Poppie’s Fish and Chips
For seaside style fish and chips right in the heart of the city, Poppie’s Fish and Chips is somewhat legendary. Pat ‘Pops’ Newland began cutting up copies of the Daily Mail to wrap chips in back in 1952 and never looked back. Poppies is tucked just behind Spitalfields covered market and serves fish caught that morning by a third generation Billingsgate fishmonger. Diners can choose to eat inside the 1950s decorated restaurant from real plates or sit outside and eat from newspaper-print boxes.
Poppie’s Fish and Chips, 6-8 Hanbury St, London, UK, +44 020 7247 0892
SUSHISAMBA
SUSHISAMBA is a fusion of Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian food, music and design. Whizz up in a glass elevator before being seated amidst under-lit bamboo, an indoor orange tree and a room full of elegantly dressed diners. Certified to sell kobe beef, Sushi Samba offers London’s first ever Kobe Ishiyaki experience including sake pairing if you have a cool £1000 to blow, or sample it as more realistically priced sashimi or nigari.
SUSHISAMBA, Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, London, UK, +44 20 3640 7330
Jose Pizarro
Set in the newly developed Broadgate Circle, with its collection of steel, bronze and stone statues and huge resonating Japanese water feature, Jose Pizarro offers a great menu of traditional and modern-twist tapas. Enjoy their fabulous gin and tonic at dusk over a charcuterie platter or if you fancy a breakfast of Spanish omelette (or a healthier choice of fruit with orange blossom honey) the restaurant is open for early birds from 8 am.
Jose Pizarro, 36 Broadgate Circle, London, UK, +44 020 7256 5333
Galvin La Chapelle
The third of the Galvin brothers’ restaurants opened in 2009 within a building steeped with heritage. A former Victorian school and chapel, it was rescued from demolition when a group of residents chained themselves to the front door. Now the space is restored to grandeur you can enjoy award winning modern French cuisine below an imposing 30 metre vaulted ceiling. Come to Galvin La Chapelle on a Sunday afternoon and The Ray Rich Band will provide a swinging jazz soundtrack, too.
Galvin La Chapelle, 35 Spital Square, London, UK, +44 20 7299 0400
Angler
Perched on the top floor of the Conran-designed South Place Hotel, Michelin starred Angler is known for its seafood, all fished from British waters. Dine beneath a mirrored ceiling (created by sculptors Grace & Webb) which gives the impression of a shoal of shimmering fish, or if you’d rather enjoy the view of the city, Angler has a heated outdoor roof terrace. Angler’s executive chef Tony Fleming recently teamed up with the Meantime Brewery to create an extremely buttery but delicious pairing of scallops braised in pale ale.
Angler, 3 South Place, London, UK, +44 020 3215 1260