London Restaurants

Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill is one of London’s most iconic restaurants, blending sophistication with timeless elegance and reflecting the hotel’s rich heritage. Reimagined by Gordon Ramsay, the restaurant reopened its doors in April 2023, revitalising a space that has been a favourite of actors, politicians, and influential figures for generations. The subtle updates were well worth the investment, as the buzzing dining room now welcomes a new demographic of passionate foodies alongside its regulars.

The British have always harboured a faintly masochistic love affair with queuing. We queue for Wimbledon tickets, we queue for airport security, we queue - often with existential regret - for a lukewarm G&T at the theatre bar. And in Marylebone, a particularly dedicated breed of diner queues, rain or shine, for steak frites at Le Relais de Venise L’Entrecôte.

Villa Mamas is the kind of restaurant that doesn’t need to try too hard. Tucked away on a quiet street off Chelsea Green, it’s small, always busy, and doesn’t rely on gimmicks or overblown fuss. The low lighting, flickering candles, and the warm scent of fresh flatbreads and spices make it instantly inviting. The staff greet you with understated hospitality, a quiet reverence in keeping with the restaurant’s origins. It’s the kind of place where people become regulars after a single visit, as I found after moving nearby last year.

The leafy south-west London village of Barnes may be one of the more sought-after districts of the capital to live in, but one thing it’s lacked on the culinary front in recent years is a restaurant of any kind serving Middle-Eastern cuisine.

Step forward ‘Omm’ (meaning "mother" in Arabic): a Lebanese venue which has just opened in the White Hart Lane building long occupied by local institution Annie’s, so has a lot to live up to already.

Jamavar, on Mount Street in London, draws inspiration from the Viceroy's house in New Delhi, marrying the opulence of India's bygone eras with the modernity of London's dining scene. The restaurant's name itself, is derived from the luxurious Jamavar shawls that symbolise Indian craftsmanship. Mount Street, known for its Victorian architecture and high-end boutiques, provided a fitting backdrop for the restaurant that aims to blend the rich culinary traditions of India with contemporary expectations.  

Nestled on the banks of the River Thames, with a commanding view of Tower Bridge, Le Pont de la Tour is a landmark restaurant that intertwines French cuisine with the dynamic backdrop of London's skyline. This culinary destination has been at the forefront of London’s high-end dining scene since opening its doors in 1991. I was offered a job there as a Sommelier around 1996, but declined as I wasn’t ready to move to London. I am not sure if I regret this or not. I think retrospectively I would have thoroughly enjoyed my time there.