London's Ultimate Guide to Winter Dining Comfort
As the January chill tightens its grip on the capital, Londoners are seeking solace in steaming bowls, fiery flavours, and cosy corners. This week's edition of The Slice brings you a curated selection of the city's most warming food spots, guaranteed to lift your spirits during the bleakest winter days. From a brand new Thai restaurant serving aromatic Khao Soi to innovative Caribbean cuisine and value-packed set menus, we've scoured the city for dishes that deliver both comfort and excitement.
Curry House Reinvention in East London
Chef Andrew Clarke has brought the vibrant heat of Goa to Hackney with a limited-time Curry House menu at Acme Fire Cult. Despite the largely al fresco setting, giant wood-fire ovens, blankets, and local brewery pints create a surprisingly toasty atmosphere, even during winter storms. The menu cleverly blends flame-grilled classics with subtle South Asian twists, including pillowy naan inspired by their famous Marmite bread.
Standout dishes include:
- Butterflied prawns marinated in gentle Goan spices
- Sweet Roscoff onions with lentil daal and parmesan
- Monkfish skewers in fragrant Vadouvan butter
- Hearty lamb chops in soupy Anglo-Indian Railway curry
With spice levels designed to warm bones without overwhelming palates, this is the perfect remedy for a bleak January evening. Small plates start from £12, with curries from £24 at The Bootyard in Hackney.
Pan Caribbean Innovation in Herne Hill
2210 by NattyCanCook represents chef Nathaniel Mortley's debut restaurant, offering fine-dining style Pan Caribbean cuisine that moves beyond traditional expectations. Following stints at prestigious establishments, Mortley presents inventive dishes like roti with scotch bonnet infused butter and melt-in-your-mouth lamb rump.
New menu additions post-soft launch include:
- Natty's Traditional Oxtail
- Sticky Toffee Pudding with ginger tuile and coffee foam
- Deep fried apple crumble
The restaurant also offers a Sunday Service with choices between turkey wing, confit pork roast, or lamb rump accompanied by rice & peas or jollof rice. Starters begin at £5.50, with mains from £25 on Norwood Road.
Exceptional Value at Roka
Roka's new £26 express lunch menu delivers phenomenal quality without breaking the bank. Beginning with comforting white miso soup, the menu features crispy prawn and avocado maki followed by a choice of baby chicken with lemon miso, seabream fillet with red onion and miso, or baby back pork ribs with sansho.
The theatrical open kitchen and predominantly wooden interior create a calm atmosphere where the robata-grilled dishes shine. Available Tuesday through Friday until 28th February across Roka's Charlotte Street, Mayfair, Aldwych, and Canary Wharf locations.
Winter Warmer Highlights Across London
KHAO-SO-I in Fitzrovia brings Northern Thai curry soup to life with counter seating that lets you watch chefs theatrically prepare tender proteins. The braised beef shank falls apart effortlessly, served with coriander, shallots, crispy noodles, and optional coconut milk to temper the heat. Small plates start at £8, with khao soi from £19.50.
The Cheese Barge in Paddington offers floating comfort with bubbling pots of fondue every Thursday. Their Restaurant Month special provides exceptional value: a three-course set menu for just £24.50 featuring 'Not-so-French' onion soup, Tartiflette with Maida Vale cheese, and olive oil chocolate mousse.
Ivan Ramen brings Netflix Chef's Table legend Ivan Orkin to London with perfect bowls starting at £16. The tori paitan with rich chicken broth and egg yolk or tonkotsu with shoyu-braised pork chashu feature noodles with ideal bite and light, flavourful soups. Don't overlook the soy garlic fried chicken with crisp edges and citrus kick.
Additional Winter Dining Opportunities
Toklas extends its No Corkage Mondays through the entire year for dinner bookings, while Temaki expands from Brixton to Mayfair next month with new dishes alongside their iconic handrolls. Heliot Steakhouse offers one final Monday of half-price Argentinian steaks, and The Clink Restaurant at HMP Brixton hosts a special multi-course menu with Cyrus Todiwala OBE on 12th February for £80 per person.
For Burns Night celebrations, RAILS offers traditional three-course feasts from £38, while the London Kilt Run returns for its fifth annual 10k social event starting at the Robert Burns Statue.
Beyond Dining: Winter Activities
Canary Wharf's free Winter Lights trail celebrates its 10th anniversary with illuminated artworks from 20th-31st January. Brave souls can take icy swims at Tooting Bec Lido or Parliament Hill Lido to raise money for homeless charity Crisis. Theatre enthusiasts can catch Sheridan Smith in Woman In Mind at The Duke of York's Theatre until 28th February, with tickets from £40.
As London continues through its coldest months, these culinary destinations and activities provide perfect opportunities to find warmth, comfort, and community throughout the capital.
