The best restaurants in Central London

In Covent Garden, Sagar keeps things simple with South Indian vegetarian and vegan cooking inspired by the coastal town of Udupi. The menu's full of comfort dishes, like crispy masala dosas, soft idlis, and warming curries with coconut chutney and sambar, served in a calm, unfussy setting. It's the kind of spot that doesn't shout about itself but quietly delivers some of the best South Indian food in Central London.

Taka is one of those central London spots with a dining room that is compact, warm and easy to settle into. The menu changes depending on what's in season, with clean, precise Japanese cooking built on British produce, whether that's salmon tataki, miso black cod or a line-up of sashimi based on whatever arrived fresh that day. Drinks lean towards sake and cocktails that suit the food, and the whole place has a calm confidence that makes it a solid choice when you want something reliable and tasty.

Cora Pearl in Central London delivers a refined take on British comfort food, with highlights like Devon lamb cutlets and Sunday roasts elevated by European flair. Its stylish Covent Garden setting makes it especially popular for pre-theatre dining, offering quick yet elegant menus designed to suit theatregoers' schedules. With space for both intimate dinners and larger groups, it's a standout choice for memorable dining in the heart of the city.

Punk Royale, which began in Stockholm in 2015 and later expanded to Copenhagen, Oslo, and now London, brings a rebellious and unconventional twist to fine dining. The Mayfair outpost swaps traditional formality for playful chaos, combining imaginative tasting menus with an eye-catching graffiti setting, smoke machines, and surprise props like syringes. Part immersive experience and part culinary adventure, Punk Royale delivers a bold, unpredictable dining experience for those seeking something completely different.

In the heart of Central London, Gilgamesh serves bold pan-Asian cuisine within lavish Babylonian-inspired interiors that blend grandeur with modern style. The menu features everything from sushi platters and robata-grilled meats to curries and signature dishes, paired with inventive cocktails and a global wine list. By night, resident DJs transform the venue into a lively party destination.

Novikov delivers a dual culinary concept under one Central London roof. On one floor, guests can indulge in rustic Italian comfort, with hand-rolled pasta and timeless favourites served in a cosy, trattoria-style space brimming with warmth. On the other, sleek Asian elegance takes centre stage, offering a contemporary menu of dim sum and other dishes inspired by Chinese flavours. The on-site lounge bar rounds things off with live music.

Stepping into Osteria by Bocconcino feels like entering a Mediterranean fantasy, with its hand-painted ceiling, octopus-like chandeliers, and stern Testa di Moro statues. Guests can watch the open kitchen working on indulgent dishes such as rich pastas and risottos, grilled fish and steaks, and a variety of classic sides, accompanied by creative cocktails. Special touches like a lobster bottomless brunch, Sunday buffet, and a warm, stylish atmosphere make Osteria one of the best restaurants in Central London.

The Great Thai Restaurant is your go-to for authentic Thai street food just off Oxford Circus. Everything is made with fresh ingredients and authentic spices, and transformed into dishes like spicy papaya salad, creamy massaman curry, and excellent pad Thai. The vibe's simple and chill, with whitewashed walls and just enough Thai touches to let the food do the talking.

The Great Thai Grab & Go, just off Tottenham Court Road, is a casual Central London spot slinging Bangkok-style street food without the waiting around. Expect a menu jam-packed with curries, spicy satay, crispy spring rolls and a pad Thai that always hits the spot, all made with fresh herbs and traditional Thai recipes. It's walk-in only, super fast, and most dishes come in under a tenner. 

Step into cherry blossom heaven at Tattu, where the restaurant is decorated with mock cherry blossoms paired with sweeping views of bustling Oxford Circus. Contemporary Chinese fare is the name of the game here, including dishes like premium wagyu steak served on a hot stone and spicy sesame tuna tartare. The cocktails are equally impressive, with some being served in glass caskets filled with smoke.

