#Unmissable London

One of the basic principles behind my #unmissable lists is that, wherever possible, the food culture of the destination itself should be represented. There are exceptions, of course. I’m willing to forgive a truly extraordinary restaurant for having little to do with local traditions or ingredients.

London, however, is a special case. Here, local food culture has long meant much more than simply English cooking. Few people probably book a flight to London specifically in search of jellied eels, meat pies or a Full English Breakfast, although once you’re here, they are certainly worth experiencing. But there is also modern English cooking built around British produce, seasonality and provenance, the radical nose-to-tail legacy of Fergus Henderson, and, above all, a multicultural metropolis whose food culture has been shaped, and continues to be shaped, by generations of immigrant communities.

So in London, “local” can just as easily mean Mexican, West African or Basque-inspired food made with British ingredients. In fact, that may be one of the defining characteristics of London’s food scene today.

London’s restaurant landscape is so vast, and changes so quickly, that this guide makes no claim to being comprehensive. It is a personal selection based on my usual research process: grilling local foodie friends and industry insiders, doing plenty of homework beforehand, and, most importantly, eating my way around the city myself. I can recommend every place here wholeheartedly. Each gave me something that made the visit worthwhile, and I would happily return to every one of them. (I just checked the website of my favourite bakery and now I already want to head straight back...)

You can find the other guides in my #unmissable series here, from Vienna to Lima and Tokyo to New York.

Now for my biggest favourites, from elegant restaurants and casual bistros to bakeries, coffee shops and gelaterias. And yes, one seriously over-the-top breakfast spot has to make the cut too.