Dua Lipa Just Revealed Her Favourite London Restaurants
I feel it is the year of Dua Lipa, or perhaps it is the decade, or even the generation of Dua Lipa. Everything that woman does, we worship — her holidays, her books, her skincare, even her husband. Perhaps for good reason, because the queen of pop culture has just released a list of her 12 favourite restaurants in London, and it may as well be considered a perfect bucket list for avid open tablers. Thank you, Google Maps, for assisting in releasing this. No notes.
1. Lore of the Land
The Lore of the Land is a smart Fitzrovia pub from Guy Ritchie serving elevated British food, good pints and a surprisingly refined menu alongside the usual pub staples. It’s three floors, cosily designed, and Dua’s apparently going there for the Sunday roast — “venison and the Lore doughnut as non-negotiables”.
Where: 4 Conway St, London W1T 6BB
Website: www.gritchiepubs.com
2. The Hero – Maida Vale
A London institution, The Hero is a large Maida Vale pub and dining room from the Public House group, spread across several floors with classic pub dishes, wood-fired cooking and a rooftop terrace. Dua calls it “an honest neighbourhood spot”.
Where: 55 Shirland Rd, London W9 2JD
Website: www.theherow9.com
3. Canteen
A relaxed neighbourhood restaurant focused on simple seasonal cooking and low-intervention wines. The menu changes regularly but tends to centre around comforting sharing plates and very good produce. According to the Queen, they do a great negroni.
Where: 310 Portobello Rd, London W10 5TA
Website: www.canteen310.com
4. Levan
A Peckham favourite combining modern European small plates with one of south London’s strongest natural wine lists. The food is seasonal and produce-led, with a menu that changes often depending on what’s available. According to Dua, it makes you “feel luck to be in London”.
Where: 12-16 Blenheim Grove, London SE15 4QL
Website: www.levanlondon.co.uk
5. Fonda
Santiago Lastra’s modern Mexican restaurant in Mayfair focuses on regional Mexican cooking and traditional techniques in a more refined setting. Expect house-made tortillas, seafood, grilled meats and a menu that goes well beyond the usual London taco situation. On Dua’s list, she says “the tlayudas, the mezal list, all of it has made it a real favourite”.
Where: 12 Heddon St, London W1B 4BZ
Website: www..fondalondon.com
6. Trullo
One of London’s most reliable Italian restaurants, best known for handmade pasta and a menu that, according to almost everyone, never misses. It’s consistently excellent and still one of the hardest tables to get in Islington. According to Dua’s map, it’s the hand-rolled pappardelle that’s worth the res.
Where: 300-302 St Paul’s Rd, London N1 2LH
Website: www.trullorestaurant.com
7. Westerns Laundry
Another Highbury restaurant and wine bar centred around seafood, seasonal vegetables and low-intervention wines. The menu changes daily depending on what arrives fresh, with much of the cooking done over fire.
Where: 34 Drayton Park, London N5 1PB
Website: www.westernslaundry.com
8. Berenjak Soho
A lively (and more than iconic) Persian restaurant inspired by Tehran’s hole-in-the-wall kabab houses. Known for grilled skewers, saffron rice and small sharing plates, it’s one of Soho’s busiest dinner spots for good reason. In Dua’s words: “It takes what people would normally think of as street food and makes it a whole experience.”
Where: 27 Romilly St, London W1D 5AL
Website: www.berenjak.com
9. The Quality Chop House
The Quality Chop House is a historic Farringdon restaurant that’s been around since 1869 serving up modern British cooking with a strong focus on meat, game and seasonal produce. The dining room still retains its old-school chop house feel, but the food is sharp, modern and Michelin-recognised. In Dua’s words: “The confit potatoes are iconic and the wine list is one of the best in London. Go for a long, slow lunch.”
Where: 92-94 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3EA
Website: www.thequalitychophouse.com
10. BRAT
Tomos Parry’s Michelin-starred Shoreditch restaurant is best known for wood-fired cooking and whole grilled turbot. The menu takes inspiration from Basque cooking, with smoke and charcoal running through almost every dish. Her rec was simple: “I love the food, love the vibe, never lets me down.”
Where: 4 Redchurch St, London E1 6JL
Website: www.bratrestaurant.co.uk
11. Ida
A tiny family-run Italian restaurant in Queen’s Park with handwritten menus, packed tables and classic pasta dishes. It feels more like eating in someone’s home than a London restaurant, which is largely why people love it. Dua reports “It makes me feel fuzzy inside.”
Where: 167 Fifth Ave, London W10 4DT
Website:www.idarestaurant.co.uk
12. Mountain
Tomos Parry’s follow-up to BRAT expands further into Spanish-influenced wood-fired cooking, with larger sharing dishes and a bigger focus on seafood. The room is louder, busier and more relaxed than BRAT, but the cooking is just as ingredient-focused. Plus, it is one of the it-restaurants to say you’ve been to in London. For Dua: “It just never disappoints. I always leave happy.”
Where: 16-18 Beak St, London W1F 9RD
Website: www.mountainbeakstreet.com
