Last updated February 2026
With over 75 million passengers passing through London Victoria annually, and the station’s main thoroughfare essentially one massive pasty passage, it’s no wonder hungry travellers are constantly bemoaning the lack of dining options within the station complex. Do they really need five Upper Crusts and several Caffè Nero stalls?
An exaggeration perhaps, but to eat well here, it’s best to step out and into the Westminster wilderness for a proper feed. Here are our favourite restaurants, eateries and food halls close by; our round-up of the best places to eat near London Victoria.
A. Wong
Ideal for innovative and thoughtful contemporary Chinese food..
Now with two shiny Michelin stars above the door, A.Wong has come a long way since its opening in 2013. This ‘upmarket Chinese eatery’ (their words) is actually refreshingly welcoming, inclusive and reasonably priced, considering the level of cooking going on here.
The star of the show at lunch is arguably the dim sum menu, where Wong’s technical mastery and creative flair truly shine. Each piece is individually priced and crafted to order, elevating these small bites far beyond their traditional origins. The Shanghai steamed dumplings come with a precise pipette of ginger-infused vinegar, while the ‘Memories of Peking duck’ with foie gras and plum sauce offers a luxurious twist on a classic. Perhaps most impressive is the ‘Three treasure dumpling’ featuring king crab, smoked tofu, and a fragrant lemongrass broth – a dish that exemplifies Wong’s ability to honour tradition while pushing boundaries.
For dinner, the restaurant transforms into an altogether more ambitious affair, offering only the ‘Collections of China’ tasting menu – a three-hour culinary voyage through China’s 14 international borders. This £220 experience promises to introduce diners to over 100 ingredients across some 30 dishes, from zhou dynasty cured scallop to Yunnan sweet potato with tamarind and shrimp caramel.
The level of detail is staggering; take the chrysanthemum tofu, where bean curd is precision-cut to resemble a delicate flower, floating in a fragrant broth and finished with coriander purée. It’s this kind of technical mastery combined with deep respect for regional Chinese cuisines that has earned Wong his second Michelin star – and a reputation as one of London’s most exciting chefs.
Wong, who took the helm from his parents in 2012, brings both academic rigour (he’s as much anthropologist as chef) and technical brilliance to ancient recipes and regional specialties. His cooking demonstrates that attention to detail doesn’t mean sacrificing flavour – every dish, whether it’s a simple dim sum or an elaborate tasting menu creation, balances tradition with innovation.
Open Tuesday evenings and Wednesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner (closed Sunday-Monday). While the evening tasting menu is certainly a splurge, the lunch dim sum offers an accessible entry point to Wong’s remarkable cuisine. Advance booking is essential, particularly for dinner service.
Those not ready to commit to the full tasting menu experience now have another option. Forbidden City, the basement bar beneath A Wong, reopened in February 2026 as a standalone destination with its own cocktail list and food menu. Dishes include a dim sum basket, a cherrywood-smoked Peking Duck wrap and Cantonese wonton noodle soup, alongside cocktails tied to the kitchen upstairs (the Peking Duck Old Fashioned, washed with fat from the roasting process, is exactly as good as it sounds).
One Night in Hong Kong, a £55 set offering a soy chicken and Oscietra caviar wrap, wonton noodle soup, crispy wonton and a cocktail, makes the two-star kitchen more accessible than ever. No dress code, no obligation to commit to a full evening.
Address: 70 Wilton Rd, Pimlico, London SW1V 1DE
Website: www.awong.co.uk
Wildflowers
Ideal for Mediterranean cooking that makes a virtue of simplicity…
In a former timber yard off Pimlico Road, and only a year and a half into life here, chef Aaron Potter (previously of Trinity and Elystan Street) and his Wildflowers have already bedded in and, erm, blossomed. The dining room here – all cream linens, exposed brick and candlelight, with an open kitchen that actually adds to the atmosphere rather than the noise levels – is a wonderful place to sink into, striking a neat balance between neighbourhood warmth and West London polish that’s surprisingly hard to pull off in this rather superficial side of town.
The cooking at Wildflowers is broadly, nominally Mediterranean but never gets bogged down in attempts at regional authenticity – we are in Pimlico, not Positano, after all. Instead, Potter seems more interested in getting the most from his ingredients, particularly how they respond to the the charcoal grill. A plate of grilled mackerel on sardine-laden bruschetta shows his knack for allowing good fish to speak for itself, while the cuttlefish fideuà – a sort of pasta paella – is the refined side of deeply comforting, ticking both those boxes with the most effortless of gestures.
Do start with the gnocco fritto, little fried pasta parcels filled with gorgonzola and topped with speck and honey. They’re pure indulgence but without any unnecessary fuss or frippery, which rather captures the spirit of the place. The upstairs wine bar is worth visiting in its own right. Try the Nearly Dirty Martini, where olive oil-washed gin meets house brine and nocellara olives, or simply settle in with something from their thoughtful wine list.
