Most people have been brushing their teeth since they were old enough to stand on a step stool and reach the bathroom sink. It’s such a fundamental part of daily routine that many do it on autopilot – morning and night, without much thought to technique. Yet dental professionals across the UK continue to notice the same brushing mistakes cropping up time and time again. These seemingly minor slip-ups could be affecting dental health more than many realise.
Standing Not So Firm
Take the common misconception about toothbrush firmness. That firm-bristled toothbrush that seems like it would give teeth a proper clean? It might actually be doing more harm than good. Hard bristles can cause microscopic damage to both enamel and gums. The solution is to opt for soft, flexible bristles that can gently sweep away plaque while protecting dental health.
Pressure Drop
Pressure is another crucial factor to consider. Gripping the toothbrush like it’s a tool for scrubbing burnt lasagne off a casserole dish isn’t doing any favours. Plaque is surprisingly easy to remove; it’s thoroughness, not force, that gets the job done. A simple technique adjustment can help: holding the brush with just a thumb and two fingers naturally prevents applying too much pressure.
Take Your Two Minute Time
Time is another factor where improvement is often needed. Rushing through dental routines, especially on busy mornings, is a common habit. But cutting brush time from two minutes to one means potentially missing thousands of bacteria. Setting a timer or playing a favourite song while brushing can help ensure adequate cleaning time.
Three Months Is The Magic Number
The condition of the toothbrush itself is often overlooked. Even with perfect technique, a worn-out brush won’t do its job properly. The British Dental Association recommends replacing brushes every three months, or sooner if the bristles start looking frayed. A practical approach is to purchase replacement brushes in advance and mark the “start using” date on each one, taking the guesswork out of timing replacements.
Acid Trip
Counter-intuitively, it’s important to resist the urge to brush immediately after enjoying acidic foods or drinks. That glass of orange juice or evening wine temporarily softens tooth enamel, and brushing straight away can actually wear it down. The better approach is to rinse with water and wait half an hour before picking up the toothbrush. Sugar-free gum can help neutralise the acid while waiting.
Tooth Brushing Tekkers
As MaryleboneSmileClinic tell us so succinctly, “technique matters as much as timing.” Rather than keeping the brush parallel to the teeth (as most people do), positioning it at a 45-degree angle to the gumline makes a significant difference. It’s similar to sweeping under a rug – getting underneath that edge is essential for proper cleaning. This simple adjustment helps remove plaque from one of its favourite hiding spots: just beneath the gums.
Both Sides Now
When brushing does occur, it’s essential to give equal attention to all surfaces of the teeth – including the often-neglected tongue side. While it’s natural to focus on the visible surfaces, plaque doesn’t discriminate. Those hidden surfaces need just as much attention as the ones on display.
Rinse & Repeat? Think Again
One of the most counterproductive habits happens right after the brushing is done: immediately rinsing with water. While it feels natural to want a fresh, clean mouth, that post-brush rinse actually washes away the protective fluoride that’s just been applied to the teeth. Fluoride needs time to work its magic, forming a protective barrier against decay-causing bacteria.
Instead of rinsing straight away, simply spit out the excess toothpaste and leave it at that. For those who find the lingering taste uncomfortable, a small amount of fluoride mouthwash can be used as a final step – but even then, nothing should follow for at least 30 minutes. This small change in routine allows the fluoride to do what it does best: strengthen enamel and provide ongoing protection between brushing sessions.
The Bottom Line
These might seem like small adjustments to a daily routine, but their effects compound over time. Teeth are meant to last a lifetime, and a few mindful minutes each day is a small investment in long-term dental health. Different people have different dental needs, so consulting with a dental professional about personalised recommendations can help identify missed areas or necessary technique adjustments. Not ‘can’; it is, in fact, a must.
As every employer knows, a business is only as good as its team. And the more content, well rounded and educated that team is, the more productive they are too; what small business owner doesn’t want that?
Indeed, it seems there is no better way to encourage a sense of team unity and increased productivity than by being the most inspiring and responsible boss you can be. Here’s how; our 8 tips on becoming an employer that people want to work for.
Communication Is Key
No matter how big a company is, communication between an employer and employee should always be a priority. People need to feel included and being left in the dark when it comes to business creates dissatisfaction on a high level.
Keep your workforce up to date with company performance and goals. Let them know how important their role is, and that they’re not just a faceless cog in the machine. Value their opinion and their perspective, which is, needless to say, unique and should therefore be taken into consideration in order to improve the overall business strategy.
Practice assertive communication and try to have a personal approach with your employees. Showing you care about their wellbeing as well as the wellbeing of your firm creates a positive environment people will be happy to find themselves in.
Motivate & Manage
Leading a team is not an easy task, make no mistake. It’s imperative, then, that you learn how to effectively manage people; in doing so you’ll undoubtedly boost your business. Operational planning, finance, meetings, and travel arrangements are just some of the aspects of your business which require exceptional leadership skills.
Bonuses, perks and financial compensation are always welcome when it comes to motivation, but once your employees see that you are more than capable of running a solid, smooth operation, their loyalty will be earned.
Encourage Professional Development & Continuous Learning
In an ever-evolving business landscape, fostering an environment that prioritises professional development and continuous learning is paramount. As an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure that your team does not stagnate in their current roles but rather, has ample opportunity to enhance their skill set and knowledge base.
Offering structured training programmes, sponsoring relevant courses, and encouraging attendance at industry conferences can all contribute to an employee’s professional growth. Moreover, by implementing mentorship schemes within your organisation, you can facilitate the sharing of expertise and experience, further enriching your team’s capabilities.
Remember, when your employees grow, they don’t just bring new skills to your business; they bring renewed enthusiasm and a fresh perspective that can invigorate your entire operation. By investing in their development, you’re not only bolstering their individual career prospects but also fortifying the future of your company.
In essence, when you champion the professional advancement of your employees, you create a win-win scenario: your team members feel valued and empowered, and your business reaps the benefits of a highly skilled and motivated workforce.
Be Flexible, Grant Freedom & Allow For Privacy
Setting down rules is one thing, but refusing to adjust them to your employees’ needs is quite another, and won’t get you anywhere when it comes to improving the efficiency of your workers. For members of your team, having that balance between work and family life is essential to job satisfaction, and if you don’t show signs of flexibility, the workforce will follow suit.
Instead, be open to alternative arrangements – working from home, flexible hours or working part-time. Not only will you show that you value their struggle to obtain a good work-life balance, but you will also demonstrate that you trust them to do quality work on their own terms.
Privacy, too, plays a crucial role in the workplace. It’s essential to create spaces where employees can work undisturbed when they need to focus, as well as ensuring that their personal data is handled with the utmost confidentiality. This respect for their private lives and personal information fosters trust and shows that you value them as individuals, not just as workers.
To truly embrace this ethos, consider implementing ‘quiet zones’ in the office where employees can work without interruption. Encourage the use of privacy screens and noise-cancelling headphones to help create personal space in open-plan offices. Moreover, be transparent about data policies, DBS and personnel checks, and any performance monitoring, and be diligent in protecting sensitive information to reassure your team that their privacy is a priority.
By granting freedom and ensuring privacy, you’re not only accommodating your employees’ needs but also empowering them to manage their own time and workload more effectively. This level of autonomy can lead to a more engaged and responsible workforce, as employees feel trusted to deliver results without micromanagement.
Support Financial Wellbeing & Security
In today’s tempestuous economic climate, supporting your employees’ financial wellbeing goes beyond simply paying a competitive salary. Progressive employers recognise that financial stress can significantly impact productivity, mental health, and overall job satisfaction. By implementing comprehensive financial wellness programmes, you demonstrate a genuine commitment to your team’s long-term security and peace of mind.
Consider offering a range of financial benefits that help employees make the most of their earnings. Salary saving schemes, for instance, can help staff build emergency funds or save for specific goals through automatic payroll deductions, often with preferential rates or employer contributions. Additionally, providing access to financial advisors, pension planning workshops, or even simple budgeting tools can empower your workforce to make informed decisions about their financial future.
When employees feel financially secure and supported, they’re more likely to remain loyal to your organisation and focus their energy on contributing to its success. By taking a holistic approach to compensation that includes both immediate rewards and long-term financial planning support, you position yourself as an employer who truly cares about the complete wellbeing of your team – not just their performance during working hours.
Listen, Listen, Listen
Great employers are great listeners. Do we need to repeat that? Good. The best are aware of the fact that they don’t have the answers to everything, and that all suggestions and insights are welcome and worth considering. Empathy plays a key role here.
When you really listen to your employees’ complaints or suggestions, you’ll be able to offer satisfactory and well thought out feedback; beneficial for everybody, we think. Furthermore, the mere fact that you show an interest in the opinion of your colleagues sends a message that you truly care about them. They’ll show a similar attitude in return.
Create A Positive Company Culture
Company culture is, to boil it down, the company’s personality. It represents a combination of the work environment, mission, ethics, expectations, and goals. Creating a positive company culture will make people want to be a part of your business. They’ll be proud to represent it and proud to help create and promote its products and services. Once the employees feel a positive attitude, they’ll feed it back and that’s how the positive company culture is both created and maintained. A symbiotic relationship, for sure.
As well as creating a positive company culture, encouraging cultural diversity, awareness, and sensitivity is absolutely essential in the modern, progressive workplace. This can be achieved through training.
The aim of cultural awareness training is to help people start the journey towards cultural intelligence (CQ). Cultural intelligence is the ability to interact effectively with people from other cultures. It involves understanding the customs and values of other cultures and being able to adjust your own behaviours accordingly.
Always Allow Room For Growth
Employees need to feel that they’re making progress. Growth in a business environment is immensely important if you want your workers to feel like they matter. The work they do adds to their experience and qualifications, and rewarding their dedication will motivate them to be better, work harder, and thus add to the company’s health and employee wellbeing. Because let’s face it; moving up the career ladder is always a good incentive, making the employee feel valued and appreciated. And that’s what it’s all about, right?
Winding its way through the heart of Central Europe, the Danube River uniquely flows through or along the borders of ten countries (more than any other river in the world) including four capital cities: Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade.
There’s something magical about spending a week-long journey or even longer on extended cruises, drifting along this legendary waterway and experiencing different countries and cultures.
And the best time to visit? Autumn. Once September rolls around, the summer hordes have packed up their selfie sticks, and the riverbanks burst into a painter’s dream of rusty reds, burnt oranges and honeyed golds.
Indeed, one would be hard-pressed to find anything that quite matches an autumn Danube cruise for that perfect balance of relaxation and cultural immersion. There’s something incredibly soothing about watching medieval towns glide by, their centuries-old architecture framed by trees dressed in their seasonal finery.
If you’re planning an autumn cruise along the Danube, then without further ado, here is our ideal guide on cruising down the Danube this autumn….
Why Visit In Autumn?
Many travellers find that Danube river cruises in September and October reveal a more authentic side of Central Europe. The slower pace allows deeper engagement with local customs, cuisine, and landscapes. Whether sipping wine from a vineyard terrace or listening to classical music echoing through a baroque palace, the atmosphere is uniquely serene.
As autumn descends across Central Europe, the Danube takes on a spectacular new character. The medieval castles and rolling vineyards that dot its banks become framed by rich amber and crimson foliage, whilst morning mists add an almost ethereal quality to the water. As September turns to October, the summer heat gives way to crisp, comfortable temperatures.
The Wachau Valley in Austria , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, becomes particularly spectacular as its terraced vineyards turn rich shades of bronze and copper. The rising morning mist over the river creates an almost ethereal atmosphere, especially when viewed from your cabin balcony with a warm cup of tea in hand.
Perhaps most appealing is the significant reduction in tourist numbers. The summer holiday crowd has largely departed, meaning you’ll encounter fewer queues at major attractions and enjoy a more intimate experience of landmarks like Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace or Budapest’s Fisherman’s Bastion.
The stretch of the Danube connecting Budapest and Vienna provides the quintessential autumn cruise experience. These cities bookend a journey through dramatically changing landscapes where the river carves through hills that become increasingly theatrical with autumn foliage. It really feels like you’re travelling through a living watercolour painting.
The route passes through the heart of former Habsburg territories, with a rich imperial legacy evident in the grand architecture along the shores.
Hidden autumn-specific excursions often missed by summer travellers make this route particularly special. The forested hills outside Bratislava offer hiking opportunities through golden beech forests, while bicycle tours through Austria’s Wachau Valley let visitors experience the vineyard colours up close. These active options prove particularly pleasant in autumn’s moderate temperatures.
Budapest’s famous thermal baths take on new appeal as outdoor temperatures drop. The steaming waters of the neo-baroque Széchenyi Baths, where temperatures remain a constant 38°C regardless of season, create a dramatic contrast with the crisp autumn air. The experience of soaking while surrounded by trees displaying autumn colours adds a magical dimension impossible during summer months.
The autumn casts a spotlight on Slovakia’s pocket-sized capital. That warm, slanting autumn light does wonders for the Old Town’s pastel-coloured buildings, highlighting architectural details visitors might otherwise miss. Without summer’s crowds, one can actually stop to appreciate the human scale of the place, ducking down medieval alleyways that lead to hidden courtyard cafés where locals sip plum brandy to ward off the autumn chill.
Harvest & Autumn Festivals: A Calendar Of Celebration
Autumn along the Danube coincides with harvest season, triggering a cascade of celebrations that showcase the region’s agricultural heritage. Time your cruise to coincide with these festivals and you might just find yourself swept up in local celebrations that most tourists never glimpse.
The Wachau Valley Wine Festival, typically held in late September, transforms the charming town of Dürnstein into a celebration of viticulture. Local winemakers showcase their latest vintages, particularly the region’s renowned Grüner Veltliner and Riesling varieties.
Vienna puts on a show with its Harvest Festival (Erntedankfest) – think farmers in traditional leather lederhosen, women in dirndls with impossibly intricate embroidery, and agricultural displays that wouldn’t look out of place in a Bruegel painting. The whole affair typically winds up at Schönbrunn Palace, where folk bands play accordions and alphorns while food stalls serve seasonal specialities.
For something wonderfully bizarre, timing a cruise to coincide with Austria’s Kürbisfest (Pumpkin Festival) is worthwhile. Entire villages become open-air galleries of pumpkin art, everything from intricate carved lanterns to giant pumpkin boats that locals actually race down the river. The culinary creativity is just as impressive, with pumpkin appearing in everything from soup to schnapps.
Autumnal Flavours: What You’ll Be Eating
Forget the standard tourist fare, autumn transforms the Danube region into a gastronomic wonderland as the season’s bounty inspires both shipboard chefs and riverside restaurants to elevate their game. This is comfort food territory…
In Austria’s Wachau Valley, keep an eye out for Sturm, a partially fermented young wine that marks the start of harvest season. Don’t let its cloudy appearance fool you; this sweet, still fermenting beverage packs a sneaky punch and is available for just a few fleeting weeks. Locals pair it with Marillenknödel, plump dumplings filled with tart apricots and dusted with buttery breadcrumbs.
Moving through Vienna, autumn menus feature wild game like venison and wild boar, often served with seasonal accompaniments such as chanterelle mushrooms, pumpkin and cranberry sauce. The city’s famous cafés also embrace the season with warming drinks like Glühwein (mulled wine) and special pastries featuring autumn fruits and nuts.
Try Zum Alten Fassl for seasonal specialties like game dishes with chanterelles, or visit Café Central for their legendary chestnut purée with whipped cream while watching autumn leaves drift past centuries, old windows. Both are within walking distance of Vienna’s cruise port.
In Hungary, autumn brings hearty dishes perfectly suited to the cooling weather. Goulash, the country’s national dish, takes on a special quality when made with freshly harvested vegetables. For something sweet, rétes (Hungarian strudel) features fall fruits like apple, pear and plum, often spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. After your ship docks in Budapest, take a short taxi ride to the Széchenyi Thermal Baths, then visit nearby Gundel Restaurant for their renowned game dishes or head to Kiosk for excellent goulash soup with views of the Danube and Elisabeth Bridge.
Slovak cuisine along the Danube embraces similar hearty themes with dishes like Bryndzové Halušky, potato dumplings with sheep cheese, becoming even more satisfying as temperatures drop. When your cruise stops in Bratislava, you can easily walk to Slovak Pub or Bratislava Flagship Restaurant in the Old Town area, just a short stroll from the river dock, for authentic Slovak cuisine in historic settings.
The Danube begins as a modest Black Forest spring before growing into Europe’s second, longest river. By the time it reaches the Black Sea, it’s touched ten countries, each offering distinctive autumn experiences. Here are the essential stops that truly shine during this golden season:
Vienna, Austria: Imperial Vienna practically preens in autumn. The Habsburgs’ grand parks, particularly Schönbrunn and the Prater, become carpets of gold and amber, perfect for contemplative strolls without summer’s crowds. The city’s cultural calendar kicks into high gear as opera houses and concert halls launch their new seasons. There’s something particularly fitting about hearing Strauss waltzes in Vienna when autumn rain taps gently on nineteenth-century windowpanes.
A visit to one of those legendary coffeehouses (the aforementioned Café Central or Demel, perhaps) where time seems to have stopped around 1900, is essential. The seasonal specials taste even better while watching autumn leaves skitter past centuries-old windows.
Budapest, Hungary: They call it the ‘Pearl of the Danube’ for good reason, but Budapest reveals different facets in autumn. The Buda Hills burst into colour, creating a stunning backdrop for the city’s architectural treasures. Taking the funicular up to the Castle District at sunset allows visitors to watch the autumn light play across the city as it shifts from golden to amber to deep rose. Be sure to visit Pest’s famous market for some fresh paprika to take home from the recent harvest.
Oh and as we mentioned earlier, Budapest’s thermal baths reach peak appeal when there’s a nip in the air -there’s something magical about soaking in the steaming waters of Széchenyi Baths surrounded by trees sporting autumn hues.
Wachau Valley, Austria: This UNESCO-listed region reaches its scenic pinnacle during harvest season. Beyond the spectacular riverside foliage, the valley buzzes with viticulture activity as vineyards harvest their grapes. Many wineries open their doors for special tastings, allowing visitors to sample new wines while learning about centuries-old traditions. The medieval town of Dürnstein with its ice-blue Baroque church looks even more enchanting framed by autumn-hued vineyards, while hilltop ruins offer panoramic views of the golden valley below.
Bratislava, Slovakia: Slovakia’s capital often gets the short end of the stick, with some cruises allowing only a few hours’ visit. That’s a mistake, especially in autumn when the city reveals its intimate charm. The diminutive Old Town comes alive with harvest celebrations.The hilltop castle offers spectacular views of the changing colours along the Danube’s banks. The city’s many outdoor cafés transition to cosy, centuries-old cellar restaurants where hearty Slovak cuisine perfectly complements the season. Local specialities like roast duck with red cabbage taste even better in autumn, particularly during St. Martin’s Day celebrations in November.
Passau, Germany: Known as the ‘City of Three Rivers‘, where the Inn, Ilz, and Danube converge, Passau offers atmospheric autumn experiences as morning mist often rises from the converging waters. The city’s baroque architecture takes on a warm glow in autumn light, and its position as a gateway to Bavaria means visitors can experience authentic German harvest traditions. St. Stephen’s Cathedral often hosts special concert series during autumn, allowing visitors to experience its famous organ in a less crowded setting.
Several premium cruise lines offer exceptional autumn Danube experiences, each with their own distinctive approach:
AmaWaterways offers their popular ‘Romantic Danube’ and ‘Melodies of the Danube’ wine-themed cruises that are particularly appealing in autumn. Their 7-night journey from Vilshofen to Budapest aboard the elegant AmaSonata includes exclusive vineyard tours during harvest season and onboard wine tastings with local experts.
Viking River Cruises runs an 8-day ‘Danube Waltz’ from Passau to Budapest, with autumn departures in September and October 2025 that perfectly align with harvest festivals. Their longships feature panoramic windows ideal for watching the autumn scenery drift by.
Uniworld offers their luxurious ‘Enchanting Danube’ cruise from Budapest to Passau aboard the S.S. Maria Theresa, with special autumn 2025 departures featuring harvest celebrations. Their all-inclusive approach covers premium wines and spirits, all meals, excursions, and even gratuities.
Tauck provides the immersive Musical Magic Along the Blue Danube’ themed cruise that’s particularly magical in autumn when the cultural season begins. Exclusive experiences include private palace concerts in Vienna and special access to museums.
Avalon Waterways offers ‘Active Discovery on the Danube’ cruises that are ideal for autumn, with opportunities for cycling through vineyards and hiking to panoramic viewpoints showcasing fall foliage. Their signature Panorama Suites feature wall-to-wall windows for optimal scenic viewing. Autumn 2025 sailings begin at approximately £2,300 per person.
Autumnal Excursions To Consider
Autumn-specific excursions add special seasonal dimensions to Danube river cruises, allowing passengers to explore beyond the standard tourist paths. When booking your cruise, consider if they offer any of the these excursions…
Vineyard tours and wine tastings take on special significance during harvest season. Many cruise lines offer exclusive visits to wineries in Austria’s Wachau Valley or Hungary’s Tokaj region, where passengers can witness the grape harvest in action. Some excursions even offer the opportunity to participate in picking grapes or stomping them the traditional way, a hands-on experience that connects travellers to centuries-old viticultural traditions.
Cycling excursions along the Danube’s extensive bike paths become particularly appealing in autumn’s moderate temperatures. The Wachau Valley between Melk and Krems offers especially scenic cycling routes through vineyards and charming villages, with stops at panoramic viewpoints to appreciate the autumn colours.
Culinary workshops focusing on autumn specialities allow passengers to bring home more than just photographs from their journey. These hands-on experiences might include learning to make Austrian apple strudel, Hungarian goulash, or German pretzels under the guidance of local chefs.
Photography walks guided by professional photographers help passengers capture the unique light and colours of autumn along the Danube. These excursions often take place during the golden hour near sunset, when riverside castles, historic bridges and church spires are bathed in warm autumn light.
The Bottom Line
A Danube cruise during these amber months offers the perfect balance – comfortable temperatures for exploration, spectacular seasonal landscapes, authentic cultural encounters, and culinary experiences at their peak of seasonal freshness. Whether you’re drawn by the terraced vineyards of the Wachau Valley, the imperial splendour of Vienna, or the thermal baths of Budapest, autumn adds a special quality to each destination.
Calling all campervanners; after a long winter of downtime and drudgery, of stagnant, stationary living, the road is once again calling your name!
We can’t wait.
For those who made an investment in the open road during lockdown, a few home truths may have quickly been realised. One such realisation is that, when you initially buy your campervan, it can look a little bare. Bleak, even.
Now that the summer holidays beckon, you might be looking to spruce up your vehicle so it’s as comfortable and welcoming as possible. With that in mind, here’s how to make your campervan more cosy.
Personal Decorations
Decorating the interior of your van can make it feel more welcoming, and when this is your transport and your hotel during life on the road, it’s essential that it does feel that way, don’t you think?
Surrounding yourself with photos and objects that you love can make you feel more grounded when you’re on the road. Moreover, with all sorts of familiar pictures and postcards lining the walls, it’ll quickly become a more homely place, so do just that; find your favourite photos of friends and family, pictures, wall hangings and paintings and arrange them in an eye-catching manner.
Lighting can make a significant difference to your campervan’s cosiness, too. In the mornings, you’ll want to make the most of all your windows by allowing natural light to pour in to the van. Accordingly, it’s a good idea to swap out those dusty old drapes for some simple, easy to activate blinds, to allow for maximum light coverage.
In the evenings, on the other hand, you’ll want a lighting setup that can make the van feel cosy. By fitting fairy lights to the walls and ceiling, you can enjoy a relaxing, romantic ambience in your van anytime of day or night.
Greenery
Why not try adding some plants to the campervan to offer some vitality and life? Because, let’s face it, a fair portion of campervan life is spent on concrete and tarmac, rather than out in nature and under the stars.
A little greenery goes a long way. You can introduce some by buying little pots and planting small green plants all around the interior. Alternatively, you could go for a more unique look by adding a few rare and strange-looking house plants to the inside of your campervan.
It’s a good idea to opt for hardy plants that won’t damage easily. The best campervan plants tend to be succulents as they can handle variable conditions. Moreover, some have medicinal purposes; consider aloe vera, which can also be used to treat sunburn.
