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A plate of radishes and taramasalata at the Garden Museum Cafe
A plate of radishes and taramasalata at the Garden Museum Cafe
Garden Cafe [Official Photo]

14 Superb Places to Dine Alone in London

Going solo doesn’t have to be daunting

by Sam Orbaum and James Hansen Updated
Additional writing from Jonathan Nunn
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A plate of radishes and taramasalata at the Garden Museum Cafe
| Garden Cafe [Official Photo]
by Sam Orbaum and James Hansen Updated
Additional writing from Jonathan Nunn

London is a busy place, and it can be so uncommon a feeling to be without company that it can be a pretty daunting prospect, especially when dining. But just as making plans is difficult, so is getting into many of the city’s best restaurants with large groups. It’s time to shake off the shackles of being sociable and embrace some quality solo meals. Show some self-love slurping up a ramen, find the perfect table for one, or meet the salt beef sandwich dreams are made of all by yourself.

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Normah's

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A restaurant whose easy hospitality and comforting menu makes either a large group or a solo visit its ideal form, Normah’s — recently reopened in Queensway Market — is a place to come for both celebration and respite. Order roti and a bowl of the the puckering assam pedas.

Normah's 23-25 inside Queensway, Market, London W2 4QJ, UK
07771 630828
07771 630828

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Pizzeria Pellone

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Earth (or SW11, anyway) has nothing to show more fair than Antonio Pellone’s pizzas. His margherita is great, his cornicione blistered and his dough both light and digestible, but it’s the second menu of sauceless white “gourmet” pizzas where he shows his mastery. Inventive and playful, they’re one degree away from trad but flawlessly executed. A small terrace, too, for outdoor dining.

42 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5RL, UK
020 8062 7133
020 8062 7133

Kiln

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A seat at Ben Chapman’s bar top delivers all the theatre and flavour a lone diner could ever long for. Mesmerisingly prepped and flame-cooked over a primordial charcoal range, the likes of stir fried squid, turbot jungle curry or pork laap make perfect not-sharing plates. The (keenly priced) menu may be in constant motion, but thankfully the glass noodles with Tamworth belly and brown crab aren’t going anywhere.

58 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 9TL, UK

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Jugemu

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For those looking for a more explorative solo dining journey, Jugemu offers a step beyond the ordinary. The tiny, transportive hideaway — spattered with scraps of paper, on which the day’s specials are scrawled in Japanese — is run by Yuya Kikuchi, who rustles up an array of sashimi, onigiri, tempura and more for eager diners. The best approach here is to wander in for lunch, let Yuya take control and learn something new.

3 Winnett St, Soho, London W1D 6JY, UK
020 7734 0518
020 7734 0518

Also featured in:

Wong Kei

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A bowl of wonton soup lifted to heights beyond its calling by the house chilli oil, either in the canteen or, for now, outside — a rightful place in London’s lunchtime folklore.

41-43 Wardour St, London W1D 6PY, UK
020 7437 8408
020 7437 8408

Also featured in:

Roti King

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The Euston-based basement diner’s roti canai must be among the best meals that £5 can buy. The art of roti making has been truly mastered here, making the bread far more than just a vehicle for its accompanying dal. Great food at an almost unbelievable price results in a constant queue but individuals will make their way down the steps much faster. Go alone, and have the vegetarian dal. 

40 Doric Way, London NW1 1LH, UK
020 7387 2518
020 7387 2518

Also featured in:

The Garden Cafe

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Calling “hidden gem” overused is by now as dead as “hidden gem” itself, so stay with the idea that the Garden Museum cafe is ... A hidden gem! Concise and considered, unlike so many museum/cultural institution cafes that seek to deaden themselves to all comers, expect the likes of confit mackerel with tomato and caper; john dory, served whole with black olives and fennel; and mammole artichokes served Roman-style, all in another dead cliché that is here breathed back to life: the “urban oasis.”

5 Lambeth Palace Rd, London SE1 7LB, UK
020 3640 9322
020 3640 9322

Also featured in:

El Rancho De Lalo

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El Rancho del Lalo was one of the few Colombian restaurants in the arcade predating its regeneration, before a rise in rent forced it to move behind Brixton Town Hall. But its excellence is undimmed: this is a place where empanadas are dense as bricks, stuffed to bursting with strands of spiced pork and fried to order so the casing satisfyingly cracks and spills out its contents. An excellent rendition of the Colombian national dish bandeja paisa comes as an enormous platter of meat and protein, including standout crispy chicharron and kidney bean stew. The gentrification continues apace, but El Rancho still outflanks units in its former home selling food at twice the price.

