Best Restaurants in Shoreditch

Is there anything more Shoreditch than a white-washed warehouse? Well, welcome to Bistrotheque, an effortlessly cool Modern European restaurant sitting on the edge of Bethnal Green. The industrial décor is Instagram-worthy and the menu is not to be missed.

Restaurant or romantic Parisian loft? It’s hard to tell at this dreamy French bistro on Brick Lane. Owned by two brothers, its moniker is inspired by their mother and the feminine influences carry on inside with a beautiful wall mural. The food plays on mixed influences from France and Morocco.

Everything you need from a wine bar you’ll find right here: rustic decor, candlelight and a brilliant selection of red, white, pink and fizz. Wines can be bought by the glass or bottle and are accompanied nicely with a selection of charcuterie, cheese and small plates. The vibe is intimate and sophisticated, just as it should be. Bottoms up!

In a former fabric warehouse, Som Saa serves up traditional, regional Thai food that has the locals hooked. Swing by for lunch or dinner and try everything from aromatic coconut cream curry with Galloway beef and ratte potatoes to a Thai-style fried chicken leg with crispy garlic.

Brat, the rustic Italian restaurant on Redchurch Street, is just, well, cool. From the exposed brick walls to the airy, high ceilings, this feels like an effortlessly chic place to hang out. The food’s pretty special, too. The restaurant specialises in cooking with a wood fired grill and must-try dishes include oysters roasted with seaweed and velvet crab.

The first thing that hits you about The Clove Club is the striking bright blue colour scheme, which stands out against the 19th century building the restaurant is housed in. The menu boasts modern British cuisine and features a delicious tasting menu, as well as six and four course feasts.

Adapted from a former smokehouse building, St JOHN has been delighting locals with daily changing menus since it opened in 1994. The menu is laden with comfort food classics, with a particularly scrumptious dessert menu featuring the likes of Eccles Cake and Lancashire Cheese, jam roly-poly and Guinness sponge.

Blacklock searched high and low before they found Cornwall’s oldest third-generation farmers and butchers, The Warren Family, who they insist ensure their cows have happy lives. In fact, the whole menu at this meat-focused restaurant has an ethical feel – from the reasonably priced meat cuts to the cocktail list (which has £5 drinks and a selection of more expensive tipples which include a donation to charity). Here, you feel like you’re getting both a delicious meal and a fair deal.

This intimate Italian sits on the outskirts of Spitalfields market, and thanks to its small size and dimmed lighting, feels like the perfect place for a date. As it's a wine specialist we recommend asking your server what’s good and trying something new (the selection is impressive in both size and quality) and pairing it with small plates or charcuterie.

We don’t know who came up with the idea of fusing Japanese sushi dishes with the vibrant spirit and cuisine of Brazilian carnival, but we very much approve. The food is beautiful in both presentation and taste, and the panoramic views across London aren’t to be sniffed at either.

Eccentricity is the order of the day at this boutique hotel, which also has a restaurant filled with dress-wearing taxidermy and miss-match furniture. The cocktail menu is impressive, so be sure to try something out of the ordinary, and pair it with some of the delectable snacks on offer. Try the pork belly bao if you’re in need of comfort food or the caviar blinis if you’re feeling fancy.

Everything about Duck & Waffle feels like an experience. It starts with the Willy Wonka-esque glass elevator that zooms upwards while the city stretches out ahead of you. Then there’s the experimental decor and the restaurant’s famed signature dish (clue’s in the name). But you really have to take advantage of the 24/7 opening hours, which mean you can eat breakfast while watching the sun come up after a night out with panoramic views across London acting as a backdrop.

Okay, we haven’t quite tried every tapas restaurant in London, but we’re sure that Morito has got to be up there. Without even considering the buzzy atmosphere and industrial decor, the food is simply really good. Stand out dishes for us included charcoal grilled lamb chops and the hazelnut chocolate mousse.

If you’re looking for a dramatic setting, this is the place. Think impossibly high ceilings, gothic arched windows and atmospheric lighting. Oh, and we haven’t even started on the food. The French fare at this Galvin restaurant branch is Michelin starred, so make sure you treat yourself to the full three courses.

Positioned in the leafy Bishopsgate Gardens, this branch of the renown Ivy group is quite the showstopper. Between swish décor touches like turquoise leather bar stools and the botanical canopy over the outdoor terrace, every aspect feels well thought out. The cuisine is modern British, and we’re pleased to see there are lots of vegetarian and vegan options, too.

The South Place hotel is home to this refined seafood restaurant which, thanks to its stunning rooftop terrace, has unmissable views across the city. The menu is Michelin-starred, which gives you another pretty hefty reason to visit, and it showcases delights like raw Orkney scallops and Newlyn cod.

Big Mamma is already big news in Paris and the hospitality group’s first foray into the London food scene has been very well received. From the botanical-encrusted facade to the 70s-style kitschy decor and the giant, creamy blobs of mozzarella, it’s clear why there are queues down the street every evening.

This underground haunt has it all: fantastic cocktails, live music, an electric atmosphere, date-worthy ambiance and currently a kitchen residency with Chunky Buddha. This contemporary Asian street food brand will be offering tasty treats for the foreseeable, keeping diners well fed with dishes like tofu nuggets, crispy duck bao buns and kimchi fries.

Luca may be all Italiano in its atmosphere, but the menu draws inspiration from all corners of the UK, something that’s reflected in the high-quality, seasonal ingredients used by the chefs. From Scottish langoustines and grouse from Yorkshire, to cheese that’s sourced from across the country, it's impressive stuff.

Nestled in Clerkenwell, on the edge of Old Street, this light and airy restaurant does fresh and healthy lunches and dinners. It also has an innovative afternoon tea that shouldn’t be missed thanks to creations like Earl Grey panna cotta with mulled wine jelly.

Dismissing traditional trappings of fine dining in favour of a pared back, simple dining room, Lyle’s lets the food do all the talking. The Michelin star menu focuses on a less-is-more philosophy similar to the dining room décor and helped this Shoreditch restaurant to scoop the title of being one of the top 50 restaurants in the world in 2019.

If Indian cuisine is one of your favourites, a visit to the east London branch of Cinnamon Kitchen is essential. Chef Vivek Singh has worked to create a modern, innovative take on classic South Asian food with a weekend feasting menu that has to be tasted.