Best of London Food Shops , Restaurants and Wine establishments in 2021

 Here is my list of best of London food shops , restaurants and wine establishments for 2021.

Best Restaurant (s) in London : The Clove Club , Claude Bosi at Bibendum , Kitchen Table , The Ritz ,  , Sola Soho , Helene Darozze  , Maos, The Dysart Petersham , The Five Fields and Pied a Terre

Best Sourcing and Ingredients :   Sola Soho , Calude Bosi at Bibendum , The River Cafe 

Best Restaurant Wine Lists :  Chez Bruce  , Medlar , Noble Rot , Hunan, Les 110 de Taillevent London and Hide

Best New Openings : Trattoria Brutto , Kol , Sessions Arts Club , Oxeye and Black Salt

Best Argentinian : Zoilo

Best Italian Restaurant (Southern) :  Gola

Best Italian ( Sardinian) Olivo Group 

Best Italian Restaurant (Northern) :  Novikov ,  Locanda Locatelli

Best Pan Italian :  , River Café  ,  Boca di Lupo , (Francesco Mazzei 's) Sartoria and L'Amorosa

Best Trattoria : Mele e Pere  , Radici and L'Amorosa

Best Indian : Jamvar , Gymkhana , Roti Chai/Chai Ki , Black Salt and Dastaan ( just out of London)

Best Casual Indian :  Chai Ki 

Best Indian delivery : Motu

Best Indian (Modern) : BiBBi and Gymkhana

Best Pakistani :  Saloos and Tayyabs

Best Chinese : Hunan , Kai , Silk Road and A Wong

Best Dim Sum :  A Wong  and Royal China (Baker St)

Best Thai :   Som Saa , The Heron

Best Fusion : Novikov and Maos

Best Japanese : The Araki , Endo at the Rotunda and Umu

Best Vietnamese : nothing noteworthy sadly

Best Singapore/Malaysian : Rasa Sayang

Best Lebanese/Syrian : Ishbilia  Knightsbridge and Al Phoenic

Best Greek :  Catalyst Cafe , Opsos , Meraki and Horvada

Best "Politiki Kouzina " Peckham Bazaar , Yeni  and Dulwich Lyceum

Best Turkish : Gökyüzü and Yeni 

Best Iranian/Persian : Kateh and Berenjak

Best Sushi : The Araki and Endo at the Rotunda

Best French : Club Gascon, Claude Bosi at Bibendum

Best Vegan : Gauthier Soho

Best Modern British/European : Kitchen Table , Lyle's, Core and The Clove Club

Best Spanish : Cambio de Tercio  and  Pizarro 

Best Tapas : Tendido Cero , Barrafina , José

Best English : St John's , The Guinea Grill , Parlour and Quality Chop House

Best Fish/Seafood : Noble Rot ,  Parsons ,  The Sea The Sea Hackney/ Chelsea and Bentley's

Best Oysters : Noble Rot , Wright Bros , Bibendum Oyster Bar, The French House  and Bentley's

Best Gastro Pubs : Parlour , Harwood Arms , Anchor and Hope , Cadogan Arms and Eagle

Best Service : Noble Rot and Cambio de Tercio

Best Sandwich : Kappacasein's , Cheese Toastie

Best Pub : The Guinea and Cadogan Arms

Best Selection of Craft Beer :  The Rake 

Best Wine Bar : 40 Maltby St , Antidote Wine Bar, 10 Cases and Noble Rot

Best Brasserie : Bob Bob Ricard and Bob Bob Cite

Best Neighbourhood Restaurants : L'Amorosa , Peckham Baazar , Myrtle and Chez Bruce

Best Mavericks : Quality Wines , Mao's  Catalyst Cafe & Roasters and 40 Maltby St 

Best French Bistro/Bourgeois Cooking :  Casse Croûte  , Maison Francois

Best Burger :  Zoilo

Best "joint" Burger :  Patty and Bun and Meat Liquor 

Best Chain Burger : Patty and Bun

Best Steak : Guinea Grill , Zelman Meats , Flat Iron and Goodman

Best Steak Restaurants : Zelman Meats ,  Hawksmoor , Flat Iron , and Goodman

Best Pizza :  Santa Maria 

Best Pizza chain : Franco Manca

Best Deli : Prezzemolo e Vitale  and The Ealing Grocer

Best Street Food : Mr Falafel ( Shepherds Bush )

Best Value for money Wine List : Noble Rot, The Wild Tavern , Hunan and Andrew Edmunds

Best Value for Money Restaurants : Koya Bar ,  Flatiron and Peckham Bazaar

Best Breakfast : Koya Bar and The Guinea

My best meals in London 2021 . Calude Bosi at Bibendum , Sola Soho and  Black Salt

My best meal outside London in 2021 :  Timberyard , Edinburgh

My best meals outside the UK in 2021 :  Table ( Bruno Verjus) Paris ,  Aimsir , County Kildare  and Chapter One , Dublin , Ireland. Mavrikos , Lindos , Greece.

