Fine dining is no longer just about white tablecloths, hushed rooms and impossible-to-pronounce tasting menus. Across London and Brighton, the best restaurants are rewriting the rules, blending precision cooking with atmosphere, personality and a real sense of place.
For this SALT guide, ‘Best Fine Dining Restaurants Across London’, we’ve handpicked some of the most exciting and highly regarded dining destinations across both cities, from Brighton’s inventive coastal kitchens to London’s world-class restaurants drawing global attention. Expect bold flavours, beautiful rooms, serious craft and the kind of meals that linger long after the last glass has been poured.
Among our selection are celebrated names including Etch, Aces Food Craft, BRAT, Tobi Masa and more, each offering its own take on what modern fine dining can be. Whether you’re booking a special occasion, planning a long lunch, or simply looking for somewhere truly worth spending an evening, these are the tables to know.
The flagship restaurant of the Masterchef: The Professionals winner Steven Edwards. etch, was opened in 2017 within the site of a former bank in Hove’s Church Road. Many accolades followed and the restaurant has maintained its reputation as one of Brighton & Hove’s top dining spots.
Local produce is central to etch’s ethos, with menus changing every two months to reflect the season’s best. Steven is a firm advocate of letting good ingredients shine with dishes described and presented to be both fun and surprising. Whilst favourites such as a nostalgic dish of dippy egg and soldiers have evolved over the years, there is one staple that cannot change – Steven’s Marmite bread served with seaweed butter. With his much-admired accompaniment, Steven has found a way to depolarise this love-or-hate ingredient.
etch. has always provided a showcase for Sussex vineyards. The restaurant opened with only English sparkling options on the list before the region became world-renowned for the quality of its wines.
Following the challenges of lockdown, the restaurant was refurbished and extended in late 2021, adding a wine room and speakeasy cocktail bar. Since then, wine director Sam Weatherill has secured a number of national wine awards, including Wine Buyer On-Trade Single Venue Wine Buyer Award 2025 and being ranked 19th in the Sommelier Edit Top 100 in 2025.
Signature cocktails also change according to the season, and the restaurant has plenty to offer those who prefer not to drink alcohol.
etch. provides a space to relax and enjoy fantastic food in a stylish, yet laid-back and spacious restaurant. Its large windows offer plenty of daylight and with the seafront just ten minutes away, you can walk off your meal enjoying the sea breeze. The lighting is perfect for a romantic evening meal or for celebrations with friends.
Since opening its doors 20 years ago, Riddle & Finns has established itself as Brighton’s go-to destination for fresh seafood, oysters and Champagne. Now spanning two locations, one tucked within the cobbled charm of the South Lanes, the other a more recent addition on Brighton seafront with sweeping coastal views and some of the city’s finest sunsets, the brand has become synonymous with indulgent, sociable dining.
Priding themselves on fresh, creative seafood, the chefs are masters of their craft, offering weekly specials and a rotating lunch menu to suit every palate. Oysters sit at the heart of their repertoire, and for those eager to dive deeper, Riddle & Finns runs a monthly Oyster Masterclass. Held while the restaurants are closed, this 90-minute workshop lets guests sample different oyster varieties and preparations, learn to shuck oysters safely, and enjoy sparkling wine, walking away with a luxury goodie bag containing everything you need to recreate the experience at home.
Both restaurants are defined by their elegant interiors, from glowing candelabras to striking marble-topped tables, all designed to encourage a relaxed, social dining experience. Whether for a special celebration or an impromptu treat of something sumptuous with a glass of bubbles, Riddle & Finns remains a firm favourite on the Brighton dining scene.
BRAT, taken from the old English word for turbot, is the wood-fired restaurant from Tomos Parry and, from its opening, took London by storm.
Walking through the unassuming entrance on Redchurch Street and up the original 1930s staircase, guests enter the dining room, where many original features remain, including art deco wood panelling and large steel-framed windows.
