Best restaurants in Chelsea: where to eat and drink

Tasting menus are the way to go, with or without wine pairings. The signature Expedition menu (£75 per person) delivers six dishes, plus tadka dal, breads and rice. Plump, pink prawns are elevated with a dusting of coconut, sesame and peanuts. The richness of salmon tikka – so tender it’s spoonable – is off-set by pickled radish. Tandoori lamb chop – the star of the menu – is as fat as a cushion and just as luxurious, marinated with smoky black cumin. Then, choose between the nation’s favourite, chicken tikka masala, or spicy duck madras, with a hint of tamarind sourness. Finish with an unctuous date pecan pudding or refreshing pineapple and coconut. Apparently, the 2022 British Restaurant of the Year winner attracts the likes of Ed Sheeran, James Blunt, Pierce Brosnan and Roger Federer. Clearly, celebs of impeccable taste! kutir.co.uk

Fantomas, King's Road

Every inch of this beautifully designed and lit restaurant is intriguing, from its intimate cocktail bar, open kitchen and wine wall to the private dining space behind a prominent curtain.

There’s fascination on the plate, too. Chris Denney’s menu shows influences from Europe, Asia and beyond. Snacks range from a robust focaccia with a sublime chicken liver pâté for the table to a dashi broth spiked with mustard oil. There are savoury, salty and tangy flavours in veal sweetbreads with bulgogi and sour cabbage; and a delicate wild seabass carpaccio with jalapeño and kalamansi; iberico pork chop with quince and lime is topped with black radish; celeriac is made into something special with hollandaise and shaved truffle. And more surprises on the wine list – smart pairings include a sparkling shiraz with chocolate log and jerusalem artichoke ice cream. fantomas.co.uk

Three Little Darlings, Pavilion Road

Jason and Irha Atherton’s ‘English bistro’ is named for their three daughters. Its all-day menu appeals equally to families, to groups of friends and for date nights, with seasonal variations and sensible pricing to encourage regular visits.

Choose your spot on the covered terrace off Pavilion Road or take a seat in front of the pass and watch the chefs cooking on the Josper grill. Sharing small plates include woodfired fermented Orkney scallop with fermented miso; char siu Shorthorn short ribs; octopus with butter bean aïoli and Yukon Gold cooked in the embers with Lincolnshire Poacher – a posh twist on a cheesy baked potato. The quality of ingredients elevates the experience and surprising twists are designed to delight: monkfish tail is served with a wedge of vibrant Baches citrus; and skate wing schnitzel with katsu sauce and lime. Desserts range from comforting to luxe – bun and butter pudding or soft serve topped with caviar. The wine-curious may be rewarded with a trip to the secret cellar. threedarlingslondon.com

Three Little Darlings interior, featuring plush pink velvet chairs, golden lighting and a sleek bar

The Butcher’s Tap and Grill, Tryon Street

A meat chamber filled with labelled cuts is the first sign that this is no ordinary boozer. The London outpost of Tom Kerridge’s pub joins the Marlow original in offering superior steaks and sauces: prime bone in ribeye with jalapeño mayo and truffle fries enjoyed in a leather booth feels right in this smart neighbourhood just three minutes from Sloane Square and shopper’s paradise King’s Road. True to its pub roots there are chops, burgers, kebabs and hot dogs, real ales and beer on tap, and sport on the TV screens. Tom has a knack for making everyone welcome, from locals popping by to collect a Friday night takeaway to destination diners and football fans catching the match over a pint or two. thebutcherstapandgrill.co.uk/chelsea

Bottarga, King's Road

On a corner spot on the King’s Road, this Greek restaurant is a visual treat: cleverly lit, with playful modern art. Lovingly sourced ingredients in hero dishes ensure food is the focus, best enjoyed at a counter seat along the open kitchen. Silky taramasalata is topped with cod’s roe; anchovies served with sheep’s milk butter and slivers of crisp flatbread are a must-order; signature dish bottarga orzo is creamy and rich, perfectly paired with lamb and a superior Greek salad with caper leaf, barrel-aged feta and rusks. While chef Tzoulio Loulai sources ingredients from his homeland, the menu is not slavishly Greek: chocolate burnt cheesecake and salted caramel is a big hit on Instagram. A Greek house soundtrack ensures a buzzing atmosphere. bottarga.london

Bottarga's dimly lit space, featuring long candles placed on each table, white tablecloths with modern art adorning the walls

The Pig’s Ear, Chelsea

The new incarnation of the pub that’s been around since 1870 focusses on all the good stuff: oysters, Sussex beer, wine from owners the Gladwin brothers’ Nutbourne vineyard and seasonal veg from their farm, pies, hearty Sunday roasts. Snacks to kick off are a little more refined: devilled quail’s eggs and signature mushroom Marmite eclairs borrowed from the Gladwins’ other restaurant menus, and alongside comfort puddings is the must-order bun filled with meadowsweet cream and salted caramel. The curated set menu pairs six seasonal dishes with Nutbourne, French and Italian wines. Eat in the chandeliered but informal and cosy bar or the more sedate upstairs dining room. pigsearpub.com