There are also some edible cacti and succulents that you can adorn your van with, including Elephant Bush, Prickly Pear and Glasswort, the latter of which is sometimes called the poor man’s asparagus; useful if there aren’t any shops open near where you’ve parked up for the night, perhaps!
Hammock
A van hammock can be an excellent way to wind down and relax. Whether you want to set it up outside and doze in the sun or you’re keen to settle in during the evenings, a hammock is a versatile, comfortable option.
For indoor use, look for compact hammocks with simple hanging systems that won’t damage your van’s interior. Outside, consider models with integrated mosquito nets for summer evenings. Many hammocks fold down to the size of a small book, making them perfect for the space-conscious traveller who still wants that touch of outdoor luxury whilst on the road.
Throws, Blankets & Scattered Cushions
When you settle down in the evenings, you’ll want to be as comfy as possible. But ordinarily, your van might not be too suited to colder evenings. Consider purchasing some throws and blankets to up the ante on that cosy factor. These can help soften the texture of the interior and they’ll allow you to wrap up snugly when you’re settling in for the night.
Introducing patterned scatter cushions can really help change the whole dynamic of your van’s interior. They not only bring texture and warmth to your van, but they make any seating so much more comfortable. Experiment with a number of patterned and plain cushions together to create a cohesive look for best results.
Remember that you can change your cushion covers with the seasons. When the temperature drops, we love adding cushion covers in jewel-toned colours, the same hues as gorgeous gemstones, to our sofa; think sapphire blue, ruby red, amethyst purple, citrine yellow and emerald green. When it’s autumn, cushions in autumnal hues can bring the requisite warmth to your sofa.
Upholstery
In a similar way, the upholstery matters, too. By adding different colours and patterns, your van can quickly become more homely. You can achieve this by upholstering the seat cushions to something more comfortable.
The fabric of your cushion requires some serious thought, both for your own comfort and for practical reasons. Avoid fabric that can be easily stained or fabric that might cause irritation to those sitting on the sofa. Also, make sure the fabric can be easily washed.
Eating with plastic cutlery and plates can be useful as a one-off, but if you’re spending a long period travelling in the van, it’s best to have something more luxurious to hand to make your meals feel all the more special.
Try bringing your favourite plates and utensils from home to make meal time that bit more elegant. We’re huge fans of enamel plates for vans, as they’re pretty much impossible to break and look great, too. Today, alongside the standard white plates with a blue rim, you can vibrant Colorama plates which offer a contemporary twist on classic enamelware.
Storage Solutions
In a campervan, every centimetre counts. Clever storage solutions can transform a cramped space into an organised haven. Consider installing magnetic strips on walls to hold metal utensils and knives, freeing up valuable drawer space. Vacuum storage bags are brilliant for compressing bedding and seasonal clothing when not in use.
Look to the ceiling and walls as untapped storage areas – hanging nets or fabric pockets can store lightweight items like hats, scarves, and books. Many experienced vanlifers swear by the efficiency of stackable clear boxes that allow you to see contents without rummaging. Remember that multi-functional furniture, such as ottomans with storage inside or tables with fold-down leaves, will maximise your living space whilst providing places to stow your belongings.
Tech & Entertainment
Even the most dedicated nature lovers occasionally want some digital comforts. A reliable power setup is essential—consider investing in a leisure battery system and perhaps solar panels for sustainable, off-grid power. This will allow you to charge devices and run small appliances without draining your vehicle’s main battery.
For entertainment, a tablet loaded with films and books takes up minimal space whilst providing hours of rainy-day distraction. Bluetooth speakers can transform your van into a mobile disco when the mood strikes, whilst requiring very little storage space. If you’re planning longer trips, a simple wi-fi booster might be worth considering, extending the range of campsite wi-fi or your mobile hotspot to keep you connected when desired.
The Best Vehicles For Campervan Conversions
Selecting the right base vehicle is perhaps the most crucial decision you’ll make on your campervan journey. The Ford Transit Custom MS-RT stands out as an excellent choice, offering a perfect balance of style and substance. Its sporty aesthetic doesn’t compromise on practicality, with generous interior dimensions that provide ample space for creative conversions. The MS-RT’s upgraded suspension also delivers a more comfortable ride than standard vans—a blessing on those long touring holidays.
The Volkswagen Transporter remains the classic choice, with its legendary reliability and strong resale values making it a sound investment. For those with a larger budget, the Mercedes Sprinter offers luxury touches and more headroom, ideal for standing-height conversions. The Vauxhall Vivaro and Renault Trafic share a platform and represent excellent value options with good payload capacities.
For the more adventurous, 4×4 options like the Mercedes Sprinter 4×4 or converted Land Rover Defenders offer genuine off-road capabilities, though at a premium price. Budget-conscious converters might consider slightly older Mazda Bongo or Toyota Hiace models, which can often be found at reasonable prices with good reliability records.
Whatever vehicle you choose, ensure you research payload capacities carefully – many novice converters are surprised by how quickly the weight adds up with furniture, water tanks, and all the comforts of home.
The Bottom Line
Making your van cosier can be a fun and rewarding project. By changing the lighting, decorations, and upholstery you might quickly find it becomes a second home.
Remember that personalising your campervan isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about creating a space that supports your wellbeing whilst travelling. A thoughtfully designed interior can improve your mood, help you sleep better, and make even the rainiest days spent inside feel like a pleasure rather than a chore. Invest the time now, and you’ll reap the rewards throughout all your future adventures.
Stand in a Florentine piazza at dusk, and you might notice something subtle yet profound: the cadence of conversation, the particular way a vendor wraps a package, the almost imperceptible nod between longtime residents passing in the street. These aren’t simply ‘Italian’ moments but distinctly Tuscan ones – cultural expressions that would be recognised as regionally distinctive even in Venice or Rome.
Indeed, Tuscany exists as its own cultural universe within Italy’s rich tapestry of regional identities. Its distinctive character was forged through centuries as a political, artistic and linguistic powerhouse – a place that didn’t just participate in Italian culture but fundamentally shaped it, while jealously guarding its own particular ways of being.
The cypress-lined hills and Renaissance masterpieces that dominate postcards tell only a fraction of the story. The true Tuscany reveals itself in the untranslatable phrases uttered in market squares, the particular rhythm of village festivals that follow ancient agricultural patterns, and the social codes governing everything from bread-making to neighbourhood allegiances.
This isn’t about reinforcing simplistic divisions but illuminating how remarkably diverse Italian regional cultures remain even in our globalised era.
The Contrada System: Siena’s Distinctive Social Structure
In Siena, the city remains organised into 17 contrade (neighbourhoods) that function as fundamental social units. Each has its own museum, fountain, church, colours, animal symbol, and celebrations. These divisions shape daily life in ways immediately recognisable to Italians but often invisible to visitors.
The contrade originated in the Middle Ages as military companies, evolving into the civic organisations they are today. Each maintains its own cultural heritage preservation committee, youth group, and social calendar. Membership is typically determined by birth location rather than current residence, creating complex social geographies.
During the Palio horse race, these neighbourhood identities reach their most visible expression, but contrada culture operates year-round. Many Sienese identify with their contrada as a primary social allegiance, with complex diplomatic relationships existing between allied and rival districts. The twice-yearly baptismal ceremony at each contrada’s fountain for neighbourhood children represents a social commitment that complements religious practice.
This neighbourhood system differs significantly from other Italian cities’ administrative divisions, existing as cultural entities rather than merely governmental units. The degree of voluntary participation and emotional investment in these neighbourhood identities represents something distinct within Italian urban culture.
Florentine Communication: Directness As Cultural Value
Florence maintains a communication style characterised by concision and directness. Where Venetians might employ diplomatic circumlocution and Romans a certain expressiveness, Florentines typically value clarity over courtesy in a way immediately recognisable to Italians from other regions.
This communication approach manifests in everyday interactions. At Florentine markets, vendors often use abbreviated speech patterns and expect quick, decisive selections from customers. The abbreviated greeting Dica (literally ‘Speak’) used by Florentine shopkeepers represents this efficiency-focused approach, contrasting with more elaborate welcoming rituals in other regions.
Florentine speech typically contains fewer diminutives and terms of endearment than found in central and southern Italian regions. Whilst an Italian tutor might teach students to soften requests with pleasantries and subjunctives, Florentines often dispense with such niceties in favour of clarity. This linguistic pattern reflects historical values developed during Florence’s commercial golden age, when precision in business communication was essential to the banking and textile industries that built the city’s wealth.
This direct communication style extends to feedback and criticism. Where critique might be softened with compliments in other regions, Florentine artistic and academic traditions often embrace forthright assessment. This approach can sometimes create cross-cultural misunderstandings with visitors and Italians from other regions, but represents a distinctive cultural value rather than rudeness.
The True Tuscan Linguistic Heritage
While standard Italian derives from Tuscan literary traditions, contemporary spoken Tuscan contains distinctive features beyond the famous gorgia toscana (the softening of certain consonants). Tuscan speech employs specific grammatical constructions and vocabulary not found in standard Italian.
Particularly distinctive is the Tuscan use of personal pronouns. The insertion of te before verbs (as in Te tu vieni qua – ‘You come here’) creates a doubling effect considered grammatically incorrect in standard Italian but central to Tuscan speech patterns. Similarly, the construction A me mi piace doubles the indirect object in a way specifically associated with Tuscan dialect.
The lexicon includes terms like desinare (to have lunch) instead of the standard pranzare, and punto used to mean ‘not at all’ rather than simply ‘point.’ The adjective ganzo (cool/great) remains distinctly Tuscan, immediately identifying speakers to other Italians.
These linguistic particularities extend to pronunciation, with Tuscan speakers often dropping the final vowel from certain words (saying venir instead of venire). In rural areas particularly, vocabulary relating to agricultural practices often preserves terms from medieval Tuscan that have disappeared from standard Italian.
Distinctive Tuscan Culinary Traditions
Tuscan cuisine developed distinct characteristics shaped by the region’s agricultural history. Most emblematic is pane sciocco (unsalted bread), which originated during medieval salt tax disputes. This bread became the foundation for unique preparations like panzanella (bread salad), ribollita (vegetable and bread soup reheated multiple times), and pappa al pomodoro (tomato bread soup).
The prominence of bread-based dishes reflects historical resource conservation in a region that experienced periodic scarcity. Similarly, the Tuscan approach to meat utilises traditionally less-valued cuts. Dishes like lampredotto (made from the fourth stomach of the cow) in Florence represent a waste-minimising philosophy different from the meat preparations of northern Italian regions.
Tuscan olive oil usage differs from other regions in its prominence as a finishing element rather than primarily a cooking medium. The peppery finish of many Tuscan oils determines how they’re incorporated into dishes, often drizzled over food after cooking rather than fully integrated during preparation.
Wine integration into daily life follows distinctive patterns as well. The consumption of vin santo with cantucci (almond biscuits) after meals represents a specifically Tuscan ritual, different from digestive traditions in other regions. In rural areas, the tradition of merenda (afternoon snack) often features specific combinations of bread, oil, and preserved meats unique to Tuscan agricultural cycles.
Rural Tuscan Festival Culture
Tuscany’s countryside maintains celebrations closely tied to agricultural cycles, many dating to pre-Christian times. While seasonal festivals exist throughout Italy, Tuscan rural celebrations often emphasise hyperlocal specialties from remarkably small geographic areas.
Village sagre (food festivals) frequently honor ingredients specific to microclimates within Tuscany itself. The Sagra della Cipolla di Certaldo celebrates red onions grown exclusively in that area, while the Sagra del Zafferano in San Gimignano honors locally produced saffron with culinary traditions specific to that town.
Particularly unique to rural Tuscany are battiture (threshing festivals) marking harvest completion. In villages like Sorano and Sovana, these celebrations maintain elements of agricultural rituals largely disappeared elsewhere. The meals associated with these festivals often follow traditional serving hierarchies based on age and social position, providing insight into rural social structures.
The wine-focused traditions of Tuscany include distinctive competitions like Montepulciano’s Bravio delle Botti, where teams race 80kg wine barrels uphill through medieval streets. This combination of oenological celebration with physical competition represents a distinctive Tuscan approach to wine culture.
The Temporal Rhythm Of Tuscan Life
Tuscany maintains a distinctive relationship with time that differs from both northern Italian efficiency and southern Italian flexibility. The concept of tempo giusto (right timing) reflects an approach where activities receive their appropriate temporal space without arbitrary acceleration or delay.
This manifests in business practices where meetings typically start punctually but aren’t rushed to conclusion. Discussions receive the time they merit rather than adhering to predetermined schedules. This selective time management differs from both Milan’s business efficiency and Sicily’s more elastic approach to appointments.
In small towns, this temporal approach creates social rhythms where certain activities belong to specific times and places. The organisation of the day follows patterns where, for instance, the early morning square belongs to elderly residents discussing current events, while evening brings multi-generational social mixing. These temporal zoning practices create unwritten schedules understood by community members.
The Tuscan approach to modernity reflects this selective relationship with time. Technological adoption tends to occur based on practical value assessment rather than novelty. A workshop might use advanced manufacturing techniques while maintaining traditional management structures, representing a philosophical choice about maintaining quality and community connections.
This distinctive Tuscan relationship with time and progress creates a cultural environment that selectively incorporates change while maintaining certain rhythms and practices. Understanding this approach helps visitors appreciate the region’s distinct cultural identity within Italy’s rich diversity.
If ever a city existed in a liminal space between meals, it’s Chiang Mai. The ancient capital of the Lanna Kingdom feels like it’s perpetually gearing up for its next feast, with never ending plumes of smoke rising from charcoal grills, steam billowing from bubbling curry pots, and the rhythmic pounding of clay pestle and mortars providing the city’s distinctive soundtrack. A soundtrack that’s only punctuated by a busy chorus of discussion about what’s for dinner, we might add…
Indeed, whilst the region’s proud, ornate temples, mountain vistas, walls and moats might initially draw visitors to Northern Thailand’s spiritual centre, it’s the food that keeps them coming back.
A distinct cuisine influenced by neighbouring Burma, Laos and the Yunnan Province of China, but with its own inimitable character, Lanna food – as the food of the north is known – is generally milder than that of central and southern Thailand, with an earthy, herbal profile taking precedence over the familiar sweet, spicy and sour vibes that folk usually associate with the Kingdom. Pork fat brings a sauve richness where cracked coconut cream might sizzle down south. Sticky rice reigns supreme.
Not that Chiang Mai has a myopic vision, food wise. A large expat population and status as Thailand’s digital nomad capital means you’ll find excellent international restaurants too, as well as cafes and bars that wouldn’t look out of place in London or New York. Still, we write that without including a single one on our list, such is the quality of the local food here.
So, once again, we find ourselves in the privileged position of eating our way around one of the world’s great food cities, all in the name of research. An arduous task, make no mistake, but one we accepted with open arms, and soon after, open mouths. Here are the very best places to eat in Chiang Mai; our IDEAL 22.
SP Chicken, Si Phum (Old City)
Ideal for some of the finest grilled chicken you’ll ever eat…
Let’s start with something simple but sublime. SP Chicken has been doing one thing exceptionally well for decades now; Issan-style grilled chicken cooked over charcoal. And boy, do they do it well.
The chickens here are brined, marinated, stuffed with lemongrass and garlic, and cooked on vertical spits with the heat source coming from the side rather than below. This unique method prevents any oil from dripping onto the coals and causing flare-ups that might burn the birds. The result? Impossibly juicy meat and perfectly, consistently crisp skin, every single time.
You have the option of a half or a whole bird. Though the idea of a half seems plenty, you’ll find yourself licking the plate and your fingers and considering ordering a second half.
You might as well commit to the whole thing first time around. Order yours with som tam (papaya salad) and sticky rice – the holy trinity of Isaan cooking, add a couple of Singha beers, position yourself near the grill where the cook is happy to swap stories and cooking tips, and stay the afternoon there. Heaven.
Prices remain steadfastly local here too, with a full spread for two rarely exceeding 400 baht (around £9). The whole chicken is 190 baht (£4.30), if you want to behave like a beast, tearing at drumsticks with your teeth.
Ideal for northern Thai food that’s worth seeking out…
It’s a pig’s ear to find and a pig’s ear to find open. Funnily enough, you can find pig’s ear on the menu here. That’s if you’re lucky enough to catch one of the sweet spots where their doors are flung wide and the sisters in-charge are at the stove. But man, it’s worth the effort (and occasional disappointment at being turned away).
Author’s own
Because this bare bones, humble eatery serves up some of the finest northern Thai specialties in the city. Their gaeng hung lay (a Burmese-influenced curry of braised pork belly) is sensational, their laab toasty, rasping and redolent of a complex dried spice mix, and bitter as it should be. The northern Thai sausage, sai ua, is fragrant with lemongrass and makrut lime leaf, with a pleasingly caramelised casing – a nice point of a difference in a city with so much sai ua that the sausage fest gags write themself.
Ideal for what might just be the finest bowl of curry noodles in the world…
About half an hour’s drive north of the city centre lies what many consider to be the best khao soi in Chiang Mai and by default, then, the world. This iconic northern Thai dish combines egg noodles in a rich coconut curry broth, crowned with crispy fried noodles and served with pickled greens, shallots, and chilli oil – a cherished creation born from the intersection of Chinese Muslim, Burmese and Thai culinary traditions. The journey might seem excessive for a bowl of noodles, but trust us; this one’s worth it.
Here, the third (and reportedly last) generation owner still makes the egg noodles by hand daily, preserving a family recipe that spans more than four decades. The beef version is the move here; the meat tender and giving, the coconut curry broth deep and complex with properly developed spicing, and those noodles – both soft and crispy – providing the perfect vehicle for it all.
If you’re feeling curious, try their pad sen khao soi, where those same hand-made noodles are stir-fried rather than swimming in broth. It’s a unique twist on the city’s signature dish that you won’t find in many other places. Rent a motorbike and make a day of it; San Sai is a gorgeous retreat from Chiang Mai proper.
Ideal for innovative cooking that respects its roots…
Hidden above a gelato shop in Chiang Mai’s hip Nimmanhaemin neighbourhood, this 16-seat restaurant serves some of the most exciting food in Chiang Mai. Chef Phanuphol Bulsuwan, who learned his craft at his grandmother’s side rather than culinary school, creates ambitious 10-course tasting menus that change constantly based on what’s available from local farmers and foragers.
The chef’s innovative approach to fermentation – he makes his own fish sauce, soy sauce and pickles, and brews beer and sake for the restaurant, too – and his deep knowledge of local ingredients results in food that pushes boundaries while remaining distinctly Thai.
The dining room might be minimalist, but the flavours on the 2700 baht (£60 ish) tasting menu are anything but. Highlights include a refined take on the pork and tomato relish nahm prik ong (the ol’ Thai bolognese), which here is served ‘two ways’ and topped with crisp shards of chicken skin, and chef Bulsuwan’s buffalo salad, a riff on the sun-dried buffalo dishes of the Tai Khuen people.
The menu changes regularly and is Thai-seasonal in its approach, observing the rainy and dry seasons, the former celebrating the abundance that the wetter weather brings; the latter embracing ingredients that are refreshing and light. There’s a keen sense of time and place here – of tradition and modernity that reflects the wider city as an entity.
Many think that Blackitch will be the restaurant that wins Chiang Mai its first Michelin star – we have to say, we agree with them. It’s the best ‘fine dining’ restaurant in Thailand’s second city by some margin.
Ideal for northern Thai classics in lively surrounds…
Set in a charming wooden house on Nimmanhaemin Soi 13, Tong Tem Toh is perpetually packed with a mix of Thai university students, Chinese tourists and in-the-know farang. They’re all here for the same thing – agreeable northern Thai food in a convivial courtyard, all big wooden tables and noisy din that makes the whole sharing thing all the more enjoyable.
It is a massive menu, so let the restaurant dictate things a little. Their northern Thai appetiser platter is the perfect introduction to the cuisine, loaded with sai ua, nahm prik ong, nahm prik noom (roasted green chilli relish), pork crackling and steamed vegetables. Lovely stuff. The grilled meats coming off the barbecue set up outside are excellent too, particularly the fatty, charred pork neck. It’s impossible to resist the smoke wafting about as you queue for, genuinely, hours for a table.
That said, the highlight at Tong Tem Toh is the jin som. Here, pork mince, skin and fat are mixed together with a cracked egg, pounded garlic and salt, wrapped in a banana leaf and left to ferment in the sun for a few days. The parcel is then chucked on the grill to order, and served with roasted peanuts, thumbs of ginger and Thai bird’s eye chillis. It’s lip smackingly good, and a damn fine version at triple T; rich, sour and just a little bit funky. Chase it down with a few Singha over ice – you’ve earned it after all that waiting around.
A meal here rarely costs more than 300 baht per person, which makes the queue out front a bit more bearable. Our advice? Get there early, get your name down and your number memorised, and go for a beer or two opposite.
Ideal for a bowl of curry noodles from the OG (original grandma)…
Just off Sri Phum Road, near the North Gate of the old city, you’ll find this beloved institution known simply as Grandma’s Khao Soi. Opening at 10am and closing when they run out (usually around 2pm), this modest open-air eatery serves what many consider the best bowl of khao soi within the old city walls.
The coconut curry broth here is perfectly balanced – not too rich, not too sweet – with a deep rouge colour that speaks to its proper blooming of spices. While the chicken version is excellent, we’re particularly fond of the lesser-sighted pork version (owing to the dish’s potential Muslim origins, pork is rarely used in khao soi), which comes with tender chunks of belly that have been stewing in that incredible curry all morning. For those not confident with their chopsticks and fearful of ruining their T-shirt with a splashback of turmeric-tainted broth, the chicken slices version is your order.
Whichever way you play it, those ubiquitous condiments – pickled mustard greens, shallots, lime – are an essential counterpoint to the rich broth/soup/curry…whatever you want to call it. At just 60 baht a bowl, this is one of the city’s greatest bargains.
Ideal for authentic northern Thai food in a traditional Lanna setting…
Since 2011, this restaurant – whose name means ‘happy home’ – has been living up to its moniker by serving some of the most jolly satisfying northern Thai food in the city. Set in a traditional Lanna house with a leafy garden, it’s a tranquil spot to sample hard-to-find traditional dishes. Of a genre that’s fairly widespread in the city, Huen Muan Jai is our favourite rendition.
Former TV chef Charan Thipeung’s menu includes all the northern classics: sai ua, nahm prik ong, and an excellent gaeng hang lay, alongside some lesser known dishes (outside the north, at least) like tam khanoon (pounded jackfruit salad) and gaeng pla chon (a hot and sour soup with snakehead fish). We’re really sorry about all those brackets, by the way.
For newcomers and old timers, too, the northern Thai appetiser sampler is the perfect introduction to the region’s flavours. A word of warning; with the semi alfresco vibe to the dining room at Huen Muan Jai and the various water features scattered about the place, the mozzies can be pretty insistent here. Come doused in repellent accordingly.
Ideal for seriously good seafood in a landlocked city…
You might not expect to find excellent seafood in a landlocked mountain city, but Maadae proves that distance from the coast is no barrier to quality. The kitchen here sources their catch directly from small-scale fishermen in Chumphon province, ensuring the freshest possible produce makes its way up north and onto the grills of this cracking restaurant.
The menu changes daily depending on what’s been caught, but you can expect Thai seafood classics like thick rounds of braised squid in a moody black pepper and garlic sauce, or chunks of white fish mixed with a fragrant, coarse curry paste before being wrapped in banana leaf and grilled. The main event, though, is the selection of whole fish and huge river prawns, sold by weight and grilled over coals. Usually, they’re served with jungle herbs and an assertive nahm jim seafood, the ideal foil by the bitter notes of charred skin and gorgeous, giving flesh within.
The dining room, with its blend of industrial chic and traditional Thai elements, provides the perfect backdrop for such considered, respectful cooking. There’s even a short selection of natural wine, with a bottle of Wabi Sabi Orange Moon from the Niederösterreich region of Austria clocking in at 1400 baht (£32) and offering a restrained funk and plenty of acidity.
Whilst Maadae isn’t a blowout meal (certainly not by Bangkok standards), it’s one of the more premium places on our list of the best places to eat in Chiang Mai. Expect to pay 2000 baht (£45) for two, before drinks. It’s very much worth it for the kind of spread or spanking fresh seafood you won’t find too often in Thailand’s second city.
