I’m A Food Writer And These Are The Best Dishes I’ve Eaten This Year

Bikini Sandwich

Tasca

Tasca brings the delicious flavours of Iberia to London, and does it brilliantly. I went just a week after it opened, when the restaurant still wasn’t really complete (there was no artwork or speaker yet), but the food more than made up for it. Interesting, creative twists and a singular wine list.

My favourite example of its culinary daring lies in the dessert section of the menu – an unusual place for the Bikini sandwich to reside, a famous ham and cheese toastie from Spain. But topped with smoked maple syrup and creme fraiche, it convinced me it was in its right place, just like you might slather maple syrup on your bacon.

where: 255 Paradise Row, Greater London E2 9LE
website: www.cav255.com

Yellowtail Crudo

Nina

One of the buzziest openings of 2025, Nina lived up to the hype. The underground Italian spot has a few standout dishes – the bluefin tuna e melone has gone platinum on Instagram, and the giant tiramisu could feed six. But what stood out when I visited was the seemingly counterintuitive yellowtail crudo.

It’s balanced with straciatella and jalapeño, a combination that veers into mad scientist territory, but works incredibly. For my money, it’s the true star of the show; creamy, zingy, spicy and delicious. 

Where: 18 Thayer St, London W1U 3JY
Website: www.nina.london.com

Fig and Ricotta Danish

Aries

Everyone has their own pick for the best bakery in London, and I’m lucky that mine is a five-minute walk from where I live. Bias? Possibly, but Aries Bakehouse in Brixton is so good I defy anyone to prove me wrong. Unfortunately, more and more people seem to be agreeing with me, and this summer, queues on the weekend are nearing Toad-level.

Generally, I like to pop in and see what specials they have. Earlier in the year, around February-March time, when everyone was losing their minds about forced rhubarb, they had a huge delivery and started making all sorts of Rhubarb-inspired pastries and jams that were unbelievable. But my standout was a fig and ricotta Danish I hope and pray every weekend makes a return.

where: 99 Acre Ln, Brixton Hill, London SW2 5TU
website: www.aries-bakehouse.com

Soy-Braised Pork

Kolae

A big change for me this year was giving up 7 years of vegetarianism (2 of which tapered into pescatarianism). This is not the place to delve into the long internal debate that led to the change, so let’s say, for the sake of it, had I visited Kolae when I was still not eating meat, one look at the soy-braised pork belly and ribs may have turned me there and then.

Rich, luxurious, packing as much flavour as humanly possible into a dish, this is the good stuff right here.

Had I visited Kolae when I was still not eating meat, one look at the soy-braised pork belly and ribs may have turned me there and then

WHERE: 6 PARK ST, LONDON SE1 9AB
WEBSITE: www.kOLAE.COM

Pineapple Curry

Mambow

Mambow is a true labour of love. It’s gone from Peckham pop-up to a permanent East-London restaurant thanks to a fiercely loyal fanbase and incredible food from Chef Abby Lee. Based on the Malaysian cuisine of Lee’s childhood, it has become one of London’s most talked-about and coveted spots. It has some wild swings and flavour pairings that aren’t strictly traditional, but work beautifully.

The tangy, glossy pineapple curry I had on my first visit is a testament to the fun Lee is having with her menu, and part of the reason Mambow is the restaurant I’ve recommended the most in the last year. The menu is ever-changing, so it might not be available any more, but there’ll be something as good.

where:  78 LOWER CLAPTON RD, LOWER CLAPTON, LONDON E5 0RN
website: www.mambow.co.uk

Cuttlefish Toast

Roe

When I visited Roe earlier in the year, I noted how its genius lay in how it manages to retain a mass-market appeal while dabbling in experimental cooking. Familiar favourites and comfort food with a slightly mad twist.

Step forward, the cuttlefish fried toast. Encrusted with sesame seeds and slathered with chilli jam, it’s one of the true standouts of what is a superb menu, and a great exemplar of a unique Roe twist on a beloved dish. Hook it to my veins.

Roe is full of familiar favourites and comfort food with a slightly mad twist

where: 5 Park Dr, Wood Wharf, London E14 9GG
website: www.roerestaurant.com

Miang Phuket

Plaza Khao Gaeng

If there’s one restaurant in London that feels like it genuinely transports you to Thailand, it’s Plaza Khao Gaeng. It sits on a mezzanine on the second floor of the Arcade Food Hall and is a celebration of all things southern Thailand, taking inspiration from one specific Bangkok café above a movie theatre. It’s known for being extremely spicy, if you like that sort of thing.

The curries are knockouts, but when I went, the Miang Phuket starter blew me away – an almost impossibly flavourful mix of cashew, toasted coconut and palm sugar topped with lime, red chilli, ginger and tamarind, eaten inside betel leaves, homegrown in their own off-site garden. Incredibly fresh, sweet and spicy, it’s the perfect precursor for letting your taste buds know they’ll be working overtime.

where: 103-105 New Oxford St, London WC1A 1DB
Website: www.plazakhaogaeng.co.uk

Khachapuri

Kartuli

Slightly cheating, as I went to Kartuli with some friends the last Friday before heading home for Christmas (so technically last year), but it deserves a spot. It’s easy to get carried away at Kartuli, which houses some great Georgian wine and chacha and delicious food. The best, however, was the Khachapuri, an indulgent traditional Georgian dish of bread and cheese, and occasionally egg. Eating it might just give you lactose intolerance, irrespective of a pre-condition or not, but it’s 100% worth it.

It’s easy to get carried away at Kartuli, which houses some great Georgian wine and chacha and delicious food

where: Kartuli, 65 Lordship Ln, London SE22 8ep
Website: www.kartuli.co.uk