Best seafood restaurants in London Published 16 February 2025
London is home to some of the finest seafood restaurants in the UK, offering everything from fresh oysters and classic fish dishes to refined tasting menus that showcase the best of the ocean. Whether it’s a historic institution, a sleek modern dining space, or a neighbourhood favourite, these restaurants celebrate the versatility and quality of seafood with expert skill and flair.
From the elegance of Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill to the creativity of Behind, and the laid-back charm of Oystermen, London’s seafood restaurants offer something for every occasion. Whether you’re after a casual plate of shellfish or an expertly executed fine dining experience, explore our guide to the best seafood restaurants in London and discover where to enjoy the freshest catches in the capital.
It may feel a little counter-intuitive to find a seafood-leaning restaurant up in the clouds, but the ascent to the seventh floor of the South Place Hotel is worth it. It's a bracing location complete with a heated terrace and che… Read more
It may feel a little counter-intuitive to find a seafood-leaning restaurant up in the clouds, but the ascent to the seventh floor of the South Place Hotel is worth it. It's a bracing location complete with a heated terrace and chef's table, and one worth enjoying as the backdrop for a highly refined approach to contemporary cuisine. Following Gary Foulkes move to Cornus, the kitchen is now run by Craig Johnston (formerly of Marcus Belgravia) – although Foulkes is still acting as ‘consultant executive chef’ behind the scenes.
A set lunch menu is offered as an introduction to the style (think cured chalk stream trout with horseradish yoghurt and dill or smoked halibut with Maldon oyster, potato and cod’s roe), although Angler's offer also extends to an eight-course taster with stunning canapés and a manageable carte that favours spare precision over indulgence and bulk. Our first course of roast Orkney scallop was divided laterally in two, bedded on squash purée and offset with sweet caramelised onion and a dusting of powdered cep – although we thought the dish needed a little more textural bite. Following on, there was excellent balance in a centerpiece serving of perfectly steamed wild turbot in dashi stock with shards of crispy enoki mushroom and squid-ink noodles.
If meat is what's required, look to a tenderly expressive dish of squab pigeon breast with silky beetroot purée and chanterelle persillade in green peppercorn sauce. There is also great ingenuity when it comes to the dessert stage – from citrus tart matched with basil semifreddo, bergamot curd and olive-oil jelly to Provençal figs with fig-leaf ice cream and honey parfait. A wine list to suit the setting comes at unsurprisingly lofty prices, but there are good glass selections from £10.
The idea behind Behind, Andy Beynon’s restaurant on the ground floor of a new development in London Fields, is to foreground what usually goes on behind the scenes. The restaurant, more spacious than its 18 covers might sugg… Read more
The idea behind Behind, Andy Beynon’s restaurant on the ground floor of a new development in London Fields, is to foreground what usually goes on behind the scenes. The restaurant, more spacious than its 18 covers might suggest, is open plan with no distinction between kitchen and dining room, front and back of house. The chefs get to enjoy the abstract paintings and the excellent soundtrack too. No wonder they look happy. Although it’s a self-described ‘chef’s table’ set-up, Behind differs from others of this ilk because the counter is a single high table that curves around the room in a near full circle, quite apart from the culinary workspace. Service is delivered entirely by the chefs themselves who come over only when they have a dish to present or a wine to pour. They know their stuff. Beynon, who has worked under Claude Bosi, Phil Howard, Michael Wignall and Jason Atherton, offers a fish-focused daily ‘menu surprise’ at £98 for an eight-course dinner, £54 for a six-course lunch (tremendously good value). He introduces the concept personally and personably, explaining his approach to ethical sourcing and seasoning (he likes to use seawater, not salt). From a waiter, it’s a spiel; direct from the chef-patron, it’s a statement of belief. The first wave of dishes served at our lunchtime inspection expanded on the statement: an intense shellfish broth made only of prawns and wine; lavosh flatbread pressed with microscopic shrimps (‘bycatch’ that would otherwise be wasted); and a sashimi-like sliver of the powerfully flavoured top side of mackerel cured in tiger’s milk. Did the cured trout in seaweed with bonito flakes and a full-bodied mustard and chive emulsion need a buttery laminated bun on the side? No, not really, but who would turn down such excellent baking. Delica pumpkin tortellini made of duck-egg pasta in crab soup was the pinnacle of the meal: rich, sophisticated, complex, clever. The main course, a take on fish pie, with a beautiful glassy piece of skate, oyster leaf, beurre blanc and trout roe, seemed conventional after the pasta. Standards remained high for an 82% chocolate dessert with ricotta ice cream, sesame and black olives, and an optional cheese course that paired blue cheese with sweet plum jam and a frangipane tart. The wine list goes from £39 to £390, with just a handful below £60. But we’d argue that cooking this confident is worthy of a special bottle.
