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Best restaurants in St John's Wood

Looking for the best restaurants in St John's Wood? We’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to, and compiled a handy list of the most brilliant spots for a bite to eat. Whatever your budget or taste, SquareMeal is here to help, with a selection of the top restaurants for every occasion. Read on for our pick of the best restaurants in St John's Wood.

Updated on 07 June 2023

St John's Wood's chic townhouses, whitewashed walls and black doors are an enduring picture of affluent London living. This aspirational north London area is also home to a few notable landmarks and iconic moments, not least Abbey Road Studios where the Beatles famously recorded numerous albums (and took a rather famous picture on the crossing outside). In the summer, cricket fans from all over the world descend on St John's Wood to visit Lord's Cricket Ground, and fill in crossword puzzles to a soundtrack of leather on willow. 

For those who are lucky enough to live in this verdant pocket of London, there are also a number of excellent bars and restaurants in St John's Wood. The area has a genuinely neighbourhood vibe about it - restaurants and pubs around here are designed to cater to locals rather than tourists, so you can expect friendly, genuine cooking and service. As well as beloved independents, you'll also find some more reliable, mainstream choices among the restaurants on St John's Wood high street, as well as bakeries and coffee shops, clothing boutiques, and neighbourhood suppliers like butchers and delicatessens (Panzers Deli is St John's Wood royalty, having traded here for over 75 years).

The beauty of life in St John's Wood is that you're also just a stone's throw from some of London's most picturesque areas. Follow the edge of Regent's Park to the east and you'll find yourself climbing Primrose Hill, which itself has a lovely independent restaurant scene. In the opposite direction you'll find the Lebanese restaurants and shisha cafes of Edgware Road, and beyond that, Baker Street and Marylebone. 

We've picked out a few restaurants worth knowing about if you're in the St John's Wood area, so scroll down and take a look. Remember, too, that you can book directly from the restaurant page by clicking through to read the full revew.

Ritu

Ritu

1 Blenheim Terrace, Maida Vale, London, NW8 0EH

This elegant neighbourhood Indian spot just off Abbey Road combines quality British produce with authentic, generous Indian cooking. Ritu exec chef Navin Prasad was previously head chef of Michelin-starred Benares, and he brings a level of precision to the cooking here that has instantly made Ritu one of St John’s Wood’s busiest restaurants.

Over £80
Indian
Oslo Court

Oslo Court

Prince Albert Road (corner of Charlbert Street, St. John's Wood, London, NW8 7EN

Oslo Court is certainly one of a kind – retro salmon-pink decor, tuxedo-clad waiters, dessert trolleys and starched table linen all whisks you backwards in time, but in a lovely way. The menu is charmingly old-fashioned too, laying on many of the trappings of 80's British dinner parties - think vol-au-vents, garlic mushrooms in puff pastry, scallops wrapped in bacon, and a whopper Dover sole meuniere.

£50 - £79
International
The Clifton

The Clifton

96 Clifton Hill, London, NW8 0JT

The Clifton is practically indistinguishable from the imposing houses lining the leafy street, but inside you'll find a tastefully-refurbed gastropub that straddles the line between local boozer and neighbourhood restaurant. Food riffs on classic flavours - there's an excellent chicken schnitzel with fried egg, for example, or a hefty cheeseburger - and there's a massive beer selection too.

Under £30
International
Fora Restaurant - St John

Fora Restaurant - St John's Wood

11 Circus Road, Regent's Park, London, NW8 6NX

Joining its popular sister restaurant in the City of London, Fora specialises in authentic Turkish cooking - think kebabs galore, mixed mezze platters, wraps, pides and thinly-stretched lahmacun with minced lamb, tomatoes and herbs. There’s plenty more besides, and a hefty kids' menu as well as an affordable set menu ensures that Fora is always busy.

£30 - £49
Middle Eastern
Mediterranean
Turkish
Maroush at Crocker

Maroush at Crocker's Folly

24 Aberdeen Place, St John's Wood, London, NW8 8JR

Conceived by local entrepreneur Frank Crocker in 1898, this spectacular high-Victorian ‘folly’ has been lavishly renovated by the Maroush Group, who have fastidiously restored the interiors to something like their original splendour. Romanesque columns, cut-glass chandeliers, carved mahogany, ‘50 kinds of marble’ and huge open fireplaces form the backdrop to the new bar/restaurant, where Lebanese food is now the order of the day.

£30 - £49
Lebanese
L

L'Aventure

3 Blenheim Terrace, St John's Wood, London, NW8 0EH

Although it’s secreted away in the leafy suburbs of St John’s Wood, eating at this thoroughly romantic evergreen might just transport you to the heart of Paris. The handwritten, daily changing menus need little explanation, as long as you’re well-versed in bourgeois favourites, and you can’t go wrong with the classics here: mussels and scallops in saffron sauce; homemade foie gras terrine; roasted turbot with hollandaise sauce; or pan-fried magret of duck finished with cassis sauce.

£50 - £79
French
£30 - £49
Drunch Regent

Drunch Regent's Park

38 St John's Wood Terrace, St John's Wood, London, NW8 6LS

This family-owned social club and eatery sits proudly on a leafy corner of St John’s Wood Terrace, and specialises in hearty brunches, sharing plates and cocktails. Brunch here is pretty decadent, with eggs galore as well as a vegan full English and sweet treats. In the evening Drunch switches up into a Mediterranean sharing plates scenario, making this a valuable addition to St John’s Wood’s dining scene.

£30 - £49
Modern European
Mediterranean
Soutine

Soutine

60 St John’s Wood High Street, St John's Wood, London, NW8 7SH

This loving homage to classic French bistros comes courtesy of The Wosleley creators. From the all-day comfort-food menu to the French wine list and art nouveau styling, everything is comme il faut.

£30 - £49
French

Nearby Marylebone is home to a selection of some of the best restaurants in London, so why not have a quick scroll through our guide to the best restaurants in Marylebone?

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