It’s fair to say, London has established itself as one of the world’s great food cities. Influenced by cuisines from every corner of the world, London is a melting pot in the truest sense of the word, and nowhere is this more visible than in the capital’s vibrant, distinct dining scene.
Expectations ramp up year on year, but London restaurants seem to keep outperforming the hype, delivering new, innovative experiences. Despite what has clearly been an incredibly challenging, if not excruciating, set of circumstances for the hospitality industry, 2024 has delivered some exceptional restaurants.
London restaurant life is a hype train, and whilst we often focus on the new and shiny, it’s important to remember the big names that maintained their star quality each year. Seeing these old stagers rubbing shoulders with energetic new arrivals, is part of London’s charm, and these old timers have continued to innovate, evolve and deliver.
That being said, this year’s London Restaurant of the Year is one such newcomer, storming into the capital as a riotous, confident champion of Greek cooking: David Carter’s AGORA. With wrap-around queues and widespread critical acclaim, AGORA is literally a ‘gathering place’, a marketplace for small plates, souvla, flatbreads, and conversation.
‘It was AGORA's accessibility and energy that really made an impact on us this year,' says SquareMeal Restaurants Editor Pete Dreyer. 'This is a restaurant that welcomes everyone - you don't need to book in advance, and once you're in, the menu is simple, delicious, and ultra-affordable. To launch it alongside another superb restaurant in OMA, in a huge site right next to Borough Market, is some feat. That makes AGORA a worthy number one in our Top 100 London Restaurants list for 2025.
London’s embarrassment of restaurant riches is evident across the entirety of the list - with great restaurants around every corner, it’s hard to know where to spend your money. Let this list be your guide: you’ll find a diverse range of cuisines, styles and price-points to suit every occasion and appetite - a true snapshot of the city we’re proud to call home.
Aside from our annual round-up of London’s top restaurants, we simultaneously announce our list of the UK's Top 100 Restaurants which similarly place 100 of Britain’s best dining spots in order to represent the culinary talent of chefs in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.