Top International Dishes to Try in London’s Restaurants

London is a vivid, metropolitan city with so much to offer. With every colourful street you walk and every bustling corner you turn, something unexpected and exciting awaits you. For those who love to travel and explore different cultures, this vibrant city offers the perfect opportunity to explore the globe without boarding a single plane; London truly is a world in one city.

To indulge in London’s delicious, multicultural food, read on for our top restaurant recommendations for the best international cuisine the city has to offer.

Circolo Popolare – Italian

For a glitzy and glamourous Sicilian dining experience, visit Circolo Popolare, a lively Italian restaurant in London known for its indulgent, authentic menu and opulent, botanical atmosphere, with its ceiling lined with a canopy of purple hydrangeas, its walls trailed by orange tree branches, and colourful shelves full to the brim with hundreds of bright liqueur bottles. It truly feels like stepping into Italy.

This sunny Sicilian trattoria boasts a traditional yet surprising menu of authentic dishes with a creative twist, including carbonara served from a pecorino wheel and Neapolitan pizzas with fresh Italian ingredients such as San Marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. The kitchen prepares handmade pasta every day using fresh, organic ingredients and serves only the highest quality cuts of meat on the market.

Guests are advised to book in advance before visiting this popular dinner spot in the lively Fitzrovia district of London.

Kioku – Japanese

For a taste of Japan, look no further than Kioku, a sophisticated Japanese restaurant in London, nestled away in the prestigious Whitehall area. This elegant eatery creates delectable, traditional Japanese dishes with a contemporary twist. The menu is a delightful journey through Japan’s diverse cuisine, featuring everything from delicate seafood to flavoursome ox cheek and lobster dishes.

Kioku offers a dining experience that’s as much about the atmosphere as it is about the food. The restaurant is beautifully designed and boasts stunning panoramic views across central London, including Whitehall, Covent Garden and Westminster. As per the restaurant’s name, translating to memory, the attentive staff are passionate about ensuring that your meal is more than just food: it’s an unforgettable experience, and a way to bring together loved ones over a shared appreciation for delicious food.

Combining a deep respect for his Japanese heritage with the Mediterranean influences collected throughout his time in Spain, Kioku’s sushi master, Endo, fuses the nostalgia of his treasured memories with world-class culinary skill. This, naturally, conjures magic in every bite and, in turn, creates lasting memories at Kioku.

L’Escargot – French

For a sophisticated dining experience in the heart of London’s West End in Soho, visit L’Escargot, a bustling and charming French restaurant in London. Known for its authentic and traditional French cuisine and luscious, vibrant décor, this impressive brasserie has been at the epicentre of Soho’s fine dining scene since 1927. As the name suggests, the restaurant is widely celebrated for its snail dish, a French delicacy, which it has been proudly serving for almost 100 years, alongside a range of other grand brasserie-style French delicacies such as the lobster bisque, pâté en croute, and foie gras terrine.

The restaurant has a proud, long-standing history of excellence, having been established by Georges Gaudin in 1927 following the success of his first restaurant, Le Bienvenue, established in 1896. The venue has hosted a number of stars over the years including Coco Chanel, Kate Moss, and even Princess Diana. If you’re looking to catch a West End show during your trip to London, this restaurant is a fantastic choice for a pre or post-show meal, not only for the superb quality of food and glowing dining atmosphere, but also for the ultimate convenience of its location.

Stork – Pan-African

For an elegant fine dining restaurant that is paving the way for borderless cuisine, visit Stork, an impressive Pan-African restaurant in London. With sophisticated flavours and artistic visuals, every course at this innovative and erudite pan-African restaurant is a culturally rich and memorable experience. Inspired by the two thousand mile journey of the Stork, the restaurant’s dynamic cuisine showcases the migration of African culinary inspiration to nearly every continent in the world.

The intimate, moody ambience of the restaurant is the perfect environment for a tranquil, relaxed dining experience with loved ones. Mirroring the creativity and artistry displayed in the plating of the restaurant’s dishes, this fine dining establishment is set in a true cultural hub, neighbouring some of London’s most iconic art galleries.