If you love eating your way around the capital and have an ever-expanding list of places to try, chances are you’re all too familiar with the organisation and occasional alarm setting needed to bag a table. But if, like my friends, you’re visiting from out of town and looking for somewhere central to eat without weeks of notice, this list is for you.
My selection – a mix of new discoveries and established favourites – isn’t about the “best” restaurants in London. Instead, they’re the ones I find myself recommending time and again, that I would go back to in a heartbeat. These are the places that strike the sweet spot between ‘special occasion’ dining and ‘walk around and see where the mood takes you’. Some do require a little forward planning, but others still leave the door open for spontaneity – if you time it right (arrive just before opening for lunch or dinner and you’ll dramatically improve your chances of walking straight in). In a city obsessed with reservations, that still feels like one of London’s best luxuries.
Alta
9 Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, Soho
One of the latest additions to London’s already stacked wood-fired dining scene, this Basque-inspired spot has taken over the largest space in Kingly Court – a three-story food hub off Carnaby Street. Fire-driven dishes are delivered as a loose procession of snacks, small plates and dishes to share and it works well for walk-ins – either at the counter or on the terrace.
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Andrew Edmunds
46 Lexington Street, Soho
A one of a kind. A gloriously unreconstructed bulwark of Franco-Mediterranean bistro dining that harkens back to a time in London that now seems forgotten. Lean into the wine list, it’s long been one of the glories here. Best to book.
Arlington
20 Arlington Street, St James’s
Formerly Le Caprice, the striking Parisian-brasserie look has been refreshed and still pulls off the tricky combination of exclusivity and accessibility with a dash of glamour. The weekend-only set lunch is fantastic value, or book dinner after 9.45pm any night and enjoy 25% off the total bill. Best to book but walk-in spots are to be had at the bar counter – my favourite place.
The Devonshire
Denman Street, Soho
The Devonshire operates in its own microclimate. Join the scrum for Guinness in the bar if you just want to say you’ve been, otherwise head upstairs for the daily set lunch or Sunday roast rib of beef – so good, such terrific value and a great buzz. You need to be organised as reservations go fast, but if you’re flexible, try a late lunch (or dinner).
Forza Wine Soho
Manette Street, Soho
I’ve been recommending Forza Wine at the National Theatre since it opened in 2023, so I’m delighted that an easy-to-pop-into 100-seater branch has recently opened in more convenient (for me) Soho. Open all day, it is the place to go for drinks – an interesting list of approachable, modern European wines, plenty by the glass. To eat there’s a dozen seasonally aware Italian-style small/large sharing plates. The 70-cover terrace is the icing on the cake.
Kiln
Brewer Street, Soho
This is Thai food but not as we know it! It’s a smoking hot, Soho homage, as popular today as when it opened 10 years ago. A group of four (or more) can book a table in the basement dining room – where you can have a loud, noisy BBQ party indoors – or go on spec, play the waiting game and queue outside for a slot at the ground-floor counter.
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16-18 Beak Street, Soho
The tremendous atmosphere of the ground floor with its smoky whiff and kitchen theatre is the place to be. With some seating reserved for walk-ins, it’s a great decide-on-the-day spot. Choose from a list of inspired sharing plates – meat, fish and vegetables cooked over fire – but get carried away and the final bill can be steep.
Sabor
35-37 Heddon Street, Mayfair
Legado, Nieves Barragán Mohacho’s cool Shoreditch newcomer, may be the current hot spot, but big sister Sabor – just off Regent Street – is one of London’s great casual dining experiences. I prefer the ground floor tapas bar but if you can’t book seats at the counter, it’s well worth the queue for a place at the bar.
Sael
1 St James's Market, St James’s
This under-the-radar Jason Atherton restaurant puts the emphasis on affordability, quality and comfort. Open all week, the stylish, light-filled venue (in the rather sterile environment of St James's Market) offers a wood-fired menu that’s a tribute to British heritage cooking. The 85-seater dining room and the warm-weather front terrace make Sael a good last-minute choice.
Tamila Soho
19-20 Poland Street, Soho
Hugely popular, contemporary South Indian, the latest and largest of a London trio, open all day, every day. There’s a short, reasonably priced menu of delicious snacks, small plates and curries with a gravitational pull towards the deservedly popular rotis. Walk-ins fare better here than at my other favourite – the dinky Tamila in Kings Cross – but at weekends it’s best to book at peak dining times.
ELIZABETH CARTER
Editor-at-largeElizabeth Carter was at the helm of The Good Food Guide from 2008 until 2025 and as editor-at-large offers an unparalleled perspective and depth of knowledge of Britain’s restaurants. A frequent traveller to New York, she brings an international outlook to emerging trends and the standards we should expect on the modern dining scene.