A ‘very reliable’ Mayfair fixture since 1916, the self-titled ‘grand dame of Swallow Street’ is still shucking oysters with a vengeance under the stewardship of chef/patron Richard Corrigan. These days, reg… Read more
A ‘very reliable’ Mayfair fixture since 1916, the self-titled ‘grand dame of Swallow Street’ is still shucking oysters with a vengeance under the stewardship of chef/patron Richard Corrigan. These days, regulars agree that its two great assets are the ground-floor Oyster Bar and the spacious gem of a terrace on Swallow Street itself (heated and covered for year-round bonhomie).
If you’re indoors, the best seats are indubitably at the marble-topped bar counter, where you can watch the chefs expertly flashing their thick-bladed oyster knives and doing the business on ‘natives’ and ‘rocks’ from places as far apart as Donegal, Oban and Jersey – although one fan reckons the Pembrokeshire specimens deserve a special mention. Otherwise, squeeze into one of the close-packed tables for a more formal and ‘extremely fresh’ piscine blowout – perhaps scallop ceviche dressed with jalapeño, mint and lime ahead of Dover sole meunière or pan-seared turbot with olive-oil mash and langoustine sauce.
Readers have praised the impeccable Cornish fish stew packed with myriad different species in a tomato and saffron broth, although you can also feast on classics such as fish and chips, fish pie and Bentley’s handsome shellfish platters. Pudding might be crème caramel with Armagnac-soaked prunes or a bitter chocolate mousse embellished with cherries, gold leaf and amaretto. The classy fish-friendly wine list is priced for Mayfair’s big spenders, although it does offer some excellent bargains by the glass.
More than three decades after the conversion of Michelin House, the building still looks fresh, plying its trade via a gorgeous first-floor dining room (Bibendum) and a ground-floor Oyster Bar – both now run by the chef… Read more
More than three decades after the conversion of Michelin House, the building still looks fresh, plying its trade via a gorgeous first-floor dining room (Bibendum) and a ground-floor Oyster Bar – both now run by the chef Claude Bosi. The latter is impressively high-ceilinged with unique mosaic flooring and Edwardian racing scenes on the tiled walls. It offers all-day foyer/forecourt dining, the smart long-standing florist at the front now acting as a curtain for a proper little kitchen where chefs prepare hot dishes alongside seafood. Fans of oysters get to choose from six different types, although the full repertoire takes in native lobsters, Cornish crabs and 'grand plateaux de fruits de mer', as well as fish soup, pâté en croûte, the famed crab quiche, grilled mackerel, even fish and chips. Steak tartare (‘very good’), fillet of beef with rocket and Parmesan (with 'Pierre Koffmann' fries) and a Bibendum burger look after the meat-eaters. Expect proper Gallic technique from the kitchen: that fish soup delivers a deeply savoury, dark, crab-infused bisque complete with rouille and cheese; skate wing is accompanied by classic brown butter and caper sauce with perfect little butter-fried croûtons adding 'some greatly beneficial crunch’. Ice creams and sundaes dominate the dessert menu, but there’s likely to be a sneaky clafoutis or crème brûlée to please the local Lycée children and their families, the parents of whom will also be happy with the almost exclusively French wine list.
Given the name, it’s not surprising that a dedicated oyster bar takes centre stage at this personally run seafood restaurant – the product of innumerable pop-ups, festivals and private party gigs. Oystermen's breezy in… Read more
Given the name, it’s not surprising that a dedicated oyster bar takes centre stage at this personally run seafood restaurant – the product of innumerable pop-ups, festivals and private party gigs. Oystermen's breezy interior was extended a while back, and the premises has also gained some additional outdoor space (a hangover from the pandemic). All-day opening is a boon for Covent Garden’s theatre crowd, who drop by before or after the show for ‘perfect’ oysters, squid salad with anchovy toast (‘beautifully done’), ‘excellent’ skate and more besides. The menu follows the market and rolls along with the seasons, so expect anything from a gratin of Isle of Man ‘queenie’ scallops with chives and lemon or cured sea trout with apple and ponzu dressing to whole ‘undressed’ Dorset crabs, native lobsters slathered in garlic butter with chips or pan-fried stone bass with parsnip purée, wild mushroom sauce and crispy bacon. Working in a 'teeny-tiny' kitchen, the chef and his team also throw in the occasional exotic curve ball such as hake with red curry sauce, baby sweetcorn and crispy kale. For afters, there are ‘delicious concoctions’ including vanilla panna cotta with blackberries and crumble or strawberry tartlet with vanilla custard and basil. Well-chosen, fish-friendly wines are knowledgeably served by efficient clued-up staff. ‘Overall, a pleasure,’ concluded one fan.
