The definitive guide to dining on Regent Street and in St James’s

Between stately tailors, global flagship stores and the bright lights of West End venues, it’s easy to feel pulled in multiple directions on a trip to Regent Street and St James’s. But don’t let grabbing a bite to eat be an afterthought; the culinary scene in these neighbourhoods is worth the trip alone, straddling innovative start-ups, international success stories and Michelin-starred prestige.

These restaurants cater for a part of the city that never sleeps, meaning an exceptional meal can be enjoyed whether you come for breakfast, lunch, dinner or something in between.

Having spent months recharging their batteries and refining new menus, these restaurateurs and bartenders are raring to go. To help you navigate where to go, we round up the bucket-list-worthy destinations for eating and drinking in Regent Street and St James’s.

Ziggy Green

Breakfast and brunch…

Breakfast or brunch could see you raise a super-charged smoothie or a Bloody Mary over a plate of kippers or kedgeree at destination brasserie 45 Jermyn St – a restaurant renowned for bringing golden age glamour to contemporary London.

Alternatively, lean in to the Aussie way of life with a hearty but wholesome plate of goodness from brunch aficionados Ziggy Green. Housed in a Grade II former cinema made famous by featuring on the cover of David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust album, the gorgeous venue also offers a bottomless brunch and boasts a menu of refreshing cocktails to come back for later.

Café Murano

Lunches to linger over…

While the following would do just as nicely for dinner (or indeed breakfast), these dining rooms are ideal for long lunches. Whether dining in the company of loved ones, colleagues or a good book, let the food and interiors fuel your thoughts.

At founder François O’Neill and chef Matthew Ryle’s relatively new venture Maison François, inspired takes on traditional French favourites can be enjoyed in an elegant, Art Deco dining room. Here, rounding off your meal with an artisan sweet treat from the dessert trolley is essential.

Also new and not to be missed is Heddon Yokocho, a ramen restaurant celebrating the intricacies and deviations in ramen dishes across the country. Casual in appearance, Heddon Yokocho’s neon signs and hanging lanterns will transport you stomach first into Tokyo’s night markets.

At Fallow, Jack Croft and Will Murray’s pop-up kitchen at 10 Heddon Street, experimental dishes will open up your taste palate to new flavours and ways of cooking. While a meal in the light, polished dining room of Angela Hartnett’s Michelin-starred Italian restaurant Cafe Murano is a must, at least once.

Aqua Nueva

After-work drinks…

With office culture slowly creeping back to life, post-work drinks are ready to soften the blow. But rather than joining the crowds swelling outside pubs (and risk having a pint poured down your new Burberry mac or Mulberry handbag), make the experience a memorable one and book your colleagues a table at a destination bar. Dukes Bar in St James’s is famed for serving one of the best martinis in the world, while Locket’s wine bar – the latest venture from the team behind stately restaurant Wiltons – is a chance to sample wines from an expertly curated list (not to mention tip-top dishes and cocktails) while feeling a little bit fancy.

Lose the crowds at Aqua Nueva, a rooftop bar dripping in glamour, from where a bird’s-eye view of Regent Street’s majestic rooftops can be enjoyed, or travel back in time to the Roaring 20s and sip on a traditional tipple at The American Bar at the Stafford.

Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill

Pre-theatre dinner…

If you have show tickets in your pocket and limited time to dine, you can still make it a meal to remember – just be sure to pick somewhere that won’t leave you waiting nervously for the bill. Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill by Michelin-starred chef Richard Corrigan is a London institution and a stalwart for stellar seafood. A platter of oysters with a glass of crisp champagne is the order of the day for a quick dose of celebration.

For hearty dishes with contemporary flair, look to Rochelle Canteen’s second outpost at the Institute of Contemporary Arts on the Mall. Dinner is served in the neat (if early) window between 5pm and 7pm, making it ideal for a thrilling dash to the theatre afterwards.

Scully

Fine dining…

Regent Street and St James’s play home to a melting pot of eclectic cuisines and some of the most reputable chefs from around the world. If celebrations are calling, you’ll be thoroughly spoiled for choice. Part of Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, Heddon Street Kitchen boasts an extensive menu fit to whisk your taste buds off on a whistle-stop tour Europe. While in the bustling dining room of Nieves Barragan and José Etura’s Sabor, you can sample some of the best Spanish fare served in the city.

Michelin guide restaurant Aquavit is a chance to indulge in first-class Nordic specialties in a chandelier-strung dining room fit to match. Scully brings exhilarating colour and intrigue to the St James’s dining scene and Ikoyi is a truly original slice of West African fine dining that goes bold on flavours and is daringly different.

Brasserie Zédel

Late-night revelling…

At Corbin & King’s Parisian-inspired outpost Brasserie Zédel, dinner comes accompanied by a concert of sorts, with a live band known for raising diners from their seats with a mix of familiar French ballads and lively jazz. The vast, Art Deco dining room is among the most stylish and spacious of its kind in London, and the menu, too, is a portal to a rustic, olde worlde Paris. When plates are cleared and the music lulls, head on into Zédel’s American Bar for a nightcap (or two).

Looking to impress your party by booking a table at a little known gem? Hidden Heddon is a new bar stowed beneath Gordon Ramsay’s Heddon Street Kitchen. Open from 6pm till late on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the hideaway is ideal for larger groups and welcoming of walk-ins. Book in advance to hire the venue or book onto a cocktail-making masterclass, and be sure to order some bar snacks – curated by Ramsay himself – to devour with your cocktails.

Dine in style with Regent Street Online (@regentstreetw1) and St James’s London (@stjameslondon) this summer.