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Michelin Star Restaurants In London
In the 2024 guide there are 80 Michelin star restaurants in London: 61 with one star (with Mountain, Chishuru, Humble Chicken, Aulis and Akoko amongst the newbies), 13 with two stars (including new additions of Gymkhana and Brooklands), and six with the ultimate three stars, with the Ledbury being the new addition to the top category this year. Michelin is traditionally associated with stuffy French fine dining in hotel restaurants, it’s gone to great lengths to diversify over the past few years and the variety of Michelin Star restaurants in London has now been greatly improved.
Heading out for a Michelin starred meal in London no longer means white tablecloths. Some of our favourites, like Lyle’s, Chishuru, Sabor and Luca, turn out incredible food in relaxed surroundings.
These probably aren’t the kind of places you’re going to eat out all the time, as at dinner the prices can get scary pretty quickly. Many Michelin starred restaurants in London will have amazing set menu deals at lunchtime or even at weekends in some cases so it’s well worth having a look at the different options available on the restaurant’s website. It’s a great way to get a taste without breaking the bank.
Although a Michelin star should be a guarantee of a certain level of quality, sometimes those anonymous inspectors do make some strange decisions. Just because a place has a star, it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily worthy of your cash, so we’ve rounded up our pick of some of the best Michelin star restaurants in London to help you find the location for you next blow out meal.
We’ve loved Da Terra since it opened in 2019 (which won a Michelin star in 2020 and added a second in 2021) and it’s just as good as ever, offering one of the best fine dining experiences in London. Da Terra offers blind tasting menus, so the only choice you have to make is if you want the short or long version. Da Terra is headed up by chef Rafael Cagali, who is originally from São Paulo but has lived in the UK for 20+ years, and though there are definitely elements of Brazilian cuisine in the menu but it’s certainly by no means a Brazilian restaurant, taking a much broader scope in style and invention, with dishes like carabinero and tomato bisque spiked with vodka; hamachi sandwiched between thin layers of pumpkin and bathed in tucupi; aged turbot served with manteiguinha beans, farofa, and a rich seafood coconut milk broth with dende oil; and baba with pistachio and caviar. The food at Da Terra is technical and accomplished but the restaurant never loses sight of delivering fantastic dishes that you actually want to eat.
Since Dinner by Heston Blumenthal opened in 2011, it’s gained two Michelin stars and has gained a very respectable place at 36 on the World’s 50 Best List. This being Heston, there is some culinary magic involved in a lot of the dishes but it’s certainly more pared back than what you’d find at The Fat Duck. Although very modern, many of the dishes are inspired by historical British recipes, delving back as far as the time of Henry VIII. All this might make you think that Dinner by Heston is very hard to get in to and not exactly easy on the wallet, and you’d be right – but take our tip and get in there at lunch time (Mon – Fri) where you can have the set lunch menu for just £45, and you’ll have a much easier time getting a rezzie too.
Even though Pied a Terre has been around a long time (26 years to be precise) it’s always kept things fresh by having a series of talented young Head Chefs in the kitchen, the latest of which is Asimakis Chaniotis who is just 27. We began with a light but richly flavoured starter, Isle of Mull scallops with yuzu, celeriac and autumn truffle and next was a lentil and root vegetable casserole with gammon, perfect for the cold dark nights in London. Of the two main dishes, beef with bone marrow, spinach and enoki mushrooms was our favourite but the Cornish plaice with courgette was also excellent. To round it all off we had a beautiful chocolate pavé with chilli and stem ginger.
Pied a Terre is a London classic but one that is constantly reinventing itself to stay relevant in the city’s ever changing restaurant scene. With great food, wine and service, long may it continue.
Beloved of foodies everywhere for years, A Wong finally won a Michelin star in 2017 and in 2021 it earned a second, making it the first Chinese restaurant in the UK to hold two stars. This is not a place to indulge in the classics as Andrew Wong cooks up a creative storm of modern twists of dim sum – think rabbit and carrot puffs shaped like little carrots or wagyu tart with truffle. It’s fun, it’s delicious and even though it’s in Victoria you should still go there.
