Where to dine alone in London: best restaurants for solo dining
From counter-tops in the most exclusive eateries to booth-banquettes designed for one, these ten restaurants prove that solo dining is far from a compromise
Lina Stores, Soho
With its mint-green exterior and retro-style dining counter with matching stools, take yourself out to Italian restaurant Lina Stores on Greek Street. With handmade fresh pasta, cured meats, cheeses, antipasti, and traditional wines and cocktails, you're in for something delicious.
We recommend starting with the gorgonzola with pear and mustard chutney, moving to the Umbrian sausage and porcini pici, and ending with the Sicilian-style crunchy cannoli tubes stuffed with fresh ricotta and pistachio. Delizioso.
Reservation policy: Lunch & early/late dinner reservations available here, otherwise walk-ins only.
Address: 51 Greek St Soho, London W1D 4EH
XU, Rupert Street
Xu, a culinary love letter to 1930’s Taipei in the heart of Soho, actively invites solo diners into its tea-stained, design-focused rooms. Two of the pastel-hued padded banquettes are made to accommodate individual diners, as well as a pink marble bar where individuals may perch while enjoying fried dumplings and Xiao Tsai titbits.
With an infallible menu, innumerable cocktails and a glossy-wood interior that seems right out of a movie-set, solo dining becomes a cinematic experience in this sophisticated corner of Rupert Street.
Read our review here
Reservation policy: Reservations and walk-ins available. Book here
Address: 30 Rupert Street, W1D 1DL
Bar Douro, Borough Market
With an unbeatable interior of traditional Portuguese 'azulejo' tiles, Bar Douro is flooded with the colours of Porto.
And the blue-and-white motifs spill onto the 20-cover marble counter-top, where stunningly good Portuguese plates and traditional wines (which can be ordered by the glass) are as delicious as the space is beautiful.
Address: Arch 35b, Flat Iron Square, Union St, London SE1 1TD
Reservation policy: Limited online bookings inside for groups up to 5. Walk in space available inside and outside.
Kiln, Soho
Our food editor dubs Kiln’s long steel counter with full action views of the kitchen, ‘probably one of the most thrilling places in London to eat.’
With the Thai-inspired dishes cooked using claypots and woks, wood-burning ovens and grills, this isn’t just dinner, it’s theatre.
Read our review here
Reservation policy: No reservations. Get there early to avoid the queue or put your name down and kill time in one of the many great local drinking holes.
Address: 58 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 9TL
Bellamy's, Mayfair
If counter-tops won't swing it and you're after the height of civilised dining, head to Mayfair's Bellamy's, the Franco-Belgian brasserie guaranteed to raise your spirits.
There's fine service and an even finer wine list, and the menu – ranging from Whitebait, Croquettes Parmentières and Crab Salad, through to classics such as Steak Tartare and Fruits de Mer Provençale – is like a warm buttery hug.
This is the kind of place to settle down, let the waiter clear away the second table setting and take in your surroundings. It's the Queen's most-visited restaurant, after all.
Address: 18 Bruton Pl, Mayfair, London W1J 6LY
Reservation policy: Reservations encouraged (book here) but walk-ins available.
Caso do Frongo, London Bridge
Again, we divert to Portugal by way of London Bridge. Casa do Frango brings Algarvian cuisine to London with piri piri chicken that exists as Nando's more delicious, more sophisticated older sibling.
While tearing strips of sauce-covered chicken off the bone can be an anti-social, this light-flooded space with large communal tables, hanging vines and gently whirring fans is an ideal setting to tuck in without worrying about the mess that ensues. Dig in.
Reservation policy: Reservations for groups of six or more, with other guests welcome to walk in
Address: 1st Floor, 32 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TU
Neptune, Bloomsbury
If you don't want to stick out as a solo diner but still want to enjoy culinary greatness, star rated hotel restaurants are a bright idea for a daytime meal.
Go star-spotting at Neptune at the Principal Hotel amongst the rose-tinted marble bar and velvet curtains, and order our star dish – the homemade stracciatella and black Iberico tomatoes.
Read our review here
Reservation policy: Book online here
Address: Cnr of Guilford Street and, Russell Square, London WC1B 5BE
Ottolenghi, Islington
Gorge on fresh, vegancentric plates dreamt up by the celebrated Israeli chef Yotam Ottonlenghi at his namesake restaurant and deli on Islington's busy Upper Street.
A large, central table at the back of the restaurant beckons solo diners, and it's the perfect spot for a satisfying lunch if you're in the area.
Reservation policy: Reservations are only taken on weeknights, with walk-ins on the weekend.
Address: 287 Upper St, London N1 2TZ
J. Sheekey, Covent Garden
With its dark-wood panelling, crisp white table-cloths, a stool-framed oyster bar and the distinct chance of bumping into an actor from a nearby stage, J. Sheekey in the heart of theatre-land is our ultimate pick for a solo post-theatre dinner.
Reservation policy: Reservations encouraged. Book here
Address: 33-35 St Martin's Ct, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4AL
BRAT, Shoreditch
BRAT, serving up Basque-inspired, coal-fired dishes and having opened earlier on this year, has fast become immensely popular with both East London punters and the most discerning of food critics alike.
With a fantastic view of the elaborate open fire rotisserie cooking and ample counter-top dining to gawp from, BRAT will work its way into your culinary heart, one charred dish at a time.
Reservation policy: Book online here. Space held at the bar for walk-ins.
Address: 4 Redchurch St, London E1 6JL