- Home
- Restaurants
- London
- Best restaurants in the City of London, reviewed by the olive team
Best restaurants in the City of London, reviewed by the olive team
- Keith Kendrick
Published: September 23, 2026 at 11:51 AM
loading...
Get 5 months for £5 when you subscribe today
From sustainable fine dining to pasta excellence, these are the restaurants in and around the City of London worth booking right now – curated and recommended by olive’s London team
Looking for restaurants in the City of London? Check out our ideas for eating and drinking in the area, from Indian barbecue to luxurious French bistro and beyond. Next, discover the best restaurants in Soho, best restaurants in Covent Garden, best restaurants in Shoreditch and the hottest new London restaurant openings.
Ad
Our expert's personal recommendations
"It’s easy to think restaurants in the City exist purely for after-work powerbrokers. To an extent, that's true. But, even if you don't work there – as I don't – it's worth heading towards the skyscrapers for the variety of cuisines and restaurant excellence available, especially at weekends when it's quieter. My favourites are Brigadiers – relaxed, fun, pubby Indian food, with barbecue butter chicken wings being the dish to order – and Ibai, which is among London’s best steak restaurants thanks to its 51-day-aged Galician Blond. It's worth the trip alone." Keith Kendrick
Best places to eat and drink in the City
Bulbul, Tudor Street
Bulbul cherry-picks India's best regional dishes and brings them home to Temple, nicely wedged between the City and Mayfair's usual high-end Indian haunts.
The room plays its own trick: a former office space turned sumptuous, with a waterfall at its centre and a deceptive sense of space, courtesy of mirrored ceilings.
The theatre starts before a fork is lifted: your server brings a case of cocktail herbs and spices for you to smell your way to a drink. The menu spans small plates, tandoor, then large plates. We began with dadi ka dabba, a collection of one-bite morsels including a plump deep-fried oyster, then crab dosa, exquisitely presented for you to fill, spoon with coconut chutney, wrap.
Dish of the meal was Aunty Marie's Goan shrimp balchao – aged for 48 hours and presented in a mini clay pot. Dive in, balance it onto melba toast and devour. Vasco da Gama pork belly sorpotel, served with spongy rice cakes to soak up the spicy stew, had us fighting for the last crumb. Then the mezbaan – a round-up of the grill's greatest hits – from which fist-sized, meaty prawns were the standout. Don't skip the butter chicken either: a dish Delhi native Chef Yash is rightly proud of. bulbullondon.com
Cloth, Cloth Fair
A lunchtime set menu (£24 for two courses) and wines that start at £7 a glass makes this wine bar cum restaurant on Cloth Fair in the City a great value choice.
Small plates include rabbit and bacon terrine, sea bass crudo with fennel and orange, and scallops with garlic parsley butter. There’s always a risotto, generously dressed pasta, carefully sourced chop and fish or the option to choose Longhorn sirloin to share – with a side of chips with espelette pepper.
Learn from Cloth’s young and knowledgeable team who’ll suggest wine choices for each dish or a bottle to carry you through – about half the wines are made by friends of the owners. The space (open Monday to Friday) includes two cosy, character-packed rooms and a wine bar if you just fancy a glass of fizz and some oysters. clothrestaurants.com
Leydi, Old Bailey
Leydi sees the return of the gifted Selin Kiazim (previously Oklava) to the capital and brings with it the spirit of Istanbul, serving an all-day menu oozing with Turkish favourites, but with Selin’s unique modern twist.
Located opposite the Old Bailey in an area in Farringdon with an abundance of history, Leydi pays tribute to the vibrancy of Istanbul’s eating culture, showcasing generous celebratory Turkish food, meant to be shared and savoured.
The drinks menu features bespoke creations from Kevin Patnode, two-time winner of the best bartender in Turkey, in addition to a transcontinental wine list with a distinctive Turkish influence.
With décor featuring plush banquettes, warm lighting and understated references to Istanbul’s architecture and interiors that can only be described as elegant, this intimate 90-cover dining room is an appealing setting for a date night. Order the The Leydi Deluxe to let chefs decide for you and tuck into dips, kebabs, breads and salads to share. leydilondon.com
Dream X'ian, Tower Hill
Guirong Wei is synonymous with Xi’an dining in London, and her most recent opening is an unlikely neighbour to the Tower of London. The glass-fronted space is simply decorated with Chinese murals and lanterns, and staff weave between tables, topping up citrussy pomelo or green tea.
