Pull into Deptford station, and you immediately get the sense that this is a fine place to be fed. You’ll get the smell of fresh fish from the string of fishmongers along the High Street, “second only to Billingsgate” in the words of one local blogger. You’ll see the smoke signals wafting from the jerk pans of Deptford Market Yard. You’ll sense the palpable hunger in your fellow passengers who are pitching up in Deptford today for the same reason you are; to eat.

Once a dockyard of significant importance during the reign of Henry VIII, Deptford has long been a place of comings and goings, its identity continuously shaped by the ebb and flow of people and cultures even before the opening of the Deptford Station on the London and Greenwich Railway in 1836, which heralded a new era of connectivity, making it the oldest railway station in London. 

This development paved the way for waves of migration that have enriched the area with a kaleidoscope of cultures and cuisines. Today, Deptford’s food scene is a reflection of its ethnic diversity, with its various communities contributing to the local palate in myriad, delicious ways.

The opening of the overground train line in 2009 marked a new chapter in Deptford’s story. This vital link to the rest of London has not only made the area more accessible but has also played a pivotal role in its growth. Regenerated but fortunately perhaps not quite yet gentrified, this modern connectivity has fostered a burgeoning food scene where the area’s historic comings and goings mingle with contemporary gastronomy and budding entrepreneurism. 

Not to be overshadowed by neighbour Peckham’s much hyped dining scene, Deptford has been making some serious statements recently, with the area pushing the envelope with a string of delicious restaurant openings. With all that in mind, here are the best places to eat in Deptford.

Jerk Yard

Ideal for jerk chicken in a convivial, communal space…

If you’re the kind of person who needs a bite where they alight, then you’ll be pleased to hear that just seconds from Deptford Station you’ll find Deptford Market Yard, its 14 arches occupied by independent traders selling plenty of delicious bits, and the adjacent yard a buzzing, sociable space to settle into. 

Under those arches, Jerk Yard does a range of takeaway boxes and wraps for under a tenner, mainly centred around their properly smoky, damn delicious chicken legs, all blistered and burnished from the grill and finished with a viscous, piquant jerk sauce. Get it over rice and peas, as a wrap, or in a sandwich. A side of sweet fried plantain soothes those spicier notes. 

Though there are only a couple of tables belonging to Jerk Yard out front, there are plenty of communal benches in this lively, thriving space.

Jerk Yard is open daily from 11am to 10pm.

Website: jerkyard.uk

Address: Arch 10, 4 Deptford Market Yard, London SE8 4BX

Taca Tacos

Ideal for trying one of the best lamb birria of your life…

Also tucked away in the arches, you can’t miss Taca Tacos, its yellow and purple neon sign illuminating the Market Yard and drawing the punters in. They’re all here for one thing; the signature beef birria. 

Here, a quesataco (a folded, grilled taco with melted cheese) is filled with slow-cooked, gently spiced beef, its caramelised edges calling to mind those gorgeous, bubbling parts that your cheese toastie leaves behind in the Breville. Served alongside for dipping is an intensely salty, gelatinous beef broth, spiked with chilli and lime. What a dish this is. 

With long communal tables outfront available on a walk-in only basis, you might have to wait a little during peak times, but the food comes out fast, so why not pitch up at one of the adjacent bars and luxuriate in the whole Deptford Market Yard experience?

Tacas Tacos is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, open in the evenings on Wednesdays and Thursdays, open for lunch and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, and open for lunch only on Sundays.

Website: tacatacos.co.uk

Address: Deptford Market Yard, London SE8 4BX

Kekaki Izakaya

Ideal for an alfresco izakaya experience…

It might feel perverse to be enjoying a finely tuned, expertly executed izakaya meal whilst basking in the sunshine and glow of Deptford Market Yard’s alfresco conviviality, but Kekaki is not ordinary izakaya.

The restaurant, run by the talented chef Ping, a Vietnam War refugee who has since set up shop in Deptford, offers a light, bright and breezy Japanese culinary concept far removed from the grungy backstreet dive bars of Tokyo traditionally associated with the izakaya dining experience. 

And what a joy it is to be catching some rays in anticipation of a procession of gnarly, blistered bits and deep fried delights. Onwards, then, and into some teeth-shatteringly crisp chicken karaage. And how about a plate of yaki sakana alongside – here, bream that’s just the right side of bitterness from the binchotan, and blessed only with a few flakes of sea salt? Don’t mind if we do. Plenty of yakitori skewers and some ethereally light seasonal vegetable tempura are pretty much obligatory too, regardless of whether you decide to bill them as side dishes or the main event.

None of this gets in the least bit cloying. Indeed, there’s plenty of flair on display on the rectangle plates here, with chef Ping’s stints at globally renowned Nobu and the much-maligned Sexy Fish in Miami and London respectively coming through. He brings a few touches of each to Deptford, whether it’s in the Nobu-inspired jalapeno spiked kewpie mayo that appears dotted across several dishes, or the tight, taut tuna maki rolls that are something of a signature on Berkeley Square. 

It’s light, glorious stuff that feels just right in the summer sun. A chilled glass of sake or a refreshing highball seals the deal.

Instagram: @kekaki.eats 

Website: Arch 9, Deptford Market Yard, London SE8 4BX 

Klose & Soan

Matt Klose and Sam Soan have been feeding South East London through their catering company for years, but since taking over the kitchen at 209 Deptford High Street (formerly Winemakers) in 2019, they’ve given the area’s residents a permanent space to experience their cooking. The restaurant, split between a zinc-topped bar area up front and a dining room painted in deep teal at the back, feels like the kind of place locals come to multiple times a week, and there’s a convivial atmosphere bouncing around the room as a result.

The weekly-changing menu leans Mediterranean, with small plates and larger sharing dishes built around what’s good right now. Their chickpea panisse has become something of a calling card since the Winemakers days – bronzed, crunchy cubes of chickpea paste with a blizzard of grated Grana Padano and fermented chilli sauce that disappears from plates faster than seems physically possible. Cantabrian anchovies come glistening and salty, the kind that need nothing but good bread and a glass of something cold.

Not perhaps; they definitely benefit from something cold, and the largely low-intervention, biodynamic wine list delivers. The Muscadet cuts through the richer dishes beautifully, whilst the Gruner Veltliner brings some Austrian crispness to proceedings (both are available by the glass for under a tenner). The latter paired beautifully with a recent autumn menu addition of burrata with shaved fennel, fragola grapes and crisp, pleasingly bitter raddicchio.

It’s not all dainty and delicate. When it comes to the bigger plates, the onglet with homemade chimichurri, frites and salad (the most expensive single plate on the menu at £26.50) keeps things simple and does it with a breezy confidence that’s endearing. The steak gets a robust char that suits this gnarlier cut so well, and the chimichurri is a well made, not-too-vinegary version of the now ubiquitous, oft-murdered sauce. There’s usually a vegetarian main too – fried polenta with Taleggio, pumpkin, chestnut and sage wowed a plant-leaning dining companion on a recent visit. All in all, it’s all good at this Deptford High Street favourite.

Klose & Soan opens Wednesday through Saturday for dinner, though it’s worth checking their website for any changes or special opening times.

Website: kloseandsoan.co.uk

Address: 209 Deptford High St, London SE8 3NT

Cafe Mama Pho

Ideal for an elegant, silky bowl of pho…

Cafe Mama Pho is a beacon of warmth on a dreary London day. Or, it’s a revitalising place to rehydrate on a bowl of electrolyte-filled soup on a particularly balmy day in the capital. Choose your poison…

…not that we’re saying the pho here is virulent. Anything but; the chicken pho here, in particular, is a vital, restorative bowl that will transport you right to the ngõs of Hanoi, minus the soundtrack of incessant motorbike beeping. All gentle aniseed notes and a graceful silkiness from the poached, skin-on chicken thighs, it’s one of our favourite bowls of pho in London. The pho tai (a version using raw slices of beef that cook gently in the broth) is excellent too. So much so, in fact, that we’ve written all about it here.

Website: cafemamapho.co.uk

Address: 24 Evelyn St, London SE8 5DG

Eat Vietnam Bar-B-Grill

Ideal for a flavour of crowdpleasing Vietnamese classics…

Deptford is arguably the epicentre of some of the most downright delicious Vietnamese food in the country, with historic migration from Vietnam to this corner of south east London beginning in the early 1980s and continuing to this day.

Perhaps our favourite Vietnamese restaurant in Deptford is Eat Vietnam, a family run joint with a keen sense of community, a killer menu of crowdpleasers, and a thriving, throbbing atmosphere every night of the week (11:30am to 3pm, and 5pm to 11pm, every day).

Whilst the beef pho here is some of the best we’ve had in the city, the national dish certainly isn’t the only showstopper on this extensive, country-spanning menu. Perhaps even better is the bun bo hue – a spicy rice noodle soup from Vietnam’s imperial city and former capital. Inside that gorgeous chilli-spiked broth, you’ll find various pork and beef bones and bits bobbing about. Raise one to your mouth as elegantly as possible and have a gnaw. As with all the best versions of this cracking dish, the unmistakable thrum of shrimp paste is ever present. It’s fortifying stuff.

For something lighter, Eat Vietnam does a fine selection of banh mi, too. And if you need any further reason to visit, the restaurant donates 10% of its tips to charities in Vietnam. 

Website: eat-vietnam.co.uk

Address: 234 Evelyn St, London SE8 5BZ

Chaconia

Ideal for vegetarians seeking spice…

Another gem on Deptford High Street, Chaconia is just the ticket if you’re looking for freshly slapped Trini roti, richly spiced curry goat, and a warm welcome from the owner and chef. It’s a no-frills spot that delivers big on flavour and hospitality.

