Jump to: Late night | Open 24-hours
It's often surprising to visitors that London isn't more of a late-night city. But there really are good places to eat late at night (excluding takeaways) if you know where to go. Here's our guide to the best restaurants in town where the kitchens are open late.
Late-night restaurants
Arlington
St James - 20 Arlington St, St. James's, London SW1A 1RJ
How late: Last booking 10.45pm
Jeremy King's revival of what was once Le Caprice continues to be a big hit in St James, attracting plenty of A-listers. And while it might be harder to get a table at "normal" dinner time, it's a lot easier late at night. So if you fancy finishing the night with Bang Bang Chicken, Frozen Berries and one of the best martinis in town, this is the place to go. Plus, at the time of writing, it's 25% off food if you book after 9.45pm.
Oma and Agora
Borough Market - 20 Arlington St, St. James's, London SW1A 1RJ
How late: Last booking 10.30pm, Monday - Saturday
Two of our favourite new restaurant openings of 2024 are this Greek restaurant pair from David Carter. Upstairs is the more laid-back Michelin-starred Oma, while downstairs the much more casual Agora, which is mainly walk-ins only. Both restaurants feature excellent Greek cooking and have a vibey feel that's unmatched in the area and are perfect for late dining. You'll probably have an easier time booking a late table at Oma than you will getting a late walk-in at Agora, mind.
The Dover
Mayfair - 33 Dover St, London W1S 4NF
How late: Last bookings Thurs-Sat 11.30pm (10.30pm other days)
The Dover quickly became one of Mayfair's hottest restaurants when it opened, with Martin Kuczmarski delivering a place that's clubby, sexy and fun. A pleasingly old-school New York Italian menu is served in a gorgeous dark wood-clad setting. Everything from the snacks to the excellent martinis is well worth a look here and even if you finish early, it's worth hanging round for a post-dinner drink in the excellent bar. If you're looking for a space to spot the hottest celebs late at night, this is it.
Los Mochis City
City of London - 9th Floor, 100 Liverpool St, London EC2M 2AT
How late: Last bookings Tues, Weds 11pm, Thurs - Sat 11.30pm
One of the benefits of being a high-rise restaurant in a largely work-centric part of town is that you're more likely to be able to open late without annoying the neighbours, and that's the case with the Los Mochis City outpost. Here, you'll find a mix of Japanese and Mexican influences with the kitchens delivering both excellent sushi as well as great tacos. The cocktails are also wonderful and, obviously, there's a pretty spectacular view.
Speedboat Bar
Soho - 30 Rupert St, London W1D 6DL
How late: Last booking midnight Fri & Sat (10.30pm Mon - Thurs)
A popular choice with restaurant staff looking for something fiery and fun to eat post-service, Luke Farrell’s bar aims to bring the flavours of Bangkok’s Chinatown to London. Curries and cocktails are great, but there’s also an inventive no-alcohol list if you’re looking for interesting soft options.
The Park
Bayswater - 123 Bayswater Rd, London W2 3JH
How late: Last booking 10.30pm, Mon - Sat
Jeremy King has become quite an outspoken supporter of late-night dining of late, and his Bayswater restaurant and bar are one of the few places in this part of town where you'll be able to get a late bite or two. The beautifully designed restaurant is billed as a New World grand cafe with plenty of Californian inspiration on the menu. It's also now possible to just pop into the bar if you're not dining, but if you do, you should definitely order a few snacks too. As with Arlington, it's 25% off food if you dine after 9.45pm.
Roe
Canary Wharf - Five Park Drive, Wood Wharf, London E14 9GG
How late: Last booking 10.30pm, Mon - Sat
If you're out east, this is one of the best options for late-night dining in the area. Roe comes from the same people as Fallow and carries through a similar ethos of low-waste and seasonal dining. The skewers and flatbreads here are a particular treat but make sure to save room for their banana parfait dessert, one of the best desserts in London. In St James, Fallow also has late bookings until 10.30pm.