The extensive menu is split into handy sections. Cold starters include chicken sliced into a chilli sesame oil bath with shredded ginger, while frilly wood ear mushrooms and pickled green chillis are doused in Chinese vinegar. There’s a strong selection of dim sum, too: think soup dumplings, steamed pork and chive parcels and wontons in chilli oil. Metre-long, hand-pulled noodles come tossed in garlic and crunchy pak choi.
For a sweet finish, glutinous rice cakes are like a mochi-churros hybrid to dip into treacly brown sugar sauce. dreamxian.co.uk
Bancone, Princes Street
Bancone’s Princes Street outpost brings the group’s signature pasta excellence to the heart of the City, offering a grown-up, low-lit setting that buzzes with early evening energy. The menu is classic Bancone: meticulously crafted fresh pasta and thoughtfully sourced ingredients.
Highlights include the crisp fried artichoke with romesco and roasted nuts, and a delicate burrata paired with confit tomato ravioli and wild garlic. The pasta is where Bancone truly excels – the rare breed beef caramelle arrives rich and glossy, lifted by marrowbone sauce and crispy cavolo nero, while the 'carbonara' raviolo with guanciale is a decadent, perfectly executed single parcel.
Drinks are equally well considered: the white negroni is a refreshing, floral twist, and the wine list offers ample choice by the glass. Bancone Princes Street is already drawing crowds, and with food and atmosphere this polished, it’s set to become a City favourite. bancone.co.uk/city
Milly+KR+Bancone
Brigadiers, Bloomberg Arcade
Brigadiers isn’t your typical City restaurant, or pub. It’s a pulsing hybrid – rooms inside Bloomberg Arcade, some all chatter and screens, others set for quieter dining. With food from JKS Restaurants, behind Michelin-starred Gymkhana, expectations run high – and deliver.
We began with BBQ butter chicken wings. New dishes have been added, but these smoky, finger-licking starters are essential. Guided by the team, we chose a mountain of prawn, soft-shell crab and squid Tellicherry fry with tomato pachadi – crisp, peppery and lifted by sharp chutney. A chunky skewer of Afghani lamb ribeye kebab followed, juicy and aromatic with cardamom and charcoal.
For mains, the Sikandari kid goat shoulder came off the bone with a nudge of the fork, its spiced crust balanced by lacha paratha and sweet onions. The wood-roasted sea bream Pollichathu, wrapped in banana leaf, opened in a puff of curry leaf and coconut. The dal makhani – thick, buttery, slow-cooked – tied everything together.
Dessert nods to comfort: gulab jamun crème brûlée – super-sweet milk balls nestling in tappable caramel custard.
Drinks are cold and cut through the spice: a lychee martini, a 4th Rifles IPA for the grilled dishes and a crisp sauvignon blanc from Turnbull & Thomas, Marlborough, to make the occasion feel special. brigadierslondon.com
St Barts, Bartholomew Close
Tucked beside the historic St Bartholomew the Great church, St Barts presents a totally original fine dining experience with sustainability at its core. The team behind Nest and Nest Farmhouse, including chef Johnnie Crowe, have built a restaurant focused solely on British produce, much of it sourced from its own regenerative farm in Norfolk.
The experience starts in a lounge with nibbles and drinks before you’re showed into a minimalist dining room facing ancient cloisters. The menu is set (10 courses for dinner; five- or eight-course options at lunch), with dishes such as aged Welsh wagyu beef with Scottish shrimp and turbot, house miso and yuzu, or unusual specials like British octopus. There’s no excessive luxury – every element has purpose, from the produce to the plating (and Michelin has recognised this by giving St Barts a Green Star ‘as a role model for sustainable gastronomy’ as well as one star). The wine list leans low-intervention and European, while the creative non-alcoholic pairings use shrubs, infusions and seasonal produce. Service is precise and warm, often with chefs presenting the dishes themselves. restaurant-stbarts.co.uk
Brutto, Greenhill Rents
Brutto has all the hallmarks of a trattoria in Bologna. The deep fried ‘dough ball cuddles’ with stracchino cheese and prosciutto are just about the perfect starter in my eyes. Rip open a steaming hot dough ball, fill with cheese and ham, then breathe a contented sigh.
The antipasti section is perfect for picking on a few delicious morsels while sipping on Brutto’s famed £5 negroni or spritz. The mortadella with pickles was a perfect balance between fatty and briny – we were fighting over the last piece.
The menu changes with the seasons but you’ll always get a great range of pastas. We visited in September and ate sublime rabbit and lemon pappardelle, and maltagliati with meat sauce that was rich and buttery. A salad on the side is always a good thing, and the cabbage in olive oil sounds humble but really lifted the cabbage to new heights.
