While today London has a reputation for world-class international food and is quite literally brimming with Michelin stars (80 and counting), it wasn’t always this way. Transport yourself back a century or two and you would have found just a handful of restaurants serving up fancy fare – think the posh game dishes at Rules in Covent Garden and Quality Chop House’s hearty pies – before seafood stalwarts J Sheekey and Bentley’s cottoned on to the idea of fine dining in London in the early 20th century. They paved the way for The Ritz, The Ivy, Veeraswamy and more to enter the capital’s food scene and establish themselves as London restaurant institutions with loyal fan bases that have carried them through wars, recessions, pandemics and everything in between. 

So, when news broke earlier this year that beloved Deptford pie shop Manze’s was set to close next year – marking the end of 110 years of cockney cooking – it caused waves in the city’s food scene. As we all know, the Grade-II listed interiors, decades-old recipes, original buildings and storied histories of some restaurants simply can’t be replaced, which is why it’s now more important than ever to show your favourite London eateries just how much you love them. Don’t know where to start? Here are the capital’s must-visit restaurant institutions to book now. 

Rules, Covent Garden

Since 1798

A Covent Garden stalwart for more than 200 years, Rules proves that some things in London never go out of fashion. Inside, the dark woods, ancient watercolour prints and thick carpets remain largely unchanged (from the 20th century at least) and diners are designated their very own waiter for the evening. Rules is famous for catering to a handful of James Bonds, from Roger Moore to Pierce Brosnan, as well as Harrison Ford and Joan Collins. Game and martinis is its raison d’etre – definitely order the grouse during shooting season – but the potted shrimp on toast, steak and kidney pudding and lemon sole are well worth taking a punt on too. 

34-35 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7LB, visit rules.co.uk

Quality Chop House, Farringdon

Since 1869

A favourite among the capital’s top chefs, the Quality Chop House has long enticed Londoners working and living in The City with its timeless British pies and, as the name suggests, quality cuts of meat. While the savvy team here are proud of the restaurant’s meaty past, they’ve evolved with the times, stating “its history isn’t leant on too much” in the menu. In 2024, that menu is created by head chef Shaun Searley, whose modern dishes include pork shoulder croquettes, Devon crab crumpets, and parmesan and lemon gnocchi. There’s certainly still the air of a long-standing institution here though, especially when you dine on its Grade-II listed benches and tuck into its killer Sunday roast. Don’t miss the adjacent butcher, pie shop and wine bar too. 

88-94 Farringdon Road, EC1R 3EA, visit qualitychophouse.com

J Sheekey, Covent Garden

Since 1896

You may now recognise this restaurant for being plastered across the Instagram pages of influencers but J Sheekey was once a stranger to social media. It opened in 1896 – long before the likes of Facebook and TikTok – and quickly established itself as one of the best seafood restaurants in London, completing the holy trinity alongside Mayfair neighbours Scott’s and Wiltons. While it’s now in the hands of Caprice Holdings, diners can still enjoy J Sheekey’s signature shellfish platter, Cornish fish stew and fish pie in the comfort of its original wood-panelled surroundings – although it seems many influencers opt for the smart outdoor terrace which lines St Martin’s Court. With those bold red chairs and streetside views, frankly, we can’t blame them. 

28-32 St Martin’s Court, WC2N 4AL, visit j-sheekey.co.uk

The Ritz Restaurant, Piccadilly

Since 1906

Lavish, decadent and theatrical pretty much sums up any dining experience at The Ritz. But what else would you expect from a storied, five-star hotel restaurant that first opened in 1906? Interiors, while opulent, definitely pay homage to the Golden Era of the 1920s with suspended gilt chandeliers, marble pillars, elaborate ceiling murals, and pristine white tablecloths, while dining experiences are soundtracked by a grand piano where a singer works his way through a playlist which, of course, features Puttin’ On The Ritz. The hotel’s flagship restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2016 with executive chef John Williams MBE at the helm The modern menu features the likes of duck liver ballotine with sour cherry and pistachio, roast quail with Jerusalem artichoke and crêpe suzette – a dish accidentally created by chef Henri Charpentier (a protégé of César Ritz) in 1895 whilst preparing a dessert for the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII.

