The Best Fine Dining in London

Pushing the boundaries of what deliciousness isWith the exponentially growing amount of shared pictures of signature dishes combined with spying and stealing (known as inspiration), most of the fine dining today is becoming alarmingly similar in terms of ingredients, combinations, dishes and plating. In this sense, Chef Jeremy Chan's and Iré Hassan-Odukale's Ikoyi feels refreshingly different. This two Michelin star holder (since 2022) is said to be a fusion of "West Africa meets British Isles" cuisine, but it could also be aptly described as "genuinely original" or even "bold but delicious" fine dining. Most of the spices come from Nigeria / West Africa, practically all of the ingredients are sourced locally, and the techniques employed are global, making it pleasantly challenging to pinpoint what Ikoyi is all about. As Chan himself puts it, the goal is to "push the boundaries of what deliciousness is" and "help guests discover flavors they're not familiar with." Few examples? A chicken sausage marinated with vin jaune infused with African peppercorns and served with a mushroom emulsion on soft toast that has been caramelized in chicken fat known as a drunken chicken toast. Or on the other end of the spectrum, their rough looking but superbly comforting signature dish Smoked jollof rice. Ikoyi moved at the end of 2022. The new space designed by David Thulstrup (known for his work on new Noma, etc.) is on par with the cuisine. The space has an understated and cave-meets-sci-fi feel, combining southern warmth and nordic coolness. Very expensive but truly unique as well. To wrap things up, for those who don't know (like myself), what is Ikoyi, it is the most affluent neighborhood in Lagos, set to become the most populous city in the world.

First time experiencing Mexican flavours in a fine dining setting and hopefully not the last one. Everything was top notch from beginning to end. From starting with an amazing Mezcal margarita to the exquisite menu (the mole!), in depth wine & mezcal pairing and the knowledgeable staff. Make sure to also visit the Mezcaleria with a broad selection of sophisticated cocktails for aperito or an after dinner drink!

Innovative and clever seasonal tasting menu restaurant Innovative cuisine by Isaac McHale, local produce cooked with great care and prescison, presented artfully and deliciousGreat wine and ambient tea pairing with sharp service in a lovely dining room

Incredible seasonal British cuisine in Shoreditch, by chef James Lowe.An incredible nod to British cuisine. The great thing about Lyle's is that they change their menu four times a year, sometimes daily, depending on what's in season, and they are always using the best of what's around at the time.

A great restaurant with amazing hospitality.Core by Clare Smyth is a great restaurant with amazing hospitality, a nice team and great service. A perfect fine dining place to visit in Notting Hill once you’re in London.

Temple of gastronomy and place of pilgrimage, try the caracu.

What chef Andrew Wong has done in his modern Chinese 2 Michelin star restaurant in Pimlico is unique. It's almost impossible to get a table, and I’ve had many wonderful meals here. Such a beautiful place.

Going back in timeEating at the Ritz in London takes you back in time and I don’t mean in it in the bad sense of the word. In fact the complete opposite. The architecture goes back to 1903 and is in Louis XVI style which is impressive not only when you enter but also throughout the meal. So much to see! Live music performances. The menu is classic but with lots of modern touches. FOH is dramatic but shines very bright here with Giacomo as the star. Perfectly executed preparations at the table with fun exchanges in between were the cherry on top of the visit to the Ritz.

A neighbourhood restaurant with flairPerilla flys a little under the radar, but this buzzy neighbourhood restaurant has a real idiosyncratic style across it's a la carte and set menus that I love. Fantastic saucemaking and inventive dishes like cauliflower mushroom carbonara keep me coming back, plus it's very reasonably priced for the standard of cooking. Great bread too, I could sit there and eat it non-stop with their homemade brown butter. Perilla's like the quirky, quiet kid at school who ends up changing the world, or at least, is very, very good at cooking.

Northern Spanish food, cooked over fire, by chef Nieves Barragan.Sabor, run by chef Nieves Barragan, is a female-led business that is about traditional Northern Spanish food, but also with a nod to the South of Spain. All food is cooked over fire. Tapas counter on the main floor. Located off Regent Street.

Inventive, zero-waste cookingPlant-forward food in a cool industrial space. Everything is made from something else at closed loop Silo, from the cuisine utilising offcuts and byproduts, to the upccycled furniture and fittings. Chef Douglas McMaster is doing more than anyone else probably to demonstrate the possibilities of zero waste.

Like a rural farm-to-table smack bang in the centre of LondonOllie Dabbous' cavernous space on Piccadilly is split across three levels: a bar in the basement, a casual-ish restaurant on the ground and something fancier upstairs. The location, space, the fact they do breakfast, etc. actually do the restaurant a bit of a disservice, it screams Mayfair mediocrity, but the ingredients, cooking and service are all impeccable. There are lots of things going on in the dishes (I can only speak to my experience eating at the ground floor restaurant) but it all works and the abundance of fresh produce they use gives the whole thing the feel of a rural farm-to-table restaurant on one of the busiest streets in the city. One of the best meals I've had in London in recent times.

My favourite restaurant in LondonEverytime i visit London, Trivet is top of my list! It just keeps getting better! An exceptional restaurant, with wonderful staff, a stunning wine list and utterly delicious food!!I was having such a good time i forgot to take any photos of the food!!

West African-insipred fine diningA restaurant that really does deserve more acclaim, with the kitchen now helmed by chef Ayo Adeyami, formerly of Tippling Club in Singapore. The menu is a thrilling tour of West African cuisines utilising lots of British ingredients, with the kind of spicing that will make you sit up straight and electric flavours. The jollof rice is fantastic and I would recommend trying the soft pairing even if you're a drinker, as they make some memorable homemade brews.

When London meets Paris. That little French sparkle in the UK.The house of Mr. Bibendum aka Claude Bosi. Iconic is the building, legendary is Claude’s cuisine. “Simple” ingredients though with that French modern sparkle, are the signature of Claude & his team. As a captain on a sailing ship, Claude navigates his cuisine in serene waters. Special positive remark for Diego Masciaga, head of the Front of House. As legendary as the chef himself. Topspot in London. Ps visited during W50B London with The Family.

Tucked away at the back of Bubbledogs through a discreet entrance, is the 20 seat Kitchen Table. Kitchen Table is a dining experience, encouraging full interaction with the chefs and showcasing previously unseen kitchen theatre.Head Chef James Knappett prepares, cooks and serves a daily changing menu of meticulously sourced and foraged British ingredients.I really enjoyed this experience dinner, the atmosphere is not "classic" and therefore not really for people who want to dine quietly but for me, it is one of the best places to eat in London.

A London Classic. The menu changes from time to time, it's my 3rd time coming back here, and they deliver all. the. time. Visited Ledbury for lunch during weekends & dinner on weekdays, and even though the dinner menu is more extensive, I can’t resist a long cozy (home like ambience) lunch on a breezy summer day as well...

PSS. Clean, elegant cooking with incredible service.This restaurant has a lot of memories for me, spent a long time working here. I visited last year, for the first time in 4 years. I was blown away by how far the restaurant has come, the food is even better than ever, clean, elegant cooking with incredible service. How do they not have 2 stars yet?