The Rob Martinez guide to eating and drinking in London

Including my Google Map of over 100 of my best bites

I am sitting across from Jonathan Nunn, founder of Vittles Magazine, and Feroz Gajia, chef/owner of Bake Street. We’re in Enfield, in Zone 5, and there is an overwhelming amount of Turkish food between us.

“When we first started out, we ate 400 meals in a year,” Feroz tells me about the origin of Vittles. He sends me an Instagram story from 2019, where Jonathan proudly declares, “No zone 4 restaurant has opened without me knowing about it.”

Well then. These are good folks to know if you’re set on reporting about the London food scene.

For my part, I have visited London around twice a year for the past 5 years. I have found it, in many ways, impenetrable. A charming set for a production I have no part in. I can’t navigate the class dynamics; I talk too much to strangers in the shops; I can’t stop drinking Guinness.

And when it comes to the food scene? London has many great restaurants, but it doesn’t hit the highs of Los Angeles or New York City. It may be a notch below Philly. And a few notches below San Francisco.

Sitting across from Jonathan and Feroz—both born-and-bred Londoners—I was open to changing my mind. But they didn’t try too hard to convince me of London’s gastronomic worth. As they pointed out, in New York we revere and mythologize the folks who cook, serve, or even deliver our food. But London lacks some of the optimistic pride that us Americans feed on. Places go viral again and again, consensus dominates, and the little guys go unnoticed.

Except for by the team at Vittles, that is. During the course of our meal(s), it occurred to me that Vittles doesn’t exist to prove to outsiders like me that London is a world-class food city. It’s about proving it to the people who already live there.

In that vein, below you’ll find my guide to not just the places us outsiders would like, but hopefully the ones that Londoners cherish as well. I know it doesn’t sound like it, but I really love London. I love the architecture, I love the diversity, I love biking around, I love pubs and Sunday roasts. It’s a fantastic city.

My guide is a mixed bag: A Canadian-Italian pasta place, a bar with Thai chicken wings, and a Nigerian BBQ street stall are among my favorite spots to dine. But it continues my personal mission of heralding the unheralded, and eating very well while I do.

Without further ado—

What my list is, and what it is not

London is the type of place where a restaurant can have a million subscribers on YouTube, so while my list does include some of the well-known spots like E Pellici and Kiln, I have done my best to include off-the-beaten path spots that I can personally vouch for.

There are also a handful of businesses here that I haven’t had a chance to check out yet, but pass the smell test. These have been recommended to me by folks I trust, and I’ve marked down who recommended it and if I’ve been or not. Let me know your experience if you stop in at any of these spots, it would be very helpful with scouting for future videos.

Where to Stay in London

The biggest piece of advice I give when it comes to London is this: Where you stay matters. London is nearly twice the size of NYC, and its various overground and underground rails make going from one corner to the next a challenge.

I’ve stayed in the south, in Crystal Palace. I’ve stayed in the Southwest, in Wandsworth. I’ve stayed in the center, in Soho. There are benefits to each, but for this guide, you will find that a lot of my suggestions hover around the Northeast and Central areas of London.

Good home bases would be Farringdon, Soho, Islington, or Hackney. On this trip, I stayed in Dalston, near the Overground.

General Tips and Who to Trust

• Vittles is the best possible resource for where to eat in London. Subscribe to get their Google Map and check out their Newcomers Guide to London Food.

• I also like Isaac Rangaswami’s Wooden City, particularly his lists of caffs

• Biking is the best way to get around, and there are Lime bikes sprinkled throughout Zones 1 and 2. Buy Lime credits to save a good amount of money - paying per ride cost me around £40 more than if I’d gotten a pass. It is so lovely to ride around London on a bike.

• Don’t worry too much about cash. London is mostly a contactless city. 50 or 100 quid might be a safe amount to have just in case, for a 2 week trip.

• Speaking of cash: A dollar is not a pound. A £7 pint is nearly a $10 beer. And if you drink pints like I do, it adds up quick.

Should you go to Dishoom?

Hell yeah. Dishoom is one of those widely hyped restaurant mini-chains that is actually very delicious, and super convenient for groups. It’s worth going at least once (I still haven’t gone for their famous brunch).

My favorite place to eat in London right now…

There is one place I haven’t seen people mention much recently, or make videos about. And it was the single best meal I had in London.

Below the paywall - My favorite restaurant in London, plus a rundown of popular spots that are very good, and lesser-known spots that deserve more love.