The capital's culinary scene has demonstrated remarkable strength, with 38 London restaurants securing a place in the prestigious Harden's Top 100 Best UK Restaurants list for 2026. The results of the national diners' poll, announced on 4 December 2025, highlight London's continued dominance in the country's fine dining landscape.
Industry Resilience Shines Through
Peter Harden, guide editor and co-founder, noted that the hospitality sector has faced an exceptionally tough year in 2025, grappling with food inflation, rising wages, and increased costs for rent and utilities. Despite these challenges, the survey reveals impressive resilience.
"What our survey results and data-crunching from across the sector shows is the remarkable resilience at work from those in the trade," Harden stated. He added that the high customer expectations are driving restaurants to work harder, leading to a wave of high-quality new openings that are going straight into the Top 100.
London's Top Contenders
Leading the charge for London is The Ledbury in Notting Hill, which sits at the pinnacle of the capital's entries. The Modern European restaurant offers tasting menus, with dinner priced at £285.
Following closely is ROW on 5, known for its 'refinement of work' philosophy and a 15-course tasting menu for £250. In third place for London is Soho's Humble Chicken, a Japanese restaurant offering a unique 13-seat chef's table experience and a 16-course Omakase menu.
The chic Da Terra in Bethnal Green's Town Hall Hotel and the intimate fish-focused restaurant Behind in Hackney complete the top five London spots. The list also features the innovative Roketsu, a new Japanese restaurant that structures its menu around the seasons.
National Landscape and Full London List
While London claimed the lion's share of entries, the restaurant named the absolute best in the UK was Moor Hall in Aughton, West Lancashire. The North West was the strongest region outside London with 12 entries, and Edinburgh was the top city after the capital.
The full list of London restaurants that earned a place in the Harden's Top 100 for 2026 is:
- The Ledbury
- ROW on 5
- Humble Chicken
- Da Terra, Town Hall Hotel
- Behind
- Roketsu
- Plates
- Sollip
- Core by Clare Smyth
- Kitchen Table
- A Wong
- Akoko
- AngloThai
- Restaurant St Barts
- Trinity
- Hunan
- Caractere
- Cornus
- Ikoyi
- Kioku at the OWO
- Frog by Adam Handling
- Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library
- Aulis London
- LPM fka La Petite Maison
- The Ritz
- Sushi Tetsu
- Brooklands
- Takahashi
- Hide
- Evelyn’s Table at The Blue Posts
- SOLA
- Trivet
- The Cocochine
- Kai Mayfair
- Nobu Metropolitan hotel
- Bar des Pres
- Ormer Mayfair by Sofian, Flemings Mayfair Hotel
- Hakkasan Mayfair
The guide's findings offer a compelling snapshot of a dynamic industry where innovation and quality continue to flourish, providing diners with an exceptional array of choices for the year ahead.
