Best of London food shops , restaurants and wine establishments for 2018

Here is my list of best of London food shops , restaurants and wine establishments for 2018.

Best Restaurant(s) in London : Hedone , The Square , The Clove Club , Bibendum , The Ritz  and The Ledbury

Best Sourcing and Ingredients : Hedone

Best Restaurant Wine Lists : Social Tapas , Chez Bruce  , The Greenhouse , Noble Rot , MASH, Hunan , Hedone and Taillevent 110

Best New Openings :  St Leonards , Kym's and Neptune

Best Argentinian : Zoilo

Best Italian Restaurant (Southern) :  Gola

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  , Radici and L'Amorosa

Best Indian : Jamvar

Best Casual Indian :  Chai Ki , Darjeeling Express

Best Indian delivery : Motu

Best Indian (Modern) : Roti Chai and Gymkhana

Best Pakistani :  Saloos 

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

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

Best Thai :   Som Sa

Best neo BBQ  : Pitt Cue

Best Fusion : Novikov 

Best Japanese : The Araki

Best Vietnamese : head to Paris or Vietnam

Best Lebanese/Syrian : Ishbilia  Knightsbridge

Best Israleli : Bala Baya

Best Greek :  Opsos , Meraki and Horvada

Best "Politiki Kouzina " Peckham Bazaar 

Best Turkish : Gökyüzü

Best Sushi : The Araki

Best French :  Gauthier Soho , Club Gascon, The Square , and Bibendum

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

Best Spanish : Cambio de Tercio , Rambla and  Pizarro 

Best Tapas : Tendido Cedro , Rambla and José

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

Best Fish/Seafood : One - O - One , Knightsbridge (CLOSED)

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

Best Service : Galvin's Windows and Cambio de Tercio

Best Sandwich : Kappacaseins Cheese Toastie

Best Pub : The Guinea and The Cleveland 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

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

Best Mavericks : Morito Hackney Road , Pitt Cue and 40 Maltby St

Best French Bistro/Bourgeois Cooking :  Casse Croûte  

Best Burger :  Little Social 

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

Best Chain Burger : Patty & Bun

Best Steak : Guinea Grill , Zelman Meats and Goodman

Best Steak Restaurants : Zelman Meats ,  Hawksmoor , Flatiron , MASH and Goodman

Best Pizza :  Santa Maria and Pizzicotto

Best Street Food : Mr Falafel ( Shepherds Bush )

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

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

Best Breakfast : Koya Bar and The Ritz

My best meals in London 2018 . Hedone . Gauthier Soho , The Ritz,  The Clove Club and Peckham Bazaar.

My best meals outside London in 2018 : The Sportsman (Kent) and The Crown Burchetts Green and The Kitchin.

My best meals outside the UK in 2018 : Chez L'Ami Jean, Paris , Table , Paris ,  Le Calandre , Rubano and Le Calandre , Paris

Best Bakery/Bread :  Hedone

Best  Chocolatier : William Curley

Best Patisserie :  Hedone 

Best Coffee : Prufrock Coffee

Best Coffee Roaster : Difference Coffee and Square Mile

Best Tea : Lalani & Co

Best Croissants : None

Best Gelato :  Oddono's 

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

Best Fish and Seafood Wholesale : Pesky Fish

Best Butchers : O'Shea's , Provenance and HG Walter.

Best Greengrocer : Andreas Veg , Chelsea .

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 

Best Purveyor of British Charcuterie : Cannon and Cannon

Best Wine Merchants Retail :  Bottle Apostle , Hansen Hayes and Clark and Handford

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

The Best of London Food and Beverage 2017

Here is my list of best of London food shops , restaurants and wine establishments for 2017.

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

Best Sourcing and Ingredients : Hedone

Best Restaurant Wine Lists : Social Tapas , Chez Bruce  , The Greenhouse , Noble Rot , Bonhams , MASH, Pitt Cue , Hedone and Taillevent 110

Best New Openings :  Koya Bar City , The Square ( Clement Leroy) , Bibendum (Claude Bosi), Core  ( Clare Smyth ) Rochelle Canteen at the ICA , Magpie, Darjeeling Express , Nuala , Londrino and Parsons