Lyle’s has built up a stellar reputation thanks to its elegant, seasonal British food but if you don’t want to plan ahead, you can also drop in for small plates and a glass of wine from their bar snack menu (as long as one of the six bar stools are free of course). It is a changing menu, but if the mussel, garlic and spenwood flatbread or the smoked eel with cabbage and seaweed are on, they’re must-orders. It’s not exactly cheap, but as a Michelin-starred pit-stop it’s pretty perfect.
London has its fair share of iconic, world-famous hotels but The Ritz arguably trumps them all. The grand Grade-II listed building on the edge of Green Park has been around since 1906 and as you step inside, it feels as though not much has changed since then, with its decadent furnishings modelled on the grand old hotels of Paris. Nowhere does this feel more true than the dining room with its chandeliers, thick curtains, painted ceiling and classical sculptures – there aren’t many dining rooms in London like it and although it’s not exactly the design-style of today, it’s an amazing place to spend an evening; a pure piece of dining escapism.
Despite its reputation for all things grand and luxurious, The Ritz never held a Michelin star until it was awarded one in 2016 under the stewardship of Executive Chef John Williams, who joined the hotel in 2004. John’s refined menus are befitting of the space, beautifully presented classic French dishes that still feel fresh and modern enough to hold their own in London’s innovation-hungry dining scene. We went by for dinner and selected the Menu Surprise, consisting of six seasonal courses selected by John Williams, which at £105 is by no means bad value by Michelin London standards.
Anne-Sophie Pic has five Michelin-stars across three restaurants already to her name. Her London opening, La Dame de Pic, shares its name with her Paris restaurant and she couldn’t have picked a more stunning location for it; the newly opened Four Seasons Hotel at Trinity Square. The building used to the Port of London Authority back in the day and the whole place is very grand indeed. La Dame de Pic itself is no exception, with big windows, high ceilings, and glamorous art deco design touches. And now she has another two Michelin stars to her name with her London restaurant, which added a 2nd star with the 2020 guide. The food too is sophisticated and beautifully presented, mixing a classic French style with some more unusual ingredients and Japanese influences (Pic lived and worked in Japan for a while). We loved seeing British ingredients such as Cornish crab given a different treatment, served here with sobacha and dill panna cotta, Corsican clementine and discs of crunchy celeriac
Sister to Yauatcha, Hakkasan also knocks out some beautifully refined Chinese food at its two locations in Mayfair and Hanway Place. It loses minor points for the permanent nightclub soundtrack but the cooking more than makes up for it. A meal at Hakkasan doesn’t come cheap but there are a range of set menus on offer (with one at the Fitzrovia branch coming in at £39 per person) so you don’t necessarily have to break the bank to eat here. But if you’re going all out, don’t miss the venison puff, crispy duck salad, the roasted silver cod or the truffle roasted duck.
Helene Darroze took up residence at The Connaught way back in 2008, securing two Michelin stars within three years of opening and she added a third in 2021 after a big refurbishment. The restaurant serves fine dining food with French flair, each dish beautifully presented (and instagram worthy!). Each course is cleverly thought out and perfectly executed, both in terms of flavour and texture. Fresh crab and avocado was topped with salty caviar; rich foie gras came with a thin disk of fruit jelly; and coco bean was served alongside meaty cubes of eel and shimeji – a small Japanese mushroom. Lobster was accompanied with asparagus, seaweed and botargo and then came the juicy sweetbread with more asparagus, morel mushrooms and white wine. If you’re looking for somewhere to celebrate, want to treat yourself or just fancy a blow out this place needs to be on the list.