1 Buckner Rd, Brixton Hill, London SW2 5BY, UK
020 7737 2648
020 7737 2648

Also featured in:

Quality Wines

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Nick Bramham and team’s Mediterranean nook on Farringdon Road can offer a pleasingly rickety outside table on a bright evening or a coveted counter seat, ready to receive perhaps a flawlessly made pasta; a tumble of Sicilian caponata; always a cannolo, or better two.

88 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3EA, UK
020 3602 8115
020 3602 8115

Also featured in:

Kaieteur Kitchen Original

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There are so few chefs in London who oversee every plate of food in their kitchen, but Faye Gomes is one of them; every dish, no matter how simple, is blessed by little touches of care which signal that she, and only she, has made it. Previously in the ill-fated Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre’s moat, she is now in the temporary Castle Square development where she serves Guyanese stews, exceptional vegetable rices, noodles and roti, and fried fish. Her most exceptional dish is her weekend pepper pot, vinyl black with two day cooked beef, oxtail, tripe and lamb, and the bittersweetness of cassareep.

Castle Square, Elephant Rd, London SE17 1EU, UK
07466 616137
07466 616137

Also featured in:

Koya City

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The beloved Soho branch of this Japanese noodle den is yet another feather in the area’s solo dining cap, but more recently it’s the opening of Koya City in the Bloomberg Arcade that’s been causing a stir. A beacon of calm amid the mayhem of the City, there is a clean, modest tranquillity that transcends the stripped back wooden bar top and soothing soups. Mindfulness is dunking cold udon noodles into a pork and miso broth. Crunching crispy fried prawn heads may be less zen, but it’s no less rewarding.

10-12 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8AR, UK

Also featured in:

Towpath

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Rise early, and meander along to this Haggerston canalside institution for a solo breakfast or lunch — majoring in eggs with mojo verde at the former and confit garlic with goat’s curd come the latter. With an unapologetic coffee and time to spare in good weather, there’s little to beat it.

42 De Beauvoir Cres, London N1 5SB, UK

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40 Maltby Street

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Whether outside on the green-tabled terrace or in one of its Bermondsey arch’s many nooks, this is one of the very best places in the city to eat (alone). An intrepid solo diner will slowly learn the grammar of 40 Maltby Street — what constitutes a salad; to always order the fritters; to always always order something with pastry.

40 Maltby St, London SE1 3PA, UK
020 8076 9517
020 8076 9517

Also featured in:

Xi'an Biang Biang Noodles

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With its canteen-style feel Xi’an Biang Biang has the right vibe for solo dining — get the liang pi, slippery and chewy and slick, and the Chongqing-style noodle soup.

62 Wentworth St, London E1 7AL, UK
020 8617 1470
020 8617 1470

Also featured in:

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Normah's

Normah's 23-25 inside Queensway, Market, London W2 4QJ, UK

A restaurant whose easy hospitality and comforting menu makes either a large group or a solo visit its ideal form, Normah’s — recently reopened in Queensway Market — is a place to come for both celebration and respite. Order roti and a bowl of the the puckering assam pedas.

Normah's 23-25 inside Queensway, Market, London W2 4QJ, UK
07771 630828
07771 630828

Pizzeria Pellone

42 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5RL, UK

Earth (or SW11, anyway) has nothing to show more fair than Antonio Pellone’s pizzas. His margherita is great, his cornicione blistered and his dough both light and digestible, but it’s the second menu of sauceless white “gourmet” pizzas where he shows his mastery. Inventive and playful, they’re one degree away from trad but flawlessly executed. A small terrace, too, for outdoor dining.

42 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5RL, UK
020 8062 7133
020 8062 7133

Kiln

58 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 9TL, UK

A seat at Ben Chapman’s bar top delivers all the theatre and flavour a lone diner could ever long for. Mesmerisingly prepped and flame-cooked over a primordial charcoal range, the likes of stir fried squid, turbot jungle curry or pork laap make perfect not-sharing plates. The (keenly priced) menu may be in constant motion, but thankfully the glass noodles with Tamworth belly and brown crab aren’t going anywhere.

58 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 9TL, UK

Jugemu

3 Winnett St, Soho, London W1D 6JY, UK

For those looking for a more explorative solo dining journey, Jugemu offers a step beyond the ordinary. The tiny, transportive hideaway — spattered with scraps of paper, on which the day’s specials are scrawled in Japanese — is run by Yuya Kikuchi, who rustles up an array of sashimi, onigiri, tempura and more for eager diners. The best approach here is to wander in for lunch, let Yuya take control and learn something new.

3 Winnett St, Soho, London W1D 6JY, UK
020 7734 0518
020 7734 0518

Wong Kei

41-43 Wardour St, London W1D 6PY, UK

A bowl of wonton soup lifted to heights beyond its calling by the house chilli oil, either in the canteen or, for now, outside — a rightful place in London’s lunchtime folklore.