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  , Radici and L'Amorosa

Best Indian : Jamvar

Best Casual Indian :  Chai Ki , Darjeeling Express

Best Indian delivery : Motu

Best Indian (Modern) : Roti Chai and Gymkhana

Best Pakistani :  Saloos 

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

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

Best Thai :   Som Sa

Best neo BBQ  : Pitt Cue

Best Fusion : Novikov 

Best Japanese : The Araki

Best Vietnamese : head to Paris or Vietnam

Best Lebanese/Syrian : Ishbilia  Knightsbridge

Best Israleli : Bala Baya

Best Greek : The Greek Larder , Opsos , Meraki and Horvada

Best "Politiki Kouzina " Peckham Bazaar 

Best Turkish : Cirrik 19 Numera Bos

Best Sushi : Sushi Tetsu 

Best French :  Gauthier Soho , Club Gascon, The Square , and The Greenhouse

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

Best Spanish : Cambio de Tercio , Rambla and  Pizarro 

Best Tapas : Tendido Cedro , Rambla and José

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

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

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

Best Service : Galvin's Windows and Cambio de Tercio

Best Sandwich : Kappacaseins Cheese Toastie

Best Pub : The Guinea and The Cleveland Arms

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

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

Best Brasserie : Bob Bob Ricard

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

Best Mavericks : Brunswick House Café , Dock Kitchen , Morito Hackney Road , Pitt Cue and 40 Maltby St

Best French Bistro/Bourgeois Cooking :  Casse Croûte  

Best Burger :  Little Social 

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

Best Chain Burger : Patty & Bun

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

Best Steak Restaurants : Zelman Meats , Gillrays, Hawksmoor , Sophie's, MASH 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 : MASH ,Noble Rot, Bonhams and Andrew Edmunds

Best Value for Money Restaurants : Koya Bar , Sophie's ,  Flatiron

Best Breakfast : Koya Bar and The Ritz

My best meals in London 2017 . Hedone . Gauthier Soho , The Ritz, Rochelle Canteen and Peckham Bazaar.

My best meals outside London in 2017 : The Sportsman (Kent) and The Crown Burchetts Green and The Walnut Tree Inn.

My best meals outside the UK in 2017 : Chez L'Ami Jean, Paris , Table , Paris ,  Le Calandre , Rubano , Trattoria Ai Due Platini , Parma. O Thalassaki , Tinos , Greece, Kantin, Istanbul .

Best Bakery/Bread :  Hedone

Best  Chocolatier : William Curley

Best Patisserie :  Hedone and Maitre Choux

Best Coffee : Prufrock Coffee

Best Coffee Roaster : Difference Coffee and Square Mile 

Best Croissants : Hedone

Best Gelato :  Oddono's 

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

Best Butchers : O'Shea's , Provenance and HG Walter.

Best Greengrocer : Andreas Veg , Chelsea .

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 

Best Purveyor of British Chacuterie : Cannon and Cannon

Best Wine Merchants Retail : Lea and Sandeman,  , Bottle Apostle , Hansen Hayes and Clark and Handford

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

Zafferano, London

I was lucky enough to eat many times at Zafferano between 1995 and 1998 when Giorgio Locatelli was Head Chef. It was here that I have eaten some of the best Italian food in the UK along with Giorgio's eponymous Locanda Locatelli , L'Anima and Franco Taruschio's The Walnut Tree Inn.

After Giorgio’s departure, his number two, Andrew Needham, took over the reins and I continued to be delighted by my meals between 1999 onwards however I must confess that until last Thursday I had not eaten there for a couple of years. Needham has an excellent background starting as a teenager at the Savoy prior to working at Paris’ Le Pre Catalan followed by a stint at Giorgio’s uncle’s La Cinzianella on the borders of Lombardy and Piedmont.

I am pleased to report that my meal was up to the usual high standard and despite having limited time as my companion had to return to Saudi Arabia I had two lovely courses ( no vino )

My Pappardelle allo zafferano con guanciale di maiale (Homemade saffron pappardelle with pig cheeks) was outstanding . The quality of the pigs cheeks was apparent unlike some very poor ones I recently had at Dean Street Townhouse.

The Tonno alla griglia con rucola e pomodorini siciliani (Char grilled tuna with rocket and Sicilian cherry tomatoes) was a simple well executed dish where the basic ingredients stood out from the Tuna itself to the choice of tomatoes and rocket.

We finished with excellent esspreso and a mini pistacio ice cream cone on the casa !

Service was both totally professional and charming.

I intend to return here soon and try some of the other dishes especially those that feature veal and see if Needham's reputation for meticulous procurement applies to everything that appears on the menu.