It’s also a superb place for vegetarians to eat really well in Deptford, with the roti flakey and moreish, and the spinach and pumpkin chana gorgeously spiced. Do not miss out on a side order of the bracing kuchela, a spicy pickle-cum-relish that is a fantastic foil to the heady, rich dry-spicing on that chana.

Again, whilst primarily a takeaway operation, there are three four-tops in the barebones restaurant if you fancy a sitdown.

Website: chaconia.net

Address: 26 Deptford High St, London SE8 4AF

Buster Mantis

Ideal for Jamaican dining, drinking and dancing…

Buster Mantis is one of Deptford’s most famous hospitality spaces, a bar, restaurant and nightclub that gets busy late with those looking to dine and dance, equally.

Named after Sir Alexander Bustamante, Jamaica’s first prime minister, Buster Mantis is more than just a restaurant; it’s a creative space that reflects McGowan’s own experiences growing up in Mandeville, Jamaica. 

Ackee and saltfish, boneless jerk chicken thigh, and fried plantain are among the classic Jamaican staples available, while dishes like red kidney bean and thyme hummus or jerk jackfruit roti wrap cater to those seeking a modern twist on traditional flavours. On that note, the ‘Jamaican Sunday Roast’ here is a real treat. McGowan’s mother, Janet, is credited with the creation of each dish, ensuring that the food served is not only delicious but also steeped in genuine Jamaican culinary tradition.

Buster Mantis is not just about the food; it’s also a place where the drinks menu tells a story. Cocktails inspired by life in Mandeville, such as the Bishop Gibson and the Cecil Charlton, offer patrons a taste of McGowan’s Jamaican childhood in boozy form.

In an ever-evolving Deptford, Buster Mantis bridges the gap between old and new Deptford, attracting a diverse range of customers in love with the place’s faithful approach to Jamaican cuisine and culture.

Website: bustermantis.com

Address: 3-4 Resolution Way, London SE8 4NT

Likkle ‘d’

Ideal for Caribbean takeaway that keeps the locals queuing…

There’s almost always a queue outside Likkle ‘d’ on Deptford High Street, which makes sense once you’ve eaten here. Behind the counter, the open kitchen boxes up orders at speed, turning out jerk chicken, curry goat and fried chicken for a steady stream of regulars who clearly know what they’re coming for.

The jerk chicken doesn’t rely on heavy smoke for flavour. Instead, it’s cooked until beautifully tender whilst staying moist, which is harder to achieve than it sounds. Their fried chicken comes with a thick, well-seasoned crust that suggests care rather than speed. Both are standouts.

Despite the name suggesting otherwise, portions here are generous and the pricing won’t sting. Barbecue chicken, oxtail, curry goat, mac and cheese, and rice and peas are all available, with their house sweet sauce worth adding. Homemade punches – Guinness or Magnum – sits in the fridge alongside the usual Tropical Rhythm and Supermalt – the former pack and punch.

The setup is simple: order at the counter, collect your box, then either head out or grab a seat if you’re staying. Most people seem to be regulars, which speaks to the consistency. Likkle may be in the name, but there’s nothing small about the appeal here.

Likkle ‘d’ is open 11am to 9pm every day except Sunday, when they take a well-earned break.

Instagram: @1likkle.d

Address: 45 Deptford High St, London SE8 4AD

Marcella

Ideal for simple, elegant Italian cooking at an affordable pricepoint…

We end our tour of the best places to eat in Deptford at Marcella, an elegant Italian restaurant on the high street whose approach is all about quality seasonal ingredients cooked with a simple, respectful touch.

Named after the matriarch of modern Italian cuisine, Marcella Hazan, the restaurant is the second act from the guys behind the beloved Artusi in Peckham. Here, the proposition is the same, from the clinical, canteen-like dining room all the way to the laughably good value Sunday set menu, which is just £29 for three courses.

That sense of sparsity extends to the ever changing menu, where you’ll find just three starters, a couple of pasta dishes, three mains, and a couple of desserts. That’s not to say that the plates aren’t generous. On a recent visit, a starter of blushing mutton chop and winter tomato salad was a knockout, as was a pumpkin ravioli with sage butter (available in small or large for £9 or £17, respectively). In early summer, there are few plates better in London than Marcella’s spaghetti alle vongole. Not long now!

For many, that would be a more than satisfying spread, but the bigger plates (only available in the evenings) are hard to resist here. Arriving fully formed and roundly conceived, rather than a single protein in need of several supplementary sides, these are hearty, well-balanced mains. A case in point was a recent plate of cod loin, baked until pearlescent and flaking, and served with a nutty Jerusalem artichoke puree and strident salsa verde. Each component brought the best out of its plate-fellow, which made finishing this one much easier than it should have been after the two pasta courses that preceded it!

Bottles from the all-Italian winelist start at £29, though there are several available by the glass too.

Marcella is closed on Mondays.

Website: marcella.london

Address: 165A Deptford High St, London SE8 3NU

The Bottom Line

Deptford’s dining scene is a testament to London’s and the area’s culinary diversity, offering something for every palate. Whether you’re craving a hearty British classic or a true taste of Jamaica, these spots are sure to satisfy your hunger and leave you planning your next visit.

Shepherd’s Bush… Does that sound obscene? Silly? Just a name? Who knows…

What we do know is that Shepherd’s Bush occupies a curious position in West London neighbourhood hierarchy. Not as polished as neighbouring Notting Hill, as musical as Maida Vale, nor as determinedly bohemian as Ladbroke Grove, it exists in a state of perpetual transition that somehow suits it perfectly. The area’s character comes from this very refusal to be pinned down – one street offers Lebanese bakeries that have served the same families for forty years, the next harbours a Michelin-starred sushi counter floating eight floors above the former BBC Television Centre.

This slow and steady transformation arguably began in earnest when Westfield opened in 2008, bringing international chains and food courts that threatened to homogenise the area’s dining scene. Instead, something more interesting happened. The influx of new money and footfall created space for ambitious restaurants to thrive alongside the kebab shops and corner cafés that give Shepherd’s Bush its soul. Wood Lane now hosts world-class omakase, whilst family-run Persian restaurants continue serving the stews their grandmothers taught them.

Indeed, the Shepherd’s Bush dining scene reflects the neighbourhood itself – unpretentious but not unambitious, international by default rather than design, shaped more by immigration patterns than Instagram trends.

We’ve spent months eating our way through W12 (it’s a hard life, etc., etc.), from the market stalls to the mall restaurants, the hidden Syrian gems to the headline-grabbing openings to bring you these; our eight favourite restaurants in Shepherd’s Bush, the ones that capture what makes the neighbourhood one of London’s most exciting places to eat right now.

Giulia, Askew Road

Ideal for neighbourhood Italian that punches well above its weight…

Albanian-Italian chef Endris Kerbizi met Roman partner Giulia Quaglia whilst both worked at the Bvlgari Hotel, and the residents of Shepherd’s Bush must be so grateful love was in the air in the hallowed halls of that prestigious establishment… 

Fast forward a few years, and their 30-cover trattoria on Askew Road is accumulating serious accolades (The Good Food Guide’s Best 100 Local Restaurants earlier this year, two AA Rosettes awarded July 2025, a Michelin Guide listing) through focused menus where morning-baked focaccia and fresh pasta emerge from a compact kitchen with a verve and vivacity that speaks of the handmade.

The seasonal monthly menu showcases Italy’s rhythms – come colder months, the traditional Ossobuco alla Milanese arrives slow-cooked to perfection alongside saffron-infused risotto. Perhaps a pumpkin risotto with veal ragu might appear, too. The fried Veal Cotoletta alla Milanese, more than 300 grams of hefty, golden, crispy joy, has become something of a signature for good reason. Spring brings artichokes aplenty, when dishes like charred artichoke with mint and baked ricotta or Carciofi alla Romana with pecorino and saffron land on nearly every table. And don’t get us started on porcini season, where mushrooms bring earthy grandeur to the restaurant. That season is just around the corner by the way.

The wine list favours Italian producers without defaulting to obvious choices, several interesting orange wines sitting alongside classics from, primarily, Tuscany. Don’t know how to play it, plonk wise? Giulia herself provides Roman warmth front-of-house, conversing in rapid Italian with regulars whilst ensuring newcomers feel equally welcomed, all the while dropping wine recommendations. Exposed brick and simple wooden tables keep focus on the food rather than décor. 

Booking ahead is generally recommended, though we’ve had success rocking up and walking in before.

Website: giuliarestaurant.co.uk

Address: 77 Askew Road, W12 9AH

Shikumen, Shepherd’s Bush Green

Ideal for dim sum and duck that rivals Chinatown’s finest…

Inside the Dorsett Hotel overlooking Shepherd’s Bush Green, Shikumen was once a Michelin Bib Gourmand holder, and for good reason; there’s quality, intricate dumpling preparation at work here, the loss of that recognition inexplicable, in our eyes at least.

Indeed, the kitchen’s ability with xiao long bao, where thin skins contain scalding soup that burns the impatient, or scallop siu mai topped with bright orange tobiko that pops against sweet shellfish, continues to impress diners, even if the inspectors have gone cold on the restaurant.

Perhaps they missed out on the two-stage Peking duck service the last time they dropped in. Here, it’s all about the traditional technique – air-dried for hours, lacquered with maltose, its crispy skin wrapped in paper-thin pancakes and its meat stir-fried alongside seasonal vegetables. God it’s good, and for £88 a duck, you’d hope so. You do get a beautiful duck bone soup thrown in for good measure, too. Not ‘thrown in’, come to think of it; that would scald and scar. Perhaps ‘placed down gently’ for good measure might be more appropriate…

On the more affordable side of the spectrum, dim sum service runs until 5pm daily, and averages around £10 for a four piece tǐ, making lunch surprisingly accessible for high-end hotel dining. Hand-pleated har gau and wok-fired ho fun with house-made XO sauce demonstrate the kitchen’s commitment to traditional preparation, and are certain highlights.

