22 Of London’s Best Seafood Restaurants

Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill

Oysters are a bit like marmite, aren’t they? If you can’t get enough of the little suckers, a booking at a stalwart of the London food scene, Bentley’s, should be top of your list.

Bentley’s has been providing the best oysters and Champagne to bougie Londoners since 1916, and it’s still one of the finest seafood restaurants in the city.

Tuck into oysters from Dorset or Jersey, Galway to Vietnam, as well as decadent lobster Thermidor and Dover sole.

where: Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill, 11-15 Swallow Street, London W1B 4DG
website: www.bentleys.org

J. Sheekey

Celebrating 130 years this year, J. Sheekey remains one of London’s true seafood institutions. Hidden just off Covent Garden, it has built its reputation on oysters, expertly cooked fish and old-school hospitality that still feels deeply charming. The sort of restaurant where theatre crowds, actors and seafood lovers have happily overlapped for generations, often over shellfish platters and glasses of champagne before curtain call.

where: J. Sheekey, 28-32 St Martin’s Court, London WC2N 4AL
website: www.j-sheekey.co.uk

Tokii

TOKii combines Japanese seafood traditions with subtle European influence, resulting in one of the more exciting seafood menus in London right now. Small plates range from yellowtail carpaccio with yuzu and white truffle oil to crisp shrimp tempura and tuna tartare layered with avocado and miso, while the robata grill turns out rich miso black cod and salmon teriyaki with chimichurri. Sushi lovers are equally well looked after, with everything from scallop and fatty tuna to eel and sea bass making an appearance.

Where: 50 Great Cumberland Pl, Marble Arch, London W1H 7FD
Website: www.tokii.co.uk

Angler

Perched above the City at South Place Hotel, Michelin-starred Angler continues to stand among London’s best seafood restaurants. Under Head Chef Craig Johnston, the menu focuses on pristine British seafood prepared with remarkable precision, all served from a rooftop dining room and terrace overlooking the skyline. Refined, technical and genuinely special without becoming overcomplicated.

where: Angler, South Place Hotel, 3 South Place, Finsbury, London EC2M 2AF
website: www.anglerrestaurant.com

Lilibet’s

Tucked away at 17 Bruton Street, the very house where Princess Elizabeth was born in April 1926, this newcomer already has the pedigree of royalty. And yet, step inside, and you’ll find something far more playful than stately: a glamorous, floral-flecked dining room that feels at once lavish, lighthearted, and deeply Mayfair. Read our founder & CEO’s full review here.

We came for the history, we stayed for the food, and left feeling like royalty.

Elly, Founder & CEO

WHERE: 17 Bruton St, London W1J 6QB
WEBSITE: www.lilibetsrestaurants.com

The Sea, The Sea

From fishmonger to restaurant, The Sea, The Sea is home to two stunning locations and shares a name with an Iris Murdoch novel. Over in Chelsea, you’ll find their seafood bar and terrace serving up everything from mackerel and tomato miso to lobster terrine.

For a chef’s table experience, look to their Hackney site for an intimate celebration occasion. Home to twelve seats, it invites you to get up close to the fire in the kitchen.

where: Chelsea & Hackney 
website: www.theseathesea.net

The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay

Inside The Savoy, River Restaurant celebrates classic British seafood with all the glamour you would hope for from the setting. Oysters, shellfish platters and beautifully grilled whole fish arrive in an elegant Art Deco dining room that feels timeless rather than stuffy. It’s one of those restaurants where seafood dining still feels properly celebratory.

where: Savoy Hotel, Strand, WC2R 0eU
website: www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com

Idalia

At Idalia Restaurant inside Pillar Hall, seafood is treated boldly but carefully, with dishes that let the quality of the produce speak first. Lobster linguine arrives bright with chilli, datterini tomatoes and basil, while whole wood-roasted turbot comes layered with shichimi butter and pickled daikon. Smaller dishes, from dressed crab with ponzu mayonnaise to Gillardeau oysters topped with salmon roe and yuzu granita, make this one of the more elegant seafood menus in London right now.

