12 of the best dishes we ate in London in 2024

What a year 2024 has been. As in recent years, it has thrown its fair share of challenges at restaurateurs and chefs alike, but for the most part, London’s restaurant scene has survived and thrived in spite of this year’s hurdles. We’ve seen legendary London restaurants close their doors for the last time, but we’ve also welcomed a talented new class, some of which look well-set to become London’s new era icons.

If you’re fortunate enough to eat in London restaurants as much as we do, you’ll know that the general standard of cooking in the capital is incredibly high. As a result, picking out just a handful of favourite dishes is a tough job. What separates the very best from the rest? Deliciousness is just the starting point for these epic dishes - everything on this list delivers something special, unique, distinct that stands it apart from other great plates around London.

Sometimes that something special can feel intangible. It’s just a feeling that you’re eating something remarkable, often in a remarkable place. It’s no surprise or coincidence that many of the dishes listed below were eaten in some of this year’s best restaurants.

Anyway, enough of our talking - you’re here to read about the best things we ate this year. Most of these dishes at the time of writing are still available on menus so if you’re quick, you might still catch them before they’re cast into the 2024 memory hole.

Açma verde and dips at OMA, Borough Market

Why: ‘Two of this year’s standout new restaurants just happen to be above and below each other, thanks to the genius mind of David Carter. There are so many things I could have plumped for off both the OMA and AGORA menus (dear lord, the crisps) but I just can’t get my mind away from the plump, pillowy açma, which hides a rich vein of wild garlic butter inside. Yes, that means one of my three top dishes of the year is garlic bread - sue me.’ - Pete Dreyer, Restaurants Editor
Where: 3 Bedale Street, SE1 9AL
Book now: OMA

Cuttlefish fried toasts with pork skin and sesame at Roe, Canary Wharf

Why: ‘There were some raised eyebrows when the Fallow team announced it was opening a 500-cover site in Canary Wharf this year, but true to form, their irrefutably brilliant cooking soon silenced any sceptics. Fallow is known for its sustainable ethos, low-waste cooking approach and experimental flavours, all of which are showcased in one of Roe’s big-hitting small plates: cuttlefish fried toasts with pork skin and sesame. This riff on prawn toast uses a more sustainable seafood option, deep-fries the heck out of it with a black and white sesame seed topping, then tops it off with salty pork crackling. No surprise, the dish is still on the menu so you can try it for yourself.’ - Ellie Donnell, Managing Editor
Where: 5 Park Drive, Wood Wharf, E14 9GG
Book now: Roe

Scallop chicken skewer at Topa, Islington

Why: 'Scallops, chicken, and fennel - these are three things I never thought I’d love together. It’s largely because chicken thighs and scallops share similar meaty and fatty qualities. But fortunately, Simon Shand’s mind works differently. The scallops are smoked and slightly sweet while the chicken is deep and buttery, and raw fennel is botanical and crunchy. It’s all brushed in a peppery green marinade, its flavours so well blended I struggled to discern even an outline for a recipe. All that’s left is to convince Topa to bottle it up and sell me a crate in time for summer.’ - Aoife Silke, Intern
Where: 167 Holloway Road, N7 8LX
Book now: Topa

Marmite English custard tart at Sael, St. James's

Why: ‘I’d probably put half of Sael’s snacks and starters on this list, but the jewel in a rather star-studded crown has to be the Marmite custard tart, with an optional Umai caviar topping if you want to make it extra indulgent. The crême-brulée-style lid is a stroke of genius - a wispy thin layer that you have to crack through to get to the really good stuff: a creamy custard filling, emboldened with that rich umami Marmite flavour. They say you love it or you hate it, and whilst I happily sit in the former camp, I think this snack could go a long way in converting the most adamant Marmite hater. The only downside is it's gone far too quickly - one bite and you’re already craving another.’ - Holly Butterfield, Staff Writer
Where: 1 St James's Market, SW1Y 4QQ
Book now: Sael

Blood orange and black olive portokalopita at Morchella, Clerkenwell

Why: ‘Arguably the first smash hit opening of the year, Morchella set the bar high for 2024 and proved, finally, that the Perilla crew are much more than one-hit-wonders. Our pick of the dishes was an intriguing portokalopita - a dense, almost suet-like cake, soaked in citrus syrup and flecked with black olives. It sounds like a mistake - the combination of two separate recipes a la Rachel Green’s Shepherd’s Pie Trifle in Friends - but it absolutely works, with sweetness playing off against that bitter, briny edge. I can’t claim to fully understand how it pulls off the magic trick, but it's so delicious that I don’t much care.’ - Pete Dreyer, Restaurants Editor
Where: 86 Rosebery Avenue, EC1R 4QY
Book now: Morchella

