Celebrating 1,000 Restaurants on LocalMeal: 25 London Eateries for 25 Occasions
- Isabella Mandich
- Apr 6
- 9 min read
Restaurants are the beating heart of London culture. With more than 300 languages spoken within its walls, the city’s diversity speaks through an endless list of cuisines to explore. Whether it’s a first date over a candlelit dinner, a graduation toast with loved ones, or simply catching up with friends over lunch, food is what brings us together.
In recent years, running an independent restaurant has become really, really hard. For restaurants, costs are skyrocketing—rent, energy bills, wholesale prices. Meanwhile, people are dining out less and less due to the cost-of-living crisis and lingering effects of the pandemic.
For many independent restaurants, simply breaking even is now considered a challenge. In the last few months alone, several of our favourites have shut their doors, from Notting Hill’s seafood staple, Orasay, to Bethnal Green’s beloved wine bar, Sager & Wilde.
That’s why this milestone means so much. Thanks to you guys – our incredible community – more than 1,000 independent restaurants can now be explored on the LocalMeal app. Your support continuously shines a light on the passionate, hard-working, and ridiculously talented restaurateurs that make London’s food scene one of the best in the world.
So, in the spirit of supporting the places that truly deserve it, we’ve scanned the app and rounded up 25 of London’s best independent restaurants—for 25 different occasions. No chains, no big restaurant groups. Just the spots that real Londoners love. Let’s get into it.
For a juicy burger: The Plimsoll (Finsbury Park)
Gastropub | £££ 20-45 pp
Highlights: burger, crispy potatoes
The Plimsoll revitalizes British cooking within a nostalgic, rustic pub room which us Londoners have grown to love and cherish. The burger has made a strong name for itself amongst North Londoners, but the other platters are not to miss out on.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For fish & chips: Toff's (Muswell Hill)
British | ££ 20-30 pp
Highlights: Cod fish & chips
Toff’s is the kind of place that you probably shouldn’t go to if you aren’t planning on eating fish and chips. Having said that, it’s the best fish and chips joint we have ever tried in London.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For an authentic feel: Broken Eggs (Fitzrovia)
Spanish | ££ 15-30 pp
Highlights: patatas bravas, classic tortilla
Sibling pair Gabriel and Marta swapped corporate life for the kitchen, bringing their love of Spanish cuisine straight to the heart of London. Their passion for their family’s traditions transcends the entire experience at Broken Eggs, from simple, ingredient-led dishes to the cozy, wooden interior that mirrors a rustic Spanish kitchen.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For aperitivo: Amor Gastronomia (Islington)
Italian | ££ 20-30 pp
Highlights: bruschetta, burrata di mortadella, giove pizza
No publicity, no hype, no social media... just a fun atmosphere and authentic Italian food. Family-run Amor Gastronomia welcomes its guests to let loose and enjoy an aperitivo in their bunkbed-like wooden tables.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For date night: Manteca (Shoreditch)
Anglo-Italian | ££ 20-40 pp
Highlights: brown crab cacio e pepe, beef shin ragu, focaccia
Manteca is no secret to London’s food lovers, and for good reason. Born from the vision of restaurateur David Carter and chef Chris Leach, it blends the vibrant energy of New York and LA with a commitment to keeping things accessible, with a top-quality bowl of pasta and glass of wine for just £20.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a quick lunch: Pitted Olive (Bloomsbury)
Turkish | £ 8-15 pp
Highlights: stuffed peppers, gözleme, mezze (all of it)
Pitted Olive is the closest thing to a home-cooked meal you’ll find in London. Tucked in the heart of Bloomsbury, this gem feels like stepping into someone’s kitchen. At the entrance, you’ll spot a woman making gözleme from scratch, while further inside, a cozy seating area bathed in natural light invites you to stay a while.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a pastry: Layla Bakery (Notting Hill)
Bakery | £ 5-10 pp
Highlights: almond croissant
Born out of a lack of quality bakeries in London’s west end, Layla Bakery has more than satisfied this need. The pastries are truly immaculate… so much that we would recommend that you power through the long queue that builds up on weekends.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a cosy atmosphere: Foley's (Fitzrovia)
Asian Fusion | ££ 15-30 pp
Highlights: beef brisket curry, pad thai, monkey king cocktail
East-asian inspired establishment Foley’s has been a long time go-to within the LocalMeal community. With high-quality dishes priced under £15 and a welcoming atmosphere, it’s the kind of place that keeps you coming back. Thanks to a team that treats you like family, every visit feels just that little bit more special.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For an occasion: Sessions Arts Club (Clerkenwell)
Seasonal | £££ 50-80 pp
Highlights: crab, chocolate torte
Tucked inside an 18th-century courthouse, Sessions Arts Club offers an atmosphere unlike any other—a stunning backdrop for the culinary artistry of chef Abigail Hill. With food in her DNA, Hill grew up working on a farm and learning from her mother, a professional chef. Now she’s making waves in the industry, leading a diverse team with a philosophy rooted in trust, kindness, and creativity.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a coffee catchup: Scandinavian Kitchen (Fitzrovia)
Scandinavian | £ 4-10 pp
Highlights: cinnamon bun, meatballs, filter coffee
Founded by a Swede and a Dane, Scandi Kitchen is a love letter to Nordic culture. Jonas and Brontë have brought the best of Scandinavia to London, with a laid-back café upstairs and a Nordic grocery store tucked below. While there’s plenty to explore, sometimes it’s the simplest things—a cinnamon bun and filter coffee—that leave the biggest impression.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For live music: “mu” (Dalston)
Asian-inspired | £££ 40-60 pp
Highlights: popcorn shrimp, chicken thigh, pork tonkastu, any of their cocktails
