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$ | Soho |
Fabulous handmade pasta at affordable prices characterizes this groovy Italian eatery off Soho's Golden Square. Sit at the bustling chef's counter to sample options like bucatini cacio e pepe or pork, fennel, and 'nduja ragù with twirly ribbons of mafalde pasta. Enjoy fine creamy burrata, Sicilian red prawns and samphire, and ample Soho people-watching from the row of raised curbside counter window seats.
8-10 Lower James St., London, Greater London, W1F 9EL, England
Known For
- Instagram-famous "silk handkerchiefs" sheets of pasta with confit egg yolk
- Top-value pasta dishes from 20 Italian regions
- Upbeat atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$ | Shoreditch |
Locals are keen to proclaim the virtues of their favorite Brick Lane bagel emporium, but to be perfectly honest, there's not much true competition aside from this spot and its two-doors-down neighbor, the Beigel Shop. Both serve delicious fresh beigels (the traditional European spelling) 24 hours a day, seven days a week (at just 40 pence each); both date back to when Brick Lane was home to a largely Jewish immigrant community, and both are family-owned (two branches of the same family, in fact). When it comes to picking between each establishment's excellent value (£6.50) hot salt beef sandwich (with sweet gherkin and tangy English mustard optional extras), however, always go for Beigel Bake.
155 Brick La., London, Greater London, E1 6SB, England
Known For
- Brusque service
- Classic hot salt beef beigel sandwich
- Lively, often drunk, clientele
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$ | Bethnal Green |
It's all Cockney banter and full English breakfasts at this tiny family-run café and onetime gangsters' lair near Brick Lane and Columbia Road markets. The atmosphere may be rowdy, but it's all good-natured, with greasy fry-ups (think eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans, toast, tomatoes, fried mushrooms, black pudding, and cabbage and mash) served alongside homemade Italian dishes like lasagna and cannelloni and British classics like pies and roast dinners, all courtesy of matriarch Mama Maria. With the ornate food-paneling (installed in 1946 by local carpenter and regular customer Achille Capocci) as a backdrop, a visit to E. Pellicci feels a little like a wonderful performance of East End life being staged for your benefit.
332 Bethnal Green Rd., London, Greater London, E2 0AG, England
Known For
- Full cast of East End Cockney characters
- Copious full English breakfasts and builder's brew tea
- Cash-only cheap dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Aug. No dinner, Reservations not accepted
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$ | Dalston |
This bakery, which supplies bread to many of East London's top eateries, has a friendly café and deli on-site, where you can sample some of the tastiest toasted sandwiches in the city. The shop also stocks a concise range of elegant household items.
Mentmore Terr., London, Greater London, E8 3PH, England
Known For
- House-milled flour
- Secret courtyard garden in back
- Fantastic daylong sourdough-making classes that sell out months in advance
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Soho |
Earthy northern Thai cuisine bursts out of the charcoal-fired kiln and hot clay pots at this barbecue-focused wonderland in Soho. Take in the fascinating tiny open kitchen and you'll see sizzling cumin-dusted hogget lamb skewers and chargrilled chicken thigh bites, along with other local Thai village-style dishes that show influences from Laos, Myanmar, and the Yunnan province of China. Pick up hints of Thai parsley and Burmese wild ginger in a slew of authentic dishes such as lime-bathed langoustines or claypot-baked glass noodles with Tamworth pork belly and brown crab meat.
58 Brewer St., London, Greater London, W1F 9TL, England
Known For
- Open-kitchen setup with charcoal grill and hot clay pots
- Plethora of Cornish-grown Thai, Burmese, and other Asian herbs and spices
- Heavenly cumin-dusted aged hogget lamb skewers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | Soho |
Once frequented by the likes of Virginia Woolf and Karl Marx, locals still cherish this quirky 1871 French pâtisserie, vintage tea parlor, and occasional pop-up art space, where nothing seems to have changed since the 1920s. Colorful pastries, tarts, croissants, and sweet cakes are well loved and expertly baked on-site. You can choose from the gooey chocolate and fruit éclairs, Saint-Honoré and Black Forest gateaux, marzipan figs, and flaky almond croissants. Still run by Soho legend Michele Wade, Maison Bertaux also hosts a cheery retro afternoon tea service, which comes with savories like Dijon slice or broccoli quiche.
