Food & Drink

On our radar: Best restaurants in West End

lunch central london
Group of cousins having lunch together at Fitzrovia

London’s West End features a dynamic and diverse mix of international dining options, serving everything from casual street-food spots in Soho and Chinatown to high-end global cuisine in Mayfair and Covent Garden. As a global culinary epicentre, the district seamlessly blends historic charm with innovative flavors from every corner of the world. To help you navigate this vibrant gastronomic landscape, this guide categorises the best international restaurants in the West End by cuisine, ensuring you find the perfect flavor for your next culinary adventure.

Italian estaurants in the West End

1. MOTORINO

  • Address: 1 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BF, United Kingdom
  • Review rating: 4.5/5
  • Price range: Around £25–60 per person
  • Opening hours: Tue – Sat 12 PM – 12 AM (Closed on Mondays and Sundays)
  • Must-try: Foccacio, Tuna carpaccio, Duck ragu.

MOTORINO is the modern London-Italian restaurant and bar, collaborated by the Irish chef Luke Ahearne, formerly of Michelin-starred Lita in Marylebone, and Stevie Parle, chef-owner of Town and Pastaio. Their concept is a contemporary interpretation of Italian cooking using a distinctly London perspective and British/Irish produce rather than positioning itself as a traditional Italian restaurant.

2. Sergio’s

If you’re searching for a Great Titchfield restaurant, Sergio’s stands out for its welcoming service, white-tablecloth setting and character-filled dining room. The menu focuses on traditional Italian favourites, including pasta, pizza, risotto, meat and seafood dishes. So for anyone looking for a pasta place in Fitzrovia, make sure to visit this place.

 

 

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3. Faros Restaurant

Faros Oxford Circus is a stylish and welcoming Italian restaurant in central London, ideally located at 22–24 Great Portland St, just a couple of minutes from Oxford Circus. If you’re looking for somewhere to enjoy authentic Italian flavours in a lively yet comfortable setting, FAROS is a great choice. The menu features a variety of fresh pasta, pizza, seafood and classic Italian dishes, alongside cocktails, wines and indulgent desserts.

4. Bancone Covent Garden

  • Address: 39 William IV Street, London WC2N 4DD
  • Review rating: 4.3/5
  • Price range: Around £25–50 per person
  • Opening hours: Mon–Wed 12:00–22:00; Thu–Sat until 22:30; Sun until 21:30
  • Must-try: Silk handkerchief pasta
  • Best for: Handmade pasta before a Covent Garden show

Bancone has the kind of busy, polished feel that suits Covent Garden without becoming overly formal. Sitting at the counter gives you a good view of the kitchen working through fresh pasta, and the silk handkerchiefs are still the dish most people come here wanting to try. It works particularly well for a date or an early dinner before a show, when you want something more considered than a quick pre-theatre meal.

5. Doppo

  • Address: 33 Dean Street, London W1D 4PW
  • Review rating: 4.7/5
  • Price range: Around £40–100 per person
  • Opening hours: Lunch Tue–Sat; dinner Mon–Sat; Sunday lunch
  • Must-try: Seasonal handmade pasta and tiramisu
  • Best for: An intimate Soho dinner with wine

Tucked into Dean Street, Doppo feels noticeably calmer than many of the restaurants around it. The menu is compact, seasonal and centred on handmade pasta, while the wine list is taken seriously without making the experience feel stiff. Come here for a quieter Soho dinner where you can take your time over a couple of courses and let the staff guide you towards a bottle that suits the food. 

6. Grasso

  • Address: 81 Dean Street, London W1D 3SW
  • Review rating: 4.5/5  
  • Price range: Around £20–60 per person
  • Opening hours: Tue–Thu 12:00–22:30; Fri–Sat 12:00–23:00
  • Must-try: Mozzarella sticks with nduja and BVR pizza
  • Best for: A lively meal with friends in Soho

Grasso is the sort of Soho restaurant that works best when you arrive hungry and do not mind a bit of noise around the table. The food leans towards generous Italian-American comfort cooking, with mozzarella sticks, pizza, ragù and richer dishes made for sharing. It gets livelier as the evening goes on, so it is a better fit for dinner with friends than for a quiet meal where you want to linger over conversation. 

