So, you’re wondering where to eat prawns in London? Or, perhaps you’re planning a crawl of the city’s best prawn dishes? Well, you’ve come to the right place…
These little critters have brought smiles to us Brits for decades – from prawn sandwiches and a packet of skips in our lunch box to the half pints of prawns that have graced the menu of traditional pubs since before we can remember.
But with so many international cuisines so thoroughly represented in the capital, we’re now able to enjoy these beloved crustaceans in more ways than we could ever imagine.
A caveat of sorts (or, at least, a preparation for disappointment); while some of the dishes on this list are restaurant signatures and never off the menu, some are seasonal specials that you’ll only find in British prawn season, which is generally between September and January. Do check ahead of time if you’re absolutely intent on getting your prawn fix!
Which, since you’re here with us, we can only assume you are. Without further ado, then, here are some of the best prawn dishes in London.
Carabineros at Lisboeta
Ideal for enormous, deeply flavoured red prawns…
Ask any prawn fan where in the world they would most recommend eating the things, and we bet you a prawn dumpling they say Portugal. We certainly would.
One of our all time favourite restaurants to feast on prawns is Lisbon’s Cervejaria Ramiro, where XXL carabineros are served each with enough head juice to fill a coffee mug. Indeed, one of our editors has been there twice in a row for his birthday, in consecutive years. It’s an obsession, we can’t deny…
These scarlett sensations are unbelievably robust in flavour, and so highly sought after that they rarely make it out of Portugal. However, sometimes, Lisboeta in Charlotte Street is lucky enough to get their hands on them.
Seafood this spectacular is hard to come by, especially in London. So sweet and delicate are these jewels of the sea, there is little need to fuck with the formula. Here at Lisboeta – as they do at Ramiro – the prawns are simply salted and grilled. They’re perfect.
Eating the prawns here is the messiest, most marvellous kind of fun that any seafood lover could have. It’s an experience you need to share. So, grab the love of your life (who is obviously a prawn lover, too), order a plateful, a bottle of vinho verde, plenty of napkins, and meet eyes lovingly as you suck on those prawn heads and make suspect groaning noises.
Address: 30 Charlotte St., London W1T 2NG
Website: lisboeta.co.uk
Read: Where to eat the best seafood in Lisbon
Prawn Tempura at Koya Soho
Ideal for the most perfect tempura this side of Tokyo…
Still with one foot in Portugal. did you know that tempura-style batter is thought to have been brought to Japan by Portuguese traders in the 16th century?
The word tempura itself is believed to come from the Portuguese language, as in “Temporas” – or “Ember Days” – where fried fish was consumed in place of meat when Catholics were fasting.
Like many things, the Japanese have turned battering and deep fat frying into an art form. Indeed, in Japan, tempura is well established as a genre of high-end cuisine in its own right, and the Japanese have taught the world how to master their tempura technique.
Now, we’re not tempura masters, but we’ve eaten a lot of prawns covered in crispy coatings – and we can safely say that the prawn tempura at Koya Soho is the best we’ve ever had, demonstrative of some serious tekkers and a love for this humble craft. Pale, with an extraordinarily lacy and light, crisp coating, these extra large tempura prawns have a shatteringly satisfying crunch. They are so uniform in colour, so perfect, that we could talk about them all day. That would lead to one hell of a word count, however…
Anyway, these guys can be added to any of Koya’s udon dishes, or taken simply as part of a tempura plate, served with a dipping sauce that seasons the tempura just right. If you’re after prawn tempura in London, there really is no competition.
Koya gets through hundreds of prawns a day, and to minimise waste, they used to serve up the heads, deep-fried, with beer. Sadly, that’s now stopped being the case at Koya, but if it’s head you’re after (get your mind out of the gutter), then we have the ideal place…
Address: 50 Frith St, London W1D 4SQ
Website: koya.co.uk
Crispy Prawn Heads at Kolae
Ideal for London’s latest hype snack…
An irresistibly crunchy snack that you’ll see on menus in southern Thailand, the crispy prawn heads at Kolae, the follow-up to critically acclaimed Som Saa in Spitalfields, are commendable in their simplicity. Shells already prized of their head juices – so, really, just the shells – are deep-fried and showered in with deep-fried turmeric and tiny cloves of skin-on, sweet-as-you-like Thai garlic in the style of Southern Thailand’s pla tod kamin, before being piled high on a plate.