Mahogany accents and red lanterns create a familiar, opulent Cantonese atmosphere and service maintains a certain hotel polish without stuffiness. Perhaps most importantly, friends from Hong Kong regularly praise the accuracy of flavours and techniques, which perhaps speaks louder than any Michelin award does. 

Website: shikumen.co.uk

Address: 58 Shepherd’s Bush Green, W12 8QE

Chet’s, The Hoxton

Ideal for Thai-American fusion that actually makes sense…

Legendary LA chef Kris Yenbamroong’s first venture into London occupies The Hoxton’s ground floor, its pink ceilings and caramel booths channeling retro California diner aesthetics. Open from 7am to midnight, it’s pitched as an all-day, all-things-to-all-people kind of place, as long as you’re the kind of person who likes their tuna melt stuffed with larb, or your fried chicken waffles dressed with tom yum sauce.

If that all sounds like overkill, fear not; the James Beard-nominated chef behind LA’s NIGHT + MARKET maintains a kind of skewed, chaotic rock’n’roll logic here, the whole thing tied together by flavour, whether it’s avocado toast and pert nahm jim seafood in the morning, or the signature Tingling Onion (a Thai-spiced blooming onion) just before close as you see off your final Lychee Martini.

The predominantly natural wine list and playful cocktails that don’t top £15 suit the dialled-up-to-eleven menu. Fittingly, Chet’s is massively popular with pre-gig crowds heading to Shepherd’s Bush Empire. This is spicy stuff, so mano cornutas at the ready, even if you’re not in town for a show!

Website: chetsrestaurant.co.uk

Address: 65 Shepherds Bush Green, W12 8QE

Sufi, Askew Road

Ideal for Persian home cooking at neighbourhood prices…

Since 2007, this family-run Persian restaurant’s clay tandoor has produced fresh seeded naan for every table, the embers always glowing, the smoke always rising. It’s there in traditional recipes like kashk-e bademjan (smoky aubergine with fermented yogurt and fried onions) too, and mixed grills where marinated meats char over open flames. 

That said, it’s the stews at Sufi that are the headliners, to our mind at least. Give us a bowl of the khoresh gheimeh (lamb and split pea stew) any day of the week and we’ll be happy, as long as there’s a pile of that naan for dredging. 

The intimate space resembles dining in someone’s home, which essentially you are. The BYOB policy helps keep costs down for regulars who return weekly (count us among them). Those devoted patrons know to order the house-churned saffron ice cream regardless of season – it’s such an indulgent yet impossibly light finish.

The visible tandoor and wafts of aromatic spices set the scene, flickers of candlelit and effortless service ensures that scene is carried through to its natural conclusion. As in, paying the bill and bidding Sufi a cheery goodbye and see you next time.  

Website: sufirestaurant.com

Address: 70 Askew Road, W12 9BJ

Abu Zaad, Uxbridge Road

Ideal for Syrian mezze near the Market…

This bustling Syrian restaurant near the north end of Shepherd’s Bush Market has become a neighbourhood institution through sheer consistency, quality and value. Sometimes, that’s all you want from your local restaurant. And if you don’t want that, then what exactly are you looking for?

Back inside, and tiled interiors evoke Damascus souks whilst the kitchen delivers faithfully rendered Levantine cooking that attracts a diverse, enthusiastic crowd.

The mezze selection showcases dogmatic, devoted technique – baba ganoush with deeply charred aubergine creating genuine smoky depth, fresh-fried falafel that maintains its crunch whilst revealing vivid green herbs within, and muhammara where walnuts and red peppers balance perfectly. Mixed platters encourage exploration, though the lamb kofta with spicy tomato sauce and lamb kibbeh deserve individual attention – you won’t want to share either. 

Famously massive mains don’t top £15, and the comically generous mixed grill for two is just £30 – this would be good value even if the food itself was several notches less delicious. The fact it’s so fresh, so vital, so clearly made with devotion, makes the prices even more astonishingly reasonable. 

The strict no-alcohol policy (no BYOB allowed) puts the focus on fresh juices that deserve it: pomegranate, tamarind, and jallab (date and rose) that complement the food better than wine might. Sahha to that!

Website: abuzaad.co.uk

Address: 29 Uxbridge Road, W12 8LH

Shepherd’s Bush Market

Ideal for cheap, fast and delicious market food…

Since 1914, Shepherd’s Bush Market has sat between Uxbridge Road and Goldhawk Road, a covered stretch of stalls selling fabric, fresh produce, household goods and some genuinely excellent street food. The market runs Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm, accessible from both Shepherd’s Bush Market and Goldhawk Road tube stations. The market operates on cash, speed and value.

Sam Sandwiches (Shop 9) has become something of a cult favourite since setting up here. This Algerian street food kitchen serves six types of meat sandwiches – lamb’s liver, merguez, marinated chicken, fish fillet, minced meat, and a special two meat version – all fried to order and stuffed into thick grilled pita with chips, a fried egg, harissa, mayo, and salad. The merguez is the move here, though regulars swear by the minced meat version. Everything costs between £7 except the double-meat number which is £8, portions are hefty, and Sam (the owner) runs the whole operation himself with genuine warmth. Open 11:45am to 6:45pm Monday to Saturday. Cash only.

Falafel Hut (Shop 49) has been slinging aubergine-packed falafel wraps for years, building a loyal following among locals and even earning a recommendation from chef Avinash Shashidhara of Pahli Hill Bandra Bhai. The wraps (£4-6) come loaded with still-warm falafels, tahini, chilli sauce, garlic sauce, salad and crucially, gooey slices of aubergine that melt into everything else. The structural integrity is questionable – these pittas are messy affairs – but that’s part of the appeal. Their fried fish falafel wrap offers an unusual but successful twist on the standard formula. The chilli sauce packs proper heat, so approach with caution. Open 11:30am to 6pm Tuesday to Saturday.

For those building a proper market day, Brothers & Cousins (Shop 53B) supplies fresh wild fish to locals and chefs alike, whilst The Hawk’s Nest in one of the converted railway arches serves Birdhouse Brewery beers and what chef Shashidhara calls “phenomenal” pizzas under skylights that brighten the whole space.

Endo at the Rotunda, White City *currently closed*

Ideal for Michelin-starred sushi with views across West London…

*Sadly, in September a fire in the building means Endo is closed until further notice. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties. As of the start of November, the restaurant remains closed.*

Eight floors above the former BBC Television Centre, third-generation Yokohama sushi master Endo Kazutoshi presides over just 16 counter seats where an 18-or-so-course omakase journey costs £290. The space earned its Michelin star within six months of opening and has maintained it through 2025, combining premium British ingredients with those that simply cannot be replicated without importing from Japan. So, that’s Cornish tuna, Orkney scallops and Irish oysters with rice from Yamagata and water flown in from Fukuoka.

The signature ‘business card’ consists of multiple varieties of tuna layered with seaweed, each piece pressed, seasoned and garnished at the 200-year-old Hinoki wood counter. West London spreads out through floor-to-ceiling windows, adding drama to what already feels like theatre. Though you’ll pay just shy of £300 for the privilege (and that’s before you consider your sake splurge), the sky high prices don’t put off the punters; securing any reservation means joining monthly online scrambles where tables disappear within 30 minutes.

Blonde wood and clean lines channel Tokyo’s high-end sushi-yas whilst maintaining those eighth-floor views. Service operates at the precision level you’d expect, each course timed for the necessary appreciation without feeling either rushed or stagnant. Fortunately, the much-feared hushed tones and reverence of the traditional high-end sushi experience are punctuated by chef Endo’s flamboyant, playful delivery, which provides a welcome juxtaposition to the intricacy on the plate.

Website: endoattherotunda.com

Address: 8th Floor, The Helios, Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, W12 7FR

Got time? It’s a cool 48 hours in Notting Hill eating and drinking for us next. Care to join us?

The film, the carnival, the market not the mushroom, The Clash, Stella McCartney, Damon Albarn and Robbie Williams. Yep, Notting Hill is many things to many people, but a foodie destination it has not traditionally been.

All that has changed in recent years, with a slew of recent exciting openings and not one but two 3 Michelin-starred restaurants (fuck me, that’s an ugly bout of counting) drawing the plaudits and punters just west of centre, all searching for a good feed and a silly little snap of those rainbow coloured facades. 

If you’ve landed in Notting Hill packing an appetite and a thick wallet, then you’re in luck; there are plenty of restaurants to see off that hunger in style. These are those; here are the best restaurants in Notting Hill.

Akub, Uxbridge Street

Ideal for refined Palestinian cooking that tells a story…

Just a minute’s walk from Notting Hill Gate tube station to Uxbridge Street, and suddenly everything gets ever so residential, with a row of cute houses in shades of Trio’politan, The Uxbridge Arms as a decent local boozer, and one of the best neighbourhood restaurants you could hope for in Akub.

The hunter green frontage – a muted contrast to its pastel-hued neighbours – gives few hints about the riot of flavours found inside this modern Palestinian restaurant, the brainchild of Franco-Palestinian restaurateur Fadi Kattan, who also owns Fawda in Bethlehem. 

Fadi’s mission is to bring the diverse, sophisticated culinary traditions of Palestine to London’s food scene, and, all in all, we think it’s mission complete. Because Akub, despite only having been open for 18 months, has already received rave reviews in several national newspapers; ‘near-perfect’, ‘absolutely ravishing’ and ‘cumulative harmony’ have all been thrown at the place in the past year. More importantly, it’s full pretty much every day of the week, except Mondays, when it’s shut.