150 Piccadilly, St. James's, W1J 9BR, visit theritzlondon.com

Bentley’s Oyster Bar and Grill, St James’s

Since 1916

The grand dame of Swallow Street for more than 100 years, historic fish and seafood restaurant Bentley’s shucks more than 1,000 oysters every day. Rock, native, dressed rocks, hot rocks – ask politely and you shall receive. The restaurant was founded by entertainer William ‘Bill’ Bentley, famous firstly for opening Clacton’s West Cliff Theatre and secondly for heeding his wife’s advice to invest in oyster beds in West Mersea. Their success provided his golden product, which he sold from an oyster barrow in Clacton-on-Sea before opening Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill at the prestigious St James’s address where it has remained ever since. Indulge liberally from the caviar and raw bar before ordering the English shellfish cocktail or signature fish pie. 

11-15 Swallow Street, W1B 4DG, visit bentleys.org

The Ivy, Covent Garden

Image: Charlie McKay

Since 1917

London is now home to 15 Ivy outposts, spanning Canary Wharf to Kensington, but the original can be found on Covent Garden’s West Street. It was first opened in 1917 by Abel Giandolini as an Italian café and quickly attracted the attention of West End stars, including Laurence Olivier, Marlene Dietrich, Binkie Beaumont and Noël Coward. Giandolini sold the restaurant in 1950 and it has changed hands several times since, until it landed in the lap of Richard Caring’s Caprice Holdings, which scaled it into the upmarket chain we know today. Go to The Ivy Market Grill in Covent Garden in 2024 and you’ll be served civilised crowd pleasers of shepherd’s pie and Dover sole in glossy, white tablecloth surroundings. Opt for the 1917 menu to be transported back to the time when The Ivy made its debut in the heart of West End for an apt price of £19.17. 

1-5 West Street, WC2H 9NQ, visit theivy.co.uk

Veeraswamy, Regent Street

Since 1926

Veeraswamy wasn’t just the first Indian restaurant in London when it opened in 1926 – it was the first in the entire UK. Steeped in history, it was founded by the great-grandson of an English general and an Indian Mughal princess and has stood steadfast on Regent Street for 97 years. Interiors pay homage to its native country, while food – which was awarded a long-overdue Michelin star in 2016 – spotlights more than 16 culinary traditions found across India, with different regional chefs preparing the dishes from their hometowns. Pick from tandoori green prawns, grandma's spicy egg roast masala, slow cooked champaran lamb, and bhatkal Devon crab biryani. 

99-101 Regent Street, W1B 4RS, visit veeraswamy.com

Quo Vadis, Soho

Image: Quo Vadis Soho

Since 1926

26-29 Dean Street formerly housed a notorious Soho brothel and was once a city bolthole for Karl Marx, who began writing Das Kapital in one of its storied rooms. In 1926, however, it was reimagined by restaurateur Pepino Leoni, who established Quo Vadis on the site, quickly growing it to become one of the best restaurants in Soho and attracting its fair share of high society (as it still does today). An institution that draws on its past to provide timeless menus, Jeremy Lee MBE is responsible for seasonal British fare of roasts, pies, and puddings – think hake, mussels and pea velouté, marinated rump lamb with sweet cabbage hash in green sauce, and the famous, must-try smoked eel sandwich.  

26-29 Dean Street, W1D 3LL, visit quovadissoho.co.uk

Mr Chow, Knightsbridge

Since 1968

Few London restaurant institutions have such romantic beginnings. Michael Chow first launched his eponymous Knightsbridge restaurant on Valentine’s Day in 1968 to bring authentic Beijing cuisine – think chicken satay and ma mignon – to the capital, with the unique concept that it would be served by Italian waiters. He designed the restaurant himself, featuring cool green floor tiles, white walls, and artworks by Allen Jones, Peter Blake and David Hockney, which remain on the walls to this day and are as celebrated as the food. Hero dishes, prepared by executive chef Tim Leaf, include glazed prawns with walnuts, classic potsticker dumplings, squid ink rice noodles and fresh crab meat soup. 

