London · 18 Citorah Picks · 3 to skip

Where to eat in London

In the order Citorah recommends them: the order the guides rank them, and never by commission. How Citorah is paid

Markets

  • Citorah PickMarket · Shoreditch

    Brick Lane

    Citorah says The Sunday market sprawl, and a street that is half curry-house institution, half bagel shop. The 24-hour beigel bakeries at the north end are a London rite of passage.

  • Citorah PickMarket

    Broadway Market

    Citorah says Hackney, Saturdays, the east-London market locals actually shop. Food stalls plus a great street to drink along after.

  • Citorah PickMarket · South Bank / Waterloo

    Borough Market

    Citorah says The famous one, by London Bridge. Touristy now, but still a real produce market with excellent stalls. Go mid-morning on a weekday to beat the crush.

  • Citorah PickMarket

    Maltby Street Market

    Citorah says The locals' answer to Borough: a tighter run of railway-arch traders in Bermondsey, weekends only. Better atmosphere, fewer crowds.

  • Citorah PickMarket

    Camden Market

    Citorah says Otherwise Camden Market.

Restaurants

  • Citorah PickRestaurant

    Padella

    Citorah says Handmade pasta, tiny, a permanent queue that moves. No bookings at Borough (join the virtual queue); the Shoreditch and Soho (Kingly Street) branches take reservations.

  • Citorah PickRestaurant

    St. JOHN

    Citorah says Fergus Henderson's nose-to-tail restaurant near Smithfield. Modern British cooking's reference point. The bakery alone is worth the trip.

  • Citorah PickRestaurant

    Dishoom

    Citorah says The Bombay-café group; a genuine London institution despite the queues. The breakfast naan roll is the move.

  • Citorah PickRestaurant · Shoreditch

    Brat

    Citorah says Wood-fired, Basque-influenced, Shoreditch. One of the city's best.

  • Citorah PickRestaurant · Soho / Covent Garden

    Kiln

    Citorah says Kiln & Bao — Soho counter restaurants, Thai and Taiwanese respectively, that defined the modern London counter-dining wave.

  • Citorah PickRestaurant · Soho / Covent Garden

    Bao

    Citorah says Kiln & Bao — Soho counter restaurants, Thai and Taiwanese respectively, that defined the modern London counter-dining wave.

  • Citorah PickRestaurant

    The Standard Inn

    Citorah says For lunch, walk into Rye and book The Standard Inn on The Mint — proper kitchen, mains £16-22, order whatever the Rye Bay catch is that day (verify before going).

  • Citorah PickRestaurant

    Wheelers Oyster Bar

    Citorah says Eat at Wheelers Oyster Bar on the High Street — a dozen natives for about £18, cash-ish, tiny, book ahead (verify before going).

  • Citorah PickRestaurant

    Company Shed

    Citorah says Eat at the Company Shed on Coast Road — paper plates, BYO bread and wine, half a dozen native oysters around £15, cash-friendly, lunch only, queues from noon so go at 11:30 sharp.

  • Citorah PickRestaurant

    The Black Horse

    Citorah says Walk twenty minutes inland to The Black Horse at Climping village for a proper pub lunch (verify hours before going, especially in winter).

  • Citorah PickRestaurant · King's Cross

    Caravan

    Citorah says King's Cross has been regenerated around Granary Square: Coal Drops Yard for shopping and food, Central Saint Martins, the art school, on the square itself, and restaurants including Dishoom, Caravan and Granary Square Brasserie.

  • Citorah PickRestaurant · King's Cross

    Granary Square Brasserie

    Citorah says King's Cross has been regenerated around Granary Square: Coal Drops Yard for shopping and food, Central Saint Martins, the art school, on the square itself, and restaurants including Dishoom, Caravan and Granary Square Brasserie.

  • Citorah PickRestaurant · King's Cross

    Decimo

    Citorah says Decimo, on The Standard's 10th floor, cooks Mexican food.

Skip these

  • Botany Bay Hotel Restaurant

    Avoid the Botany Bay Hotel restaurant on the clifftop: tired carvery pricing, captive-audience cooking.

  • Whitstable Oyster Company Restaurant

    Avoid the Sunday queue at the Whitstable Oyster Company restaurant on the beach: overpriced, oversold, and you can see the same view from a bench with a bag of chips.

  • Inn on the Beach Restaurant

    Skip the Inn on the Beach on bank holiday Sundays — the kitchen visibly gives up around 2pm and the queue does the cooking's work for it.

Plan the trip

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