A trip back to Korea inspired Chef Joo Won to return to the cooking of his childhood and subsequently open this casual, friendly bistro in the middle of Stoke Newington. His time as Head Chef of Galvin at Windows hasn’t gone to waste though, as his appealingly priced blackboard menu is a great mix of European cuisine with subtle Korean flavours. "Joo’s Fried Chicken" has understandably been on the menu since Day One, while dishes like Cornish pollock with mooli jorim pack an invigorating punch.

The appealing, Eastern Mediterranean-influenced menu at Oded Oren’s bustling little bistro is made up of enticing sharing plates, with many ingredients cooked over charcoal, such as lamb loin, succulent chicken skewer and hispi cabbage with muhammara. Start with the delicious stone-baked flatbread and then around five dishes between two should suffice. The prices are kept fair and that includes the well-made cocktails, while the service team are delightful. There’s lots of fun to be had here.

The brainchild of wine importers and a charcutier, Cadet is a compact bar and shop selling, unsurprisingly, wine and charcuterie. During the week, you can enjoy simple bar snacks alongside the wonderful selection of largely French wines. Yet from Thursday to Sunday, the blackboard lists a treasure trove of well-priced and generously flavoured dishes. Expect the likes of rillettes, pâté en croûte and slip sole with Café de Paris butter. The chatty team will help guide you through the wines.

There’s so much going for this former pub which has been transformed into a wine bar and restaurant with a young, on-trend vibe. The place is packed with East London’s coolest diners, many of them at shared tables and all delighting in a concise menu based around high-quality, seasonal British produce. If your sweet tooth is still not satisfied after dessert, the same people run The Dreamery ice cream shop across the road. The eclectic wine list specialises in natural options.

Having developed a cult following in Leytonstone, this likeable Thai restaurant moved to a bigger home in Shoreditch in mid-2025, allowing many more customers the chance to experience its exuberant, fun and well-priced appeal. Sharing plates of big-flavoured, enjoyably spicy goodness are the order of the day, with the highlights of the concise menu including tender smoked pork belly Panang. There’s a counter if you want to see how the food is prepared, or how the cocktails are made.

The team behind two of West London’s best pubs, The Pelican and The Hero, appear to be just as adept at opening restaurants. The two chefs are alumni of The River Café and it shows in their no-nonsense, flavour-driven Italian food. The menu is a loosely structured document, but you can use the price as a rough guide to the size of the dish; the homemade pasta dishes are a highlight. They don't take bookings, so be prepared for a queue, but the lovely service team handle it well.

Chef Cyrus Todiwala is fast approaching national treasure status, while his charming wife Pervin is a welcoming and delightful presence in their colourfully decorated restaurant. Unless you’re a local resident, its location in the Docklands development, overlooking the Royal Albert Wharf, involves a journey of some commitment – but it will be worth it. Go for the specialities from the couple's respective Goan and Bombay roots, like chicken cafrael and cheese chilli toast.

The team from Akoko are behind this appealing restaurant tucked underneath the arches in Borough Yards. An akara is a black-eyed pea fritter commonly found in West African and Brazilian cuisine, which gives a clue as to the influences found on the well-priced menu. Sharp execution and careful balancing of flavours runs throughout, from the signature akara with a choice of toppings, to tender lamb dibi and delicious efik rice. Some of the friendliest service around adds to the experience.

Tiny and tucked-away on Peckham’s bustling Rye Lane, Lai Rai is a hidden gem of a restaurant. Friendly, affordable and with knockout Vietnamese cooking, it’s the kind of place you leave with a spring in your step. The food is packed with bold flavours and executed with real skill, moving from bánh mì and coffee in the day to a more elaborate menu in the evening. Make sure you start with the brilliantly moreish prawn lollies. The enthusiastic team just want you to have a good time – and you will!

Enter into this railway-arch restaurant and you could convince yourself you’ve been transported to Bangkok. Two friends have turned their years of experience in Thai restaurants into an authentic slice of the country, from the bustling atmosphere to the fresh, vibrant dishes. The chefs don’t hold back on the spice, yet their strong sense of balance ensures the central ingredients are never overwhelmed. Meat-free diners will be delighted that every dish is matched by a vegetarian equivalent.

Snugly slotted into a busy South London street, this bustling Indian restaurant comes with a relaxed, vibrant atmosphere and dishes you’ll want to eat again and again. The concise menu keeps things simple and is all the better for it, starting with moreish onion bhajis and continuing with a knockout Thanjavur chicken curry. What makes it even better is the mightily appealing prices, meaning you can share a broad range of dishes with friends and come away without your wallet feeling too bruised.

You’ll find warmth and generosity aplenty at this family-operated Korean restaurant run with palpable pride. Some tables have their own barbecue, allowing you to cook your choice of meats in front of you, including pork belly, short ribs and Wagyu beef, all at sensible prices. Don’t worry if you’re on a standard table though, as the bansang dishes are surefire hits, offering delicious main components such as fried chicken or grilled mackerel served with three side dishes and top-drawer kimchi.