England is not just Fish & Chips and Sunday Roast — it now holds more Michelin stars per capita than anywhere in Europe outside France. From Dishoom on a Friday night in London to L'Enclume hidden in the Lake District, this is our shortlist of 10 restaurants every foodie should hit at least once.
#1 Dishoom Covent Garden
The most popular Bombay-cafe restaurant in London — queues every single day. Signature dishes are the Bacon Naan Roll and the House Black Daal, which is slow-cooked for 24 hours. The interior is a careful recreation of a 1960s Irani cafe.
- No lunch bookings — just queue
- Order the Black Daal and Chicken Ruby — both unmissable
- Eight branches across the UK if you want a less-crowded one
#2 The Ledbury
Chef Brett Graham's three-Michelin-star restaurant — reopened in 2022 and immediately back at the top of the London scene. Modern European with prime British produce, and a real love for game (venison and pheasant in season).
- Book 2–3 months ahead
- Tasting menu from £225+ per person
- The wine pairing is worth the extra spend
#3 Padella Borough Market
Handmade pasta at honest prices inside Borough Market — and a queue that runs an hour at lunch. Pici Cacio e Pepe and Pappardelle with ragu are the dishes everyone orders. Pasta is £7–13.
- Join the online walk-in queue via the app
- Arrive before 11:30 or after 14:30 for shorter waits
- Walk Borough Market itself before or after — it is one of the best markets in London
#4 Sketch (The Gallery)
The legendary afternoon tea room — once the pink room, now repainted yellow — with its iconic egg-shaped restroom pods upstairs. One of the most photographed restaurants in London.
- Book at least a month in advance
- Smart casual dress code applies
- Afternoon tea starts at £85+
#5 St. JOHN Smithfield
Fergus Henderson's landmark restaurant — the original "nose-to-tail" eating movement was born here. Traditional British food with the courage to use every part of the animal. Roast Bone Marrow is the dish you have to order.
- Pair Bone Marrow with the Eccles Cake for dessert — both classics here
- Book ahead — it is consistently full
- The Bar at the front takes walk-ins
#6 The Hand & Flowers
Tom Kerridge's pub — the first pub in the UK to win two Michelin stars. Elevated traditional British cooking inside a proper village pub, with most ingredients sourced from farms around Marlow.
- Book 3 months ahead online
- 50 minutes by train from London Paddington
- There is a B&B nearby for an overnight
#7 The Fat Duck
Heston Blumenthal's three-Michelin-star temple to molecular gastronomy. A 14–17 course tasting menu that plays with both flavor and memory — Sound of the Sea arrives with an iPod playing crashing waves.
- Around £350+ per person for the tasting menu
- Book 2–3 months ahead
- No photos during certain courses — they will tell you
#8 L'Enclume
Simon Rogan's three-Michelin-star restaurant in the middle of the Lake District. Ingredients come entirely from their own farm. The 20+ course menu is a literal seasonal walk through the English countryside — required pilgrimage for true farm-to-table fans.
- Stay overnight in the restaurant's own rooms
- Book 3–4 months ahead
- Build a 2–3 day Lake District trip around it
#9 The Ivy West Street
A classic London institution since 1917 — the kind of place actors and celebrities have been showing up to for over a century. Smart but never stuffy. The Shepherd's Pie and The Ivy's take on Fish & Chips are the dishes locals order.
- Book online ahead via the website
- Smart dress code
- Their afternoon tea is also excellent
#10 Hawksmoor Seven Dials
The London steakhouse a lot of locals will tell you is the best in the city. Longhorn beef from English farms, dry-aged a minimum of 35 days. The Bone-in Prime Rib and Porterhouse are the calling cards.
- The £25 Express Lunch is one of the best-value steak meals in town
- Finish with the Sticky Toffee Pudding — it is iconic here
- Branches in Manchester and Edinburgh as well
Before You Pack
England has quietly become a paradise for modern foodies. London concentrates world-class Indian, Italian, modern British, and steakhouse in one walkable city, while the countryside hides a Michelin-starred pub at almost every junction. Book ahead, plan the trip around the reservations — and prepare to come home with a new benchmark for what a great restaurant can be.