Gymkhana is a Raj-era-themed restaurant that has long been a stalwart in London's dining scene. This upmarket Indian restaurant in Mayfair has an impressive two Michelin stars and is inspired by the elite clubs of India where members of high society socialise, eat, drink, and play sports. Expect a menu of tandoor oven roasts, sigri charcoal grills and seasonal curries alongside a refined drinks menu of wine and cocktails made with the finest Indian ingredients and flavour combos. The restaurant is modern with a mirrored staircase and elements of north-Indian architecture.

Sabor is a Michelin-starred restaurant spanning a diverse range of Spanish cuisine over two floors on Heddon Street. Opt for a seat at The Counter for a view of the open kitchen, where they serve a daily changing menu of fresh fish, expertly prepared by Sabor's in-house fishmonger, accompanied by regional dishes from across Spain, including specialities from the Basque Country and Catalonia. Head one floor up to the stylish Al Astor restaurant, which houses banquette seating overlooking the open kitchen. Here, specialities are prepared using traditional methods, either in a wood-fired oven or asador, sourced from Castile, or in large copper pans imported to London specifically from Galicia.

At Jikoni, chef patron Ravinder Bhogal has crafted a menu of food inspired by Asia, the Middle East, East Africa and Britain. This mixed-heritage restaurant is all about fusion food in a small, intimate setting decorated in shades of pastel pinks and peach, with patterned fabrics, wicker chairs, and colourful cushions. They shine a spotlight on maternal figures and family recipes passed down through generations here with a menu that blends traditional Asian recipes and cooking methods with European ingredients.

Hide comprises three swish spaces under one Michelin-starred roof via their iconic, sweeping staircase. Upstairs, there's a bright dining room that overlooks Green Park, where you can enjoy tasting and à la carte menus. There's an elegant all-day dining room on the ground floor and an intimate bar downstairs where you can sip on cocktails and rare spirits.

Kol is a modern Mexican restaurant in Marylebone with 'Mexican soul, British ingredients' as its tagline. They serve only a tasting menu here, with a shorter lunch menu available on select days, all with a focus on hyper-seasonal recipes. There's a mezcaleria downstairs where you can enjoy a range of Mexican spirits as well as a wine list that is centred around European producers known for wines with bold acidity and energy.

Noble Rot regularly appears on lists of London's best restaurants, and for good reason. This award-winning wine bar and restaurant is all about excellent wines, and they have a team of experts ready to suggest the perfect glass or bottle for you. The food is simple and unfussy, with menus that change but include dishes like pickled herring and confit duck leg.

Cord is a French fine-dining restaurant in St.Paul's, located in a Grade II-listed Lutyens-designed building. Here, they serve a daily a la carte menu, an accessible weekly changing set lunch menu, and dinner tasting menus, all presented in an artistic and visually pleasing way. It's the restaurant from the famous French cookery school, Le Cordon Bleu, one of the oldest and most prestigious cooking schools in the world.

It may have built up a reputation for pouring the best Guinness in the city, but a pint of the black stuff isn't all The Devonshire is known for. It's the first joint pub from a pair of industry veterans, former The Guinea Grill landlord Oisin Rogers and Flat Iron founder Charlie Carroll, so food is also a big thing here. Expect dishes like dry-aged Scottish beef, day-boat fish, Oban langoustines, and more, all prepared by the in-house butcher and bakery.

Mayfair's Bibi is the creation of Michelin-trained chef Chet Sharma, inspired by the culinary wisdom of his grandmothers (bibis), who shaped his love for cooking. It nabbed the number one title in the UK at the 2022 National Restaurant Awards. Consciously sourced ingredients from the UK and India are the focus here, and they are used to create chaat street-food plates like charcoal-grilled meats and fish, scallops, and more. There's a tasting menu if you want to try a bit of everything and a drinks list that includes wines and spirits from all over the world.

Akoko is a West African fine dining restaurant by Aji Akokomi, where the menu features the cuisines of Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal. They just serve a ten-course tasting menu, all crafted in the swish open kitchen at the back of the restaurant. Wine pairings are available with almost every course, but there's also a soft drinks menu for the non-boozers. Expect a relaxed fine dining experience in a lively but laidback space in Central London.

