The Food Trends Defining The London Dining Scene

Early evenings now revolve around spritzes and snacks rather than full-on dinners, with places like Brutto and Bar Valette anchoring their menus with focaccia, cured meats and sharps. Natural wine bars like Noble Rot lean into Spanish anchovies and seasonal small plates alongside spritz flights.

Chef-led counters remain one of London’s most popular formats. Standouts include seasonal plates at Roe, intimate service at Clapham’s Archway and fashion-world buzz at Dover Street Counter.

East London’s epicentre for natural wine and small plates includes Brat x Climpson’s Arch, Cadet, Jolene and Brunswick East – all of which blur the line between restaurant and bar, making Dalston one of the capital’s most exciting neighbourhoods to eat in right now.

Live fire remains London’s defining technique. Brat (Tomos Parry), Mountain and Acme Fire Cult use wood and charcoal to shape everything from turbot to custard tarts. 

Carbonara’s gold standard is everywhere. Trullo (Highbury), Luca (Clerkenwell) and Bancone (Soho) showcase why this richer, silkier cut has dethroned pancetta.

Playful nostalgia is creeping into serious cocktail menus. Experimental bars like Tayer + Elementary and Satan’s Whiskers toy with sherbet-sharp, soda-inspired flavours.

Itameshi-style cooking is filtering into London via chef pop-ups and menu specials: miso-butter pastas, soy-glazed aubergine parmigiana and nori-flecked burrata. The trend is largely led by Angelina in Dalston and its new sibling, Osteria Angelina in Spitalfields. 

A stretch quietly stacked with talent: Pophams, Lardo, Behind and Brat x Climpson’s Arch make this pocket one of East London’s strongest dining clusters.

The martini is back as London drinkers rediscover elegance and restraint. Classic pours at DUKES Bar and bespoke vermouth service at The Connaught Bar lead the revival. Read all about here.

Trust-based dining remains one of London’s hottest tickets, with intimate counters putting chefs fully in control. Alongside established names like Endo at the Rotunda, new-generation spots including Luna Omakase, Amamoto and Juno Omakase are driving the city’s obsession with precision, pacing and premium fish. Here’s our guide to the best.

Pizza culture in London is shedding whole pies in favour of grab-and-go, high-impact slices that hit just right with a drink in hand. From thin, foldable New York-style slabs at Slice Club to Detroit-deep cuts by the slice at Ria's and classic American-influenced options by Vincenzo's Pizza, the city’s slice scene is lively, varied and undeniably delicious. Here’s the deep dive.

Old-school classics are making a stylish comeback, with chefs reimagining nostalgic dishes for a new audience. At The Ivy you’ll find rum baba with chantilly cream and citrus as part of an elevated classic menu, Simpson’s-in-the-Strand is reviving prawn cocktails and roasted joints in its historic dining room, and traditional showstoppers like Beef Wellington are turning up at Bob Bob Ricard.

No longer niche thanks to Hoppers, Kolamba and Paradise, with coconut sambols, hoppers and short eats now available citywide.

Think of these as chefs’ testing concepts served in basements, studios and private homes, particularly in Peckham, Hackney, Clerkenwell and Walthamstow. The Rebellious Wine Club, The Bridge Club, Alexander Does Supper and Dinner Ladies are just a few of the names to know about.

Listening bars are shaping how London drinks and socialises – pairing serious sound systems with thoughtful cocktails and food. Goodbye Horses, Bambi, Nipperkin, Jumbi, All My Friends, Chiave... the list goes on. A shoutout to SL's Saroop Sangha too, who has just set up her own vinyl bar in Leeds – Vinyl Grounds.

XO sauce is in more than just a cupboard essential – you'll now find it drizzled over noodles in Chinatown and over grilled prawns at modern Asian spots. Pearly Queen in Shoreditch, which closed its doors at the end of 2025, did a monkfish lathered in the sauce and more recently, Oisoi put XO sauce crab meat fried rice on its menu.

Yuzu’s sharp citrus lift is everywhere. Bars and kitchens across the capital use it in spritzes, sorbets and soft serve, as well as main dishes. Roka is famous for its tiger prawn tempura with yuzu. Then there's the moreish yuzu Jaffa Cakes at Toad Bakery.