Seven of chef Paul Ainsworth’s top London restaurants

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This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to London

As a chef based in Padstow, Cornwall, it’s particularly important for me to keep abreast of London’s food scene and new restaurant openings, and, of course, catch up with my chef friends. I miss the buzz of the capital’s restaurant industry, having worked in London for a long time before relocating, so I return often to see how the city is evolving, while making time to visit some of my longtime favourite dining destinations. Below I have shared some of my new and old go-to places for different occasions, whether that’s a celebration or simply for excellent cuisine. 

Claude Bosi at Bibendum

Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, London SW3 6RD

Late last year, my Padstow team and I visited Claude Bosi at Bibendum, the iconic restaurant that has seen some of the UK’s greatest chefs work in its kitchens and has been helmed by the Lyonnais legend since 2016. I was very impressed with Bosi’s upscale yet reassuringly simple seasonal cooking. Despite its reputation as a formal Michelin-starred fine-dining establishment, it felt more relaxed to me, and I appreciated how it offered plenty of choices with a three, five or seven course tasting menu.

The menu rotates with the seasons, though the most memorable dish I enjoyed was the beautifully cooked Cornish cod à la grenobloise, served with a brown-butter sauce with fried capers. I’m always a sucker for dessert, and the Bibendum double-chocolate soufflé was truly spectacular. The dining room is also particularly special, located in Michelin House (“Bibendum” is actually the name of the famous Michelin Man, or Bib for short), a beautiful historic building with stained-glass windows. This is a special restaurant to visit for a birthday, anniversary or family occasion. Website; Directions

BiBi

42 NORTH AUDLEY STREET, LONDON W1K 6ZP

Chef Chet Sharma’s cooking at BiBi in Mayfair is absolutely delicious — and certainly some of the best Indian cuisine I have ever eaten. My advice is to sit at the counter, listen to the hip hop playlist, watch the chefs at work and eat refined yet playful food inspired by Chet’s grandparents’ cooking (“Bibi” is Punjabi for grandmother). Each plate is beautifully crafted and well thought out, highlighting exceptional produce. I met Chet on my last visit to Bibi, and loved listening to his ethos while soaking in the vibrant atmosphere. Standout dishes include the Sharmaji’s Lahori chicken, a dish that is always on the menu and is inspired by a Lahore-style kebab with yoghurt and cashew sauce, and the aged-lamb Barra kebab, charred and tender and served with a spicy walnut chutney. Website; Directions

Fallow

52 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4RP

Fallow in St James’s is the sort of place that most restaurateurs and chefs wish they owned; it is seriously good stuff. From day one, chef-patrons Will Murray and Jack Croft knew their identity and winning formula to plate great sustainably focused dishes to a lot of covers. The duo have an impressive pedigree, including working at the two-Michelin-starred Dinner by Heston in Knightsbridge, so it’s no wonder this restaurant has been so well received and picked up awards in its early days of opening. Globetrotters should visit Fallow as it’s a brilliant representation of where London is at the moment in the hospitality scene: delicious and exciting. Try the much-talked-about fish head covered in sriracha butter sauce, which elevates an unloved bit of fish (or saves it from the bin) with sriracha that is fermented for four to six weeks and is bursting with flavour, or the mushroom parfait, which is so meaty and rich it’s hard to believe it is entirely vegetarian. Website; Directions

Kerridge’s Bar & Grill at Corinthia London

10 NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, LONDON WC2N 5AE

When I visit London, I usually stay at the Corinthia London and dine at Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, under the purview of my good friend, Tom Kerridge. Nick Beardshaw, the head chef, has worked alongside Tom since 2010 and launched The Coach pub in Marlow, and it’s impressive how he brings the ethos from their pub collection to a rather different setting. The grill is an unfussy, informal restaurant in a relaxed yet stunning room. I can’t resist the bar snacks. Do not miss the indulgent Welsh rarebit on toast and cheese straw with truffle cream cheese. Website; Directions

Kitchen Table

70 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4QG

For an absolute showstopper of an experience, you must try Kitchen Table, the two-Michelin-star chef’s table restaurant in the heart of Fitzrovia. When I was working on the TV series Next Level Chef, I visited chef James Knappett and his wife and business partner Sandie Chang’s restaurant, and it was a flawless experience. Seeing how James’s cuisine has evolved is incredible. The menu changes regularly and seasonally; some dishes I enjoyed on my last visit were the unusual but delicious prawns with vanilla butter, berries, tomatoes and herbs, and a wonderful black-truffle agnolotti with girolles, a 36-month Parmesan sauce and a touch of pungent black garlic. The array of breads is also divine. Sitting at the counter, diners are close to the produce and provenance and have a front-row seat to the action in the kitchen, hosted by the chefs themselves. It’s a mind-blowing immersive tasting menu. Website; Directions

Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay 

10 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 6JP

Emma, my wife, and my daughter CiCi and I love Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay, the chef’s Asian-inspired restaurant in Mayfair. The food is light and delicate in flavour, and the atmosphere is electric — and especially brilliant when the DJs are playing. It’s a must-visit when we’re in London as a family. Try the softshell crab bao, a selection of the maki rolls and the smoked barbecue aubergine, cooked on a robata grill. Website; Directions

Ave Mario 

15 Henrietta Street, London WC2E 8QG

We recently went to Ave Mario, part of the Big Mamma group of Italian joints, and I’ll be completely honest: we went because my wife and daughter are huge Kylie Minogue fans, and she filmed a music video there. But that aside, the atmosphere, the food, the drinks and the whole bonkers-ness of the place are just delightful. You can’t go wrong with one of their pizzas, and the carbonara served tableside in a whole round of pecorino will put a smile on your face. Website; Directions

Paul Ainsworth is the chef and restaurateur behind a handful of restaurants in Padstow, Cornwall, including the Michelin-starred Paul Ainsworth at No 6

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