Maru offers a dining experience inspired by the Japanese concept of omakase, which means placing trust in the chef. The daily choices are curated by chef Taiji, who serves a multi-course menu of various fish and seafood dishes. There are only two sittings each evening, meaning you get a totally personalised journey through the flavours of Japanese cuisine.

The Barbary is a long-standing favourite on the London dining scene and continues to draw crowds, with diners often queuing in Neal's Yard for a chance to snag one of the coveted seats. This intimate restaurant offers only bar seating around its open kitchen, making space limited and demand high. Those lucky enough to get in can enjoy a menu inspired by Middle Eastern and North African flavours, featuring dishes such as Jerusalem bagels, black salmon dukkah, and chicken shawarma.

This Michelin-starred, Kyoto-inspired restaurant in the heart of Mayfair serves a menu of the finest indigenous, line-caught fish from Cornwall and the British Isles, including expertly crafted sushi, sashimi, and a selection of seafood dishes, including the fish of the day. Executive chef Ryo Kamatsu employs the traditional Japanese technique of Ikejime, a 17th-century method renowned for being both the freshest and most humane way to prepare fish for consumption. Expect to be greeted by the chefs as you enter.

At Fallow, it's all about sustainable dining and modern British cuisine, brought to you by a team that trained with Heston Blumenthal. You can enjoy a set weekday lunch menu and a Sunday roast featuring options like whipped salmon belly, steaks, and plant-based burgers. Enjoy your meal in the spacious dining area or alfresco on the heated pavement terrace.

It's not hard to see why St. John's has earned a bit of a cult following over the years. This sleek venture has a few restaurants dotted around the city, including in Marylebone, where it spans two floors and draws inspiration from Parisian and Tuscan wine bar culture. There's an all-day dining menu here, serving everything from the in-house bakery's famous doughnuts to small plates, alongside an extensive selection of wines.

Fowl is a spin-off of its sibling restaurant Fallow, but is more of a chicken shop. It became known for its chicken head pie, which is exactly what it sounds like. The restaurant functions around a beak-to-feet concept, with a menu that features ethically raised chickens in nearly every dish, with even the desserts sometimes incorporating chicken fat. Every month, the menu changes through collaborations with various guest chefs.

Angela Hartnett's Murano is all about Michelin-starred Italian cuisine made from fresh, seasonal ingredients. The restaurant offers both set lunch menus and à la carte options, with dishes like burrata, risotto, and gnocchi on the menu. The diverse global wine list perfectly accompanies the food, while the contemporary venue offers a sleek space to enjoy your meal.

Simon Rogan's Aulis offers an exclusive eight-seater chef's table in the heart of the West End, where you'll be at the centre of the action. The menu here reflects his farm-to-fork philosophy, with dishes that change seasonally. Enjoy everything from small, savoury plates to decadent desserts in a sleek, minimalist setting.

Multi-starred French chef Yannick Alléno has brought his culinary knowledge to London's prestigious Four Seasons Park Lane, serving signature Parisian dishes and London exclusives using techniques like extraction and fermentation. Dishes change but include things like sea bass with celery extraction sauce and blue lobster with wagyu beef mille-feuille. There's also an elite wine list that has been curated by sommelier Vincent Javaux and includes a selection of wines by the glass. The venue also houses Bar Antoine, a cocktail bar with a terrace that serves small plates, mains, and signature cocktails.

Rita's, founded in 2012 and led by chef-owner Gabriel Pryce, is an independent restaurant where a modern American dining experience meets British and European produce. The menu is centred around British seasonal produce and low-intervention wine, including dishes like poached cod, barbecued quail, and Duroc pork chop, although it does change frequently.

Chef Tomos Parry of Brat is the mastermind behind this wood grill and wine bar in Soho, bringing Spanish-inspired food to the area. Mountain serves traditional Spanish dishes using locally sourced produce alongside wines curated by Noble Rot. Inside, there's a large wooden counter bar, as well as a cosy bar area with an open kitchen in the basement.

The award-winning Bocca di Lupo by Jacob Kenedy and Victor Hugo specialises in a menu of regional dishes from Italy, with a focus on antipasti, pasta, and meat. You'll get to journey around Italy via the menu here, with the origin of each dish listed next to it. Opt for a seat at the marble counter for the best experience.

