Best restaurants on Oxford Street

If the thought of creamy jamon butter generously smeared over hot-smoked Gloucester pork belly entices you, Ember Yard’s fusion of Spanish and Italian palates is the place to go. The vibe is casual and intimate with a basement bar for post dinner cocktails and beats.  

Touted as an upmarket eatery in the Argyll Street Aqua complex, this restaurant is stunningly sleek and moody in opulent earth tones underneath the pretty arched ceiling. The highlights of the menu are the traditional tapas with a twist, which are beautifully presented, ingredient-forward delights.

There’s a beautiful simplicity to short menus, but only if well-executed. Corn-fed Nebraskan meats and wild Canadian lobsters are indulgent choices that you can have individually or surf and turf style. The brioche-stuffed lemon and garlic butter-laden lobster rolls will always hit the right notes.

As the name of this restaurant suggests, tasty tapas is offered but without the false pretence of a Spanish-Lebanese fusion. The concept of small plates does hold true at this Middle Eastern restaurant, where highlights include fatayer spinach, patata harra, and charcoal grilled lamb kafta.

Serving a variety of Japanese favourites such as slow-broth heavy ramens, izakaya-style dishes, and some intriguing European fusions, Cocoro is a pleasant choice for a calming retreat from the shopping street. It’s up to you whether you fancy relaxing in the dining room or tatami-matted basement.

Bright plates of food contrast with the stripped back colour palette at this unusual Eastern Mediterranean restaurant where the tired mezze formula has been thrown out the window. The wholesome dishes have been shaped by owner Limor Chen’s intriguing upbringing in Israel, Russia, and Iran.

A sharp contrast to the Nobu crowd, Ikeda is a decades old family establishment where you can expect traditional Japanese service and dishes. While the décor may be understated and toned down, the food is packed full of flavours and silky textured fresh fish.

Comptoir is a casual all-day affair where you can enjoy breakfast with a flaky croissant or dine from the selection of French-style mains such as baked camembert and caramelised onion tarts. The relaxed bistro vibe is accented by the selection of hearty cheeses and cave of wines.

Originally an old establishment from Nice, Le Petite Maison was brought to London by the same people who made Zuma. Staying true to its Cote d’Azur roots with onion-y goodness in the form of pissaladiere and the famous black-leg chicken, which you need to pre-order.

This 16 year-old restaurant is a haven for high-quality sashimi and sake in a simple, traditional setting. Sit at the fish counter for the omakase experience where you ‘leave it to the chef’ to feed you whatever is freshest and best on the day.

One of our gold-rated restaurants for the area, having received its Michelin star months after opening, this open-kitchen Spanish hotspot is part of the JKS portfolio. The Counter is hosted by an in-house fishmonger preparing Basque country and Catalonian regional dishes with a high-end flourish.

On the corner of Mayfair and Oxford Street get reasonably priced (for the area) innovative Asian tapas. Watch the chef put on an impressive display of skills at the omakase counter.  There is a small hideaway bar downstairs that serves rare Japanese wines and whiskies.

Translating to ‘mother earth’, this Peruvian restaurant certainly pays homage to her by dividing the menu into sections of land, sea, and soil. It’s refreshing to see more than just ceviche representing the country, with hearty meat and vegetarian dishes prettily plated up on mismatching plates.   

Department store restaurants aren’t usually this lavish, but then again this is in Selfridges. The brasserie is owned by the same people who run Sexy Fish and The Ivy Collection, so expect a luxurious atmosphere as you dine underneath a quirky Damien Hirst crystal-encrusted Pegasus statue.

This silver-awarded successful Japanese brand has easily established itself in several locations and the Mayfair version is no exception. The yellow-tail sashimi and black cod in yuzu miso are fan favourites for a reason. Drink lots of sake, order from the robata grill, and get more sashimi.

Zoilo is a worthy champion of classic Argentinian cuisine with the characteristic steaks, of course, but also a wealth of diverse native flavour profiles with plates of crumbly, rich empanadas and oregano honey infused baked provolone cheese — the dishes are fragrant, decadent, and so good. ­

At this SquareMeal silver award-rated gastropub you will find an extensive litany of booze featured on the wall and proper British pub food served with aplomb from smoked chalk trout starters all the way through to spiced lamb rump mains and Bramley apple pie for dessert.

Hoppers are the title dish at this casual joint, but the menu features several Sri Lankan delicacies like egg dosas and prawn karis. The prices are a bargain for London, but try not to think about how cheap it would be in its home country.