CHISHURU
Just under a year after she closed her Brixton site, Adejoké Bakare’s Chishuru has finally re-opened in its shiny new Central London location. The new site, which is located on Great Titchfield Street, is bigger than the Brixton original but still not huge by any means – there’s a maximum of 55 covers, split across two floors. They’ve done a great job on the space, however, with earthy-toned walls, splashes of light green, modern artworks, and smart spotlights. On the food front, it’s all very simple: there’s a £65 set menu at dinner and a £35 menu at lunch. Within that you’ll get some starters/snacks, choose your main course from three options, and then finish with a dessert. It’s truly all fantastic with a thick fermented rice cake (Sinasir) topped with white crab meat, pumpkin and sorrel purée; fiery peppercorn broth,topped with eko, meat floss, kale, and corn tofu; Egusi, grilled hispi cabbage stuffed with caramelised shallots, utazi leaf, and a superb wild watermelon seed sauce; and Ngalakh, a rice ice-cream, with ginger cream and a dusting of baobab powder amongst the standouts.
Michelin-starred Trishna takes you on a journey through India with plates inspired by the south coast, rich seafood dishes from Goa and a range of puris, bhajis, behls and idlis, and you can go for seafood, veggie or meaty tasting menus. This is anything but your average curry house and is one to save for a real treat.
AKOKO
West African restaurant Akoko, founded by Aji Akokomi with Ado Adeyemi in the kitchen, takes influence from across West Africa but also makes the most of British ingredients to deliver food that showcases fire, umami and spice. Highlights include smoked goat with mustard seeds & burnt cucumber, jollof rice with BBQ native blue lobster, butternut squash with mackerel & honey, and the West African fruit aridan served with a Ghanaian bofrot doughnut & uda ice cream. The menu is a fantastic experience all in all, and if you want to try something new, Akoko is a very clever, creative restaurant showcasing brilliant West African flavours – definitely Michelin star quality.
Widely considered to be one of, if not the, best Indian restaurant in London, Gymkhana is looking better than ever after a refurbishment following a fire. There’s new artwork and photographs on the ground floor level, and a more substantial remodelling in the basement, which has seen the bar moved and a more colourful design adopted. The menus still feature many of the Gymkhana classics, as well as a few new dishes and cocktails, so there’s plenty of reasons to visit again even if you’ve been before. The kid goat methi keema was always one of the most hyped dishes at Gymkhana and it’s still a must order – scooping up the rich minced goat meat and piling it on to the soft buttery pao buns is a joy to behold. Another one of Gymkhana’s most famous dishes, the muntjac biryani, is still here and again it’s one you won’t want to pass up. The pastry crust is broken upon table-side, revealing a steaming bowl of rice and chunks of muntjac deer – it’s a heavy dish but it’s served with pomegranate and mint raita which helps add a bit of freshness. Whether you’re a long time fan of Gymkhana or you’re yet to visit, the refurbishment of the space is the perfect excuse to visit. It’s certainly pricier than your average Indian restaurant but the cooking is exceptional, and fully worthy of it’s Michelin-star status. A five star experience all round.
HIDE
Ollie Dabbous’ Hide was one of the most hyped openings of 2018 and it lived up to all the talk by winning a Michelin star within six months. Hide is split into three sections, with Below, a cocktail bar and wine cellar in the basement: Ground, a ground floor restaurant with a more casual vibe and a weekend brunch offering; and tasting menus on the top floor called Above. The food is of course inventive, skilful, and delicious with dishes like ‘Nest Egg’, an eggshell filled with a creamy concoction of yolk, smoked butter & mushroom and squab pigeon cooked over charcoal with quince miso. And we must mention the wine list which is one of the biggest in Europe. This is thanks to the partnership with nearby Hedonism wines. Not only is there a huge selection of wines in the restaurant’s own cellar but the list expands to roughly 6,000 bottles when you take into account Hedonism’s stock. The whole thing is so big, it’s stored on an iPad and if you want a bottle from Hedonism, they’ll whip round and get it for you.