Where: Pillar Hall, Olympia, West Kensington, London
Website: www.olympia.co.uk

Sea Containers Restaurant

Sea Containers Restaurant has become one of the South Bank’s strongest seafood spots, pairing fresh oysters, seasonal fish dishes and chilled shellfish with sweeping Thames views. This summer, the terrace is leaning fully into seafood feasting with a towering three-tier seafood platter designed for long, lazy lunches overlooking the river. It’s polished without losing that slightly buzzy, waterfront energy that makes people stay for one more drink.

Where: 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD
Website: www.seacontainerslondon.com

GǑNG

For seafood with a skyline backdrop, GŎNG Bar at Shangri-La The Shard delivers beautifully precise sushi and sashimi high above the city. The focus is on freshness and craftsmanship, with expertly sliced fish and carefully balanced rolls served alongside panoramic London views. It’s difficult not to feel slightly smug eating yellowtail this high up.

Where: GONG Bar, Level 52, Shangri-La The Shard, London
Website: www.gong-shangri-la.com

Straits Kitchen, Pan Pacific London

At Straits Kitchen, seafood is approached with a balance of Asian flavour and modern Western technique. Sustainability sits at the heart of the menu, from responsibly sourced tuna from Oman to wild monkfish replacing farmed seabass. Dishes like crab with kimchi and brown crab emulsion or fragrant laksa prawn dumplings manage to feel deeply comforting while still showcasing real technical precision.

Where: 80 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7AB,
Website: www.panpacific.com

Randall & Aubin

Originally London’s first butcher’s shop, this place has been transformed over the years into a popular seafood eatery while keeping its original Victorian features.

With high marble tops and stools, it has an informal and friendly feel – especially thanks to the giant glitter ball above.

Go classic with the creamy moules marinieres, French fries and a crusty baguette to mop it all up with. An oldie but a goodie.

where: Randall & Aubin, 4-16 Brewer Street, Soho, London W1F 0SG
website: www.randallandaubin.com

Sam’s Riverside

Facing the Thames close to Hammersmith Bridge, Sam’s Riverside serves up the freshest oysters and seafood. If mussels, tuna and scallops aren’t your taste, choose from many other dishes offered from Sam’s modern Anglo-French-inspired menu, made with quality produce from all over the UK.

where: 1 crisp rd, london, w6 9dn
Website: www.samsriverside.co.uk

Prawn on the Lawn

Fishmongers by trade, the team at POTL mean business when it comes to seafood and has built up one of Islington’s best-loved restaurants. With no actual lawn in sight and a lot more to offer than just prawns, they specialise in small and sharing plates, from cod with feta, dill, mint, basil and pine nuts to lemon sole dripping in ‘nduja butter and tarragon. Then there are oysters from all over the British Isles, whole grilled fish for the table and the signature POTL fruits de mer (served chilled on ice).

where: Prawn on the Lawn, 292 – 294 St Paul’s Road, London N1 2LH
website: www.prawnonthelawn.com

Vori

At Vori, seafood is cooked in the classic Greek tradition: simply, confidently and with restraint. Inspired by seaside tavernas and long lunches by the water, fish is grilled over charcoal and finished with ladolemono — olive oil and lemon — allowing freshness to remain the focus. It’s clean, bright cooking that feels transportive in the best way.

where: 120 Holland Park Ave, London W11 4UA
Website: www.vorigreekitchen.co.uk

Applebee’s

Applebee’s, an institution of Borough Market for 25 years, reopened in February with a brand new concept, menu and refurbishment of the space. It showcases the best of seasonal, sustainable British seafood, so expect standout dishes like Dover sole served with brown shrimp and lemon butter, a British interpretation of a bouillabaisse that incorporates every part of the fish, and wild-caught sea bass.

Where: 5 Stoney Street, Borough Market, SE1 9AA
Website: www.applebeesfish.com

Scott’s 

Scott’s Mayfair continues to define polished London seafood dining. Between the famous oyster bar, impeccably fresh shellfish and quietly glamorous interiors, it’s the sort of place where seafood towers, Dover sole and chilled wine still feel timeless rather than cliché. Long lunches here somehow always drift into martinis, people watching and one more round of oysters.

