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.

Barbarella

Image: Joann Pai

Image: Jerome Galland

The latest openning from the Big Mamma Group – the restaurateur behind Circolo Popolare, Gloria and Ave Mario – offers a slightly more sophisticated take on the group’s signature flamboyant Italian style. Describing itself as a ‘ristorante del Cinecittà‘, Barbarella takes its cues from the opulence of 1970s Italian cinema with OTT interiors, a vast and experimental cocktail list, and a menu of upscale Roman dishes, including a daily-changing pizza selection. Feeling particularly peckish? Order the enormous 1.2kg T-bone Cornish steak – one of the biggest on offer in the capital. Buon appetito indeed.

3 Mackenzie Walk, E14 5HX, visit bigmammagroup.com

Marceline

Having opened in 2024 as part of Canary Wharf’s thriving new Wood Wharf neighbourhood, Marceline promises a playful spin on the classic Parisian brasserie, complete with wine bar and al fresco terrace. Set on a floating dock, and thus promising panoramic canal views, the menu is brimming with Gallic tradition (highlights include steak frites, Dover sole grenobloise, and moules mariniere) while the wine list has been curated by Jeffrey Koren, also of Norway’s three Michelin-starred Maaemo. Pro tip: time your visit carefully; Mondays see vintage wines sold for £5 per glass, Tuesdays are all about oyster happy hour and Fridays play host to a champage trolley hour.

5 Water St, London, E14 5GX, visit marceline.london

Roe

Image: Sophia Shoot

Image: Sophia Shoot

The more laidback little sister to St. James's lauded Fallow, Roe occupies a vast waterside space in Wood Wharf, with a fabulous al fresco terrace on which to linger over long lunches. Open for all-day dining, making it great for breakfast meetings and business lunches, as well as date nights, the Modern European menu is designed for sharing (and, trust us, you'll want to try a bit of everything). Start with small plates of blooming onion (a Roe signature) and spiced lamb skewers before tucking into mains of sriracha mussels, Jacob's Ladder with rendang sauce, and lobster flatbread – all cooked over the open fire grill.

5 Park Drive, E14 9GG, visit roerestaurant.co.uk

Roka

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 aubergine in mirin, ginger and soy.

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, Cardiff 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 (£55 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 Mad Hatter's Tea Party menu, aiming to take diners on a magical Wonderland-inspired culinary journey with dishes including Caterpillar Secret Garden (babecue hispi cabbe with smoked potato terrine), Off With His Head (crisp pig head with fennel, lovage and apple and mustard mousseline) and Jam First - Logic Later (burnt toast delice, strawberries and tea ganache). This is fine dining that, mercifully, doesn’t take itself too seriously.

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

Humble Grape

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 grilled harissa chicken with mint and chilli slaw.

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

The Ivy in the Park

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 dozens of Ivy Cafes, Grills, Brasseries, and Ivy Asias 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 Grill

Boasting branches of Goodman, Hawksmoor and Gaucho, Canary Wharf isn’t short of options when it comes to great steak but our pick will always be West India Quay’s Manhattan Grill. Tucked inside the London Marriott Hotel, 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 sirloing and Cote de Beouf cuts available, while the menu also features a range of other steakhouse signatures and vegetarian options, including Caesar salad, lemon role role with asparagus, and a signature burger.

22 Hertsmere Road, E14 4ED, visit marriott.com

Hawksmoor

Like we said, Canary Wharf isn't short on good steak and one of the newest jewel in its 28-day-aged crown is the latest outpost of Hawksmoor. Opened 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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