Ideal for experiencing the best raw laab in Northern Thailand…
A tiny shack a twenty minute drive out of Chiang Mai Old City, tucked away in the San Sai district, might not be the first place you’d think of for a culinary pilgrimage…
…Scrap that; it’s exactly the kind of place you’d think of. It’s worth the journey, the language barrier and the rest, as Laab Ton Koi serves what many locals consider to be the best laab in Chiang Mai. Opening at 11am sharp, this humble eatery typically sells out within three hours, the meat minced fresh each day and only going so far, so arriving early is essential.
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The star dish here is their laab kwai dip (raw buffalo) – a perfectly minced creation that’s generously but not excessively seasoned with a blend of spices including makwen peppercorns and cumin, then mixed with fresh green cow bile for an authentic northern Thai flavour profile. The result is a wonderfully complex dish that combines herbs both astringent and floral, bitter bile, and beautifully textured meat.
Since you’ve made the effort to get here, you shouldn’t dine on laab (and sticky rice) alone. Don’t miss their gaeng om moo (pork intestine soup) – a herb-rich broth that serves as the perfect accompaniment to the laab. The restaurant also offers sa sa-doong, a barely-blanched meat dish whose name literally translates to ‘jolted raw slices’.
At just 40 baht per dish, this is one of the best value-for-money experiences you’ll find in Chiang Mai. Just remember – this isn’t tourist-oriented dining, so expect a local experience with minimal English spoken. Time to brush up on your Thai.
Ideal for contemporary Chinese dining in a traditional Lanna setting…
We’re back in Nimmanhaemin, somewhat in awe of Yangzi Jiang’s regal, refined take on Chinese-Catonese cuisine, helmed by a chef with Hong Kong roots. When you’re just a little tired of another bowl of khao soi, Yangzi Jiang is just the ticket, its stellar dim sum selection during lunch hours a welcome diversion from the city’s usual charms. The signature steamed scallop dumplings with black truffles are a standout, and one of Chiang Mai’s most decadent dishes.
Set in a contemporary Lanna house (there’s a theme developing here), the restaurant has an elegant, hushed atmosphere that perfectly complements its refined cuisine. While the dim sum is the main draw, their Peking duck has earned a reputation as one of the most memorable versions in the city, arriving with breasts delicately portioned and bordered with a clock’s worth of numeral bronzed, glass-like skin. This is supreme cooking, with age-old techniques precisely delivered.
Their lunch menu is particularly popular among Chinese tourists and well-heeled locals, so reservations are recommended, especially during peak hours. This is one of the pricier options in the Nimman area, but the quality of ingredients and execution justifies the cost; an excellent choice for those looking to diversify their Chiang Mai dining experience beyond Thai cuisine.
Ideal for atmospheric northern Thai dining in the heart of the old city…
Set in an atmospheric old teak house near the centre of the old city, Huen Phen feels frozen in time in the best possible way. The dining room is adorned with antiques and vintage photos, while chunky wooden tables and the occasional touch of opulence nod to the city’s royal heritage.
The food is just as traditional as the setting, and Huen Phen – though not the gold-standard purveyors of the good stuff – is a great place to try savoury, herbal Northern Thai classics like gaeng hang lay, various preparations of Northern-style laab, and nahm prik noom served with fresh and steamed vegetables and pork crackling.
The brick-a-brack, organised chaos of the dining room(s) adds to the charm here – your dining companions on any given visit might include several golden, looming phaya naga, a deer with comically large antlers, or a wooden fertility statue, tumescent and distracting. Yep, this is a vibes-first kind of place, and it’s all the better for it.
Prices are keen too, with most main dishes coming in under 100 baht. Just be prepared to wait for a table during peak lunch hours. Once you nab one, settle in, order a few cold beers (or even a little Sang Som with soda) and luxuriate in the generosity of Lanna cuisine and culture.
Ideal for possibly the best beef noodle soup in northern Thailand…
For over three decades, this humble shophouse has been serving what many consider to be the finest Chinese-style beef noodles in Chiang Mai. We’re certainly inclined to agree with the many here; this is a light but luxurious bowl of the good stuff that manages to be satisfying but not too sweet, and not overly reliant on MSG for backbone. It’s a rare find in a bowl of noodles in Thailand these days…
The broth is the star – deeply flavoured with Chinese herbs and pristine in its clarity. Tiny globules of beef fat pool at the edges of the bowl, indicating just the right level of skimming has happened here.
The beef bits – balls with good factory bounce, offal, slices – have just the right amount of chew. As in, a fair bit of chew. There’s an obligatory lettuce leaf bobbing about, as there should be.
And if you’re not in the mood for noodles (bit of a weird choice to pitch up here if you’re not), they also do an excellent beef yellow curry served over rice. Don’t leave without trying their homemade coconut ice cream for dessert – the perfect way to reset after that steaming bowl of soup.
Ideal for an authentic local market experience away from the tourist trail…
About a kilometre north of the old city, Siri Wattana (also known as Thanin Market) offers one of Chiang Mai’s most genuine market experiences. This is where locals come to do their daily shopping and grab a quick, delicious meal, and it’s somewhere you should do the same.
The market is divided into distinct sections – fresh produce, meats, prepared foods – but it’s the khao gaeng (rice and curry) section that draws us back time and time again. Here, dozens of silver trays hold different curries, stir-fries and soups, all priced at local-friendly rates (expect to pay no more than 40-50 baht per dish).
The best strategy here is to point at whatever looks good (you could, of course, learn some Thai). Don’t miss the hor mok pla, a fish curry steamed in banana leaves and topped with coconut cream. There are also excellent takeaway options of sai ua, served with smoked green chilli relish, and deep fried fermented pork ribs. The som tam pla raa here is great, too, found at the right of the prepared foods section of the market.
If your appetite still isn’t satiated, there’s also excellent one-bowl wonders prepared to order in the canteen-like space as you enter – the pad grapao that’s served to the left of the market as you enter is an excellent version of a classic. If you can’t find it, just listen out for the clatter of the one-woman-wok operation.
Ideal for conscientious eating that doesn’t compromise on flavour…
This socially conscious cafe in the Nimman (we’re shortening now) area isn’t just about serving great food – though it certainly does that. Run by Thai Freedom House, a non-profit organisation supporting Shan refugees, Free Bird Cafe puts its profits towards educational projects and community support.
The menu features traditional Shan recipes, many plant-based by design, alongside a broader selection of international dishes.
Stick with the Shan stuff; it’s superb. Their lahpet thoke (Burmese tea leaf salad) is a standout – crunchy, tangy and utterly addictive – whilst the red lentil soup could cure the very worst whiskey soda hangover. For breakfast, try the Burmese tofu scramble with pennywort and turmeric, alongside a roasted barley and chicory drink, which boasts coffee-adjacent notes but none of the caffeine.
Ideal for refined Thai dining in characterful surrounds…
Hidden down a quiet soi in the old city, Baan Landai serves up creative, Kingdom-spanning cuisine in a setting that manages to be both chic and homely. Chef Landai weaves together regional flavours without things ever becoming jarring, creating dishes that respect heritage while adding enough contemporary touches to keep things interesting in a city arguably more in thrall to traditional recipes than innovation.
Don’t worry; there’s no green curry foams or exploding spheres of coconut milk here. Rather, artfully presented (there are a lot of circular banana leaves), precisely seasoned plates from across the Thai culinary canon reign supreme. The crab fried rice is perhaps the signature here, featuring those massive, inviting chunks that only Thailand seems to truly indulge in. A fiesty af nahm jim seafood is obligatory as accoutrement.
Whatever you order, save room for dessert – their modern take on mango sticky rice is worth loosening your belt for.
Something of an old town institution, The House by Ginger has been in operation for over two decades, and remains one of Chiang Mai’s most consistently excellent fine dining-leaning restaurants. The quirky, stylish dining room – full of colour and energy – sets the scene for a menu that skilfully blends northern Thai classics with a few more contemporary flourishes (Thai tacos, Thai calamari…you get the picture).
It’s an approach that has earned the restaurant Michelin recognition for the past four years (since the guide came to Thailand’s second city). Premium ingredients are a focus here – think New Zealand beef in their massaman curry, or organic vegetables and herbs picked daily from their own Ginger Farm and put to good use in stir fries and salads. The Chiang Mai platter, keenly priced at 690 baht offers the ideal introduction to northern flavours, while their creative cocktail and kombucha list provides plenty of reasons to linger. Ours is a Ginger Sling, if you’re heading to the bar.
Set in a beautifully restored 1880s teak mansion that served as the city’s first ever general store, Kiti Panit offers a glimpse into Chiang Mai’s glamorous past while serving some of its finest contemporary Thai cuisine. The original woodwork, flooring and furniture have all been lovingly preserved, creating an atmosphere of understated grandeur that’s impossible to resist.
The kitchen gently reimagines traditional Lanna cuisine with a few opulent twists – their khao soi comes with stewed beef shank that’s been cooked to melting tenderness, while the yam pakchi gai yang sees a bronzed, burnished chicken bread bedding down with a tangle of coriander varieties tossed into a salad that is replete with a shards of crispy chicken skin. Words that any hungry diner wants to read, let’s be honest.
Whilst we don’t think mango sticky rice’s original form can be improved upon, the grilled caramelised mango with pandan flavored sticky rice is certainly an interesting take on a classic, the mango itself bar-marked invitingly and kissed with smoke. You know what? We think there’s room in the world for both tradition and innovation, when it comes to dessert.
Ideal for late-night feasting after a few Chang beers…
Made famous by Anthony Bourdain’s visit but beloved by locals long before that, Midnight Sticky Rice is the perfect spot for post-revelry sustenance. It’s an order-by-pointing affair, but rest assured that everything will be spicy, fried and utterly delicious.
midnight sticky rice
The menu changes nightly depending on what’s fresh and available, but you can usually count on finding excellent som tam, grilled meats, and of course, plenty of sticky rice to soak it all up. Just follow the crowds and the aroma of grilling meat, and prepare for plenty of toasting with your increasingly jolly neighbours.
No visit to Chiang Mai would be complete without a pilgrimage to the famous ‘Cowboy Hat Lady’ at Chang Phueak Gate. Her khao kha moo (braised pork leg over rice) has achieved legendary status, and rightly so – the meat is so tender you could practically shake it off the bone.
From 5pm onwards, you’ll find her distinctive cowboy hat bobbing behind mountains of perfectly braised pork, served over rice with a medium-boiled egg, pickled mustard greens, raw garlic and a searingly hot chilli sauce. At around 50-60 baht a plate, this is one of the city’s greatest culinary bargains.
Despite her celebrity status (she’s been featured on countless food shows), there’s no hint of tourist pricing here, and the quality remains as high as ever. The queue can be long, but it moves quickly – just look for the stall with the cowboy hat-wearing vendor and join the throng.
This beloved Isaan institution might just serve the best som tam in Chiang Mai. The restaurant’s (the country’s) signature salad comes in countless variations – you can customise everything down to the specific ingredients and spice level – but whatever you choose, expect fresh, fiery flavours that don’t hold back.
The grilled meats here are equally excellent. Order the gai yang (grilled chicken) or kor moo yang (grilled pork neck) to accompany your som tam, and don’t forget to get sticky rice to help temper the heat. Head up to the huge communal dipping sauce station and help yourself to complete the deal.
Though prices are slightly higher than a street stall, a feast for two still won’t set you back more than 250 baht, in a huge, expansive space that’s just crying out for a big party and plenty of beers poured over ice.
Ideal for northern Thai food in tranquil surrounds…
Set in a converted home with a distinctive triangular roof in the university district, Han Teung offers a peaceful retreat from Chiang Mai’s bustle. The small portions here are actually a blessing in disguise – they allow you to sample a wider range of northern Thai specialities than you might otherwise be able to manage.
Don’t miss the sai ua, fragrant with lemongrass and kaffir lime, or their excellent chilli soups. The pork dishes are particularly good (as is always the way up north), and everything comes with an assertive kick of spice.
If it’s the season (beginning in earnest in mid-February and ending when things cool down in late June-ish), round things off with an order of so-called ‘Northern caviar’; weaver ant larvae, served pleasingly unadorned and boasting an agreeable sour tang owing to their diet of mango leaves.
With dishes rarely exceeding 100 baht, Han Teung is excellent value too.
We end at Ton Payom, a bustling morning market northwest of the old city where locals head for their morning fix of khanom jeen nahm ngiaw (spicy noodle soup) for a pleasingly mellow, refreshing breakfast bowl. The atmosphere is kinetic, especially around 7am when office workers and students stop by for breakfast.
By simon_photos from Getty Images via Canva
Look out for the stall selling sai oua that’s still sizzling from the grill, and don’t miss the khao ram fuen – a jellied rice noodle dish served with tamarind sauce that’s particularly refreshing on a hot morning. You know what? We think we might just stay here a while…
Whether you’re seeking fiery northern curries, perfectly grilled meats, or innovative takes on traditional dishes, Chiang Mai’s food scene has something for everyone. Just remember to pack loose-fitting clothes – you’re going to need them.
The city is a fast paced place to perch; the contrast to the countryside clear and concise. The differences are stark. You don’t even greet your friends in London streets as you pass, but when rural, strangers become soulmates over small chat. Urban boozing is all barging shoulders and elbowing for room, but the country pub is a place of respite and calm. Then there’s the air; oh, the air. The capital’s stays on your skin and in your lungs for longer than is alright. How we long for the fresh stuff.
While you may not be able to simply up sticks the moment you crave the joys of the countryside, you can still bring the pastures new to you, by giving your house a rural makeover in a few simple steps. So, here are 5 IDEAL decor ideas for a country chic look.
Carefully Cobbled Together
There’s mix and match, and then there’s mixed and matched with care. While pulling together anything from the charity shop that carries a single digit price tag may serendipitously result in a style in synergy, frankly, it’s a long shot. Having a loosely knit style in mind – such as matching lines, features or motifs – can offer a guideline for your thrifty foraging. Deliberately rustic is great, but a little focus keeps things looking carefully cobbled together.
Consider introducing a ‘through line’ in your eclectic collection—perhaps brass hardware throughout, or a consistent colour palette that ties disparate pieces together. The charm of country homes lies in their storied furnishings; each piece seemingly with its own heritage. Hunt charity shops and car boot sales for wooden side tables with character, mismatched dining chairs that share a similar silhouette, or vintage frames that can be repurposed. Remember, authenticity is paramount—genuine patina trumps manufactured distressing every time.
Texture
What sets houses with designs on being rural apart from their urban cousins is the deployment of texture. Carpets rule the roost in country chic homes, bringing a comfort and colour that one associates with being away from the hectic city. Throws and extra cushions can enliven dull sofas, and outlandishly textured bedspreads feel right at home in the rural. If you want to, too, then add multiple competing and contrasting textures.
Beyond carpets and throws, consider introducing natural materials like rattan, jute, and unfinished wood to create a tactile paradise. Layer textures vertically as well as horizontally – rough-hewn wooden shelves against smooth plaster walls, or heavy linen curtains framing windows with delicate roman blinds. In the bathroom, woven baskets and wooden bath mats introduce warmth and tactility where typically there’s only cold tile. A sheepskin draped over a bedroom chair creates an inviting nook for morning tea that feels quintessentially pastoral.
Wooden Light & Shade
Light and shade is a stylistic guideline that can be applied to most interior design, but we’d like to double down on this perennial favourite when discussing country chic.
More precisely, we’re talking wood. If you’re fortunate enough to have beams, then darken or lighten them with a little varnish to contrast with the surrounding hues. A thick and sturdy kitchen table as a centrepiece for all the home’s comings and goings should also fit this theme – light against darker background shades or vice versa.
Items which are sturdy and satisfying to touch make a worthy focal point for any farmhouse kitchen. We’re thinking a place to eat, drink and socialise here, and we think you’re picturing the same thing, too. You know the type – long, rectangular and wooden, with enough room to accommodate seating a large family; just perfect.
Embrace the natural imperfections in wood for a truly rustic aesthetic. Consider salvaged timber for shelving or mantlepieces, complete with knots, cracks and patina. The kitchen table needn’t be perfectly symmetrical – a live-edge dining table tells a story that mass-produced furniture simply cannot. For a contemporary twist on country chic, mix wooden elements of different epochs – Victorian spindle-back chairs alongside a mid-century sideboard creates delightful tension. If you’re fortunate enough to have original floorboards, consider having them sanded back and finished with a matte oil rather than high-gloss varnish for an authentic farmhouse feel.
There’s something inherently honest about exposed brickwork that resonates deeply with country aesthetics. If you’re fortunate enough to have original brick walls, consider carefully removing the plaster to reveal the characterful masonry beneath. For those without this luxury, brick slips offer a brilliant alternative. These thin sections of real brick can be applied to ordinary walls, creating the illusion of solid brickwork without structural implications.
When working with brick slips, opt for reclaimed options where possible—the weathered patina and varied colouration of aged bricks brings authentic character impossible to replicate in new materials. Consider whitewashing rather than leaving them raw; this softens the industrial edge whilst maintaining textural interest. A limewash treatment allows the natural variations in the brick to show through, creating a depth that flat paint simply cannot achieve.
For a thoroughly modern take on country living, contrast exposed brick with contemporary elements—a sleek kitchen against a brick wall creates delightful tension between old and new. Remember that less is often more; a single feature wall of exposed brick can have more impact than covering every available surface.
Agricultural Abundance
The quintessential country home blurs the boundary between indoors and garden. Embrace this with generous displays of both fresh and dried botanicals throughout your home. Dried lavender bunches and onions hanging from kitchen beams and loosely arranged wildflowers in stoneware jugs all evoke rural charm without trying too hard.
Consider creating a dedicated indoor herb garden on a sunny kitchen windowsill- not only practical for cooking but infusing the space with glorious scent and life. Traditional orangeries and conservatories were designed to bring plants inside year-round; channel this heritage by grouping potted plants in unexpected corners.
For the ultimate country flourish, forage seasonally – bringing in branches of spring blossom, summer meadow flowers, autumn leaves, and winter berries. These ephemeral displays connect your home to the natural rhythms outside in a way artificial decorations never could. Vintage botanical prints and pressed flowers in frames extend the theme to your walls, whilst floral fabrics (used judiciously) can add warmth without veering into chintzy territory.
A Warm Statement Piece
Whilst we’re on the subject of centrepieces, the heating and cooking in your house should not be viewed purely from a functional perspective. While certainly an investment – both in money and prime kitchen real estate – an aga brings a real sense of the rural living. It also provides heat; a triple win, then.
Heat and a statement piece also marry together happily in the form of wood burning stoves; a wonderful focal point for those craving the countryside. Having a nicely appointed pile of firewood in the living room can really hammer the point home. Just remember to have a carbon monoxide detector installed.
Beyond the Aga and wood-burning stove, consider how other heating elements might become focal points. A striking radiator in cast iron or brass can add period charm whilst keeping you toasty. Traditional heated towel rails in bathrooms bring both function and flair. For those without the space or budget for an Aga, a vintage bread bin or ceramic canisters in heritage colours can evoke country kitchen charm. Don’t overlook the power of a traditional Welsh dresser – not only practical for displaying your favourite crockery but a magnificent statement piece that instantly transports one to rural living.
The Force Of Floor
Flooring in country houses is a very different beast to the functional, wipe clean variety so often found in the homes of Britain’s bigger cities. Channel your inner bohemian with a patterned tile, juxtaposed with a simple, blonde wood in an adjacent room. Consider concrete to harden up those soft edges; a proud, cool material for a floor which works best when softened up by the room’s other country style furnishings like kitchen rugs.
Consider reclaimed terracotta tiles for an instantly aged, authentic feel underfoot. In bedrooms, painted floorboards with a few strategically placed rugs offer a perfect balance of practicality and comfort. For those seeking authentic character, encaustic tiles in hallways and bathrooms provide a heritage feel that improves with age and wear. Remember that in country homes, floors needn’t match throughout—different rooms can showcase different materials, creating natural transitions between spaces. In utility spaces, traditional quarry tiles in deep red or forest green offer both durability and timeless appeal. Whatever you go for, view the floor as a canvas, not merely something to step on.
And with that, we’re stepping on, too. We can’t wait to be invited round to see what you’ve done with the place!
From safety-pinned punks to polished socialites, the King’s Road has witnessed quite the transformation. This historic Chelsea thoroughfare, originally carved out as Charles II’s private route to Kew, has seen London’s cultural tides ebb and flow – from the swinging sixties and Vivienne Westwood’s anarchic spirit to today’s more polished incarnation, where aestheticians have replaced the aesthetes and, erm… Can’t think of any more snappy lines. That’s a shame.
Anyway, today’s King’s Road is a different beast from that of yesteryear, but it’s still an undeniably great place to hang out, and to eat. Between the gleaming shopfronts and beneath the striped awnings, you’ll find restaurants that may not break culinary boundaries, admittedly, but deliver exactly what their well-heeled clientele desires. And quite often, what us folk less of heel are craving, too…
Whether you’re in a contemporary Mexican mezcal joint or traditional Lyonnaise bouchons, the people-watching remains Olympic-grade, though these days you’re more likely to spot a clean-eating influencer than a punk icon. There were no good old days, and all that.
Anyway, we’re here to keep our eyes firmly on the plate, and all while strictly swerving any mention of that TV show; here’s our pick of the best restaurants on and around the King’s Road.
The Cadogan Arms
Ideal for when you want pub classics given a little extra sheen…
The Cadogan Arms embodies the ideal of a modern Chelsea pub – all gleaming wood panels, lovingly restored stained glass windows and plush velvet seating that make you fear for the bill when you’re only one pint in. But don’t let the polished appearance fool you; at its heart, this is still very much a genuine boozer, just one that happens to serve exceptional food.
When acclaimed, ubiquitous restaurant group JKS took over, they brought much-needed clarity and class to both the food program and the room here. The pub’s extensive 2021 renovation revealed original architectural treasures like the elaborate corniced ceiling and backlit stained-glass bar, while chef James Knappett (of two-Michelin-starred Kitchen Table) was enlisted to oversee the menu, the kitchen here delivering consistently outstanding pub classics without any efforts to ‘elevate’ or ‘refine’ them.
The Sunday roast is a big draw here – the sharing board for three (which could easily feed six) comes with a rich bone marrow sauce that could transform even a leathery old slab of roast beef into something truly memorable. And leathery old slab this roast beef ain’t. Equally impressive is their gold-standard beef Wellington, accompanied by a clotted cream mash so indulgent it’s worth having a heart attack for. Fortunately, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital is just round the corner.
Ideal for pretending you’ve escaped Chelsea to a backstreet in Lyon…
One of increasingly prolific chef Claude Bosi’s more casual ventures, Joséphine feels like it’s been lifted straight from a charming backstreet in Lyon, self-identifying as a ‘bouchon’ – the name given to traditional Lyonnaise restaurants serving hearty, ingredient-focused cuisine. Burgundy leather banquettes, flickering taper candles and crisp white tablecloths create an atmosphere that’s a little pastiche, perhaps, but also transportive and refreshingly unpretentious.
There are no hushed, reverent tones here, that’s for sure – more guttural sighs of satisfaction at dishes rendered in all manner brown shades – but that’s not to say that the menu doesn’t deliver Lyon’s culinary heritage with remarkable finesse. A deeply savoury onion soup, silken calf’s sweetbreads with seasonal morels, and an intensely boozy rum baba that comes soaked enough to genuinely get you pissed, all hit the high notes. A big log of andouillette, served with mustard sauce, keeps things funky.
The house wine here follows the traditional ‘by the metre’ approach – you only pay for what you drink from the bottle, which feels refreshingly honest in this postcode. Or, predictably dangerous, depending on what kind of drinker you are.
The weekday lunch and early evening set menu (two/three courses for £24.50/£29.50) is notably good value.
Ideal for exclusive Catalan cooking close to Sloan Square…
Chelsea Barracks is a strange place for a restaurant. A 10-minute stroll from Kings Road’s eastern end at Sloane Square, it’s not the first place you’d expect to find soulful Catalan cooking.
The restaurant’s presence here is explained by a vast £959 million project (nothing should cost that much) that has repurposed the 150-year-old former military base. Representing one of the priciest real estate transactions in UK history, the 12.8-acre grounds have been turned into a fortress of unparalleled private luxury, comprising flats with multi-million-pound price tags. Within this gilded sanctuary, The Campaner now serves as the central dining destination.
Open all day, from 11am ‘till late at the weekends (and from midday through 10pm during the week), there’s a concern that The Campaner is essentially a canteen for the incredibly wealthy, but they’ve certainly chosen an attractive place to hang, you’ve got to concede.
