Diners' Choice: British restaurants in City of London

OpenTable

Updated 05 December 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall British cuisine in City of London? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyses more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favourites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Restaurant St. Barts

4.8

4.8 (102)

£41 and over

British

Farringdon

About the restaurant

A British Tasting Menu experience for Dinner, and shorter Set Menu for Lunch - tucked away in London’s Smithfield the dining room overlooks the historical Church of St Bartholomew the Great. We received our first Michelin Star in March 2023 and were awarded a Michelin Green Star in February 2024 - making us the only London restaurant to hold both awards.

Tues - Sat Dinner | Tasting Menu | £160pp
Tues - Sat Lunch | Short or Long Set Lunch | £70/£110pp

Restaurant St. Barts is the culmination of passion & hard work from three long-term friends Johnnie, Luke & Toby - the team behind NEST restaurant in Shoreditch. It is a celebration of British produce in the heart of historical London.

Top review

Simon

Dined 3 days ago

Another lovely lunch at St Bart’s. The set menu was varied, extraordinary and delicious. Such great staff - attentive but not over the top we shall return.

The Quality Chop House

4.8

4.8 (2533)

£41 and over

British

Farringdon

About the restaurant

The Quality Chop House celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2019.

Our menus are seasonally-focused and change daily based around the best produce delivered each morning.

We suggest bookings, but do take walk-ins.

In addition to our a la carte menu, we offer a £29 set lunch menu (January to November), and on Sunday lunches we serve a splendid roast.

If you are interested in a table for more than 6 guests, we have a Private Dining Room that seats up to 14. A seasonal feasting menu is available. For more information please give us a call.

Top review

Geoff

Dined 3 days ago

Absolutely fantastic food , service and atmosphere

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Popular dish

Confit Potatoes

Popular dish

Capezzana olive oil ice cream

Experience

Valentine's Day 2025

St. JOHN Smithfield

4.8

4.8 (4094)

£41 and over

British

Farringdon

About the restaurant

Fergus Henderson’s original home of “Nose to Tail Eating” opened in a former smokehouse around the corner from Smithfield Market in 1994.

Celebrating the finest of indigenous British produce and making the most of what is seasonally best whilst applying straight forward cooking techniques, St. John is now celebrated as one of the 50 Best Restaurants in the World and in 2009 was awarded its first Michelin Star.

Nose to tail eating means that, where appropriate, every part of the animal should be put to good use in the kitchen and so along with Roast Beef and Lemon Sole, diners will find Rolled Pig’s Spleen, Kidneys and Ox Heart, Liver and Chitterlings as well as the Roast Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad, something of a ‘signature’ dish.

Top review

Michaelvip

Dined 4 days ago

What a fantastic experience. We are fans of “nose to tail” dining and love dishes made with organ meats and other elements not usually served in restaurants. Even so the cuisine here was extraordinary: Exceptionally well cooked and simply presented. And our server James was both knowledgeable and very attentive. All around a smashing dinner. When we return to London we will most definitely come back.

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Popular dish

Eccles Cake and Lancashire Cheese

Popular dish

Welsh Rarebit

Popular dish

Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad

Cafe Below

4.7

4.7 (434)

£25 and under

British

Bank

About the restaurant

In the atmospheric, mediaeval crypt of St Mary le Bow Church, the Cafe Below is a City institution. A quiet oasis from the hectic world above, serving a short menu of British and European dishes, with the occasional curry, the cafe has an ever changing seasonal menu. Being beneath the Bow Bells, naturally we are dedicated to all things London, so we source as locally as possible; our coffee is roasted in Hackney and our beer brewed in the East End. For breakfast, we are the perfect place for a moment of quiet before the day begins or a small or large business meeting, all with Homemade rye toast, River Farm smoked salmon, Brioche French toast and our own granola.

Jay Rayner hailed the cafe as being the "kind of restaurant any hectic city needs"; a quality driven, friendly place where you can meet mates, clients or colleagues, all in the unique setting of a Christopher Wren crypt!

Top review

Hanna

Dined 3 days ago

Very good place for lunch. Very cosy, especially in winter.

