The Good Food Guide: Nest London restaurants for solo diners

Here are the best restaurants in London for lone diners, in no real order. 

1 St John Bread and Wine, Spitalfields

The iconic nose-to-tail restaurant’s east London location has a few seats around the bar, but plenty of small tables in its light and airy dining room. This St John’s has a focus on small plates and wine, with a bar menu of picky bits for the evenings and a lunch menu that can be shared, or you could pick a couple of small plates for a light meal, or one of the larger plates, such as the skate, samphire and capers. Menus change frequently here

Address: 94-96 Commercial Street, Spitalfields, E1 6LZ

Website: stjohnrestaurant.com

2 Bancone, Covent Garden

The Bib Gourmand pasta joint is one of two, soon to be three, Bancone restaurants about town, famed for their signature dish silk handkerchiefs, thin sheets of pasta rolled in confit egg yolk and drizzled in walnut butter. Pasta is made daily, and there’s a compact  menu of antipasti and cocktails too, if you’re looking to indulge. So find yourself a perch at the counter, order a negroni and your favourite dish.

Address: 39 William IV Street, Covent Garden, WC2N 4DD

Website: bancone.co.uk

3 Barrafina Dean Street, Soho

The Michelin-starred Soho location of this Spanish tapas restaurant has a plenty of counter seating in its light, bright dining room. Get stuck into a selection of picky bits such as pan con tomate, ham croquetas and padron peppers, or for a heftier large plate such as red prawns, or grilled octopus with a side salad or two.

Address: 26-27 Dean Street, Soho W1D 3LL

Website: barrafina.co.uk

4 Bibi, Mayfair

A sublime Indian restaurant plating up dishes that come with a lot of finesse, the North Audley Street restaurant is another joint with inviting counter seating. Theres also comfortable bench seating as well should you want to spread out. For dinner, it’s the choice of one single tasting menu, however for lunch, diners can either go for a compact set menu or pick a dish a la carte – the malai cauliflower with wild mushrooms of the Native lobster salan for example.

Address: 2 North Audley Street, Mayfair W1K 6ZP

Website: bibirestaurants.com

5 Kiln, Soho

This contemporary Thai small plates restaurant specialising in fire-cooked dishes may be casual, but it’s pretty hip as well. Counter seating wraps around the open kitchen, so solo diners can get a front row seat of the action. Diners can go for a larger plate, such as braised beef shin curry, or lighter options include mussel, aubergine and broad bean omm, and grey mullet chak som sour curry.

Address: 58 Brewer Street, Soho W1F 3TL

Website: kilnsoho.com

6 A.Wong, Victoria

You may not want to go to the two Michelin-starred dim sum restaurant for dinner, when diners feast on a three-hour meal, or might if you like your own company that much. However, for lunch, sit at the counter for a multi-plate meal from either its tasting or a la carte menus. With recommended 8 to 10 dishes per person, lunch here won’t lack in variety so get stuck into the likes of Shanghai steamed dumplings, wild mushroom and truffle steamed bun, rabbit and carrot puff and an abalone flaky tart with aged balsamic vinegar.

Address: 70 Wilton Road, Pimlico SW1V 1DE

Website: awong.co.uk

7 Rita’s Soho

A snug, understated cool modern American restaurant, solo diners can perch themselves at one of the stools facing the window and watch the ongoings of Soho while having diner or lunch. Mains include rib eye steak or a glazed Durock pork chop with chicory and peaches, while the likes of Louisiana boudin balls with Creole mustard aioli; watermelon, ricotta and toasted almond salad; and barbecued beef tartare with garlic with raw vegetables clutter up the snacks and starter menus.

Address: 49 Lexington Street, Carnaby, W1F 9AP

Website: ritasdining.com

8 Brutto, Farringdon

This lovely Bib Gourmand neighbourhood trattoria is open for both lunch and dinner, and its menu of classic antipasti, primi and secondi plates is unfussy and hearty. The venue itself comes with a whole lot of charm and, like its dishes, is an ode to traditional Italian local haunts, with its checkered tablecloths, tile trims and red leather banquet seating running alongside a string of tables for two or one.

Address: 35-37 Greenhill Rents, Farringdon EC1M 6BN

Website: brutto.co.uk

9 Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill, Mayfair

Oh the pure decadence of having a plate of oysters, and a glass (or even a bottle) of champagne to yourself while sitting by the window in a restaurant festooned with crisp white linen. Somewhat of an institution, you could even go a whole lobster for another decadent, but more substantial, meal, or go for a classic fish pie or a steak with a glass of wine instead.

Address: 11-15 Swallow Street, Mayfair W1B 4DG

Website: bentleys.org

For the full list of the best restaurants for solo diners go to thegoodfoodguide.co.uk