Black pudding Scotch egg with Oxford Sauce at The Hound, Chiswick

Why: ‘A proper British gastropub banger, JKS group’s new West London boozer puts elevated spins on classic pub grub, including a stonker of a Scotch egg made with rich black pudding and a soft, golden-yolked egg. This is served with Oxford sauce (don’t worry, I hadn’t heard of it either), a chutney-esque dipping sauce that smacks with vinegar and sweetness and is perfect for cutting through the richness of deep-fried sausage meat. Order it.’ - Ellie Donnell, Managing Editor
Where: 210 Chiswick High Road, W4 1PD
Book now: The Hound

Old Spot pork chop with sage and capers at The Blue Stoops, Kensington

Why: ‘A few years ago, I thought I’d experienced peak London pork chop, and I’m thrilled to be proven wrong. Lorcan Spiteri clearly knows his way around a chop; the surface is crackled, the fat is almost melting, and a scattering of fried sage lends a herbal, almost earthy complexity. The whole thing arrives in a sweet shimmering jus, punctuated by tangy capers. It’s not fussy or fancy, it’s comforting - just the kind of thing I’d hope for on a menu that champions the British pub revival.’ - Aoife Silke, Intern
Where: 127-129 Kensington Church Street, W8 7LP
Book now: The Blue Stoops

Mozzarella sticks with ‘nduja and wild honey at Grasso, Soho

Why: ‘There was plenty to love about Grasso, with its hefty portions and over-the-top creations, but there’s a little stroke of genius tucked into that menu and it’s the mozzarella sticks. Having eaten an unhealthy amount of mozzarella sticks over the years, I can happily declare that these are some of the best. Being extra-thick and extra-cheesy already puts them high in the rankings, but it’s the addition of ‘nduja and wild honey - sticky, oily, with a bit of a kick - that means you’ll never want to eat mozzarella sticks any other way. Or maybe that’s just me.’ - Holly Butterfield, Staff Writer
Where: 81 Dean Street, W1D 3SW
Book now: Grasso

Fior di Latte gelato with olive oil, grape balsamic and sea salt at Wildflowers, Pimlico

Why: ‘No-one who knows me will be surprised that most of my favourite dishes this year were desserts (only, perhaps, that they weren’t all desserts). This ice cream from gorgeous Pimlico spot Wildflowers exemplifies so much that is great about that restaurant. It’s a perfect combination of four simple ingredients, in a city that seems increasingly obsessed with technique and complexity with no real goal or motivation in sight. I pray it’s on the menu if you visit because it’s something special.’ - Pete Dreyer, Restaurants Editor
Where: Unit 2/3 Newson's Yard, 57 Pimlico Road, SW1W 8NE
Book now: Wildflowers

Kapia pepper and feta brûlée at The Barbary, Notting Hill

Why: ‘The Barbary headed west this year with a much larger site in Notting Hill, but don’t go thinking the upgrade in size has diluted the quality of its food. Pull up a stool at the counter and watch chefs serve up bowl after bowl of its most popular dip - kapia pepper and feta brulee – which is a thick ‘smoosh’ of salty feta and sweet peppers topped with brown sugar, then finished with a blow torch to achieve a crunchy sugar coating. It’s sweet-meets-salty like you’ve never seen it before – order alongside one (or three) of its za’atar flatbreads.’ - Ellie Donnell, Managing Editor
Where: 112 Westbourne Grove, W2 5RU
Book now: The Barbary Notting Hill

Stovetop cheese toastie at The Wigmore, Marylebone

Why: 'I’d seen The Wigmore’s XXL stovetop cheese toastie floating around the internet, heralded as the best in London, but I went in with suspicions. It’s a cheese toastie, so no matter what Jay Rayner says, how life-changing can it really be? Well, here we are, and I am a convert. It’s over a foot in length, with three cheeses that each bring something to the table: Montgomery for depth and nuttiness, Ogleshield for savoury almost chicken-like flavour, and Raclette for the cheese pull. There’s a punchy mustard in there for heat and pickles for sharpness, but the best part? It’s just £13.50 and perfect for sharing.’ - Aoife Silke, Intern
Where: 13 Langham Place, Upper Regent Street, W1B 1JA
Book now: The Wigmore

Ceylon Moor king prawn string hopper biryani at Kolamba East, Shoreditch

Why: ‘It may have taken Aushi and Eroshan Meewella five years to open their second Kolamba site, but if it was all in the interest of perfecting their string hopper biryanis, then we’re happy to have waited. The prawn version is a particular favourite, although the jackfruit is an excellent veggie alternative, combining layer after layer of punchy, and slightly eye-watering, biryani sauce with rows of wispy ‘string hopper’ noodles. It's completely moreish, and unlike anything I've ever tried before. Dishes here are meant to be shared, but I would have happily kept this one completely for myself.’ - Holly Butterfield, Staff Writer
Where: 12 Blossom Street, E1 6PL
Book now: Kolamba East

Hungry to read more about the best of the best in London? You're in the right place - check out our guides to the best new restaurants in London, as well as the coolest, trendiest spots that Londoners are desperate to book right now.