From the same team behind Brilliant Corners, ‘mu’ is a bar & restaurant celebrating live music, with sessions every week from Wednesday until Sunday. It’s that kind of place that, in an instant, will make you feel a point cooler.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For brunch in the outdoors: Ginger & White (Hampstead)
British | ££10-20 pp
Highlights: scrambled eggs, banana bread, flat white
Ginger and white does all things simple perfectly. Scrambled eggs, sourdough, toasties, porridge… It’s the perfect summer destination to sit outside in after a walk in Hampstead Heath on a sunny day.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a weekend brunch: Kin Cafe (Fitzrovia)
Plant-Based | £ 4-16 pp
Highlights: hash, pancakes, coffee
Tucked in a quiet corner in Fitzrovia, Kin is a plant-based café with a compelling mission: to provide their customers with plant-powered fuel without compromising on flavour. If you’re looking for a fresh start to the weekend, this is where to hit.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
To take your parents: Da Mario (South Kensington)
Italian | ££ 15-25 pp
Highlights: fusilli campagnola, spaghetti sapore di mare, tiramisu
Word on the street is that Da Mario was one of Princess Diana’s favourite spots. While elegant, this eatery maintains a vibrant and lively atmosphere brings a warm, inviting feel to it.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For price-quality: Italia Uno (Fitzrovia)
Italian | £ 3-10 pp
Highlights: paninis, aubergine/beef lasagna
This rustic Italian café in the heart of London does in fact transport you to Naples – not only through the food and friendly service, but through the prices too – you really can get a lasagna for £5.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a celebration for two: The Barbary (Covent Garden)
North African | £££ 35-50 pp
Highlights: coffee run chicken, whipped cod’s roe, pistachio tart
Named after the Barbary Coast, the name given to the coastal regions of North and Central Africa, the Barbary takes influence from the traditional flavours of the region with a modern twist. Set in a dimmed, cande-lit setting, we wouldn’t have a better recommendation for an intimate celebration between two.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a quirky bar: WC Wine & Charcuterie (Bloomsbury)
Cocktail bar | ££ 10-20 pp
Highlights: cheese & charcuterie, wine selection
WC Bloomsbury occupies a restored late-19th-century Victorian Water Closet. This Grade II listed site retains original wooden stalls, tiles, and granite floors. Don’t be surprised if you have some trouble finding it. It is, in the most literal sense, a hidden gem.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a hangover cure: Delizie D’Italia (Pimlico)
Italian | £ 8-11 pp
Highlights: all of their paninis, salmon teriyaki
Delizie D’Italia strikes the perfect hangover balance between “I need comfort food” and “I should probably eat something wholesome.” Made with fresh Italian ingredients, their paninis and ready-made meals hit the spot—best enjoyed out on the patio with a bit of fresh air.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For office take-away: Bento-ya (Fitzrovia)
Japanese | £ 10-15 pp
Highlights: chicken katsu teriyaki bowl
Bento-ya is a family-owned gem serving up some of the best Japanese takeaway bowls and bento boxes in town. Helmed by Chef Dai—whose cooking expertise has earned him over 200k YouTube subscribers—this spot proves that simple, well-executed food speaks for itself.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a night at the pub: The Parakeet (Kentish Town)
Gastropub | £££ 40-60 pp
Highlights: potato bread, iberico pork, sea bream
The Parakeet dining room truly is one of the most beautiful settings to enjoy a pub meal in – the vibrant artwork, candlelit tables, and wooden finishes invite you into the incredible gastronomic experience that the ex-Brat chefs have brought to life.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a sweet something: Miel (Fitzrovia)
Bakery | ££ 7-13 pp
Highlights: pistachio swirl, dark chocolate pecan cookies
Miel’s pastries mirror true craftsmanship. Prepared by a small team of highly-trained bakers with the highest-quality ingredients such as flour milled from Normandy and butter from Poitou Charentes, each bite is one that we truly cherish.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For large groups: El Pastor (Soho)
Mexican | £££ 30-45 pp
Highlights: short rib tacos, quesadillas, frozen margaritas
As much of a struggle it is to find good Mexican food in London, El Pastor defies this trend. The short rib tacos are mouth-melting (definitely to be paired with frozen margs).
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a vibrant study space: Store Street Espresso (Bloomsbury)
Cafe | £ 5-10 pp
Highlights: flat white, matcha cookie
Pioneering London’s specialty coffee wave, Store Street Espresso provides a café experience of the highest standard within a bright room full of natural light and walls covered in vibrant art pieces – perfect to get your creative juices flowing.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For a Sunday roast: The Quality Chop House (Farringdon)
British | £££ 40-60 pp
Highlights: any of the roasts
It’s safe to say that the Quality Chop House is a London institution. Believe it or not, in 2019, this establishment celebrated its 150th anniversary. The £59 Sunday set menu may not be an everyday experience, but absolutely one worth trying at some point in your culinary adventures.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
For sustainable queens: Qima Café (Fitzrovia)
Café & patisserie | £ 5-10 pp
Highlights: pistachio tiramisu danish, almond croissant, qishr latte
In collaboration with the Qima Foundation, for each cup of coffee sold at Qima, a coffee tree is donated to a farmer in need in Yemen while, more generally, over 10% of profits are dedicated to the foundation. Having now expanded the foundation into Colombia and Ecuador, Qima is globally recognized as a leader of ethically-sourced coffee.
📍Find it on Google Maps here.
It’s clear that London’s food scene is thriving, thanks to the passion and dedication of local restaurateurs. If you’re new here, join us! To become a voice for your favourite independent restaurants in London, you can download the app right here 💚
Here's to the next! 👋
Isabella
Co-Founder of LocalMeal
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