London Restaurants I Tried During My First UK Visit

As a first-timer in the UK, I wanted to share all the London restaurants we tried and ended up loving. Some were recommended by friends, others we found by chance while exploring with no set plans. On our first-ever trip to the UK, we had no itinerary, no reservations, and only one goal: to eat everything. From iconic British comfort food to handmade noodles, creamy daal, and fresh Mediterranean seafood, here are all the spots that made London feel instantly delicious and unforgettable.

My First Time in London

This London Trip was probably the most unplanned trip we’ve ever taken. It was actually our first time in the UK. With how hectic life has been lately, Dom and I barely had time to plan anything beyond booking our flights and hotel. We landed with no itinerary, just a shared goal to live in the moment, explore the city on foot, and eat as much good food as possible.

 I’m sharing the restaurants we tried during our first time in London. Some were highly recommended, others we found by chance. It’s a mix of comforting classics, fresh seafood, handmade noodles, and a few unexpected favorites.

London Restaurants We Tried and Loved

Mother Mash – Hearty British Comfort Food

Mother Mash was our very first stop in London, and it honestly couldn’t have been more perfect after a long-haul flight. We were jet-lagged, starving, and craving something warm and grounding. Tucked into a side street in Covent Garden, Mother Mash is known for build-your-own pie and mash combos, with plenty of options for different mash styles, gravies, and even vegetarian pies.

We went for the Classic Mash with Pie and Gravy, which came to £15.50 per order. This classic plate of SUPER CREAMY natural mash is topped with rich traditional gravy, served with a steak and stout pie. For the first meal off a flight, this meal totally delivered, and is a solid 7.5/10. It’s open daily from noon and easy to find if you’re staying near the West End or just wandering through the area. If you’re searching for a classic pie and mash, this is the spot!

Circulo Popolare – House-made Italian Classics

Circulo Popolare was recommended by my friend Linda Sun, who recently just ran the London Marathon. Oh my goodness, her foodie recommendation did not disappoint! This dreamy Italian spot makes you feel like you’ve been transported into a magical Italian garden the moment you walk in, with walls lined with glowing bottles, and fairy lights everywhere. Of course, we had to start with a pick from their fantastic wine selection.

Then, we have to talk about the food. We started off with a Burrata Al Pesto Di Basílico (£16), probably the freshest burrata I’ve ever had filled with pesto di basílico and served with the crispiest Sardinian carasau bread. This dish was so incredibly creamy and flavorful, it disappeared so fast!

Then came my personal favorite, the Tagliarini Granchio E Limone (£21), house-made tagliarini pasta with fresh local crab in a lemony, buttery langoustine bisque sauce. It was slightly spicy, super fresh, and not too heavy at all.

Of course, we had to try their Looking For Truffle Pizza (£21), loaded with sauteed mushrooms, ricotta truffle cream, mozzarella Dior di latte, and shaved fresh black truffles. The crust was super thin and soaked up all the yummy sauce, with that signature truffle aroma in every bite.  

Honestly, everything here was so delicious. It’s definitely on the pricier side, especially considering currency exchange. But, I love the vibes and the food, and it was the perfect way to kick off our first time here in London. It’s best to get a reservation ahead of time, because it’s a super popular spot.

If you visit, don’t forget to order their massive Incomparable Lemon Pie (£21), piled high with an almost 6 inch layer of meringue that will definitely blow your mind!

Funky Noodle – Casual Hand-Pulled Noodles

We had some amazing hand made noodles at Funky Noodle while walking through Chinatown. We were supposed to go to a different place, but we didn’t want to wait an hour and a half in line. So, we found Funky Noodle right around the corner. Since I’m spoiled with Vancouver and Taiwan’s amazing Asian food all the time, I didn’t really expect much from a random restaurant find in London. This place totally surprised me!

We had to try their signature braised beef hand pulled noodles (£18.80). The super tender braised beef was sliced right in front of us, and mixed in with the noodles and numbing spicy chili oil that I was obsessed with. The chunks of chili oil-covered beef were so flavorful, and the noodles were perfectly chewy.

