Food and Drink in London
London is one of the best places in the world to eat. British classics, afternoon tea, historic pubs, food markets and cheap eats from every corner of the globe.
London's food scene has changed beyond recognition in recent decades. Alongside the British classics, from fish and chips to the Sunday roast, the city offers food from almost every country in the world, excellent markets and a pub culture that is worth experiencing in its own right.
Our guides explain what to try, where to find it and what to expect, how pubs work, how service charges are handled, and how to eat well if you are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or need halal food.
131 guides in this section.
British classics
Traditional British Food to Try in London
Pie and mash, puddings and the classics worth trying.
Afternoon Tea in London
What it costs, how to book and the affordable options.
The Full English Breakfast
What is on the plate, and where to eat a good one.
Fish and Chips in London
How to order, and what the extras mean.
The Sunday Roast
Yorkshire puddings, gravy and why you should book.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Pubs and drinking
Historic Pubs in London
Old taverns, riverside inns and the stories behind them.
Pub Etiquette for Visitors
Ordering at the bar, rounds and what to drink.
Rooftop Bars in London
Views, sunsets, prices and booking tips.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Markets and world food
London's Best Food Markets
Borough, Maltby Street and the weekend food halls.
Borough Market
What to eat, and when to go to avoid the crush.
Cheap Eats in London
Markets, meal deals and good-value neighbourhoods.
Brick Lane and London's Curry Scene
Brick Lane, Tooting, Southall and the history behind them.
Chinatown London
Dim sum, bakeries and Chinese New Year.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Special diets and coffee
Vegan and Vegetarian London
The best areas, menus and supermarket options.
Halal Food in London
Where to look, and how to check certification.
Gluten-Free Eating in London
Allergen rules, supermarkets and asking in restaurants.
Coffee in London: Where to Find a Good Cup
Flat whites, roasters and the best café areas.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Eating the world in London
Indian Food in London
Southall, Tooting and Wembley, and what to order in each.
Caribbean Food in London
Patties, curry goat and jerk, all year and not just at carnival.
Turkish Food in London
The charcoal grills of Dalston, and how to order at one.
Vietnamese Food on Kingsland Road
Pho Mile, what to order, and which places take bookings.
Korean Food in London and New Malden
Soho, and the suburb New Malden built around Korean food.
Middle Eastern Food on Edgware Road
Lebanese grills and bakeries open long after midnight.
Japanese Food and Sushi in London
Ramen, conveyor belts, and where the money is worth it.
Chinese Food Beyond Chinatown
Regional cooking that beats the Gerrard Street tourist menus.
Italian Food in London
Clerkenwell's delis, and the pizza worth queueing for.
Polish and Eastern European Food
Milk bars, delis and bakeries in Hammersmith and Ealing.
Ethiopian and West African Food
Injera and jollof, and how each is meant to be eaten.
Greek and Cypriot Food in London
Mezze houses that have fed north London for sixty years.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Dishes, places and drinking
Pie and Mash and Jellied Eels
The last eel and pie houses, and what liquor really is.
Salt Beef, Bagels and Jewish London
Brick Lane at 3am, and the salt beef bars that survived.
Bakeries and Pastries in London
Which bakery queues are worth standing in.
Seafood and Oysters in London
Oyster bars and fish counters, a long way from the sea.
Brunch in London
What bottomless includes, and why Sunday needs booking.
Craft Beer and Brewery Taprooms
The Bermondsey Beer Mile, and how to walk it sensibly.
Gin Distilleries and Tours
Where the gin is made, and what a tour costs.
Cocktail Bars in London
Hotel bars, hidden basements, and what a round costs.
Wine Bars in London
Old cellars and new small-plate places, without the hovering.
Drinking Without Alcohol
Where to go, and what to order, when you are not drinking.
Late-Night Food in London
Where to eat after midnight, and how to get home afterwards.
Michelin-Starred Restaurants in London
What a set lunch costs at a starred restaurant.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
More of the world, on a high street
Persian Food in London
Where to find it, and what to order the first time.
Nigerian and Ghanaian Food in London
Jollof, egusi and suya, and the point-and-choose buffets.
