The Top Bars for Foodies in London

by The OpenTable Team

Updated 09 November 2023

Whether you're looking for casual, post-work drinks with friends or a rooftop dinner and cocktails, London is a city that won’t disappoint. From Southbank bars to Mayfair pubs, all the way to the rooftop bars in Shoreditch on the fringes of the East End, there are hundreds of eating and drinking establishments to suit every taste. But where are the smartest, savviest diners eating out? Welcome to our Tastemaker List. We’ve pulled data from thousands of restaurants to find the top spots among OpenTable's most expert, seasoned diners. Whether you’re an alcohol aficionado or just like a glass of wine with dinner, we've tracked down the greatest pubs, trendy hotspots, and everything in between. Impress your friends and family and score a spot; we wish we could join you.

Hakkasan - Hanway Place

4.5

4.5 (6343)

£41 and over

Chinese

Fitzrovia

About the restaurant

This Michelin-starred eatery is at the forefront of Chinese cuisine in the city, but it’s also an excellent place to grab a cocktail. Try one of their original mixes—or a tipple from their award-winning wine list—while mulling over a sumptuous grilled Wagyu beef steak. Whatever you opt for, you’ll be able to enjoy it in elegantly decorated surroundings complete with an open kitchen.

Top review

Josh

Dined 3 days ago

Terrific service, incredible ambience, excellent whiskey selection. 10/10 experience.

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Experience

Taste of Hakkasan - 3 Course Menu

Experience

Weekend Brunch

Experience

Taste of Hakkasan - 3 Course Menu and Champagne

som saa

4.6

4.6 (418)

£26 to £40

Thai

Shoreditch

About the restaurant

The chefs at Som Saa serve up classic Thai food with a modern twist in an artfully remodeled building that was once a fabric warehouse. You can dine at a table or booth, or enjoy a range of snacks and drinks at one of the most refined cocktail bars London has to offer. Whether you’re looking for a quality green curry or something rather more exotic (shan-style custard with candied lotus seeds, anyone?), Som Saa has you covered.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on 4 Apr 2024

Outstanding food, best we have eaten outside of Thailand, Nahm (sadly long closed) and Kiin Kiin (in Copenhagen). Definitely going again, can still taste the zing 3 days later!!

Hakkasan Mayfair

4.6

4.6 (7829)

£41 and over

Chinese

Mayfair

About the restaurant

Hakkasan opened this second restaurant in London in 2010, and it soon garnered a Michelin star of its own. The huge new venue recreates the traditional decor of the original, but it incorporates a large, lively bar area. If you’ve visited one Hakkasan and loved it, make sure to stop by here too, since the menu features a number of dishes unique to Mayfair, not least of which is the stunning sliced blue abalone.

Top review

GaryHvip

Dined 5 days ago

Upscale restaurant with pricy food options excellent for sharing! Tasty and unique drinks , but expensive at 22 pounds! Service was great and food items were all excellent!

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Experience

Taste of Hakkasan - 3 Course Menu

Experience

Taste of Hakkasan - 3 Course Menu

Experience

Taste of Hakkasan - 3 Course Menu with Champagne

COYA Mayfair

4.5

4.5 (1759)

£41 and over

Peruvian

Mayfair

About the restaurant

For modern Peruvian cuisine there are few places better than COYA, where expert chefs fuse the flavors of lime, coconut and smoke with cooking techniques from Japan and Spain. The result is a vibrant range of dishes as colorful as the restaurant itself. The bar is equally well-equipped, featuring an entire library of unique, authentic piscos.

Top review

Anthony

Dined on 28 Sept 2024

The vibe here is nineties / noughties retro, love it! Food is always good and this time a new twist with a welcome party and canapés with bottomless champagne. After about 45minutes we were shown to our table and the music and live entertainment carried on along with the champagne and food being served. This is a great way to spend a Saturday brunch (12-4pm).

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Experience

Clásico Brunch at COYA Mayfair!

Experience

Halloween Masquerade Brunch £90 at COYA Mayfair!

Experience

Sunday Lunch Menu

Park Chinois

4.5

4.5 (750)

£41 and over

Chinese

Mayfair

About the restaurant

Step back in time with an evening at Park Chinois—a restaurant that combines the Chinese fine dining with the glamour of Shanghai in the 1930s. Dim sum is particularly recommended—try a succulent Wagyu beef gyoza, or a blue swimmer crab and prawn wanton. The bar is fully-equipped with a range of spirits to make any cocktail you could name, and quite a few that you won’t find anywhere else—including an old fashioned infused with decadent black truffle.

Top review

Yousef

Dined on 2 Oct 2024

The food was super delicious I love it the stuff also was perfect

Yauatcha Soho

4.5

4.5 (6820)

£26 to £40

Chinese

Soho

About the restaurant

This all-day teahouse is well-known for its dim sum menu, which is available from its exclusive underground location in the heart of Soho. Yauatcha serves elegant food prepared with painstaking precision—delicate shui mai, flavorful dumplings, and pumpkin puffs suffused with juicy duck. You’ll find a long bar stocked with an extensive wine list, as well as exotic cocktails and a range of teas. Definitely one for grazers who want to accompany their drink with a snack or several!