Best Bakery/Bread : Hedone Bakery RIP , Pophams , E5 and Little Bread Pedlar

Best  Chocolatier : William Curley

Best Patisserie : Arome Bakery, Cafe Kitsune at Pantechnicon and William Curley

Best Coffee : Prufrock Coffee , Queens Mayfair  Catalyst Roasters and Parcafe 

Best Coffee Roaster : Difference Coffee , Catalyst Roaster , Dark Arts and Square Mile

Best Tea : Lalani and Co

Best Viennoiserie :  Arome Bakery ( best in UK along with The Palmeston Edinburgh)

Best Gelato :  Oddono's 

Best Fishmonger : The Chelsea Fishmonger (Rex Goldsmith), Chelsea Green 

Best Fish and Seafood  Online : Pesky Fish

Best Butchers : South East - O'Shea's  * ,  South West - Provenence - West  - Brown's Artisan Butchers , North - Godfrey's

Best Greengrocer : Andreas Veg , Chelsea .

Best Cheese Shops : La Fromagerie , Mons, Buchanans and Neal's Yard 

Best Purveyor of French Charcuterie  : The Ham and Cheese Company

Best Purveyors of Italian Salumi : The Ham and Cheese Company 

Best Purveyor of British Charcuterie : Trealy Farm

Best Purveyor of Greek food and wine : Maltby and Greek *

Best Wine Merchants Retail :  Hedonism , Hansen Hayes and Clark , Nysa , Lea and Sandeman and Handford

Best Wine Merchants Wholesale : Flint , Fortyfive 10  and Raeburn Fine Wines

* Disclosure - In the past I was involved with these businesses in a non executive capacity.

Best Greek :  Opsos , Meraki and Horvada

Best "Politiki Kouzina " Peckham Bazaar  and Dulwich Lyceum

Best Turkish : Gökyüzü and Yeni 

Best Iranian/Persian : Kateh and Berenjak

Best Sushi : The Araki and Endo at the Rotunda

Best French :  Gauthier Soho , Club Gascon, Claude Bosi at Bibendum

Best Vegan : Gauthier Soho

Best Modern British/European : Kitchen Table , Core and The Clove Club

Best Spanish : Cambio de Tercio  and  Pizarro 

Best Tapas : Tendido Cero , Barrafina , José

Best English : St John's , The Guinea Grill , Parlour and Quality Chop House

Best Fish/Seafood : Noble Rot ,  Parsons ,  The Sea The Sea and Bentley's

Best Oysters : Noble Rot , Wright Bros , The French House  and Bentley's

Best Gastro Pubs : Parlour , Harwood Arms , Anchor and Hope and Eagle

Best Service : Noble Rot and Cambio de Tercio

Best Sandwich : Kappacasein's , Cheese Toastie

Best Pub : The Guinea 

Best Selection of Craft Beer :  The Rake 

Best Wine Bar : 40 Maltby St , Antidote Wine Bar, 10 Cases and Noble Rot

Best Brasserie : Bob Bob Ricard and Bob Bob Cite

Best Neighbourhood Restaurants : L'Amorosa , Peckham Baazar , Myrtle and Chez Bruce

Best Mavericks : Quality Wines , Mao's  Catalyst Cafe & Roasters and 40 Maltby St 

Best French Bistro/Bourgeois Cooking :  Casse Croûte  

Best Burger :  Zoilo

Best "joint" Burger :  Patty and Bun and Meat Liquor 

Best Chain Burger : Patty and Bun

Best Steak : Guinea Grill , Zelman Meats , Flat Iron and Goodman

Best Steak Restaurants : Zelman Meats ,  Hawksmoor , Flat Iron , and Goodman

Best Pizza :  Santa Maria and Pizzicotto

Best Pizza chain : Franco Manca

Best Italian Deli : Prezzemolo e Vitale 

Best Street Food : Mr Falafel ( Shepherds Bush )

Best Value for money Wine List : Noble Rot, The Wild Tavern , Hunan and Andrew Edmunds

Best Value for Money Restaurants : Koya Bar ,  Flatiron and Peckham Bazaar

Best Breakfast : Koya Bar and The Guinea

My best meals in London 2020 . Calude Bosi at Bibendum , Sola Soho  and Peckham Bazaar.

