Best of London 2013 : Best Restaurants and Food and Wine Shops in London 2013

Here is my list of best of London food shops , restaurants and wine establishments for 2013.

Best Restaurant(s) in London : Hedone , Dinner , Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road , The Greenhouse and The Ledbury

Best Sourcing and Ingredients : Hedone

Best Argentinian : Zoilo

Best Italian Restaurant (Southern) : L'Anima 

Best Italian Restaurant (Northern) : Alloro , Novikov , Locanda Locatelli

Best Pan Italian : Aspleys , River Cafe  , Tinello 

Best Trattoria : Mele e Pere

Best Casual Indian : Roti Chai

Best Indian (Modern) : Benares and Rasoi

Best Pakistani : Shezan & Saloos

Best Chinese : Hunan , Kai and Hutong

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

Best Thai :  Heron

Best Fusion : Apero , Zuma and Moro

Best Japanese : Umu and Sake No Hana

Best Vietnamese : head to Paris or Vietnam

Best Lebanese/Syrian : Ishbilia , Knightsbridge and Meza , Tooting

Best Greek : None are rated

Best "Politiki Kouzina " Peckham Bazaar and Kazan

Best Turkish : Mangal Ocakbasi (Stoke Newington)

Best Sushi : Sushi Tetsu , Yashin Sushi

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

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

Best Spanish : Cambio de Tercio , Fino , Pizarro and Iberica

Best Tapas : Tendido Cedro , Barrafina and José

Best English : St John's 

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

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

Best Service : Galvin's Windows , Goodman Maddox St , Hedone , Fino , Bar Boulud and Cambio de Tercio

Best Sandwich : Fernandez and Wells and Kappacasein

Best Pub : The Ship (Wandsworth) , Hampshire Hog and Black Friar

Best Selection of Beer : Draft House and The Rake

Best Wine Bar : 40 Maltby St

Best Brasserie : Bob Bob Ricard , Brasserie Chavot 

Best Mavericks : Giaconda Dining Room , Brunswick House Café , Dock Kitchen and 40 Maltby St

Best French Bistro/Bourgeois Cooking : Brasserie Chavot , Racine , Bistro Bruno and Koffmann's

Best Burger :  Burger and Lobster , Goodman and  Elliot's

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

Best Chain Burger : Byron

Best Steak : Gillrays and Goodman

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

Best Grill : The Dorchester Grill

Best Pizza : Franco Manca (Brixton) and Santa Maria

Best Street Food : Mr Falafel ( Shepherds Bush )

Best Value for money Wine List : Bob Bob Ricard

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

Best Newcomers in London 2013 : Bird of Smithfield , Five Fields , The Dairy , Aquashard , Hutong , A Wong , Peckham Bazaar , Casse Croûte , The Clove Club and Gymkhana

Best Bakery/Bread :  Hedone

Best Patisserie and Chocolatier : William Curley

Best Coffee : Prufork Coffee

Best Coffee Roaster : Square Mile

Best Cakes and Brownies : Bea's of Bloomsbury

Best Gelato :  Oddono's and La Gelatiera

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

Best Greengrocer : Andreas Veg , Chelsea

Best Cheese Shops : La Fromagerie , Rippon , Neal's Yard , Paxton & Whitfield and Beillevaire

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  and Handford

Best Wine Merchants Wholesale : Liberty , Fortyfive 10  and Bibendum

2011 Best in London

Here is my list of best of London food shops , restaurants and wine establishments for 2011.

Best Italian Restaurant (Southern & Sardinian) : L'Anima , 11 Park Walk

Best Italian Restaurant (Northern) : Alloro , Zafferano & Locanda Locatelli

Best Pan Italian : River Cafe & Babbo

Best Indian : Roti Chai

Best Indian (Modern) : Benares , Rasoi

Best Pakistani : Shezan & Saloos

Best Chinese : Hunan , Kai

Best Dim Sum : Pearl Liang , Alisan and Royal China (Baker St)

Best Thai : Nahm & Heron

Best Fusion : Galoupet

Best Japanese : Umu and Sake No Hana

Best Vietnamese : head to Paris or Vietnam

Best Lebanese/Syrian : Ishbilia , Knightsbridge

Best Greek : none in London are rated.

Best Turkish : Mangal Ocakbasi (Stoke Newington)

Best Sushi : Yashin Sushi

Best French : Hibiscus , Gauthier Soho , Club Gascon , Alain Ducasse (Dorchester)

Best Modern British/European : The Ledbury , Petersham Nurseries , ( all with an Antipodean twist)

Best Spanish : Cambio de Tercio , Pizzaro & Iberica

Best Tapas : Barrafina and José

Best English : St John's

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

Best Gastro Pub : Anchor & Hope , Great Queen St

Best Sandwich : Fernandez and Wells , Kappacasein

Best Pub : The Ship (Wandsworth) , Drafthouse (Westbridge)

