Oxford Street, the brash, bustling heart of London’s shopping scene, attracts tens of millions of visitors each year with its impressive array of over 300 shops (299 of which are American candy purveyors) and a whole host of iconic landmarks to boot.
As Europe’s busiest shopping destination, it boasts a daily footfall of around half a million people, outgunning other popular European streets such as Madrid’s Gran Via and Paris’ Champs-Elysées.
Served by four tube stops (the busiest of which is Oxford Circus), 270 buses an hour, and that famously high volume of shoppers – some hungry, many hangry, and more still simply needing a place to rest their weary feet a while – it’s no surprise that diners of all tastes and temerities are catered to here.
And whilst that luxury of options is certainly welcome for many, for others, the paradox of choice can grip as tightly as a parent’s hand as their child steps aimlessly into the path of a big red bus. Fear not, we’re here to guide you, away from the trains and traffic, and into the best restaurants near Oxford Circus, London.
Chishuru, Great Titchfield Street
Ideal for modern West African dining from one of the city’s most celebrated new chefs…
From fish-and-chip cart in Nigeria, to cooking competition winner in Brixton, to a shiny Michelin star in a shiny new establishment just off Oxford Street, it’s been quite the journey for self-taught chef Adejoké Bakare, chef-patron of the modern West African restaurant Chishuru.
The UK’s first black female chef to be awarded a Michelin star, it’s a story of tenacity, sure, but it’s also one of unstoppable, undeniably delicious cooking, a kind of ‘refined’ (for want of a better term) take on West African food that’s anchored in generosity and perfectly judged spicing. You’ll find both in the glazed, fatty af lamb belly, served with a piquant pepper relish that’s punchy with fresh chilli and rasping with a floral peppercorn we couldn’t put our finger on.
You’ll find it, too, in the crisp yet tender bean fritters, the centre a tacky textural delight. Served with a fermented rhubarb and chilli dressing that arrives lurid pink and tastes even more vivid than its colour promises, it’s superb.
Best of all from the current menu, a guinea fowl thigh, its skin blistered and burnished from the grill, is served dusted with smoky yaji spice and an incredible caramelised onion and lemon puree, its layers of heat and pungency coming at you in undulating waves, the sweetness of the onion soothing things just enough to keep you coming back for more.
Right now, that menu (it’s a set, no-choice affair with a vegetarian alternative) will set you back £40 at lunch and, for a longer version, £75 in the evening. An adjacent wine flight is available for £56, and is definitely worth going for, the complexity of Bakare’s cooking deserves thoughtful drinks pairing.
Only open weekdays, do make sure you book in advance, as Chishuru is quite rightly packed Monday through Friday. Yep, this is, for us, the best place to eat near Oxford Circus. Nab a table while you still can.
Website: chishuru.com
Address: 3 Great Titchfield St., London W1W 8AX
The Wigmore, Langham Place
Ideal for elevated pub grub fare in classy, retro-inspired surrounds…
Sitting just a five minute stroll from Oxford Circus and ideal for taking a load off after a long morning’s shopping, The Wigmore is a luxurious gastropub that’s perfect for both perfectly poured pints and plates of poise and precision. Or both; here, the two aren’t mutually exclusive, but can be, if you simply fancy a swift half before moving on to your third UNIQLO of the day…
Billing itself as a modern British Tavern that’s full of surprises, the menu features reimagined pub fare curated by Michel Roux Jr., holder or 2 Michelins stars at Mayfair’s Le Gavroche.
Diners can expect British boozer classics with a little French flair thrown in for good measure, exemplified by the buttered then fried Wigmore Sourdough Toastie, which features three cheeses – Montgomery cheddar, Ogleshield and Raclette – and a lingering pungency from mustard and sliced onion. Arriving blistered and burnished in all the right places, it is, according to Observer food writer Jay Rayner, ‘’the best cheese toastie in town’’.
Housed in a historic banking hall, The Wigmore is part of the luxury Langham hotel, with a sense of prestige and pedigree palpable in the simple, leather-and-wood clad dining room. That’s not to say it’s forgotten its pub roots; there’s also outdoor seating and a pub quiz held every Monday evening.
Anyway, that sense of pedigree continues onto the plate. Aside from that toastie, there’s a superb cheeseburger, given the French gastronome treatment with a completely unnecessary but totally irresistible slice of pressed, grilled ox tongue.
A scotch-egg which comes spiced with masala and encased in fine vermicelli pasta instead of breadcrumbs (and touching down on the table looking like a porcupine, quite honestly) is another classic pub dish delivered with a Wigmore spin. It’s bloody delicious.
The indulgent takes on snacks continues. Toasted crumpets – here topped with a generous tangle of white crab meat held together with a brown crab mayo – arrive sitting in a pool of positively pelagic butter. Though your GP might not approve, by Christ we do.
