Going to London for Xmas? A food guide for every mood

There's a place with the best views in town and a steak spot where you press a button for champagne and caviar

- Bloomberg

The José Tapas Bar (right) is one of London's best tapas spots.

Finding a great meal in London is not always easy. For one thing, the city is vast and more spread out than most other metropolises. Unless you live on the west side, travelling to eat in a hot neigh-bourhood like Notting Hill is a journey. London is also a town that values a reservation. Some places take walk-ins, but it's not standard practice -especially during the hectic holiday season when everyone's in town to see the decorations.

We've narrowed down our picks for the best places to eat in London right now, including a buzzy new dining room you'll brag about going to, a place where you can walk in without reservations and a top value spot.

To be upfront, Kudu isn't brand new. It spent eight years in Peckham, familiaris-ing South Londoners with expertly prepared South African food. But in 2025, husband-and-wife owners chef Patrick Williams and Amy Corbin relocated to a central location close to the energy - and shopping-around Bond Street. Their new dining room is suitably dressed up, with golden lighting and rose-coloured walls that were designed to evoke Cape Town sunsets. But the focus of the space, both physically and menu-wise, is the South African fire-powered grill known as the braai.