Top chefs share their favourite late night dining spots in London

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Top chefs share their favourite late night dining spots in London

By Stylist Team

10 years ago

It's the end of a late night at the pub with colleagues and you're suddenly, uncontrollably very hungry. Where do you go?

We've all faced the problem of walking around London trying to find a place to buy a burger and a plate of chips. Unfortunately, there are far and few between dining spots that stay open past 11pm in the capital.

But thankfully a new edition of Where Chefs Eat, a book which asked 630 of the world's top chefs for their dining recommendations, has revealed the very best places to go for a late night bite.

The massive tome, which looks like a encyclopedia for dining, lists exactly where chefs from Jason Atherton and Yotam Ottolenghi eat after hours. 

From high end restaurants to off-the-record affordable joints, here's the best late night dining spots in London.

Ranoush Juice, Marylebone

Price range: Budget
Style: Casual
Open until: 3am
Nearest tube stop: Marble Arch

Recommended by: Henry Harris, Steve Williams

"Open late into the night serving some of the best shawarmas in London. A lamb shawarma kebab and a fresh melon juice will help abate an impending hangover," says Steve Williams.

43 Edgware Road, Marylebone, W2 2JE
maroush.com


Meat Liquor, Marylebone

Price range: Budget 
Style: Casual 
Open until: midnight (Mon-Thurs) and 2am (Saturday)
Nearest tube stop: Bond Street

Recommended by: Adam Byatt, Michael Deane, André Garrett, Tom Kerridge, Neil Rankin, Tom Sellers, Karam Sethi

"Meat Liquor is as far from fine dining as dining out gets. It’s dark, loud and busy and the food is filthy in all the best ways. It’s the antithesis of almost everything chefs and restaurateurs try to achieve and this is possibly the reason so many of them come here. The food isn’t perfect but nothing fills a hole better than a Dead Hippie burger and some chilli cheese fries, especially after a few ales. This is a burger joint that leaves all the others here and in the States for dust and wishing they'd thought of it first," says Neil Rankin specialist barbecue chef at Smokehouse, London.

74 Welbeck Street, Marylebone, W1G 0BA
meatliquor.com


Daquise, South Kensington

Price range: Affordable
Style: Smart casual 
Open until: 11.30pm
Nearest tube stop: South Kensington

Recommended by: Rainer Becker

"It has a unique atmosphere (retro 1950s and 1960s), very traditional service, and tasty Polish food that actually reminds me of my German heritage, which has some similar dishes. You won’t find anything else like it in London," says Rainer Becker, founder of Zuma.

20 Thurloe Street, London SW7 2LT
daquise.co.uk

(Image credit: thelondonfoodie.co.uk)


Bar Italia, Central

Price range: Affordable
Style: Casual
Open until: 4am
Nearest tube stop: Leicester Square

Recommended by: Chris Galvin, Margot Henderson, Tom Oldroyd, Alfred Prasad

"I love its classic Italian café look, its bustling energy and the sense of community. You see all sorts of characters there, which just adds to the charm of this legendary café. I love their tiramisù, coffee and friendliness. Great place to wrap up a night out," says Alfred Prasad, Director Cuisine & Executive Chef of Tamarind Collection.

22 Frith Street, Soho, West End, London, W1D 4RF
baritaliasoho.co.uk


Bar Boulud, Knightsbridge

Price range: Affordable
Style: Smart casual 
Open until: 1am (Bar area), 11pm restaurant area
Nearest tube stop: Knightsbridge

Recommended by: Paul Foster, Francesco Mazzei, Glynn Purnell, Clare Smyth, Marcus Wareing

"The food is simple and approachable, but is of an amazing standard. The service is relaxed and friendly with the attention to detail of a thirty-seat Michelin-starred restaurant," says Paul Foster, Head Chef of The Dining Room and Observer Young Chef of the Year.

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, W1X 7LA
barboulud.com


The Gallery, Sketch, Mayfair

Price range: Expensive
Style: Smart casual 
Open until: 2am
Nearest tube: Oxford Circus

Recommended by: Pascal Aussignac, Ettore Botrini, Marcus Eaves, Jeff Galvin, Sergio Herman

"There is only one restaurant I wished was mine and that is Sketch in London. It has been around for years but every time I’m there it’s like I am discovering it all over again! The place bursts with creativity with all of its different concepts and is a total experience for all the senses," says Sergio Hermam, 3-star Michelin chef. 

9 Conduit Street, Mayfair, London W1S 2XG
sketch.london


Shoryu Ramen, Central

Price range: Budget
Style: Casual
Open until: midnight (Mon-Sat)
Nearest tube station: Piccadilly Circus

Recommended by: Yotam Ottolenghi

"I love places which do one thing very well – you know you are in good hands. Noodles late at night hit the spot for me: comforting, easy, sustaining and quick," says Yotam Ottolenghi, Israeli chef, cookery writer and restaurant owner.