The architectural stunner – designed by Ben Pentreath, who drew inspiration from Sir Christopher Wren’s stable buildings at the neighbouring Chelsea Hospital—features soaring vaulted brick ceilings and double-height windows that flood the space with natural light. The restaurant’s name (meaning ‘bell ringer’ in Catalan) is a fitting nod to both its proximity to the Grade II-listed Garrison Chapel and its ambition to become the beating heart of this reimagined neighbourhood.
The restaurant marks the first international venture for Barcelona restaurant royalty Los Reyes del Mango (‘The Mango Kings’), a group that has achieved near-cult status in the city. The menu aims to reflects Agreda’s philosophy of ‘honest and simple cuisine with a Catalan soul’, beautifully executed with seasonal British produce. Start with their pan con tomate – that deceivingly simple Spanish staple where quality ingredients have nowhere to hide. Here, it’s rendered with a correctly restrained application sweet, ripe tomatoes, a whisper of garlic, and exceptional olive oil.
Iberian ham croquettes deliver that perfect contrast between crisp and oozing, deeply savoury interior, while the charred endives with Olavidia cheese and beetroot cream offer a sublime study in bitter-sweet-creamy balance. Perhaps most interesting is the chargrilled aubergine paired with manchego cheese, sobrasada de Mallorca and black treacle – a dish of remarkable depth that demonstrates this kitchen’s deft hand with the seasoning. It’s salty, sure, but spicy and sweet too, with the aubergine’s smoky fudginess pulling it all together. It’s very good indeed.
Main courses are designed for sharing, with the grilled octopus deserving special attention – cooked in the restaurant’s Josper grill with the kind of precision that only comes from true understanding of heat and timing. We’ve had too many bullet-tough octopus tentacles in our time, but this one arrives tender and bouncy, its ‘come hither’ gesture well and truly merited.
The headliner is without doubt the Catalan socarrat with red prawns, the eponymous crust of caramelised rice supporting plump, sweet prawns that taste emphatically of the sea. It’s a flavour that feels just right as the sun pours in through those massive windows, and everyone around you sports absolutely perfect tans.
Intent on chasing the sun, we retire to the restaurant’s gorgeous wraparound terrace for dessert, a particularly cheesy Basque cheesecake and a rough and ready berry mille-feuille that eats much better than it looks. Out here, life feels worlds away from the city’s frenetic pace, despite being just minutes from Sloane Square. It’s pretty blissful.
Back inside, and for those seeking a more clandestine experience (deals that no one quite understands are definitely struck down here), head beneath the restaurant to The Clandesti, their speakeasy-style cocktail bar bathed in warm terracotta tones. Here, mixologists craft artistic concoctions inspired by Catalan masters like Dalí and Miró – the Dream Shell cocktail topped with a toasted marshmallow proves particularly Instagram-worthy (rather defeating the point of the clandestine part, admittedly). Like its parent restaurant above, the bar manages to transport a slice of Barcelona to SW1 without descending into caricature. You know what? We think we might just stay here a while…
Ideal for tasting the Sussex countryside without leaving SW3…
The Gladwin brothers bring their farm-to-fork philosophy to life at this rustic-chic spot, sourcing produce directly from their family’s Nutbourne vineyard and farm in Sussex, where youngest brother Gregory still works as a farmer.
The eclectic menu at Rabbit changes constantly to reflect what’s hyper (rather than quarterly) seasonal, with the small plates and keen pricing encouraging exploration – try the mushroom marmite eclairs and the beef heart skewers with port glaze. Both are excellent.
Rabbit’s ‘Farm To Fork’ set lunch (two courses for £22, three for £25) offers laughably good value in this part of town. It runs from Tuesday through Friday.
In a discreet corner just off the King’s Road, chef Anna Haugh’s elegant cooking has found a home here, bringing a taste of contemporary Ireland to Chelsea. The intimate dining room — with its gorgeous quilted armchairs, green-and-cream walls and statement mirrors — provides a splendid backdrop for sophisticated dishes that showcase the best of Irish produce while incorporating classical European techniques.
Menu highlights include Clonakilty black pudding wrapped in crispy potato, butter-poached turbot with Irish dulse seaweed, and sirloin of Irish beef with a beef stuffed boxty, something of a Haugh signature. Yep, that feels like a lot of beef, but when the product is this good, it’s worth celebrating, don’t you think?
Speaking of celebrating, Head Sommelier at Myrtle Katarzyna Kostrzewska has curated an impressive global winelist that perfectly complements Anna Haugh’s Irish-influenced cuisine. Beyond the expected French heavyweights, you’ll find gems from Greece, Hungary, and even Peru. Particularly noteworthy is Anna’s own signature wine range, created in partnership with Vino Hero from the South of France – each bottle featuring a QR code linking to recipes she’s designed specifically to pair with that wine.
Ideal for Indian seafood in tranquil townhouse surroundings…
Chef Rohit Ghai’s first solo venture occupies a beautiful townhouse just off the King’s Road, where mint-green walls and floral accents create an atmosphere that feels quite grand, even round these parts.
The kitchen displays remarkable prowess with its contemporary Indian seafood cooking, especially — a pleasingly light sea bass curry comes generously adorned with plump mussels, its sauce luxurious and sweet via freshly-pressed coconut cream. Or, stone bass is crowned with crispy squid, sitting atop well-seasoned squid ink rice. Yep, they love using seafood as a garnish here. We’re certainly not complaining…
That’s not to say that the vision is myopic here. Comprehensive dietary options include separate vegan, halal, gluten-free, nut-free and dairy-free menus. The wine list features several interesting by-the-glass options that are designed to pair beautifully with spiced dishes.
For first-timers, the ‘Expedition’ tasting menus offer the most complete experience, though the set lunch menu provides a more accessible introduction to Ghai’s cooking.
Ideal for buoyant Mexican flavours and a boisterous dining room energy…
This recent arrival brings fresh energy to the King’s Road, named for the Mayan moon goddess and making an immediate impression with striking interiors, including a dramatic mural by Mexican artist Rafael Uriegas.
Here, chef Ximena Gayosso Gonzalez crafts dishes of genuine finesse here, from yellowfin tuna tostadas brought to life with whisper-thin Granny Smith apple (there are some sharp knives in this kitchen) to robata-grilled plates that showcase an admirable command of elemental cooking methods.
The bar, overseen by ex-Cavita bartender Manuel Lema, houses one of Europe’s most extensive collections of agave spirits, featuring rare mezcals and tequilas seldom seen in London. Monday night live music sessions have swiftly become a neighbourhood favourite, drawing a fashionable crowd that keeps the place buzzing well into the evening.
Ideal for garden dining whatever the British weather throws at you…
You could easily miss this place, tucked away as it is just behind Chelsea Green (no, the celebrated wrestler isn’t a permanent fixture here – we mean the park). But to pass over Stanley’s would be to miss its unique brand of countryside enchantment, with its covered, heated courtyard that somehow manages to feel magical regardless of London’s meteorological mood swings. Proper ‘secret garden’ territory, this one…
On the plate, head chef Tomas Kolkus eschews culinary gymnastics in favour of a concise, seasonally shifting menu that lets quality British produce speak for itself. We’re all about the beef tartare crumpet with oyster emulsion and horseradish, which sounds like it could go awry in the wrong hands, but here, it’s wonderfully indulgent and perfectly balanced. Doubts assuaged, order the onglet steak with Jerusalem artichoke next, another dish that needs careful cooking to realise its potential. Rest assured; chef Kolkus knows what he’s doing.
Wine lovers will appreciate the unexpectedly reasonable glass pours (several at £6.50 – practically happy hour prices for this postcode), while their spicy margaritas pack a proper punch. The locals have caught on – the restaurant has developed a fiercely loyal Chelsea following who return as much for the boozing as for the food.
Ideal for experiencing a Michelin star without the stuffiness…
Often referred to as ‘the chef’s chef’, Phil Howard has achieved something surprisingly rare (and that’s not just the quail, served pink) at Elystan Street – creating a restaurant that feels both special occasion-worthy and comfortably unpretentious. The dining room, with its considered lighting and deep Chesterfield booths, is a peaceful place to settle into, while the front-of-house team navigates that elusive sweet spot between warmth and professionalism impeccably.
Howard’s cooking demonstrates an almost musical understanding of flavour and a poet’s knack for menu writing – calf’s sweetbreads arrive beneath a shower of toasted almonds and poppy seeds, pig’s head terrine is bolstered by a pitch-perfect sauce gribiche, while his seasonal game dishes reveal why he’s considered one of Britain’s most accomplished chefs. The kitchen doesn’t chase trends or Instagram moments; it simply delivers technically flawless food. And sometimes (all the time), that’s exactly what you want from your dinner.
Or your lunch, as there’s a set lunch (and early evening) menu here that’s pitched generously at three courses for £45; this is fine value for food of this calibre and relaxed precision. That the restaurant earned its Michelin star within a year of opening surprises precisely no one who’s eaten here, and the fact that the brigade is referred to as the ‘E Street Band’ on the socials keeps us coming back, we can’t lie.
Ideal for seafood obsessives who appreciate proper technique…
Half retail fishmonger, half dining destination, this Pavilion Road gem brings something genuinely distinctive to Chelsea’s restaurant landscape. Tucked down a charming mews off Sloane Square, the space undergoes a nightly metamorphosis – premium fish counter by day transforms into an intimate 12-seat chef’s table experience as dusk falls.
Executive chef Leandro Carreira approaches seafood with the reverence of a true believer. Some fish arrive at table fresh from the morning’s catch, while others undergo a dutiful dry-aging process that concentrates flavor – particularly fascinating with fatty specimens like sea bass or tuna. The daily-changing menu responds to whatever the tides have delivered, though the focus primarily falls on raw preparations – salmon is served as sashimi, dry-aged sea bream simply sliced and garnished with blood orange, a tiger prawn gently unfolds over vinegared rice, nigiri-style.
Images via @The-Sea-The-Sea
Timing matters here – early evening visits coincide with the venue’s transition, allowing you to witness its evolution while taking advantage of rather excellent oyster happy hour prices. The cocktail list leans appropriately toward the maritime, with several options featuring seaweed-infused spirits.
Ideal for suave food at the ‘unfashionable’ end of King’s Road…
There’s something deeply satisfying about Medlar’s location at the far reaches of the King’s Road – as if to say that true quality need not cluster in the fashionable heart of things. This independent restaurant delivers sophisticated cooking without unnecessary theatrics in a dining room where white tablecloths and large windows (thrown open during summer) create an atmosphere of calm refinement.
The partnership between chef Joe Mercer Nairne and front-of-house David O’Connor produces that rare restaurant alchemy – flawless food matched with intuitive service. Their signature crab raviolo with brown shrimps and leek fondue has resisted removal from the menu for good reason, inspiring near-revolt when they once attempted to retire it. The kitchen has a wicked way with offal, too; on a recent visit, a dish of chargrilled calf’s liver with sherry vinegar caramel was exceptional. Ditto a beautiful roast grouse served in that heady, hazy late summer period, accompanied by a parfait of its liver and game chips. Phwoar.
The cheeseboard is one of London’s most notable. From the winelist, look beyond the obvious bottles to discover genuine bargains lurking among lesser-known regions.
Last year, the team opened Cornus in Belgravia to rave reviews. It’s already won a Michelin star.
Ideal for a culinary journey through Portuguese-influenced cuisines…
This intimate venue offers something genuinely distinctive in terms of London’s restaurant scene – an exploration of the diverse flavours found across Portuguese-speaking regions worldwide. Husband-wife team Simon Mullins (Salt Yard founder) and Isabel Almeida Da Silva draw inspiration from multiple continents, so Goan curry might appear alongside Mozambican piri piri chicken or Brazilian moqueca with Macanese specialities.
Image via voltadomar.co.uk/David Robson
Since relocating from Covent Garden to Draycott Avenue, they’ve added a private dining room and heated terrace. Their exclusively Portuguese wine list emphasises small producers and low-intervention approaches – a refreshing departure from typical London offerings.
First-time visitors should consider the weekday set menus, while regulars return for signature dishes like grilled prawns ‘Laurentina’ and Iberico pork bafassa with turmeric potatoes – perfect expressions of the diverse culinary connections across Portuguese-speaking regions.
Ideal for authentic New York slices with The Sopranos on the wall…
Following the runaway success of their Marylebone original, this King’s Road outpost continues Alley Cats’ unapologetic embrace of NYC pizza culture. Checkered tablecloths and Sopranos episodes projected onto exposed brick create the perfect backdrop for what might be London’s most convincing New York-style pizza.
Head chef Francesco Macri approaches dough with the correct devotion, and his 14-inch pies emerge with textbook char, crispness and distinctive chew. The deceptively simple marinara proves that restraint often trumps complexity, while the halal pepperoni has rapidly developed its own Chelsea following.
Securing one of the wooden booths requires strategic timing – weekday evenings offer better odds. The bar programme focuses on quality essentials – craft beer, natural wines, and precise spicy margaritas. Don’t overlook their house chilli sauce, which elevates even basic slices to memorable heights.
Ideal for thin-crust Roman pizza worth staying up late for…
While London’s pizza scene worships at either the Neapolitan or New York altar, Marta celebrates Rome’s distinct pizza tradition. From L’Artigiano’s former Fulham Road premises, the kitchen follows strict Roman methodology – each pizza hand-rolled with a traditional Mattarello pin, creating characteristically thin, crispy bases that emerge perfectly blistered from their Valoriani oven.
The standout Focaccio di Marta sandwiches Stracchino cheese and truffle honey between whisper-thin crispy layers, while the Crostino Cotto achieves perfect harmony between tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto cotto and basil. Don’t be shy to ask for any extras on your pizza to make it ‘just right’ for you; the chefs here will happily oblige.
images via @marta.chelsea
Night owls take note: their late weekend hours (open until midnight Friday and Saturday) make Marta a rare post-theatre option in a neighbourhood not known for burning the midnight, chilli-infused oil.
To some, London’s West End is the pulsating heart of the UK’s theatre scene, a hub of kinetic energy that receives 200 million annual visitors. Indeed, 24% of all visitors to London will attend a show here. To the other 76%, it can sometimes be a part of London that feels curiously busy but also barren, a wasteland of subpar steakhouses and American candy stores…
Either way, when alighting hungry in this most bustling of Central London locations, you needn’t settle on a flabby fillet or contribute to money washing with a round of Milk Duds. There are plenty of great places to eat in the West End, both budget and blowout, that will satisfy just about every visitor.
We’ve already written extensively about the best places to eat in Soho, so we’ll most park those recommendations and instead focus on the more central parts of the West End, where the magic (sometimes) happens.
With that in mind, and in no particular order, here are the best restaurants in London’s West End.
J. Sheeky
Ideal for spanking fresh seafood in a prestigious setting with over a century of history…
Serving up spanking, squeaky fresh seafood for over a century, J. Sheekey is one of the most prestigious purveyors of the good stuff in the city. It’s also one of the best restaurants close in the West End.
Established in 1896, J. Sheekey owes its inception to a unique historical event. The then Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury, granted permission to a local stallholder named Josef Sheekey to serve oysters in St Martin’s Court. The only condition was that he catered for Salisbury’s post-theatre supper parties. Thus, the beloved Sheekey’s was born.
Today, J. Sheekey continues to uphold its reputation as one of the best restaurants near Leicester Square. Though there is a vegetarian and vegan menu and a couple of cursory meat dishes on the a la carte, Sheekey’s is still all about the seafood, offering the freshest fish, shellfish and oysters in London.
The restaurant’s central crustacean bar is a highlight, and the walls adorned with framed photographs of famous faces add to its timeless charm. And though those celebrity endorsements and general sense of prestige do certainly lend themselves to a hefty bill, the J. Sheekey set menu is great value for Central London – here, it’s three courses for £39, running Sunday to Friday, midday to 4pm.
Ideal for Eastern Mediterranean cuisine served with swagger in a stunning Grade II listed building…
There’s a certain swagger about Claro that only comes with serious capital, the Eastern Mediterranean restaurant standing proud in a handsome Grade II listed building on Waterloo Place in the kind of power stance that The Saj would be proud of.
You feel it as you first put your hands on the high, heavy doors. In fact, you hear it the moment you manage to pry those doors open; the low thud-thud-thud of an Ibiza Chill playlist pitched just a little louder than is necessary, and the reassuring click-clack of expensive stone beneath your heels.
Stride on in; you deserve to be here. Big smiles and handshakes greet you as the room opens up, revealing striking checkerboard flagstone floors below and soaring ceilings above. Thoughtfully preserved wrought iron details nod to the building’s heritage, whilst expensively appointed lighting casts a flattering glow over the marble-topped tables and plush velvet banquettes. Disarmed and dare we say a little dazed, you’re hoping those banquettes will take you in for the evening and cradle you, because suddenly it feels like you might be required to do some networking, for some reason. It’s quite the entrance.
This place once housed both a bank and was part of the legendary Athenaeum Club, where Victorian luminaries like Charles Darwin and Charles Dickens gathered, but the refit is thoroughly modern, banishing the ghosts of the past to the bins out back.
Bringing you back to the here and now, the large, airy open kitchen serves as the beating heart of Claro, the chefs going about their work all jovial and jolly, collaborative in their cooking and plating, which lightens the mood and banishes any fears that this meal might be hard work. The menu is all about seasonal British produce delivered with distinctive Eastern Mediterranean flair, and we’re pleased to report that it does indeed deliver.
Start with the Masterpiece Martini, which is nothing short of spectacular (as you’d hope, for £16). Here, rosemary infused Ketel One Vodka, Tio Pepe sherry and clarified tomato bring a savoury twist on a classic that’s genuinely lip-smacking and utterly moreish. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a round of snacks; the Frena bread, which sighs almost as satisfyingly as you do when pierced. Served with both matbucha and a labneh and harissa number, it’s a punchy introduction to proceedings.
The chilli tasting plate – four different expressions of the ingredient that showcase its versatility beyond mere heat – and the Claro market salad with feta cheese and za’atar spice that tastes like sunshine on a plate, follow, both singing with freshness and the former a heat that starts up warm and round and then builds to something where you can feel your hair follicles starting to perspire.
The cured sardine bruschetta with pickled chilli and sour cream is next, balancing acidity and richness with remarkable precision, and a lamb cigar is pastoral enough to linger just a little funkily until the mains hit the table.
A monkfish shawarma is perhaps the only dud of the evening, a little over-marinated and ungenerous, its dusty turmeric finish calling to mind a Vietnamese cha ca or Coronation Chicken more than a shawarma, strangely. The dish’s tangle of fresh herbs, picked, we’re told, from the restaurant’s rooftop garden, is absolutely remarkable though, invigorating and complex, peppery, astringent and assertive, it’s what all other ‘herb salads’ want to be when they grow up. The waiter tells us no one ever eats it, which is a real shame.
The grilled butterflied seabass with vegetable skewer and charred tomato salsa brings things right back on form, the fish cooked to that perfect point where it’s just firm but still yielding, the skin blistered and burnished from the grill. The skewer is populated by red peppers and fennel, the latter having caramelised beautifully and bringing a suave energy to the plate. A truly great dish.
Everything’s been so light and invigorating that we surrender to our sweet tooth, finding maximum pleasure in the Paris Brest with sour cream chantilly, raspberry coulis and berries – a featherlight concoction that manages to be indulgent without being too heavy. For something more substantial, the chocolate and sesame fondant with chocolate fudge, sesame anglaise and sesame ice cream delivers a sophisticated interplay of sweet and nutty notes, and finishes us off, quite frankly, in every sense of the word.
To go alongside those sweet treats, the Eiswein from Schloss Gobelsburg in Austria’s Burgenland region (£30 a glass) is sublime. Yes, it’s steep, but this 2022 vintage offers a honeyed nectar that forms the perfect full stop to a meal of commendable vision and clarity.
Ideal for an intimate Michelin-starred chef’s table experience hidden beneath a Soho pub…
Though the immediate surrounds of Leicester Square are visibly dominated by the stark white lights of a dozen chain restaurants, tightly nestled beneath street level is one of Soho’s most exciting independent dining destinations; Evelyn’s Table.
This Michelin-starred chef’s table experience is a genuine hidden gem. Tucked away in the basement of The Blue Posts pub on the edge of London’s Chinatown, Evelyn’s table has been through several iterations in its six year life. It was first opened in 2017 by the team behind popular hotspots The Palomar and The Barbary. After a brief closure, it reopened in 2020 with a brand new team, featuring Luke Selby as head chef, with his two brothers Nat and Theo also on the stoves, which, incidentally, are on full display to the 12-person counter seater restaurant.
The intimate, family affair vibes quickly earned plaudits, with the team picking up a Michelin star in 2022. Though the Selby brothers have now moved on, Evelyn’s Table continues to fire on all cylinders, with chef Seamus Sam (formerly of Muse by Tom Aitkens) now heading up the kitchen.
There’s a real elegance to the dishes on show on the 5-dishes plus, £135-a-head tasting menu here, with Sam’s precise, Scandinavian and Japanese inspired technique bringing out the best in hand-dived Orkney scallops, venison at the height of its season and winter’s finest black truffle. It’s a very special place, indeed, and one of the best fine dining experiences in all of the West End.
Ideal for Istanbul-inspired cuisine six floors above the West End…
Six floors above the West End’s braying streets, Yasmin offers a sophisticated escape complete with panoramic views of the city. Talk about dinner and a show, hey? This Istanbul-inspired restaurant and bar, housed in the elegant 1 Warwick building member’s club, shares its home with sister restaurant Nessa on the ground floor. but aims to take things up several notches (erm, floors?) in terms of delivery.
The two restaurants share an executive chef too, Tom Cenci, and we amused ourselves over our Grand Bazaar (Yasmin’s Turkish twist on an Old Fashioned), imagining the chef darting between venues, running up the stairs spilling salted pistachios all over the place, and generally cursing the chaos of it all.
Hmmm, maybe we should get out more.
In reality, Yasmin is a supremely soothing spot to sink into, all sage green walls and warm wooden accents, highlighted by a spectacular marble-topped bar lined orbited by velvet stools seating gently boisterous custom. Trailing plants cascade from the ceiling, while banquette seating and rattan chairs create distinct zones for dining and lounging, in true member’s club style. Confusingly, you don’t actually need to be a card-carrying member to dine here, though for the gym and lounges below, you do.
The terrace, furnished with plush seating and draped with cosy throws, provides a sheltered spot for alfresco dining among the rooftops, though you’d be mad to be out there now, with temperatures hovering around zero. One for summer, perhaps…
Anyway, back in the warm, and Cenci has crafted a menu that pays homage to Turkish traditions whilst adding just the right amount of venue-appropriate sheen to proceedings. The sharing plates showcase bold flavours via Instagram-ready presentation – standouts include the whipped sheep’s cheese with hot honey and Isot Biber, piped and pretty, and the Muhammara aubergine, which arrives splayed out into three, panko’d and golden, its centre that lovely side of fudgy that aubergine gets through slow cooking. Alongside, a walnut and red pepper dip boasts chives sliced so finely we’re surprised @ratemychives hasn’t come calling. The flatbreads, made daily and grilled to order, are gold-standard, and show that the kitchen cares about the basics, which is always a good sign.
…All of this feels ready for the warmer months, when the wrap-around terrace seats 64 and offers atmospheric dining under the stars. We can’t wait.
Shoryu is owned by noodz-entrepreneur (and CEO of the Japan Centre) Tak Tokumine, a native of Fukuoka city who is dedicated to promoting his hometown’s cherished local speciality, ramen, across the globe.
We’re so glad that he’s made it his noble mission, as the restaurant’s signature dish – shoryu ganso tonkotsu, a rich and meaty ramen that boasts a 12-hour simmered broth, homemade Cotswold flour hosomen noodles, succulent char siu barbecue pork, Burford Brown nitamago egg, and an army’s arsenal-worth of vegetable toppings, from pickles to freshly shredded stuff – is as good as it gets.
The kotteri hakata tonkotsu, a heavy, fatty, meaty noodle broth, is another popular choice among patrons and, to us, is one of London’s finest hangover cures. The fact that it pairs so beautifully with a super frothy Kirin Nama draft certainly does no harm in dusting off last night’s excesses.
Finally, you don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to be enamoured with their plant-based spicy goma tan tan. It comes with an umami rich tonyu soy milk, sesame and miso broth, and is topped with soya mince marinated in garlic and chiu chow chilli oil, crunchy beansprouts, pak choi, and extra chilli oil for a decent kick. Woof.
