bigger group lunches. This little slice of Italy brings a smidge of '50s trattoria style to the streets of Shoreditch. The first London restaurant of the Big Mamma Group, Gloria features over-the-top but stylish decor with a menu that makes it far too easy to over-order. The star of the show is their silky carbonara served in a giant wheel of pecorino cheese. We'll take two, please.

The classic Vietnamese banh mi has become a street food sensation, and it’s hardly surprising given how simple but delicious it is. Banh Mi Keu Deli’s banh mi is hard to beat, made with crumbled pork sausage, spiced belly of pork, ham terrine, chicken liver pate and kewpie mayonnaise. They also make exceptional chicken soup for those chillier days.

This is the sort of place you'd take your folks when they're visiting from out of town. Although it’s very much no-frills, this buzzy chophouse serves an impressive menu of Basque-inspired dishes that earned it a Michelin star just six months after opening. Everything is scrawled on a blackboard and mains are designed for sharing, like the rib of prime moorland beef or Cornish-caught flaky turbot slow-cooked on the smokey grill.

If you've been to Spitalfields before, you've likely already spotted Crispin; it’s located in a distinctive glass and zinc triangular pavilion moments from Spitalfields Market. Inside, it's simple but stylish, seating 40 comfortably with 20 more seats outside for al fresco lunches. The menu is simple and seasonal, with dishes made using locally-sourced ingredients from British suppliers and small-scale farms. The wine is all low-intervention, made with indigenous and rare grape varieties.

Lyle’s is another Shoreditch restaurant that champions simplicity. Inside it's a Scandi-chic dream, with bare white walls, tall light-drenching windows and a steel centrepiece bar. There’s not a frill or flounce in sight. Dinner is a four-course tasting menu comprising just a handful of dishes, like monkfish with burnt tomato and lobster butter and beef broth with wild mushrooms and egg yolk. If you prefer to dine à la carte, pop along at lunchtime.

This pasta spot on Phipp Street ticks all of the boxes: it’s stylish, affordable and utterly delicious. The menu comprises a short list of starters, pasta and sweet treats. The cacio e pepe is a menu mainstay, and we guarantee you’ll be thinking about it for weeks. Although whatever you order will be ridiculously tasty. It’s also super casual, and nobody would bat an eyelid if you swung by for a solo lunch date.

This Caribbean joint in Shoreditch offers an excellent grab-and-go lunch in a casual and informal setting. You’ll spend less than a tenner on a box of jerk chicken or curry goat with rice, peas, coleslaw and plantain. The place turns into a jazz and funk venue in the evening, so it’s worth swinging by when the sun goes down if that’s your kind of jam.

It’s a dreary day, you’re halfway through your working day, and you’re craving a big bowl of something warm and comforting. Bao has got you covered. This minimalist spot on Redchurch Street makes consistently delicious bowls of slurp-worthy noodle soup. They also serve their famous bao buns and fried chicken. Keep your eyes peeled for the specials board, too, there’s almost always something worth ordering on there.

You’ve probably already heard of this one, but if not, here’s a quick intro: Brick Lane institution has been serving slap-up salt beef bagels 24 hours a day ever since it opened in 1974. Woah. Today, it’s still in the exact same spot serving the exact same bagels for a very affordable price. Top tip: ask for yours with mustard and pickles.

This newsagent on busy Great Eastern Street is hiding a delicious secret, which comes in the form of homemade Indian curries. Although they're your typical shop stocking all of your basics and necessities, come lunchtime, they bring out a vat of delicious, authentic curry, which you can nab for less than a fiver. Take away a box of three curries with rice and popadoms, and add a giant onion bhaji if you're feeling particularly ravenous.

Whitecross Market, aptly nicknamed Bitecross Market, is a mid-week lunchtime hot spot for local Old Street workers and foodies. You'll find everything from traditional Brazillian street food and Indian fusion to hearty homemade pies and more. Everything is cheap and delicious and the portions are always pretty generous.

Step into Japan in this small Shoreditch eatery on the industrial Phipp Street, where the menu is brimming with exquisite Japanese favourites. When you walk in, you’ll see counters lined with the finest grade-A sashimi and bottles of intricately decorated sake bottles. It’s an excellent lunch spot, not least because the food is delicious, but because they have a daily changing lunch menu that means you can nab a meal for under a tenner. If you come when the sun goes down, they also have a whisky and sake bar upstairs for post-work drinks (or go for lunch, no judgement here).

