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The Cool List: 9 Restaurants That Aren’t ‘Hot’ But Are Definitely Still Cool

Restaurants tend to get blown up for a while, until everyone decides to move on. Let’s not allow that to happen. Here are 9 places to revisit.
The Cool List: 9 Restaurants That Aren’t ‘Hot’ But Are Definitely Still Cool image

photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch

We get asked all the time about the best new restaurants in town, and for that, we can direct you over to our Hit List. But what about the places that blow up for a few months, only for the hype machine to then die down? A lot of these places are still amazing, even if every self proclaimed expert on Twitter isn’t fawning over them any more.

With that in mind, here’s our Cool List, featuring ten restaurants that aren’t new but are still definitely worth your time and attention. They might not be ‘hot’ anymore, but they definitely are still cool.

The Spots

photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch

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Wine Bar

Hackney

$$$$Perfect For:Catching Up With MatesDrinking Good WineDrinks & A Light BiteSmall PlatesWalk-Ins
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P. Franco is the Clapton wine shop that anyone who thinks they’re anyone, and says things like that, has been banging on about for past twelve months or so. They’ve recently opened their first fully fledged restaurant which we absolutely love, and that means the original isn’t quite as hot as before. But, it’s still very cool. So cool that it is, in fact, still a bit toasty. Especially when you’re trying to find a spot to stand with a glass of Burgundy. This place is still the number one of wine bar / small plates restaurants, and we don’t think that will change for a long time.


These guys are yet another story of street food done good, but these days they’re firmly established as one of, if not the, best BBQ restaurant in London. Their brisket bun remains the best hunk of meat between bread you can get in London for under a tenner, and really, that’s just for starters. Wait till you get onto the ribs and the roasted aubergine and the charred greens. As long as their food remains shithot, this place will always be cool in our books.


It’s safe to say that locals who were worried about Naughty Piglets and the gentrification of Brixton have taken to this like an old school establishment. It’s a sharing plates thing with an inventive French-fusion approach and, as if you couldn’t guess, they’re big on wines as well. You’ll feel at home as soon as you walk in here, even if you’re not part of the neighbourhood.


Most tapas bars in London are actually just Spanish-themed restaurants serving small plates, but Jose is the closest you’ll get to an actual tapas bar. Like in Spain, everything arrives on little plates, it’s always packed, and you’ll either eat standing or sat on a bar stool. The atmosphere and food are both great, and it’s been one of the best Spanish restaurants in town since opening back in 2011. The menu’s simple but everything you eat - from croquetas to a plate of jamon or anchovies - will always be of the highest quality. While it’s still not as insanely rammed as it used to be, it still gets busy, so try to get there early.


If Begging Bowl had opened in Spitalfields six months ago, then there’s a good chance that everyone and their granddad would be falling over themselves to eat there. Despite being a bit further away in Peckham, the modern Thai food here is just as good as its better-known counterparts in central London, and you should absolutely plan a trip to South-East London to eat their incredible salads and curries. While they don’t take bookings, it’s easy enough to get a table as a walk-in.


Bistrotheque is a classic East London restaurant that was doing banging cabaret nights and lush brunches back when places like Beagle were merely a twinkle in someone’s eye. It’s still an original as far as hangs out East go, and the whitewashed warehouse setting and French-leaning food feel as fresh as they did years ago. Brunch is a classic move - when you’re three cocktails deep and the pianist starts playing Strawberry Fields, there isn’t a better place to be at the weekend.


A restaurant with small plates and a natural wine list seems to open every other day in London, but Brawn in Shoreditch was one of the first, and it’s still one of the best. The modern European food here like scallop crudo or a textbook panna cotta is simple and excellent, and it’s the kind of thing we could eat every day. It’s a popular neighbourhood hangout, and we like it for a leisurely lunch or for a glass of wine and a plate of pasta at any time of day.


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While Moro’s little sister Morito Hackney is the newer, hipper spot, this classic Spanish/North African restaurant has been packed with real adults for over 20 years, serving an ever-changing menu of things like cuttlefish kofte and wood-roasted skate with pilaf. Go with a few friends, order a good bottle of wine, and pretend that you’re all at a terribly sophisticated dinner party. You are in Islington, after all.


Gathering a few friends for Korean BBQ is always a good idea, because little truly says ‘friendship’ like trusting each other with several rounds of hard liquor and an open fire. To that end, Koba does the best one in central London. Compared to the average barbecue spot, the higher prices are justified by the fact that you’ll eat food that’s better, and in a space that’s been kitted out with futuristic induction fans so you don’t go home smelling of smoke. The seafood BBQ is excellent, and don’t miss the pajeon pancake and the spicy beef stew.


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Suggested Reading

London’s Best Restaurants For Dinner With The Parents image

London’s Best Restaurants For Dinner With The Parents

A guide to the best London restaurants to eat with your parents. Lots of comfy seats and plush dining rooms ahead.

Elliot’s image
8.6

Elliot’s in London Bridge is a class act, from the drinks and food to the service.

The airy interior of Brawn with wine bottles hanging on a large rack on the wall, large windows, small wooden tables, and white walls.
8.4

Brawn on Columbia Road might be one of the city’s best neighbourhood restaurants. One that might even make you want to change neighbourhoods.

Som Saa image
8.1

Som Saa is a boisterious Thai restaurant in Spitalfields that lives for a spicy, big group blowout.

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