Pair it with a pint or two (sorry doc) of the Wigmore’s signature house Saison, and you’re in for a real treat. No wonder the Wigmore and bar manager Andre Ferreira took home the prestigious Cateys Award for Best Pub and Bar last year.
Just don’t expect to return to the shopping with the same enthusiasm you had before lunch…
Address: 15 Langham Pl, London W1B 3DE, United Kingdom
Website: the-wigmore.co.uk
Sabor, Heddon Street
Ideal for Andalusian-inspired tapas…
It seems like you can’t escape Nieves Barragan, the former head chef of Barrafina, right now, whether it’s because of her appearances as a judge on Masterchef or because Sabor, her Michelin-starred, Andalusian-inspired tapas bar on Heddon Street, is regularly being named as people’s favourite London restaurant on the ‘gram.
Ubiquity has certainly not dampened the quality at Sabor, whichever level you choose to pull up a stool. On the ground floor, you’ll find a horseshoe-shaped counter where regional Spanish classics with a focus on fresh fish are served with finesse. Do not miss the txistorra tortilla, an unctuous, oozing spanish omelet filled and topped with paprika-spiked Basque sausage.
On the first floor, El Asador, things are really taken up a notch, with a selection of larger sharing dishes cooked in a traditional wood-fired oven from Castile. Whilst the brooding seafood rice is certainly a crowdpleaser, the headlining act here is without doubt the Segovian sucking pig, available in quarter, half or whole portions.
Though the full beast will set you (and hopefully some friends!) back £300, it’s an incredible piece of work, all hyaline skin shattering when you breathe on it and fatty, tender flesh beneath. The wait staff arrive to portion it with a plate, just to emphasise its succulence. It’s a lovely, silly slice of theatre. Do your own cutting through with a dry, citrusy rioja blanco – the Solar de Randez does the job perfectly – and you’ve got yourself one of London’s finest lunches.
Indeed, just a five minute stroll from Oxford Circus, we’d go as far as to say Sabor is our favourite restaurant close to Oxford Street.
Address: 35-37 Heddon St, London W1B 4BR
Website: saborrestaurants.co.uk
BAO, Lexington Street
Ideal for bouncy bao buns and other Taiwanese treats…
As if it needed any introduction except to say you can reach the restaurant from Oxford Street in just five minutes, the Lexington Street outpost of beloved Taiwanese restaurant BAO was founded by Erchen Chang, Shing Tat Chung, and Wai Ting Chung in 2015, a trio whose background in art and design has translated to the instantly recognisable aesthetics here (see the famous ‘Lonely Man’ logo’) and the uber-Instagrammable signature dish.
That’s not to say it’s all style over substance at BAO. Quite the opposite, in fact; the headlining ‘Classic’ bao bun, which features a slice of tender braised pork belly, peanut powder, coriander and fermented mustard greens, is as good as New York chef David Chang’s iconic version at Momofuku Noodle Bar. If not, whisper it, even more satisfying…
The lamb shoulder bao, which can only be found exclusively at this BAO branch, is another one not to be missed. Inside those headlining pillowy buns, slow cooked lamb is perfectly paired with a coriander sauce, garlic mayonnaise and soy pickled chilli. It’s a dreamy combination.
That said, you’d be foolish to remain safely ensconced in the pillowy embrace of the bao bun for the entirety of your meal. As any seasoned BAO aficionado knows, it’s in the Xiao Chi section of the menu that the real kicks are found, whether you’re elbows deep in the hard fried Taiwanese chicken with a truly piquant little hot sauce, or you’re making friends with a slab of peppery pig’s blood cake, topped with a soy-cured egg yolk that envelops and enraptures.
Finish with a fried Horlicks ice cream sandwich, and be on your merry way.
BAO Lexington Street has held a prestigious Bib Gourmand award from the Michelin Guide since 2016. Oh, and if you’re keen to cook some of their classic dishes yourself, then the BAO cookbook was released earlier this year.
Address: 53 Lexington St, Carnaby, London W1F 9AS, United Kingdom
Website: baolondon.com
Read: 6 of the best private dining rooms for large groups in London
Zahter, Foubert’s Place
Ideal for Istanbulite cuisine and terrific Turkish hospitality…
Located just off Carnaby Street, Zahter is a culinary gem led by the talented chef Esra Muslu that aims to reinterpret traditional Turkish cuisine.
With previous at Ottolenghi Spitalfields as well as a spell serving as executive chef at Istanbul’s Soho House, Muslu has made a name for herself in the culinary world for her forward-thinking Turkish cooking that explores hyper-seasonal, homestyle cooking far removed from the kebabs and flatbreads most associated with the country’s cuisine.