This Vietnamese restaurant on Kingsland Road, nicknamed Vietnamese Mile, is the place to go for authentic Vietnamese fare in the heart of Shoreditch. It's a popular spot at lunchtime and dinner, and people flock to feast on their fresh, authentic pho and assortment of homemade side dishes. You don't need to don your fancy get-up here, it's relaxed and informal and people are here solely for the food. Our must-order: the beef flank noodle soup. The definition of comfort food.

This restaurant plates up spicy Shaanxi dishes from the northwest of China, a relatively rare find in the capital (well, good versions of it, anyway). Their thick, hand-pulled, ribbon-like noodles have earned them a reputation on the London noodle scene. Thick, chewy and wide, served with tender chunks of beef (or without, if you’re veggie), doused in an oily chilli sauce and topped with pak choi. Make sure you order a side of their black fungus, a more-ish coriander-based dish that's relatively hard to come by.

For ultimate Guilin fun, head to Chew Fun in Spitalfield, a Guilin noodle specialist that serves steaming hot bowls of brothy noodle soup. You can pick a pre-made bowl from their menu or build your own pick-and-mix style. Either way, make sure you cover yours in their oh-so-addictive chilli oil.

If you're looking for the perfect lunch spot for a group of people in Shoreditch, then Dishoom is your best bet. Whether you're a Londoner or not, chances are you've probably heard of Dishoom, and it definitely lives up to the hype. This restaurant, inspired by the Irani cafés of Bombay, is always a hit with diners, and the varied menu means there's something for every kind of eater. Make sure you try their signature black daal with a cheesy naan for dipping, dunking and mopping. Oh, and their masala prawns, chicken ruby, chilli cheese toast... basically everything, to be honest.

Two words: chicken wings. Seriously, there's nothing better than these fish sauce-doused chicken wings. They're gloriously sweet, a little spicy and drenched in a glossy sticky sauce. We wouldn't blame you if you came for lunch and ordered three plates of those and nothing else. It's an excellent spot for sharing plates and getting a taste of everything.

This market has been ticking along since the 17th Century, when traders worked from stalls and sheds, selling mostly fresh fruit and vegetables to locals. These days it’s a bustling market selling everything from street food and clothing to antiques and collectables. It's a popular lunch spot with plenty of traders to choose from serving worldwide food. There are a handful of tables dotted around if you want to sit-in and dine.

This breakfast and lunch-only spot right by Shoreditch Church is in a converted bike shed of an old school. The food is nourishing and wholesome, with dishes like Welsh pork belly with fennel and anchovy and barley and wild mushroom stuffed pumpkin. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to come with a friend when you're craving some top-quality grub washed down with a fancy bottle of wine.

Pizza Pilgrims is the place to go when you’re craving light, crispy Neapolitan-style pizzas with a fluffy crust. The business came about after two brothers decided to travel across Italy and learn everything possible about pizza. Nowadays, they are one of the best places to eat pizza around the world. If you decide to take a pilgrimage here for lunch, their spicy honey and double pepperoni is always a hit.

If you have a particularly fussy lunch group you need to cater for, take them to Boxpark. It houses 23 food and drinks traders, ranging from Japanese-Latin fusion to vegan chicken wings, and plenty of seating, so it’s ideal when you’ve forgotten to book somewhere. They also regularly host events, from poetry and comedy nights to live music and sports.

Aside from serving some of the best coffee in the capital, Attendant’s lunch menu also packs a punch. They source their produce sustainably, ethically and locally from British suppliers, crafting a simple menu of seasonal picks. Enjoy house-made sandwiches, foccacia pizza slices, seasonal soups and salad bowls in a trendy, plant-draped space in the heart of Shoreditch.

Gunpowder is a small, home-style restaurant serving innovative versions of Indian classics. It’s perfect for sharing, making it an ideal lunch spot for a group of friends. The food is creative, like the spicy venison and vermicelli doughnut, which is the restaurant’s take on keema. The owner is usually on hand and happy to tell a personal tale about each of your dishes.

Get a taste of Burmese cuisine in the East End at Lahpet, a contemporary restaurant serving a menu of authentic, homemade dishes from Burma. Start with the shrimp paste dumplings before moving on to a zingy salad, or opt for something more warming, like the catfish and lemongrass chowder. There's also a feasting menu that you can book in advance if you want to get a taste of everything. It's the perfect mid-week lunch spot.

This classic French brasserie in Old Spitalfields Market offers brunch, express lunch, and dinner within its sophisticated setting. For those who prefer alfresco dining, covered seating in the market is also available. The menu, deeply rooted in traditional French cuisine, emphasises quality ingredients and culinary skill with staples such as French onion soup, steak tartare, and rotisserie chicken.