The best Charlotte Street restaurants

This chain is everywhere for a reason – it serves up dependably good Italian fare at reasonable prices. If you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser that will definitely cater to children and most dietary needs, including vegetarians, vegan and gluten-free, Pizza Express is a great choice. This particular branch is set over three floors, making it great for large groups looking to recharge after shopping on nearby Oxford Street.

This superior wine shop/bar is the place to go for a liquid lunch (though it does offer nibbles too). The concept is simple – top up an Oyster-style card with credit, and glug your way around the 100-bin, wall-to-wall racks, all of which are stored under airtight Enomatic conditions. Just be warned: it’s an experience you’ll definitely want to repeat.

Head chef Asimakis Chaniotis delivers some truly dazzling dishes at his French Michelin-starred restaurant on Charlotte Street. Prices are reassuringly high, but there’s ample value in the ‘flexible lunch menu’ and in the book-sized wine list. Interiors are snug, but comfortable, and staff are on the ball.

This Asian restaurant’s mission is simple: to create great dishes from quality ingredients. This buzzy restaurant brings together authentic Asian food and friendly service, so whether you’re dropping in for a quick bite after shopping or settling in for an evening with friends, there’s plenty to get excited about. The menu caters for most diets and prices are reasonable.

Smart interiors match the beautiful frontage of this swish hotel, which happens to be an excellent spot for drinking and dining any time of the day. This bar/restaurant is open all day, so whether you’re dropping in for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, early evening cocktails, dinner or after-hours drinks, expect upmarket food and hospitality.

‘Our wurst is ze best’ is this brand’s clever slogan, and we have to say, we don’t think they’re far off. Here you can eat at the counter or take away from a list that includes bratwurst, bockwurst, smoky pork, chilli beef and currywurst – served in a roll or chopped up in a box and coated with homemade tomato and curry sauce. All sausages are gluten free and can be paired with low-fat fries, potato salad or sauerkraut.

Roka’s basement bar might major in drinks, but guests can still order food from the restaurant upstairs here. Shochu Lounge is a destination in its own right – a snazzy and ‘sexy' subterranean space dedicated to the eponymous Japanese spirit – and worth checking out when you fancy a slightly more chilled dining experience.

Wahaca is brilliant for good-timers and families, thanks to its mix of colourful, fashion-conscious surrounds and flavourful Mexican cooking. This particular branch is spacious enough for large groups and serves up all the chain’s favourites, including tostadas, taquitos, quesadillas and specials such as the queso fundido. Great for those after something dependably good and served fast.

Relaxed all-day dining is this French brasserie’s raison d'être, so whether you’re after a continental breakfast, a good value set lunch or an evening meal that won’t break the bank, Côte Charlotte Street is a solid choice. The separate children’s menu makes this chain a particularly good shout for families.

Dining at Roka is a joy no matter where you sit, but we’d still recommend trying to secure a seat at the sleek wooden counter arranged around the robata grill to properly experience the theatre of it all. Then all that’s left is to choose from a sexy line-up of carefully-prepared sushi, sashimi, tempura and robata grill dishes. It’s not cheap, but it’s one of our favourite Charlotte Street restaurants and well worth a visit.

OPENS 9 DECEMBER 2019

This branch of Gaucho has recently undergone an eco-makeover, but fans needn’t fear – it’s still offering the same high-quality Argentinian steak it’s famous for. Said steaks are available in a variety of cuts and weights, though enthusiasts will want to check out the brand-new four-seater ‘beef bar’ where diners can watch and interact with the chefs as they deliver tartare, carpaccio and a variety of specials and new dishes.

The aim of this contemporary Japanese restaurant is to offer customers good value for money, top service and large portions. Kazu serves over 100 modern Japanese dishes including sushi and sashimi, complemented with a notable wine and sake list, so you’ll be spoilt for choice. Kazu also caters to gluten free, vegetarians and vegan diners.

Sicilian food with a Moorish twist – think antipasti and pastas, followed by grilled meat and fish dishes – sums up Norma, a warm and welcoming restaurant whose interiors conjure the image of an old college library. Food and drinks here don’t come cheap, but for such quality, it’s worth forking out. Be sure to try the homemade limoncello.  

The Cutting Room operates a sharing plates concept with a focus on seasonal, sustainable, well-sourced ingredients. There’s plenty on the menu for vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free diners, so mixed groups needn’t fret, and service is always friendly. The décor changes each month, thanks to contemporary art displays from the nearby Woolf Gallery. You can also look forward to live music each week from up-and-coming artists.

If you’ve got a hankering for reasonably priced, authentic Thai food, you need to get down to Siam Central on Charlotte Street. The interiors aren’t anything to write home about, but everything from the spicy soups to spring rolls, curries and drinks are delicious. Generous portions make this great for filling up before a show.

This two-Michelin-starred ‘chef’s table’ experience awaits those who venture into the semi-secret dining space behind a brown leather curtain at the back of funky Bubbledogs on Charlotte Street. Here, Head Chef James Knappett prepares, cooks and serves a daily changing menu of meticulously sourced and foraged British ingredients for your gastronomic pleasure.

This neighbourhood French restaurant is one of the best on Charlotte Street, and it’s got a Michelin Star to prove it. The menu here focuses on simple yet refined Mediterranean-style dishes, made using the best seasonal ingredients and designed to share. The interiors are dark and moody but also super-cosy, and on Mondays you can BYOB – result!

MasterChef Monica Galetti’s Charlotte Street restaurant is a gem in Fitzrovia, thanks to its elegant interiors and excellent food.  The dishes at Mere celebrate the passion and heritage of the husband and wife team, blending classical French with South Pacific influences. Be sure to finish in the bar upstairs, with its rich velvet seating and mixologists who give as much care to the drinks they serve as the kitchen does to the food it presents.