KOL
Mexican chef Santiago Lastra, who worked at Rene Redzepi’s Noma Mexico pop-up in 2017 and has cooked at the Tate Modern finally opened his debut solo restaurant Kol in London in 2020, after a more than a year of looking for a location. Kol is broadly Mexican, drawing influence from across the country as well as making use of British produce too with dishes like langoustine tacos with sea buckthorn, kohlrabi ceviche, lamb leg totasta cured in gooseberries with walnut oil, and tamal with corn husk ice cream. You can see some of the work that goes into the food thanks to the open kitchen, complete with tortilla station, right in the middle of the first floor dining room. As well as a biodynamic wine list, Kol also serves up mezcals, tequilas and less well-known Mexican spirits like whisky from Oaxaca, gin from the Yucatan and rum from Puebla in the dedicated mezcaleria on the lower ground floor.
IKOYI
Owned by Iré Hassan-Odukale and chef Jeremy Chan, this two Michelin-starred and World’s 50 Best restaurant combines British produce (including in-house aged meat and fish) with West African ingredients largely unseen in London, like ogbono seed, tiger nut, long pepper and grains of paradise, creating a unique food style. This same ethos is carried through to the drinks list, where these ingredients are used to put a twist on classic cocktails. The full tasting menu here costs £300 so eating at Ikoyi is certainly not an everyday occasion but it is an experience.
THE HARWOOD ARMS
There are lots of good pubs in London, and lots that claim to bring a slice of the countryside to the city, but none do it quite like The Harwood Arms. The fact that it’s the only Michelin-starred pub in town tells you that it’s a cut above, not to mention it being awarded No. 1 Gastropub in the UK by Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs in 2020 and being named Best Pub and Bar at The Cateys in the same year. Opened in 2009 by The Ledbury’s Brett Graham, restaurateur Mike Robinson, and Edwin Vaux of Vaux Brewery, The Harwood Arms has built its stellar reputation by championing the best of British, particularly game and wild food – it’s definitely not your average pub grub, with the likes of venison scotch egg, Hereford steak tartare, Berkswell cheese tart and Iberico pork with oats & baked carrot on the menu. The Harwood Arms has all the rustic touches of a country pub with the kind of polish that you’d expect from a place in Fulham. The team has really nailed the balance between neighbourhood pub and destination dining in terms of look and service, and of course the food.
ALEX DILLING AT HOTEL CAFE ROYAL
Alex Dilling, who was previously at two Michelin-starred The Greenhouse (now closed) is gunning for those Michelin stars with his new restaurant at Hotel Cafe Royal and its multi-course tasting menus. He’s doing some seriously accomplished cooking full of creativity and colour. It leans towards classical French in style, but with a far more modern, lighter touch than you might expect. Still, if you’re a fan of caviar, sweetbreads, and pigeon, you’ll be well catered for here. The mackerel with cuttlefish and buttermilk, clam chowder with Dorset clams and confit potato, Limousin veal sweetbread in a rich sauce of aged parmesan and anchovy, and a whole roast monkfish tail that comes presented to each table on a silver tray before being whisked away, Peking duck-style, and reappearing later served with red cabbage and brown butter sabayon, are particular highlights. At a time when classic fine dining feels like it’s going out of fashion, Alex Dilling has shown there’s plenty of life in it yet.
HUMBLE CHICKEN
Angelo Sato first opened Humble Chicken in Soho in 2021 with a focus on yakitori and ‘comb-to-tail’ chicken cookery, and he won us over with tasty skewers, inventive small plates and quick poured pints of Asahi Super Dry. Instead of resting on his laurels, Angelo overhauled the concept (the look of the restaurant hasn’t changed, so it’s still counter dining) and has turned the yakitori-centric offering into a broader Japanese eight-course tasting menu that takes inspo from his heritage, as well as his time spent in top kitchens like Eleven Madison Park and Restaurant Story. He’s showcasing some serious cooking without taking himself too seriously, with playful nods like chicken chopstick holders and piggy face bao buns and top-tier dishes like oysters with citrus kosho beurre blanc and burnt chicken fat; shokupan with chicken liver pate, fermented red cabbage and miso sesame butter; Wagyu Angus short rib served with pickled daikon, yakiniku sauce, barley miso and lettuce leaves; and chicken achilles yakitori with charcoal fat, daikon and kosho.