At the heart of the restaurant is the open kitchen. Centred around Tomos’ Welsh heritage and his love of open-fire grilling techniques found in Northern Spain’s Basque Country, the menu is composed of seasonal, native British ingredients. Tomos and the team work closely with well-respected farms and producers, including Calixta at Flourish Farm, Good Earth Growers and Câr-y-Môr, to source and select ingredients for the restaurant.
Having opened in 2018, BRAT received its first Michelin star the following year and has become renowned for its flavours and techniques. It is also famed for its signature dishes, which include the whole grilled turbot and the burnt cheesecake, both of which have remained on the menu since opening.
The wine list takes a low-intervention approach, organised into “Easy Drinkers”, “Classics” and “Off the Beaten Track”, allowing guests to easily navigate the carefully chosen bottles, with the expert team on hand to guide them.
BRAT has become something of an institution within the city, and Tomos has established himself as one of London’s favourite chefs.
Aces Food Craft, an innovative produce-led restaurant and intimate chef’s table in the heart of Fitzrovia, has officially opened. A project eight years in the making from husband-and-wife team Alex Craciun and Aleksandra Jazevica, Aces aims to showcase the very best of British produce, translated into creative dishes through Alex’s expert culinary skill, all within a comfortable, intimate setting.
The culinary ethos is simple yet nuanced. Influenced by the precision of Japanese techniques from Alex’s time in Michelin-starred Tokyo kitchens, the menu remains entirely produce-led and tied to no single cuisine. Instead, it champions exceptional ingredients paired with boundary-pushing experimentation. Unexpected combinations define the experience, such as a delicately crafted prawn dumpling served alongside a test tube chaser of French green mussel sauce.
The menu evolves constantly, shaped by what is at its seasonal best. Dishes lean towards vegetables, not by design but through a deep understanding of their potential as central elements. Lunch offers a more casual feel, with a tight selection of three to four dishes, echoing a refined neighbourhood tapas bar, while in the evening the tasting menu takes centre stage. Standout plates include a light chicken liver mousse with parmesan, beetroot and coconut.
Formerly Executive Chef at Sosharu by Jason Atherton, Alex has worked in some of the world’s most revered kitchens, including Tokyo’s three-Michelin-starred RyuGin. The wine programme, presented by GM and sommelier Alexi Ghenciu and curated by award-winning expert Laure Parte, formerly of Maze by Gordon Ramsay, reflects the same thoughtful approach, with a European focus and a selection of distinctive producers.
Named after their son, Aces has a warm, personal feel. The nine-seat chef’s table offers an immersive yet relaxed experience, where diners witness both precision and personality as Alex cooks, curates music and engages with guests throughout service.
Located on Beak Street in the heart of Soho, Mountain is a wood grill and wine bar by Tomos Parry of famed BRAT, reflecting his favourite meals from journeys across Spain in recent years. Inspiration is drawn from long lunches around barbecues in friends’ vineyards, small plates of raw prawns in bustling fish markets, hearty slow-braised shellfish, rich beef sweetbreads in local tavernas, and youthful memories of landing shimmering wild sea bass from Anglesey. As always, Tomos’ cooking is led by long-standing relationships with fishermen and farmers in Wales and Cornwall.
Housed in an archetypal red brick building on Beak Street, built in 1911, it comes complete with a history of iniquity and scandal. At the centre of the room, the dining tables and open kitchen merge, with the simply constructed woodwork reflecting Tomos’ uncomplimented menu.
The menu at Mountain is all about natural flavours, with dishes designed to be shared among loved ones and friends, including the renowned spider crab omelette and whole lobster caldereta.
Downstairs lies the bar. With burr poplar timber and stacked vinyl records, guests can enjoy classic cocktails while watching the chefs cooking in the large fire oven. The wine list focuses on thoughtfully made wines, highlighting producers and winemakers that are meaningful to the restaurant.
Located in the centre of Mayfair, Il Gattopardo fuses Italy’s rich heritage with the London way of life. Guests arrive to taste the flavours of Italian cuisine and stay for timeless experiences that go beyond expectation. Life is for the tasting, make it La Dolce Vita.
