Best restaurants in Shoreditch

One of the few true Burmese restaurants in London, Lahpet introduced the delights of this country's cooking to a new generation of London diners, including unique treats like chickpea tofu, fermented tea leaf salad and fiery dried shrimp and onion balachaung relish. That's not all though - the verdant interiors are rather beautiful, and the cocktail list is excellent too.

Counter 71 is the small chef's table restaurant with a big personality, where you can tuck into 15 courses of immaculate food, with the option of a carefully curated wine pairing. But you’ll have to book in advance for this one, because there’s only 16 covers per night across two separate sittings.

Sticks 'n' Sushi brings its signature brand of 'Japandi' style to one of London's coolest neighbourhoods, with chic interiors, a central bar and open kitchen where guests can watch chefs work their magic. Indulge in everything from buttery black cod maki to a plethora of sushi, sashimi, tempura and special dishes. 

Brat, the rustic Italian restaurant on Redchurch Street, is just, well, cool. From the exposed brick walls to the airy, high ceilings, this feels like an effortlessly chic place to hang out. The food’s pretty great, too. The restaurant specialises in cooking with a wood fired grill and must-try dishes include oysters roasted with seaweed and velvet crab.

Padella’s ludicrously popular London Bridge restaurant, which rarely sees a day without a huge queue expanding into the nearby Borough Market, has opened a branch in Shoreditch. With Italian dishes, principally pasta, that are incredibly affordable yet seriously accomplished, this is the kind of eatery that is impossible to exit without a smile on your face.

This industrial-chic site is discreetly tucked away near the top of Brick Lane, but there’s nothing discreet about the all-guns-blazing smoke and grill cooking happening inside. The main dining room is buzzy and thick with the smell of grilled meats, cooked in the ilk of southern USA barbecue. Staff make a mean cocktail in the moody basement bar as well.

This intimate Italian sits on the outskirts of Spitalfields market, and thanks to its small size and dimmed lighting, feels like the perfect place for a date. As it's a wine specialist we recommend asking your server what’s good and trying something new (the selection is impressive in both size and quality) and pairing it with small plates or charcuterie.

This industrial, yet highly polished restaurant rests above its sister bar; both are Irish by nature, deliberately mischievous, and dangerously high in quality. The food, spread across small and large plates, is any foodie's… or hedonist's... dream. The only thing to do here is enjoy some well made drinks, eat some delicious food and give thanks for the luck of the Irish.

Sagardi highlights the ancestry of Basque cuisine without fear of setting it in the context of good European produce. The best way of understanding the style of Sagardi is observing that a tasting menu sits aside a section of the menu called ‘Grandma’s Home Cooking’. This eatery brings together some delicious ways of cooking and champions the rich Basque region.

East Londoners might remember this site, right in the heart of Shoreditch, used to belong to St Leonards, once upon a time. Now home to modern, geometric Mexican cooking, Zapote is certainly something new and exciting in Shoreditch and has proven a hit since opening at the beginning of 2023. Mexican chef Yahir Gonzalez has serious creative flair, but Zapote delivers on flavours too, and the plush velvet banquettes are a very comfy spot to spend a couple of hours.

It speaks to the new-age cool of Shoreditch that Nobu - perhaps the ultimate global celeb restaurant hangout - has decided to ply its trade here. You can expect all the Nobu greatest hits in a buzzy, atmospheric low-lit dining room, with snug banquettes lining the walls and an open kitchen at one end.

Generous pies, snails in garlic and tarragon butter and candlelit tables - what's not to love about Bistro Freddie? The menu is bold and comforting from start to finish, backed up by a superb winelist courtesy of Alex Price, one of the best sommeliers in the game right now.

Rochelle Canteen continues to impress punters with its daily changing menu, which is kept small so it can focus on executing each dish to an exceptional level. Take a seat amongst nature in the garden greenhouse, or opt for the equally laid-back dining area indoors, at this east London institution.

Burro e Salvia’s slogan, ‘pasta for connoisseurs’, makes complete sense. This intimate eatery feels like a little secret despite being in the heart of Shoreditch. The only thing better than its humble yet deliciously sophisticated handmade pasta is the fact that you can buy it on the way out. If you want to feel in the know, come here.

It's impossible not to fall in love with Italian wine maestro Luca Dusi and his azure blue wine shop. Passione Vino hides magic touches across multiple floors, and inside you'll also find an excellent restaurant serving no-frills Italian food, with a nod to Luca's native Verona. Expect northern Italian classics like baccala mantecato and ragu with bigoli, alongside outstanding wines.

Cycene had big shoes to fill when it took over the restaurant space at Blue Mountain School, previously home to Nuno Mendes' Michelin-starred Maos, but fill those shoes it has, gaining a Michelin star of its own just six months after opening. Chef Theo Clench serves precisely-tuned tasting menus that take in a wide range of creative influences, particularly focused on his time in Asia and Australasia. 

Leroy serves next-level plates without feeling stuffy or contrived. These are dishes that are thoughtful but not showy, and include things like comte souffle with roast onions and sherry, and trout with fried oyster and warm tartare.

Is there anything more Shoreditch than a white-washed warehouse? Well, welcome to Bistrotheque, an effortlessly cool Modern European restaurant sitting on the edge of Bethnal Green. The industrial décor is Instagram-worthy and the menu is not to be missed.

Blacklock is a modern day chophouse dripping with style, home to an innovative menu that champions ethically sourced meat and exciting drinks. A focus on affordability has somehow been paired with heightened quality (£7.50, well made, cocktails can only be a good thing), and any meat-eater should add Blacklock's 'All In' to their bucketlist. 