28 Greek St., London, Greater London, W1D 5DQ, England
Known For
- Mesmerizing vintage French pâtisserie window display and interiors
- Retro afternoon Tea
- Old-fashioned collection of creamy French pastries
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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$ | Westminster |
Located next door to the London Coliseum (home of English National Opera), this hip café serves some of the best sandwiches, salads, and coffee in the neighborhood. In the evening (it’s open until 9 pm, Tuesday through Saturday), there’s more of a wine-bar vibe.
31 St. Martin's La., London, Greater London, WC2N 4ER, England
Known For
- Friendly staff that doesn't rush you
- Industrial chic decor
- Good-quality wines available by the glass
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$ | Borough |
Sit at the galley kitchen counter and you can watch the chefs toss hot pans of authentic handmade (on-site) Italian pasta, generally considered among the best in London. The acclaimed but amazingly affordable small plates include ravioli with Neal's Yard ricotta and sage butter, burrata with Puglian olive oil, papardelle with a slow-cooked beef-shin ragù, and Dorset crab tagliarini with chili and lemon. An Italian cocktail favorite like a Negroni or Aperol Spritz (plus Italian wine on draft starts at £4.50) make the perfect accompaniment. Lone diners might get a stool at the counter overlooking the kitchen right away. Otherwise, leave your name at the door or join the "virtual queue" and they will message you when your table is ready, but the combination of high quality and low prices means you could be waiting an hour. The early bird catches the table.
6 Southwark St., London, Greater London, SE1 1TQ, England
Known For
- Low-priced, high-quality, handmade Italian pasta
- Papardelle with eight-hour beef-shin ragù
- No reservations and long waits
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No reservations
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$ | Soho |
London's top modern Sri Lankan spot dazzles with Ceylonese spiced prawns, Aylesbury duck leg rolls, authentic Sri Lankan egg hoppers, and fabulous char-smoked chicken curries. Located on Rupert Street in the heart of Soho, the diminutive space is a brilliant study in brutalist modernism, with its polished concrete walls, brown-leather cushions, stainless steel counters, and hand-thrown Tamil and Sinhalese typography clay tableware.
61 Rupert St., London, Greater London, W1D 7PW, England
Known For
- Punchy Colombo-style cocktails and house infusions
- Sri Lanka–sourced fruit, vegetables, and spices combined with top British produce
- Sri Lankan family recipes with Portuguese, Malay, South Indian, and Dutch influences
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Mon., Reservations essential
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$ | Soho |
Lines form daily to secure a prized seat, perch, or stool at this no-reservations 32-seater from a crack team of Taiwanese steamed bao bun specialists. The gloriously plump milk-based, rice flour bao buns—stuffed with organic Cornish braised pork, peanut powder, and fermented greens—are the undisputed stars of the show. These nifty bao buns also come with fried chicken, crumbed daikon, or lamb with soy-pickled chilis and garlicky mayo. Kick off with the silky scallops in yellow bean garlic sauce and finish with a fried bao bun stuffed with Horlicks ice cream for dessert.
53 Lexington St., London, Greater London, W1F 9AS, England
Known For
- Long lines for the steamed and stuffed Taiwanese bao buns
- Highly Instagramable pig's blood cake and soy-cured egg yolk
- Unusual fried bao bun with Horlicks ice cream for dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations not accepted
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$ | Soho |
This legendary Italian coffee bar on Frith Street is Soho's unofficial beating heart and a 22-hours-a-day classic institution. Established in 1949 during the postwar Italian coffee bar craze and still run by the founding Polledri family, today an eclectic parade of locals grab an espresso or cappuccino made from the vintage Gaggia coffee machine, and wolf down a chocolate baci or a light snack at the mirrored bar counter. The walls are plastered with pics of old-time Italian opera singers, movie legends, and '50s world boxing champs, and it's the primo spot in town to watch Italy play during the World Cup.