Top review

Arnie

Dined 2 days ago

Very noisy large group at the next table. Service not up to usual standard as we felt we were being rushed the whole time.

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Popular dish

Crispy duck salad

Popular dish

Crispy aromatic duck - half

Popular dish

Crispy duck roll

The Ivy Soho Brasserie

4.2

4.2 (10926)

£26 to £40

Contemporary British

Soho

About the restaurant

This all-day eatery offers a respite from the frantic bustle of Broadwick Street. Step inside and you’ll discover a polished onyx bar and a classic-yet-comfortable dining room. As grand as it looks, however, the Ivy Soho Brasserie offers a thoroughly relaxed experience, whether you’re tucking into delicious contemporary British fare or sampling a rosebud-infused white Geisha cocktail or craft cider from the bar.

Top review

Manivip

Dined 2 days ago

Great food, does the best variety, was buzzing today on a Saturday not too loud just the right ambience.

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Experience

£19.17 All-Day Set Menu

Experience

Boxing Day Brunch

Experience

New Year's Day Brunch

Chotto Matte Soho

4.4

4.4 (2417)

£41 and over

Peruvian

Soho

About the restaurant

What do you get if you combine the best of Peruvian and Japanese cooking? The answer is Nikkei cuisine, and Chotto Matte offers the best selection you’ll find in London, served within a strikingly decorated urban venue. Better yet, their ingredients are all local and organic. Try the sharing menu for a curated journey from delicate and refined items to hotter, spicier and fuller dishes, and then quench your thirst with something from their Tokyo to Lima cocktail selection.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on 30 Jul 2024

Good experience as usual with tasty food and good service

St. JOHN Smithfield

4.8

4.8 (4023)

£41 and over

British

Farringdon

About the restaurant

Situated just around the corner from Smithfield Market, this deliberately unpretentious establishment specializes in nose-to-tail eating—they make use of every part of the animal to create flavorful creations you won’t find elsewhere. Opt for one of their pies if you want a wholesome, filling treat, and don’t forget to peruse their extensive wine list. You’re even encouraged to take a bottle home with you!

Top review

Torben

Dined 3 days ago

Thank you for a great experience. Lovely food and super good service!

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Popular dish

Eccles Cake and Lancashire Cheese

Popular dish

Welsh Rarebit

Popular dish

Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad

Dean Street Townhouse

4.6

4.6 (4478)

£26 to £40

British

Soho

About the restaurant

You’d be hard pressed to find a more authentically British place to eat than Dean Street Townhouse. The dining room is part of a long-established Soho hotel, and it offers hearty English breakfasts, lunches and classic dinners. Drop by before a show to enjoy a fantastic buck rarebit and a house tonic by the roaring fire—or simply come in anytime for a drink from their comprehensive bar. Bliss.

Top review

Johannes

Dined 1 day ago

Feels still like home from home. Coming back since more than twelve years and got never disappointed. Nice, isn't it?

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Popular dish

Steak tartare Burford Brown egg

Popular dish

Sticky toffee pudding vanilla ice cream

Popular dish

Monkfish & prawn curry rice

Kai

4.7

4.7 (1832)

£41 and over

Chinese

Mayfair

About the restaurant

For multiple years in a row “The Sunday Times“ has ranked Kai the highest out of all Chinese restaurants, and this means you can expect something special. While remaining respectful to tradition, the chefs at this classic Chinese establishment aren’t afraid to experiment. Start out with their “Pig in Blankets“ with a plum and lime dressing for a taste of their liberated approach. Their menu of wines, spirits and cocktails is just as adventurous, so drink up!

Top review

Céline

Dined 4 days ago

Since many years we are coming for lunch with friends and family. We are never disappointed. Thank you

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Popular dish

Wasabi Prawns

Berners Tavern

4.5

4.5 (4419)

£26 to £40

British

Oxford Circus

About the restaurant

Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton has made this modern, elegant tavern into a gastronomic destination, with a range of contemporary British dishes. For a real treat, book for the weekend when you can experience the revolutionary Weekend Roast. Equal parts traditional and pioneering, this spread is bound to please, particularly when paired with one of their award-winning wines or a hearty ale.

Top review

Charlie

Dined 3 days ago

As ever, the room is brilliant, the service excellent and the food spot on.

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Popular dish

Berners Tavern Mac and Cheese (vg)

Experience

Three-course Early Berners

Experience

Two-course Early Berners

Sartoria

4.5

4.5 (2074)

£41 and over

Italian

Oxford Circus

About the restaurant

As you might expect for an eatery on Savile Row, Sartoria is trendy, glamorous and popular. Serving up an all-day menu inspired by head chef Francesco Mazzei’s home region of Calabria, this contemporary Italian diner offers fresh pasta, brilliantly prepared seafood and seasonal vegetables. Head to the Librare bar for a selection of light bites, gorgeous wines and luxury signature cocktails, and round off the evening with a nightcap of brandy or amari.

Top review

Elena

Dined 2 days ago

The food is very delicious, a premium Italian cuisine. The service is excellent. I wish more restaurants would have this standard.

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