13 best traditional British restaurants in London

From historic restaurants serving up little-changed dishes, to more recent eateries putting a new spin on age-old recipes, there are plenty of fantastic places to try the best traditional British food in London.

Check out the best British restaurants in London for traditional dishes below. Alternatively, try one of the many specialist British restaurants London has to offer, including fish and chip venues, pie shops or Sunday roast hotspots.

1. Rules

Rules restaurant. Image courtesy of Rules

London's oldest restaurant has been serving traditional British cuisine from its Covent Garden location since 1798. Find a cosy spot as you tuck into game dishes, oysters, pies and puddings – much of the produce comes from the restaurant's own estate in the Pennines.

Prices from £24.00

3. The Dining Room at The Goring

Rub shoulders with royalty and politicians, who have been known to frequent this Victoria restaurant. Featuring a stunning room with Swarovski chandeliers, The Dining Room at The Goring serves up traditional fare – expect superbly cooked dishes such as beef wellington and eccles cake.

4. Wiltons

Treat yourself to seasonal roast grouse or turbot at Wiltons, which has been serving fine British food since 1742. Alongside wild fish, shellfish, game and meat, the menu includes its famed oysters, which Queen Victoria regularly ordered from this Jermyn Street restaurant.

6. Roast Restaurant

Gaze out across Borough Market, where much of Roast Restaurant's produce is sourced, from this light-filled eatery. Here, you'll find classic dishes such as roast beef, alongside English wines and local cheeses. If you can't book a spot in the restaurant, head to Roast To Go downstairs for takeaway.

7. Boisdale of Belgravia

You couldn't get much more British than Boisdale of Belgravia, which is housed in an elegant regency building near Buckingham Palace. Select from the primarily Scottish menu featuring mini roast haggis with neeps (turnips), potatoes and whisky. Visit in the evenings for live jazz.

8. Quo Vadis

Pick from traditional London fare such as skate with tartare sauce, pie and mash, or smoked eel sandwiches at this Soho institution. Quo Vadis opened in 1926, and the restaurant maintains a retro feel with stained glass windows and parquet floors.

10. St. John

Delve into everything from kidneys to tripe at St. John, a Smithfield restaurant housed in a former smokehouse. Its ethos, which chef Fergus Henderson has termed "nose-to-tail eating", means every part of the animal is used. So it's the perfect spot for meat-lovers, but less so for the squeamish.

13. Hereford Road

Hereford Road. Photo: Jade Nina Sarkhel. Image courtesy of Hereford Road

Offal features heavily at Bayswater venue Hereford Road, so be adventurous with the likes of calf’s brain or sweetbreads. Alternatively, play safe with the likes of British staples lemon sole or pork chops. Comforting desserts such as rhubarb crumble, rice pudding or Bakewell tart round off the meal nicely.

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