Fantomas
Chelsea - 300 King's Road, London SW3 5UH
How late: Last booking 10.15pm, Sat & Sun
Fantomas, from the same team behind Wild and Wild Tavern, sees chef Chris Denney in charge of a restaurant where he's serving modern European sharing dishes with a few influences from Asia. The restaurant has a clubby vibe that's not one you find much in Chelsea, so it's just perfect for a late dinner during the weekend.
Zephyr
Notting Hill - 100 Portobello Road, London W11 2QD
How late: Last booking 10.30pm, Sat & Sun
This Greek/Mediterranean restaurant in Notting Hill was an instant hit and led the way for the group behind it to transform their restaurant group to more of a Mediterranean focus (away from a former Peruvian approach). The restaurant is all about delivering a great night out, which makes it a perfect place for a late-night dinner. And after eating, you can continue things in their downstairs bar Naked & Famous.
Bob Bob Ricard
Soho - 1 Upper James St, London W1F 9DF
How late: Last orders 10.30pm Thursday to Saturday
This is a restaurant that’s 100% built for late night dallying and toying with that Press for Champagne button. Whether you need stomach-lining dumplings or lighter fare like salmon tartare Bob Bob Ricard is perfect. Frozen vodka shots are an optional bonus.
Bocca di Lupo
Soho - 12 Archer St, London W1D 7BB
How late: Last booking 10.45pm. Mon - Sat (Kitchen closes at 11pm)
This bustling Soho Italian keeps its energy levels high for late-night dining. Grab a seat up at the counter and order some exemplary crudo and pasta accompanied by some amazing Italian wine.
See also: Their gelateria across the road, Gelupo, also open until midnight Friday & Saturday.
Duck and Rice
Soho - 90 Berwick Street, London W1F 0QB
How late: Last booking 10pm Tuesday - Saturday (last orders 10.30pm)
Late-night pub food - but make it Chinese. If you don’t fancy leaving the pub but are after something more substantial (and interesting) than crisps or nachos then Alan Yau’s Soho spot is just the ticket. Baskets of dumplings and an extensive chop suey section make this menu a must-try.
Balans
Soho - 60-62 Old Compton St, London W1D 4UG
How late: Open until 5am Wednesday and Thursday, until 6am Friday and Saturday and 1am on Sundays.
A Soho classic in every sense of the word, Balans has been a part of the area’s late-night scene since the 80s. From midnight to 5am the late-night menu is served - all day and all night breakfasts are the big hit but alongside the Lobster Benedict they also do pancakes, quesadillas and more.
Cecconi's Pizza Bar
Soho - 19-21 Old Compton Street, London W1D 5JJ
How late: Open till 12am most days (11pm Sun) and till 1am Friday and Saturday.
Part of the Soho House Group, Cecconi’s is all about fresh pasta and pizzas straight from the wood-fired oven. That drops to pizza-only on the late menu at the weekends - pair a slice with Soho House’s best-known cocktail, the Picante de la Casa.
See also: Their Shoreditch branch takes bookings up to 10.30pm
Dumplings Legend
Chinatown - 15-16 Gerrard Street, London W1D 6JE
How late: Open till 11pm Mon - Thurs, 3am Friday and Saturday
A personal favourite of ours in Chinatown, this (along with Gerard’s Corner which is open ‘till midnight every night) is always a good bet if you’re in this part of town needing late-night sustenance. Go for the xiao long bao and beef hofen for a perfect combo.
See also: Opium Chinatown upstairs which gets its dumplings from here and is open till the small hours every night.
Dean Street Townhouse
Soho - 69-71 Dean St, London W1D 3SE
How late: Bookings until 10.45pm Mon - Thurs, 11.15pm Friday & Saturday
Another handy late-night Soho spot from the team behind Soho House, this is attached to a hotel so if you really don’t want to go home, you could always head upstairs afterwards. A rare place to order traditional dishes like mince and potatoes or roast chicken close to midnight.
