Where to get your fresh fish fix in the capital
A seafood platter paired with a crisp glass of wine evokes memories of seaside lunches in the Med – but fish restaurants are also a pivotal part of the British dining scene. The UK shores are home to an abundance of fresh fish, plus some of the world’s top seafood chefs – from Rick Stein to Nathan Outlaw. Here we highlight the best seafood restaurants in London, from long-standing institutions to neighbourhood newbies.
Best Seafood Restaurants in London
Saltie Girl
One of Mayfair’s hottest new openings is Saltie Girl, a US import spearheaded by celebrated restaurateur Kathy Sidell which has risen to cult status since first opening in Boston in 2016. The glam restaurant is known for its oysters, caviar and lobster, with the London menu featuring signature dishes like fried lobster and waffles, alongside some newbies. Tinned fish is also a focus, with a dedicated ‘tin list’ featuring over 65 different varieties, from sardines to mackerel, trout to razor clams, sourced mainly from Spain and Portugal.
15 N Audley St, London W1K 6WZ; saltiegirl.com
The Sea, The Sea
Head to The Sea, The Sea to see a whole new side to cooking with fish. The younger sibling of the Chelsea outpost of the same name, the Hackney site opened in September 2021 inside a converted railway arch beside Regent’s Canal. It’s home to a specialist fishmonger, a recently launched cookery school and a chef’s table restaurant, where 12 lucky diners can sit down to an omakase feast. The menu changes depending on what’s available, but you can guarantee fish will be fresh and high-quality, with most of the catch sourced from small day boats. It’s all about unique flavour pairings here: recent dishes have included lobster with custard, razor clams with turnip and finger lime, kingfish meringue, skate wing crackling with savoury toffee.
337 Acton Mews, London E8 4EA; theseathesea.net
This was taken from our feature on the best restaurants in Hackney
J Sheekey
Back in 1893, stallholder Josef Sheekey was given permission by Lord Salisbury to serve fish and shellfish in St Martin’s Court, in return for supplying meals to Salisbury’s after-theatre dinner parties. This was the beginning of Sheekey’s – and, to this day, the restaurant retains its Victorian charm. Located bang in the middle of the West End, it’s always been a hotspot for actors, hosting an endless stream of A-listers over the years – from the Beckhams to Jude Law and Bradley Cooper. Food-wise, it’s all about high-quality seafood: think oysters, fruits de mer platters and lobster thermidor, alongside its famous fish pie. Head there for a pre or post-theatre dinner and ensure you sample the excellent cocktail list, which features recreated versions of 10 iconic cocktails from the restaurant’s 125 years.
28-32 St Martin’s Ct, London WC2N 4AL; j-sheekey.co.uk
This was taken from our feature on iconic London restaurants
The Seafood Bar
There’s a new restaurant to get excited about for your next Friday night in Soho. The Seafood Bar is a cool import from Amsterdam, where it has won awards and attracted lines that loop around the corner. The restaurant has now landed on Dean Street, and offers the freshest seafood that’s seasonally and sustainably sourced. Heading up the menu are the Amsterdam restaurant’s celebrated and decadent fruits de mer platters, featuring lobster, North Sea crab, razor clams, langoustines, Dutch shrimps and more, plus oysters matured in the ‘claires’ in France, and a mixed grill of shellfish and fish cooked on a La Plancha grill. The restaurant is also entirely wind-powered, and has a zero waste policy that ensures no fish goes to waste.
77 Dean St, London W1D 3SH; theseafoodbar.com
Sexy Fish
Arguably the city’s most flamboyant restaurant, Richard Caring’s Sexy Fish is a sight to behold. Apparently it cost £15 million to produce – which won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has stepped inside. With bronze Damien Hirst-designed mermaids adorning the bar, a coral reef ceiling, a giant gold-plated crocodile on display and walls running with water, the space feels like some kind of mystical, underwater-inspired wonderland. The theme is continued in the Asian-inspired menu, which is suitably lavish. Think decadent seafood platters, sashimi and maki, plus a selection of small plates like tuna tataki, grilled tiger prawn skewers and prawn gyoza. Expect to splurge.
Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, London W1J 6BR; sexyfish.com
Scott’s
Back in 1851, a young fishmonger named John Scott opened an oyster warehouse in Haymarket. Over the years it evolved into a restaurant, relocating to its current site on Mayfair’s Mount Street in the ‘60s. Nowadays, Scott’s stands as one of London’s most famous seafood institutions – and one of the capital’s five oldest restaurants. It has always been a glamorous spot, though an extensive refurbishment spearheaded by Martin Brudnizki brought the venue back to life after a lull. Seasonal menus offer the finest seafood you could imagine, with perennial classics including the seared sea bass, the blackened miso salmon and the lobster thermidor. There’s a dedicated caviar menu – ranging from platinum to £875 oscietra – as well as a wide selection of oysters, calling to be washed down with a glass of fizz. Last year, a sister branch opened on the riverside in Richmond, offering equally excellent food amid glitzy surroundings.
20 Mount St, London W1K 2HE; scotts-restaurant.com
Prawn on the Lawn
This Islington fish restaurant began its life as a small fishmonger with an eight-cover seafood bar and no space for a kitchen. Yet before long, it became TripAdvisor’s best-rated restaurant in London. Eventually it moved to a bigger spot down the road, but the friendly, neighbourhood feel has never been lost. Prawn on the Lawn still serves as a fishmonger as well as a restaurant, meaning the menu changes daily depending on which fish is available. There’s a mix of small plates – think juicy Szechuan prawns, seared tuna with soy and Porthilly mussels – alongside whole or filleted fish for the table, cooked classic, Thai or Chinese style. Despite being bang in the middle of north London, the eatery has a seaside feel – though if you want the real deal, a second site has popped up in Padstow.
292, 294 St Paul’s Rd, London N1 2LH; prawnonthelawn.com
Angler
Perched atop South Place Hotel, Angler’s 40-seat west-facing roof terrace boasts glorious views of the city. Chef Gary Foulkes heads up the Michelin-starred kitchen, which spotlights the best of British fish: at the moment that’s dishes like Cornish turbot with scallop stuffed courgette and Dorset crab with bouillabaisse sauce.
South Place Hotel, 3 South Pl, London EC2M 2AF; anglerrestaurant.com
Orasay
The third venture from culinary duo Jackson Boxer and chef Andrew Clarke – the pair behind St Leonards in Shoreditch – is inspired by Orosay, a small tidal island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. In comparison to the spacious St Leonards, Orasay is a cosy, unpretentious spot with minimalist wooden tables, terracotta-cushioned benches and flickering candles. Seafood is the focus, with a seasonal menu based on what the fishermen send from their catch – recent dishes have included Brixham pollock with smoked pepper and grilled broccoli, and tagliatelle peppered with brown shrimp.
31 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2EU; orasay.london
Bibendum Oyster Bar
If you’re craving oysters and champagne, Claude Bosi’s South Kensington hangout will not disappoint. Found on the ground floor of the refurbished Michelin Building – now named after the Michelin man, Bibendum – the restaurant is heaven for seafood enthusiasts. Naturally there are lots of oysters – choose from Jersey, Maldon, Irish and more – served with shallot vinegar, cereal bread and salted butter. But you can also get glitzy seafood platters (add native lobster if you’re feeling particularly decadent), grilled fish of the day and small plates like Cornish crab quiche and Scottish mussels.
Michelin House, 81 Fulham Rd., London SW3 6RD; claudebosi.com
Chicama
The second restaurant from the Pachamama group, Chelsea’s Chicama is a charming restaurant named after a coastal town in Peru – not the word chic, although that does describe it well. Unlike its sister, Chicama is meat-free, focusing instead on fish served small plates-style. Seafood is delivered daily from Cornwall and given a South American twist – the squid is marinated in garlic and ají panca, for instance, while the trout is cooked in banana leaf and served with red quinoa. Pisco Sours are the natural drink of choice, though the Spicy Margarita shouldn’t be overlooked. Eat al fresco on the plant-filled outdoor terrace, or watch the chefs working their magic up close from the pastel pink marble counter, which looks onto the open kitchen.
383 King’s Rd, London SW10 0LP; chicamalondon.com
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