Filipino Food in London
Adobo and lechon, in a scene London only just noticed.
Peruvian and Latin American Food
Ceviche, arepas, and the markets behind them.
Portuguese and Brazilian Food
Little Portugal, the custard tarts, and the churrascarias.
Georgian and Central Asian Bakeries
Khachapuri, samsa, and how to order at a tandoor counter.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Pubs, and how the British drink
Riverside Pubs on the Thames
Where to drink by the water - and which ones flood.
Beer Gardens in London
Real gardens, not four tables on a pavement.
Pub Quizzes and What Happens in a British Pub
The quiz, the round, and last orders, explained.
Gastropubs: Where the Food Is the Point
What makes a gastropub, and what the roast costs in one.
Pub Walks and Historic Crawls
Four routes, and the history between the pints.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Eating out, explained
Dim Sum in London
How the tick-sheet works, and what to order first.
Burgers and Fried Chicken
The burger places, the chicken shops, and what each is worth.
Pizza in London
Neapolitan, Roman, and which chains are actually good.
Desserts, Ice Cream and Chocolate
Something sweet at ten at night, and where to go in daylight.
The Best Museum and Gallery Cafes
Which are worth eating in - and which you can use for free.
London's Chain Restaurants, Explained
What the names on every high street are, and which to trust.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Where to eat near the thing you came to see
Where to Eat Near the British Museum
Which places near the museum are worth it, and where locals go.
Where to Eat Near the Tower of London
Tower Hill is poor for lunch. Walk ten minutes in the right direction.
Where to Eat Near Buckingham Palace
Nothing on the Mall, and three good directions to walk in.
Where to Eat Near King's Cross and St Pancras
An hour before your train, or fifteen minutes: two different answers.
Where to Eat Near Victoria Station
A big station that eats badly, and the short walks that fix it.
Where to Eat Near London Bridge
The market is the obvious answer, and often the wrong one.
Where to Eat Near Covent Garden Without Tourist Prices
The piazza charges what it can. Walk two streets and stop paying it.
Where to Eat Near Oxford Street
Almost no good food on the street itself. North or south, then.
Where to Eat Near The O2 and in Greenwich
Thirty chains, or thirteen minutes on a bus to old Greenwich.
Where to Eat Near Wembley Stadium
What works before kick-off, and where to eat properly after.
Where to Eat Near the London Eye
The view costs double. What is two streets behind it.
Where to Eat Near the Kensington Museums
The museum stretch has nothing. Forty metres south, it has everything.
Where to Eat Near St Paul's
A weekday, a Saturday and a Sunday are three different maps here.
Where to Eat Near Camden Market
Which stalls have lasted, and where to sit down away from the crowd.
Where to Eat Near Notting Hill and Portobello
Which streets stay good midweek, and which trade on the postcode.
Where to Eat in Greenwich
The market, the river pubs, and what to do about the hill.
Where to Eat in Shoreditch
Half of it opened last year. Here is the half that lasted.
Where to Eat Before a West End Show
Curtain at half seven means ordering at six. Who does it well.
Where to Eat Near Baker Street
Chains and a queue at the station. Three better directions to walk.
Where to Eat Near Charing Cross
Trafalgar Square eats badly. Villiers Street and the Strand do not.
Where to Eat Near Westminster and Parliament
Where the civil servants eat, and what is open on a Sunday.
Where to Eat Near Tower Bridge
The south side is better, cheaper and ten minutes away.
Where to Eat in Canary Wharf
Built for weekday lunch. What is still open on a Sunday.
Where to Eat in Brixton
Two covered markets and a street. What to eat at each hour.
Where to Eat in Peckham
Rye Lane first, rooftops second. The food is older than the bars.
Where to Eat in Richmond
The riverside charges for the view. The back streets do not.
Where to Eat in Hampstead
Expensive and pretty. The pubs, the side streets, and a picnic.
Where to Eat Near Wembley Park
The stadium, the outlet, or Ealing Road. The last one wins.
Where to Eat in Stratford
Two malls and an older high street. The food is on the high street.
Where to Eat Near ExCeL
Chains inside, better food one DLR stop away.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Eating out: the awkward bits
Eating Alone in London
Counters, bar seats and the rooms built for one person.
