9 of the best allergy-friendly restaurants in London

Whether you suffer from food allergies or intolerances or you don’t, it’s clear to us all that allergies are no joke. According to statistics collated by Allergy UK, as of 2010, 44% of British adults now suffer from at least one allergy, and the number of allergy sufferers seems to be growing year by year.

We see that children are particularly likely to develop allergies and intolerances - as of 2019, around 7% of British kids had a food allergy of some severity. King’s College London’s EAT Study found that 2.5% of three-year-olds now have a serious peanut allergy, whilst a similar study in Australia found that a whopping 9% of one-year-olds were allergic to egg.

Many food allergies can cause severe reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life threatening without immediate medical attention. For those with allergies or parents with susceptible children, this makes eating out a minefield. Fortunately, restaurants in Britain are now required by law to offer full allergen information, but some menus are more detailed than others, and some restaurants offer a good range of options for those with intolerances. We’ve pulled together a list of restaurants that are generally regarded to be very good at accommodating those with dietary requirements and allergies.

As always, this is just a guide - you should always let a restaurant know any allergy requirements when you book, and again when you arrive just to be sure. Also, though the restaurants in this list are generally seen as being good options when it comes to dealing with allergies, very few restaurants have separate prep areas for nut and wheat dishes, so they can never completely guarantee against cross contamination.

Allergy UK is an excellent source of advice for how to deal with a food allergy when it comes to eating out, and among lots of good specific advice, it always advises caution above all else.

Keep scrolling for a few suggestions of good allergy-friendly restaurants in London.

Locanda Locatelli, Marylebone

What: Locanda Locatelli chef patron Giorgio Locatelli takes allergies very seriously, for good reason - his daughter Dita has severe allergies to over 800 foods and went undiagnosed until she nearly died from anaphylaxis after eating a piece of fish on holiday in France. Locatelli ensures that all his staff go through thorough allergy training, and Locanda Locatelli even has a separate kitchen area where food is prepared for customers with allergies to avoid cross-contamination.
Where: 8 Seymour Street, W1H 7JZ
Book now: Locanda Locatelli

Granger & Co, Various locations

What: Bill Granger’s fantastic all-day restaurants just get everything right, from a range of healthy, well-balanced dishes to the team's attitude to allergens and dietaries. All the menus have a QR code which you can scan for full, very detailed allergen and calorie information, and lots of the menu is suitable for a wide range of dietaries.
Where: 237 Pavilion Road, SW1X 0BP; 175 Westbourne Grove, W11 2SB 105; Marylebone High Street, W1U 4RS; 50 Sekforde Street, EC1R 0HA; 7 Pancras Square, N1C 4AG
Book now: Granger & Co Chelsea; Granger & Co Notting Hill; Granger & Co Marylebone; Granger & Co Clerkenwell; Granger & Co King's Cross

Farmacy, Notting Hill

What: Loaded with smart vegan and vegetarian cooking, Notting Hill’s Farmacy also has a detailed allergen guide that you can peruse whilst you wait for your turmeric lattes and slow-roast beetroot hummus.
Where: 74-76 Westbourne Grove, W2 5SH
Book now: Farmacy

Purezza, Camden

What: The poster child for vegan pizza, Purezza Camden is forever buzzing with punters tucking into excellent pizzas. Again, the menus are well signposted and detailed when it comes to allergens and they even do a special pizza base that is gluten-free and coeliac friendly!
Where: 45/47 Parkway, NW1 7PN
Book now: Purezza

Mildreds, Various locations

What: The first Mildreds site opened in Soho back in 1988 and quickly gained a rep for serving colourful, delicious vegan food at a time. These days Mildreds has grown to a whopping six sites across London, but it sticks to the same cornerstones as before - health-conscious dishes that cater for all comers. Onion and garlic-free menus are available on request and the teams are always clued up when it comes to dietaries.
Where: Various locations
Book now: Mildreds Victoria

Mallow, Borough and Canary Wharf

What: A more recent, plant-based offshoot from Mildreds, Mallow also aims to be minimal waste, with a menu of hyper-seasonal, colourful plant-based dishes that aim to use every bit of the plant. Like Mildreds the team are great when it comes to recommendations and help with allergens.
Where: 1 Cathedral Street, SE1 9DE; 12 Park Drive, Wood Wharf, E14 9ZW
Book now: Mallow Borough; Mallow Canary Wharf

Dishoom, Various locations

What: Another group that has a good handle on allergens, Dishoom also offers dedicated gluten-free and dairy-free menus, as well as a vegan menu. There are quite a few branches all over London these days as well, and they’re open from breakfast to dinner, making Dishoom a great all-round option.
Where: Various locations
Book now: Dishoom King's Cross

Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus

What: It’s perhaps not surprising that a brand as large as Hard Rock Cafe is really on it with allergens, but the allergen sheets here are incredibly exhaustive, with a huge grid showing exactly what allergens are in every single dish on the menu. There’s also a gluten-free menu.
Where: Criterion Building, 225-229 Piccadilly, W1J 9HR
Book now: Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus

Niche Islington

What: Niche founder Marc Warde was diagnosed as coeliac soon after opening the restaurant, so the team took a major step and made the restaurant 100% gluten-free, working on the strapline that everything on the menu would be ‘gluten-free but you wouldn’t know it’. The restaurant is accredited by Coeliac UK, and everything they serve is nut and sesame free as well, with plenty of options for dairy-free and vegan diners too.
Where: 197-199 Rosebery Avenue, EC1R 4TJ
Book now: Niche Islington

For more great restaurant recommendations, check out our handy list of the best vegan restaurants in London, and these brilliant vegan brunches in London too.