At the stoves is head chef Mathilde Papazian, who has spent considerable time in Bethlehem mastering the intricacies of traditional Palestinian cuisine. She brings a certain flair to dishes that celebrate the country’s rich culinary heritage and British seasonal produce. It’s a marriage made in heaven, all poised piquancy, heady spicing and loads and loads of imported Palestinian olive oil, which is some of the world’s best. 

It’s all grounded by some excellent bread. Hitting the table warm, the zaatar manakeesh is made texturally intriguing by a shower of toasted sesame seeds. Perfect for sharing and tearing, and dragging through Akub’s trio of dips. 

There’s a sense of dexterity and balance to the cooking here, apparent in dishes like a gorgeously rich short rib fatteh, the beef’s inherent unctuousness levelled out with garlic yoghurt and pomegranate. Or, the grilled Nabulsi cheese. Arriving with a uniform golden crust, its assertive briny notes are tempered by an allium-adjacent, off-bitter nigella seed oil.

Best of all, a slow cooked lamb neck – the humble cut elevated with fenugreek, cumin, and allspice, and served with red shatta (a Middle Eastern hot sauce made with red chillies and peppers) mayo. It looks faintly obscene, but boy does it taste good.

Alongside, there’s a selection of Palestinian and Jordanian wines, as well as imported Taybeh beer – an elite level local lager if ever there was one – and the obligatory arak, the world’s oldest spirit and one whose aniseed assertiveness is a wonderfully refreshing way to reset after the meal. 

The intimate and stylish setting of Akub is adorned with nods to Palestinian culture, such as a beautiful Tatreez tapestry and an olive tree, symbolising the ‘right of return’ for the Palestinian people. Indeed, Akub not only serves as one of Notting Hill’s culinary highlights, but also as a place that honours the heritage and resilience of the Palestinian community.

Without doubt, this is our favourite restaurant in Notting Hill, and one more than ever deserving of patronage and support. 

Address: 27 Uxbridge St, London W8 7TQ

Website: akub-restaurant.com

The Barbary, Westbourne Grove

Ideal for vibrant Barbary Coast cooking in a room that’s pure jaw-dropping theatre…

Eight years after opening their tiny, counter-only original in Neal’s Yard, Zoë and Layo Paskin have brought The Barbary to Notting Hill in considerably grander style. 

And what style it is – this Grade II-listed corner spot, designed by Archer Humphryes, is an absolute stunner. Flooded with natural light from wraparound windows, the 75-seat space features a crack-glazed volcanic stone bar, a distinctive woven wicker panelled ceiling, and Paavo Tynell straw pendants that cast a warm glow over proceedings (if the sun wasn’t already making fine work of that). 

With its midnight blue horseshoe booths and burnt orange upholstery, the whole place has a rich, 1970s lounge vibe that strikes a fine balancing act between nostalgic and contemporary. As do the cocktails, it should be said, with the smoked pineapple paloma clearly made with skilled hands. Ditto the saffron negroni, a beautifully perfumed take on a classic.

This is a room you want to drink and dine in during the day, when the flowing, unstoppable light seasons the food with a golden-hour vitality. The cooking here continues The Barbary’s love affair with the vast culinary landscape from Southern Europe to Northern Africa, all tied together by the theatre of open-fire cooking. 

The artichoke alla giudia arrives as a bronzed, crisp flower, each petal shattering to reveal tender heart beneath. Alongside, a spiced labneh isn’t strictly required, but it’s a welcome jolt of piquancy nonetheless. It’s a looker, and the kind of dish that has tables craning their necks when it passes by. The ‘Spicy Plate’ sounds somewhat prosaic, but is a colourful mix of different chillis, some pickled, some grilled and blistered, and with a mound of salsa verde in the middle for totally unnecessary, totally delicious dredging. 

From the wood-fired oven comes their tropea onion and anchovy butter flatbread, the sweet alliums and salty fish creating that perfect sweet-saline balance that makes you immediately order another, the bread itself so light and digestible you don’t ruin the rest of your meal doing so. Anyway, next up is a stone bass tartare so dainty there’s no danger of getting full. In the cloying summer heat, it’s just the ticket.

After all that excitement, some of the larger plates threaten to underwhelm – packing a little less vivacity than those that preceded them – but are satisfying all the same. A bronzed thigh of chicken boasts smoky, bitter char from a judiciously applied coffee crust. Underneath, a pine nut puree (in this economy!) brings a suave balance to the dish.

This is the kind of place to bring someone you’re keen to impress. The room oozes style and combined with the vibrant cooking and the energy that comes from watching the chefs work their magic around that horseshoe counter, The Barbary Notting Hill proves that sometimes bigger really can be better.

Website: thebarbary.co.uk

Address: 112 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5RU

The Ledbury, Ledbury Road

Ideal for when only the finest haute cuisine in the country will do…

Considered by much of the country’s culinary cognoscenti to be England’s finest realisation of haute cuisine, The Ledbury has had one hell of a year, even by the lofty standards the restaurant has set in its twenty decades at the top. 

2024 has seen The Ledbury finally achieve a well-deserved third Michelin star – the highest accolade in the game – 14 years after it received its second. It only took a COVID-enforced, potentially permanent closure, an incredible comeback, a change of head chef and a fancy new mushroom cabinet to make that happen, but my does it feel warranted.

Indeed, there’s been a palpable sense that things had been taken up a notch in the last year or so, with already close to immaculate dishes revised and refined, perfected and polished until there were the most precise expression of time and space, of seasonality and technique, that you’ll likely find anywhere in the country.

This milestone not only underscores The Ledbury’s culinary excellence but also denotes it as one of the rare elite, making it one of only 137 restaurants worldwide to hold the prestigious three star ranking. But that’s not all; June also saw The Ledbury named as the best in the UK at the National Restaurant Awards, a full 12 years since it last held the title. Bravo.

A meal here centres around a £225 tasting menu that pitches each course as headlined by its hero ingredient in sometimes delicate, sometimes robust pairings, ensuring a dining journey that surprises and satisfies in equal measure. Under Chef Graham’s vigilant eye and the adept execution of head chef Tom Spenceley, dishes like line caught red mullet with Wye Valley asparagus, black Perigord truffle and sudachi, a type of Japanese citrus, are perfectly balanced and boasting an unmatchable clarity of flavour.

Graham’s acute understanding of animal husbandry is perhaps the defining feature of The Ledbury, with the restaurant’s game cookery second to none pretty much anywhere on the planet. His pairing of black olive and liquorice with a blushing loin of venison is an inspired, genius touch. To finish, just pray that the iconic brown sugar tart and stem ginger ice cream is on the menu.

Sure, this isn’t your normal neighbourhood restaurant – despite what Graham will claim – but for a special occasion, The Ledbury is arguably the best in the UK at this type of precision fine dining.

Website: theledbury.com

Address: 127 Ledbury Rd, London W11 2AQ

Caractère, Westbourne Park Road

Ideal for when France and Italy collide in tasteful harmony…

At the intersection of Westbourne Park and Ledbury Road, Caractère stands at its own kind of crossroads – where tradition meets innovation, and where the grand culinary powers of France and Italy converge. 

Testament to the experience of its owners, Emily Roux and Diego Ferrari, this contemporary restaurant harmoniously weaves together their respective experiences while boldly charting its own course forward, managing to celebrate the heritage and expertise of its backers while placing one eye – or, you know, both – firmly on the future.

Emily Roux, daughter of the renowned Michel Roux Jr., has carved her own path in the culinary world, choosing not to take over her father’s famed Le Gavroche but instead to create something uniquely hers with Caractère. Together with her husband Diego Ferrari, they have crafted a menu that aims to straddle comfort and innovation. It confidently succeeds in that aim. 

Perhaps the showstopper here – and certainly embodying that approach – is the celeriac cacio e pepe, on the menu from day dot and never likely to leave it. Composed of long strands of celeriac (resembling tagliatelle) coated in a rich and velvety sauce of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano, topped with a few drops of 25 years of age balsamic vinegar and crushed black peppercorns, Emily’s grandfather, the late, great Albert Roux, was said to be besotted with the dish – which is perhaps the highest praise one could bestow here.

The name of the restaurant means ‘character’ in French, and there’s certainly plenty of that in the way the menu is uniquely structured around 5 personality traits – ‘Curious’, ‘Subtle’, ‘Delicate’, ‘Robust’ and ‘Greedy’ – each section showcasing different aspects of their French-Italian fusion cuisine. You can either build your own tasting menu, choosing one dish from each trait, for £125, or go a la carte, with a starter, main and dessert for £95. 

That celeriac number is subtle, by the way, whilst of a more robust disposition, a dish of squab pigeon, roasted on the crown and its particularly plump breast a perfect pink, is served with Scottish girolles, halves of cherry and a silky smooth beetroot puree. Its leg is served on the side, foot still attached in an enticing come hither gesture. You know what? We don’t mind if we do…

In lesser hands, that rather idiosyncratic menu might be a little confusing, but the cooking at Caractère boasts such clarity of flavour that any worries are washed away as soon as you’re served. 

Not that our anxiety was particularly high before the first course; the interior of Caractère exudes a casual yet sophisticated charm, with terracotta walls contrasting against white-washed ceiling beams to pleasingly soothing effect.

The dining room features plush velvet seating in deep green and charcoal tones. Glass globe chandeliers cast a warm glow throughout. A dramatic feature wall showcases a moody skyline, and the bar area displays an impressive array of glassware on illuminated shelving. It’s all very evocative, suggestive of a large bill on the horizon, but one you’ll be more than happy to foot.