9 Regent Street, St James’s, London, SW1Y 4LR
shoryuramen.com


Soho Kitchen & Bar, Soho

Price range: Affordable
Style: Casual 
Open until: 1am (Mon-Wed) and 3am (Thurs to Sat)
Nearest tube stop: Leicester Square 

Recommended by: Tom Aikens

"Great location in Soho and they serve an all-day menu into the early hours with comfort-food favourites, plus a good selection of cocktails," says Michelin starred chef Tom Aikens.

19–21 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1D 5JJ
sohokitchenandbar.co.uk


Hakkasan, Mayfair

Price range: Expensive
Style: Smart casual 
Open until: 12.15am (Thurs-Saturday)
Nearest tube stop: Green Park

Recommended by: Galton Blackiston, Alberto Chicote, Gert de Mangeleer, André Garrett, Philip Howard, Francesco Mazzei, Agnar Sverrisson, Martin Wishart

"Glamorous, delicious and there’s always a buzz," says Philip Howard, chef and co-owner of The Square. 

17 Bruton St, Mayfair, W1J 6QB
hakkasan.com


Hix, Soho

Price range: Affordable
Style: Smart casual 
Open until: 11.30pm
Nearest tube stop: Piccadilly Circus

Recommended by: Recommended by Angela Hartnett, Thomasina Miers, Manoj Vasaikar

"Very casual food with substance and good wine. Lots of seasonal produce used," says Manoj Vasaikar, chef-patron of Indian Zing.

66–70 Brewer Street, Soho, W1F 9UP
hixsoho.co.uk


Ronnie Scott's, Soho

Price range: Affordable
Style: Smart casual 
Open until: 3am
Nearest tube station: Tottenham Court Road, Leicester Square

Recommended by: Chris Galvin

"I love jazz and this place makes for a great night out," says Chris Galvina, a Michelin-starred chef and co-owner of seven family-run restaurants.

47 Frith Street, Soho, W1D 4HT
ronniescotts.co.uk


Duck & Waffle, Central

Price range: Affordable
Style: Smart casual 
Open until: 5am (breakfast starts at 6am)
Nearest tube station: Liverpool Street

Recommended by: Paul Foster, Atul Kochhar, Neil Rankin, Shaun Searley, Adam Stokes

"Even if the food was half as good as it actually is, I’d still enjoy eating there purely because of the views. To get food that actually delivers in a restaurant that high up is a huge gain for London. Dan has a filthy mind when it comes to food and that is never better utilised than during breakfast/brunch, which for me is all about layering on the carbs, fats and sugars. I don’t eat breakfast that often, but if I want healthy I’ll buy some porridge and stay at home. If I’m going out then there is no better place," says Neil Rankin, Executive chef of The Smokehouse in Islington.

Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY
duckandwaffle.com


Cafe Murano, Green Park

Price range: Affordable
Style: Casual 
Open until: 11pm
Nearest tube station: Green Park

Recommended by: Neil Borthwick 

"It’s rare in London to find a place where you can get a stunning bowl of pasta and a glass of wine in an informal, buzzy room. Their post-theatre menu is fantastic value. Of course I love the grown-up big sister Murano too when I have more time to indulge," says Neil Borthwick, a protege of Gordon Ramsay.

33 St James’s Street, London, SW1A 1HD
cafemurano.co.uk


Goodman, Mayfair

Price range: Affordable
Style: Smart casual
Open until: 10.30pm (last orders)
Nearest tube stop: Oxford Circus

Recommended by: Jason Atherton, Michelin-star chef who now runs 15 top restaurants including Pollen Street Social and Berners Tavern.

This steak restaurant ages six tonnes of meat on site, cuts plates of meat fresh on request and guarantees full concentration of flavour in every piece.

26 Maddox Street, Mayfair, W1S 1QH
goodmanrestaurants.com


Umut 2000, Dalston

Price range: Budget
Style: Casual
Open until: late
Nearest station: Dalston Kingsland

Recommended by: Tom Harris, Ed Wilson

"Smoky grilled lamb, the best sumac and onions, great breads and endless ice-cold bottles of Efes beer. There are lots of great Turkish restaurants in East London but Umut 2000 is always where I head to after a night out," says Tom Harris.

6 Crossway Dalston, London, N16 8HX
umut2000.com


Where Chefs Eat

Recommendations for 'bargain', 'high end' and restaurants 'worth travelling for' are also featured in Where Chefs Eat by Joe Warwick.

Buy the book in print (£14.95) or on the iPad (£10.49).


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