The menu begins with elegant crudo, where lime-marinated tuna and delicate yellowtail carpaccio showcase pristine seafood with bright, citrus-led flavours. Pasta forms the heart of the offering, from comforting classics such as casarecce pesto and stracciatella agnolotti to more indulgent plates including lobster linguine and spaghettone with white crab and Amalfi lemon. Mains continue this elevated approach, with whole grilled sea bream, veal Milanese, Dover sole with brown butter, and premium cuts such as beef fillet and Fiorentina-style steak. Desserts celebrate Italian favourites, including tiramisu, maritozzo and gianduja, alongside lighter options, with the tiramisu standing out as a rich, classic centrepiece, often served for sharing.
Chef Massimo Pasquarelli, originally from Abruzzo, trained in Monza before a decade-long tenure with Alain Ducasse and most recently as Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton Singapore. His deep respect for Italian produce, combined with fine dining expertise, ensures a menu rooted in authenticity, with subtle contemporary influence.
The cocktail programme reflects the same refined philosophy, with a dedicated focus on the Negroni. From the house blend enriched with Passito di Pantelleria to brighter variations such as the Limoncello Negroni, each interpretation balances bitterness, sweetness and aromatics with modern elegance.
Designed in collaboration with Dion & Arles, the interiors blend classical references with mid-century modernism, inspired by Gio Ponti. Warm tones, dark woods and cobalt accents lead through the dining room to an intimate salon and hidden terrace, while a private dining space below offers a more secluded experience.
BiBi is a South Asian word that formally means ‘lady of the house’, but Chef Chet Sharma has used its colloquial Urdu derivation, meaning ‘grandma’, as the inspiration for his award-winning restaurant in London. Inspired by an equal love of both grandmothers, one a stickler for ingredients and process, the other adaptable and inventive, BiBi is a restaurant that embraces a history of inherent flavour and taste, building upon it with the creative and technical skill of its erudite chef.
The menus reflect the many years of research that have helped form the foundations of Chet’s dishes, beginning with the traceability and ethics of each ingredient. From the Indian subcontinent comes rice curated from non-hybrid, heritage varietals, such as sona masoori, kaima, joha and gobindobogh, which are typically lower in starch and contain more essential protein, minerals and vitamins. Spices are single-sourced from farms that eschew pesticide use.
This rigorous ethos is complemented by sustainability and zero-waste practices in the kitchen, from composting and recycling to minimising single-use plastics. Fermentation, preservation and pickling are also daily constants, from making yoghurt to maximising the use of each ingredient. The resulting menus present a series of light, elegantly balanced and exacting dishes, permeated by the smoke and char of tamarind hardwood from the sigree grill. Progressive in technique and contemporary in design, they are filled with nostalgic flavours that transport guests through time and India’s diverse regions.
A carefully considered wine list complements the intricate balance of the dishes, alongside reinvented classic cocktails, non-alcoholic juices and cold-brewed teas that reflect Chet’s heritage. The two wine pairings are each inspired by one of Chet’s grandfathers: Baldev, impossible to pin down, having travelled the country and lived by his own rules, and Ved, more classical, who never left the house without his three-piece suit.
The two Michelin-starred Bonheur by Matt Abé has caused a stir on Upper Brook Street in Mayfair, taking over the storied former home of Le Gavroche with a sense of both reverence and renewal. It marks the first solo venture from the acclaimed chef, best known for his tenure as chef patron at the three Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, and signals a deeply personal new chapter.
Meaning ‘happiness’ in French, Bonheur is rooted in classical technique but driven by a modern, ingredient-led approach. Abé’s cooking subtly weaves together his Australian heritage and Asian influences, resulting in dishes that feel both refined and quietly inventive. Guests can choose between an à la carte offering or two tasting menus, the five-course Journey and seven-course Dream, while an intimate six-seat chef’s table, Petit Bonheur, offers a more immersive experience with direct insight into the craft behind each plate.