Ideal for traditional Vietnamese pho and bao burgers stamped with lotus flowers…
A Shaftesbury Avenue stalwart that sits equidistant between Chinatown and Soho, one of the best restaurants in the West End is Pho & Bun, which offers a taste of Vietnam in the heart of London, all via the mind of chef Andy Le.
The star of the show at Pho & Bun is undoubtedly their traditional Vietnamese pho, a dish that, at its best, can be both transformative and transportative – quite the blessing after negotiating Leicester Square in the pissing rain.
The pho is light and nourishing, boasting a clear, flavoursome broth that carries the pleasant richness of beef bones. It’s served following traditional Vietnamese etiquette, which dictates that it should be eaten using only chopsticks and a simple metal spoon (not that absurdly sized ladle from a certain highstreet pho slinger).
In addition to the glorious national dish, the restaurant also serves a range of bun dishes, the slimmer, gently fermented noodle that is almost as popular on the streets of Hanoi, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City and beyond as pho. Go for the spicy, funky bun bo Hue, umami rich from shrimp paste and given succour and savour by bone marrow. If that doesn’t lift you out of your sense of Central London-spawned malaised, then you probably can’t be saved.
Finally, a firm favourite on the menu at Pho & Bun is are their signature steamed bao burgers stamped with a lotus flower, Vietnam’s national flower which symbolises purity. ‘Authentic’ these bao/burger hybrids ain’t; authentically delicious they most certainly are. Indeed, they are quite simply addictive and something you’ll come to crave long after trying.
Ideal for fresh pasta that stands apart in a city of uninspiring Italian joints…
Bancone Covent Garden, founded in 2018 by Will Ellner and his business partner David Ramsay (no relation to…), is one of the best fresh pasta joints in this part of town. In fact, in a city where that particular type of restaurant has become increasingly ubiquitous and uninspiring, Bacone stands out as being, well, actually good at pasta.
Here, it’s handmade every day, and that springy, sprightly essence is perhaps best realised in the least adorned pastas, like the insanely comforting silk handkerchiefs with walnut butter and a confit egg yolk, or the spaghetti alla chittara (a slightly squared off version of your usual strands hailing from the Abruzzo region) which is dressed in nothing more than a little chilli, garlic and parsley. It’s fucking fabulous. For something a little more fulsome and equally as comforting, Bancone’s tortellini in brodo never misses the mark.
The restaurant operates on a first-come, first-served basis, welcoming walk-ins with open arms. However, they do not guarantee specific tables or times, adding to the spontaneous/frustrating nature of the dining experience. If you do need to wait a while, then there’s plenty of streetside entertainment and shopping options in Covent Garden to keep you occupied.
Bancone Covent Garden has been recognised in the so-called Little Red Book for its light, fresh food, earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand award in 2023. There are now two more outposts, in Soho’s Golden Square and Borough Yards, just off Borough Market.
Ideal for grand Parisian dining at obscenely reasonable prices…
Sometimes, the question of where to eat in the West End that won’t break the bank is answered with a single word; Zedel.
Brasserie Zedel, located in the heart of Piccadilly, is a grand Parisian brasserie that brings with it authentic Art Deco interiors and obscenely reasonable, humble French fare.
Hidden beneath the laid back Parisian-style ZL Café, providing a sense of discovery and exclusivity to its patrons, the establishment has a rich history, originally serving as the basement of the Regent Palace Hotel, and in the 1980s and 90s, it was known as the Atlantic Bar and Grill. The art deco and beaux arts fittings have been meticulously refurbished, with details recreated according to archived original drawings, preserving the historical charm of the place.
The restaurant serves traditional French food at exceptional value, with an expansive, inclusive space to match, making it a hugely popular choice among locals and tourists alike.
The menu is almost as expansive as the space, but most are here for the prix-fixe option which, at £19.75 for three thoroughly generous courses, has got to be the best value meal in Central London. Currently on, a leek and potato vichyssoise soup, a brasserie-ever-present steak haché with fries and peppercorn sauce, and a chocolate and caramel tart, is a trio of satisfying dishes that simply shouldn’t be giving you change from a 20 pound note. Throw in a large glass of house red for £7 and you really are laughing here.
Ideal for innovative Indian small plates that marry British ingredients with subcontinental flavours…
Kricket was founded in 2015 by university friends Will Bowlby and Rik Campbell, with the duo starting their culinary journey in a basic 20-seater shipping container at Pop Brixton. Today, Kricket has expanded to three permanent locations in Brixton, Soho, and White City, with plans to grow further in London and internationally.
The Soho branch is particularly convenient for those visiting the West End, as it’s just a 200 metre walk away from Leicester Square.
Almost ten years ago, Kricket’s proposition felt kinda unique; a combination of British ingredients with the flavours, aromas and cooking tekkers of India. Now, it’s an idea that permeates the menu of just about every non-European restaurant that is – or could be – on the JKS roster, but back then it felt quite novel.
The restaurant features a theatre kitchen, counter seating, and long sharing tables, making it an ideal spot for group dining in Central London. Bowlby, who once cooked European food for the locals in Mumbai, returned to the UK to cook Indian food for Londoners, and his innovative approach to Indian cuisine, combined with Rik Campbell’s business acumen, has made Kricket a major hit.
We’re addicted to their crispy and salty samphire pakoras, which are topped with a sticky date and tamarind chutney and served with a heady chilli garlic mayonnaise for dunking. Perhaps even better is the cuttlefish and Goan sausage ragu, boasting serious depth and funk, with both dishes exemplifying the kind of East-meets-West stylings that have lent such success to Kricket.
Do not miss out, either, on the predictably dubbed but undeniably delicious KFC (Keralan fried chicken), whose curry leaf mayonnaise and deep fried curry leaf garnish really does take things up several notches. This is beer food, make no mistake, and the Harbour Brewing Co’s Session IPA is always on the taps. Well, it would be rude not to, don’t you think?
Ideal for authentic Taiwanese-style fried chicken with customisable powders in the heart of Chinatown…
Good Friend Chicken is not your typical fried chicken joint. This Chinatown chicken shop prides itself on serving Taiwanese-style fried chicken, with their commitment to authenticity evident in every aspect of its operation. In fact, Good Friend even shipped their oven all the way from Taiwan to ensure the food is prepared as it would be in the night markets of Taipei.
Their menu, though concise, is packed with golden, crispy delights. The chicken breast is skillfully sliced thin and marinated masterfully before being tossed in three different flours to create an unforgettable crispness. Their popcorn chicken, another must-try item on the menu, disappears so fast that it’s wise to order several bags.
But it’s the options for customisation that keeps the customers being reeled in. Once served, you have the option to douse your chicken with any one (or all) of seven different powders, adding the risk of flavour overload, admittedly, but also a real sense of jeopardy that makes every bite all the more exciting. The plum powder, in particular, comes highly recommended.
…Actually, we did think they could top those lofty standards, owing to the relentless boundary pushing of the restless duo, perfectionism seemingly already reached but also just another insanely complex emulsion away.
At the new 180 Strand-housed Ikoyi, the space is larger and more sumptuous, all clean curves and tasteful mustard tones, the vibe gently refined; a little slicker, perhaps. Prices have increased in tandem. The tasting menu now is one of the most enthusiastically priced in London, at £350.
But what a procession of plates it is, of around 14 on our visit, with premium ingredients gracing just about every bite. Yep, that spice-based cuisine built around British hyper-seasonality remains. The iconic jollof rice with crab or lobster custard is still here, but leading up to the big, smoky reveal, luxury and innovation abounds; an aged lobster with one of Chan’s famously vital sauces, this one an agrodolce of sorts, was particularly special. Another course of lobster claw, sweetbreads and pine nut was as opulent and awe-inspiring as it sounds.
Yep, this is a restaurant firing on all cylinders, but we wouldn’t be at all surprised if Ikoyi somehow managed to find another gear; the sense of focus on improvement here feels totally implacable. In the best possible way of course…
Ideal for convivial counter-dining with exceptional Spanish tapas and seafood specials…
Images via Barrafina
Speaking of counter-dining, perhaps London’s most beloved bar seating set-up is found at the various outposts of acclaimed tapas group Barrafina.
Those in the West End and looking for the best dining options in Covent Garden will be pleased to hear that this famous corner of London boasts not one but two Barrafinas. We’re particularly enamoured with the Drury Lane iteration, which is compact, cosy and convivial, and leans a little more into the seafood side of the Spanish repertoire, often to glorious effect.
The specials are usually dictated by what’s fresh from the sea, so keep an keen eye for the miniature, roaming chalkboard for details of what’s good today; on our last visit, an enthusiastically brined piece of hake with punchy aioli and red peppers so caramelised they were collapsing was as good as it sounds.
Ideal for proper Sichuan Chinese cuisine that promises plenty of brow-mopping…
Though the Real Beijing Food House feels like a Chinatown institution, with dusty carpets, dimly lit booths and properly brilliant, spice-centric regional Chinese dishes, the broadly Sichuan (confusingly, when you consider the name) restaurant hasn’t actually been standing proudly on this Gerard Street spot for as long as you’d think. Previously found on Charing Cross Road, Food House moved more into the heart of Chinatown during the area’s recent redevelopment, and has quickly become the must-eat restaurant here and without doubt one of the best places to eat close in the West End. It recently further entered the wider public consciousness after being positively reviewed in the Observer last year.
It was a review that was very much deserved, the restaurant’s chilli oil slicked noodle dishes and whole fish dishes – again, dappled with rust coloured droplets that promise plenty of brow mopping – delivering big on flavour and a sense of satisfaction felt deep in your stomach.
For a quick, efficient lunch, the chilli oil (there it is again) lamb noodles is the type of one-bowl-wonder that knocks your socks off and leaves you regretting every single Sainos meal deal that came before it.
Ideal for honest Italian food cooked with respect and just a touch of refinement…
The younger, more affordable sibling of Angela Hartnett’s brilliant fine dining restaurant Murano, Café Murano offers fresh pasta, seasonal vegetables prepared with precision, immaculate shellfish, and the odd hearty af ragu, just as you’d expect from a chef this devoted to the food of Italy.
True to the soul of the place, the pedigree of the produce is the main draw, with the restaurant’s plates arriving with little frippery or adornment. Instead, Cafe Murano strives for simple, honest food, cooked with respect and just a little refinement. It more than delivers, which is a surprisingly rare find in this part of the West End.
Ideal for rainy afternoons whiled away eating and drinking through a variety of street food stalls…
Brought to Covent Garden by KERB, a group known for nurturing London’s street food scene, Seven Dials is one of the most exciting eating destinations in London.
In the 19th Century, Seven Dials Market, then Thomas Neal’s Warehouse, was used to store cucumbers and bananas. Now transformed into a foodcourt, to honour the past of the structure the market has been divided into two areas: Banana Warehouse and Cucumber Alley.
Banana Warehouse is billed as ‘The Belly of the Beast’ and has plenty of seating and communal tables. Here, you’ll find a number of street food kitchens and counter-top cafes serving an impressive lineup of street food from around the world. There is also a downstairs bar creating creative cocktail concoctions made with spirits from the East London Liquor Co. Banana Warehouse is the ideal place to come and while away a rainy afternoon in central London, eating and drinking your way through to the night.
If you need a pitstop while shopping your way through Covent Garden and are feeling peckish, Cucumber Alley is the place to go. Inside are seven independent food traders, seven days a week selling some of the best snacks and desserts in the Big Smoke.
On our last visit, we had a slice or two from Bad Boy Pizza Society and a gorgeous batata hara from the Syrian street food joint Arnabeet. Lovely stuff.
Ideal for a enormous 20-inch pizzas and inventive toppings…
Not one for the pizza purists, this, but definitely a place for a sharin’, tearin’ good time, the pizzas here are huge 20-inch numbers, perfect for some group fun. Indeed, the name Homeslice in bro parlance means friend, and the buddying up concept lends itself to conviviality and good cheer.
Some of the topping combos are inventive, some downright weird; cauliflower cheese and harissa anyone? But, when they get things right, it’s brilliant.
Ideal for a soothing, produce-driven Italian meal in refined, quasi-spiritual surroundings…
Sitting slap bang in the middle of Covent Garden, The Petersham promises to soothe and replenish with its organic, produce-driven Italian menu and refined, quasi-spiritual surrounds.
Run by the Boglione Family, the restaurant’s ethos is deeply rooted in the slow food movement, celebrating traditional methods of growing quality ingredients. It sources its organic and sustainably-grown produce from Haye Farm in Devon, ensuring the highest quality inputs for its dishes.
Rather than just another strapline, that commitment to sustainability is the real deal; the sister restaurant, Petersham Nurseries Café in Richmond, is one of only three in London to hold a Michelin Green Star. The other two, if you’re asking? Mayfair’s Apricity, and the trailblazing Silo over in Hackney Wick.
The menu at The Petersham is a testament to the beauty of seasonal food, featuring dishes that highlight the peak of British produce, complemented by speciality ingredients sourced from Italy. So, that’s summer vegetables from the farm (courgette, squash, fennel and kohlrabi) served crudités style with the classic Piedmontese sauce bagna càuda, followed by a wild mushroom risotto that’s a little sharp and funky via taleggio. Heaven.
The Petersham also offers a variety of dining experiences to suit different occasions. Its pre-theatre menu, served between 5pm and 6pm every Monday to Friday, is perfect for those seeking a sophisticated meal before a show. For a more leisurely experience, the restaurant’s Afternoon Tea, available from Thursday to Sunday, offers a delightful twist on the classic British tradition.
The restaurant’s interior is a reflection of the Boglione family’s passion for contemporary art and understated grandeur. The walls are adorned with artworks from Francesco Boglione’s personal collection, adding a touch of artistic flair to the dining experience. With sweeping windows, Genoese chandeliers, and a private terrace, it provides an opulent setting for any occasion, from intimate gatherings to large weddings. The Petersham is not just a restaurant; it’s an experience, which feels mightily appropriate for visiting this most theatrical part of London.
Welcome to Soho, arguably the finest place to find yourself hungry in all of the UK. Boasting a diversity of cuisine, concept and price point pretty much unparalleled on these shores, this once (and still occasionally) risqué area of Central London is now home to some of the capital’s most cherished dining experiences.
But with such choice comes a well-worn paradox which sometimes leaves you catatonic in a Côte, spluttering something about their steak frites being ‘actually quite nice’.
Which it is. But anyway, if you’re looking for the creams of the crop, the jewels in the crown, the forces of the tour, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are our favourite restaurants in Soho; the IDEAL 22 places to eat in Soho.
Singapulah, Shaftesbury Avenue
Ideal for faithfully rendered Singaporean hawker flavours on the edge of Soho…
We start on the peripheries of Soho, where Singapulah proudly wears its mission statement on its sleeve – ‘Discover Singapore on Your Plate’.
And if you thought that all sounded a bit ‘tourist board-y’, then you won’t be surprised to learn that the restaurant is a collaboration between Enterprise Singapore (the government agency championing enterprise development) and the Singapore Tourism Board. The restaurant aims to showcase the city-state’s famed culinary culture, perhaps the most curious example of gastro-diplomacy we’ve encountered in Soho, but one that pulls off the assignment in some style.
You might approach Singapulah with the same trepidation as we did – the design of the menu looks a little corporate, and there were reports of teething problems with service. Lesson learned; you should never judge a book by it’s cover, nor a restaurant by the layout of its menu. Others hadn’t been so shallow, and by 6pm, there was a long queue forming round the corner down Wardour Street.
We’re also pleased to report that those teething problems were greatly exaggerated (that, or they’ve simply ironed out the kinks) as a recent meal here was tidily handled, with knowledgeable staff guiding us through the menu’s disparate elements with enthusiasm.
The space itself is airy and bright, with playful pastelled pendant lights hanging from the ceiling like layered kueh lapis. Terrazzo tabletops and patterned tile flooring add a distinctly retro-modern café feel of the kind cropping up all over South East Asia right now, while wooden dividers and booths create intimate dining zones; necessary in such a lively – and clearly popular – space. Shelves lined with bottled sauces and Singaporean products remind you that this is as much a showcase as it is a restaurant.
The clientele mirrors a true hawker centre in its range: Singaporean businessmen namedropping Goldman Sachs over laksa, curious day-trippers hesitantly approaching their first durian dessert, and groups of students drawn by the Instagram-friendly decor and relatively gentle prices of the small plates.
Just as Singapore thrives at the crossroads of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Indonesian and Peranakan traditions, the menu presents a complex — if initially overwhelming — culinary landscape. Our advice? Focus on the Malay and Indonesian-inspired offerings, where the kitchen demonstrates particular prowess. That said, you’d be missing out if you didn’t order some of their deep fried crab bao buns while you peruse the rest of the menu. So, do that.
For that order, the Singapore Loaded Rojak makes for an ideal starting point – a composed fruit salad featuring cucumber, green apple, green mango and pineapple chunks, tossed with tofu skin fritters and fermented shrimp and peanut paste. It’s sweet, salty, spicy and astringent all at once – a proper introduction to Singaporean flavour profiles and just the right idea to set the tone.
Alongside, you’ll want to open with the satay – here in Iberico pork (£14.50) or corn-fed chicken thigh (£12.95) – offering grilled skewers of gnarly, marinated meat served with ketupat rice cakes, fresh cucumber, pleasingly large and rough cut red onions and a rusty, dappled peanut sauce that whisks you straight to Lau Pa Sat.
We’re only just getting started: the Har Cheong Gai is a faithfully rendered version of a classic, with chicken mid-wings marinated in fermented shrimp paste and red beancurd, hard-fried until crisp and golden brown. Arriving looking fairly downbeat by modern standards (no luminous sauce cloyingly coating things, no ASMR-baiting crunch), these pungent, funky morsels deliver big on flavour.
For sharing mains, the Peranakan Assam Fish impresses in its rustic delivery. Sea bass and okra sit a sour-spicy soup performed with tamarind, lemongrass and makrut lime leaf; a perfectly balanced dish showcasing the complex, layered flavours that Peranakan cuisine is so celebrated for.
The Bone-In Beef Rib Rendang is worth asking about before you even sit down, as it’s a dish that the rest of your order should orbit around – fork-tender beef short ribs slow-cooked for six hours in a medley of aromatic herbs and spices that coax out serious depth of flavour. Both clock in at just above £20. End your meal with the durian ice cream (what else?) – a bold move for newcomers to Singaporean cuisine, but a necessary rite of passage.
Singapulah is a lively space, with a menu where dishes somewhat jostle for attention. But approach with focus and balance in mind and you’ll be rewarded with a dining experience that makes its mark, reminding us that while Singapore may be just a ‘little red dot’ on the world map, its cuisine demands attention. The country has a new London embassy, and it’s well worth the diplomatic visit.
Ideal for exciting regional Italian cuisine that changes with the seasons…
Our first pick in Soho’s IDEAL 22, and certainly one of our favourite restaurants in Soho if not all of London, Bocca Di Lupo is without doubt one of the city’s most fortifying restaurants to step into. Its long Carrara marble bar overlooking an open-plan kitchen is reliably abuzz with gentle chatter and the soundtrack of dish after dish of dexterous plating pretty much anytime you drop in (it’s open from midday to 11pm daily, without pause).
The food here is an ode to regional Italian cooking with a focus on sometimes obscure highlights from all twenty regions of Italy. Game and offal is an abiding presence here. The menu changes daily, showcasing a variety of Italian dishes with each item’s region of origin clearly labelled.
Recent highlights have included succulent, subtly-humming pork and foie gras sausages, as well as a unique sanguinaccio dolce – a chocolate pudding flavoured with pig’s blood. The restaurant’s commitment to authenticity extends to its wine list, which features carefully sourced selections from across Italy. What’s not to love?
Ideal for invigorating Filipino food done with flair…
Kingly Court is a weird old place. Frantically busy at ground floor level and with a weird passive aggressive energy (the outpost of Nightjar here…just don’t), its USP feels aimed at offering some solace from the manic Soho streets outside, but does the exact opposite; it stresses you out.
Give the plastic pints and lurid neon colour scheme a swerve and make for the top floor, and you’ll find some seriously good restaurants however, with Asma Khan’s Darjeeling Express and the brilliant Imad’s Syrian Kitchen both occupying the space. Best of all though, is the recent hit opening Donia, an exciting addition to a string of modern Filipino restaurants that have opened up across the capital in the last few years, and already the proud recipient of a Bib Gourmand award in this week’s Michelin Guide announcement.
Suddenly, Londoners are conversant in tugak and sisig, tinola and tapa, and we’re very much here for it. At Donia, from the team behind both Panadera Bakery and Mamasons ice cream parlour in Kentish Town, homegrown ingredients – yep, Flourish and Philip Warrens have no doubt had their wicked way here – are celebrated in a series of playful yet sophisticated dishes.
It’s a tight, keenly priced menu, with a gorgeous opening snack of chicken heart skewers clocking in at just £3.50 for five or six blushing bits of offal, glazed until burnished and sitting in a glossy pool of glaze. That is the way to start a meal.
Even better is the pretty-as-a-picture lamb caldereta. Traditionally a goat stew enriched and thickened with Pinoy liver spread (similar in texture and lowkey thrum to a country style French pâté), here the stew has made its home under a lacquered, mahogany-hued pastry dome that crackles as you cut into it. The accompanying sauce is rich and funky, but also aerated to lighten things up. It’s all pretty masterful, comfortingly familiar but with depth and intrigue. You’ll want to order a side of pandesal – Filipino milk loaf – to mop up the sauce. Its adjacent rocher of verdant, bracing chive butter is more than a bonus; it’s one of the highlights of the meal.
Of course, owing to the team’s pedigree in the pastry department, it would be rude not to end on a sweet note. The corn tart is a thing of beauty – sunflower yellow and with pastry that’s crisp but reassuring irregular, its filling straddles the sweet and the savoury in the best possible way. We’d have loved to try the much-hyped ube choux, winner of the Hot Dinners best dessert of the year, too, but by that stage, we were stuffed. Next time, next time…
One of Soho’s best restaurants first and foremost, Noble Rot is restaurant steeped in political intrigue, having once been the site of the legendary Hungarian restaurant Gay Hussar. A notorious haunt for left-wing politicians such as Clement Atlee, Gordon Brown, and Tony Blair, the dimly lit room here retains a few nooks, crannies and corners of intimacy, where deals could still be done and illicit affairs conducted.
At the helm of Noble Rot Soho’s kitchen is Head Chef Áron Stigmon alongside Executive Chef Stephen Harris of the Sportsman. Together, they have crafted a menu that pays homage to the French country cooking that Jackson is known for, while also incorporating subtle nods to the Hungarian culinary traditions of the Gay Hussar. Expect dishes like smoked eel Salade Lyonnaise, and a regularly changing goulash, on not just for posterity’s sake, but also for reasons of pleasure.
As a wine-focused restaurant, Noble Rot Soho boasts an extensive wine list that playfully dabbles in contemporary trends while remaining grounded in traditional winemaking regions and practices. Yep, you won’t find too many cloudy drops here.
Ideal for Scottish seafood served with Spanish panache…
There’s a glowing blue neon sign on Maresco’s back wall that reads, translated from Spanish, “Spain, Scotland and the sea.” It’s a simple mission statement that belies the gentle sophistication of what’s happening in this corner of Soho, where owner Stephen Lironi – a former record executive and member of new wave punk outfit Altered Images – has created something genuinely original.
The concept was sparked by a Guardian article Lironi read while producing records in the Hollywood Hills, detailing how Scotland’s finest seafood was being exported directly to Spain. Two decades later, after successful ventures in Crouch End (Bar Esteban) and Stoke Newington (Escocesa), he’s brought his vision central, intercepting those Scottish treasures before they cross the Bay of Biscay.
The restaurant’s name reveals this cultural marriage – ‘mar’ meaning sea, and ‘esco’, borrowed from ‘Escocia’, the Spanish word for Scotland – whilst the dining room strikes a perfect balance between fishmonger’s functionality and restaurant theatricality. High stools line the counters, offering front-row views of the open kitchen where head chef Pablo Rodriguez (formerly of Barcelona’s Michelin-starred Jean Luc Figueras) works his magic. The display of ice-packed seafood isn’t just for show – watch as live langoustines wave their pincers moments before being transformed into elegant but full-bodied plates that would feel at home in San Sebastian.