Address: Newson’s Yard, 57 Pimlico Road, London SW1W 8NE
Website: wildflowersrestaurant.co.uk
Gopal’s Corner
Ideal for arguably the best Malaysian food south of the river…
Food courts seem to be proliferating in London faster than the city can handle them, with several blockbuster openings occuring in recent years. Though revered restaurant group JKS’ Arcade Food Hall on Tottenham Court Road has received the vast majority of media attention we’re just as enamoured with London’s Victoria’s Market Hall which has several stellar eateries all under one roof, Market Hall represents one of the best places to eat near London Victoria.
The fact it’s only a two minute stroll from the station certainly does no harm, but in reality, the selection of food options is the main draw; Baoziin’s superb dim sum, Pasta Evangelists’ cult ‘carbonara of dreams’, and Fanny’s flame-grilled kebabs have all found a home here.
But it’s at Gopal’s Corner where the finest food is found. The sibling to beloved London restaurant Roti King, here the proposition is similar; Tamil street food featuring freshly slapped roti canai, served in bundles to accompany nourishing curries unafraid of a little oil and salt.
But equally as satisfying are simple but umami-heavy noodle stir-fries, and banana leaf platters laden with curries, crisp papadam, and chutneys positively undulating with the funk of shrimp paste and assertiveness of chilli. Just superb.
Address: Market Halls, 191 Victoria St, London SW1E 5NE
Website: markethalls.co.uk
Bleecker Burger Victoria
Ideal for the ultimate All-American burger experience…
Many of London’s culinary cognoscenti concur that Bleecker is the city’s best burger, and, though our opinion is more humble, we might just be with them.
An All-American burger which started life in London’s Spitalfields, Bleecker now has locations across the capital, including Bloomberg, Westfield, London Bridge, Seven Dials Market, Baker Street and Soho, with the Victoria outpost among its most convenient.
It’s easy to see why Bleecker is going from strength to strength. The burger menu is a concise, no-frills affair, with just six options on the menu, five of which deploy 45 aged, grass fed beef from ‘the chef’s butcher’ Aubrey Allen, with the sixth – the ‘symplicity’ burger – a vegetarian offering using chef Neil Rankin’s much hyped fermented vegetable ‘meat’.
Basically, if you’re a carnivore, it’s cheeseburgers, single or double, with or without bacon. The paradox of choice is unlikely to fell you here.
The results are spectacular, tasting both ‘dirty’ (not a term we usually like to deploy) and possessing depth through those superior pattys. All in all, it’s a knockout, and the best burger you’ll find in this part of London, at the very least.
Address: 205 Victoria St, London SW1E 5NE
Website: bleecker.co.uk
Casa do Frango Victoria
Ideal for a taste of Portugal and possibly the best peri-peri chicken in London…
Though London Victoria’s Nova development is, by most folk’s estimations, the devil’s work, it does house a couple of enjoyable options for dinner. The best has got to be the Victoria iteration of popular peri-peri chicken join Casa do Frango.
The restaurant’s name, which translates to ‘chicken house’, prosaically encapsulates its culinary focus. Casa do Frango Victoria brings the spirit of Southern Portugal to London, serving traditional Algarvian cuisine with a special emphasis on their signature dish – Frango Piri-Piri.
This dish, chicken grilled over wood-charcoal and brushed with an age-old Piri-Piri blend, has a satisfyingly smoky finish and blistered skin, which is what you’re here for, surely?
A word for the supporting cast and sides, which are a fine match to the headlining chuck – the rice with crispy chicken skin, chorizo, and plantain, is especially good.
Address: 2 Sir Simon Milton Sq, London SW1E 5DJ
Website: casadofrango.co.uk
Read: Here’s what to eat in Lisbon
Dragon Inn Club
Ideal for Sichuan hot pot & a genuine sense of occasion…
There’s something pleasing about a restaurant that makes you work for it. Dragon Inn Club sits on an unremarkable stretch of Upper Tachbrook Street with little to announce itself from the outside, but step in and you’re somewhere else entirely. Dark wood, bamboo, moody red lighting and a layout that unfolds across multiple levels, each with its own character and purpose.
The hot pot is the reason most people come, broths ranging from the signature numbing Sichuan spicy to a gentler chicken and spring onion, and the communal, cook-it-yourself format making for an evening rather than just a meal.
But the ground floor open kitchen turns out dim sum worth visiting for in its own right, and the corn-fed chicken in Sichuan chilli oil delivers that distinctive málà hit that lingers long after you’ve left. For something more intimate, the eight two-seater Private Caves along the Silk Passage are as theatrical as they sound.
Open noon until 10:30pm Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays.
Address: 16-18 Upper Tachbrook St, Pimlico, London SW1V 1SH
Website: dragoninnclub.co.uk
Lorne
Ideal for creative British plates and beautifully sourced ingredients in an intimate setting…
If you’re looking for a three course affair – the menu, in a revolutionary move, is laid out in sections of starters, mains, and desserts – of unpretentious yet utterly flawless French-ish grub, then Lorne will see you right.
It’s a reassuring space to spend time in; with a neighbourhood restaurant atmosphere, service on point – warm, gracious and knowledgeable – and the food generous and soulful. It’s not the cheapest, but you get what you pay for.
