London Guide: Dining with Friends
Go And See
29 May 2026
Ahead of London Gallery Week, we’ve curated an insider’s guide to dining in our hometown this summer — featuring recommendations from friends of Métier across food, fashion, art, and design.
From neighborhood institutions to new openings, discover the tables at the top of our list — with contributions from creative director Alex Eagle, chefs Jackson Boxer and Lauren Joseph, fashion stylist Francesca Burns, curator Hikari Yokoyama, and Métier creative director Melissa Morris.
Central West
CORNER SHOP
A grocer, bakery, café, and wine bar that nails it all.
“Relaxed but glamorous. Come for the pizza, stay for everything else.”
Recommended by Alex Eagle
7 Arundel St, London WC2R 3DA
ST CLEMENT
While this years-in-the-making spot has yet to open, it’s already a thing. The 90-room, 15-suite hotel — part of the much-anticipated 180 The Thames project — will surely draw aesthetes and creatives from near and far. Expect to see them enjoying a late-night drink at Bobbi’s Bar.
“Brand new and already essential, with chef Danny Bohan — formerly head chef at the River Cafe. The room is large but somehow manages to feel both light-filled and cosy, which is harder to pull off than it sounds.”
Recommended by Alex Eagle
180, The Thames, 12 Temple Pl, Temple, London WC2R 2NF
SIMPSON’S IN THE STRAND
A London institution since 1828, Simpson's in the Strand has entered a glamorous new era under restaurateur Jeremy King, who has restored the grand dame of the Strand to resplendent form. Think beautifully polished silver, old-world glamour, and a menu you’ll want to order in full.
Recommended by Melissa Morris
100 Strand, London WC2R 0EZ
East
CYCENE
Hidden inside Shoreditch’s Blue Mountain School, this Michelin-starred restaurant offers one of London’s most transportive tasting menus. The evening unfolds across multiple rooms — from broth and house-made sourdough at the bar to candlelit courses in the dining room, built around impeccably sourced British produce, fermentation, and quietly inventive cooking.
“The chef's foraging obsession was particularly infectious. And that bread – I can’t quite explain what they did to make it, but everyone at the table went ‘Woah!’ at the same time.”
Recommended by Melissa Morris
Cycene, 9 Chance St, London E2 7JB
DALLA
Inspired by the family-run trattorias of Naples, Dalla brings handmade pasta, regional Italian recipes, and beautiful interiors to Hackney. So charming you’ll want to live nearby.
Recommended by Jackson Boxer
120-122 Morning Ln, London E9 6LH
TIELLA
Tucked away in an old Victorian pub on Columbia Road, Tiella has become a culinary destination since opening earlier this year. The Hackney trattoria and bar may be one of the hardest tables to score in town, but the bar counter is for walk-ins only – so shoot your shot!
Recommended by Melissa Morris
109 Columbia Rd, London E2 7RL
IMPALA
“A new North African restaurant by the team behind Mountain, Brat, Kiln, and Smoking Goat. Chef Meedu Saad drew on his Egyptian heritage, classic French training, seven or so years at Kiln and a lifetime in London – it’s a personal, thoughtful, beautiful meal in a stunning dining room. Sit at the bar!”
Recommended by Lauren Joseph
13-14 Dean St, London W1D 3RS
North
JIN KICHI
After decades in business, Jin Kichi has become something of a North London institution. Perched just below Hampstead Heath, the izakaya-style restaurant delivers a memorable meal – whether seated at the sushi bar, yakitori counter, or tucked into a table for the evening.
Recommended by Hikari Yokoyama
73 Heath St, London NW3 6UG
GOODBYE HORSES
This De Beauvoir corner is a story in three parts. First there’s Day Trip, the cafe where North London’s most discerning start their day. Next door there’s Goodbye Horses, a wine bar and restaurant boasting mythological murals by artist Lucy Stein. And just across the road is The Dreamery, a pint-sized ice cream parlor slash wine bar that feels like a kaleidoscopic collision of an old-school sweet shop, a neighbourhood bar, and someone’s wonderfully eccentric dream world.
Recommended by Melissa Morris
21 Halliford St, London N1 3HB
Central East
VESPER
Fresh off the success of Dove, Jackson Boxer’s latest opening, Vesper, is one of Exmouth Market’s most anticipated tables – a candlelit corner spot that pairs Boxer’s signature produce-led cooking with grown-up glamour.
Recommended by Hikari Yokoyama
8-10 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QA
QUALITY WINES
A Farringdon favorite with a devoted following, Quality Wines serves chef Nick Bramham’s Aegean-inspired cooking alongside an excellent wine list.
Recommended by Jackson Boxer
88 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3EA
SESSIONS ARTS CLUB
“Sessions Arts Club in Clerkenwell is often (rightly) called the most romantic restaurant in London, but don’t save this one solely for date night. I recently had a perfect Sunday roast lunch here — golden chicken, hen of the woods mushroom, dauphinoise — all the to tune of a folky Irish band.”
Recommended by Lauren Joseph
24 Clerkenwell Grn, London EC1R 0NA
West
THE DOVER
“Hands down the best Martini in London is at The Dover. The bar is dark and sexy, and their martini is served on the perfect edge of freezing. Plus the burger here is sensational.”
Recommended by Francesca Burns
33 Dover St, London W1S 4NF
BAR DES PRÉS
A polished Mayfair restaurant from Michelin-honored chef Cyril Lignac, Bar des Prés combines French savoir-faire with Japanese influence across a menu of elegant crudos, pristine seafood, and beautifully composed plates.
Recommended by Melissa Morris
41a S Audley St, London W1K 2PS
THE SHASTON ARMS
This Soho pub brings together the conviviality of an old-school boozer with a more considered approach to food. Expect elevated pub classics, good drinks, and the kind of lively, slightly theatrical energy that feels quintessentially London.
“The sister spot to my favorite pub [The Waterman Arms], The Shaston Arms is a respite from Soho madness with equally delicious cooking from chef Sam Andrews and team.”
Recommended by Lauren Joseph
4-6 Ganton St, Carnaby, London W1F 7QN
HIMI
Just off Carnaby Street, Himi brings a distinctly Soho-cool energy to the Japanese izakaya tradition. The narrow, counter-lined space hums with half-pints, martinis, and impeccable dishes — from exceptional temaki to comforting udon — all overseen by husband-and-wife chef duo Tamas and Tomoko, who delight in telling you all about their food.
“I cannot stop thinking about my meal here. Book the bar so you can see everything and chat to your neighbours about what they're having.”
Recommended by Francesca Burns
4 Newburgh St, Carnaby, London W1F 7RF
Photo Credits: cornershoplondon.com | www.bluemountain.school | dallarestaurant.com | rochellecanteen.com | www.tiella.co.uk |Aleksandra Boruch ℅ The Infatuation | Edo Construction | Oskar Proctor for Vesper | qualitywinesfarringdon.com| bardespres.com | www.theshastonarms.co.uk| himi.uk