In a former fabric warehouse, Som Saa serves up traditional, regional Thai food that has locals hooked. Swing by for lunch or dinner for an eclectic range of Thai dishes underpinned by high quality produce. There is also a huge drinks list covering all bases, with exciting cocktails and long lists of spirits and wines. 

Big Mamma was already big news in Paris when the hospitality group embraced ts first foray into the London food scene with Gloria some years ago. From the botanical-encrusted facade to the 70s-style kitschy decor and the giant, creamy blobs of mozzarella, it’s clear why there are still queues down the street most evenings.

Bubala takes Middle Eastern cuisine and, rather than complicating it, champions its simple elegance. With a vegetable focused menu you can expect delicious and vibrant dishes that might well be the enemy of conversation at the table. The set menu is listed as ‘Bubala knows best’, we think they might just be right.

Crispin’s angular pagoda stands out among the old Victorian brick of Spitalfields, and the idiosyncratic exterior gives a clue to the artful food within, which comes courtesy of chef Lewis de Haas. The food is clean, balanced, seasonal, and plated with an eye for aesthetics but most of all, cooked with flavour in mind. Crispin is especially worth a visit in the summer when the terrace becomes a real sun trap.

Brawn is a beautifully airy, high-ceilinged space focused on Mediterranean dishes, centred around very good produce. The restaurant has a chic yet homely feel (the kind achievable only in films) with books and art surrounding simple wooden tables. Brawn feels like an Emporium of high quality, with an online shop and journal featuring articles on producers and food.

Manteca over in east London has become a hugely raved-about hotspot for relaxed, high-quality Italian food. Discover hand-rolled pasta dishes, wood-fired breads and salami made in-house at this buzzy neighbourhood gem.

If you’re looking for a dramatic setting, this is the place. Think impossibly high ceilings, gothic arched windows and atmospheric lighting. Oh, and we haven’t even started on the food. The French fare at this Galvin restaurant branch is Michelin starred, so make sure you treat yourself to the full three courses.

One of many Shoryus around the capital, the Shoreditch outpost is always busy as it sits right on the intersection between Great Eastern Street and Curtain Road. As a result, the benches and window seats make for excellent people watching as you slurp down a bowl of ramen and a sip on a glass of sake.

It will always be the little brother of St John Smithfields, but Bread & Wine’s canteen vibe has long been popular in Shoreditch, and many actually prefer the ultra-minimal style here to St John proper. You’ll find much of the same excellent stuff on the menu (Eccles cakes, madeleines and pies, among other St John treats). Bread & Wine is always worth a visit if you’re nearby.

The first thing that hits you about The Clove Club is the striking bright blue colour scheme, which stands out against the 19th century building the restaurant is housed in. The menu boasts modern British cuisine and features a delicious tasting menu, as well as four- and six-course feasts.

Everything you need from a wine bar you’ll find right here: rustic decor, candlelight and a brilliant selection of red, white, pink and fizz. Wines can be bought by the glass or bottle and are accompanied nicely with a selection of charcuterie, cheese and small plates. The vibe is intimate and sophisticated, just as it should be. Bottoms up!

Gunpowder oozes generosity in the flavour and quality of its food. It’s an exciting restaurant that takes the soul of Indian cuisine and applies it to an innovative menu. Expect things like spiced filled doughnuts alongside a list of seriously tempting, high-quality meat and vegetable dishes, all of which come with the warmth of spice.

Modern European bistro Maene is a second venture from ex-Anglo GM Nick Gilkinson, who also looks after the thoroughly underrated Townsend in Whitechapel. Perched atop an old Victorian clothing factory, Maene boasts a gorgeous summer terrace, striking cobalt colour scheme and a menu of inventive British cooking that keeps things simple and delicious.

Hawksmoor might just be the greatest restaurant success story of the last few decades - once confined to London, this steakhouse group now has restaurants all over the UK, and even as far afield as Dublin and New York. The secret to its success is incredible consistency - a visit to Hawksmoor is just as good as ever, with the excitement just as palpable as the table plans what steaks to take from the blackboard and gets ready for triple cooked chips. Remember to save room for the iconic sticky toffee pudding and salted caramel rolos. 

This cool eatery takes influence from Bangkok canteens and gives everythinig a dark and sultry Shoreditch edge. The menu brings together the vibrancy of Thai cooking (think laab and sambal) and mixes it with some of the best produce the UK has to offer - including Matt Chatfield’s increasingly popular, and seriously tasty, cull yaw (aged Cornish mutton).

Each of Bao’s different sites have a slightly different vibe, and Noodle Shop, as expected, focuses on a range of noodle dishes. Don’t fret - the signature baos are present too, but this is the only spot where you’ll find Bao noodle dishes like the vegan dan dan and beef broth, with noodles made fresh in-house every morning. Shaved ice cocktails are a fun way to chill out after you’ve dosed yourself with chilli.

Dismissing traditional trappings of fine dining in favour of a pared back, simple dining room, Lyle’s lets the food do all the talking. The Michelin star menu focuses on a less-is-more philosophy similar to the dining room décor and helped this Shoreditch restaurant to scoop the title of being one of the top 50 restaurants in the world back in 2019. There's no question - this is one of the top restaurants in Shoreditch.

Although the Princess of Shoreditch houses a very very good downstairs bar, (Old Fashioneds and duck fat popcorn), the upstair’s dining room is what’s most interesting to us. With five- and eight-course seasonal tasting menus that focus on expertly sourced British produce, the Princess of Shoreditch is a great place to take anyone who suggests Britain can’t produce great food.