7. Bocconcino Soho

  • Address: 59 Great Marlborough Street, London W1F 7JY
  • Review rating: 4.5/5  
  • Price range: Around £30–90 per person
  • Opening hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–00:30; Sun until 22:30
  • Must-try: Fresh pasta or wood-fired pizza
  • Best for: Dinner, cocktails and a livelier Soho night

Bocconcino has more of an evening-out feel than a neighbourhood trattoria, with low lighting, cocktails and a dining room that becomes noticeably livelier later on. Don’t miss the fresh pasta and wood-fired pizza as you start your meal, or dishes such as ravioli and carbonara, which are some of the most loved dishes at the restaurant. If you want to continue the Italian theme north of the West End, the Italian restaurants in Fitzrovia add another cluster of options.

 

Steak and British Restaurants in the West End

1. Counter by Naroon

If you’re looking for breakfast near Oxford Circus, Counter by Naroon is a great option to consider. The menu puts a Persian twist on familiar breakfast favourites, with options such as Persian omelette, nargesi, avocado with poached eggs, khagineh, and a hearty full breakfast.

 

 

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2. Blacklock Covent Garden

  • Address: 16A Bedford Street, London WC2E 9HE
  • Review rating: 4.6/5  
  • Price range: Around £30–70 per person
  • Opening hours: Lunch and dinner Mon–Fri; all day Sat; Sunday roast
  • Must-try: The All In sharing chops or Sunday roast
  • Best for: Sharing meat with friends

Once you head downstairs from Bedford Street, Blacklock feels relaxed, busy and built around tables sharing food rather than everyone ordering separately. The All In platter is an easy introduction if several of you want to try different chops, while the Sunday roast is worth planning ahead for. Service tends to be friendly and unfussy, which makes it a good choice for groups who want a proper meal without the formality of a traditional steakhouse. 

3. Flat Iron Covent Garden

  • Address: 17–18 Henrietta Street, London WC2E 8QH
  • Review rating: 4.6/5  
  • Price range: Around £20–30 per person
  • Opening hours: Daily from 11:30; later closing Wed–Sat
  • Must-try: Signature flat iron steak
  • Best for: Good-value steak in central Covent Garden

Flat Iron keeps things refreshingly simple: come for steak, add a couple of sides and you have the meal sorted. The signature flat iron cut remains reasonably priced for Covent Garden, while beef-dripping chips and mac and cheese make it easy to build something more substantial. The room is usually busy but relaxed, and the popcorn at the start and ice cream at the end give the place a little personality beyond the steak itself. 

4. Rules

  • Address: 35 Maiden Lane, London WC2E 7LB
  • Review rating: 4.6/5
  • Price range: Around £50–100+ per person
  • Opening hours: Mon–Thu 12:00–22:00; Fri–Sat until 23:00; Sun until 22:00
  • Must-try: Steak and kidney pie or seasonal game
  • Best for: Traditional British dining and special occasions

Walking into Rules feels like stepping into a much older version of Covent Garden, with dark wood, paintings and rooms that carry far more history than most restaurants nearby. The menu stays firmly British, with game, pies and traditional dishes rather than modern small plates or tasting menus. It suits a slower lunch or dinner when the setting is part of the reason you are going, especially if you want something that feels distinctly London. 

5. Hawksmoor Seven Dials

  • Address: 11 Langley Street, London WC2H 9JG
  • Review rating: 4.4/5  
  • Price range: Around £50–100+ per person
  • Opening hours: Daily from 11:45; later closing Fri–Sat
  • Must-try: Ribeye with beef-dripping chips
  • Best for: Steak, Sunday roast and occasion dinners

Hawksmoor Seven Dials has enough energy for a celebration without feeling overly dressed up or formal. Steak is still the main event, with ribeye and larger sharing cuts making sense for the table, while the beef-dripping chips are difficult to skip. Staff are used to theatre-goers and generally know how to pace the meal, but once wine, sides and larger cuts are added, this is better treated as a planned dinner than a quick steak stop.