The winelist is an absolute tour-de-force, too, a 26 page tome that exemplifies the restaurant’s Franco-Italian philosophy, exclusively featuring wines from these two nations. Under the careful curation of sommelier Marco Nardi, the collection emphasises sustainable and traditional winemaking practices, with particular attention to organic, biodynamic, and natural wines. 

The list pays homage to tradition, sure, with plenty of Burgundys and Barolos, but there are welcome nods to innovation, too, most notably through its inclusion of PIWI varieties – fungus-resistant grapes representing sustainable viticulture’s future. For those seeking something beyond wine, Caractère offers a carefully curated selection of craft cocktails, with several creative variations on the classic Negroni paying tribute to Ferrari’s roots.

Let’s just say that the vision here is fully realised, and the locals of Notting Hill seem to agree; it’s constantly packed out, and now earned a star in the Michelin Guide earlier this year, a testament to Emily and Diego’s vision of sophisticated yet approachable dining. The restaurant’s recent appearance on Apple TV’s Knife Edge has likely made snagging a table significantly more difficult, so do book well in advance for this one!

Address: 209 Westbourne Park Rd, London W11 1EA

Website: caractererestaurant.com

Dorian, Talbot Road

Ideal for charcoal-grilled excellence with a side of scene…

Dorian has quickly made a pretty massive name for itself on the London food scene since its opening in October 2022. Founded by Chris D’Sylva, who also owns the Notting Hill Fish Shop and the adjacent meat operation, Dorian was conceived with the aim of creating a bistro that embodies both high-quality technique and an unpretentious charm. It succeeded in both those aims. 

In fact, that description sums up the dining experience at Dorian so astutely that we won’t bother expanding…

…only joking. This vision has been realised and recognised, earning the restaurant a Michelin star in the 2024 Michelin Guide for UK and Ireland a few months back. Offering even more motivation for the team at Dorian, it has become the place for chefs to have a celebratory meal; pretty much every famous face from the culinary world – both in London and further afield – has been there in recent months, if our Instagram feed is to be believed. Which, it is; there’s photographic evidence of it happening.

Indeed, it’s a place that boasts the buzz of a neighbourhood brasserie, but also one that excels in celebrating a single, premium ingredient via the singular technique of charcoal grilling.

Now, grilling over flames has become so ubiquitous across London in recent years that the smoke in our eyes has rather blinded us to the fact that quite a lot of chefs in the city aren’t actually very good at it. We’ve had enough overcooked whole turbot and ice cold but acridly smoked steak to say that with some confidence.

Not so at Dorian, where head chef Max Coen – who has previous at London heavyweight Ikoyi and three-Michelin-starred Frantzén in Stockholm – is a master of the binchotan. 

The menu, stylistically speaking, follows a form very much popularised by Brat, of an A4 longlist of brusque menu descriptors focusing on just one or two ingredients and a hefty price tag that should perhaps be diverted to a copywriter. See; caviar rosti (£35), green asparagus, nettle and yolk (£21), pork chop £44 all the way up to bone in rib-eye (£165, for 2 or 3 people to share). 

That rib-eye (a cross breed of Holstein Dairy cow x Japanese Black Beef cow, reared in North Yorkshire), to be fair, is a masterful piece of work, 50mm thick and arriving with a pronounced crust, an inch layer of buttery yellow, grassy fat, and flesh that is wall-to-wall blushing pink (those chefs on the neighbouring table will be saying “cuisson” and “soigne” with irritating, increasing regularity). A T-bone big enough to wave around Flinstone-style is included for gnawing.

Though not nominally a steak restaurant, Dorian recently ranked as the 27th best in the world in the World’s Best Steak Restaurants list for 2024 (fuck me; when will this end?), and it feels richly, warmly deserved. This is one fine steak worthy of a blowout.

Ignore the tagline on the restaurant’s website that Dorian is ‘a bistro for locals’ – this ain’t Royston Vasey, fellas – and grab a seat at the counter to get a view of the chefs (the ones working here) in action. The enormous wall of wine behind you is a reassuring, tempting presence. Be warned; the wines here start at £50 a bottle. As in, that’s the very cheapest you’ll find. There are some that clock in at over £6000. Perhaps Hugo off Succession is ordering some of these off the Waystar company dime (we keep seeing the affable Fisher Stevens in here, having a right old time). 

Anyway, it’s a classy, monochrome room that you’re tempted to play human chess in if you’re not seated at that bar. Even the snacks arrive on some Toon Army striped greaseproof, a bite of creamy uni draped over a bang-in season Jersey Royal nailing that luxury/humble thing that’s everywhere right now. 

Which is to say, although Dorian posits itself as idiosyncratic – those all caps on Insta do a lot of the hard work – you’ll find boujee London food trends in various guises are all over the menu here. It’s just that the team here has seemingly perfected them. 

Address: 105, 107 Talbot Rd, London W11 2AT

Website: dorianrestaurant.com

Fez Mangal, Ladbroke Grove

Ideal for proper Turkish grill without the faff (and wallet-crushing prices)…

Standing proud and prettily tiled on Ladbroke Grove, a mere kebab’s throw (don’t waste the damn thing doing that!) from the tube station, Fez Mangal has earned its stripes as one of London’s most straightforwardly delicious practitioners of the ancient art of the grill, long before the tatted folks on GBM came along and claimed to have invented cooking meat over fire. T

he first clue that you’re in for something genuinely enjoyable comes from the strings of dried chillis hanging in the window – a touch of theatre, sure, but also a statement of intent. Also; almost impossible to resist using as a spicy hanging punch bag.

The second clue? A crushing aroma of charcoal smoke that’ll catch your throat quite shockingly if you breathe in wrong. Don’t let that – or the queues – put you off; the well-oiled machine that is Fez’s service means you’ll be seated before you can say ‘one portion of ezme salata, please’. Admittedly, that would be a fucking weird thing to say before you’d even sat down, but anyway…

The menu is refreshingly straightforward – none of that ‘carefully curated’ or those ‘refined takes’ here – but that doesn’t mean it lacks finesse. The adana kebab is a masterclass in spicing and fatty, bouncy texture, the minced lamb singing with garlic and chilli, whilst remaining distinctly pastoral-tasting. It’s a delicate balance that many get wrong; Fez gets it spot on.

The lamb beyti is another triumph, the meat wrapped in lavash bread and drowned (in a good way) in tomato sauce and yoghurt. It’s comfort food of the highest order, the kind of thing you crave at both 3pm and 3am. The chicken shish proves that the kitchen knows its way around a bird (ewww) as well as it does its lamb, the chunks of breast meat somehow remaining juicy despite their time over the coals. All are priced at £18.50, and are bloody massive.

But it’s not just about the meat. The supporting cast is equally impressive – proper Turkish bread, pillowy and charred in all the right places, red cabbage that’s actually had some thought put into it (how many times have you had the sad, flavourless variety?), and a garlic sauce that’ll have you breathing fire for days. Worth it, though, as long as you’re not snogging after.

Watch as the pides (Turkish flatbreads) emerge from the clay ovens, their toppings bubbling and edges perfectly charred, and order one of those, too.

Best of all? It’s BYO with no corkage charge. Well, not best of all, but in a city where a glass of house white can set you back a tenner, this is something to be celebrated. Bring a bottle of something nice – these kebabs deserve better than corner shop plonk – and settle in for one of the best value meals in West London.

Not so much a hidden gem anymore – those days are long gone – but rather an institution that reminds us that sometimes the best things in life are the simplest.

Address: 104 Ladbroke Grove, London W11 1PY

Website: fezmangal.net

The Pelican, All Saints Road

Ideal for hearty, honest cooking in a pub that remembers what pubs are for…

The Pelican is the ideal boozer in Notting Hill for those who love a big, hearty feed to go with their John Smith’s. Hey, who doesn’t?

Standing proud on All Saints Road, The Pelican has evolved from your typical local into a modern gastropub under the stewardship of restaurateurs James Gummer and Phil Winser, who took over in 2022, all without losing any of its charm.

This transformation included a revamp of the decor – it’s now all butcher shop tones, leather banquettes, the sound of heels on a sanded wood floor and a menu of meats by weight scrawled on a mirror with chalk – and the installation of Owen Kenworthy as head chef, the kind of solid chef grounded in both the French and British classics. Though Kenworthy has now moved on, his influence over a humble, hearty menu remains.

Menu descriptors are even terser than Dorian’s from a few paragraphs previous. The Pelican’s is basically a shopping list, let’s be honest. Whilst ‘tomatoes, capers’, ‘leek, egg’, ‘hake, parsley’ (would it kill them to chuck an adjective in there so we know how things have been prepared?) all sound a little austere – spiritless, even – there’s fortunately more going on when the plates hit the table. St John-inspired minimalism rather than stinginess, we’d say. A dish of crimson, thinly sliced ox heart with a tangle of celeriac remoulade certainly wouldn’t feel out of place on the stark white tables of Smithfield, with all the top quality that implies.

The Pelican has featured on the increasingly influential Top 50 Gastropubs list, a testament to its quality, but the best part is that it remains a true pub at heart, welcoming patrons for drinks alone without any pretence or need for a feed. Cheers to that.

Address: 45 All Saints Rd, London W11 1HE

Website: thepelicanw11.com

Med Salleh Kopitiam, Inverness Terrace

Ideal for homestyle Malaysian comfort far from home…

We’ve eaten a hell of a lot of grumpily described steaks in this article, and we’re sick of it, quite honestly. Thank the good, syncretistic lord for Med Salleh Kopitam, then, which brings sweet, spicy relief from our meat coma, and a good jolt of vitality in the process.

Visible from the exit of Bayswater underground, Med Salleh Kopitiam is run by Med Pang and Koi Lee, whose passion for authentic Malaysian food shines through in every complex, thoroughly spiced dish.