Brutto also does a great steak, served in the rare style of bistecca alla fiorentina. Tiramisu for dessert is non-negotiable and Brutto makes a mean one. instagram.com/bru.tto
Bob Bob Ricard City, Leadenhall Street
Leonid Shutov’s follow-up to cult Soho favourite Bob Bob Ricard takes the original’s gilded glamour skyward, perched on the third floor of the Leadenhall Building. The space is unashamedly theatrical: cobalt velvet booths arranged like Orient Express carriages, polished brass fittings, a kaleidoscopic stained glass ceiling and, at every table, the famous ‘Press for Champagne’ buttons that put the original on the map.
Our waiter suggested a caviar selection and a shot of vodka to start, both of which went down well. We were walked through a menu of Anglo-Russian indulgences: nine caviars, lobster mac and cheese, beef wellington. We order a double baked cheese soufflé and a lobster raviolo to start, as recommended by our waiter – the raviolo was almost like a large ravioli topped with trout roe.
For the main course, the pork chop was the highlight, succulent and full of flavour, ordered with fries and spinach. We also ordered the hake fillet served with a beurre blanc sauce.
We couldn’t leave without ordering the BBR Signature Chocolate Glory, the classic dessert served with a hot chocolate sauce that melts the casing before your eyes.
olive tip: request one of the cobalt window booths on the north side for the best skyline views. bobbobricard.com
Chatora City, Great St Thomas Apostle
The story at Chatora City is Jam Rahman. The owner greets and serves every table himself, and his charisma makes this Indian restaurant and wine bar feel more like a neighbourhood hangout than the corporate towers a few feet away. It shows in the space: a combination of office groups, tourists and a core of clearly loyal regulars.
Behind the scenes, executive chef Imamuddin Khan brings pedigree from The Cinnamon Club, Dum Pukht at ITC Maurya Sheraton and Kahani London. The prices don't reflect that kind of CV. A two-course lunch costs £19.95, and a half rack of burrah lamb cutlets (double-thick, soft as butter) was £28, around a tenner less than comparable dishes at nearby City restaurants. This was the dish of the meal, so good we wish we’d ordered a whole rack.
Elsewhere, Tellicherry soft shell crab had a crunch that shattered on first bite. ‘Sexy chicken’ raised the temperature: southern-style, crusted in milagai spice, hot enough to bring on a light sweat. Butter chicken was rounder and more familiar.
Tap into Jam's expertise with his wine list: more than 120 bottles chosen to work with Indian spices. chatoracity.co.uk
Ibai, Bartholomew Close
Ibai is a steak restaurant that starts before the grill. Nemanja Borjanović and William Sheard also own Mr Txuleta, the wholesale butcher that supplies it, controlling beef from farm to table: breeds, farmers, cattle selection and ageing. Best known for Galician Blond, including the first UK herds in Wales and Bedfordshire, Ibai also champions rare native breeds and older animals. It’s beef with a backstory, and it tastes like it.
The room matches the ambition. High ceilings, polished stone and firelight frame the open grill, giving the place a sense of occasion without stiffness.
Cantabrian anchovies slicked with arbequina oil slip down in seconds, before house favourite Croque Ibai: a gloriously indulgent sandwich of carabinero prawn, boudin noir and Tomme de Brebis, crisped and molten, salty and sweet.
But the pull is the open grill. Ask to see the board, heaving with slabs of sirloin and rib, cut thick before being cooked over embers. We chose Galician Blond, a six-year-old animal aged 51 days: deeply flavoured, with savoury sweetness, buttery texture and a satisfying chew – a true connoisseur’s steak. Beef-fat fries and braised leeks with mustard played their roles; anchovy and herb salsa added sharpness.
Dessert kept faith with the Basque thread. The pain perdu – crisp, rum-scented – was reason enough to stay. ibai.london
Image credit: Steven Joyce
Fogo de Chão, Bishopsgate
Fogo de Chão's Churrasco Experience brings the theatre of the traditional gaucho grill to your table, offering a limitless selection (you can eat as much as you like) of 15 grilled meats, carved from giant skewers by expert passadores. Highlights include picanha (beef rump), sirloin, ribeye, pork belly and fillet, all cooked to medium-rare perfection.
This premium south Brazilian restaurant spans two floors in the shiny 100 Bishopsgate Tower and boasts three private dining rooms, a sophisticated mezzanine lounge and the standalone Bar Fogo. Begin your experience with the Market Table’s fresh salads and sides or choose the Brazilian small plates, such as seafood moqueca (a tomato and coconut stew) or yellowfin tuna with beef cream emulsion.