Designed with table seating to one side, high-top stools to the other, window seats (for walk-ins) and an alfresco pavement terrace, Will Palmer and Ian Campbell's seafood spot (opposite their 10 Cases Bistrot à Vin) maximi… Read more
Designed with table seating to one side, high-top stools to the other, window seats (for walk-ins) and an alfresco pavement terrace, Will Palmer and Ian Campbell's seafood spot (opposite their 10 Cases Bistrot à Vin) maximises a bijou dining space beautifully. The single-sheet menu lists a satisfying array of small plates and snacks, plus a handful of more substantial dishes, sides and desserts. What the dayboats bring in largely dictates what’s on offer. Two deliveries a day from the coast translates into some superb specialities – perhaps a whole turbot to share, served with mussel beurre blanc and Avruga caviar, or a great hunk of impeccably cooked skrei cod atop Jerusalem artichokes and a lemon beurre blanc – a hit at inspection. Other highlights included potted shrimp croquettes, smoked haddock chowder, and a superb Loch Fyne scallop croque monsieur where the sweet succulence of the bivalve worked beautifully with the rich, buttery, cheesy toast. Welsh rarebit makes an appearance on the dessert menu, alongside a spectacular tart-sweet blood orange sorbet and chocolate mousse with hazelnut crumb. Whites dominate the wine list, which has something to suit every pocket; it's an eclectic selection that encourages veering off the beaten path – although a few more options by the glass would be welcome.
Following the closure of Cornerstone in Hackney Wick, chef-proprietor Tom Brown is now focusing his energy on this more accessible Spitalfields sibling. With Scandi-style minimalism and some counter seating, the small space m… Read more
Following the closure of Cornerstone in Hackney Wick, chef-proprietor Tom Brown is now focusing his energy on this more accessible Spitalfields sibling. With Scandi-style minimalism and some counter seating, the small space may not be as comfortable as the his previous restaurant but it feels every inch the contemporary venue, divided between two floors with the kitchen open to view in the basement.
The brief menu kicks off with a handful of nibbles and oysters in various guises – perhaps raw with a hint of Scotch bonnet and a dash of lime, or a creamy pickled version with horseradish and celery. From a selection of small plates, we sampled cured gurnard in a silky, zesty pool of almond and blood orange, as well as an unusual umami-laden crab and Parmesan 'risotto' fritter. Shared centrepiece plates also delivered vivid flavours and on-point cooking – from a casserole of hearty cuttlefish lasagne with a decent blob of basil mayonnaise on the side to a meaty monkfish tail (on the bone), served with a delicious roast-chicken butter sauce. Overall, we loved Brown's simple, confident approach to top-quality seafood.
As a finale, try the ingenious sticky toffee madeleines with golden raisins and ginger cake or the signature PQ trifle with strawberries and vanilla custard. The whole place is run with great enthusiasm, while drinks encompass excellent cocktails, some natural wines, and a good choice of styles and grapes from across Europe and beyond – though prices climb quickly from their £37 entry point.
With its glittering marble bar, grand high ceilings and lovely views over the river, the Richmond branch of Mayfair grandee Scott's has swiftly become southwest London's go-to restaurant for celebrations and romantic dates. Tables… Read more
With its glittering marble bar, grand high ceilings and lovely views over the river, the Richmond branch of Mayfair grandee Scott's has swiftly become southwest London's go-to restaurant for celebrations and romantic dates. Tables are hard to come by but, if you can, ask to sit in the opulent main room with its modern art collection, glass panels and curved banquettes; there's also live jazz upstairs on Wednesday nights. From the deep-linen tablecloths to the silver cruets and waistcoated staff, every detail screams old-school classy and the clientele responds by donning their glad rags and enjoying themselves. In keeps with Scott's ethos, the menu celebrates seafood, which is beautifully served, perfectly cooked and mostly classic – think oysters, lobster thermidor, Dover sole and the like. By contrast, fragrant Thai mussels or sea bass crudo with red chilli and citrus lend a touch of exotic modernity. Devon crab with apple rémoulade and lemon mayonnaise will be just so, although the very rich, baked and spiced crab with garlic and herb toast is a more interesting crustacean option. A beautifully presented fillet of chalk stream trout with charred hispi is given a lift with miso and yuzu butter sauce, while hake with sautéed squid and a dramatically black aïoli is pearlescent and perky, especially when served alongside kimchi-fried sprouts with edamame and sesame. Do try to save room for the pretty, witty, white chocolate oyster shell with yuzu curd and sorbet. Nothing here is inexpensive (except the slightly dull weekday set lunch) so don't come expecting a bargain. That said, the food is good, service (on the whole) is excellent, and the place has filled a miles-wide vacuum.