6. Goodman Mayfair

  • Address: 24–26 Maddox Street, London W1S 1QH
  • Review rating: 4.5/5  
  • Price range: £100+ per person for a fuller meal
  • Opening hours: Lunch Tue–Fri; dinner Mon–Fri; all day Sat; Sunday lunch
  • Must-try: Dry-aged ribeye
  • Best for: Business dinners and serious steak lovers

Goodman feels more like a serious steakhouse than somewhere you drop into casually after shopping. The dry-ageing cabinets, wide choice of cuts and knowledgeable staff make it especially good if you actually care about the difference between the steaks rather than simply wanting a piece of beef. It suits business dinners, celebrations or evenings when the meal itself is the main plan, particularly if you are happy to spend time over wine as well.

 

 

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Chinese and Pan-Asian restaurants in the West End

1. Lucy Wong

  • Address: 4 Leicester Street, London WC2H 7BL
  • Review rating: 4.4/5 on Google
  • Price range: £20–30 per person
  • Opening hours: Daily 12:00–23:00
  • Must-try: Mouthwatering chicken or Sichuan fish
  • Best for: Spicy Sichuan dishes near Leicester Square

Lucy Wong is inspired by the 1950s Hong Kong setting of The World of Suzie Wong. The venue uses traditional Chinese influences alongside a contemporary design, with velvet seating, Chinese lanterns, custom artwork and an underground, intimate atmosphere. Here, guests can enjoy afternoon tea in Fitzrovia with an Asian-inspired twist. Its afternoon tea has included Cantonese-inspired savouries, dim sum, mini bao, duck puff pastries and hand-finished Asian-inspired patisseries such as coconut pandan mousse, yuzu meringue choux bun and ginger & apple spiced friand. The experience is accompanied by a choice of Chinese tea, including Oolong, Pu-Erh and Silver Needle White Tea.

2. Chengdu Chengdu

  • Address: 4 Leicester Street, London WC2H 7BL
  • Review rating: 4.4/5 on Google
  • Price range: £20–30 per person
  • Opening hours: Daily 12:00–23:00
  • Must-try: Mouthwatering chicken or Sichuan fish
  • Best for: Spicy Sichuan dishes near Leicester Square

Chengdu Chengdu is worth heading to when you want proper Sichuan heat rather than a broadly Chinese menu toned down for everyone. Chilli oil, Sichuan pepper, fish and bold sharing dishes do most of the work here, so the meal is much better with a few people ordering for the middle of the table. The room is casual and portions are generous, which makes it an easy lunch or dinner when you are around Leicester Square and fancy something with real spice. 

3. YiQi Pan Asian Cuisine

  • Address: 14 Lisle Street, London WC2H 7BE
  • Review rating: 4.7/5  
  • Price range: Around £20–40 per person
  • Opening hours: Daily 17:00–03:30
  • Must-try: Charcoal-grilled short ribs or salt-and-pepper squid
  • Best for: Southeast Asian sharing dishes and late-night dining

YiQi brings a different flavour to Chinatown by drawing heavily on Malaysian, Singaporean and Thai cooking alongside broader Southeast Asian influences. Charcoal-grilled meat, seafood, curries and wok dishes make up much of the menu, and sharing a few plates is the best way to get a sense of it. The restaurant stays lively late into the night, so it is particularly useful after a show when many other kitchens nearby are already winding down. 

4. Orient London

  • Address: 15 Wardour Street, London W1D 6PH
  • Review rating: 4.0/5  
  • Price range: Around £20–40 per person
  • Opening hours: Mon–Thu 12:00–23:00; Fri–Sat from 11:30 with later closing; Sun 11:30–22:30
  • Must-try: Dim sum or Peking duck
  • Best for: Traditional Chinese food by the Chinatown Gate

Right by the Chinatown Gate, Orient is one of the easier places to choose when you want a traditional Chinese meal without overthinking the menu. Dim sum is a natural starting point during the day, while duck, seafood, noodles and Cantonese dishes give groups plenty of choice later on. It can become very busy around peak dining times, so going slightly earlier usually makes for a more relaxed meal and steadier service. 