Scott’s Richmond brings the same seafood pedigree as its Mayfair sibling, but with a softer riverside atmosphere that feels particularly perfect in summer. Oysters, grilled fish and shellfish platters are best enjoyed out on the terrace overlooking the water, where lunch has a habit of stretching pleasantly into the evening. One of the loveliest places in London to eat seafood when the sun is out.

where: Mayfair and richmond
website: www.scotts-restaurant.com

Chicama

For something a little different, check out Chelsea’s Chicama restaurant. Inspired by the coastal food of Peru, the menu will have you whisked away to a holiday in South America, with the team’s inventive Peruvian, bold-flavoured twist on fine British produce.

Expect yellowtail crudo with lime dashi and jalapeno; grilled prawns with yuzu kosho and chipotle salt; and the half seafood platter. And don’t even think about leaving without ordering one of their famous Pisco sours.

where: 383 King’s Road, Chelsea, London SW10 0LP
website: www.chicamalondon.com

London Shell Co.

With two floating boats in Paddington, London Shell Co. specialises in fresh fish. Their vessel, The Grand Duchess, is filled with airy, light interiors and has a menu that nods to British classics. They use the freshest fish available, with their catch-of-the-day ingredients coming from Kernow Sashimi and Wild Harbour. Their menu is filled with the likes of seared cuttlefish with aioli; whole rainbow trout and salsa verde; and whole plaice with caper butter.

Or cruise along the canal at The Prince Regent. Regularly changing, their menu is filled with dishes such as baked cod with cavolo nero and champagne caviar sauce; trout crudo with pickled mushrooms, celeriac and Granny Smith; and dark chocolate with English berries and hazelnuts.

where: The Prince Regent & The Grand Duchess: SHELDON SQUARE, PADDINGTON CENTRAL, W2 6PY
website: www.londonshellco.com

Wright Brothers

Not to be confused with the American aviation specialists, these guys are all about seafood; in fact, they are the self-professed “seafood experts.” And we agree, having popped into many of their London outposts (they boast three from Battersea to Borough) for a glass of bubbles and a plate of oysters on many occasions over the years.

Check out their daily changing specials showcasing the best of British seafood straight off the boats at Brixham Market, or order the Full House seafood platter for the perfect long, lazy lunch.

Borough is our favourite of the restaurants which sit amongst some of the capital’s most exciting independent foodie haunts on the bustling Stoney Street.

where: Battersea, Borough and South Kensington
website: www.thewrightbrothers.co.uk

Bibendum Oyster Bar

Housed in the iconic Michelin House building, the restaurant holds a fascinating history through its iconic architecture. The Michelin building was originally the British headquarters for Michelin, a French tyre company, which is now one of London’s finest places to tuck into oysters, seafood and champagne, while sitting within the art deco tiles and original mosaic flooring.

where: Michelin House, 81 Fulham Rd, London SW3 6RD
website: www.claudebosi.com

Manzi’s

With a distinctive old-school Soho vibe, a colourful history, and some of the most dramatic maritime-themed decor around, Manzi’s is one of the buzziest seafood restaurants in central London. 

Come for the great food – freshly grilled Cornish mackerel and mussels in a spicy, coconutty broth are a standout – and stay for the decorations, featuring a full-sized mural of the marlin from Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, an alabaster Poseidon and mermaids at the bar. 

where: 1-8 Bateman’s Buildings, London W1D 3EN
website: www.manzis.co.uk

Seabird 

This might be an Instagram favourite, but we can confirm the hype is well worth it. Seabird, located at the top of The Hoxton Southwark, is home to London’s longest oyster list. Expect options from England, France and Ireland. 

Pair that with a stunning outdoor space home to palm trees, a retractable roof, rattan furniture and views overlooking the city, it’s a recipe for success on balmy summer nights.

where: The Rooftop at The Hoxton Southwark, 40 Blackfriars, SE1 8NY 
website: www.seabirdlondon.com 

The Seafood Bar

From the De Visscher family comes The Seafood Bar, an award-winning seafood restaurant on Dean Street. The menu is fruitful, bursting with endless flavour combinations and fresh seafood options, from mussels to crustaceans. 

Expect endless oyster options, topped with your choice of dressing, from curry to cucumber and dill; soy, spring onion and lime to mango, chilli and coriander.

where: 77 Dean Street, W1D 3SH 
Website: www.theseafoodbar.com