Brasserie Zedel
Soho - 20 Sherwood St, London W1F 7ED
How late: Last bookings Tues-Sat 10.45pm (last orders 11pm)
Super handy as a post-theatre spot in the heart of theatreland, Brasserie Zedel’s cavernous dining room is great for groups needing to dissect the latest Pinter production while at the same time enjoying great value traditional brasserie dishes like steak tartare or fish stew.
La Bodega Negra
Soho - 9 Old Compton St, London W1D 5JF
How late: Last bookings Thurs-Sat 11pm (kitchen closes 11.30pm)
The subterranean restaurant behind the peep show frontage is where to find the action, if by action you mean flights of Mezcal, tacos, tostadas and more. There’s usually a DJ on late too to keep the energy high.
Hippodrome Casino
Leicester Square - Cranbourn St, Leicester Square, London WC2H 7JH
How late: Last orders 4am.
While a casino might not be the first place you’d think of for great food, the offering at the Hippodrome has been transformed in recent years and you don't have to be playing roulette to order it. There’s bar food across all floors or you could head to their Chinese restaurant Chop Chop from the Four Seasons group on the lower ground floor and Heliot Steak House is open until 2am.
MEATliquor W1
Marylebone - 37-38 Margaret St, Marylebone, London W1G 0JF
How late: Kitchen open until 2.30am every day
If a messy burger, loud music and hard cocktails are what you’re after in a late-night establishment then the MEATliquor behind Oxford Circus is the place to come. Permanently busy with an always-up-for-it vibe, it gets our vote.
The Savoy Grill
Temple - 100 Strand, London WC2R 0EZ
How late: Last bookings at 11pm (open until midnight)
Who says late-night London needs to be doners on the night bus home? For one of the more glamorous nighttime options, the Savoy Grill ticks all the boxes. Gordon Ramsay’s classic French restaurant with stellar service to match would be a great place to hit up post-theatre.
2850 by Night
Marylebone - 76 Jason Ct, Wigmore St, London W1U 2SJ
How late: A la carte till 12pm and after that there's a midnight menu till 2am.
Next door to 20:50’s wine bar you’ll find this venue serving up great wine alongside live music. The a la carte menu features everything from oysters to creative vegan mains - at midnight that switches to more of a cheese and charcuterie vibe.
Smoking Goat
Shoreditch - 64 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JJ
How late: Last table 10.30pm, Monday - Saturday
If you find yourself wandering the streets of Shoreditch all hyped up and hungry then a late-ish (and very good) place to end up is Smoking Goat. A plate of fish sauce chilli wings alongside electric-hued cocktails and all is suddenly well with the world.
24-hour restaurants
Duck & Waffle
City of London - 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY
How late: Open 24 hours. Late night menu from 2am to 5.30am.
London only has a handful of truly 24-hour operations and this is the only one that comes with a view over the city from sunset through to dawn. The late-night menu kicks in at 2am but while it’s shorter than the regular one it still has everything from corndogs to foie gras creme brulee and the signature duck and waffle dish on there.
Polo Bar
City of London - 176 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4NQ
How late: Open 24 hours
This is another City spot that’s truly open all day and night whether you’re after a pancake platter for a bunch of mates or have a hankering for shepherd's pie with peas at 2am. Looking for a bargain? Well, the bottomless brunch option is also on offer 24/7.
Vingt-Quatre
Chelsea and Bloomsbury
How late: Chelsea VQ is fully 24 hours. Bloomsbury VQ is 24 hours from Wednesday morning through to Sunday morning.
The first restaurant in London to be open 24 hours (hence the original name Vingt Quatre) the VQ in Chelsea has been serving up their all-day breakfasts and more to everyone from pop stars to normal punters for almost 30 years now. If you don’t fancy a full English there’s also a night menu with salads, burgers and club sandwiches on offer.
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