10 Of The Hottest London Restaurants You Probably Haven’t Been To Yet
1 – Beer & Buns
What could be better than the beautiful marriage of delicious Japanese buns and craft beer? Beer & Buns does Japanese street food incredibly well, their crispy chicken wings are a thing of beauty!
”Born out of frustration of not being able to find a decent bar that provides great beer AND authentic food, so we decided to create it ourselves. Beer & Buns is our take on a Japanese Izakaya that offers the UK’s largest range of Japanese craft beer and soft, pillow-like steamed ‘Hirata’ buns filled with a choice of delicious fillings. Oh, and we also make incredibly crispy Korean style jumbo chicken wings.”
2 – Craft London
Interior designer Tom Dixon has made this restaurant look absolutely amazing and the modern British fare isn’t too bad either! With their in-house meat curing area and all ingredients locally sourced this is a true gem if you fancy a bit of comfort food.
”We focus on quality in production by collaborating with modern experts, fanatics and obsessives to craft world class products through the roasting of coffee, smoking of fish, bee keeping, meat curing, fermentation of vegetables and the creation of a contemporary kitchen garden. Both the restaurant dishes and the products are created using almost exclusively British produce bought from farmers we know well and always handled with a light, modern, touch.”
3 – Coin Laundry
Want to be thrown back to the 70’s? Coin Laundry serves up the best of your childhood nostalgia including delicious chicken kievs, spag bol croquettes and even drinks that are made in a SodaStream!
”We have a relaxed approach to eating and socialising – whether you’re popping in for a drink, eating delicious things your mum used to make or playing kerplunk in the basement.
We’re open for breakfast, all day eating and bar snacks with a focus on seasonal, British ingredients. We encourage you to share, play games and remember the way things used to taste.”
4 – Sexy Fish
With a name like Sexy Fish you know this place is going to be cool, from the decor to the delicious Asian cuisine this place is so trendy it hurts.
”Sexy Fish is an Asian fish and seafood restaurant located on the South East corner of Berkeley Square, Mayfair. Designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio and decorated with artwork from Damien Hirst, Frank Gehry and Michael Roberts, the look and feel is mid-century glamour. The restaurant is open until 2am, with a resident DJ all week long. A private dining space, The Coral Reef Room is located on the lower ground floor and houses two of the largest live coral reef tanks in the world.”
5 – Hoppers
Hoppers is a amazingly delicious Sri Lankan restaurant that serves up these dairy, gluten and guilt-free ‘hoppers’ that are rice pancakes filled with aromatic curry as well as other little nibbles such as dosas and karis which can be filled with meat, vegetables or a little bit of everything. The menu is quirky and delicious with the lamb and coconut curry being highly recommended, all washed down with a cream soda and black pepper cocktail.
6 – Pidgin
Are you one of those people that pours over the menu for ages only to be jealous of what your friend has ordered when your food comes? Pidgin is the restaurant where you put up or shut up, quite frankly. Every week is a new, delicious four-course menu that can’t be changed so you get what you’re given and like it (although the menu can be viewed in advanced on the website).
7 – Bao
A former street food wagon that’s now opened up a permanent residency in Soho, Bao serves the most delicious steamed buns filled with flavourful braised pork served up in swish surroundings that’ll take you straight to Taiwan. A Bao is a traditional Taiwanese dish that is eaten all over Asia, a pillowy, soft, cloudy steamed bun that Bao make using milk for the perfect texture.
8 – Suvlaki
After some authentic Greek suovlaki served fresh from a charcoal grill? Not only is the decor amazing but the delicious skewered meats, cheeses and vegetables are what this place does best and with such a huge variety you’ll be truly spoilt for choice.
”In the 1950s, suvlaki shops opened up across Greece. Suvlaki is a meat skewer grilled over charcoal. It can be eaten on its own or in a pita. It’s Greece’s national street food.”
9 – Blacklock
Now this is the place for true meat lovers! A former brothel, Blacklock is a pleasure dome of the juiciest chops which are served along some pretty swanky sides including the orgasmic 10-hour charcoal roasted sweet potato. The all-in option works out to be pretty good value too as you get appetisers, four mixed meat chops, grilled flatbread and a side for the reasonable sum of £20. Oh and the head chef used to grill steaks at Hawksmoor so you know you’re in good hands!
10 – Chick ‘n’ Sours
If you’re a fan of fried chicken you have to sample the deliciously buttermilk coated goodness that comes out of the Chick ‘n’ Sours kitchen. One favourite is the Korean style bun, dressed in spicy gochujang mayo with a gorgeous soft bun and crunchy batter that’ll get you hooked from the first bite. Oh, the desserts cocktails are just as mind blowing as the chicken so be sure to save some room.
”Chick ‘n’ sours is a local fried chicken shop, but not as you know it! A whimsical menu of herb fed fried chicken, next level sides, sour cocktails, local beers & cracking soft serve ice cream creations.”
