Best Restaurants in Central London 2019

London has been named the second most visited city in the World, after having welcomed 20.42 million international visitors in 2018; this trend is not going to end and for this reason eating in Central London can be a real hassle. Too many touristy places, too many expensive places, too many places where high price doesn’t equal quality.

Putting together a list with the best restaurants in Central London is extremely hard: the choice is incredible and the area is pretty big. To compile the following list, we did consider these things:

• Quality of food;
• Ambience;
• Type of food

Prices are not part of our evaluation: we usually decide to eat without taking into consideration the price that much, as long as the quality of the food is satisfying. So, in the following list on where to eat in Central London you won’t find any fast food or cheap place, but only places we like and we like to recommend.

Best Restaurants in Central London

This is our list with the best restaurants in Central London: it cannot be comprehensive but it includes all the places we like and we recommend. Enjoy and if you’re into food traveling, have a look at our guides.

Kebab Queen, Covent Garden

An upmarket take on the kebab and Middle Eastern flavours. All dishes are served over the counter from an open kitchen with a wood-fired grill.

Address > 4 Mercer Walk, Covent Garden

Website > Kebab Queen

Red Farm, Covent Garden

A clean, fresh and inventive approach to Chinese food offering dim-sum, small plates, grilled and marinated meats.

Address > 9 Russell St, Covent Garden

Website > Red Farm

Cora Pearl, Covent Garden

Hearty and comfort food and cocktails in a historic Covent Garden townhouse.

Address > 30 Henrietta St, Covent Garden

Website > Cora Pearl

The Petersham Nurseries, Covent Garden

An oasis of calm in the heart of Covent Garden, The Petersham offers seasonal dishes that celebrate the finest produce.

Address > 31 King St, Covent Garden

Website > Petersham Nurseries

The Delaunay

A European café-restaurant with dishes mostly from France and Central Europe.

Address > 55 Aldwych, Holborn

Website > The Delaunay

Bryn Williams at Somerset House

A casual, modern British dining experience with fruit and vegetables taking centre stage, plus a bar for every occasion.

Address > Somerset House

Website > Bryn Williams at Somerset House

The Barbary, Covent Garden

24 seats all around the bar and a menu with influences from Israel, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and the North African countries.

Address > 16 Neal’s Yard

Website > The Barbary

Frog by Adam Handling, Covent Garden

Only local ingredients to create a contemporary British menu.

Address > 34-35 Southampton St

Website > Frog

Kaspar’s at The Savoy, Covent Garden

Oyster bar and seafood restaurant in the Savoy hotel dining room overlooking the Thames.

Address > 34-35 Southampton Street

Website > Kaspar’s at The Savoy

Eneko, Covent Garden

Revisited Basque cuisine and bottomless brunch during the weekend.

Address > One Aldwych

Website > Eneko

Cinnamon Bazaar, Covent Garden

Inventive Indian cuisine and innovative cocktails, served all day in a vibrant, bazaar-themed space.

Address >  28 Maiden Lane

Berenjak, Soho

A casual Persian restaurant, Berenjak serves Iranian mazeh and kebabs in a corridor-like space.

Address > 27 Romilly Streer

Website > Berenjak

Freak Scene, Soho

Southeast Asian plates come with eclectic twists at this animated venue with open kitchen and bar.

Address > 54 Frith Street

Website > Freak Scene

Hoppers, Soho

Family-style Sri Lankan cooking and inventive cocktails offered in vibrant, relaxed surroundings.

Address > 49 Frith Street

Website > Hoppers

Momo, Mayfair

Couscous, tagines and lamb dishes in colourful setting filled with furnishings from a Moroccan souk.

Address > 23 – 25 Heddon St, Mayfair

Website > Momo

Kitty Fishers, Mayfair

Modern British fare with a Spanish twist served in a polished, dimly lit space with a bar.

Address > 10 Shepherd Market, Mayfair

Website > Kitty Fishers

Gridiron By Como, Mayfair

A modern live-fire grill to pay homage to the ancient art of grilling with its open kitchen the hearty modern British menu celebrates seasonal, ethically-sourced ingredients, with meat, native fish and vegetables.

Address > 19 Old Park Lane

Website > Gridiron

Brasserie of Light, Marylebone

British & international menu items in an Art Deco dining room with high ceilings & natural light.

Address > 400 Oxford St, Duke St, Marylebone

Website > Brasserie of Light

HIDE, Mayfair

A three floor space in a contemporary setting with elevated morning to late-night dining options.

Address > 85 Piccadilly, Mayfair

Website > Hide

Indian Accent in Mayfair

An inventive approach to Indian cuisine without forgetting tradition.

Address > 16 Albemarle St, Mayfair

Website > Indian Accent

Sabor, Mayfair

Spanish eatery offering tapas plates plus bar & countertop dining in casual digs.

Address > 35-37 Heddon St, Mayfair

Website > Sabor

Ella Canta, Park Lane

An inventive Mexican menu and creative cocktails.

Address > One Hamilton Place, Park Ln, Mayfair

Website > Ella Canta

Magpie, Mayfair

Contemporary British dining with an open kitchen dishing out small plates, served on trolleys.