22 Frith St., London, Greater London, W1D 4RF, England
Known For
- Tiny hole-in-the-wall setting
- Old-school Italian espresso
- Sturdy sausage or bacon sandwiches
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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$ | Soho |
Set in a former basement brothel, this Soho meatopia cranks out £24 platters of chargrilled beef, lamb, and pork skinny chops and juice-soaked flatbread, all served on antique pearlware. Supplied by Philip Warren butchers from the Cornwall moors, Blacklock's killer chops sizzle on the grill under heavy Blacklock cast irons from Tennessee. All-in platters include starters of crispbread topped with egg and anchovy and punchy sides like the 10-hour ash-roasted sweet potato. Enjoy catchy '80s tunes, wine on tap, and a hearty tableside serving of white chocolate cheesecake for dessert.
24 Great Windmill St., London, Greater London, W1D 7LG, England
Known For
- Young and bubbly service with bouncy '80s tunes
- Huge platters of skinny chargrilled chops and flatbread
- £24 Sunday roasts with all the trimmings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations essential
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$ | City of London | Café
In St. Mary-le-Bow's Norman crypt, this café is packed with City workers weekdays 7:30–2:30 for a menu covering breakfasts, scrumptious light lunches, and delicious cakes. It's also open for dinner Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Cheapside, London, Greater London, EC2V 6AU, England
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$ | City of London |
This unpretentious but charming family-run Vietnamese street-food café offers delicious quick bites and takeout dishes for lunch. Try the pho, banh mi, or spring rolls.
17 Ironmonger La., London, Greater London, EC2V 8EY, England
Known For
- Excellent pho noodles
- Great value
- Lunchtime lines
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Fri.–Sun.
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$ | Covent Garden |
Where else can you find an amazing three-course French meal right by Covent Garden for £21? The Côte Brasserie chain does just the trick, offering a pleasing menu loaded with classic French favorites: crêpes with mushrooms and Gruyère cheese, boeuf bourguignon, moules marinière, and iced summer berries and white chocolate sauce. Service is all fine and dandy, and if you're lucky enough to be attending the ballet or opera at the nearby Royal Opera House, this is perfect for a pre-or post-theater meal.
17–21 Tavistock St., London, Greater London, WC2E 7PA, England
Known For
- Part of a highly dependable chain of French brasseries
- Very reasonable pre- and post-theater deals
- Reliable French classics like moules marinières
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$ | Mayfair |
This successful chain serves up delicious juices and smoothies, as well as sandwiches, soups, and wraps.
1 Curzon St., London, Greater London, W1J 5HD, England
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends
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$ | South Bank | Café
This is a cluster of small shops specializing in jewelry, art, clothing, and ceramics by designer-manufacturers, with an adjoining cluster of informal restaurants and cafés, most with outdoor seating. A project of the Coin Street Community Builders, a social enterprise group, it bustles with activity. The same group converted the nearby Oxo Tower Wharf, an art deco warehouse with three levels of designer studios that also serve as retail outlets. The Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie, a pricey restaurant operated by the swish department store Harvey Nichols, occupies the top floor, and you can see the same spectacular views from an adjacent free public viewing area (open daily).
56 Upper Ground, London, Greater London, SE1 9NH, England
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Free
View Tours and Activities
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$ | Hampstead |
Family-friendly and tucked away on a pretty mews, Ginger & White is a delightful fusion of a continental-style café and traditional British "caff"—all bound up with a modern, sophisticated Hampstead vibe. Specialties include homemade peanut butter and cakes, farm-sourced free-range eggs, rare-breed bacon, and specialty espresso. It can get crowded on weekends.
4A–5A Perrins Ct., London, Greater London, NW3 1QS, England
Known For
- Family- and dog-friendly atmosphere
- Weekend crowds
- Excellent coffee
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Greenwich |
This pint-sized eatery, which specializes in vegetarian Indian street food, is one of the very few independents in a neighborhood dominated by pubs and chain restaurants. Start with crisp samosas before indulging in a creamy dal or curry. The mouthwatering mango lassis are also made fresh.
10 Greenwich Church St., London, Greater London, SE10 9BJ, England
Known For
- Welcoming family atmosphere
- Good range of vegan dishes
- Filling thali meals
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$ | St. James's | Café
Overlooking The Mall, this café and bar offers a tasty, reasonably priced lunch and dinner menu, with coffees and snacks available throughout the day. Like the venue itself, it's open 11–11.
The Mall, London, Greater London, SW1Y 5AH, England
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