The menu changes daily based on what’s landed from the Scottish coast, but certain dishes have already achieved signature status (as in, there’s mild uproar when they’re not on the menu). Maresco’s take on txistorra reimagines the traditional Basque sausage with mackerel and monkfish, served on mini corn tortillas with spicy yoghurt. The bocadillo de calamar arrives as a noir masterpiece – squid ink-blackened bread stuffed with both grilled and fried squid, a clever textural play made bracing and sensual by generous (in every sense of the word) aioli. Their ‘Bomba Maresco’ offers another creative twist, replacing the traditional meat filling with Shetland mussels, served atop fennel sofrito, pureed and sweet. The bomba wears another round of that aioli like a jaunty little beret.
Two years on from opening, and the international clientele and constant buzz suggest that Maresco has already found its audience, but it’s the fundamentals that will ensure longevity – pristine ingredients treated with respect, backed by an excellent wine list that leans heavily on sherries and Spanish low-intervention wines. For a restaurant that essentially reimagines what could have been a simple tapas bar (of which, let’s face it, Soho – and this list – aren’t exactly short of), Maresco delivers something arguably more compelling.
If you’ve never enjoyed a stroll through Bangkok’s ever bustling Chinatown (aka Yaowarat), now’s your chance to do so without the hassle of flying to Thailand.
Speedboat Bar, a neon-lit gem in London’s Chinatown, is the brainchild of talented, Thai-food obsessed British chef Luke Farrell, who has been exploring the cuisine of the Kingdom for years while bouncing between Dorset, London and Thailand.
The restaurant takes its inspiration from the neon-fuelled party atmosphere of Bangkok’s Chinatown and the thrilling sport of speedboat racing along the canals (klongs) of the city. The menu leans on Thai drinking food, known as gap klaem, with the crispy chicken skins the first thing pretty much everyone orders here. Follow them with a collection of dishes reliably enjoyed on the streets of Yaowarat – clams stir fried in chill jam, and raw shrimp dressed in nahm jim seafood are particular highlights.
All of this is just foreplay before the main event. The Speedboat signature is a tribute to the iconic Jeh O Chula, a shophouse that sits on the outskirts of Bangkok’s Chinatown, and her legendary Tom Yam Mama Noodles – a once late-night special invented by her son which is ideal if you’ve had one too many Thai whisky sodas, and one of our IDEAL 22 street food places in Bangkok to boot.
Open until 1am on Friday and Saturdays and midnight most weeknights, you’ll certainly be having a few of them.
Ideal for gorging on croquettes, tortilla and other Michelin-starred Spanish small plates…
There are many reasons to head to Barrafina, not least because it’s arguably the best tapas restaurant in London, let alone Soho. But more than that, it’s for the vibe, which is exquisite whatever the weather, time of year, or other extraneous factors that would put lesser London restaurants off their stride…
Barrafina Soho, first opened on Frith Street before moving to Dean, has been around, and consistently packed, since 2007, and has held a Michelin star since 2014. Headed up by recently appointed Andalucia-born Antonio Gonzales Milla, the focus here is classic tapas dishes with an emphasis on seafood.
The restaurant boasts a no-booking policy and an unfussy, ingredients-led approach to dining. The chef’s expertise in Spanish coastal cuisine is found in every dish served at Barrafina, whether that’s in the deceptively simple pan con tomate, topped somewhat unconventionally with finely sliced chives, or on the imposing bomba, a classic croquette from the backstreets of Barcelona. The real joy, though, is found in the fresh fish hooked off the ice display opposite to order, kissed by the plancha within seconds and on your plate a few moments later.
With only 23 seats available around that cherished counter, the space is both intimate and bustling. You’ll never want to leave.
Ideal for haute cuisine that marries California’s abundance with Japanese precision…
Born in New York to a French-Spanish mother and American father, Victor Garvey’s culinary journey (you may have seen him on the latest season of Masterchef: The Professionals) has taken him through Barcelona, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Copenhagen. It’s this cosmopolitan background that informs SOLA, where California’s seasonal bounty meets exacting technique in one of Soho’s most accomplished dining rooms.
Following a major refurbishment in late 2023, the restaurant has expanded to include an intimate basement space and a chef’s table, but it’s the ground floor dining room that remains the jewel in the crown.
Here, amid perfectly spaced tables and thoughtful lighting, Garvey and his team deliver a tasting menu of remarkable precision. A sequence of elegant canapés sets the tone – a devilled egg arrives as a hollowed-out shell filled with smoked sturgeon mousse and sauce gribiche, further elevated with espelette pepper and toasted pumpkin seeds. Each course builds on the last, from vodka-cured wild salmon with fresh wasabi and red onion escabeche to the ‘Memories of Kyoto’ sashimi plate, where pristine fish meets roasted baby leeks, avocado sorbet and shimeji mushrooms dressed in kinako vinaigrette.
The highlight arrives midway – Scottish langoustines flambéed tableside, served alongside a bowl of profound dashi broth containing duck liver tortellini and an onsen quail egg. It’s this marriage of classical technique, premium produce and theatrical presentation that earned SOLA its Michelin star in 2021, as well as its current 39th place on the National Restaurant Awards list. At £159 for the tasting menu it’s firmly in special occasion territory, but Garvey’s cooking offers something genuinely distinct in London’s fine dining landscape – a cuisine untethered from geographical constraints yet precise in its execution.
Our latest addition to the IDEAL 22, if you’re looking for where to eat and drink in Soho, then this is the place. Sure, you’ll need to have scored a reservation actual months in advance. And yes, you run the risk of running into TopJaw hanging around outside clutching a microphone and an untouched Guinness. But the absurdly hyped Devonshire is worth those considerable hurdles to your patronage, with a dream team of consummate host Oisin Rogers, Flat Iron founder Charlie Carroll and decorated chef Ashley Palmer Watts all bringing their unique expertise to this supremely confident pub/restaurant/bar-and-grill.
Standing proud on a street corner where Piccadilly becomes Soho, The Devonshire sprawls over four floors, with the pub on the ground floor walk-ins only and the dining rooms above very much needing to be booked. Once you’ve secured a table in the Grill Room section of the restaurant, you’ll want to order from the grill section of the menu, which makes up almost half of everything that leaves the kitchen here, sourced from a string of bespoke suppliers via the Devonshire’s dedicated butchery room, which boasts space for 4000 steaks.
Go for the ribeye (around 300 grams for £36), which gets chucked on the handsome wood fired grill until a gorgeous bark has formed but it’s still blushing in the centre, of course. It’s wonderful, and only elevated further by a gold standard Béarnaise sauce (yours for £2.50). Because this is a place of excess, pair your steak with the ‘pile of langoustines’, which are, well, just that; halved and grilled, a generous shower of rock salt and plenty of seasoning from a smoking stack of beechwood seemingly all they need.
If you’re going to make a cursory nod to health and vitality, then be warned; all sides come with a good dose of fat; buttered carrots, creamed leeks, duck fat potatoes…you get the picture. A rich, thick pint of the black stuff feels appropriate right now, and this is one that won’t be documented on any tedious ‘pints’ accounts on Instagram, that’s for sure.
Despite it’s seemingly unstoppable wave of popularity, things are kept humble with a reassuringly priced set menu that will set you back £29 for three generous courses. Currently, it’s prawn and langoustine cocktail, skirt steak, chips and Béarnaise, and an indulgent sticky toffee pudding to end on. And it’s ended us, too; we’re stuffed…
Ideal for a nourishing Japanese breakfast and the best udon noodles in Soho…
Shuko Oda’s Koya is one of London’s most straightforwardly enjoyable, soul-nourishing restaurants, Japanese or otherwise. The menu here focuses on two types of udon atsu-atsu (hot noodles in a hot broth) and hiya-atsu (a hot broth with cold noodles on the side), with plenty of extra treats and toppings to liven up proceedings.
The iconic traditional Japanese breakfast and steaming bowls of udon noodles with tempura prawn are the headliners, but there’s so much more to enjoy here, from the perfectly poised house pickles all the way to braised pork belly with cider, gelatinous and giving in all the right places. It’s an absolute joy.
Ideal for timeless British food in the most illustrious of settings…
Jeremy Lee has been at the helm of Quo Vadis since 2012. With the voice of a thespian and the culinary generosity of the old French masters, he represents everything that is good and great with cooking on this isle.
The food at Quo Vadis is a lesson in simple British fare with a flourish of French technique; be it in a whole mackerel served prosaically/poetically with just a wedge of lemon, or a wing of skate dressed with brown butter, capers and parsley. Or, simply, a plate of pate and pickles.
Mainstays of the menu include one of Lee’s signature dishes; the iconic smoked eel and pink pickled onion sandwich, which you’ll find in many a listicle of must try dishes in London. Then there’s always a pie – golden, pastry bottom intact, filled generously – on the menu. Just delicious and oh-so satisfying.
For us, desserts are one of the main draws here. Though not always on the menu, the profiteroles here are simply irresistible and are something we dream of, much like Lee himself.
Ideal for basement level barbecue with a difference…
Temper Soho is a one-of-a-kind barbecue restaurant nestled beneath Broadwick Street in a vast basement space, its grungy, below street-level surrounds feeling synergistic with the live fire cooking and nose-to-tail ethos of the place.
The restaurant’s centrepiece is a giant fire pit, where chefs expertly cook whole animals sourced from English farms. If you’re expecting an American style barbeque joint with brisket and burnt ends, you’ll be sadly disappointed – that, or pleasantly surprised.
Instead, the menu at Temper Soho comes with a pronounced Mexican inflection, with quirks from other countries, like their fantastic gochujang butter served with beef fat cornbread, keeping things interesting.
Made for sharing, their whole beast board blessed with a whole host lesser-used cuts of beef including house-made sausages, smoked ox cheek, liver and ox heart anticucho skewers, is one of the best things an omnivore with a particular penchant for grilled food can enjoy in London.
Ideal for a taste of Iran in the heart of the city…
Berenjak, Soho’s first Iranian restaurant, is another JKS Restaurants creation, with skilled chef Kian Samyani, formerly of Gymkhana and Brigadiers, at the helm.
Inspired by Tehran’s hole-in-the-wall kabab houses, the menu features succulent charcoal grilled kababs and khoresht (stews), as well as superb mazeh-style small plates and, perhaps most famously, an incredible baklava ice cream sandwich.
The name itself is inspired by the brightly coloured, toasted rice snacks enjoyed at Persian funfairs, setting the tone for a playful, nostalgic dining experience, as well as the dining room itself; all beautifully intricate Iranian tiles and rich leather banquette seating.
What truly sets Berenjak apart, however, is the sense of family, community and conviviality that permeates the entire dining experience. Samyani’s long-standing relationships with his team members, some of whom he has known for over a decade, ensure that the restaurant operates with a genuine warmth. And that’s not just coming from the charcoal grill!
Ideal for ravishing bowls of Filipino flavoured Japanese ramen…
A good few years ago there was a ramen revolution in London, thanks in part to Momofuku’s David Chang, whose Japanese-Korean fusion bowls are often credited with the rise of ramen across the pond.
Today, you can get a good bowl of ramen just about anywhere in the city, especially Soho. But through its unique fusion of Filipino and Japanese flavours and their unorthodox riffs on ramen, Ramo Ramen has given us a whole new reason to bite into a bowl of toothsome noodles and slurp away.
So, what to order here? With a 16-hour fish and tamarind broth, their heady and intoxicating Sinigang Ramen is a standout dish for us.
Whatever you take a punt on, Ramo Ramen has quickly become one of the most interesting Soho restaurants, and a fine purveyor of ramen to boot. Not only are they proving that ramen is so much more than a sum of its parts, but the chefs behind the restaurant are also helping change perceptions of Filipino food in the city. And we’re very much here for that.
Ideal for a 100% plant-based high-end fine dining experience in London…
This much loved and lauded vegan-only fine dining restaurant subverts the traditions of your classical French fine-dining experience, focusing instead on vegetables and plant-based cuisine
Unlike some British culinary institutions that tend to treat vegetables as an afterthought or distraction, at Gauthier they are everything – the main focus – paired with herbs and spices to create decadent combinations.
And in true indulgent, fine-dining style, the food here is delivered as a tasting menu. In fact, Gauthier Soho claims to be the first classical French fine-dining vegan restaurant in the world. It also claims to be the world’s first primary sustainable gastronomic restaurant – in other words, their carbon footprint is relatively low because of the ingredients they choose not to use. And that’s something we can all throw our support behind, don’t you think?
Some of the highest praise we can offer is that this isn’t simply one of the best places to eat vegan food in Soho, but simply one of the best places to eat in Soho, full stop.
Ideal for Argentine fire and flair in a former concert hall…
Fire-cooking aficionados, prepare to be smitten. Sucre brings Argentine-inspired flame-focused cooking to Soho in what might be the area’s most jaw-dropping dining room. Housed in a 310-year-old building that once served as the London College of Music’s concert hall,the restaurant marries spectacular design with impressive cooking.The acoustics aren’t half bad, either…
We’re not sure what hit us first; the smell of wood smoke coming off the parrilla, seasoning the dining room with something suave and intoxicating, or the chandeliers fashioned from over 1,000 cut glass decanters shimmering above the dining room.Let us have both.
These statement pieces and scents, coupled with soaring ceilings inherited from the venue’s concert hall days, create a grand entrance, make no mistake. Now all we need is our theme song playing as we saunter in, and the welcome would be complete. You know what? We wouldn’t be surprised if that service was actually offered to some patrons; Sucre is perennially popular with celeb diners, or so we’re told.
Chef Fernando Trocca, who established the original Sucre in Buenos Aires back in 2001 (the original has been featured on the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list), has created a menu that subtly challenges preconceptions about Argentine cuisine.Yes, there’s brilliant, blushing, beautifully barked beef, but Trocca’s approach – what he calls ‘Fire Dining’ – is more nuanced, drawing on his Spanish-Italian heritageand the traditional Latin American technique of cooking with embers rather than direct flame.
The result? Dishes with depth, complexity and that addictive cloak of smokiness that only proper fire-cooking can deliver.Begin with a cheddar and onion empanada with pleasingly chalky pastry or the excellent (though slightly obscene looking) bread course, before moving on to a raw plate or two. The sea bream ceviche is pretty as a picture (if you can take your eyes off the handsome dining room for more than a moment), with dots of charred blood orange and jalapeño delivering that perfect citrusy punch, but the beef tartare, showered in parmesan and dotted with parmesan cream, is perhaps even punchier.
It would be rude not to order some bits off the grill (it would be insanity not to, in a place like this), and the king prawn skewers and grilled whole tale of monkfish compete for attention on a table getting increasingly crowded with delicious bits. A steak feels almost perfunctory at this stage, but delivers on that all-important contrast between caramelised crust and blushing pink centre.
Desserts maintain the South American connection, but play a little faster and looser with the brief, and the dulce de leche fondant steals the show, packing in more oozing centre than it appears physically possible to possess. Pair it all with Sucre’s excellent, aesthetically on-point cocktails – they do particularly brilliant things with tequila and mezcal – and totter out of that handsome dining room a little unsteadier, but so much more satisfied than when you arrived.
Ideal for modern Jerusalem cuisine and a raucous, arak-soaked session…
The Palomar is a cornerstone of Soho’s vibrant dining scene, a place where shots of arak are taken down with almost as much vigour as you’ll find in the ever-present, za’atar spiked labneh, perfect for pulling through with the just grilled house pita.
Founded by siblings Zoë and Layo Paskin, it’s a thrilling whirl through modern Jerusalem cuisine, which draws inspiration from the rich cultures of Southern Spain, North Africa, and the Levant. While the bread and dip section of the mnu is a wonderful way to start (and punctuate a meal), it’s the stuff cooked over coals at The Palomar that really gets us going. Think impossibly succulent lamb rump given vivacity via a pert salsa verde, and oh-so crispy metugan bream served alongside Israeli kimchi and green harrisa – the latter tasting as striking as it looks.
Yep, this is a place where you’ll leave feeling full but flighty, satisfied but sprightly, and that’s a tough balancing act to pull off.
Ideal for superbly seasoned steak tartare and other French bistro favourites…
The French House holds a special place in our hearts for more than one reason. Firstly, it satisfies the need to have a quick pint before a dinner date, while also providing a moment to truly acknowledge and appreciate Soho’s history and just how great its pubs are. But more importantly, it’s also one of our favourite places to eat in the capital.
While it’s known as an iconic London pub by many, the French House also has a small, exquisite dining room upstairs serving immensely satisfying French fare. It’s our go to place whenever we have a hankering for nimbly seasoned steak tartare, or when a craving for steak frites suddenly strikes. Which, we’re shy to admit, is rather often…
The dining room at The French House has a storied past, having been opened by Fergus and Margot Henderson in 1992. Today it is headed up by the talented chef Neil Borthwick who has worked at prestigious establishments such as The Connaught (where he met his wife, chef and national treasure Angela Hartnett) and Merchants Tavern, which he co-founded with Hartnett. Borthwick’s culinary prowess is evident in the hearty, fuss-free French cuisine served at The French House, and long may it continue.
London is blessed with some superb Sichuan restaurants, but if you’re seeking faithful, fearsome, f’ing delicious renditions of the region’s staples, then Barshu (an apt name considering the ol’ Scoville Heat Units) in Soho will see you right. Unlike many similar spots in the city, the food here is not watered down for the Great British palate, and is all the better for it..
Whilst capsaicin-philes will find plenty on the menu at Bar Shu to tantalise and titillate, perhaps the straight up spiciest dish on the menu is the boiled sea bass with sizzling chilli oil (Shuizhu Yu). We recommend ordering some cooling dishes to help temper its rougher edges.
Elsewhere on the menu, we adore the dumplings doused in a smoky chilli oil and a vinegar sauce that’s so delicious you can slurp the liquid just by itself. We have. Or, head here for perhaps the finest bowl of dan dan noodles in the city. Yep, there’s a lot to love about the food here.
Ideal for Thai barbecue with a sense of both fun and theatre…
Kiln is quite the sensory spectacle, with bar seating overlooking flames, smouldering coals, clattering clay pots and burning woks. The vibe transports you right out of central London and to somewhere altogether hotter and more rustic.
And that’s before you’ve even had a bite here. When you do, you’ll find Thai plates that are downright delicious and frequently fiery.
With a focus on high quality ingredients, the menu changes seasonally. Our favourite time to visit is during game season, where the menu comes alive with jungle curries of wood pigeon or wild mallard and minced laab salads of raw venison.
A mainstay and must order on the menu is Kiln’s grilled cull yaw skewers sprinkled in cumin; so damn delicious and an unforgettable snack. Follow with the clay pot baked glass noodles (a standout dish that’s never been taken off the menu) and you’ve got yourself a gorgeous little meal.
Ideal for some of the most exciting bánh mì outside of Vietnam…
The bánh mì, a sandwich sold throughout the streets of Vietnam which beautifully melds French and Vietnamese ingredients, is one of the world’s greatest sandwiches. And some of the best Vietnamese sandwiches in London can be found at Keu where they are fresh, crisp and astonishingly delicious.
With thirteen fillings to choose from, Keu’s stellar bánh mì making operation sees hundreds of baguettes made each day. From classic fillings of pate and pickles to less traditional takes like slow braised mackerel in caramelised fish sauce, all the way to their kimchi-filled bánh mì that comes with honey glazed pork, there’s something for everyone here.
We end, exhausted and inebriated, at Ganton Street’s Dehesa. In fact, we might be full to finish this one. Why not check out our write-up of the restaurant here, rather than eating a single bite more today? The IDEAL 22 restaurants can have that effect on your waistline, we think.
And when our appetites both resume, we’ll see you over in Marylebone; whoever arrives first gets the Welsh rarebit croquettes in? Deal.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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. We’ll update this piece when more news is announced of the reopening date.*
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Photos by Sichuan Folk
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.
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.’
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.
Disembark at London’s Liverpool Street Station and the bright and bustle of the big city can at first overwhelm. People jostle and shimmy, police vans congregate, and all the buses come at once, defying both attempts to cross the road casually and a certain London saying. It’s bedlam out here, make no mistake.
Sure, you could retreat back into a station once known as the Dark Cathedral, taking refuge under its atrium vaulting, the golden arches of McDonalds or in a box of Krispy Kremes, but to do so would be to miss out on all the fantastic restaurants just a short stroll from Liverpool Street.
So, pull yourself together, engage your appetite, shoulders back and smash it; here’s where to eat near Liverpool Street Station, our favourite restaurants in Bishopgate and Liverpool Street.
Three Uncles, Devonshire Row
The ideal place to enjoy traditional roast Cantonese meats over rice…
After that flustered introduction, who’s going to firmly but fairly tell us to get a grip? Not one, not two, but three of our favourite uncles, that’s who.
So, it’s to Three Uncles we’re heading first (leave the station, cross Bishopsgate, pass the Bull and Last on your left, and you’re pretty much there) which celebrates traditional roast Cantonese meats over rice.
Just the ticket after a train journey, whether you’ve come from Cambridge or Tottenham Court Road, you’ll see slabs of crispy pork and whole roast ducks hanging over the counter at this modest shop, making it hard not to order both. Fortunately, the ‘any two meats over rice’ (complete with iron-rich, steamed pak choi) offer is as generous as you like, and a steal in the City for just £11.75.
Grab a stool at one of the two outside tables and watch the world go by, or head back to Liverpool Street Station for your departing train; you’ll be the envy of the whole carriage.
Needing little in the way of introduction, Fergus Henderson’s St. John Bread & Wine is arguably even better than the Smithfield mothership, with the stark, ascetic interiors, stark, ascetic plates, warm hospitality, and yes, plenty of offal, all present and correct here.
Whilst you won’t always find the bone marrow and parsley salad on the menu at Bread and Wine (grilled sardines often stand in), there’s plenty of nourishing, generous dishes to get very excited about. We’re often found stalking Commercial Street, waiting for the doors to swing open at noon; a Bread & Wine kedgeree, a chilled glass of St. John Blanc, and a big ol’ plateful of warm madelines… Could it be the best ‘brunch’ in all of London? We certainly think so.
Stay for lunch, for a dish of upmost simplicity; a whole roast quail with a little jelly, or grilled red mullet with a fennel salad. Upfront, straightforward, and all the more delicious for it.
And if you can’t wait ‘till midday, the restaurant’s iconic bacon sarnie is available for takeaway only between 9am and 11am. Be prepared to queue.
Ideal for some seriously sensational Sri Lankan food…
In the new, long-teased development of Norton Folgate, on pretty, cobbled Blossom Street, recently opened Kolamba East is positioned as the sophisticated, slightly more premium sibling of the acclaimed Soho restaurant Kolamba. Whilst it’s only been open for a little under a year, the restaurant is already on form, and is a great option for a spicy, invigorating feast close to Liverpool Street.
Introduced to the London dining scene by husband and wife duo Eroshan and Aushi Meewella in 2019, Kolamba was conceived from their memories of growing up in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo and the incredible food of the city.
Kolamba settled into Soho fast, earning several rave reviews in the national press. The announcement of a second act with loftier ambitions, then, piqued our interest something substantial, so we’re alighting at Liverpool Street once again, and heading five minutes down the road to the second outpost.
What first strikes you is the design here. Kolamba East is one handsome building, its 90-cover dining room a homogenous, harmonious single entity. Designed in partnership with Annie Harrison of FARE INC, it’s all plush booth seating, an attractive central bar, and some truly gorgeous lanterns, the latter of which cast a blanket of warming sepia over the whole space. It’s a beautifully designed room and one that really feels like you’re travelling on a private jet, for some reason.
Roasted Pineapple
When you come back down to earth, fold yourself into plates of Sri Lankan ‘homecooking’ with a few flashes of finesse from executive chef Imran Mansuri and team, perfectly exemplified in the string hopper king prawn biryani, which comes with a small jug of intensely flavoured, delicately spiced shellfish stock. Pour that jug over the tangle of thread like noodles, squeeze the prawn brains into the mix, and muddle; inside, it’s heady, oceanic alchemy. Alongside, and whatever you do, order the roasted pineapple; it’s one of the best things we’ve eaten this year.
Idealfor regional Thai dishes and fruity cocktails that still both pack a punch…
The boozy and brilliant Som Saa has been such a foodie fixture since its Shoreditch opening back in the heady days of 2016 that it’s easy to forget how groundbreaking the restaurant felt at the time.