Address > 10 Heddon Street, Mayfair

Website > Magpie

Sexy Fish, Mayfair

Swanky, art-filled setting for robata-grilled fish, raw-bar items & more, plus a variety of drinks.

Address > Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, Mayfair

Website > Sexy Fish

Isabel, Mayfair

An all day dining destination for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night drinks.

Address > 26 Albemarle St, Mayfair

Website > Isabel

Corrigan’s, Mayfair

Home of acclaimed Irish chef, Richard Corrigan it redefines the concept of quintessential British and Irish cuisine. 

Address > 28 Upper Grosvenor St, Mayfair

Website > Corrigan’s

StreetXO, Mayfair

Imaginative Asian-European small plates and cocktails in offbeat surroundings to match.

Address > 15 Old Burlington St, Mayfair

Website > StreetXO

Tokimeite, Mayfair

Modern take on classic Japanese cuisine set against a stylish, striking backdrop with water features.

Address > 23 Conduit St, Mayfair

Website > Tokimeite

Pucci, Mayfair

Relaxed modern dining featuring sharing plates, exciting cocktails, and pizzas.

Address > 39 Maddox St, Mayfair

Website > Pucci

Emilia, Mayfair

Handmade pasta and natural wine. The upstairs dining room is quite upscale, while downstairs is more casual.

Address > 7 Haunch of Venison Yard, Mayfair

Website > Emilia

Kerridge’s Bar & Grill

Upscale New-York style steakhouse from acclaimed chef Tom Kerridge. Refined ambient, worth a try.

Address > 10 Northumberland Ave, Westminster

Website > Kerridge’s Bar & Grill

Scully, St James’s

Hip, wood-hued eatery serving artfully plated seasonal flavours from Australia to India & Ireland.

Address > 4 St James’s Market, St. James’s

Website > Scully

Ikoyi, Piccadilly

Chic space with decor that reflects the cuisine: a modern twist on authentic West African flavours.

Address > 1 St James’s Market, St. James’s

Website > Ikoyi

Ginza Onodera, St James’s

Slick, stone-clad space showcasing sushi, teppanyaki & robata grilled dishes, plus lots of sake.

Address > 15 Bury St, St. James’s

Website > Ginza Onodera

45 Jermyn Street, Piccadilly

Elegant restaurant with terracotta booths and a marble-topped bar, for brasserie menu and cocktails.

Address > 45 Jermyn St, St. James’s

Website > 45 Jermyn Street

Xier, Marylebone

The menu is served over a 10 course experience, and each one of them will showcase a journey of modern european cuisine with global influences.

Address > 13-14 Thayer St, Marylebone

Website > Xier

Flesh and Buns, Fitzrovia

Izakaya-style restaurant & bar serving steamed buns with creative fillings in a chic, lively space.

Address > 32 Berners St, Fitzrovia

Website > Flesh and Buns

Kyseri, Fitzrovia

A modern-Turkish place named after the ancient city in Cappadocia in central Anatolia.

Address > 64 Grafton Way, Bloomsbury

Website > Kyseri

Rovi, Fitzrovia

The 85 seat restaurant by chef Ottolenghi serves a menu with vegetables at its heart but with a fresh focus on fermentation and cooking over fire

Address > 59 Wells St, Fitzrovia

Website > Rovi

Neptune, Bloomsbury

A modern British neighbourhood restaurant serving a variety of oysters and shellfish selected from independent growers around the UK.

Address > Russell Square, Bloomsbury

Website > Neptune

Berners Tavern, Fitzrovia

A gathering place for all day dining and entertaining, breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea and late supper. 

Address > 10 Berners St, Fitzrovia

Website > Berners Tavern

Roganic, Marylebone

Foraged ingredients for Modern British food.

Address > 5-7 Blandford St, Marylebone

Website > Roganic

BAO, Fitzrovia

Eatery & bar for steamed milk buns & other inventive Taiwanese eats & drinks.

Address > 31 Windmill St, Fitzrovia

Website > BAO

Clipstone, Fitzrovia

Relaxed eatery serving seasonal dishes of British ingredients alongside wines on tap.

Address > 5 Clipstone St, Fitzrovia

Website > Clipstone

Carousel, Marylebone

Simple dining room with wooden tables and hanging lamps, for modern menus and guest chef roster.

Address > 71 Blandford St, Marylebone

Website > Carousel

The Harcourt, Marylebone

A menu from a Finnish chef meets and drinks by a Swedish mixologist at this elegant former pub.

Address > 32 Harcourt St, Marylebone,

Website > The Harcourt

Pachamama, Marylebone

Peruvian dishes, made with British ingredients, served with cocktails in a colonial-style surround.

Address > 18 Thayer St, Marylebone

Website > Pachamama

This is our always updated list with the best restaurants in Central London so you can now stop Googling “restaurants in London”. Just bring our guide with you anytime you’re looking for a place where to eat in London.

If you’ve eaten somewhere on this list of the best restaurants in Central London and loved it, share it with the hashtag #thefoodellers.