Paternoster Chop House

4.2

4.2 (2267)

£26 to £40

British

St Paul's

About the restaurant

We are bringing back the great British Chop House – harking back to a time when meat was king, portions were hearty and provenance was everything. Enjoy larger sharing cuts cooked on open charcoal grills, in Josper ovens or on spit roasts, alongside daily specials inspired by the best the British Isles have to offer.

Top review

Reetvip

Dined 4 days ago

Had a lovely meal here - service was excellent and food was good ! a tadge noisy but it is Christmas week .. overall really enjoyed it

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Grind Liverpool Street

4.4

4.4 (21)

£25 and under

British

Liverpool Street

About the restaurant

A buzzing City cocktail bar, espresso bar and all-day restaurant, right outside Liverpool Street Station.

For larger bookings please email : liverpoolstreet@grind.co.uk

Top review

Denise

Dined on 25 Nov 2024

I really enjoyed my first trip to Grind Liverpool Street. Lovely menu, delicious coffee and Very friendly helpful staff. Thank you

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Experience

Bottomless Brunch

The Lampery

3.9

3.9 (201)

£26 to £40

British

Fenchurch Street

About the restaurant

The Lampery, is an all-day dining spot providing good, honest cooking in the heart of historic London. Inspired by our patron, Samuel Pepys, the restaurant delivers a passion for authentic cooking and locally-sourced produce. Located within Apex City of London Hotel, the restaurant serves a menu that celebrates the diverse and eclectic mix that British cuisine is today.

"Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody"
Samuel Pepys’ diary 1665

Top review

Alan

Dined on 5 Dec 2024

Great service and good food. Would definately return.

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Experience

Festive Dining in The Lampery - 2 Course

Experience

Festive Dining in The Lampery - 3 Course

Experience

New Years Eve at The Lampery

Mercer Roof Terrace

4.4

4.4 (963)

£26 to £40

British

Bank

About the restaurant

Mercer Roof Terrace, located on the 7th floor of Vintry & Mercer, takes in the sweep of London’s skyline, from the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral to the glass tip of The Shard.

Outside, guests can enjoy an al fresco dining experience above the city lights in a partially covered settings with comfy blankets and overhead heating perfect for chilly evenings.

Inside, the atmosphere is warm and convivial, with floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening wide to the night’s sky.

You can enjoy a menu that celebrates the best of modern English cooking, showcasing farm-to-table meat, fish and seasonal vegetables cooked using our charcoal oven and our house infused craft cocktails displayed in colourful glass carafes on the bar.

Top review

Thushari

Dined 5 days ago

Roof top cabin was very cosy , had beautiful views of the city skyline ! Great service.

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Experience

Beluga Winter Cabins @ Mercer Roof Terrace

Experience

Winter Igloo at Mercer Roof Terrace

The Jugged Hare

4.3

4.3 (1443)

£26 to £40

British

Barbican

About the restaurant

London’s leading game restaurant prides itself on full flavours, innovative ideas and perfectly executed dishes at every service. From classic cuts and succulent steaks to squirrel croquettes and crispy crumbed pheasant, a focus on both traditional and lesser-known (but always seasonal), British ingredients served alongside independent boutique wines makes this handsome gastro pub a game-changing drinking and dining spot for the City.

Top review

Alexander Seadon

Dined on 16 Nov 2024

It's game season! Food was excellent and a great environment in which to enjoy some very special dishes. Service was generally good.

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Experience

Pre-theatre menu

The Libertine

4.5

4.5 (239)

£26 to £40

British

Bank

About the restaurant

The Libertine brings to life the 450 year history of one of London's most iconic buildings, The Royal Exchange. A spectacular destination for dining, drinking and unwinding located in the vaults of this London landmark. Enjoy wholesome seasonal fare prepared with the finest quality produce from lunch until late. Choose from snacks for the table, starters, seafood dishes, vegetarian and vegan dishes, a selection of dry-aged steaks and grande cuts alongside traditional mains and desserts.

Top review

JudyEvip

Dined on 10 Nov 2024

Such a picturesque location. We had the aubergine chips with the yummy cocktails. Came for the Sunday roast and it did not disappoint. The Yorkshire was as big as my hand the beef cooked to our desired temperature and the gravy was divine. Just the perfect capper to our trip to London!!

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