My best meal outside London in 2020 :  The Crown Burchetts Green  , Scran and Scallie , Edinburgh, The Star Inn, Harome

My best meals outside the UK in 2020 : Chez L'Ami Jean,  , Table ( Bruno Verjus) ,  Alliance, Le Clarence, and  L'Ambroisie , all in Paris. Aimsir , County Kildare , Ireland. 

Best Bakery/Bread :  Hedone Bakery

Best  Chocolatier : William Curley

Best Patisserie :  Hedone Bakery , Arome Bakery Cafe Kitsune at Pantechnicon and William Curley

Best Coffee : Prufrock Coffee , Queens Mayfair and Parcafe 

Best Coffee Roaster : Difference Coffee and Square Mile

Best Tea : Lalani and Co

Best Viennoiserie :  Hedone Bakery and Arome Bakery

Best Gelato :  Oddono's 

Best Fishmonger : The Chelsea Fishmonger (Rex Goldsmith), Chelsea Green 

Best Fish and Seafood  Online : Pesky Fish

Best Butchers : South East - O'Shea's  * ,  South West - Provenence - West  - Brown's Artisan Butchers , North - Godfrey's

Best Greengrocer : Andreas Veg , Chelsea .

Best Cheese Shops : La Fromagerie , Mons, Buchanans and Neal's Yard 

Best Purveyor of French Charcuterie  : The Ham and Cheese Company

Best Purveyors of Italian Salumi : The Ham and Cheese Company 

Best Purveyor of British Charcuterie : Cannon and Cannon

Best Purveyor of Greek food and wine : Maltby and Greek *

Best Wine Merchants Retail :  Hedonism , Hansen Hayes and Clark , Nysa , Lea and Sandeman and Handford

Best Wine Merchants Wholesale : Flint , Fortyfive 10 ,  and Field Morris and Verdun

* Disclosure - In the past I was involved with these businesses in a non executive capacity.

Best of London food shops , restaurants and wine establishments for 2020

 Here is my list of best of London food shops , restaurants and wine establishments for 2020.

Best Restaurant(s) in London : The Clove Club , Claude Bosi at Bibendum , , Kitchen Table , The Ritz , Portland (with Theo Clench) , Sola Soho , Maos and Pied a Terre

Best Sourcing and Ingredients :   Sola Soho , The River Cafe 

Best Restaurant Wine Lists :  Chez Bruce  , Medlar , Noble Rot , Hunan, Wild Tavern and Hide

Best New Openings : Noble Rot Soho , Maison Francois , Darjeeling Express 2.0 and  Pantechnicon

Best Argentinian : Zoilo

Best Italian Restaurant (Southern) :  Gola

Best Italian ( Sardinian) Olivo Group 

Best Italian Restaurant (Northern) :  Novikov ,  Locanda Locatelli

Best Pan Italian :  , River Café  ,  Boca di Lupo , (Francesco Mazzei 's) Sartoria and L'Amorosa

Best Trattoria : Mele e Pere  , Radici and L'Amorosa

Best Indian : Jamvar , Gymkhana and Roti Chai/Chai Ki

Best Casual Indian :  Chai Ki 

Best Indian delivery : Motu

Best Indian (Modern) : Roti Chai and Gymkhana

Best Pakistani :  Saloos and Tayyabs

Best Chinese : Hunan , Kai , Silk Road and A Wong

Best Dim Sum :  A Wong  and Royal China (Baker St)

Best Thai :   Som Saa , The Heron

Best Fusion : Novikov and Maos

Best Japanese : The Araki , Endo at the Rotunda and Umu

Best Vietnamese : head to Paris or Vietnam

Best Singapore/Malaysian : Rasa Sayang

Best Lebanese/Syrian : Ishbilia  Knightsbridge

Best Greek :  Opsos , Meraki and Horvada

Best "Politiki Kouzina " Peckham Bazaar  and Dulwich Lyceum

Best Turkish : Gökyüzü and Yeni 

Best Iranian/Persian : Kateh and Berenjak

Best Sushi : The Araki and Endo at the Rotunda

Best French :  Gauthier Soho , Club Gascon, Claude Bosi at Bibendum

Best Vegan : Gauthier Soho

Best Modern British/European : Kitchen Table , Core and The Clove Club

Best Spanish : Cambio de Tercio  and  Pizarro 

Best Tapas : Tendido Cero , Barrafina , José

Best English : St John's , The Guinea Grill , Parlour and Quality Chop House

Best Fish/Seafood : Noble Rot ,  Parsons ,  The Sea The Sea and Bentley's

Best Oysters : Noble Rot , Wright Bros , The French House  and Bentley's

Best Gastro Pubs : Parlour , Harwood Arms , Anchor and Hope and Eagle

Best Service : Noble Rot and Cambio de Tercio

Best Sandwich : Kappacasein's , Cheese Toastie

Best Pub : The Guinea 

Best Selection of Craft Beer :  The Rake 

Best Wine Bar : 40 Maltby St , Antidote Wine Bar, 10 Cases and Noble Rot

Best Brasserie : Bob Bob Ricard and Bob Bob Cite

Best Neighbourhood Restaurants : L'Amorosa , Peckham Baazar , Myrtle and Chez Bruce