Esra opened Zahter in October 2021 after a successful Carousel residency in March 2018, earning rave reviews from critics and a full dining room ever since. It’s a mezze-focused affair, with hot and cold mezze making up the vast majority of the single page menu, the four protein-focused ‘platters’ feeling like almost an afterthought among the fresh vibrancy of the smaller plates.
Accordingly, Zahter is one of the best places for vegetarians to dine well in all of Central London, whether they’re getting stuck into Enginar Dolması – a whole artichoke flower presented as if in bloom and accompanied by spiced rice – or the insanely moreish Odun Ateşinde Patates – potatoes that are close to collapsing from the heat of the wood-fired grill, dressed in punchy gremolata.
The restaurant also boasts an impressive cocktail list, with our go-to order the Zahter’s Night, a visually pleasing drink inspired by Istanbul’s sunsets. This unique concoction features butterfly pea tea, gin, elderflower cordial and fresh lemon juice, creating a mesmerising kaleidoscopic effect when mixed.
In fact, the whole experience is an intoxicating one, particularly if you’re perched at the bar that sweeps elegantly around the wood-fired oven, swivelling in your stool trying to avoid getting too much smoke in your eyes as natural light streams in from all sides, watching the cooks at work. On a bright and breezy day in London, there’s no place we’d rather be…
Address: 30 – 32 Foubert’s Pl, Carnaby, London W1F 7PS, United Kingdom
Website: zahter.co.uk
Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, Kingly Court
Ideal for delightful Damascene dishes that are perfect for sharing…
Next up, we’re ducking into Kingly Court and heading up several flights of stairs to Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, not only one of the best restaurants close to Oxford Circus, but one of our favourite places to eat in London, full stop.
The story of the restaurant has been well documented; restaurateur Imad Alarnab’s three successful restaurants in Syria’s capital Damascus ended up a victim of the cruel war being fought there, seeing Alarnab flee the country in search of a new life. He found it in London, where his Syrian Kitchen has been thriving, garnering praise from national critics and a coveted Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide.
It’s easy to see why; Imad’s Syrian Kitchen is a hugely likeable place, with the big man working the room with grace and warmth, and the hearty, generous (it’s very easy to over order) flavours of his homeland finding their way onto every plate here.
As Imad told Vice in a 2017 interview; “In Syria, we don’t do plates. We don’t ask, ‘What do you want to eat?’ We just serve lots of food and you can eat whatever you like, whenever you like. It’s like family”.
So come here with your nearest and dearest and order everything. Tear off a chunk of the restaurant’s house pita, drag it through the roughly-hewn hummus that’s been dusted generously in sumac, get stuck into the complex, no-one-bite-is-the-same fattoush, and prepare to feel very well-looked after, indeed.
Address: 2.14 Top Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby St, London W1B 5PW, United Kingdom
Website: imadssyriankitchen.co.uk
Pollen Street Social, Pollen Street
Ideal for a refined modern British menu from the acclaimed chef Jason Atherton…
If you are looking for a Michelin-starred experience close to Oxford Street, then you’ll find it at Pollen Street Social, the flagship restaurant of renowned chef (and Gordon Ramsay protege) Jason Atherton.
Opening its doors in April 2011, Pollen Street Social gained that Michelin star just six months after opening, and was named the best new UK restaurant by The Good Food Guide and the best new fine-dining restaurant in Time Out London that same year.
The dining room here glimmers with promise, giving way to delicate flavours that grace the plates of their multi-course tasting menu. Impeccably sourced ingredients, such as lamb and beef from the Lake District and scallops from the renowned Orkney Islands, are brought together with commendable command of the finer details.
On a summer visit, a dish of Devon crab served with Spanish melon and speciality ajo blanco ice cream stole the show – as refreshing as you like, with the crab still shining through despite its sweet counterpoints. Equally good, a tomato tartare served with verjus granita and sourdough croutons is light, full of flavour and arguably the best vegan dish you’ll ever taste.
Whilst, at £165 a head, the tasting menu certainly isn’t cheap, their set lunch menu is a relative bargain, clocking in at ‘just’ £42 for 2 courses or £49.50 for 3.
Alternatively, their extended set lunch menu at £75 for three courses plus various accompaniments including a snack and pre-dessert, gives you the opportunity to experience just why the restaurant has earnt 5 AA rosettes (one of only 7 in London and just 16 in the whole of the UK) and a 9 out of 10 in the Good Food Guide.
Address: 8-10 Pollen St, London W1S 1NQ, United Kingdom
Website: pollenstreetsocial.com
Sketch, Conduit Street
Ideal for impressing out-of-towners and eating with your eyes…
If you’re visiting from out of town and looking for a unique dining experience close to Oxford Circus, look no further than Sketch. Housed in a Grade II listed townhouse designed by English Architect James Wyatt in 1779, Sketch boasts a rich history that includes serving as the headquarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects and Christian Dior’s London atelier.