For something extra special, Fogo de Chão's ‘Share an indulgent cut’ menu features sharing dishes such as roasted bone marrow with chimichurri, a one-kilo tomahawk steak dry-aged for 21 days, grilled giant king prawns and a 500g grade 9 wagyu sirloin. To drink, Fogo de Chão champions Argentinian, Brazilian, Chilean and Uruguayan wines, as well as inventive cocktails from South America.
If you still have room, try dulce de leche filled churros or crème caramel layered with chantilly cream and madeira cake. fogodechao.uk/location/london-bishopsgate
Jang, Royal Exchange
Jang sees head chef Dana Choi elevating Korean and Japanese dishes with bold and creative twists in this glamorous 1920’s inspired City venue at the Royal Exchange.
Highlights include Korean steak tartare, yuk hwe spiked with gochujang; K BBQ – dry-aged sirloin with sea salt in perilla oil, wasabi butter, chimichurri, salted pollock roe and two types of jangajji, a chilli and a cherry tomato.
Don’t miss the Bossam Tower: iberico pork belly bossam, slowly cooked in a doenjang broth, with oyster, endive kimchi and ssamjang; and a stunning sushi and sashimi display.
The space is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Monday-Friday. Sister bar Engel serves imaginative twists on vintage cocktails. jangrestaurant.co.uk
The Wolseley, King William Street
As you walk into the Wolsele, you immediately feel as if you're somewhere luxurious. The tall ceilings and marble decoration give the place a touch of old-school glamour, yet it still feels warm and cosy. Perfect for spending a few hours catching up with friends or dining alone and reading the papers, if that's what you prefer!
The brunch menu is classic: omelettes with jambon and gruyère, crispy bacon baps, pancakes with berries and crème fraîche and a full English with all the trimmings. It's the sort of food that powers you up for the day ahead. We had the rich, buttery and greatly spiced kedgeree with a runny poached egg, and eggs benedict, which came with a pleasingly lemony sauce. Of course, we had to have a round of virgin bloody marys for a fresh, fiery and pickle-forward hit. We also squeezed in a slice of cinnamon-spiced apple streusel, encased in thin, crisp pastry, with a puff of whipped cream. thewolseleycity.com
Koya, Bloomberg Arcade
Stop by either of Koya’s City or Soho sites and you'll be transported straight to Tokyo. Punters huddle over bowls of springy udon noodles on one side, while chefs add eggs to breakfast bowls, and slip noodles, prawn tempura, tofu and miso pork into hot broth on the other. koyabar.co.uk
Koya bar, Soho
Yauatcha, Broadgate
This yum cha brunch is available at both Yauatcha City and Soho. Kickstart with a negroni-style cocktail (or non-alcoholic alternative) before your first steamed dumplings pork and prawn shui mai; har gau and seafood black truffle dumpling. A vivid edamame baked puff and a venison version are next. Gone in seconds? Fret not – they will be replenished at your request – but save space for baos (pork and veggie) before picking a generous main course of stir-fried beef; scallop and prawn or sea bass curry with rice. A little stack of soufflé pancakes with cream and honeycomb is a cute end. taogroup.com
Los Mochis, Liverpool Street
Executive chef Leonard Tanyag has brought the unique concept from the atmospheric Notting Hill original to a bigger audience high above Liverpool Street. Combining lively Mexican dishes and ingredients with the delicacy of Japanese cuisine, the broad menu is designed to share and surprise.
The tasting menu showcases the best: 10 dishes, from guacamole to enjoy with a mocktail through to a purple yam panna cotta. Highlights include teriyaki duck on crispy rice, sea bass ceviche with shiso-trufle soy; spicy yellowtail maki and the signature trailer park chicken taco (fried chicken, jalapeño BBQ sauce, habanero gochujang with toasted sesame and parsnip chips – genius). The clubby soundtrack, roof terrace, remarkable agave selection and late-night snacks attract expense account groups as well as weekend thrill seekers. losmochis.co.uk/lc/london-city
Ad
Check out more London restaurant guides here:
Best restaurants in Covent Garden
Best restaurants in Chelsea
Best restaurants in Paddington
Best restaurants in Marylebone
Best restaurants in Camden
Best restaurants in the City of London
Best restaurants in Kings Cross
Best restaurants in Brixton
Best restaurants in Notting Hill
Best restaurants in Battersea
Best restaurants in Clerkenwell
Best restaurants in Shoreditch
Best restaurants in Soho
Best restaurants in London Bridge
Best restaurants in Hackney
Best restaurants in Mayfair
Authors
Keith Kendrick
Comments, questions and tips
Choose the type of message you'd like to post
Choose the type of message you'd like to post
CommentQuestionTip
Ad
Ad
Loading...
Ad
Loading...
Want to see this content?
This page contains olivemagazine content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.
Accept and continue