Signature dishes include a reimagined quiche Lorraine with baby leeks, Gruyère and black garlic; a meticulously sourced 125-day aged Cumbrian sirloin with bone marrow and Bordelaise; and a decadent pecan praline dessert layered with coffee, vanilla and cocoa nib ice cream. The wine programme, curated with head sommelier Eric Zwiebel, mirrors the menu’s philosophy: thoughtful, expressive and full of contrast.
Designed by Russell Sage Studio, the space balances minimalism with warmth. A softly lit lounge and sculptural subterranean dining room are layered with tactile materials, from velvet banquettes to rare finishes, in a palette inspired by Australian landscapes.
Maré by Rafael Cagali has officially opened on Church Road in Hove, marking the latest venture from the celebrated chef and his partner, Charlie Lee. Translating to ‘tide’ in Portuguese, Maré moves with the rhythm of the seasons, celebrating the bounty of Sussex and the surrounding coastline.
Positioned between the refinement of Cagali and Lee’s two Michelin-starred Da Terra and the relaxed charm of its sister restaurant Elis, Maré offers a more accessible yet equally considered dining experience. Head Chef Ewan Waller, a long-time protégé of Cagali, leads the kitchen, working closely with him to deliver a menu rooted in precision, creativity and produce.
The cooking is firmly ingredient-led, with strong relationships forged with local farms, fisheries and artisanal producers. Dishes are designed to be generous yet refined, beginning with bar snacks and small plates before moving into larger, shareable dishes and desserts. Highlights include fried oyster with hot sauce emulsion, pumpkin ravioli with courgette and jalapeño, and langoustine with beans and moqueca stew, alongside a rich lobster rice finished with dendê emulsion. Desserts continue the playful tone, from baba au cachaça to choux buns with fig leaf ice cream.
Guests can also opt for a curated Chef’s Selection tasting menu, offering a broader expression of the kitchen’s style. The wine list balances classic and contemporary, with Old World bottles sitting alongside New World producers, as well as a strong showing of English wines and low-intervention selections.
The 38-cover space is warm and inviting, with soft tones, wood textures and vibrant Brazilian artwork. At its centre, a welcoming bar creates a natural focal point, while Charlie Lee’s front-of-house approach ensures a service style that is both polished and relaxed, setting the tone for a restaurant designed to feel both exciting and at ease.
At Tobi Masa, dining becomes something quieter, more deliberate, a study in precision rather than performance. Set within the newly reimagined The Chancery Rosewood, this intimate restaurant marks the London arrival of Masayoshi ‘Masa’ Takayama, a chef whose influence on modern Japanese cuisine is both far-reaching and deeply personal.
Masa’s name carries weight. Since opening his eponymous New York restaurant in 2004, he has redefined expectations, pairing pristine, Japan-flown fish with indulgent accents like truffle and caviar. At Tobi Masa, that same philosophy lands in Mayfair with a lighter touch, less spectacle, more restraint. The room itself mirrors this ethos: serene, minimal, and centred around a seven-seat sushi counter that feels almost reverential.
The menu moves between à la carte and omakase, offering two distinct but equally thoughtful ways to experience Masa’s world. Signature dishes, toro tartare layered with caviar and truffle, A5 wagyu nigiri, coco curry carabinero shrimp, sit alongside London-exclusive creations, each one guided by seasonality and an unwavering respect for ingredients. The omakase, available at dinner, unfolds like a quiet narrative: Scottish langoustine, fatty toro, golden eye snapper, each piece prepared with exacting care, before closing with the indulgent simplicity of a truffle ball and Japanese melon.
There’s a subtle confidence here. Nothing shouts; everything lands. Even the name “Tobi,” meaning “to fly,” feels less about grandeur and more about intention, a gentle nod to elevation, to craft, to the idea that luxury doesn’t need to be loud to resonate.
In a city saturated with high-end dining, Tobi Masa offers something rarer: stillness, clarity, and a sense that every detail, down to the silence between courses, has been carefully considered.
Watch out for The Best Fine Dining Restaurants Across London – part 2 – in our Summer/Autumn edition of SALT Magazine
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