You really cannot go wrong when it comes to London’s gastronomy scene. Whether you are in the mood for Italian, Middle Eastern or Caribbean food, the city allows you to sample global dishes without ever leaving the capital. Here are 10 London restaurants to try if you want to sample world cuisines.
From family-friendly, laid-back restaurants to cutting-edge dining, London’s food scene is incredibly diverse, boasting a range of eateries to suit all kinds of foodies.
Lina Stores, Restaurant & Deli, Marylebone
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Cuisine: Italian
Price: ££
If you frequently google “Italian restaurants near me,” you’ll love Lina Stores. Founded by a Genoese woman, the Italian delicatessen first opened its doors in 1944. Today, the latest branch, situated near Bond Street station, is the newest addition to the family, with four additional restaurants around central London. Enter the two-floor eating house to experience the informal, laid-back vibe in an open kitchen and a 1940s colour palette of green and white stripes. The lower-ground floor is reserved for a warmer and more intimate dining experience with art-déco features and velvet seats.
Lina stores menu is the perfect combination of traditional, well-known Italian dishes and more regional, never seen before, options like gnocco fritto with prosciutto and ricotta and duck and porcini mushroom ravioli.
Location: 13-15 Marylebone Ln, London, W1U 2NE
Chishuru, Brixton
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Cuisine: West-African
Price: ££
There are several great Nigerian restaurants in London, one being Chishuru. Chef Adejoké’ Joké’ Bakare launched the West African restaurant after her sell-out supper clubs proved to be incredibly successful and on-demand. Situated in the heart of Brixton, this Nigerian restaurant brings home-style West-African cooking to the forefront. The set menu options (lunch £30 – dinner £45-£48 pp) offer a great way to explore the offerings prepared in an open-plan kitchen that allows you to watch Bakare work her magic creating delicious contemporary West-African dishes. Its ever-changing menu will have you going back for more!
Location: Unit 9 Market Row, Coldharbour Ln, London, SW9 8LB
Mangal 2, Dalston
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Cuisine: Turkish
Price: £
Looking for Turkish restaurants in London? Just walk through Dalston, and you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to Turkish grills, also known as ocakbasi. But Mangal 2 restaurant stands out amongst all its competitors! Once known as the favourite ocakbasi spot of artists Gilbert&George, the Turkish restaurant offers regional flavours with twists and innovation. Dishes like grilled hummus with smoked oil and the lamb’s heart pide are amongst the new favourites. Enjoy the ever-changing weekly specials with locally brewed beers with spacious seating with an easy-going ambience.
Location: 4 Stoke Newington Rd, London, N16 8BH
Bibi, Mayfair
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Cuisine: Indian
Price: £££
Bibi is the perfect blend of Indian and British gastronomy, boasting a menu of British produce and traditional Indian flavours, resulting in exciting high-end dishes. The Indian restaurant lies inside a Georgian building with chequerboard flooring and traditional patterns, creating a unique interior that stands out amongst the Mayfair restaurants nearby. Try the chef’s selection (£85pp + £45pp wine selection) and enjoy dishes like green chilly turbot and Wookey-hole cheese papad at this.
Location: 42 N Audley St, London, W1K 6ZP
Bao Borough
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Cuisine: Taiwanese
Price: ££
What do you get when you mix late-night Taiwanese grills with bar seating and shared tables in the heart of Borough Market? You get Bao – a simple but notably narrow restaurant with character. There are endless restaurants in Borough Market, but Bao is a must! They’re famous for its skewers grill, but we recommend trying their ample selection of small plates, including guao bao (steamed buns) and the classic bao (pork and crushed peanuts) that’s topping the flavour charts. And if you’re in the mood for singing, head down to the restaurant’s private backroom party room for karaoke.
Location: 13 Stoney St, London, SE1 9AD
The Begging Bowl, Peckham
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Cuisine: Thai
Price: ££
Set in the heart of Peckham, the Begging Bowl is all about sharing authentic Thai food. The name derives from the pots or ‘begging bowls’ carried by monks in Chiang Mai, which people often fill with food. As you enter the restaurant, you’re invited into a space with floor-to-ceiling windows and wooden chairs and tables surrounded by hundreds of plants. The short menu changes almost daily, but everything is made for sharing and comes with unlimited jasmine and sticky rice.
Location: 168 Bellenden Rd, London, SE15 4BW
Lemonia, Primrose Hill
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Cuisine: Greek
Price: ££
Established in 1979, Lemonia is a family-owned Greek restaurant that has been in business for over 40 years. A Greek landmark, the restaurant has a taverna feel with trailing vines and lemon tree motifs scattered around the venue. Despite the many Greek restaurants in London, this venue is a hotspot adorned by celebrities, offering an extensive menu of grills, oven-cooked dishes, fish and salad. Have a go at their flavourful marinated fish or the rabbit cooked in wine. The three-course set menu (£16.50 pp, Monday to Friday) is too good to miss out on.
Location: 89 Regent’s Park Rd, London, NW1 8UY
Iberia, Islington
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Cuisine: Georgian
Price: ££
If you have been searching for Georgian restaurants in London, chances are Iberia is what you’re looking for. Named after present-day Eastern Georgia, the eatery is known for its friendly staff and relaxed aura. With an extensive menu, the Georgian restaurant offers traditional and authentic dishes at affordable prices, giving you your money’s worth. Try traditional Georgian food like borsh, delicious stews, or more adventurous dishes like Kuch Machi, beef giblets cooked with garlic and pomegranate. Don’t forget to wash down your meal with some aromatic flavoured wine that the country is famous for.
Location: 294-296 Caledonian Rd, London, N1 1BA
Rudie’s Jerk Shack, Camden
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Cuisine: Jamaican
Price: £
Famous for its delicious jerk chicken and sweet Jamaican rum punch, Rudies Jerk Shack brings Jamaican flavours to Camden. Taste is everything at this restaurant – they marinate their meats for 24 hours. As you step into the Jamaican restaurant, you’ll be welcomed into a laid-back space with a striking interior with mellow reggae music playing in the background. Indulge in their signature charcoal-grilled jerk chicken or go for the jerk lamb rump – you will not be disappointed!
Location: Unit M195, Waterside Halls, Hawley Wharf, London, NW1 8JZ
Bubala, Liverpool Street
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Cuisine: Lebanese
Price: £
A fully non-meat hotspot, Bubala is an affordable Lebanese restaurant in Spitalfields that serves small sharing dishes. Choose between the vegetarian and vegan menu to be amazed by their twist on Middle Eastern food. Stop by for their charred oyster mushroom skewers with tamari, coriander seed, and agave when hunger strikes. Or go for their fried aubergine, zhoug (hot sauce), and date syrup served in their L-shaped dining room decorated with jade green tiles.
Location: 65 Commercial St, London E1 6BD