Much has been written about the restaurant’s absurd, impossibly sweet Devil’s tower of shaved ice, but it wasn’t on when we visited, so we’ll pontificate, instead, on the signature Med’s Grandma Hainanese Chicken Rice, which arrives presented prettily on branded greaseproof and in various shades of turmeric, with three sauces – all pleasingly pungent and powerful – for diners to mix and match to their tastes and tolerances. 

The chicken itself (thigh) is poached to silky perfection, its fatty, flabby skin thankfully left on (much to the chagrin of Torode and Wallace – pricks). It’s the second best bit, dredged through those sauces, the highlight and headliner of course being the rice itself, satin-like in the mouth from a good dose of chicken fat and just wonderfully, insanely comforting. Lay me nude in a bath and cover me in the stuff, please. It’s how I’d like to go out. Yours for just £13.90.

Though the chicken rice is a meal in itself, the roti canai, beef rendang, and chicken satay have also been praised by others who have actually eaten them. For us, it’s all about the signature dish though. We can’t imagine ordering anything else here. 

Just as is so brilliant in the hawker centres of Penang and Kuala Lumpur, Med Salleh Kopitiam has an extensive selection of interesting, invigorating fruit juices and homemade teas. The lime iced tea is particularly good. 

Address: 35-39 Inverness Terrace, London W2 3JS

Website: medsalleh.co.uk

Sumi, Westbourne Grove

Ideal for precision sushi without the stuffiness…

One of Notting Hill’s best restaurants, SUMI is the informal, laid back sister restaurant to sushi master Endo Kazutoshi’s Endo at the Rotunda, which is a fifteen minute Uber ride (if you can bloody get one) west in White City.

Something we’ve found a lot in London in recent years; big, heavy hitting fine dining restaurants often phone it in when it comes to their more ‘casual’, bottom-line-fixated siblings. But at SUMI, it’s immediately clear that just as much care and attention has gone into the place as its kin up the road.

‘Sumi’ is chef Endo’s mother’s name, and this sense of reverence goes far beyond that nod to maternal affection. There’s love and respect in every morsel found on this clear, precise menu, primarily composed of nigiri, sashimi and temaki, the latter a technique developed by the family of Endo Kazutoshi.

There’s also comfort food of sorts here, done the Endo way in the form of A4 Wagyu sirloin grilled over coals (the chefs have several compact Konro grills lined up on the counter). It’s served with charred broccoli and a meat jus (‘SUMI meat sauce’) which has dextrously been lifted by the merest splash of rice vinegar. The effect is akin to the lightest yet most luxurious Sunday lunch you could dream of.

Comfort is a theme that runs through much of the operation at SUMI. The Beef Gohan, a Japanese rice dish that’s baked in a cast iron pots and designed to share, is a wonderfully homely thing. The graceful, studied hospitality only helps you relax into the place more deeply.

Don’t come to SUMI expecting the hushed tones of reverence that some sushi joints have. Instead, come for a nourishing, nurturing, familial vibe in keeping with the restaurant’s namesake.

Address: 157 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RS

Website: sushisumi.com

Cocotte, Westbourne Grove

Ideal for French rotisserie that’s a cut above your supermarket bird…

Something straightforward to finish our list of the best restaurants in Notting Hill with, where the decision making has largely been made once you’ve settled on the venue. Because Cocotte is all about one thing; chicken.

Specifically, free range, ‘farm to table’ rotisserie chicken, available in quarter, half or full bird portions, at £8, £12 and £22 respectively. The birds, sourced from ​​the premium poultry producing region Pays de la Loire in Western France, are marinated overnight in a secret spice blend before being slowly grilled on the spit, the skin gradually blistering under the heat. Fabulous. 

Throw in a few homemade sauces (the Cocotte’s gravy is basically a jug of umami), a couple of well thought out, healthy-feeling salads, and you’re good to go. 

Come to think of it, ‘good to go’ is an apt phrase; although they have tables, Cocotte is perhaps best enjoyed as a takeaway; their boxes are ideal for a nourishing picnic lunch in nearby Powis Square park.

If you are staying in, consider coming for brunch. Cocotte’s chicken and waffles, which sees a sweet chili basted chicken thigh, a fried egg and a waffle croissant (or croffle), hits all the right notes.

Address: 95 Westbourne Grove, London W2 4UW

Website: mycocotte.uk

For a different take on chicken in the capital, next why not check out our rundown of the best fried chicken in London. Go on, you know you want to…

Wedged between the gleaming, steaming towers of the City and the ever-evolving cliches of Shoreditch like some kind of glorious refuge from bullshit, Whitechapel occupies a unique position on the London landscape. This hard-to-define (we will now attempt to) East End enclave has long been an area shaped by generations of cultural exchange and preservation, with the Bengali community in particular leaving an indelible, edible mark on the area’s culinary scene.

While parts of East London may have succumbed to the relentless march of what might euphemistically be termed ‘urban renewal’, Whitechapel moves at its own pace, its curry houses, family-run takeaways and centuries old bakeries seemingly untroubled by what’s going on up the road. 

It’s a confidence earned and honed over the last 50 years, and Whitechapel’s culinary identity is inseparable from its immigrant history. Brick Lane earned its nickname ‘Banglatown’ in the 1970s as Bengali immigrants, particularly from the Sylhet region, arrived following Bangladesh’s independence and established restaurants and businesses that transformed the street. Before this, the area welcomed successive waves of Huguenots, Irish, and Jewish communities. The establishment of the East London Mosque in 1985 (now one of Europe’s largest) further anchored the community.

Though it’s a little hard to define where Whitechapel definitively begins, it’s easy to know where it ends; with a bowl of gajar ka halwa and a cup of cardamom chai. It’s a sweet conclusion that tells you something essential about the neighbourhood— a story of diversity, distinct regional specialities, and family recipes passed – sometimes lovingly, sometimes reluctantly – through generations until they reach your plate.

With all that in mind and still no closer to defining the place, here’s our rundown of the best restaurants in Whitechapel.

Tayyabs

Ideal for legendary lamb chops with a half-century history….

On an unassuming Whitechapel backstreet, the electric blue neon sign and heady miasma of burnt cumin seeds and grill smoke has been a clarion call for hungry Londoners long before Eating With Tod, Top Jaw and the rest first unearthed this ‘hidden gem’. Several times.

Tayyabs, established in 1972, is perhaps the most famous Punjabi restaurant in the capital, and for good reason. The décor is a heady mix of opulent and wipe-able, the service cheery but efficient, and the food simple and satisfying in a way that allows the kitchen to churn, churn, churn relentlessly.

The sizzling lamb chops are the undisputed stars, arriving at your table still spitting and crackling, marinated in a proprietary blend of spices that’s remained unchanged (and still, somehow, a secret) for decades. The chops’ protruding, crudely French-trimmed rib handle presents the perfect opportunity to ditch the cutlery and go full Flinstone. Indeed, any tedious chuntering about ‘fall off the bone’ flesh should be avoided here; a bit of chew and resistance brings out the flavour, we think.

Don’t stop at the chops though, as it would be mental to come here, order one dish and leave. Tayyabs’ signature karahi chicken tikka masala delivers a complexity and nuance far beyond the usual assumptions about the national dish, and the peshwari naan is a Grade A version of a sometimes divisive side. Boasting the kind of proof that exhales when pierced, it comes anointed with butter that pools pleasingly across its surface.

Long-time patrons will remember the infamous queues that once snaked around the block (no bookings were taken for decades), but these days you can book ahead. Remarkably, despite its capacity for 500 diners spread across several floors, Tayyabs still boasts those queues. It should be said that the reservation system feels chaotic at best – we’ve occasionally waited longer for our reserved table than it took for the queue to be seen to in its entirety.

Open every day from noon until late evening, Tayyabs is BYOB. There’s a Tesco Express on the same street with a decent selection of cold beers. Back in the restaurant, non-boozers are well catered for with a good selection of yoghurt based refreshment.

Whether you’re on the lager or the lassi, Tayyabs is reliably raucous, and certainly isn’t the place for an intimate tête-à-tête. But, for a full-on feast with friends, it’s unbeatable. Whitechapel’s finest? We certainly think so.

Website: tayyabs.co.uk

Address: 83-89 Fieldgate Street, E1 1JU

Lahore Kebab House

Ideal for no-frills Pakistani feasting that won’t break the bank…

In the unofficial battle of the Whitechapel lamb chop, Lahore Kebab House has long been Tayyabs’ greatest rival. This canteen-style Pakistani restaurant five minutes south along Pargett and around the corner onto Umberston Street offers a decidedly more laid back atmosphere than its famous counterpart.

Established in 1972 (coincidentally the same year as Tayyabs – something in the Whitechapel water that year, clearly), this Pakistani powerhouse has maintained its no-nonsense approach for over five decades. The interior could generously be described as ‘functional’ – brown utilitarian furniture against plain white walls that wouldn’t look out of place in a school canteen – but you’re not here for the décor. The cricket matches and Bollywood epics playing on massive screens provide more than enough visual stimulation anyway, as does the bustling semi-open kitchen (there’s two panels of glass and what looks to be a mattress obscuring one of the panes that separates dining room and chefs) where you can witness pan dexterity on a whole different level.

The mixed grill is why you’re here and is exactly what you’d hope for, featuring those skinny lamb chops, expertly spiced and grilled to pink but gnarly perfection. While the lamb chops rightfully get top billing – using higher quality meat than many competitors and spiced with such liberal enthusiasm they practically vibrate on the plate – the menu rewards even the vaguely curious. 