Needing only a wedge of lime (and an ice-cold beer) to see them off, you will be ordering a second, and a third, round of these guys. No guilt there; a plate is keenly priced at just £5. Go on then, we’ll have a fourth…
If you’re ever in Bangkok and are craving crispy prawn heads, we once had them at Bann Ice – one of Bangkok’s best Southern restaurants. Go do the same!
Oh, and while you’re here it would be silly not to come back for the kolae tiger prawns with calamansi lime – a dish available as part of the restaurant’s set menus.
Address: 6 Park St, London SE1 9AB
Website: kolae.com
Red Prawn Heads at Lisboeta
Ideal for head juices galore…
After another antennae-to-tail eating experience? Then head back to Lisboeta (that is, if you ever left) and order some more prawn heads. Here, red prawn heads are grilled to a gentle char and are the perfect accompaniment to the restaurant’s arroz de marisco – red prawn and cuttlefish rice.
The juice/brains act as a final garnish, designed to be squeezed sultrily over the seafood rice – or, to take one straight to your mouth and take a satisfyingly slurp from the head. Either way, this is prawn-based nirvana, make no mistake.
Address: 30 Charlotte St., London W1T 2NG
Website: lisboeta.co.uk
English Prawns at Prawn On The Lawn
Ideal for a proper prawn party (when in season)…
Despite the name, they don’t always have prawns on the menu at Prawn on the Lawn. Which, actually, should be reassuring; you’d hope somewhere so hopelessly devoted to the love of prawn would only serve the damn things when they’re at their best. And so it is…
Because when they do have these most delicious of crustaceans on the menu, it’s a special occasion, and one to be celebrated. English prawns are only fished for four months of the year on the South Coast of Cornwall, using traditional prawn pots. During this time (autumn and early winter), Prawn on the Lawn treats the catch right, serving them across the menu, whether simply grilled in their shells, or as part of a larger fisherman’s stew or a fruits de mer selection over ice.
Yep, as we said, when they’re in season, this is a proper prawn party.
Address: 292, 294 St Paul’s Rd, London N1 2LH
Website: prawnonthelawn.com
Torbay Prawns From St John
Ideal for a pure plateful of prawns…
A plateful of Torbay prawns, delicate and sweet, pure and true; could there be anything better? Come the season (usually running August to January) St John serves these guys up as straightforwardly as they deserve, with a wedge of lemon and a dollop of silky mayonnaise. Need we say more?
Website: stjohnrestaurant.com
Address: 26 St John St, Barbican, London EC1M 4AY
Prawn Cocktail at Berners Tavern
You didn’t think we could write an article about prawns without mentioning the prawn cocktail, hey? Heston Blumenthal has described this 1970s throwback as his “secret vice”, and he isn’t the only one who has a sentimental fondness for prawn cocktails.
A well-executed prawn cocktail can be utterly delicious, and we’ve found a version that Mr Perfection himself would approve of, here from fellow celebrity chef, Jason Atherton.
Your old-timey, dinner party, limp lettuce, lacklustre, watery prawn and inferior Marie Rose sauce this ain’t. This is a prawn cocktail with Michelin designs, as imagined by Atherton (whose guilty pleasure is a Nandos, if you’re wondering). He includes lobster jelly, avocado wasabi puree, and crispy shallots in his rendition.
The chef has history with this dish. Atherton told the Independent that his earliest food memory was at his parent’s hotel in Skegness, when after school he would “lay out all the starters on the table – home-made pâtés and terrines or prawn cocktail”, and sneak a few bites. Atherton’s last supper would also involve a prawn cocktail as a starter. It seems only fitting, then, that he elevates this retro classic to a modern day marvel, and onto our list of the best prawn dishes in London it goes for good measure.
