Best Local Restaurant in London 2025
Ida
Queen's Park, London
‘Everything a neighbourhood restaurant should be’
A refreshing escape from the capital’s new openings circuit, our London champion is a time-honoured heartwinner. Opened in 2007 by writer Simonetta Wenkert and her IT engineer husband Avi, their children have grown up with the restaurant and now run day-to-day service with an infectious warmth. Ida’s namesake and the core of its soul come from Avi’s mother, whose culinary traditions from her hometown of Cupramontana in the Marche region of Italy stretch beyond being just about the food. ‘It’s the kind of place where locals bring visiting friends, where birthdays and catch-ups become memories,’ wrote one loyal regular. ‘It’s the little touches that show how much they care.’
Responding to their win, Simonetta said:
‘It couldn’t make us happier. We are nothing without our neighbours, and love being part of the community here on Kilburn Lane. There’s no better feeling than watching our customers’ children grow up and return with families of their own. We are grateful to everyone who has supported us in the almost twenty years we have been here, as well as to our small but mighty team.’
We're hosting a special members event and Q&A with Simonetta at Ida this October. [Register your interest here.]
Best Local Restaurants in London 2025
It’s not just Ida that shines with family-run spirit. In Hackney, Korean gem Miga exudes the warmth of familial hospitality, with Mr Ko cooking in the open kitchen and his sons running front of house; in Shepherd’s Bush, partners Giulia and Endris run their beloved Italian with grace and warmth; and in Tottenham, siblings Ifeyinwa and Emeka Frederick’s authentic Nigerian tapas spot, Chuku's, draws in all-comers. Alongside The Lacy Nook’s brilliant Balkan cooking and Slowburn’s intruigingly incongruous setting in a craft jeans factory, central London shows it can prop up brilliant locals too: there’s the infectious buzz of Brutto in Farringdon for one, and Lorne, the unlikely atmosphere of a neighbourhood bistro near Victoria, crafted by Katie Exton’s intelligent and attentive hospitality.
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