The chicken tikka brings unexpected heat dimensions that will recalibrate your understanding of the national dish, but you’d do better with the house specials, particularly the nihari and dry lamb curry, served in karahi bowls that always seem to add another dimension to a dish, even if it’s the taste of brass seasoning. Do save room for dessert – their selection of traditional sweets, including kulfis, ras malai and gajar ka halwa, provides the perfect sweet send-off.

For a restaurant that can host a staggering 350 diners across two floors, the service is remarkably acute – waiters performing gravity-defying feats as they carry multiple dishes at once, uncorking your BYO bottles with practiced ease (and no corkage fee). City workers rub shoulders with East End locals here, united in their appreciation for unfussy, delicious food served in generous portions. What more could you want?

Address: 2-10 Umberston Street, E1 1PY

Website: lahore-kebabhouse.com

Needoo Grill

Ideal for hearty Punjabi cuisine with Bollywood tunes as your soundtrack…

Opened in 2009 by a former Tayyabs manager, Needoo might not luxuriate (or, suffer from, depending how you want to look at it) queues of its more famous neighbour, but the food is every bit as good. 

Inside, the vibe is bright, garish even. Those bold crimson walls, matching leather chairs and blue LED lighting call to mind somewhere that’s part curry house, part nightclub – the sort of place where every meal feels like a celebration, all accompanied by a Bollywood playlist that adds to the general sense of convivial cheer.

Their house speciality, karahi lamb chops masala, features lamb chops marinated in Needoo’s signature karahi masala and then grilled to its natural conclusion – a dish that rivals any in Whitechapel for its fragrant complexity. Beyond the celebrated lamb chops, the menu offers other stunners, including the karahi butter chicken masala which delivers that ideal balance of richness and spice, and could cure (and cause, quite frankly) many an ill. 

The palak-paneer is top notch too, the cottage cheese simmered in a smooth and creamy spinach gravy without it disintegrating, all executed with careful, cautious finesse. The palak chicken applies the same luscious spinach treatment to tender chicken pieces – proper comfort food, this.

Sunday visitors should not miss the nihari, a popular Pakistani dish of slow-cooked lamb shank with a kind of throbbing pastoral undertone – a weekend speciality worth planning your life around. For those in search of something more simple, the half chicken with chips, marinated with rich masala and grilled, offers a perfect East-meets-West option that feels like the sort of dish you’d request for a final meal.

Service is swift and friendly, and the BYO policy makes this a highly affordable night out. Needoo might live somewhat in the shadow of its more famous New Road neighbours, but those in the know recognise it as a worthy contender for Whitechapel’s curry crown.

Website: needoogrill.co.uk

Address: 87 New Rd, London E1 1HH

Bubala

Ideal for inventive, plant-based Middle Eastern cuisine…

For something different at the tail end of Whitechapel, Bubala has rapidly gained a reputation as one of East London’s most exciting dining destinations for Middle Eastern food.

The moment you slip inside, the carnage of the busy road behind melts away. It’s a mellow, nourishing space that is very Blank Street in its aesthetic but ultimately, probably, designed not to distract you from what really matters: the food.

Bubala delivers dishes of remarkable depth and flavour. The menu features small plates designed for sharing and tearing, with standouts including their fried aubergine with zhoug and date syrup – crispy at the edges but meltingly soft inside, topped with that vibrant green coriander-spiked sauce that gives vibrancy and value to everything it touches. Don’t miss the halloumi with black seed honey – a slab of milky cheese fried to golden-brown perfection and drizzled with a sweet, spiced syrup that’ll have you fighting over the last piece.

Other must-orders include their silky-smooth hummus arriving with burnt butter, pine nuts and a generous dribble of olive oil, the oyster mushroom skewers delivering that perfect umami hit. The confit potato latkes come with toum (Lebanese garlic sauce), which is a sentence that sounds really weird if you read it too fast and get your consonants mixed up. It tastes damn good though.

The place has a good buzz but is laid back, and the staff are genuinely passionate about the food they’re serving. Speaking of sweet spots, the tahini, date and tangerine ice cream is as good as it sounds and then some; a really intriguing mix of savoury and sharp, sparkling flavours, and the perfect end to a meal for all those who say they’re not into dessert, but actually are.

With most plates between £5-£11, and the option to feast for about £30 a head, Bubala represents excellent value. While reservations can be hard to come by (book well in advance), it’s worth the effort. Oh, and did we mention it’s all vegetarian? We tried not to, as this is gorgeous food, meat-free or otherwise.

Website: bubala.co.uk

Address: 65 Commercial Street, E1 6BD

Halal Restaurant

Ideal for a taste of history at London’s oldest Indian restaurant…

Among Whitechapel’s dining institutions, few can claim the longevity or, indeed, the naming prescience of Halal Restaurant. The name is SEO genius, though it’d be even better if they added ‘near me’ to the end. Though, since this place was established in 1939, they might have had other things on their mind than Google dark arts.

Indeed, Halal Restaurant stakes a claim as East London’s oldest Indian establishment. Originally founded to serve South Asian sailors working the docks, this venerable institution has been in the same family for four generations and maintains a loyal following that spans just as long.

Unlike the more casual curry houses nearby, Halal Restaurant offers a slightly more formal dining experience, with white tablecloths (daredevil stuff with this much turmeric in the curries) and food served in lidded pots – the big reveal is pure theatre, especially on the nose. The menu features classic Indian dishes executed with time-honoured precision – the rogan josh, shish kebabs and mutton mince biryani are particular highlights.

After over 80 years in business, Halal Restaurant offers something increasingly rare in London’s ever-changing dining landscape – a genuine taste of history.

Address: 2 St Mark Street, E1 8DJ

Website: halalrest.co.uk

Som Saa *temporarily closed – due to reopen on 11th November*

Ideal for faithfully rendered regional Thai cuisine that doesn’t hold back…

We can’t be arsed with the pedants, so we’ll say this again; we’re not sure where Whitechapel begins and ends. Commercial Street might be part of it.

We’re more confident that some of London’s best Thai food is still served at Som Saa, a relative old warhorse of the city’s restaurant scene as it approaches its second decade here in Whitechapel/Shoreditch/Spitalfields/let’s not worry too much about pin drops.

Here, dishes showcase the complex, multi-layered, high wire balancing act of the very best Thai cooking. Their nahm dtok pla thort – a whole deep-fried sea bass with North Eastern herbs and roasted rice powder – is the headliner, no doubt, and never off the menu for good reason; it demonstrates the kitchen’s love of the country’s Isaan region and its reliably bold palette. 

This is reflected too in the daily changing som tam salad, that reliably delivers the perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty and spicy notes (a bit of a tired summary by now, admittedly) that defines Thai cooking. Just to cast your eyes up to the blackboard to see what’s in store for the day.

There are coconut curries from further south in Thailand, too. The restaurant is one of the only places in the capital to freshly squeeze their coconut milk every single day, a process and dedication reflected in the suave finish to their curries and unparalleled, superior flavour compared to the canned stuff. Ditto the hand-pounded curry pastes; you really can taste the difference here.

Be sure to save room for their exquisite salted palm sugar ice cream served with grilled turmeric banana and sesame seeds – on since day dot and as good as ever.

After eight successful years, the team has expanded with a sibling restaurant, Kolae, in Borough Market, but the original location remains a must-visit for anyone who loves the food of The Kingdom as much as we do.

*Unfortunately, after a fire at the restaurant in early May, Som Saa is currently (but temporarily) closed. It has just been announced that they are due to reopen 11th November – excellent news!*

Website: somsaa.com

Address: 43a Commercial Street, E1 1LB

Xi’an Biang Biang

Ideal for hand-pulled noodles that pack a punch…

A sister restaurant to Xi’an Impression up in Highbury, and taking its name from the Shaanxi provincial capital and the onomatopoeic ‘biang biang’ (supposedly mimicking the sound of dough slapping against the countertop), this stark, brightly-lit space may look more corporate canteen than place of crosstown culinary pilgrimage, but appearances can be deliciously deceiving. Actually, we’re not sure that’s quite true; if this place looked fancy, you’d rightly suspect it might be a bit shit. Hmmm, we’ve tied ourselves in knots here…

…not like the noodles, which are perfectly separate strands, but also boast the requisite level of homogeneity. Their hand-pulled BiangBiang noodles in ‘special sauce’ are the ideal showcase for the eponymous speciality, with a perfect chew and rich sauce clinging to every strand. Variations on a theme include the glorious hand-pulled Belt noodles with cumin lamb, the fragrant, dusty, musty spice cutting through the richness of the lamb and anchoring the whole thing in something that hums and undulates rather than slaps and tickles.

Beyond the signature wide belt noodles, the boneless chicken in special sauce delivers a genuine surprise – thin slices of tender poultry soaking up a house special concoction that’s vinegary, sweet and gently spiced. It’s a perfect counterpoint to the more robust flavours elsewhere on the menu. 

The handmade traditional pork burger (‘rou jia mo’ – one of the world’s oldest sandwich-type foods) represents another regional speciality from the streets of Xi’an – succulent, slow-cooked pork belly with aromatic spices, chopped and stuffed into a distinctive wheat flatbread pocket. It’s street food with thousands of years of history behind it, and light years away from the Western concept of a burger.

The restaurant’s no-reservation policy and wipe-clean utilitarian aesthetic speak to its roots – this is a place where solo diners feel comfortable tucking in with a book and a beer, where eating with your fingers is not just accepted but encouraged, and where the nine-napkin approach to dining (you’ll need them for the splashes of chilli oil) is considered perfectly sensible. Or, you could just buy a T-shirt from the nearby charity shop and wear it as a massive bib.

Anyway, at these remarkably reasonable prices, with most dishes between £7-£11, you’ll hardly mind the extra cost.