Best Mavericks : Quality Wines , Mao's  Catalyst Cafe & Roasters and 40 Maltby St 

Best French Bistro/Bourgeois Cooking :  Casse Croûte  

Best Burger :  Zoilo

Best "joint" Burger :  Patty and Bun and Meat Liquor 

Best Chain Burger : Patty and Bun

Best Steak : Guinea Grill , Zelman Meats , Flat Iron and Goodman

Best Steak Restaurants : Zelman Meats ,  Hawksmoor , Flat Iron , and Goodman

Best Pizza :  Santa Maria and Pizzicotto

Best Pizza chain : Franco Manca

Best Italian Deli : Prezzemolo e Vitale 

Best Street Food : Mr Falafel ( Shepherds Bush )

Best Value for money Wine List : Noble Rot, The Wild Tavern , Hunan and Andrew Edmunds

Best Value for Money Restaurants : Koya Bar ,  Flatiron and Peckham Bazaar

Best Breakfast : Koya Bar and The Guinea

My best meals in London 2020 . Calude Bosi at Bibendum , Sola Soho  and Peckham Bazaar.

My best meal outside London in 2020 :  The Crown Burchetts Green  , Scran and Scallie , Edinburgh, The Star Inn, Harome

My best meals outside the UK in 2020 : Chez L'Ami Jean,  , Table ( Bruno Verjus) ,  Alliance, Le Clarence, and  L'Ambroisie , all in Paris. Aimsir , County Kildare , Ireland. 

Best Bakery/Bread :  Hedone Bakery

Best  Chocolatier : William Curley

Best Patisserie :  Hedone Bakery , Arome Bakery Cafe Kitsune at Pantechnicon and William Curley

Best Coffee : Prufrock Coffee , Queens Mayfair and Parcafe 

Best Coffee Roaster : Difference Coffee and Square Mile

Best Tea : Lalani and Co

Best Viennoiserie :  Hedone Bakery and Arome Bakery

Best Gelato :  Oddono's 

Best Fishmonger : The Chelsea Fishmonger (Rex Goldsmith), Chelsea Green 

Best Fish and Seafood  Online : Pesky Fish

Best Butchers : South East - O'Shea's  * ,  South West - Provenence - West  - Brown's Artisan Butchers , North - Godfrey's

Best Greengrocer : Andreas Veg , Chelsea .

Best Cheese Shops : La Fromagerie , Mons, Buchanans and Neal's Yard 

Best Purveyor of French Charcuterie  : The Ham and Cheese Company

Best Purveyors of Italian Salumi : The Ham and Cheese Company 

Best Purveyor of British Charcuterie : Cannon and Cannon

Best Purveyor of Greek food and wine : Maltby and Greek *

Best Wine Merchants Retail :  Hedonism , Hansen Hayes and Clark , Nysa , Lea and Sandeman and Handford

Best Wine Merchants Wholesale : Flint , Fortyfive 10 ,  and Field Morris and Verdun

* Disclosure - In the past I was involved with these businesses in a non executive capacity.

The Best of London Food and Beverage for 2016.

Here is my list of best of London food shops , restaurants and wine establishments for 2016.

Best Restaurant(s) in London : Hedone , Dinner , Bonhams , The Greenhouse , The Clove Club and The Ledbury

Best Sourcing and Ingredients : Hedone

Best Restaurant Wine Lists : Pollen St Social , Chez Bruce  , The Greenhouse , Noble Rot , Bonhams ,  Hedone and Taillvent 110

Best New Openings : Luca , Anzu and Daarbar

Best Argentinian : Zoilo

Best Italian Restaurant (Southern) :  Quattro Passi

Best Italian Restaurant (Northern) :  Novikov , Locanda Locatelli

Best Pan Italian :  , River Café  ,  Enoteca Turi , (Francesco Mazzei 's) Sartoria and L'Amorosa