Kiln focuses on open-kitchen cooking, where they serve up some of the most popular Thai food in the city. The sharing menu is brimming with classics like slow-grilled red mullet and lamb and cumin skewers. The prices here remain affordable, even though it's regularly named as one of the best restaurants in the country. The fact it's unpretentious and welcoming makes it all that little bit more appealing.

This former pop-up in a 20-seater shipping container turned permanent franchise combines the flavours of India with top-quality British ingredients. Drinks include options like wine, bottled beers, and spiced cocktails, while the food is Indian-inspired but made from best-of-British ingredients. Kricket's Keralan-style chicken is a must-try.

This legendary restaurant is perhaps the most famous in Mayfair, serving the best seafood, fish, shellfish, champagne, and oysters the area has to offer. It dates back to 1851 and has remained an icon in London's restaurant scene ever since. Tuck into a huge selection of market-fresh fish, seafood, and caviar, or luxe it up at the elegant oyster and champagne bar. Keep your eyes peeled for A-listers here.

This laid-back neighbourhood restaurant and café serves a classic Viennese menu in an unpretentious setting in Marylebone. The menu is chock full of Mittel European dishes, like schnitzels, röstis, cured fish, sausages, and a selection of delicate Viennoiserie pastries, eggs, and other breakfast dishes. On weekends, they also host a popular brunch.

Ormer Mayfair is helmed by executive chef Sofian Msetfi. The restaurant has several accolades to its name, including one Michelin star, four AA Rosettes, and more. The menu brings together two unusual combinations: Moroccan and Irish cuisine, an ode to the chef's roots. You can enjoy tasting menus with pescatarian, vegetarian, and vegan options, all made with the best seasonal ingredients.

Nijū first opened in 2023 and is an ingredient-led restaurant helmed by legendary Michelin-starred sushi master Endo Kazutoshi. He specialises in the Katei Ryori technique, which involves food cooked home-style or family-style. It's all about sublime Japanese cookery, including dishes like wagyu and roasted turbot. There's a bespoke sushi bar, with the overall elegant decor setting the scene perfectly for enjoying expertly-mixed cocktails and exquisite Japanese dishes.

J Sheekey is a London institution that's been providing theatregoers with somewhere to tuck into fresh seafood since 1896. You can't miss the restaurant's iconic red façade. Head inside and you'll be met with a wood-clad interior, setting the scene for a memorable seafood-based meal in the heart of the West End. You can choose from oysters and caviar to big platters including nearly everything the sea has to offer, including timeless favourites like fish 'n' chips and fish pie.

Michelin-starred Frog is the flagship restaurant of acclaimed chef Adam Handling. Here, you'll be guided through a tasting menu filled with dishes made with the finest British ingredients, with each dish reflecting personal connections to Handling and his team. It's all about British cuisine, with a vegetarian menu option available and the choice of a curated wine pairing to accompany the food.

Donia is from the team behind acclaimed Filipino ventures like Mamasons and Panadera. You'll find this spot upstairs in the iconic Kingly Court, where they serve delicious dishes that pay homage to the Philippines. The menu includes a selection of dishes designed for sharing, made with high-quality local ingredients. Highlights include things like prawn and pork dumplings served with a rich white crab and brown butter lime sauce.

Blacklock is an iconic steak restaurant that pays homage to the traditional London chophouses of the 17th century. This franchise is known for serving top-quality meat at more affordable prices, with options such as their legendary Blacklock burger, steaks dry-aged up to 55 days, and 'door-stop-thick and fit for two-to-share' chops. Thanks to its epic Sunday roast, it has also earned a well-deserved place on many "best roasts in London" lists.

Quo Vadis is an old restaurant and private members' club in Soho that has a colourful past, formerly functioning as a brothel and the former home of Karl Marx. Today, however, it's a far cry from its seedier days. These days, it's an iconic restaurant that serves lunch and dinner in a chic, light-filled dining room. As for food, the menu champions high-quality British produce with a focus on classic, traditional dishes.