Address: 10 Berners St, London W1T 3NP
Website: bernerstavern.com
Gambas Rojas at Barrafina Drury Lane
Ideal for red prawns done in a variety of ways…
The celebrated tapas institution Barrafina’s seafood-celebrating restaurant on Drury Lane nearly always has gambas rojas, the prized Spanish red prawn, on the menu. You can’t go wrong with their version served al ajillo – plump, pan-fried beauties that arrive in a sizzling mix of garlic, chilli oil and brandy, all finished with parsley. It’s a classic and there’s nothing better than mopping up the fragrant, rust-coloured oil with some crusty bread.
Or, if the mood takes you, have a plate of gambas a la sal here – where prawns have been grilled on the plancha and seasoned simply with salt – it’s the ideal way to experience the naked, unadulterated essence of these pink prawns at their best.
Although in danger of an ozone overdose, we never leave Drury Lane without also ordering Barrafina’s perfectly poised prawn and piquillo pepper tortilla. With a slightly gooey centre, beautifully golden exterior and filled with prawn goodness, it’s one of the best Spanish omelettes you’ll ever have. And since you’re here, if it’s on special, order the arros de carabineros and you’ve got yourself a full-blown tapas feast of prawns.
Very occasionally, you’ll even see the revered gambas rojas from Denia on the special’s board. If you do, snap them up fast – they don’t stick around for long.
Address: 43 Drury Ln, London WC2B 5AJ
Website: barrafina.co.uk
Prawn Kari at Hoppers
Ideal for a Kerala-style prawn curry brimming with sweetness and spice…
After the hype died down and the queues became a little less impenetrable, a truth remains; Hoppers is a reliably excellent restaurant for Sri Lankan food.
One of our favourite things to eat here as thes Tamil-style prawn curry, which has been a menu mainstay at Hoppers for years. Tangy and spicy, the sourness of tamarind complements the sweet prawns beautifully, with the flavours mingling together to create a dish that has layers and layers seemingly built into it. Warming and richly spiced, it helps you understand why Sri Lanka is known affectionately as The Spice Island. Dredge your dosa through the sauce – you know you want to.
While you’re here, it would be rude not to order their pandan and coconut negroni – it’s our favourite way to end a meal at Hoppers..
The prawn kari is on the menu at all three of Hoppers’ outposts.
Locations: Soho, Kings Cross, Marylebone
Website: hopperslondon.com
CPC Prawn toast at Gunpowder Soho
Ideal for prawn toast, but not as you know it…
You might think that prawn toast doesn’t need messing with – you shouldn’t change a winning team, and all that – but buzzy Indian restaurant Gunpowder have done just that, and let us tell you; it works.
This is prawn toast, but not as you know it, and it has developed a cult following at Gunpowder’s Soho outpost. Inspired by a dish served in a Kolkata club that the restaurant team loves, this version sees black tiger prawns seasoned with a whole host of warming spices before being sandwiched in crispy, fried bread. Alongside, a dipping sauce of soy and kusandi mustard seals the deal.
Address: 20 Greek St, London W1D 4DU
Website: gunpowderrestaurants.com
Fragrant & Hot Prawns at Barshu
Ideal if you’re after hot and fiery prawns packing a serious punch…
Deep-fried in a crispy batter, then stir-fried with salt and chilli seasoning, the fragrant and hot prawns at Sichuan powerhouse Barshu aren’t for the faint of heart.
Indeed, these fiery Sichuan prawns are blessed with more dried chillies than you thought physically possible, alongside mouth-numbing Sichuan pepper for extra heat. These aren’t the dried Sichuan peppercorns that you get at your local Waitrose – these are the fresh, real deal guys that send the mala sensation of the charts. Approach with caution.