A wildly successful pop-up that became a crowd-funded bricks and mortar restaurant, Som Saa’s introduction to the world was one of regional Thai food that wasn’t only liberal with the chilli, but also didn’t hold back on the cuisine’s funkier elements. Shrimp paste, fermented fish sauce and entrails, fresh durian and more all made an appearance on the big sharing tables that defined Som Saa’s convivial, cacophonous vibe.
Fast forward to 2025 and the whole of London suddenly feels conversant in the difference between Isaan’s pla raa and Sai Buru’s nahm bu du, with the city’s capsaicin tolerance at an all time high, and some of Som Saa’s more unfamiliar dishes now very much part of the fabric of food culture here.
Much recent focus has been placed on Som Saa founders Andy Oliver and Mark Dobbie’s new Southern Thai joint Kolae over in Borough Market, but back at the mothership on Commercial Street, the whole deep-fried seabass is still as crisp and herbal as ever, the rotating cast of som tam still pounded to order each and every time, and the coconut cream for the restaurant’s excellent curries is still getting freshly pressed daily.
It’s a labour of love that bears delicious fruit in a current red curry of crispy tofu and Thai basil, a thick, fresh and fragrant affair that undulates gently with the smoky background note of a complex dried red chilli paste. Equally good is the menu stalwart of stir-fried to order seasonal greens, with black cabbage, asparagus and mushrooms boasting huge amounts of wok hei.
This is a place where you’ll want to come for a full sharing spread. Indeed, each dish’s interplay with its neighbour feels just as important as its flavour profile when standing alone. Som Saa’s ‘tem toh’ menu is designed with this interaction and balance in mind; a spread of 5 or 6 complementary dishes, plus rice and dessert, is priced for £40 per person.
A couple of the restaurant’s signature cocktails (mine’s the Siam Sling – a long, floral number flavoured with Thai basil and makrut lime – if you’re asking) sees that sharing menu on its way beautifully.
*Unfortunately, after a fire at the restaurant in early May, Som Saa is currently (but temporarily) closed. We’ll update this piece when more news is announced of the reopening date.*
If you prefer your conversations to be conducted in hushed, reverent tones, you might be better off seeking shelter elsewhere. But if you’re looking for one of the best restaurants close to Liverpool Street Station, however, you’ve found it here.
Because Manteca, the ‘Britalian’ restaurant from chefs Chris Leach and David Carter, is a brimming, boisterous affair, and impossibly hard to book since moving to its permanent location in Shoreditch last year.
Named by Time Out London as the second best restaurant in the city, and receiving a slew of fawning national reviews, the nose-to-tail small plates here are as satisfying as they come, the energy both in the dining room and on the plate totally irresistible.
Whilst the brown crab caico e pepe is arguably the restaurant’s most talked about dish, it’s the pig head fritti that truly had us cooing. Or should that be ‘oinking’? Served alongside a burnt apple purée, Sunday lunch this ain’t. Rather, it’s a refined, deeply savoury bite, offset perfectly by the purée.
Equally fine when it’s on the menu is the tortellini in brudo, the pasta parcels filled with a mortadella mixture that’s both light and umami-heavy. The broth glistens, the tortellini bounces, and everything feels right with the world.
Speaking of Sunday lunches, incidentally, Manteca observes the lord’s day in true Bolognese fashion, with a celebratory lasagna verde (here, using belted galloway beef and rarebreed saddleback pork), all finished in the restaurant’s wood-fired oven. Only available on the Sabbath, it’s a worthy match to a more traditional Sunday roast in the city.
Anyway, Manteca truly is a class act, and somewhere you’ll want to return to again and again (and that’s coming through a writer who has now made their way through the entire menu here!).
By some estimates, there are around 50’000 Portuguese nationals living in London, with the majority living in South Lambeth, the city’s so-called ‘Little Portugal’, and, more specifically, Stockwell, which is home to the biggest concentration of Portuguese outside of the Motherland.
Unsurprisingly, then, that to eat great Portuguese food in London, it’s wise to head into SW9. That said, north of the river, in the rather bromidic surrounds of Finsbury Avenue Square, some of the best Portuguese food we’ve ever had – Lisbon, London or anywhere – is being served at Bar Douro City.
In a dining room that might better be described as a particularly well-appointed corridor, with intricate blue-and-white azulejos-tiles lining one wall, and a bar and open kitchen on the other. From here, a procession of generous, gutsy Portuguese small plates are served with the kind of flourish that whisks you far away from the soulless City and to somewhere altogether more sincere.
Start with the croquetes de alheira – circular croquettes filled with a sharp, spicy smoked sausage and topped with a dab of aioli that hit all the right notes with your first crisp glass of Super Bock, the only beer you need here. An exemplary bacalhau à brás pulls off that delicate balancing act that only the best versions do, of being both crunchy and creamy, its top end seasoning moreish rather than parching, as long as you’ve another Super Bock to hand.
From the larger ‘land’ based dishes, the secretos de porco preto alentejano (grilled black pig) is a highlight, the highly prized cut from around the pig’s shoulder served blushing pink and beautifully marbled. The accompanying Montanheira salad features segments of orange that lift and cleanse. This has got to be one of the best dishes you’ll eat close to Liverpool Street Station, and well worth delaying your train for.
Round things off, naturally, with a pastel de nata. Bar Douro’s is served with a cinnamon ice cream which at first feels superfluous, but is so well made – smooth and rich rather than dusty – that you have to remove your purist hat and succumb.
Bar Douro is also one of the best places in London for large groups, its dining room able to accommodate 16 people with a sharing menu that clocks in at just £40. Woof.
A Yiddish term of endearment akin to ‘sweetheart’, this vegetarian restaurant on the peripheries of Spitalfields takes inspiration from the cafe and casual dining scene in Tel Aviv. Put simply, Bubala is as charming as they come.
Whilst at lunch the menu is a la carte, at dinnertime it’s a set menu only affair, which at £38 per person isn’t necessarily cheap, until you see just how much you get for that figure; with over ten courses, this certainly isn’t a meal for watching yours.
Whether you’re here for lunch or dinner, the brown butter hummus is essential (and all present and correct on the Bubala Knows Best evening set). But the headlining act for us is the fennel with saffron caramel and rose harissa, whose impossibly heady top notes are smoothed and sedated by a piquant yet cooling yoghurt. Just superb.
Ideal for cinnamon, spice and all food ridiculously nice…
Fittingly located in the historic East India Company spice warehouse and just a two minute walk from Liverpool Street, Cinnamon Kitchen is the perfect spot to escape the hustle and bustle of the City.
With Chef Vivek Singh at the helm, the restaurant and all-weather covered terrace serves his signature modern Indian cuisine with the best of British ingredients for lunch and dinner. The restaurant also does one of London’s spiciest dishes – the perfect way to dust yourself down after a long day, we think.
Ideal for sophisticated all-day dining in the heart of The City…
Nestled in the heart of London’s historic/soulless Square Mile, this European restaurant pays homage to its much-loved forefather, The Wolseley, by retaining the ‘all-day’ offering intrinsic to its DNA, with food served in one way or another from 7am to 11pm, daily (except Sundays, which ends at 5pm) – pretty useful if you’ve missed your train and need somewhere to pitch up for a while, we think.
The ‘City’ version of this much cherished restaurant is a place where British (and London) heritage meets contemporary broadly-French cuisine, creating a dining experience that’s both casual and elegant, glamorous but grounded.
Upon entering, you’ll be greeted by the graceful design details of the interior, which was once a bank and later a department store before being transformed into the capacious dining room you’re just about to settle into. Of course, twinkling, meandering jazz plays at just the right volume…
With the scene set, it’s time to tuck in, and the menu at The Wolseley City is a continent-spanning rundown of European classics. The snails done in the Bourguignonne-style, as in, swimming in plenty of garlic and herb butter, with a lick of pastis to liven them, are particularly good. Pack chewing gum for that onward train journey.
Even better – the highlight, in fact – is a tranche of turbot ‘Grenobloise’. Here, the pearlescent, expertly cooked fish arrives positively bathed in a lemon-spiked brown butter, capers dotted across its surface. You’ll want a side of frites with this one. Sure, £44.50 for a fairly small piece of fish – king of the sea or otherwise – might feel pretty extortionate, but the place is heaving with boorish bankers who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at the price tag, so fair fucks. Veal sweetbreads, all crisp exteriors and buttery centres, are served with a pleasingly light soubise sauce and pleasingly rich veal bone reduction, creating a ying and yang effect that complements those butch yet delicate offaly bits perfectly.
Desserts are decent, too, the apple strudel with a strident calvados chantilly cream hitting all the markers you want from your sweet course – caramelised sugar, giving fruit, and a soothing but boozy cream. Lovely stuff.
Located just a stone’s throw away from Monument Station, The Wolseley City is an accessible place to dine, making it the ideal choice for those looking for a grand dining experience without venturing too far from Liverpool Street.
Extremaduran chef and London legend José Pizarro’s Broadgate Circle iteration of his string of beloved tapas bars is perhaps our favourite of the lot. In a bright and bustling room (or, even better if the weather allows, the open terrace), defined by swinging legs of jamón ibérico, the small plates come thick and fast, with an emphasis on the latter.
Yep, the pace here may feel a little frantic – perhaps due to the restaurant’s location in the heart of London’s business district and the pressing necessity for a speedy lunch – but there’s no denying the quality of the food, with Pizarro’s (not sure we’re quite on first name terms yet) signature daily changing croquettes here as voluptuous and umami-laden as ever.
The mini-burgers, exclusive to this branch of the chef and restaurateur’s empire, are exquisite, too. They’ve gone fully gordito here, with a gossamer-thin slice of acclaimed 5J presa jamón replacing bacon, and a generous wedge of gently melted manchego the cheese element. Of course, an almost-aggressive aioli has muscled in between the buns. It’s great.
Perhaps best of all, though, is the restaurant’s bottomless brunch, with freeflow cava, croquettes and a fair few slices of 5J presa thrown in for good measure. Ending late in typically Spanish style (can it be called brunch at 5pm? Who cares?), we’ll catch you there next Saturday if you dare.
A fair amount of scepticism existed about the opening of the juggernaut Italian ‘marketplace’ Eataly just moments from Liverpool Street Station, and the first to land here in the UK.
Did we really need a sprawling food court and Italian deli in London, when affordable pasta joints were proliferating faster than the time it takes to boil some freshly rolled angel hair? Would the self-proclaimed premium ingredients appeal to a British market often more concerned with convenience than quality? Was a whopping 42’000 square feet of eating, shopping and learning strictly necessary?
Turns out we did and it was. With over 5’000 food products and 2’000 wines – the largest collection in London – all under one roof, including some seriously good charcuterie, cheeses, and sweet stuff (the cannoli here is ace), Eataly has thus far been a massive success.
It’s also a great place to spend an afternoon, with samples, tastings and trials all available at the various retailers. Just make sure you bring a large bag and a larger credit limit; it’s impossible to leave this place empty handed!
There’s also decent pasta and pizza in Eataly’s three dedicated restaurants, for those looking to take a load off for a while.
The ideal destination for some of the best hand-pulled noodles in the Capital…
If you prefer your noodz hand-pulled rather than pasta machine rolled, then over on Commercial Street you’ll find one of the very best restaurants near Liverpool Street Station; Xi’an Biang Biang Noodles.
A sister restaurant to the much celebrated Xi’an Impression, one of our favourite places to eat in Highbury and Islington, the food is equally as good here. Visually akin to a canteen, all white walls and clinical lighting, and with straightforward service to match, the food is anything but impersonal; noodles have just the right amount of bite and spring, sauces (and subsequently, shirts) are slicked with chilli oil, and garlic lingers for days after dining here.
For those looking for somewhere to eat near Covent Garden, some good news; Xi’an Biang Biang Noodles will open their second branch here later in the year.
Spitalfields Market has a slicker, smoother feel than some of the more cobbled together markets in the city, but that’s not to its detriment at all. It’s large, covered (great for sheltering from the ever present London rain) and has a great variety of the good stuff, both in stall and fully-realised- restaurant form.
Indeed, there are plenty of Spitalfields restaurants to choose from and the much renowned Galvin Brothers have two places here if parking your bottom and taking your time is more your thing. If snacking, shopping and switching cuisines does it for you, then Smokoloko, The Duck Truck and Ebby’s are particular favourites.
Sure, Shoryu Ramen may be pretty ubiquitous by now, with the chain boasting 9 London outposts, as well as more across the UK, but that shouldn’t detract from the quality of the milky thick, rich, heavily porcine tonkotsu broth that has become the restaurant’s signature.
Founded by Tak Tokumine, a Fukuoka city native who might bleed bone broth if you cut him open with a Nakiri knife (weird image), the aim when opening Shoryu was simple; to bring the unique flavour of Fukuoka’s Hakata tonkutsu ramen, hard to find outside of Japan’s southern island of Kyushu, to London and beyond.
A noble aim indeed and one that has been embraced by ramen-loving Londoners. At the glass-fronted Shoreditch branch, a brisk 10 minute walk from the station, in a rather functional space, the usual lofty standards remain; the char siu barbecue pork is as tender as ever, the 12-hour broth is so enriched with pork fat it’s become opaque, and the dappling of chilli oil across its surface brings a curious sort of respite.
It’s bloody fantastic, though perhaps not one for your lunch break; your white shirt is sure to get splattered and your energy levels may well be tanked. Best save this glorious bowl for after work, we think.
We all know the drill by now; there’s much, much more to Thai food than fluorescent green curries, teeth-achingly sweet phad Thai, and heaps of chilli.
It’s become something of a tired old refrain to repeat and reframe this fact, usually followed by a riff on the diverse regionality of the country’s cuisine, the breadth of its flavour profile beyond that much-trotted ‘spicy, sour, sweet, salty’ metric, and something about David Thompson’s influence on Thai restaurants and British chefs in the city.
Instead, let’s just get into it, and take a look at our favourite Thai food in the city, whether you’re looking for faithfully recreated, note-perfect food from the Kingdom or British takes on Thai cuisine using seasonal ingredients. Either way, it’s here, in our guide on where to find the best Thai food in London, and the best Thai restaurants in the city.
Supawan, King’s Cross
Ideal for a taste of Phuket without the 14 hour flight…
Thai cooking in the capital doesn’t always have to be enjoyed through the prism of ‘nu’ or ‘hip’. It needn’t always be Tik-Tok touting small plates and interiors designed more for the stories of Instagram than for the comfort of the diner. And so we find ourselves in Kings Cross, at Supawan, an elegant, understated spot whose flavours are very much not (the latter).
Here, chef and owner Wichet Khongphoon brings the food of his native Phuket to the table in a space so florally-appointed that it might have you sneezing even before the chilli and white pepper does. Not to worry; it looks beautiful and seems to chime with the fruity, flowery cocktail descriptions of which you’ll soon be sipping (mine’s a hibiscus infused, guava spiked number called Love Don’t Be Shy, I’m Super Shy, naturally).
Start with the miang Phuket, the definitive Thai hor d’oeuvre. Bringing the whole sweet-salty-spicy-sour thing together into a single bite, Supawan’s version sees grilled prawns, a galangal caramel and intricate dice of ginger, lime, peanuts and more, all perched atop a wild piper leaf. Wrap, fold, scrunch… Whatever you want to do, this guy goes down in one. The intricacies develop on the tongue long after it’s gone.
Though chef Khongboon has called London home for more than two decades, we’re so glad that the food memories of his southern Thai upbringing still linger with such clarity. It’s an absolute joy that you can order pla thu yud sai here. A Phuket seafood dish rarely found in the rest of Thailand let alone in the UK, this one is a complex preparation of deboned, hollowed out mackerel that’s then stuffed with a mixture of its minced flesh and red curry paste before being grilled. The kids might praise the ‘tekkers’ – we’ll just call it bloody delicious. Similarly, the stuffed chicken wings show off the same dexterity.
If it’s on the menu, do not miss out on the signature ‘Dad’s beef curry’, which has thankfully been conceived by Khongboon’s father, not by yours or ours. A thick and fragrant, coconut-defined red curry, it’s a soulful bowl that reveals the flavours of fresh galangal and toasted coconut in the curry paste once it’s cooled to Phuket room temperature. Best enjoyed with a side of stir fried morning glory that feels like it could cure whatever ails you and plenty of rice, this is one to luxuriate over. So, sit back, order another Singha, and give the chef his flowers. You won’t have to go far to find some.
Ideal for London’s hardest to book restaurant, Thai or otherwise…
Our favourite Thai restaurant in all of London, period, Singburi has long been a heavy-hitter of the highest order. Once Leytonstone’s best kept secret, the restaurant shed its reputation as a ‘hidden gem’ in recent years, picking up accolades from the likes of Time Out London (who named it ‘restaurant of the year’ in 2021) and a whole host of plaudits from the capital’s culinary cognoscenti.
In its original incarnation, it was a family affair, with chef Sirichai Kularbwong working the stoves and his mother Thelma the room – a cash-only, bring-your-own-booze situation with no website and bookings taken “begrudgingly via DM” on Instagram. The warm welcome and electric atmosphere made it the perfect neighborhood restaurant, while the legendary blackboard specials menu offered some of the most thrilling Thai food in the city. A recent southern curry of prawn and betel leaf was rich, luxurious and capsaicin-forward, whilst a riff on Thailand’s favourite comfort food, pad grapao, used minced mutton to wonderful effect. And then there was the moo krob (crispy pork), which became, quite simply, one of London’s most celebrated dishes.
Now, after closing their beloved Leytonstone location in late 2024, the Kularbwong family is embarking on an exciting new chapter, bringing Singburi to Shoreditch’s Montacute Yards development. This next iteration sees head chef Sirichai taking the reins from his retiring parents, joined by an impressive team including former Kiln head chef Nick Molyviatis and Catalyst Cafe’s Alexander Gkikas.
The restaurant’s evolution, as Hot Dinners astutely points out, mirrors similar success stories like Mangal II and A Wong, where the second generation has elevated their parents’ cherished establishments to new heights. Currently sitting at No.71 on UK’s Best Restaurants list, Singburi’s move promises to maintain its soul while introducing new elements – including a grill and a dedicated drinks program, marking a departure from their previous BYO policy.
While we’ll miss the chaotic charm of the original location, we’re excited to see how Singburi’s legendary blackboard specials and that cult-status moo krob translate to their new home. In the team’s words, it will be “the same, but different” – and we can’t wait to see what that means.
It’s been pretty impossible to miss the buzz surrounding the JKS-backed Arcade Food Hall since its opening in April of 2022.
Housed in the Centre Point building on New Oxford Street, and just a few second’s stroll from Tottenham Court Road station, Arcade Food Hall offers a veritable feast of global cuisines, with 8 restaurant concepts currently operating here, and a fully-fledged Southern Thai joint on the mezzanine above the communal dining area.
That Southern Thai restaurant is Plaza Khao Gaeng, which, despite only being a couple of years old, is already doing some of the most faithfully composed, fiery food from The Kingdom anywhere in London.
Though much has been written about the fearsome chilli levels on display here, it’s the vivacity of the ingredients that really shine through. The coconut cream in the massaman and chicken curries tastes freshly pressed (a labour intensive process that’s rare to find in the capital), the sour curry sparkles with garcinia fruit as opposed to just lime and tamarind, the khua kling’s green peppercorns bring rasping heat alongside the undulating presence of various fresh and dried chillies. It’s magic.
Our only complaint? More elbow room on the tables, please; because it’s impossible not to order every dish on the menu.
Speaking of finding room, if you’ve somehow managed to save stomach space for seconds, then on the floor below there’s sushi, smash burgers, shawarma and more.
Ideal for a poetic meeting of British soil and Thai soul…
There’s something rather poetic about AngloThai’s location on a quiet Marylebone backstreet, where Georgian townhouses whisper of British heritage while the restaurant’s frontage, rendered in Royal Thai purple, hints at something more glamorous within. After years of pop-ups that had London’s food cognoscenti practically vibrating with anticipation, John and Desiree Chantarasak have finally given their vision a permanent home. And just six months in, it’s safe to say that AngloThai is a roaring success, with positive reviews and a Michelin star announced just this week. That makes it the only Thai restaurant in the capital (and one of just a handful in Europe) to hold a star.
Inside, Thai-American designer May Redding has created something that seems to pay lipservice to both heritage and modernity – think whitewashed pannelling that could be either colonial Bangkok or contemporary Notting Hill, handcrafted Chamchuri wood tables that tell stories of Thai craftsmanship, and lighting that makes everyone look like they’ve been kissed by the Andaman sunshine. The open kitchen ricochets with the whoosh of proper turbo wok burners and the pok-pok of the pestle and mortar; a soundtrack that also speaks to the kitchen’s commitment to doing things right.
The mission statement here is to to take Thai cooking and reimagine it through a purely British lens – pearled naked oats stand in for jasmine rice, Suffolk-grown holy basil replaces its Thai cousin, and native-breed meats and line-caught fish take centre stage. There’s not a single imported tiger prawn in sight. Highlights from the a la carte (there’s also a tasting menu, priced keenly at £75) include a snack of tempura banana pepper that’s been filled with a riff on Thai sai ua sausage, and a perfectly balanced massaman curry of Launceston hogget and quince that boasts the warming complexity of the finest versions in Bangkok.
The drinks offering is equally considered, with the sea-buckthorn margarita a real showstopper – bracing, puckering and knock-your-block-off potent. The wine list, curated by Desiree, leans heavily on Austrian and European biodynamic producers, including their own label made in partnership with Nibiru – wines chosen specifically to dance with rather than dominate the complex spicing.
What’s most impressive about AngloThai is how it creates something genuinely new without feeling forced. Yes, the prices reflect the prime Marylebone location and premium British ingredients, but there’s serious skill and thought behind every dish. This isn’t fusion for fusion’s sake – it’s a carefully considered exploration of what happens when Thai cuisine is viewed through a purely British lens.
Ideal for hip, wholesome Thai food close to London Bridge…
Meaning ‘eat and drink’ in Thai, the restaurant’s name is a gentle, straightforward invitation that seems to translate to the wholesome plates, plant tonics and general easy-going vibe at Kin + Deum.
It’s a family-run affair. Led by three stylish Thai siblings from the Inngern family, there’s a real focus on nutrition and balance here; the restaurant doesn’t use refined sugars or MSG (for better or worse) and it’s a 100% gluten-free affair to boot. The paired back but gorgeous interiors of the restaurant further reflect this.
The recipes here are nominally based on dishes heralding from Bangkok, though really the menu spans the whole country, with laap salad from the North East, khao soi curry noodle soup from the North, and panang from the deep south of Thailand. Hey, there’s even a katsu curry, Kin + Deum style, if you’re hankering for it.
Regardless of origin, the cooking here is fantastic; though there’s a lightness of touch in the dishes, that isn’t in the name of sacrificing chilli heat or punchy acidity. Nope, it’s all here, and it’s all very delicious, indeed.
The opening of Kolae in Borough Market was one of the most hyped in recent years, with every other reel on the ‘gram seemingly a walkthrough of a room in various shades of cameo and a breathy description of a pickled mango dirty martini. Flame and chili emojis naturally followed.
Even if you have been sheltering under a half coconut husk for the last year, we’ll spare you the usual spiel about Kolae being from the same team as critically acclaimed Som Saa. We’ll only briefly mention this time the cooking method that gives the restaurant its name – that is, a style of grilling popular in Southern Thailand that sees skewers marinated in a thick coconut cream curry before meeting the coals. At Kolae, this is most often used on mussels, chicken and squash, that marinade catching and caramelising to a gorgeous, irregular rust. Squeeze on some calamansi and get messy.
But really, it’s not just the eponymous, headlining dish you should be focusing your order on. More than anything, Kolae is a celebration of coconut milk. Not the UHT, uncrackable stuff, mind. Rather, the freshly pressed variety, which Kolae do each and every day, its luscious sweetness unmatched. Luxuriate in that coconut cream in a fragrant, turmeric heavy curry of prawns and cumin leaf, pungent from shrimp paste and fruity-sharp from heaps of pounded mouse shit chillies in the paste.
Of course, a complete Thai table is also a balanced one, so temper those richer notes with something piquant and perky, the sour curry of grey mullet being just the guy for the job. It’s acidic not only in its use of both lime and tamarind as souring agents, but also in that it’s spicy to the point of hallucinations, just as it should be. Freshly steamed jasmine rice should be flowing by now.