Personally, I love the their beef noodle soup (£18.80) with super fresh hand cut noodles more. The noodles were bouncy, and the broth super soothing. Maybe it’s because I’m getting old, but a bowl of hot noodle soup is always my favorite way to end every night.

If you’re walking around London Chinatown and craving a bowl of noodles, try this noodle stop anytime from 12 pm to 10 pm!

FishWorks Restaurant – Super Fresh Daily Seafood

For dinner we stumbled across FishWorks Restaurant, a cozy little seafood spot with the menu based on their daily catch.  I went straight for the classic ale-battered fish and chips (£22.50), which is something I’d been craving since day one of this trip. It came with double-cooked chips, mushy peas, and tartar sauce. The batter was perfectly crisp, the fish was flaky and tender, and the peas were surprisingly creamy and satisfying. It was everything I hoped for and more.

We also shared the Classic Seafood Bouillabaisse (£25), a Mediterranean-style seafood stew packed with chunks of fish and mussels simmered in a tomato, garlic, fennel, and shallot broth. The flavor was rich but not too heavy, and it came with a slice of sourdough that soaked up the broth like a dream.

The food here was so fresh and delicious, it gets a 8/10 from me! The Covent Garden location is open daily from 12pm–10pm and is walk-in friendly, but it’s smart to book ahead during dinner hours since it can fill up fast. 

Oma – Michelin Star Modern Greek

Oma is a Modern Greek restaurant tucked inside the buzz of the Borough Market that was, hands down, one of my favorite meals from this entire trip. This Michelin-starred restaurant has a rotating menu that changes often based on what’s available, and everything just felt so fresh and seasonal. Honestly, based on the dishes we saw flying out of the kitchen, I don’t think you can go wrong here.

We start off with what might be the best babaghanoush (£6) I’ve ever had, topped with crispy artichoke crisps. It was smoky, creamy, salty, savory, and just absolutely perfect with the fluffy laffa bread. Then came the hand dived scallop (£12), baked in XO chili butter. If you see this on the menu, PLEASE order it. It was small, but so flavorful and delicate that I’m still thinking about it to this day.

For our mains, we ordered the Oxtail Giouvetsi (£29), a baked oxtail and bone marrow orzo with beef fat pangrattato. It was so rich and comforting. We literally scraped the bowl clean because we did not want to waste any bit of the dish.

To end on something light we ordered their olive oil ice cream (£29) which is definitely a must order. It’s subtle and a little bit surprising at first, but so smooth and addicting. This is definitely a 10 out of 10 meal! Oma is open daily from 12:00 PM to 11 PM Monday to Saturday, and until 10 PM on Sundays. Definitely make a reservation, because Oma is so popular it fills up really fast!

Dishoom – Bombay-Style Sharing Plates

As someone absolutely obsessed with Indian food, I wouldn’t have left London without having the famous Dishoom, recommended by literally every single person I talked to before coming to London. Inspired by the old Irani cafés of Bombay, Dishoom blends comfort food classics with a playful, modern twist on traditional dishes.

We had to order their 24-hour slow cooked House Black Daal (£10.80). It was actually my first time trying daal, and it’s totally worth the hype. That creamy, dark, deeply rich flavor was as comforting as a warm hug in a bowl.

We also got the Chicken Ruby (£17.80), which reminded me of a less tangy butter chicken but less tangy. I personally actually prefer this more than traditional butter chicken. Dom also said this was his favorite dish here!

Of course, I had to try their signature Chicken Berry Britannia (£17.90), Dishoom’s take on biryani with cranberries, rice, and spice layered together into fluffy, fragrant perfection. Everything we ordered was just chef’s kiss combined with naan and steamed rice. It was the perfect amount of food for 2 people.

While yes, it’s a little touristy and on the pricier side, it still fully delivers on flavor and vibe. I generally enjoyed every single bite here. Compared to Vancouver’s incredible Indian foods, nothing here really blew my mind away. But, I would have regretted not trying Dishoom on my first trip to London.

Dishoom has several locations across the city, but we went to the Covent Garden one. The wait can be intense, up to 1 to 2 hours at peak dinner time. There’s no reservations for small groups, so just plan ahead, and go early or embrace the queue with a drink in hand.

Restaurants Around the World: My Favorite Food Cities