Address: 28 Frith St, London W1D 5LF
Website: barshurestaurant.co.uk
Read: Where to eat the spiciest food in London
A Pint Of Atlantic Prawns at J. Sheekey
Ideal for a very British experience of prawns…
No seafood list would be complete without a classic pint o’prawns, let alone one devoted purely to this particular crustacean. And where else to have them than at the grand dame of Theatreland, J. Sheekey?
Sweet, pink Atlantic prawns by the quarter or half pint are the order of the day here. Served in a traditional flagon with prawn tails peeking out over the side of the silver vessel, it’s a quintessentially British, totally flamboyant seafood experience.
Imagine this: you reach for the first prawn, and the anticipation builds. The texture is firm yet yielding, a testament to their freshness. You peel the shell, revealing the succulent flesh within, and sweep it through the accompanying dip – here, a classic cocktail sauce with a perfect balance of tanginess and spice, or perhaps a squeeze of fresh lemon to enhance the prawns’ natural flavour.
With each bite, the prawns offer a burst of the ocean’s bounty, a taste that is both delicate and distinct. The sweetness of the meat, complemented by the zesty sauce, creates a harmonious blend of flavours that is both refreshing and deeply satisfying.
Sorry, we got a bit carried away there. Anyway, a pint of Atlantic prawns is the true star of the J. Sheekey show.
Address: 28-32 St Martin’s Ct, London WC2N 4AL
Website: j-sheekey.co.uk
Prawn Mayo Cocktail at Sainsbury’s
Ideal for a prawn sandwich on the go…
We know this probably isn’t one of the best prawn dishes in London (it’s not really even a dish, plus it’s not just sold in London), but there’s something to be said for the nostalgia that comes from eating a packaged prawn sandwich.
Our nostalgic memory involves eating them at the beach, where the sarnie would inevitably get a little sweaty and sandy. Sounds gross, we know, but we look back on that time with fondness.
A few years ago, the prawn mayo sandwich was “prawn again”, with Marks and Sparks making headlines with the release of their ‘Best Ever Prawn Sandwich’. Developed by their in-house chefs, the British high street brand reimagined this humble sandwich by using loads of adjectives like ‘fresh’, ‘plump’ and ‘juicy’ in their adverts, and genuinely elevating things with a well-conceived Marie Rose sauce which was seasoned with lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, a fiery dash of Tabasco and a kick of brandy. It was a darn good sarnie for that sauce alone.
All the other supermarkets followed suit. Today, the Co-Op has their Irresistible Hand Made Prawn & Seafood Cocktail, Morrisons has its The Best Prawn Cocktail Sandwich (it isn’t), and Sainsbury’s peddles a Taste The Difference Bloody Mary Marie Rose Prawn Sandwich. The latter is our favourite – priced at £4, it’s pretty steep for a sandwich from a supermarket, but it’s worth it.
Website: sainsburys.co.uk
Dim Sum at Royal China Club
Ideal for a dim sum feast full of prawns…
We end our day of dining out with some dim sum. The Royal China Group do everything at a high level and their dim sum, served daily from noon until 5pm, is no exception. In fact, the group is world renowned for its dim sum and, for us, it’s one of the best places to dine in London if you want to eat prawns, prawns and more prawns.
When it comes to the group’s prawn dim sum offerings, we especially like the silky har gow. And where there is har gow, there will be shu mai, too. Yep, these two dumplings exist in tandem, so it’d be rude not to order both; double prawn, what’s not to love? Since this is a feast, order some prawn and chive dumplings and some prawn chueng fung, too. Oh, and don’t miss out on the sesame prawn dumplings either. Because, why not?
The Royal China Group also serve some excellent prawn dishes that aren’t dim sum – we particularly like the prawn scrambled egg rice and the prawn fried noodles. Order those and don’t skip the crunchy crispy garlic prawn spring rolls, too.
You know what? We might have actually had our fill of prawns now…
Address: 38-42 Baker Street, London W1U 7AJ
Website: royalchinagroup.co.uk
For seafood of a different flavour (cured gently in tiger’s milk, if you must know), why not check out our review of superlative Peruvian restaurant Chakana next? Go on, you’re not full yet…