 

 

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Japanese and Korean restaurants in the West End

1.  ROKA

  • Address: 37 Charlotte St., London W1T 1RR, United Kingdom
  • Review rating: 4.4/5  
  • Price range: Around £100+ per person
  • Opening hours: 
  • + Mon – Thur 12 PM – 3:30 PM, 5 PM – 10:30 PM
  • + Fri 12 PM – 3:30 PM, 5 PM – 11PM
  • + Sun 12 PM – 10:30 PM
  • Must-try item: Lamb cutlets; Robata-grilled seafood, meat and vegetables.

ROKA Charlotte Street is a Japanese robatayaki restaurant and bar that specialises in contemporary Japanese cuisine centred around the robata grill. Not just that, ROKA has a broad day-to-night proposition: weekday lunch, Teishoku set menus, afternoon/evening dining, terrace dining, and event Saturday DJ nights.

2.  K-POP

  • Address: 48 Margaret Street W1W 8SE
  • Review rating: 4.4/5  
  • Price range: Around £20–40 per person
  • Opening hours: Daily around 12:00–22:00
  • Must-try item: Korean fried chicken, Dolsot bibimbap, kimchi jeon.

K-POP is a lively, family-run Korean restaurant in the heart of Fitzrovia. If you’re exploring Fitzrovia restaurants and want somewhere casual, colourful and different, K-POP is a fun choice for lunch or dinner with friends, family or a group. It is also conveniently located close to Oxford Circus and the Great Portland Street area.

3.  OITA Soho

  • Address: 47 Gerrard Street, London W1D 5QJ
  • Review rating: 4.3/5  
  • Price range: Around £20–40 per person
  • Opening hours: Daily around 12:00–23:00
  • Must-try: Sushi, sashimi or a Japanese sharing selection
  • Best for: Casual Japanese food in Chinatown

OITA feels more like a casual izakaya than a formal sushi restaurant, with sushi, cocktails and hot dishes all sharing the same menu. The room is dark and modern enough for an evening meal, but the prices and atmosphere keep things fairly relaxed. It is a good choice when you want Japanese food in Chinatown without committing to an omakase-style dinner or a particularly formal setting. 

4. Kanpai Classic Soho

  • Address: 147–149 Wardour Street, London W1F 8WD
  • Review rating: 4.8/5 on Google
  • Price range: £100+ for a premium dinner
  • Opening hours: Lunch and dinner; weekend all-day service
  • Must-try: Japanese wagyu
  • Best for: Premium Japanese steak and special occasions

Kanpai Classic is the place for a more polished Japanese dinner, particularly if wagyu is what has brought you through the door. The room feels refined without being overly stiff, and the service tends to be attentive enough to guide you through the meat, sake and richer dishes. Portions are not especially large for the price, so it makes more sense for a special occasion than for a casual midweek Japanese meal. 

5.  Korean Dinner Party

  • Address: Top Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW
  • Review rating: 4.5/5 on Google
  • Price range: Around £20–40 per person
  • Opening hours: Tue–Wed 12:00–22:30; Thu–Sat 12:00–23:00
  • Must-try: Korean fried chicken, beef rib tacos or kimchi stone pot
  • Best for: Groups, cocktails and a lively Carnaby meal

Upstairs in Kingly Court, Korean Dinner Party has the sort of playful, noisy atmosphere that suits Carnaby well. The menu takes Korean flavours and mixes them with Californian and Mexican influences, so expect fried chicken, tacos, kimchi and cocktails rather than a traditional Korean barbecue setup. Come with friends, order several dishes for the table and treat it as part of the night out rather than somewhere for a quiet dinner. 

