Where To Eat In London: February 2025

Well, January’s been a long year, hasn’t it? Some might suggest decades long—and by some, I mean those of us who managed to get through Dry January without regret.

Either way, it’s time to start the month as we continue to go on; eating well, drinking well, and being well. Which every single restaurant I’ve hand-picked below can offer you in spades, whether you’re in the mood for inventive small plates, top-tier seafood, or a no-nonsense burger and pint.

So without further ado, here are five of my top recommendations on where to eat in London this month.

Scully

Ramael Scully’s eponymous St James spot isn’t new, but it remains one of London’s most reliably exciting kitchens. The food is bold, unfussy, and deeply flavorful—rooted in Scully’s Malaysian-Australian heritage, with influences from what seems to be every corner of the globe. Expect house-fermented ingredients and inventive spice blends in dishes bound to pass every expectation and experience you’ve had to date; the Cod, for example, comes swimming in Master Stock, with crispy chicken skin, a tempura chicken oyster, and gremolata. It’s well-worth plumping for the tasting menu to experience a bit of everything, but the restaurant’s laissez-faire approach means there are plenty of a la carte options you can swoon over at quick lunches or dinners, too.

Address: 4 St James’s Market, London SW1Y 4AH

Baccalà

Italian seafood done with care, precision, and an absence of personality. Tucked away in a compact two-floor restaurant in Bermondsey, Baccalà leans into regional Italian cooking, with a focus on sustainability and superior ingredient sourcing, including its multi-choice artisanal EVOO menu. It’s the kind of comforting, transportive cooking that makes you want to book a flight immediately. Still, they have a brilliant range of deals to keep you coming back, as well: Wine Tuesdays (up to 50% off all wines by the bottle0, Oyster Saturdays (freshly-shucked oysters at £18 for ½ dozen: and £35 for one dozen), bottomless Prosecco lunches (£20 for unlimited Prosecco with lunch every Friday and Saturday), et al.

Address: Unit B3, 194 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3TQ

Hutong’s Dynasty Brunch

If you don’t want to ruin your Dry January streak for a mediocre cocktail, Hutong’s new Dynasty Brunch is the best excuse to keep the ball rolling. The high-rise Northern Chinese restaurant has partnered with Everleaf to produce a free-flowing booze-free brunch—proving that bottomless doesn’t have to mean regret-filled. It’s a serious spread, too: Iberico pork dumplings, scallop & prawn Wontons, ma La Beef, Sea Bass slicked with ginger and garlic, and more. All of the Everlead cocktails feel considered, rather than an afterthought, for the sober-curious or, well, deeply hungover, too.

Address: The Shard, 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY

The Collab

Walthamstow’s finest for properly done burgers and craft beer. The Collab is a collaboration (hence the name) between Signature Brew and We Serve Human (see: national best chicken wing winners) alumni, so expect a solid, no-fuss comfort food experience—indulgent vegan options included. Every item on the menu is a top-tier example of its kind—even the blue cheese-smothered, bacon-crumbed Wedge Salad—and vegans will be delighted with the indulgent selection of dishes available. Essentially, it’s the kind of place where a casual pub lunch will regularly turn into a sesh.

Address: 198 Hoe St, London E17 4BF

The Don

A quietly confident newcomer in the City, housed in the former home of Sandeman Port. The Don is all about classic European elegance—think Burgundy-heavy sauces, expertly-finished foie gras, and a wine cellar someone like myself might sell a first-born for. There’s an old-school sophistication here, but the execution is fresh, not fusty. A reminder that sometimes, nothing beats a well-cooked fillet (a delectable Tournedo Rossini, in The Don’s case) and a glass of something serious. The 2018 Dobogó-Tokaji Furmint, in particular.

Address: 20 St Swithin’s Ln, City of London, London EC4N 8AD