151 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7PA, visit mrchow.com

Tayyabs, Whitechapel

Since 1972

There’s only one place to go if you’re after authentic, roll-your-sleeves-up Punjabi food where you can also bring your own booze (BYOB) – Tayyabs. It heaves with happy diners most nights (its central Whitechapel location makes it a great post-work haunt) and, while we’d recommend booking a table, it doesn’t often help: just sit down at the nearest neon-lit table and get on with it. The vibe here is casual and fun, perfect for large get-togethers, with the family-owned restaurant famous for its sizzling lamb chops available every night of the week, as are the likes of Karahi mutton tikka masala, saag paneer and shami kebabs. 

83-89 Fieldgate Street, E1 1JU, visit tayyabs.co.uk

Beigel Bake, Shoreditch

Since 1974

Only in London would there be a requirement for round-the-clock bagels, but we’re not complaining. Beigel Bake opened in Shoreditch in 1974 to serve the surrounding Jewish community with pastries, breads, challah rolls and freshly baked and filled beigels – available 24 hours a day, seven days a week – and hasn’t stopped since. Visit today and we bet there will be a queue snaking out the door and down Brick Lane as the team churns out 3,000 of their daily signature beigels. The menu is refined, but newbies must try its signature hot salt beef with mustard combination. It may set you back a princely £7 but you won’t be disappointed. 

159 Brick Lane, E1 6SB, visit bricklanebeigel.co.uk

Wong Kei, Leicester Square

Since 1980

Famous for its blunt service (some say rude, but aren’t all Londoners?) and undeniably delicious, authentic cuisine, Wong Kei is a Cantonese canteen in world-famous Chinatown. The less said about the interiors the better – this isn’t somewhere to go if you’re after an Instagrammable dining experience – and if you try and make a reservation, you’ll probably be laughed at. The food, however, lives up to the hype. Chicken chow mein, shredded duck fried rice, prawns in black bean sauce and more noodle soups than you can shake a chopstick at are all priced under £10. This is very much an in-and-out affair and there isn’t so much the sound of chatter as there is slurps of soup, so it makes a perfect solo dining destination – especially if you don’t want to chit-chat. 

41-43 Wardour Street, W1D 6PX, visit chinatown.co.uk

The River Café, Hammersmith

Since 1987

One of London’s best-loved Italian eateries, the River Café retains all the informal charm that made it such a hit when duo Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray opened the iconic Thameside retreat 37 years ago. This institution is responsible for training some of the most celebrated chefs in the world, including Theo Randall, Ed Baines of Randall and Aubin, and celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Ben O'Donoghue. Menus, written daily, feature rustic, simple dishes bursting with authentic flavours that allow the high-quality, seasonal produce to speak for itself. Think delica pumpkin, buffalo ricotta and sage butter, wild sea bass roasted with olives and chargrilled marinated leg of lamb with borlotti di lamon, salsa d’erbe and roast radicchio. 

Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, W6 9HA, visit rivercafe.co.uk

Mangal 1 and 2, Dalston

Since 1991 and 1994 respectively

Dalston’s original Turkish ocakbasi came in the form of Mangal 1 back in the Nineties, becoming famous overnight for its legendary grilled meats, lamb sweetbreads, and BYOB concept that East Londoners lapped up. It’s a bustling institution that’s no stranger to a rowdy crowd, but the no-frills food is unbeatable. In 1994, one of the co-owners expanded just down the road and opened a new eatery now run by his sons, aptly named Mangal II. Under its younger ownership, you’ll find similar hearty dishes and a fridge filled with craft beers and natural wines. Trendy. 

Visit mangal2.com

St John, Farringdon

Since 1994

Another faultless favourite in the eyes of London’s food aficionados is St John, situated in the heart of The City on (where else?) St John street. The unassuming white-fronted building acts as a gateway to a simple dining room which was once a former bacon smokehouse. When it opened in 1994, St John followed the rather new concept of ‘nose to tail eating’ under chef Fergus Henderson, showcasing offal and other cuts of meat rarely seen in restaurants, such as pig ears, duck hearts, trotters, bone marrow and, when in season, squirrel – and from there, it really took off. The Smithfield restaurant unsurprisingly earned a Michelin star in 2009 (don’t mistake it with its sister in Marylebone) and its menus features the likes of roast bone marrow and parsley salad, devilled kidneys on toast, and braised goat served with turnips and aioli. 

26 St John Street, EC1M 4AY, visit stjohnrestaurant.com

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