Breakfast Before an Early Train or Flight
What is open at half past five, and when to wait until airside.
Food Allergies and Eating Out in Britain
What the kitchen must tell you, and how to ask for it.
London Restaurants That Do Not Take Bookings
How the walk-in system works, and when to turn up for it.
The Bermondsey Beer Mile
Taprooms under the arches, and which of them are open when.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Where to eat near the station you arrive at
Where to Eat Near Paddington Station
The station feeds you fast. Five minutes out, it feeds you well.
Where to Eat Near Waterloo Station
Leave by the right door and Waterloo eats better than the West End.
Where to Eat Near Euston Station
A hard station with Drummond Street hidden behind it.
Where to Eat Near Liverpool Street
Two directions, ten pounds a head apart. Which way to turn.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Kitchens the site has not covered yet
Thai Food in London
Thai food arrived in British pubs. Where it went from there.
Malaysian and Singaporean Food in London
Laksa and roti canai: what the dishes are, and where they are best.
Sri Lankan and Tamil Food in London
Hoppers and kottu, and the two neighbourhoods that do them properly.
Spanish Food and Tapas in London
Sherry bars, old delicatessens, and what tapas should cost.
French Food in London
Bistro, brasserie, patisserie: what each promises, and who delivers.
Mexican Food in London
Where the tortillas are made on site, and where they are not.
Moroccan and North African Food in London
Tagine, harira and mint tea, on two very different streets.
Nepalese and Himalayan Food in London
Momos and thukpa, in the outer boroughs rather than the middle.
Sushi and Ramen in London
What sushi should cost, and how to read a ramen queue.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Eating without a restaurant
Food Halls in London
The format that solves a group who cannot agree. Which halls deliver.
Supermarkets in London Explained
Which chain is cheap, which is dear, and why the small ones cost more.
Picnic Supplies and Self-Catering in London
Where to buy a park lunch, and which parks earn the effort.
Eating Out with Children in London
Who feeds children free, and who is genuinely glad to see them.
Ice Cream and Gelato in London
Which gelaterias are worth a detour, and what the tourist vans charge.
Irish Pubs and Sports Bars in London
Where to watch the match, and which Irish pubs are the real thing.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
One pub, one page
The Prospect of Whitby
A flagstone floor since 1520, and a noose over the river.
Wapping Old Stairs and the Wapping Pubs
The old river stairs, and the pubs within ten minutes.
Ye Olde Mitre, Ely Court
Down an alley, built for a bishop's servants, closed on Sundays.
The Seven Stars and the Pubs of Legal London
A 1602 pub with a cat in a ruff, behind the law courts.
The George Inn, Southwark
London's last galleried coaching inn, in a yard off the High Street.
The Jerusalem Tavern and the Pubs of Clerkenwell
One room in a Georgian shopfront, and full by half past five.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
Twelve kitchens the site has not reached
Afghan Food in London
Mantu and kabuli pulao, in Hounslow, Southall and Kingsbury.
Somali and East African Food in London
Suqaar and canjeero in Shepherd's Bush and Woolwich. Bring cash.
Colombian Food in London
Arepas at seven in the morning, and where the traders moved to.
Goan and Keralan Food in London
Fish curry and appam. The south Indian food that is not Punjabi.
Bangladeshi Food in London
The kitchen behind Britain's curry houses, and the food it hides.
Pakistani Food in London
Charcoal grills and nihari in Southall, Tooting and Ilford.
Taiwanese Food and Bubble Tea in London
Beef noodle soup first, bubble tea second. Which shop is which.
Burmese and Indonesian Food in London
Tea-leaf salad and rendang. Two small kitchens, few addresses.
Lebanese and Syrian Food in London
The Edgware Road is half of it. Where the Syrian bakeries are.
Kurdish Food and the Turkish Breakfast
The Green Lanes grills are Kurdish, and breakfast is the meal.
Israeli Food in London
Sabich and malawach, and how it differs from the Lebanese plate.
The Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony in London
Beans roasted at your table, three rounds, and an hour. Where to sit.
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.
A market on the wrong day
Photos in this list: photographer and licence for each image are listed on our image credits page.