There seems to be a permanent queue at London’s poshest chippy, though any poshness focuses on the food rather than the decor (tiled, basic, cramped). Tourists flock here, and locals pop-in for takeaway – the only way … Read more
There seems to be a permanent queue at London’s poshest chippy, though any poshness focuses on the food rather than the decor (tiled, basic, cramped). Tourists flock here, and locals pop-in for takeaway – the only way to beat the queue, as you get dealt with immediately. Everyone is here for generous portions of sparklingly fresh fillet of cod or haddock in a light, crisp beer batter with thick-cut chips – at a reasonable price for Mayfair. Gluten-free (and alcohol-free) batter is also an option. Other dishes are available (perhaps lobster macaroni cheese or shepherd’s pie), but as the returning American in front of us in the queue said, ‘you come for the fish and chips’. Drinks extend to cocktails, beers and a brief, fish-friendly wine selection.
*Chef Leandro Carreira has left and the kitchen is now overseen by Ezra Dobbie (formerly sous-chef at The Sea, The Sea Hackney).*
On an appealing pedestrianised road a short distance from Sloane Square, The Sea, The Sea (inspired… Read more
*Chef Leandro Carreira has left and the kitchen is now overseen by Ezra Dobbie (formerly sous-chef at The Sea, The Sea Hackney).*
On an appealing pedestrianised road a short distance from Sloane Square, The Sea, The Sea (inspired by a poem by Paul Valéry and a novel by Iris Murdoch) opened in 2019 as a fishmonger-cum-restaurant. It's a tiny, inviting room with plenty of contemporary touches (marble-top counter, ash-wood flooring) and the bonus of tempting displays of fresh seafood.
At lunchtime, seating is limited to wooden stools at the fish counter or at tables outside (perfect for people-watching). In the evening, the counter is removed to accommodate 20 covers. who are served a daily changing menu full of surprises.
Expect attractive small plates (too small, according to some reports) of sparklingly fresh seafood: octopus with a sticky aromatic glaze infused with fennel seeds, anise and garlic; crisp skinned trout, dry-aged for a firmer texture and deeper flavour, set atop a piece of daikon over a clear dashi broth; a pair of tiger prawns served with a warm broth thickened with almond and amaranth and heady with fresh coriander.
There is just one dessert, perhaps vanilla cream with rhubarb and jam, while cheeses are from London Cheesemongers across the road. Service is friendly. Fish-friendly whites (from £36) dominate the wine list, with eight offered by the glass.
The Wright Brothers restaurant group, run by seafood merchants and brothers-in-law Ben Wright and Robin Hancock, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022 and this – their original site – remains hugely popular. Borderin… Read more
The Wright Brothers restaurant group, run by seafood merchants and brothers-in-law Ben Wright and Robin Hancock, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022 and this – their original site – remains hugely popular. Bordering the bustle of Borough Market, the lively 'Oyster & Porter House' is dominated by counter seating, with a fair few tables for larger groups and a welcome lack of ostentation. Kick things off with some oysters (naturally), push the boat out on a seafood platter or swerve the bivalves entirely: the rest of the menu puts the spotlight firmly on daily deliveries of fresh seafood from Britain’s coastal waters, and everything is handled impeccably. After crab croquettes or a robust, deeply savoury fish soup (complete with the customary croûtons, grated Comté and a rich, garlicky rouille), there are the mainstays – perhaps a signature fish pie (the epitome of comfort eating) or moules marinière with fries. Elsewhere, the daily specials board could promise skate wing with capers, beurre noisette and new potatoes, while other species such as whitebait, sardines, brill, bream and plaice are well timed and served with simple accompaniments – aïoli or salsa verde, perhaps. Round things off with a little chocolate pot, lemon posset, Neal’s Yard cheeses or a scoop of homemade ice cream. Craft beers, Wright Bros pilsner or oyster stout are winning libations, and the wine list majors on whites but with some interesting fish-friendly reds too. Do book: walk-ins are often turned away, even for an early weekday supper.
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