London · United Kingdom
The London food cheat sheet
One page from Chef Amazing · November 2026
The dish to eat
Haddock or cod in crisp beer batter, thick-cut chips, mushy peas, salt and malt vinegar.
Best at Poppies, Hanbury Street, Spitalfields. Get: Haddock and chips wrapped in newspaper print, with mushy peas
Five places, and what to order
- M Manzeinstitution · BermondseyGet: Pie and mash
- Indian YMCAinstitution · FitzroviaGet: Dal with rice, chicken curry
- Baban's Naancounter · Finsbury ParkGet: Kurdish wraps and chilli or garlic naan
- Maureen's Pie & Mashfor pie and mash with liquor · PoplarGet: Pie, mash and parsley liquor
- The Waterman's Armsfor Sunday roast · BarnesGet: Lamb shoulder sharing roast
The market
Covered / open-air. British cheese, oysters, artisan baking
The line worth it
PadellaBorough Market
Get: Pici cacio e pepe, and the beef shin ragù pappardelle
Expect: An hour or more at peak times. Beat it: Use the virtual queue, or go at weekday opening.
In season this November
Native oysters · Grouse · Partridge and game
How it works here
Tip: 12.5% service is usually on the bill; if not, leave 10-12.5%. Nothing at the pub bar.
Book: Book the hot restaurants two to four weeks out (many release tables a month ahead); pubs and markets are walk-in.
When locals eat: Lunch noon-2:30pm, dinner 7-9:30pm.