fish game canary wharf
Image: Matthew Hague

The best restaurants in Canary Wharf

13 Sep 2023 | Updated on: 14 Sep 2023 |By Luxury London

From date night dinners to bottomless brunches, dining in London's premier business district is about more than just working lunches

Once a business hub that became a ghost town at weekends, in recent years Canary Wharf has flourished into an entertainment destination in its own right. With world-class shopping, a strong programme of public art and a constantly changing roster of events, from big screens showing sport in the summer to the ever-popular winter ice rink, there’s no shortage of things to do for both after-work revellers and weekend visitors.

Canary Wharf is also home to some great restaurants. Whether you’re entertaining clients on a mid-week business lunch or looking for somewhere to catch up with friends, these are the best places to eat in the Docklands.

Fish Game

Where better to tuck into sumptuous seafood dishes than in the heart of London’s historic Docklands? Restaurateur  Roberto Costa – known for his much-loved restaurant group Macellaio RC – launched his new seafood restaurant, Fish Game, earlier this year in Canary Wharf – and it’s definitely worth a try. Offering a pared-back seasonal menu of the UK’s best game and fish, all ingredients have been meticulously sourced from local lands and waters to be cooked simply over ash and charcoal by executive head chef Matthew Colk (previously of Roast and The Gun Pub). Expect dishes of Moray Firth squid with fermented chilli, Cornish monkfish with rosemary and lime and smoked Windsor Park duck breast with sweet and sour salad before delicious desserts of homemade lemon tart and tiramisu. Adding to the appeal, Fish Game will also house a tequila bar, where aperitivo will be served daily alongside world-class wines and classic cocktails.

14 Water Street, E14 5GX, visit fishgamerestaurant.co.uk

Roka

roka canary wharf

With locations in Mayfair, Aldwych and Fitzrovia, as well as Mallorca and Dubai, chances are you’re already familiar with the Roka chain of Japanese restaurants. Like the other outposts in the Roka group, the Canary Wharf branch, which overlooks Canada Square Park, specialises in robatayaki cuisine – a dramatic style of cooking in which food is prepared over hot coals in front of diners. A full range of plant-based, seafood and meat options are available, while the menu also includes an extensive list of sushi, sashimi and tempura. To get the full experience, opt for the weekend brunch (bellinis and wine included) or try the tasting menu, which features highlights such as tuna, sea bass and salmon sashimi, tiger prawn tempura, cedar roast baby chicken, and asparagus with sweet soy and sesame.

4 Park Pavillion, 40 Canada Square, E14 5FW, visit rokarestaurant.com

Six by Nico

The first Six by Nico opened in Glasgow in 2017 and, such is the popularity of chef Nico Simeone’s regularly changing six-course tasting menu concept, the group has rapidly expanded to locations in Edinburgh, Belfast, Aberdeen, Dublin, Manchester, Liverpool and Fitzrovia, with the Canary Wharf restaurant opening in early 2022 as part of the group’s bid for culinary dominance.

The big draw here is both the attractive pricing (£44 for a six-course tasting menu, plus an optional £35 for paired wines) and the fact that once each themed menu has finished its limited run, it will never be cooked again, meaning every visit is a completely new experience. Canary Wharf is currently serving the Once Upon A Time menu, aiming to take diners on a nostalgic culinary journey with dishes of Bird Pie inspired by Roald Dahl's The Twits, savoury 'porridge' barbecue maitake, white turnip, black garlic dressing from Goldilocks and pork roulade with pumpkin, sweet and sour choucroute and bourguignon jus influenced by the Three Little Pigs. This is fine dining that, mercifully, doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Chancellor Passage, E14 5EA, visit sixbynico.co.uk

Humble Grape

humble grape canary wharf

If wine is your thing, there are few better places to find refreshment than Humble Grape. Occupying a plumb spot overlooking the water, there is no finer way to while away a sunny afternoon in Canary Wharf than sampling its 450-strong artisan wine list from an al fresco terrace table. As you might expect from a venue that takes this much care over its wine list, provenance plays a big part in the food menu too. Seasonal produce comes from Bermondsey-based sustainable grocer Natoora, while meat is by Aberdeenshire Royal Warrant holder, Donald Russell. Take your pick from the cheese and charcuterie list and pair with as many of the small plates as your appetite can handle. Our favourites are the blistered padron peppers with whipped tahini and chilli fried chicken with cauliflower leaf kimchi.

18-20 Mackenzie Walk, E14 4PH, visit humblegrape.co.uk

The Ivy in the Park

the ivy canary wharf

Ever since uber-restaurateur Richard Caring bought Caprice Holdings in 2015, and with it the original Ivy in Covent Garden, he’s been on a mission to make it one of the most influential (and widespread) restaurant groups in the country. There are now four Ivy Cafes and 32 Ivy Grills & Brasseries spread across the UK, of which Canary Wharf’s The Ivy in the Park is one. Designed, one imagines, with Instagram in mind, this Canada Square spot is a riot of flora and fauna, with tropical plants, botanical prints and glasshouse-style walls punctuated by bright mandarin-hued banquettes. The menu is equally crowd-pleasing, with a huge brunch menu featuring an entire section dedicated to gin and tonics, as well as an all-day menu offering breakfast, afternoon tea and The Ivy classics, including chicken Milanese, steak tartare and, of course, that famed shepherd’s pie.

50 Canada Square Park, E14 5FW, visit ivycollection.com

Manhattan Bar & Grill

manhattan grill canary wharf

Boasting branches of Goodman and Gaucho, Canary Wharf isn’t short of options when it comes to great steak but, in the name of supporting interesting independent restaurants, our pick will always be West India Quay’s Manhattan Bar & Grill. The emphasis here is on delivering a fuss-free steakhouse experience using top-quality ingredients. Beef is of the Aberdeen Angus variety, with fillet, rib-eye and New York strip cuts available, while the menu also features a range of other steakhouse signatures and vegetarian options, including stuffed butternut squash with goats cheese, Billingsgate catch of the day, spelt barley risotto and butterfly seabream.

22 Hertsmere Road, E14 4ED, visit manhattangrill.co.uk

Hawksmoor

hawksmoor canary wharf

Like we said, Canary Wharf isn't short on good steak and the newest jewel in its 28-day-aged crown is the latest outpost of Hawksmoor. Opened earlier in 2022 in the relatively new Wood Wharf neighbourhood, this futuristic floating temple to all things carnivorous promises all the quality and variety Hawksmoor has become known for in a truly showstopping location. Expect plates of Devon crab on toast, Old Spot belly ribs with vinegar slaw, cast-iron fillet steak and Winslade Wellington with oyster mushrooms, shiitakes and Winsdale cheese. An excellent first date option.

1 Water Street, E14 5GX, visit thehawksmoor.com

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