The Campaner, Chelsea Barracks

Hidden within the new Chelsea Barracks development and opposite the stunning Garrison Chapel, The Campaner offers an exciting Catalonian menu. When the sun’s out, there’s an ample terrace to people-watch and enjoy the dining experience alfresco. It’s rare in London to find somewhere so close the hustle and bustle of city life while remaining peaceful. The menu has a good selection of dishes with a grounding in Catalan cuisine. Particular favourites were the iberian ham croquetas which had the perfect balance between ham and cheese in the filling as well as the seafood salpicón salad and ajoblanco, which was like a chopped seafood salad full of fresh summer flavours. For meat lovers, the iberian pork rice with brava sauce is a great sharing dish with smoky, perfectly cooked pork and a handful of jalapeños on top to give you true Spanish flavours. To finish, the pa amb oli I xocolata is a lovely, rich chocolate ganache, or the strawberry mille-feuille is a fresh way to finish, especially during the summer months. Ask for a view of the church to give you Spanish village vibes, especially when the sun is shining. thecampaner.com

Azzurra, Sloane Street

With its plump, stripy banquettes, seafood bar and striking trawler net sculpture, this elegant restaurant evokes memories of sunnier climes. It is your portal to southern Italy on Chelsea’s Sloane Street. Exec chef Andrea Mura’s menu pairs impeccable British seafood with gourmet Italian ingredients, not least in a dish of lorighittas, a twisted, hooped pasta from Andrea’s native Sardinia: “One of the few in the world that cannot be made by machinery.” It is served with octopus cooked in a Calabrian chilli and Datterini tomato sauce, finished with parsley emulsion and Sardinian olive oil. azzurrarestaurant.co.uk

The interior at Azzurra, including stripy banquettes, a seafood bar and a trawler net sculpture in the middle of the space

Elystan Street, Elystan Street

Elystan Street comes from restaurateur Rebecca Mascarenhas and chef Phil Howard, previously of The Square in Mayfair. Open all day, it serves “delicious, clean, ingredient-led dishes, full of natural vitality,” according to Phil, in an elegant space designed by Clare Nelson. It’s a 64-seat dining room with near floor-to-ceiling windows lining two walls, blue and soft salmon coloured chairs, and teal leather banquettes. The food is modern British, with dishes typically including smoked mackerel velouté with Porthilly oysters, leek hearts and eel toast; fillet of cod with lightly curried cauliflower purée, golden raisins, coriander and lime; and roasted figs with goat’s milk ice cream, lemon and thyme fritters and olive oil. There’s also a dedicated lunch menu and an elevated Sunday lunch menu – roast chicken thigh comes with chou farci, chanterelles, slow cooked leeks and truffled consommé. elystanstreet.com

Wulf & Lamb, Pavilion Road

It’s no surprise that Sloane Square vegan restaurant Wulf & Lamb has gained such a big following given head chef Franco Casolin used to work at the groundbreaking vegetarian restaurant Vanilla Black. Among Wulf & Lamb’s most popular dishes are the chilli ’non’ carne (made with kidney beans and mushrooms served on herb rice with cashew soured cream and lime) and the Wulf burger, a ‘meaty’ patty made with marinated seitan and cashew aïoli.

“We believe that food should be delicious, guilt-free and make you feel good,” says owner Rosanna von Zweigbergk. “With the growing interest in the benefits of a plant-based diet, more and more people are discovering that vegan food isn’t restrictive or boring but very tasty, indulgent and diverse.” wulfandlamb.com

The Five Fields, Blacklands Terrace

Tucked just off London’s Sloane Square in Chelsea, the The Five Fields is a smart Michelin-staarred restaurant that aims to make the most of artisanal British produce, which includes using their own kitchen garden in Sussex. The intimate dining room is kitted out in soothing muted tones, with pretty glass panels and touches of gold. The kitchen is headed up by Taylor Bonnyman from the two Michelin-starred Corton in Tribeca, NewYork. The menu, although seemingly simple, is created to showcase the fantastic quality of the ingredients and superb cooking. fivefieldsrestaurant.com

Rabbit, King's Road

This King’s Road farm-to-fork restaurant has had a glow-up, now with added robata grill and rotisserie to add an extra sense of theatre to this always-heaving dining room.

Continuing to offer countryside classics, its original small plates concept has been replaced with more robust, bistro-style mains like chilli glazed pork with pickled red cabbage; spiced cauliflower and mixed wild mushrooms; and venison haunch with celeriac. Signature snacks remain – Marmite éclair with egg confit and cornichon is a one-bite wonder; as is a whipped cod’s roe rice cracker. Puddings – sticky toffee, chocolate mousse, vanilla set cream – are gloriously rich and unpretentious.

Owned by the Gladwin brothers, of Sussex’s Nutbourne Vineyards, the wine list features their own sparklings. The Daily Loosener cocktail, which might be a sloe gin and Aperol with soda, reflects the team’s playful ethos, albeit underpinned by a more serious commitment to sustainably across all aspects of the restaurant. rabbit-restaurant.com

The Fuji Grill at Beaverbrook Town House, Sloane Street

Take a counter seat to see sushi master Goemon Ishikawa at work as he prepares an exquisite omakase (chef's choice) menu at this plush new Chelsea hotel. Around 20 bite-sized dishes are prepared with skill, precision and imagination and offered with short introductions and suggested wine pairings. From the first dish of red bream with pickled kohlrabi through to a dinky dessert of matcha cake with poached pear, there are intriguing combinations of Japanese and British ingredients. Highlights are hamachi with smoked aubergine purée and caviar; texturally interesting squid and cauliflower; home-smoked salmon and British finger lime; and six-day dry-aged akami zuke, chu toro and o toro (tuna). The meal closes with a 'cheese' course of ankimo (monkish liver) with chutney and fennel cracker and a bowl of delicate clear broth. While the entrance to the restaurant is through the lively hotel bar, the restaurant itself is quieter and soothingly art deco in style with walls featuring pictures of Mount Fuji. There are two sittings, 6pm and 8.30pm, with counter space for just six guests. beaverbrooktownhouse.co.uk