 

 

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Indian and South Asian restaurants in the West End

1. 1947

1947 London takes its name from 1947, the year of the Partition of India, with the restaurant’s food concept drawing on the movement of people, cultures and recipes associated with that period. And the restaurant’s menu is designed for sociable dining, with dishes divided into smaller plates, sharing dishes and larger bowls. Some notable items include clay-oven prawns, chilli paneer, baby squid, lamb dum biryani, paneer butter masala and dal makhani.

2. Pahli Hill & Bandra Bhai

Pahli Hill Bandra Bhai is a distinctive two-level Indian dining destination in Fitzrovia, at 79–81 Mortimer Street, London W1W 7SJ. It brings together two different experiences under one roof: Pahli Hill upstairs is a warm, colourful restaurant serving regional Indian dishes designed for sharing, while Bandra Bhai downstairs is a darker, intimate cocktail bar inspired by a retro Bombay smuggler’s den.

 

3. Dishoom Covent Garden

  • Address: 12 Upper St Martin’s Lane, London WC2H 9FB
  • Review rating: 4.4/5  
  • Price range: Around £20–60 per person
  • Opening hours: Daily from 08:00; until midnight or 01:00
  • Must-try: House black daal and Chicken Ruby
  • Best for: Bombay-style dishes and lively group dining

Dishoom rarely feels quiet, and that is part of its appeal. The Covent Garden dining room carries the buzz of a Bombay café, with black daal, Chicken Ruby, biryani and sharing plates moving constantly through the room. Queues can build quickly at dinner, so booking or eating earlier makes a noticeable difference, especially if you are trying to fit the meal around theatre plans. 

4. Paro

  • Address: 21 Wellington Street, London WC2E 7DN
  • Review rating: 4.7/5 on Google
  • Price range: Around £20–40 per person
  • Opening hours: Daily around 12:00–23:00
  • Must-try: Butter chicken with garlic naan
  • Best for: Indian food before a Strand or Covent Garden show

Paro sits in a particularly handy stretch of Wellington Street for anyone eating before a show around the Strand or Covent Garden. The menu keeps things approachable with curries, tandoor dishes, naan and familiar Indian favourites, while the pre-theatre option makes timing easier when you have somewhere to be afterwards.

5. Hoppers Soho

  • Address: 49 Frith Street, London W1D 4SG
  • Review rating: 4.1/5  
  • Price range: Around £20–40 per person
  • Opening hours: Lunch and dinner
  • Must-try: Hopper with curry or Jaggery lamb kari
  • Best for: Sri Lankan and South Indian flavours

Hoppers is compact, lively and much better when the table shares rather than orders one dish each. The hoppers themselves arrive crisp around the edges and soft in the middle, ready for curries, sambols and chutneys, while the lamb kari is worth adding if you want something richer. Staff are usually happy to talk you through spice levels, which helps if everyone at the table does not have the same tolerance for heat. 

 

 

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French and European Restaurants in the West End

1. Le Garrick

  • Address: 10–12 Garrick Street, London WC2E 9BH
  • Review rating: 4.2/5  
  • Price range: Around £20–70 per person
  • Opening hours: Around 12:00–23:00
  • Must-try: Duck confit or moules frites
  • Best for: A cosy French meal before the theatre

Le Garrick feels like a small Parisian bistro hidden underneath Covent Garden, particularly once you head into the low-lit basement dining room. French staples such as duck confit, mussels and pâté suit the setting, and the smaller tables make it especially popular with couples. If you are eating before a show, mention your curtain time when you sit down, as the restaurant is much nicer when you can enjoy the atmosphere without watching the clock.

2. Brasserie Zédel

  • Address: 20 Sherwood Street, London W1F 7ED
  • Review rating: 4.1/5  
  • Price range: Around £20–50 per person
  • Opening hours: Daily lunch and dinner; until around 23:00
  • Must-try: Formule menu, choucroute or beef bourguignon
  • Best for: French brasserie dining near Piccadilly Circus

The entrance to Brasserie Zédel gives very little away before you head downstairs into its huge Art Deco dining room. Once inside, red banquettes, live music and traditional French brasserie dishes make it feel surprisingly grand for somewhere just off Piccadilly Circus. The fixed-price menu is particularly useful if you want to keep the bill under control.