Website: xianbiangbiangnoodles.com

Address: 62 Wentworth Street, E1 7AL

Al Kahf

Ideal for succulent Somali lamb at absurdly good value…

Al Kahf means ‘the cave’ in Arabic – fitting for this Somali restaurant tucked away off Whitechapel Road. Since opening in 2010, it has built a devoted following among those in the know. A recent renovation has transformed the once-hidden entrance into a proper street-level dining space, though the restaurant still thankfully maintains its understated charm.

The menu showcases the distinctive cuisine of the Horn of Africa, where geographic position and history have created a fascinating culinary crossroads. Their celebrated lamb shank (the xaniid) steals the show – slow-cooked to such tenderness that just a spoon is required to eat it, with undulating layers of aromatics and meltingly soft fat helping that gorgeous spicing last long in the mouth. Each main arrives on a generous platter of aromatic bariis iskukaris, a beautifully spiced rice adorned with sweet raisins and topped with caramelised onions and peppers.

Al Kahf really know how to guide your hand in seasoning your bowl, as each meal also comes with the essential companions: basbaas, a vibrant green chili sauce that brings a powerful kick of heat and fresh coriander, and sabaayad, a buttery Somali flatbread perfect for scooping up every morsel. You will genuinely want to do so.

The service is refreshingly unfussy and reassuringly unhurried, a place where it would be criminal not to take your time. At around £14 for a lamb dish substantial enough to satisfy two hungry diners, Al Kahf offers remarkable value, too. 

No alcohol is served here, so round off your meal with a bottle of Shani, an intensely sweet Arabic soft drink that Jimi Famurewa rightly observed was pretty reminiscent of Vimto, and discover why this modest establishment has earned its reputation for serving some of the most memorable East African food in London.

Website: alkahf.co.uk

Address: 112-116 Vine Court, E1 1JE

Graam Bangla

Ideal for traditional village-style Bangladeshi cooking that showcases the flavours of Sylhet…

Among Brick Lane’s curry houses, Graam Bangla offers something genuinely different. First opened in 1997 (then spelled ‘Gram Bangla’), it closed in 2016 before reopening under new ownership in 2019, bringing its distinctive Sylheti cooking back to East London.

Unlike the anglicised curry houses that dominate the area, Graam Bangla focuses on regional specialties from Sylhet in Bangladesh’s northeast—the ancestral home of many British Bangladeshis. The restaurant gained unexpected royal recognition in February 2023 when King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited during a tour highlighting the cultural contributions of the Bangladeshi community to the East End.

The food here diverges sharply from standard British curry house fare that you’ll find elsewhere on Brick Lane. Fish plays a central role in the menu, reflecting the cuisine of river-rich Sylhet. You might encounter keski (tiny sprats from the Ganges), elish (a buttery river fish requiring patient deboning), or for the less adventurous, perfectly seasoned catfish curry. The restaurant is also known for its selection of bhortha—intensely flavoured mashed preparations of vegetables, lentils, or fish that add vibrant accent notes to the meal.

There’s no paper menu here—instead, staff guide you through the dishes displayed in glass counters, explaining unfamiliar ingredients with patience. Once primarily a gathering spot for Bangladeshi men to engage in adda (a form of politically-tinged socialisation), the restaurant now welcomes a diverse crowd of diners who aren’t required to share their views on Sheikh Hasina or Sir Starmer before ordering. 

Facebook: graambanglauk

Address: 68 Brick Lane, E1 6RL

Shalamar Kebab House

Ideal for perhaps the best chicken tikka in Whitechapel…

While the big-name curry houses get all the glory, this modest Pakistani eatery on the corner of New Road delivers food that deserves far more recognition. Shalamar operates with quiet confidence just minutes from its more TikTok’d neighbours, offering a bright, fuss-free dining space where the focus is squarely on the food. And which, come to think of it, is the perfect lighting for those reels…

The menu here doesn’t try to please all parties with its length (matron) but rather with its execution. The chicken tikka here is worth crossing town for – plump cubes of breast meat marinated in yoghurt, garam masala and turmeric that remain wonderfully juicy while developing a distinctive rusty-orange exterior. At just £5.50 for a tikka roll, it represents one of Whitechapel’s – no, London’s – best food bargains.

Don’t overlook their meat biryani either – a generous heap of aromatic rice tumbled with quite-tender strings of braised beef. The whole dish carries gentle notes of cardamom and green chilli that perfume each forkful and linger until nighttime. You’ll get change from a tenner ordering it, which is wild in this economy.

What makes Shalamar special is its everyday dependability. This is restorative food served without ceremony – the kind of place locals return to weekly for a reliable, satisfying meal that brightens the day without emptying the wallet. 

Address: 95 New Road, E1 1HH

Sichuan Folk

Ideal for fiery, numbing Sichuan cuisine with plenty of theatre…

Just a few streets away from the confusion of Brick Lane sits Sichuan Folk, a compact restaurant that’s become a destination for those seeking the cocaine-like face numbing quality of southwestern Chinese cuisine. And the high, too…

That would be the liberal use of chillies and the distinctive numbing sensation from Sichuan peppercorns. Sichuan Folk’s signature dumplings exemplify this perfectly – delicate parcels bathed in a sauce that begins with warmth before developing into that characteristic ma la tingling sensation on the lips and tongue.

Beyond the dumplings, standout dishes include the whole sea bass, which arrives dramatically curled and crispy, yet remains surprisingly tender – flaky, even – beneath its coating. Don’t miss the fire-exploded kidney flowers, either – a dish where thinly sliced pork kidneys are delicately cross-hatched, marinated briefly, then flash-fried in scalding oil. The rapid cooking makes each piece curl and bloom open (hence the name), creating crisp, remarkably elegant and addictive little bites. 

The tightly packed tables are actually an asset here, where excited diners often point to neighbours’ dishes with an envious curiosity that’s quickly satisfied with an order of the same.

Address: 32 Hanbury Street, E1 6QR

Bon Appetit Lebanese

Ideal for London’s best Lebanese and Palestinian food not on Edgware Road…

Established circa 2008, Bon Appetit maintains its identity as a family-owned restaurant. It proudly declares on the menu that it uses mum’s homemade recipes – and the food here does taste homemade and, for lack of a better word, authentic. What strikes you first is how friendly the owners are. Sometimes they give you tea while you wait, sometimes a big hug. Never both, for some reason…

The ambiance is decidedly casual – a place you feel immediately comfortable in. A Palestinian flag casually drapes over a room divider and above a wooden counter there’s a huge menu board displaying all their dishes—making it nearly impossible to decide what to order because everything looks delicious. Everything looks a little dated, too, stone wall accents and hanging plastic plants, worn black leather dining chairs and the overall sense of a place well dined in.

Of course, Palestinian and Lebanese cuisines share many similarities due to their shared Levantine heritage and geographical proximity. Bon Appetit serves a mix of beloved Lebanese and Palestinian classics (though more firmly anchored in the former), including hummus, tabbouleh, and of course, grilled chicken.

Let’s talk about that grilled chicken. It arrives charcoal-burnished with a golden, fire-freckled crust and stays beautifully juicy, despite its time on the grill. It’s served with rice or chips, pickles, and plenty of garlic sauce.

A must-order is the lentil soup, which seems to be one of the most popular dishes on the menu. Glossy red lentils laced with cumin and olive oil, this delicious, wholesome Lebanese lentil soup wins us over every time – it’s comforting and nutritious, and a real sin-settler.

Both Palestinian and Lebanese traditions emphasise small shared plates as appetizers or as part of a larger meal, so come back another time with people who love to share. You could make a whole meal of their precisely rendered mezze options and you should, but fill it out with the generously sized grill platter which arrives exactly as you’d imagine: grilled, charred, and irresistible.

Wash it al down with a bottle of Mezza – a pomegranate flavoured nonalcoholic malt beverage and finish with some syrup-soaked knafeh. You could say we ‘we can’t get knafeh of it.’

Website: bonappetitlebanese.com

Address::133 Leman St, London E1 8EY

Rinkoff Bakery

Ideal for bagels and pastries from century East End institution…

Like many great East London establishments, Rinkoff’s is steeped in history and tradition. This Jewish bakery first opened its doors in 1911 and has been making exceptional challah, pastries, and of course bagels, ever since. The century-old business is still in the family, passed down through generations, and remains a treasured Whitechapel favourite.

Their smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel is a masterclass in the form – the kind of food that transcends trends and fashions. The sweet offerings are equally impressive, with the signature ‘crodough’ (their take on the cronut) developing something of a cult following among East London’s diabetes-baiting denizens. The lotus biscoff and white chocolate crodough was the flavour of the month last time we dropped by – a creation that has earned its place on many Instagram feeds but still delivers on actually tasting good.

What makes Rinkoff’s special is not just its longevity but its appetite to evolve. While still honouring traditional Jewish bakery items like cheesecake (sold by weight and made to Hyman’s original recipe) and challah bread, the fourth generation of the family, including Ray and his daughters Jen and Debs, have expanded the selection to include vegan options and contemporary treats like the recent viral Dubai cookie.

The bakery has adapted remarkably to Whitechapel’s changing population. While it began serving the area’s Jewish residents (even keeping ovens warm on Fridays for families to cook their Shabbat meals), Rinkoff’s now proudly serves a customer base that’s mostly from the local Muslim community (80% of the base, according to Vittles). 

This transition extends to their kitchen too, where many staff members have been part of the team for years, creating their own chapter in the bakery’s continuing story. 

Website: rinkoffbakery.co.uk

Address: 222-226 Jubilee St, Stepney Green, London E1 3BS

We think we’ll finish here, wolfing down another crodough even though we’ve very clearly had our fill for the day. 

Once our appetites return, the best restaurants near Shoreditch High Street Station will be our focus.