Best Selection of Beer : Draft House and The Rake

Best Wine Bar : 28-50

Best Brasserie : Bob Bob Ricard

Best French Bistro/Bourgeois Cooking : Racine , Bistro Bruno & Koffmann

Best Burger : Hawksmoor, Goodman and Admiral Codrington

Best "joint" Burger : The Meatwagon , Meat Liquor

Best Chain Burger : Byron

Best Steak : Côte de Boeuf at Racine

Best Steak Restaurant : Hawksmoor and Goodman

Best Grill : The Dorchester Grill

Best Pizza : Franco Manca (Brixton) and Santa Maria

Best Street Food : Mr Falafel

Best Value for money Wine List : Bob Bob Ricard

Best Value for Money Restaurant : Koya & Mangal Ocakbasi

Best Newcomers in London 2011 : Hedone , Koya , Tinello and Roganic

Best Italian Deli : cannot vote on this category as have equity in the best :-)

Best Butcher : cannot vote on this category as have equity in the best :-)

Best Bakery : St John's Bread

Best Patisserie & Chocolatier : William Curley

Best Coffee : Prufork Coffee

Best Coffee Roaster : Square Mile

Best Cakes and Brownies : Bea's of Bloomsbury

Best Gelato : Cocorino , Oddono's and La Gelatiera

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

Best Cheese Shop : La Fromagerie , Rippon , Neal's Yard and Beillevaire

Best Wine Merchants Retail : Lea and Sandeman, Philglas and Swiggot and Handford

Best Wine Merchants Wholesale : Liberty , Fortyfive 10 , Eurowines and Bibendum

Best Fruit & Veg : Andreas Georghiou (Turnham Green Terrace)

Brett Graham dinner chez les Critical Couple

Brett Graham produced fireworks at a dinner described by Bruce Palling of the Wall Street Journam as the best meal he has ever eaten in a private residence . Read about it here

Best in London 2010

Here is my list of best of London food shops , restaurants and wine establishments for 2010 and you can compare with 2009 ,2008 here 2007 here and 2006 here


Best Italian Restaurant (Southern) : L'Anima , Mennula

Best Italian Restaurant (Northern) : Alloro , Zafferano & Locanda Locatelli

Best Pan Italian : River Cafe

Best Indian : The Painted Heron

Best Indian (Modern) : Benares , Rasoi

Best Pakistani : Shezan & Saloos

Best Chinese : Hunan , Kai

Best Dim Sum : Pearl Liang and Royal China (Baker St)

Best Thai : Nahm

Best Japanese : Umu and Sake No Hana

Best Vietnamese : Mien Tay , Battersea

Best Lebanese/Syrian : Ishbilia , Knightsbridge

Best Greek : none in London are rated.

Best Turkish : Mangal Ocakbasi (Stoke Newington)

Best Sushi : Sushi - Hiro (Ealing)

Best French : Hibiscus , Gauthier Soho , Club Gascon , Alain Ducasse (Dorchester)

Best Modern British/European : The Ledbury , Petersham Nurseries , Pied a Terre ( with an Antipodean twist)

Best Spanish : Cambio de Tercio

Best Tapas : Barrafina , Barrica

Best English : St John's

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

Best Gastro Pub : Anchor & Hope , Great Queen St

Best Sandwich : Fernandez and Wells , Kappacasein

Best Pub : The Ship (Wandsworth) , Drafthouse (Westbridge)

Best Selection of Beer : Draft House and The Rake

Best Wine Bar : 28-50

Best Brasserie : Le Cafe Anglais & Bob Bob Ricard

Best French Bistro/Bourgeois Cooking : Chabrot Bistro D'Amis , Racine , Bistro Bruno

Best Burger : Hawksmoor , Goodman , Byron Big D (limited edition special)

Best Mid Range Burger : Byron

Best joint Burger : The Meatwagon ,Grazing (Tower Hill)

Best Steak : Côte de Boeuf at Racine

Best Steak Restaurant : Hawksmoor , Goodman , The Rib Room

Best Grill : The Rib Room & The Dorchester Grill

Best Pizza : Franco Manca

Best Street Food : Mr Falafel and The Meatwagon

Best Value for money Wine List : Bob Bob Ricard

Best Value for Money Restaurant : Polpo & Mangal Ocakbasi

Best Newcomers in London 2010 : 101 Pimlico Road , The Dock Kitchen ,Texture and Goodman (City)

Best Italian Deli : none in London are rated.

Best Butcher : Oshea's of Knightbridge

Best Bakery : St John's Bread , Franco Manca , Poilane

Best Patisserie & Chocolatier : William Curley

Best Cakes and Brownies : Bea's of Bloomsbury

Best Gelato : Cocorino

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

Best Cheese Shop : La Fromagerie , Rippon and Beillevaire

Best Wine Merchants : Berry Brothers & Rudd , Bibendum Wines

Best Fruit & Veg : Andreas Georghiou (Turnham Green Terrace)

The Anchor and Hope . The Cut ,Waterloo, London

There are few destination Gastro pubs in Britain. Some of us are lucky enough to have some near our homes.

Apart from The Eagle on Farringdon Road where on some days you can get a beautifully cooked "Onglet" with a red wine and shallott reduction , I would normally not cross town for a Gastro Pub meal. However I'm now finding I need a fix at least once a week.

It's a place where you can enjoy "world class" bourgeois cooking like , Cassoulet , Ox Cheek stew with Dumplings , Slow cooked Tamworth ( along with Gloucsester Old Spot the only edible pork in Britain) with sauerkraut , Lanchashire Hot Pot , great soups and decent deserts. Go in a group and share some of the dishes for 4 or 3 that come in rustic looking pipping hot Le Creuset cookware !

The people who run the place have excellent backgrounds at The Eagle and the St John.