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This is a collaborative post.
It is easy to spend a lot of money on food in London with its plethora of money-no-object tables scattered across restaurants in its boroughs.
However, the city also hides plenty of places to enjoy a delicious supper where you can balance out the extravagant options that do not require deep pockets and don’t skimp on flavor either.
So without much ado, here are some high-style chic as well as not so splashy restaurants in London, where bills can be £40 or £400, depending on the mood and the pocket.
Tendril
When I visited Tendril, I was absolutely blown away, so I can highly recommend it.
People are raving about Tendril all over Instagram and Tripadvisor. Not surprisingly. Tendril aims to cook up such vegan and vegetarian dishes that aren’t represent any particular cuisine that to me is the very definition of modern, sustainable world cuisine. Middle-Eastern, South-Asian, a hint of Pakistani, French and probably more. Without anything fake or processed, just focusing on the best properties of each vegetable and combining them with a magic wand. It’s way past fusion kitchen. It’s food evolution.
Roti Stop
£4-£6
Located in Stamford Hill, this grab and go joint is a very popular Caribbean takeaway eatery. Serving curried lamb with roti, topped with tamarind sauce are the perennial favorites.
The menu includes banana fritters, dumplings and of course roti, best enjoyed with some fruit punch after you have finished the main course.
Paul Rothe & Son
Sandwiches from £3.40 onwards
Sandwich lovers flock to this charming family-run joint in Marylebone Lane which has been doing business since the 1900s and sees epic long lines during lunchtime.
Customers come here in droves to order the delightful salt beef, tuna, mayo and cheese sandwiches served by white-coat waiters in a cafe-style seating on formica tables surrounded by jars of jam.
Old Compton Brasserie
I enjoyed
A mixture of popular crowdpleasers: burger (meaty or plant based), seafood linguine, grilled halloumi, steak, chickpea and veg curry, pan fried sea bream, Korean BBQ wings – so plenty of modern gastro pub classics. Not really a brasserie in my view but the selection perfectly mirrors what most people want to eat when out in a casual restaurant for a nice meal.
The Old Compton has quite a few different menus too: brunch, lunch, seasonal set menu and dinner menu and it has an impressive looking bar with cocktails and wine. When I visited, opted for a tapas style dinner and ordered 3 starters: cream of celeriac soup (I can never resist celeriac soup when on the menu), crispy polenta and burratina. I enjoyed them all very much.
Chinese Tapas House
Crepes from £4.50
If you can brave the queues of the Chinese Tapas House in Chinatown, you are really in for a treat. This small spot is known for its jianbing pancakes and excellent street food made right before your eyes.
Their delicious crepes come stuffed with spring onions, pickles, chilli oil, hoisin sauce and pork belly, which are well worth the long wait.
Kitchen Table
£250 for Tasting Menu
£160- Wine pairing
£250- Champagne pairing
London’s fine dining scene is thriving. Kitchen Table is located in the culinary haven of Charlotte Street and this two-Michelin star restaurant has since long enjoyed the reputation of the capital’s best chef’s table dining experience.
The tasty veg and non-veg menu offers the best of British produce on 20 bar stool seats that surround the chef patron James Knappet’s kitchen. The menu changes everyday, depending on the best ingredients available.
Da Terrain
£245- Tasting Menu
£180- Lunch tasting menu
£150- Wine & drinks pairing
The Brazilian-inspired Da Terra is located in Bethnal Green Town Hall and has been making waves on the culinary circuit since 2019 and won its first Michelin star within nine months of opening.
A destination in its own right, one has to wait for weeks to get a prime table in front of the open kitchen. The menu offers a 11 course offering including petit fours and canapes. This signature dish, Moqueca, a Brazilian fish stew, served in a copper pot, takes the breath away.
Sagar
Very underrated and very budget-friendly. I’ve been a big fan of Sagar for years now. Read my review of Sagar here.
Specialising in authentic South Indian dishes such as curries, dosas and thalis (just to mention my favourites) this is a VEGETARIAN and VEGAN restaurant with only a handful of restaurants located in London. They proud themselves using traditional recipes and spices. As such, they also have garlic and onion free dishes as that’s a dietary requirement in hinduism as is vegetarianism. All the chefs are also from Udupi (coastal Karnataka), which known for its dishes using fresh coconut, lentils, rice and a carefully balanced blend of spices.
They offer a’la carte, lunch specials and lunch boxes at special prices – on the top of already very very economical a’la carte prices.