Best restaurants Covent Garden

With just 24 seats and no reservations allowed, The Barbary is a homely spot which serves a blend of Israeli cooking that employs both Mediterranean ingredients and North African spices – enticing, affordable and delicious stuff.

Taking the title of London’s oldest restaurant (opened by Thomas Rule in 1798), charming Rules is a resolutely traditional spot serving the kind of British food that will make you sing ‘God save the Queen!’

Iranian cuisine gets a contemporary makeover at Nutshell, where the intricacy of the cooking and its pretty garnishes is matched by the pink, Instagrammable decor and cocktails given a floral Iranian twist.    

Bringing some Gallic charm to WC2, cosy Terroirs is best known for its bountiful wine list that focuses on natural and biodynamic varieties. The daily changing menu, which puts seasonality first, is also worth your time.

Clos Maggiore regularly tops lists of the most romantic restaurants in the capital. The best seats in the house are found in the famed glass-roofed conservatory, which is festooned with oh-so-seductive fairy lights and foliage.

Kitted out to look like a traditional fishmongers, Parsons is a seafood joint with heart. The wine list impresses too – no surprise considering Parsons is a sibling to 10 Cases wine bar across the road.

Boasting an atmosphere that makes both Londoners and out of towners feel at home, cosy Cora Pearl pulls in the crowds with its Anglo-European menu. Our top order? The finger-licking good ham and cheese toastie.

Tom Kerridge’s debut London restaurant is as plush as you’d expect, featuring red leather booths and chic light fixtures. From the accomplished menu of comfort food classics, the decadent lobster thermidor is our top pick.

Imported from New York, RedFarm is a pricey, but fun Cantonese restaurant that’s best known for its Insta-bait Pac Man dumplings. Other quirks include cheeseburger spring rolls and xiao long bao soup dumplings pierced with a straw.

Legendary J Sheekey may be best known for being a favourite among theatre stars, but the top-quality seafood and unfalteringly warm service ensure us regular folk can have a great time dining here too.

One of Vivek Singh’s more casual spots, Cinnamon Bazaar is a riot of colour and flavours. The a la carte revolves around snacks and chaat, but we are also fans of the Indian-style afternoon tea.

Overseen by Gordon Ramsay, the long-standing Savoy Grill harks back to a bygone era with its unashamed glamour; think mirrored walls and glittering chandeliers. The meat is the star, served up as steaks and chops.  

This upmarket Italian has elegance in spades and top-drawer service too, with smart doormen and suited bartenders nice added touches. The menu is just as classic, featuring the likes of crab ravioli and tiramisu.

Serving fresh pasta at knock-down prices, Bancone has been a smash hit ever since opening its doors in 2018. The silk handkerchiefs are the top order, but antipasti put in a strong showing too.

There may be a handful of Hawksmoors around, but the Seven Dials outpost is probably our favourite. Great for groups, dining here means 35-day aged steaks from The Ginger Pig, creative cocktails and sumptuous sides.

This Petersham is more glamorous (and expensive) than the Richmond original. Don’t let high prices put you off though, as the menu of beautifully presented and hearty Italian fare is sure to win you over.

Billed as the world’s first kebab tasting menu restaurant, this marvellous 10-seat operation beneath Maison Bab delicately straddles the line between fine dining experience and all-out parody. It’s truly delicious and tons of fun too.

Open for 190 years, Simpsons has stopped itself from looking worn thanks to a recent spruce up. Once you’ve taken in the show-stopping dining room, tuck into a British menu, with trolley service a highlight.

Found at Somerset House and masterminded by Skye Gyngell, Spring is a love letter to seasonality which thrills with its disarmingly simple dishes; think the likes of girolles on toasted sourdough with sheep’s milk ricotta.

Dishoom’s winning formula of Indian small plates at reasonable prices has led to locations nationwide – stop by the original Covent Garden branch for the likes of bacon naans and lamb keema scooped up with pau buns.

Balthazar is an upscale bistro suited to all ages and any time of the day. The prix fixe is remarkably good value for this part of town, while afternoon tea and weekend brunch also appeal.

The newest of London's three branches of the slowly expanding FishWorks chain betrays its origins as a fishmonger with some spankingly fresh seafood treated simply with classic accompaniments to highlight the freshness of the produce. 

Overseen by a third-generation master pizzaiolo, this Naples imported pizzeria serves a menu that will knock your socks off. Ignore the gaudy furniture, and feast on some mind-blowingly good pizzas, all at reasonable prices too.

London’s archetypal tapas bar, perennially popular Barrafina is all about dainty small plates that pack a serious punch. Be wary of the no-bookings policy, but trust us when we say the queues will be worth it.  

A slightly more casual spin-off of Angela Hartnett’s Mayfair flagship, Café Murano deals in modern Italian cooking and cosy, welcoming vibes. Come for the heavenly homemade pasta, and stay for the selection of Italian-themed cocktails.

This humble oyster restaurant proved so popular that in 2018, the team doubled the size of its dining room. Charming hosts, reasonably priced dishes and top-quality oysters go some way to explaining its popularity.

Gregory Marchand’s acclaimed Frenchie (a nickname given to him by Jamie Oliver) boasts a clean and simple dining room, letting the innovative sharing plates do the talking – which shout creativity and flavour from the rooftops.

It may have swapped out the breathtaking views of its City sister for a grown-up rainforest vibe, but London’s second Sushisamba still features all of its greatest hits – think Wagyu gyozas and tightly packed sushi.

The US-style comfort food at Joe Allen isn’t exactly mind-blowing, but the restaurant deserves a place on our list thanks to its ineffable atmosphere and warm service. Also a great place to spot theatre stars.  

It may feel like there’s an Ivy on every corner now, but the original still boasts an air of glamour that the spin-offs can’t replicate, with the restaurant even counting the Queen among its fans.

More accessible than Fitzrovia’s Michelin-starred Lima, this casual spin-off serves up enchanting dishes made with ingredients that aren’t often seen in the capital. For post-dinner Pisco Sours, the basement bar is the place to go.

The flagship of Adam Handling’s The Frog group, this smart and sophisticated restaurant is often packed to the rafters. All of Handling’s signature dishes are present and correct, including those beguiling cheese and truffle doughnuts.

Whether it’s for a hearty breakfast or a pre-theatre pit stop, The Delaunay’s versatile European menu is bound to have something for you. We’d always recommend buying pastries from the Counter to take home too.