3. Noble Rot Mayfair

  • Address: 5 Trebeck Street, Shepherd Market, London W1J 7LT
  • Review rating: 4.7/5 on Google
  • Price range: Around £40–100 per person
  • Opening hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–23:00
  • Must-try: Seasonal main paired with a sommelier-selected wine
  • Best for: Wine-focused dinners in Mayfair

Noble Rot is an ideal place for a cozy night of wine with your partner or family. Its dining room is intimate and polished, while the seasonal food is deliberately designed to sit comfortably alongside a serious wine list. Staff know the bottles well and are happy to steer you towards something interesting, making this a strong choice for a date or long dinner.

 

 

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Mediterranean and Spanish restaurants in the West End

1. Arros QD

Arros QD Restaurant is a striking Spanish restaurant in Fitzrovia, located at 64 Eastcastle Street, London W1W 8NQ. Created by acclaimed Spanish chef Quique Dacosta, Arros QD is centred around a dramatic six-metre wood-fired stove, where traditional Valencian paella and other dishes are cooked over an open flame.

2. ROVI by Ottolenghi

  • Address: 59-65 Wells St, London W1A 3AE, United Kingdom
  • Review rating: 4.6/5
  • Price range: Around £40–80 per person
  • Opening hours: Mon – Thur 12-2:30 PM, 5 – 9:30PM; Fri-Sat 12 – 10:15 PM, Sun 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM. 
  • Must-try: Celeriac shawarma, any dish that includes buratta as ingredient.

ROVI is part of the Ottolenghi restaurant group, founded around the food philosophy associated with Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. The Fitzrovia restaurant focuses on vegetables, fire and fermentation, with dishes drawing on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean traditions while incorporating influences and ingredients from around the worl

3. Opera Tavern

  • Address: 23 Catherine Street, London WC2B 5JS
  • Review rating: 4.8/5 on Google
  • Price range: Around £30–80 per person
  • Opening hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–23:00; Sun until 20:00
  • Must-try: Ibérico pork and foie gras burger
  • Best for: Tapas before or after the theatre

Opera Tavern fits neatly into a theatre evening because the small-plate format lets you control how long dinner lasts. Spanish and Italian influences run through the menu, with the Ibérico pork and foie gras burger among the dishes that have become closely associated with the restaurant. The room feels warm and lively rather than formal, so order a few plates to start and keep adding if you have more time before the show. 

4. Brother Marcus Covent Garden

  • Address: 23 Slingsby Place, London WC2E 9AB
  • Review rating: 4.9/5 on Google
  • Price range: Around £20–40 per person
  • Opening hours: Breakfast through dinner
  • Must-try: Mezze plates and harissa eggs
  • Best for: Brunch or Eastern Mediterranean sharing plates

Brother Marcus shifts naturally through the day, starting with brunch and coffee before moving into Eastern Mediterranean sharing plates later on. Harissa, yoghurt, roast vegetables and grilled meats give the menu plenty of colour and contrast without making it difficult for a mixed group to order. The atmosphere stays relaxed and sociable, making it a good Seven Dials stop for a long lunch or an easy dinner with friends. 

5. Fenix Mayfair

  • Address: 80 Piccadilly, London W1J 8HX
  • Review rating: 4.8/5  
  • Price range: £100+ for a fuller dinner
  • Opening hours: Daily 12:00–00:00
  • Must-try: Grilled seafood and Mediterranean sharing plates
  • Best for: A dressed-up dinner near Green Park

Fenix is more about the full evening than simply finding somewhere to eat. The Piccadilly dining room is polished and theatrical, with cocktails, contemporary Mediterranean dishes and plenty of seafood and grilled meat arriving for the table to share. Prices are firmly at the higher end, so it suits birthdays, dates and dressed-up dinners when you want the setting and service to carry as much weight as the food. 

 

 

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