The London Restaurants I Keep Coming Back To

From solo lunches to family dinners—these are the places I return to again and again

Jikoni

Just one month until my new book Sabzi is out! I can’t wait to share it with you. I wrote the book while pregnant and it’s a real labour of love filled with the vegetarian recipes we most commonly enjoy at home. The recipes are inspired by my Persian and Pakistani heritage as well as my travels across the globe.

It makes a HUGE difference to authors to get pre-orders so if you’re planning to buy the book, please consider getting a copy from any of these retailers.

I’ll be sharing more about my book tour soon but first up this week’s newsletter about my favourite eats in London.

Last week, a friend who lives in New York asked me to recommend some restaurants in London for an upcoming trip. I get asked this question a lot and can easily reel off a dozen solidly impressive places I frequently recommend that showcase the diverse cultural influences of this wonderful city (I’m talking about the likes of Darjeeling Express, Rambutan, Dim Sum Duck, Brat, Quality Chop House, and the endlessly impressive Mangal 2).

But what struck me while compiling the list is that, alongside the ‘best’ restaurants in London, there’s also another list: the ones I most frequently visit. Some are for convenience, some for conviviality but all are for incredibly delicious food. So I thought I’d share that more personal list with you, and give you a little glimpse of the places I return to time and time again. Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list, London’s food scene is constantly evolving, and there are always new places to discover. But these are the spots that have fed me through different chapters of life: quick solo lunches between deadlines, joyful brunches with friends, celebratory dinners, and quiet moments of comfort. In a city as fast-paced as this, returning to familiar tables feels like a small act of grounding.

No 1 Adana
If you’ve read my book Ripe Figs, you’ll know that the area of London I live in is full of Turkish and Kurdish eateries, from late-night ocakbasi grills and gözleme cafés to bustling bakeries and sit-down restaurants. This is the one I frequent most, it’s very close to my home and excels at tender, juicy grilled meats and an assortment of delicious vegetarian sides. If I want a healthy lunch or dinner, I order the lentil soup, which comes with thick wedges of Turkish bread, dry-cured black olives, and an assortment of pickles. But most often I go for the Adana köfte – a cumin, pul biber and sumac-spiced lamb kebab served with rice, grilled tomatoes, cucumber yoghurt, and a grilled onion salad. Truly my idea of food heaven. You can find a close approximation in my recipe for it here.

Little Duck Picklery
This cosy restaurant in Dalston specialises in natural wines, seasonal small plates, pickles and ferments. I know that might sound a bit passé these days, but it was one of the OGs in London doing this and it does not disappoint. With its dim lighting and intimate seating, it feels like you’re in bar and the dishes I’ve eaten here have probably influenced my home cooking more than anywhere else. The fish and meat are great, but they really shine when it comes to being inventive with vegetables and pulses, drawing on a variety of Italian and modern European influences.

Koya Bar
If I’m heading out in Soho, this is my go-to pre-theatre or comedy meal: a tiny Japanese noodle bar specialising in freshly made udon noodles. It’s since expanded to branches in the City and Hackney, but this is the one I love most, with its narrow seating around the kitchen so you can watch the chefs at work. The hot bowls of udon in broth are always deeply satisfying, but it's the cold udon dipped in a variety of sauces that I find most compelling. Go with a friend and order both.

Dishoom
For years I avoided Dishoom in the way I sometimes do when something gets too much hype. Turns out I was missing out it's a great place to eat and drink, especially in a group. The cocktails are fantastic (non-alcoholic ones too), and the décor is cute, but the real highlight is the food: affordable, delicious Bombay-inspired dishes with lots of modern twists. I wouldn’t say it’s the best South Asian food in London, but it’s possibly the most fun. The breakfasts are also excellent and the chai in particular is amazing. You can buy their house chai blend too which I highly recommend.

Tayyabs
If we’re talking about South Asian food, though, this fast-paced Pakistani Punjabi restaurant behind the East London Mosque is undoubtedly one of the best. Its dry meat curries and rotis are unmatched for flavour, and their famous lamb chops are truly worth the hype and are some of the best I’ve ever eaten. But vegetarians are surprisingly well catered for too, with fantastic chickpeas, daal, pumpkin and aubergine curries. Like many Pakistani restaurants in the UK, it’s BYO (bring your own beer/wine), which adds to the homely feel and keeps the price of any meal down. Their lassis are fantastic, though, if you do want to buy your drinks there.

Ottolenghi
I first read about this new Islington deli opening around 20 years ago, when I was living in Brixton. One day, I took myself there for a solo lunch to see what all the fuss was about. Needless to say, I was smitten with the vibrant, flavour-packed Middle Eastern dishes and so were thousands (millions?) of others. What Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi started here soon blossomed into a huge empire of restaurants, books, a test kitchen, cooking columns and now, a very popular Substack. I still go back to this restaurant often, most frequently with my mum, sister, or close friends for a catch-up lunch. Since having a baby, I’ve also come to relish their delivery service. Their Chocolate and Halva Danish and Carrot and Walnut Cake got me through those early months with a newborn. If you visit, my number one tip is to always get whatever aubergine salad they have on the day, that’s the only rule.

Ottolengi Islington

Quo Vadis
A historic Soho restaurant and members’ club in a building that once housed a brothel and later Karl Marx, this quaint, upmarket spot is quintessentially British. Walking into its elegant dining room for an aperitivo instantly makes you feel like you’re in for a special experience. This is the place for a date night, a celebration, or a business lunch when you want to impress. The pies are excellent, and the smoked eel sandwich is justifiably famous. Get them both, along with some seasonal vegetable sides.

Caravan
Like most Londoners I often go to Caravan and it’s one my favourite spots for brunch. The coffee is reliably excellent and the global menu embraces Middle Eastern ingredients with labneh, sumac, tahini, dukkah, Aleppo pepper and plenty of pomegranates which, of course, speaks to my heart. The interiors are airy and stylish, and there’s always something new on the menu to tempt you back. My favourite branches are in Exmouth Market and Bankside (I tend to avoid the Kings Cross branch as the acoustics aren’t great).

Jikoni
This is simply one of the most inventive and joyful restaurants in London. Ravinder Bhogal’s cooking blends flavours from South Asia, the Middle East, East Africa and the UK into something that feels entirely original yet utterly comforting. The decor is delightful and carefully curated, so it makes you feel like you are in someone’s home. The menu changes often, but there are two dishes I always hope to see: the prawn scotch egg, which is crisp on the outside with a perfectly soft yolk inside, and the cold silken tofu delicate, refreshing, and full of nuanced flavour.

I hope you find something in here to enjoy too and if you have any favourites of your own, I’d love to hear them!

Yasmin xx