The Best Restaurants In London
Harden’s Guide, the pocket guide to London’s best restaurants, has recently launched its fifteenth issue. Based on the largest annual survey of restaurant-goers in the UK (over 8,000 people), it’s quickly become the definitive word on where to get the best eats in the capital.
A new edition naturally sees the arrival of some fresh favourites as well as the re-appearance of the stalwarts that have defined fine dining in London for years. In honour of Harden’s, we thought we’d bring to your attention some of their highlights and let you know what the LBC listenership thought of them.
Chez Bruce, Wandsworth
For the fifth year in succession, Wandsworth’s finest has bagged Harden’s ‘most loved’ accolade. It’s not difficult to see why. The service is absolutely impeccable and the food is first rate. Perhaps incorrectly saddled with the ‘Modern British’ tag, this mix of largely traditional French fare with Italian and Spanish influences is a big, big hit.
Make the most of the knowledgeable Sommelier to choose your wine and make sure you indulge fully in the much-heralded cheese board. “It was the cheese board that stood out”, says Alan from Clapham. “Actually, it was more of a cheese door. It was huge and the selection endless”
J Sheekey, St Martin’s Court
With its location in the heart of theatre-land, it’s no surprise to hear J Sheekey can morph into luvvie-central once the curtain falls. It’s Sheekey’s however, that is Harden’s ‘most mentioned’. Again, this won’t raise too much of an eyebrow when you consider its collection of dining rooms and sumptuously prepared fish are among the many highlights of one of London’s most highly regarded restaurants. It’s clearly come a very long way since the seafood market stall holder, Josef Sheekey, set it up in 1896. Rob in Hammersmith is a fan: “The service is a class apart, the food (scallops, in particular) sublime and the interior chic and sumptuous, without being overbearing. Divine!”
La Poule Au Pot, Pimlico
Voted London’s most romantic restaurant, La Poule Au Pot in Pimlico (or is that Chelsea?), is a wonderful place to visit for some good, solid French fare a deux. The interior, as you’d expect, is very cosy with wicker baskets and dried flowers hanging from the ceiling and over small tables. Considering this is a slice of France re-located to London, the service is surprisingly friendly. It’s another factor that makes Owen from Camden give this place a thumbs-up, however: “Bring the darkness and bring the candles and La Poule… turns in to a 'must-visit' for doe-eyed couples”.
The Wolseley, Piccadilly
The Wolseley is another of London’s institutions and bagged the ‘Best For Business’ accolade in Hardens. We’re not exactly sure we know what that means, but having been fortunate to dine at this excellent establishment, we could probably have a good guess.
A café-restaurant in the grand European tradition, it’s among the most wonderful spaces to dine in the capital. Long opening hours also means you can pretty much grab something to eat here most hours of the day. A fairly standard menu might not impress (until you get the food, that is), but the celebs dining around you certainly will.
Lucy from South Kensington loves it: “It feels like you are stepping back in time to a far more civilized era, when scheduled champagne teas were the norm... bliss”