This quirky and eclectic venue is home to multiple dining rooms, each with its own distinct theme, menu, and price points to match.
The Lecture Room & Library, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, offers an exquisite French-inspired tasting menu curated (though not often actually cooked, we might suspect) by chef Pierre Gagnaire.
The restaurant’s interior has been transformed over the years through collaborations with leading designers and artists such as India Mahdavi, Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, Martin Creed, David Shrigley, and Yinka Shonibare. Head here, to a dining room rendered in sickly sweet pastel shades, only if your deep pockets haven’t been diminished by a bout of shopping on Oxford Street; the tasting menu-only format starts at £165.
Alternatively, the Glade serves a modern European menu amidst an enchanted forest setting, while the Gallery, with its pink velvet chairs and walls adorned with pop art flourishes, is perfect for afternoon tea or dinner. If that doesn’t sketch your itch, then the Parlour does all-day dining with a frivolous flourish that simply needs to be seen to be believed.
Admittedly the food at Sketch (even the 3 star jont) isn’t the best you’ll find in London, and it’s arguably more of a style-over-substance kind of place. However, if you’re feeling frivolous and want a memorable meal and some quirky content for your Instagram feed, then it’s here you should head.
Wherever you choose to eat within the iconic building, be sure to also visit the iconic egg-shaped toilet pods for a unforgettable restroom experience!
Address: 9 Conduit St, London W1S 2XG, United Kingdom
Website: sketch.london
Hoppers, St. Christopher’s Place
Ideal for a taste of Sri Lanka and creative cocktails served with a side order of energy…
Hoppers comes from London’s masters of playful, perfectly realised ‘theme’ restaurants, the Sethi family, and their JKS group. The list of places under their stewardship reads like your Instagram Explore highlights reel; there’s Bao, Gymkhana, Lyles, Trishna, Bubbledogs and Kitchen Table, Xu (RIP), Plaza Khao Gaeng, Speedboat Bar, Sabor and, of course, Hoppers. That is some role call; success and good taste is basically guaranteed.
Hoppers St. Christopher’s continues the rich run of form so popular at the inaugural Frith Street restaurant and doesn’t mess with the formula; Sri Lankan curries, dosas, the hopper itself and more – all of intoxicating, heady, just-off-centre spicing and playful delivery.
Check out our full review of Hoppers St. Christophers here.
Address: 77 Wigmore St, London W1U 1QE, United Kingdom
Website: stchristophersplace.com
Honest Burgers Oxford Circus, Market Place
Ideal for one of the best burgers in the whole of London…
Arguably the only thing that our next entry shares with Hakkasan is its proximity to Oxford Street, but if you’re looking for a straight-up quality burger served swiftly and with minimal fuss or fanfare, then Honest Burgers is as good now as when it burst on to the scene more than a decade ago.
The secret behind Honest Burgers’ success lies in the commitment of founders Tom Barton and Phillip Eeles (two university graduates who share a passion for high-quality British burgers) to carefully-sourced and house-processed ingredients.
Indeed, the beef here has been butchered in-house and is minced daily to ensure freshness, their signature patties made from chuck and rib cap, which are skimmed off a rib-eye steak in the pursuit of juicier burgers with a ‘good bite.’
You can taste those efforts to ensure quality in the signature Oxford Circus Burger, featuring that Honest beef, smoked British mozzarella, honey and British nduja mayo, shoestring fries, rocket, and pickles. It’s banging. To go alongside, the fennel battered onion rings served with a side of bacon gravy for dipping is something we never regret ordering.
The restaurant also offers a selection of craft beers from local breweries personal to each restaurant, staying true to Barton’s childhood growing up in a country pub. It’s that down-to-earth, unswerving dedication to locality that keeps Honest Burgers growing (it now boasts over 40 restaurants across the UK), with even this most central of Central London restaurants offering its own unique identity and flavour. We just love it.
Address: 4 Market Pl, London W1W 8AD, United Kingdom
Website: honestburgers.co.uk
Plaza Khao Gaeng, New Oxford Street
Ideal for spicy and complex Southern Thai food found in the Arcade Food Hall…
We end at Arcade Food Hall, close to Tottenham Court Road Station. 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 nine 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 year old, is already doing some of the most faithfully composed, fiery food from The Kingdom anywhere in the city. It’s one of our favourite Thai restaurants in London, and as good a place as any to bid you farewell.
Address: 103-105 New Oxford St, London WC1A 1DB, United Kingdom
Website: plazakhaogaeng.com
Since you’re in the area, here are the best restaurants near Tottenham Court Road Station. We’ll see you on the strip?