A piece of fallow deer was beautifully cooked, with edge to edge pinkness and a good crust coming in at just the right level of bitter, paired with pomme puree and boudin noir. Yep, this is unapologetically traditional in its pairings, but sometimes, that’s exactly what you need, right?
Address: 76 Wilton Rd, Pimlico, London SW1V 1DE
Website: lornerestaurant.co.uk
Olivomare
Ideal for sumptuous Sardinian offerings from the sea…
The proposition at Olivomare, an elegant establishment sitting somewhere between London Victoria and Belgravia, is a simple one; Sardinian seafood dishes, cooked with care and precision. The restaurant more than lives up to that enticing billing, with a menu that is deceptively simple in its descriptions but premium in its delivery.
With an adjoining deli championing artisan producers from Sardinia, premium ingredients take centre stage here, with fish spanking, squeaky fresh, and both local and imported vegetables shown equal reverence.
The trofie with clams and grated bottarga is a must order, given piquancy via liberal additions of chilli, both fresh and dried, and some serious salinity with the addition of reduced clam stock and that fantastic cured grey mullet roe, playing the role of parmesan adeptly.
With whole fish coming off the charcoal grill, whether marinated or salt-crusted, and making up the bulk of the main courses, there’s plenty to luxuriate in here, making Olivomare the perfect spot for a leisurely lunch in Victoria.
Address: 10 Lower Belgrave St, London SW1W 0LJ
Website: olivorestaurants.com
The Pem
Ideal for lively fine dining and modern British fare…
Okay, we accept that you might have to hotfoot it 10 minutes north east into Westminster to get to The Pem, but with the eating options around London Victoria not exactly resplendent, you may well be glad that you did.
This luxurious and lively fine dining restaurant, located within the elegant Conrad London St. James Hotel, now operates under head chef Daniel Winser, whose menus continue the restaurant’s founding commitment to high-quality, seasonal British produce. Think hand-dived Orkney scallops, roast venison loin and glazed veal sweetbread, dishes that are contemporary in technique and bold in flavour, shifting with the seasons.
The Pem’s name pays homage to suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, affectionately known as Pem by her family, and that spirit of bold thinking remains very much embedded in the restaurant’s identity. The interior exudes an art deco charm, adorned in striking pinks and deep reds, with plush seats and banquettes. It’s the perfect place to settle into.
The Pem was recognised in the 2025 National Restaurant Awards and appears in the SquareMeal Top 100 London restaurants, testament to a kitchen that continues to deliver at the highest level regardless of who’s manning the pass. The ‘Taste of The Pem’ six-course tasting menu is the most complete way to experience what Winser’s kitchen is about, though the set lunch offers an accessible and very good-value entry point.
Address: 22-28 Broadway, London SW1H 0BH
Website: thepemrestaurant.com
Cyprus Mangal
Ideal for truly exceptional Turkish Cypriot fare…
Sure, the vast, vast majority of both Turkish and Cypriot restaurants are found in London’s north, but down in depths of Pimlico, an outlier exists doing some truly exceptional Turkish Cypriot fare. That outlier is Cyprus Mangal, just a short stroll from London Victoria, and a damn fine place to spend an evening of eating.
It’s also an eminently reasonable restaurant to feast big; a generous portion of lamb beyti (minced lamb, charcoal grilled), a freshly baked basket of Turkish bread and chopped-to-order tabbouleh won’t set you back much more than £20, which in this part of town, is, quite simply, excellent value.
Open daily from midday ’till midnight, it’s also an inclusive late night spot in an area of London that often feels pretty inhospitable. Bravo, indeed.
Address: 45 Warwick Way, Lillington and Longmoore Gardens, London SW1V 1QS
Website: cyprusmangal.co.uk
La Poule Au Pot
Ideal for French food made with love…
Is it Belgravia? Is it Victoria? Let’s not get bogged down in the minutiae of geographic semantics here, La Poule Au Pot has been a Westminster institution for almost 60 years, and continues to deliver largely Lyonnaise ‘bouchon’ classics to this day.
Indeed, La Poule Au Pot wouldn’t look out of place on Paris’ Rue des Martyrs or in the middle of Lyon’s Presqu’Île. This charming, old school restaurant is all about Burgundy bistro fare; expect snails with garlic butter, frogs legs, grilled calves liver, terrine of foie gras with Sauternes jelly, rabbit with mustard sauce…you get the picture, and it’s a very pretty one to paint.
With nooks and crannies, trinkets and even, whisper it, tablecloths, this is a spot best enjoyed as the nights draw in and the evening temperature drops. Because when the candles are flickering, the carafes of drinkable are red breathing on the table, and the food is at its most hearty and comforting, there’s fewer better places to spend an evening in London.
Address: 231 Ebury St, London SW1W 8UT
Website: pouleaupot.co.uk
Speaking of Belgravia, if you’re moving on there to continue your food tour of London, then check out our guide on where to eat in Belgravia. You may even recognise our previous entry in there!