You’ll want to be doing all this tripping with a view of the action; Kolae’s open kitchen throbs with activity, with pestles pounding and wok flames licking the ceiling. Pull up a pew on stools that look so much like Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Buttons (you might want to see a doctor about that) that it’s distracting, and relish the onslaught of deeply nuanced, deeply delicious flavour that’s to come.
It’s a well-trodden path to restaurant success – earn fans through supper clubs and pop-ups before crowd-funding your way into permanent premises, but Som Saa did this well-trodden path in some style. £700’000 was pledged by friends, fans and financers and a place on a busy, East London street secured, all on the back of some superbly grilled chicken, pounded-to-order som tam salads, vibrant laap and other assertive dishes largely (but not exclusively) from Thailand’s north.
It’s no wonder this place is so confident in their delivery; the two chef/founders were schooled by Thai food deity David Thompson, and it shows. Flavours are bold but balanced, ingredients well-sourced, and spice levels prevalent and assertive.
Arrive early and enjoy a drink at the bar with some of Som Saa’s excellent snacks; we’re absolute suckers for their naem (grilled fermented pork served with ginger and peanuts) and would happily come here only for a few plates of it.
That said, to do so would be to miss out on the restaurant’s iconic deep fried seabass with herbs and roasted rice powder, which has never left the menu due to its enduring popularity. It’s easy to see why; it’s delicious.
*Unfortunately, after a fire at the restaurant in early May, Som Saa is currently (but temporarily) closed. We’ll update this piece when more news is announced of the reopening date.*
We’ve been huge fans of Smoking Goat since its raucous, ramshackle days on Brewer Street, Soho. Rest assured; since the Thai barbeque restaurant’s move to Shoreditch, the vibe remains rowdy, the chill levels still Scoville baiting, and the aroma of smoke even more pervasive, in the best possible way of course.
This is food designed to reinvigorate. Though the fish sauce chicken wings have gained deserved cult status, and their Tamworth pork chop with spicy jaew dipping sauce is a real crowd pleaser, it’s the restaurant’s work with the offal which keeps us coming back.
With liver, heart and kidney featuring heavily in various laap, you could go to the Goat and dine very well on these intoxicating Laotian/Thai salads alone. With several rounds of sticky rice, a som tam salad and a couple of cold ones, it’s the ideal meal, any time of day in the city.
The food here is ultimately excellent Thai drinking food. As such, the drinks and cocktail list at Smoking Goat is thoughtfully curated to complement. Order a ‘Tray of Joy’ which features globetrotting, esoteric liquors including a a Coco Leaf Liqueur from Amsterdam, a watermelon Liqueur from Serra Di Conti and, of course, Mekhong from Bangkok.
Ideal for a celebration of the best of British ingredients, told through a Thai lens…
The second restaurant from the aforementioned Ben Chapman, Kiln is quite the spectacle, with bar seating overlooking flames, coals and clay pots. The vibe transports you right out of central London and to somewhere altogether hotter and more rustic.
The restaurant works proudly with a close clutch of suppliers, with fish sourced directly, daily, from fishing boats in Cornwall and heritage vegetables earning equal billing on the menu to protein. During game season, that menu comes alive with jungle curries of wood pigeon or wild mallard and minced laab salads of raw venison (whose season begins in April through October, incidentally).
But even better, and on more consistently throughout the year, is cull yaw, a type of mutton from retired female ewes that has been fattened with high degrees of welfare in mind. The meat has an incredible depth of flavour, and has been making appearances on the menu of several acclaimed London restaurants in recent years. At Kiln, it’s often served as a collar chop accompanied by a spicy dipping sauce, or in grilled skewers with a little sprinkle of cumin. Just so damn delicious.
Ideal for punchy Bangkok flavours in the heart of neon-lit Soho…
If David Thompson’s (there he is again) return to London’s dining scene comes with weighty expectations, that’s hardly surprising. The Australian chef’s previous London venture, Nahm, was the first Thai restaurant in Europe to earn a Michelin star. Long Chim, which occupies the ground floor of Hovarda on Rupert Street, represents something different – a more casual, immediately accessible skewer of Bangkok’s frenetic, kinetic street food culture.
The space has been transformed into something approaching a Bangkok fever dream, with neon signs casting their glow over hand-painted murals and carefully curated vintage portraits. The open kitchen provides all the theatre you could want, woks flame and clatter, coconut cream cracks and sizzles, and it’s all a bit overwhelming, in that most cherished, Bangkokian kind of way.
Perhaps the intensity of the food doesn’t quite reach the heights that previous paragraph promises, but there’s no denying that the food at Long Chim hits the spot. Thompson’s menu is remarkably focused – a tight edit of dishes that showcases the breadth of Thai street food without unspooling too much into paradox-of-choice territoriy. The Long Chim rolls are a masterclass in simplicity – delicate, crispy cylinders stuffed with mustard greens that sing with clean, bright flavours. The southern-style grilled squid (both £8) comes with a punch of pickled ginger that cuts through perfectly charred flesh, while the aromatic curry of monkfish (£22) shows Thompson hasn’t lost his touch with the more complex aspects of Thai cuisine.
The drinks list leans into this street food energy, with cocktails that complement rather than compete with the food. The coconut and lemongrass gimlet is both refreshing and complex, while the pineapple negroni offers a clever tropical twist on the classic. You can, of course, simply have a few Singhas, an order which feels wholly appropriate here.
Ideal for a taste of one of Bangkok’s most iconic dishes…
This neon-lit gem, which opened its doors in September 2022, is the brainchild of talented, Thai-food obsessed British chef Luke Farrell, who has been exploring the cuisine of the Kingdom for years while bouncing between Dorset, London and Thailand.
His first restaurant, Plaza Khao Gaeng (you’ll recognise that one from a few paragraphs prior) which opened in collaboration with the increasingly omnipresent JKS, was an instant smash, garnering rave reviews from basically all the national newspaper critics soon after its opening in spring of last year.
Farrell’s second, Speedboat Bar, followed later in the year, and it’s safe to say that his ode to Bangkok’s Chinatown has hit the ground running. Or, rather, hit the river speeding…
Speedboat Bar takes its inspiration from the flashing lights of Bangkok’s Chinatown and the thrilling sport of speedboat racing along the canals (klongs) of the city. The two-story restaurant’s main dining areas features a utilitarian, stainless steel design reminiscent of a Thai-Chinese shophouse, while the upstairs clubhouse bar is adorned with signed portraits of speed boat racers and blasts of Thai pop, turbo folk, and molam music through the speakers. It’s almost impossible not to neck a few jelly bias while you’re up there – be warned.
With many of the native Thai ingredients and herbs used in the dishes cultivated and grown at Farrell’s Dorset nursery, Ryewater, there’s an veracity to the flavours here, whether that’s in the chicken matchsticks (essentially chicken wings halved lengthways) with a pert tangle of shredded green mango salad, or the clams stir fried in nahm prik pao, a staple dish of Bangkok Chinatown institutions like the imitable TK Seafood.
The signature here is a tribute to the iconic Jeh O Chula, which sits on the outskirts of Yarowat, and, more specifically, her legendary Tom Yam Mama Noodles. Having eaten the original more times than we’d care to confess in print, we can honestly say that Speedboat’s version is up there, on a par.
Save space for the pineapple filled pie which is a nod to the Ezy Bake pies that you can get from 7/11s across Thailand. Be warned; these flaky babies sell out, so get your order in at the beginning of the meal if you’ve got a sweeth tooth.
Basically, if you don’t have the time to take a plane to Thailand in the coming months, Speedboat Bar is arguably the next best thing this side of the Chao Phraya.
Sitting pretty behind a vivid pink façade in Hammersmith, 101 Thai Kitchen stands out as one of London’s most faithful purveyors of regional Thai cuisine. Specialising in dishes from Isaan, the northeastern region known for its bold use of spice and fermentation, and Southern Thailand, famed for its coconut cream and seafood numbers, this King Street stalwart offers an experience that’s notably different from the capital’s more mainstream Thai establishments.
The dining room, though modest, creates an immersive atmosphere with portraits of Thai nobility adorning the walls, a small television quietly broadcasting Thai cookery programmes, and Thai aunties gossiping on the table closest to the kitchen every time we’ve visited. It’s lovely, and a setting that puts the focus squarely where it belongs: on the food.
The menu is extensive and uncompromising in its authenticity. Their Isaan sausage (£8), fermented onsite so the chefs can monitor when the pork reaches a perfect tang, delivers a a lip smacking sour-saltiness that exemplifies the region’s distinctive flavour profile.
The tom sab, a hot and sour tamarind-based broth with pork ribs (£12), demonstrates the kitchen’s masterful handling of bruising but somehow still balanced spicing. It’s a dish we’ve eaten many times in actual Isaan, and is a great version of a classic here. Sending diners to the other end of the country, 101’s interpretation of Hat Yai fried chicken (playfully dubbed ‘HFC’) comes garnished with crispy fried shallots and plenty of crunch, and is excellent with a few bottles of imported Chang.
The som tum (papaya salad) section alone offers seven variations, including the traditional som tum Thai with dried shrimp and peanuts, and the more pungent – and infinitely more delicious! – tum pu plaa raa with salted crab (all £12). Some more esoteric Southern Thai specialities are also present and most welcome on the dinner table spread – the gaeng tai plaa, a spicy, herbacious curry made with fermented fish guts, is a highlight.
101’s drinks menu is thoughtfully curated, featuring a solid wine list with bottles ranging from £22 to £40, including options like the Shucker’s Shack Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (£9 for 175ml, £35 bottle). Traditional Thai refreshments include iced tea, pink milk, and various herbal drinks. The restaurant also sports an impressive gin selection, and there’s Chang beer too, for those seeking something more casual. Which, in this spot, you probably should be.
Beyond the à la carte offerings, a blackboard of daily specials; though not at the Singburi level of intrigue, it rewards return visits. Despite its relatively peripheral location, 101 Thai Kitchen has established itself as an essential destination for anyone serious about exploring the true breadth and depth of Thai cuisine in London.
Ideal for comforting, invigorating Thai food in North London…
Thai food in the capital is now so popular that the usual explanatory diatribe seems unnecessary; you probably know farang means foreigner, dishes are designed to be shared, everything revolves around rice, the food of the country is hugely different from region to region……
But just because we’re all now so well versed in the vernacular, it shouldn’t overshadow just how splendid the cooking is at Farang. Their gai prik – deep fried chicken wings with a sweet fish sauce glaze – are simply divine, and the larger, sharing curries, cooked low and slow, consistently pack a huge punch of depth and verve, whilst remaining resolutely comforting.
Just make sure you order a side of turmeric and roasted garlic butter roti to mop up all the sauce! Bliss.
Located on Peckham’s foodie strip Bellenden Road, the Begging Bowl uses Thai street food to form gorgeous small plates of zest and fire. The building is beautiful and airy, adding to the buzz this place generates even on a weeknight.
On the menu, dishes boast real clarity and punch, with excellent sourcing evident in the precision of flavour. The jasmine rice, so fragrant and nourishing, is limitless. A real treat.
So many discussions of home improvements seem to focus on the functional. And that’s just fine; some simply want a liveable space which gains in value as the years progress, rather than depreciates. But such a utilitarian approach can sometimes jeopardise the aesthetics of a house, an equally important aspect to contentment and continued life satisfaction, we think.
Time away from thinking about the faucet, insulation foam and the rest can be very liberating, indeed. Fortunately, the key interior design trends of 2025 tend to support this way of thinking; minimalism is on its way out, and in its place, natural elements, playful curves, and art that displays your frivolous – and even shambolic – side.
With that in mind, it’s all about the cosmetic today; here’s how to give your home’s aesthetic a makeover in 7 simple steps.
Spruce Up Your Exterior
All this focus on ‘interior design’ while our house’s facade lies derelict and unloved…
But first impressions count, and the initial judgements on your place’s aesthetic will be made from on the street, so we’re starting outside today.
Indeed, the appearance of your home’s exterior creates a lasting impression and sets the expectation for the rest of your home. For that reason, don’t neglect your front garden, driveway, any window boxes…even your front door deserves love. Luckily, there are plenty of easy and low-cost ways to spruce up your home’s exterior and boost its kerb appeal. Here are a few ideas:
Keep your front and back yard tidy by cutting the grass, removing weeds and debris, and trimming trees and hedges.
Plant some attractive flowers to add colour to your outdoor space.
Repaint your garage door, front door, and window frames in a bold, matching hue.
Add window boxes with colourful flowers and plants.
Inspect your home exterior regularly and repair any damage such as missing tiles or cracked bricks.
Change Up Your Flooring
Ever wondered why something at home just feels off, even after you invested in the best furniture, introduced some gorgeous potplants, and hung your artwork just right?
Often, the enigmatic effect of some carefully considered flooring is what’s missing. Damaged tiles, scuffed and faded wooden floors, and carpets that have picked up a certain aroma can all reduce your house’s visual appeal.
Not only that, but there’s something oh-so satisfying about a newly installed floor, offering a certain look, feel, sound and even smell that can bring your whole home’s energy to life.
Hardwood is perhaps our favourite for providing that multi-sensory effect. Whilst it’s certainly on the more expensive end of the scale, you’ll find flooring deals on offer if you’re buying a large amount – perhaps you could re-floor several rooms, reducing the accumulated cost in the process?
Get Creative With Wall Art
Wall art can be used to add a splash of colour, texture, and vibrancy to a room, just as much as it’s able to represent a statement of your exquisite taste and grasp of the zeitgeist. The best part, perhaps, is that wall art is super easy to introduce to a room (usually by hanging), which makes it a quick and low-cost way to upgrade your interior design. There is a fantastic selection of wall art available; think outside the box and be creative, though do ensure that you find something that will complement your decor and suit your style and taste.
Gallery walls have also become increasingly visible in modern day home design as they allow homeowners to show off their sense of positioning, framing, and curation in a way that a single picture doesn’t.
You can easily create a gallery wall in your bedroom, the living room, or in the stairway; all you need is a variety of prints, appropriate picture frames, and a bit of creativity to position them in a way that looks visually appealing and cohesive. That said, this thing doesn’t have to be overly abstract or artistic; you can also create a gallery wall using family photographs for a more sentimental touch.
Introducing more mirrors to your property can also help increase its aesthetics. The more mirrors, the more light will reflect in your home, which will make your house seem more bright and will also create the illusion of more space.
Mirrors can be used to create the illusion of space within a room, which gives the overall aesthetic of your place a huge lift, reflecting light around and helping make things appear larger and brighter.
There is a huge selection of mirrors available in various sizes and styles, with large, decorative mirrors best at creating a statement, and smaller mirrors offering a more contemporary feel, as well as being perfect at hiding flaws in rooms, i.e., to cover cosmetic wall damage.
Of course, installing too many would be a mistake; you don’t want to be living in a literal ‘house of mirrors’, after all, crashing into your own reflection and freaking yourself out.
Add Some Natural Elements
Bringing nature into your home can be an affordable way to create a more soothing aesthetic. The added (though admittedly, negligible) bonus of a houseplant’s air purifying capabilities shouldn’t be sniffed at either. Unless, of course, you’re allergic to them.
Plants and flowers can instantly breathe life into your home and give its overall aesthetic a huge lift. There is an excellent variety of low-maintenance indoor plants out there that are easy to look after, some of the best of which include Chinese Evergreen, Yucca, Spider Plant, Aloe Vera, and Peace Lily.
You can also buy high-quality artificial plants and flowers that will remain looking beautiful without the need to water or trim them. Another easy way to bring some greenery into your home is by starting a herb garden or keeping freshly cut bunches of flowers in vases around your home. So many options!
Play With Texture & Fabrics
The days of sleek, flat surfaces are behind us in 2025. Texture now reigns supreme, adding depth and interest to any space without major renovations. Try layering different fabrics and materials throughout your home to create a rich, tactile experience.
Velvet cushions, bouclé throws, woven wall hangings, and ribbed ceramics are all excellent ways to introduce texture. Even something as simple as swapping out your smooth bedding for a chunky knit or waffle-weave can transform the feel of your bedroom.
Don’t be afraid to mix materials either – contrast rough jute rugs with silky curtains, or pair rustic wooden furniture with plush upholstery. These juxtapositions create visual interest and invite touch, making your space feel more dynamic and lived-in.
Embrace Playful Curves & Unexpected Shapes
As we mentioned in the introduction, playful curves are definitely in for 2025. Moving away from the rigid lines of minimalism, curved furniture and rounded architectural elements create a more welcoming, organic feel in your home.
Look for statement pieces with swooping silhouettes – perhaps a curved sofa, rounded coffee table, or an arched floor lamp. Even smaller accessories like curved vases, circular mirrors, or scalloped edge textiles can help soften the overall look of your space.
For the truly adventurous, consider adding unexpected architectural details like arched doorways or curved wall niches. If permanent changes aren’t an option, try curved room dividers or shelving units that can add that sinuous quality without the commitment.
Remember, the goal is to create a space that feels less rigid and more playful – perfectly in line with 2025’s move away from austere minimalism toward more expressive, personal interiors.
The Bottom Line
We’ve all been spending a little more time than usual at home recently, and this looks set to continue for a while longer yet. Rather than staring at beige, unadorned walls and lamenting the lack of visual stimulation in your gaff, why not focus on improving your home’s aesthetic to make it a more pleasurable space to spend time? We’re right there with you!
Liverpool has always been a city that punches above its weight. From its musical legacy to its architectural treasures, this UNESCO City of Music offers students a wealth of experiences that won’t drain your maintenance loan.
In 2025, Liverpool continues to welcome students with its unique blend of culture, character and free attractions. Home to world-class galleries, breathtaking views, and vibrant social spaces, the city proves that enjoying student life doesn’t require deep pockets. Whether you’re new to the city or a seasoned local, we’re here to help you get the most out of Liverpool’s cultural highlights without spending a pretty penny.
Crosby Beach: Iron Men By The Sea
Location: Crosby Beach, Waterloo, Liverpool, L22 6QQ
Hours: Accessible 24/7, but tide times affect visibility of sculptures
Transportation: Take Merseyrail from Liverpool Central to Blundellsands & Crosby station (10-15 minute walk to beach) or Route 53 bus from Queens Square bus station
What makes it special: Standing tall until September of this year, Anthony Gormley’s ‘Another Place’ installation features 100 cast iron figures spread across 2 miles of beach, creating an otherworldly landscape perfect for photography, especially at sunset. The figures have recently received maintenance with stronger plinths to prevent sinking into the sand. This permanent installation continues to be one of Liverpool’s most distinctive outdoor art experiences.
Victoria Gallery & Museum: The Original ‘Red Brick’ University
Location: University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3DR
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 5pm (last entry 4:30pm)
Transportation: 10-minute walk from Liverpool Lime Street Station
What makes it special: Housed in the distinctive red-brick Victorian building that gave ‘redbrick universities’ their name, this free museum houses significant art collections alongside scientific and medical exhibits. The building itself is an architectural marvel with a beautiful tiled entrance hall and Gothic features. The Waterhouse Café offers a pleasant study spot on campus, and regular free guided tours reveal the building’s fascinating history.
FACT: Cutting-Edge Art & Cinema
Location: 88 Wood Street, Liverpool, L1 4DQ
Hours: 11:00am – 6:00pm, Wednesday to Sunday
Transportation: 5-minute walk from Liverpool Central Station
What makes it special: The Foundation for Art and Creative Technology offers free entry to galleries showcasing contemporary and digital art. The centre’s 2025 programme features collaborative projects and immersive experiences, including hosting Liverpool Biennial 2025 from June to September. While exhibitions are free, the cinema also offers student discounts (£9.00, or £7.00 for members) for those wanting to catch independent and international films.
Free Liverpool Walking Tours: See The City With Locals
Location: Start at Steble Fountain (near the Walker Art Gallery)
Hours: Multiple tours daily: 10:30am-1pm and 2:30pm-5pm (schedule varies by day)
Transportation: Starting point in city centre, easily accessible by all public transport
What makes it special:These donation-based tours (pay what you feel is appropriate) are run by knowledgeable local guides in multiple languages. Perfect for new students wanting to get their bearings, these tours cover Liverpool’s fascinating history, architecture, and cultural significance.
Transportation: 5-minute walk from Liverpool Lime Street Station
What makes it special:This impressive gallery houses one of the UK’s most important art collections outside London, including works by Turner, Rembrandt, and Freud. Completely free to enter, it offers regular student events and workshops. From September 2025 to March 2026, the gallery will host the prestigious John Moores Painting Prize, showcasing the best in contemporary painting.
Everton Park: Liverpool’s Finest Viewpoint
Location: North Liverpool, accessed via Heyworth Street, Northumberland Terrace, and several other entrances
Hours: Open 24/7, year-round
Transportation: Bus routes from city centre to Everton/Anfield area; approximately 15-20 minutes from central Liverpool
What makes it special: Featuring what is quite possibly the greatest view in Liverpool from the Brow, Everton Park offers panoramic vistas of the city skyline, the Mersey River and even the Welsh mountains on clear days. The nature garden includes two small lakes for pond dipping and bird watching, while outdoor fitness equipment and a 3k walking/running route appeal to active students. It’s a favourite spot for photography enthusiasts looking to capture the city skyline.
Liverpool Central Library: Beautiful Space To Work & Explore
Transportation: 2-minute walk from Liverpool Lime Street Station
What makes it special: The Liverpool Central Library is a beautiful historic building with modern facilities, offering free Wi-Fi, computers, and quiet study spaces—perfect during exam periods. The rooftop terrace provides stunning views across the city, while regular events including ‘Open Minds’ discussion groups and workshops offer cultural enrichment. The Game Room hosts regular community events that are free to attend, making this much more than just a library.
The Jacaranda: Historic Music Venue With Beatles Heritage
Location: 21-23 Slater Street, Liverpool L1 4BW
Hours: Open daily, with live music primarily Thursday through Sunday
Transportation: 10-minute walk from Liverpool Central Station
What makes it special: This historic venue with connections to The Beatles offers free entry for open mic nights on Sundays. Spread across three floors with a bar, café, record store, and gig room, it’s a hub for Liverpool’s music scene. The unique tables with built-in vinyl record players let you listen to albums while you chat, and emerging artist showcases provide a glimpse of tomorrow’s musical talent.
Open Eye Gallery: Liverpool’s Photographic Hub
Location: 19 Mann Island, Liverpool, L3 1BP
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 5pm (Closed Mondays)
Transportation: 15-minute walk from Liverpool Lime Street Station; James Street station 4-minute walk; multiple bus routes stop at Liverpool ONE Bus Station nearby
What makes it special: As the only gallery dedicated to photography in Northwest England, Open Eye Gallery offers free entry to all its exhibitions. Located on Liverpool’s waterfront, the gallery hosts rotating displays of contemporary photography from both local and international artists.
Photography students will appreciate the gallery’s focus on socially engaged projects, while all visitors can enjoy free workshops and talks that regularly take place here. Its prime location makes it easy to combine with other waterfront attractions for a full day of cultural exploration.
Rice Lane City Farm: Urban Oasis Away From The Bustle
Location: Rice Lane City Farm, Rawcliffe Road, Liverpool, L9 1AW
Hours: Open daily, 10am – 3:30pm, 365 days a year
Transportation: Bus routes 21 and 345 stop near the farm entrance; 15-minute walk from Rice Lane train station; free parking available on site
What makes it special:This 24-acre urban farm and woodland offers a surprising rural experience within the city. Completely free to enter, the farm is home to various friendly animals including rare breeds like Ryeland sheep and Berkshire pigs.
The woodland walks provide a chance to experience wildlife not typically found elsewhere in Liverpool, making it a perfect stress-relief setting away from academic pressures. All paths are accessible for wheelchairs, and students interested in farming, conservation or community work can take advantage of volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
The Bottom Line
Liverpool remains one of the UK’s best cities for students on a budget. Its unique combination of cultural heritage, artistic innovation, and natural beauty means you can enjoy a rich student experience without emptying your bank account.
Popular student areas in Liverpool—from Smithdown Road to the Georgian Quarter, from the Baltic Triangle to Sefton Park—all offer spaces to socialise, study and explore without spending a fortune. The city’s free museums, libraries, beaches and parks provide the perfect backdrop to student life, delivering experiences that will shape your university years more than any expensive night out.
So take this list and discover why Liverpool continues to be one of the UK’s most student-friendly cities. With its blend of history, culture and community spirit, Liverpool shows that the best student experiences often come without a price tag attached.