41-43 Wardour St, London W1D 6PY, UK
020 7437 8408
020 7437 8408

Roti King

40 Doric Way, London NW1 1LH, UK

The Euston-based basement diner’s roti canai must be among the best meals that £5 can buy. The art of roti making has been truly mastered here, making the bread far more than just a vehicle for its accompanying dal. Great food at an almost unbelievable price results in a constant queue but individuals will make their way down the steps much faster. Go alone, and have the vegetarian dal. 

40 Doric Way, London NW1 1LH, UK
020 7387 2518
020 7387 2518

The Garden Cafe

5 Lambeth Palace Rd, London SE1 7LB, UK

Calling “hidden gem” overused is by now as dead as “hidden gem” itself, so stay with the idea that the Garden Museum cafe is ... A hidden gem! Concise and considered, unlike so many museum/cultural institution cafes that seek to deaden themselves to all comers, expect the likes of confit mackerel with tomato and caper; john dory, served whole with black olives and fennel; and mammole artichokes served Roman-style, all in another dead cliché that is here breathed back to life: the “urban oasis.”

5 Lambeth Palace Rd, London SE1 7LB, UK
020 3640 9322
020 3640 9322

El Rancho De Lalo

1 Buckner Rd, Brixton Hill, London SW2 5BY, UK

El Rancho del Lalo was one of the few Colombian restaurants in the arcade predating its regeneration, before a rise in rent forced it to move behind Brixton Town Hall. But its excellence is undimmed: this is a place where empanadas are dense as bricks, stuffed to bursting with strands of spiced pork and fried to order so the casing satisfyingly cracks and spills out its contents. An excellent rendition of the Colombian national dish bandeja paisa comes as an enormous platter of meat and protein, including standout crispy chicharron and kidney bean stew. The gentrification continues apace, but El Rancho still outflanks units in its former home selling food at twice the price.

1 Buckner Rd, Brixton Hill, London SW2 5BY, UK
020 7737 2648
020 7737 2648

Quality Wines

88 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3EA, UK

Nick Bramham and team’s Mediterranean nook on Farringdon Road can offer a pleasingly rickety outside table on a bright evening or a coveted counter seat, ready to receive perhaps a flawlessly made pasta; a tumble of Sicilian caponata; always a cannolo, or better two.

88 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3EA, UK
020 3602 8115
020 3602 8115

Kaieteur Kitchen Original

Castle Square, Elephant Rd, London SE17 1EU, UK

There are so few chefs in London who oversee every plate of food in their kitchen, but Faye Gomes is one of them; every dish, no matter how simple, is blessed by little touches of care which signal that she, and only she, has made it. Previously in the ill-fated Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre’s moat, she is now in the temporary Castle Square development where she serves Guyanese stews, exceptional vegetable rices, noodles and roti, and fried fish. Her most exceptional dish is her weekend pepper pot, vinyl black with two day cooked beef, oxtail, tripe and lamb, and the bittersweetness of cassareep.

Castle Square, Elephant Rd, London SE17 1EU, UK
07466 616137
07466 616137

Koya City

10-12 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8AR, UK

The beloved Soho branch of this Japanese noodle den is yet another feather in the area’s solo dining cap, but more recently it’s the opening of Koya City in the Bloomberg Arcade that’s been causing a stir. A beacon of calm amid the mayhem of the City, there is a clean, modest tranquillity that transcends the stripped back wooden bar top and soothing soups. Mindfulness is dunking cold udon noodles into a pork and miso broth. Crunching crispy fried prawn heads may be less zen, but it’s no less rewarding.

10-12 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8AR, UK

Towpath

42 De Beauvoir Cres, London N1 5SB, UK

Rise early, and meander along to this Haggerston canalside institution for a solo breakfast or lunch — majoring in eggs with mojo verde at the former and confit garlic with goat’s curd come the latter. With an unapologetic coffee and time to spare in good weather, there’s little to beat it.

42 De Beauvoir Cres, London N1 5SB, UK

40 Maltby Street

40 Maltby St, London SE1 3PA, UK

Whether outside on the green-tabled terrace or in one of its Bermondsey arch’s many nooks, this is one of the very best places in the city to eat (alone). An intrepid solo diner will slowly learn the grammar of 40 Maltby Street — what constitutes a salad; to always order the fritters; to always always order something with pastry.

40 Maltby St, London SE1 3PA, UK
020 8076 9517
020 8076 9517

Xi'an Biang Biang Noodles

62 Wentworth St, London E1 7AL, UK

With its canteen-style feel Xi’an Biang Biang has the right vibe for solo dining — get the liang pi, slippery and chewy and slick, and the Chongqing-style noodle soup.

62 Wentworth St, London E1 7AL, UK
020 8617 1470
020 8617 1470

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