Best Trattoria : Mele e Pere  and Artusi

Best Casual Indian :  Chai Ki

Best Indian (Modern) : Roti Chai and Gymkhana

Best Pakistani :  Saloos 

Best Chinese : Hunan , Kai , HKK, Silk Road and A Wong

Best Dim Sum :  A Wong  and Royal China (Baker St)

Best Thai :  Heron and Som Sa

Best Fusion : Novikov 

Best Japanese : The Araki

Best Vietnamese : head to Paris or Vietnam

Best Lebanese/Syrian : Ishbilia  Knightsbridge and Meza Tooting

Best Greek : The Greek Larder

Best "Politiki Kouzina " Peckham Bazaar 

Best Turkish : Mangal Ocakbasi (Stoke Newington)

Best Sushi : Sushi Tetsu , Yashin Sushi

Best French :  Gauthier Soho , Club Gascon and The Greenhouse

Best Modern British/European : The Ledbury , Kitchen Table and The Clove Club

Best Spanish : Cambio de Tercio  and  Pizarro 

Best Tapas : Tendido Cedro , Barrafina and José

Best English : St John's , Gillrays , The Guinea Grill

Best Fish/Seafood : One - O - One , Knightsbridge 

Best Gastro Pub : Harwood Arms , Anchor and Hope , Great Queen St

Best Service : Galvin's Windows and Cambio de Tercio

Best Sandwich : Kappacaseins Cheese Toastie

Best Pub : The Hourglass

Best Selection of Craft Beer :  The Rake , Drafhouse ( various)

Best Wine Bar : 40 Maltby St , Antidote Wine Bar and Noble Rot

Best Brasserie : Bob Bob Ricard

Best Neighbourhood Restaurants : L'Amorosa , Peckham Baazar and Artusi

Best Mavericks : Brunswick House Café , Dock Kitchen , Moro , and 40 Maltby St

Best French Bistro/Bourgeois Cooking :  Casse Croûte  

Best Burger :  Little Social 

Best "joint" Burger :  Tommi's , Meat Market , Meat Liquor and Patty& Bun

Best Chain Burger : Patty & Bun

Best Steak : Gillrays  , Guinea Grill , Zelman Meats and Goodman

Best Steak Restaurants : Gillrays, Hawksmoor , Sophie's and Goodman

Best Pizza :  Santa Maria and Pizzicotto

Best Pizza Chain : Franco Manca

Best Street Food : Mr Falafel ( Shepherds Bush )

Best Value for money Wine List : Noble Rot, Bonhams and Andrew Edmunds

Best Value for Money Restaurants : Koya Bar , Sophie's ,   and Mangal Ocakbasi

Best Breakfast : Koya Bar and The Ritz

My best meal in London 2016 . Hedone .

My best meals outside London in 2016 : The Sportsman (Kent) and The Crown Burchetts Green .

My best meals outside the UK in 2016 : Chez L'Ami Jean, Paris , Pierre Gagnaire , Paris ,  Le Calandre , Rubano , Trattoria Ai Due Platini , Parma

Best Bakery/Bread :  Hedone

Best  Chocolatier : William Curley

Best Patisserie : La Pâtisserie des Rêves , Orée

Best Coffee : Prufrock Coffee

Best Coffee Roaster : Square Mile , Monmouth and Caravan

Best Croissants : Little Bread Pedlar, Orée and Hedone

Best Gelato :  Oddono's 

Best Fishmonger : The Chelsea Fishmonger (Rex Goldsmith), Chelsea Green

Best Greengrocer : Andreas Veg , Chelsea . John and Elena @Spa Terminus

Best Greek food and wine supplier : Maltby & Greek

Best Cheese Shops : La Fromagerie , Androuet , Buchanans and Neal's Yard 

Best Purveyor of French Charcuterie  : The Ham and Cheese Company

Best Purveyors of Italian Salumi : The Ham and Cheese Company and L'Emporio Fine Foods

Best Purveyor of British Chacuterie : Cannon and Cannon

Best Wine Merchants Retail : Lea and Sandeman, Philglas and Swiggot , Market Row Wines , Bottle Apostle , Hansen Hayes and Clark and Handford

Best Wine Merchants Wholesale : Liberty , Fortyfive 10 , Aubert and Mascoli and Fields , Morris and Verdin

What have the French ever done for us ? ( Gastronomically speaking )

Over the last ten years or so what the French call ‘Anglo Saxon” press have suggested that French Gastronomy has been in steady decline whilst at the same time overstating the improvements in both the US and the UK.

Reasons for the so call decline that tend to be sited are to do with the “rigid labour market, minimum working week legislation as well as demographic changes common in many advanced first world economies.

It is also suggested that in France, Chef’s and the populace in general are not open to new ideas and influences emanating from other food cultures. Continue reading here