MOUNTAIN
Tomos Parry has been successfully marrying up the food of Spain and Wales for five years with Brat, at both the main restaurant in Shoreditch and the site at Climpson’s Arch in London Fields. And he continued that idea with his latest venture, Mountain, which opened on the former Byron site on Beak Street in 2023. Though the ethos here is very similar, Mountain is no carbon copy of Brat, so don’t go expecting those famous whole turbots. Instead the menu reflects a mix of his Welsh heritage and fave Spanish influences using produce from trusted suppliers in Wales and Cornwall, with dishes like raw sobrassada with honey, spider crab omelette, fresh cheese & anchovies, lobster caldereta, mutton chops, Jersey beef rib, wood-fired rice and ensaimada with hazelnut ice cream.
RESTAURANT ST BARTS
Restaurant St Barts is the new restaurant from the team behind Nest in Hackney and Fenn in Fulham. From a slightly ramshackle room on a busy main road in Hackney to St Barts, a beautiful modern dining room in a quiet, pretty square opposite St Bartholomew’s church, this latest venture is a huge jump and a marker of how far they’ve come. The food here is excellent and we’ll be surprised if anything comes along that feels more assured and exciting than this. As with their other restaurants, St Barts follows a set, tasting menu format – although the days of the incredible value £28 menu at Nest are long gone. At St Barts, the 15-course menu is £120 at dinner, and boy is it worth it. When you first arrive you’ll be sat in the cosy bar area at the front of the restaurant and from here you can have a cocktail or glass of fizz while the first round of snacks arrives, including offal kebab, cod fritters, and goats cheese & onion tart, and then it’s onto a proper table in the dining room for the second half of the meal. It’s one of the openings of the year for sure.
LUCA
Luca, from the team behind The Clove Club, serves modern Italian food using British ingredients, so there are traditional-with-a-twist pasta dishes like agnolotti cacio e pepe with short rib and spaghettini with Morecambe Bay shrimps & mace butter alongside plates like Orkney scallops with jerusalem artichoke & nduja, Cornish halibut with porcini & pancetta, and salt-baked celeriac with chanterelles. Whether you for a plate of pasta or the whole antipasti, primi, secondi, dolci route, don’t under any circumstances skip the parmesan fries. The bar at Luca is a separate and distinct space and people are encouraged to drop in and have a drink and snack, so you can still get a flavour of the place if you’re short on time.
AULIS
Aulis, Simon Rogan’s London chef’s table restaurant, has reopened with more seats (12) as well as a lounge for pre- and post-dinner drinks. Head Chef Charlie Tayer is still looking after the stoves alongside wingman Oli Marlow, Simon’s Exec Chef for the group. The tasting menu, based around British ingredients, uses produce from Simon’s own Lake District farm and tries to be as sustainable as possible, replacing citrus for vinegars and the like. Happily it’s as good as, if not better, than before with dishes like pig and eel donut; crispy chicken skin with Cornish crab; cheese and truffle pudding; crab bone custard with rosehip vinegar and marinated trout roe; peas from Simon’s farm served with beef tendons in broth; and a delicious spin on a cheese course, frozen Tunworth cheese with truffle honey and hazelnut. For a tasting menu experience in London that’s well worth the money (£175 a head) Aulis might just be the most failsafe option there is. Brilliant cooking, interesting wines and just enough story telling to keep you interested but not send you to sleep. All you need to do now is score yourself a seat.
