Is there any city that does fusion food better than London? Practically every restaurant – bar a few staunch French, Italian, or Japanese places – borrows influences from other cuisines, rendering the entire city a giant hotpot of flavours and cultures. So, we thought it high time we created a comprehensive guide to London’s best fusion food – a cheat sheet, if you will – that you can refer to whenever you’re in the fusion mood. Here's our top 10.
Jikoni
You’ll find Ravinder Bhogal’s ‘no borders kitchen’ sitting pretty in pink on Marylebone’s Blandford Street. It’s an eclectically decorated space that feels like a family home – Russian dolls, framed photos, and all. The food mixes flavours from South Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, and Britain, with a focus on family-style dishes that are at once familiar and creative – see the prawn toast scotch egg as perfect, meaty evidence. Don’t miss the bacon and mushroom bread and butter pudding on the revamped brunch menu – the most decadent reason to get out of bed.
19–21 Blandford St, W1U 3DH
Los Mochis City
The world needed more Los Mochis. Which is why we’re thrilled the beloved Notting Hill restaurant has just opened its second site – and it’s a serious upgrade. It’s a huge, multi-roomed space on the ninth floor of 100 Liverpool Street, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking over St Paul’s Cathedral, a huge central bar, and a roomy outdoor terrace. Foodwise, it’s more of the same Mexican-Japanese blend – go for the tasting menu for the full experience, and don’t miss the trailer park chicken tacos.
9th Floor, 100 Liverpool St, EC2M 2AT
Angelina
Offering one of the more unique fusions on this list, Angelina blends Italian and Japanese influences on its 13-course tasting menu – served in a chic, minimal space just off Kingsland Road. What’s most intriguing about this pairing is these two cuisines usually have a reverent focus on authenticity and produce, but Angelina playfully splices them together whilst using British produce. The menu changes every week, but the stuffed pastas are a consistent highlight – as are the creative desserts.
56 Dalston Ln, E8 3AH
Bar des Prés
It’s hard to pin down the various influences at Cyril Lignac’s Albermarle Street restaurant; there’s a bit of French, a bit of pan-Asian, and a dollop of Italian for good measure. The resultant creations, though, are delivered with deadly accuracy – try the miso aubergine to witness the reformation of a classic aubergine melanzane parmigiana, or the crunchy crab and avocado galette if you photograph your food before eating it.
16 Albermarle St, W1S 4HW
Sumosan Twiga
There’s more than one fusion going on at Sumosan Twiga. First, there’s its name, a fusion of existing Japanese restaurant Sumosan and hospitality brand Twiga. And then there’s the menu, which features Sumosan’s existing (and excellent) Japanese dishes and an additional Italian section that’s all risotto and ravioli and burrata. The two cuisines don’t altogether meet (you essentially choose between one or the other), but it’s still a glam, lively place to catch up with friends over sushi and spaghetti.
165 Sloane St, SW1X 9QB
Nobu Restaurant Portman Square
It’s hard to describe the influence of Nobu Matsuhisa’s fusion food in a few words. So, we’ll instead use a few of his now-iconic creations: black miso cod, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño, and spicy tuna crispy rice. Whilst you’ll find iterations of these dishes at most Japanese restaurants in the city, the originals were devised by Nobu in the ‘90s as part of his quality-focused fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisines. If you’ve – somehow – never been, order a selection of classics and a shot of Nobu tequila – even the spirits are of the highest quality here.
22 Portman Square, W1H 7BG
Amazónico
It’s impossible not to have a good time at Amazónico. The self-styled journey through the Amazon is a riot of tropical interiors and samba-filled soundtracks that feel worthy of its Berkeley Square location – and the food is just as fun. Dishes span the entire Amazon region, meaning you could be eating ceviche, empanadas, or skirt steak, served with lashings of chimichurri or coriander sauce. Plus, it’s just launched a Japazónico lunch menu that throws a few Japanese dishes into the mix, as well.
10 Berkeley Square, W1K 6BR
COYA Mayfair
Gold-splashed, marble-topped, salsa-soundtracked. COYA is possibly one of the glitziest fusion restaurants in London – and its food certainly feels fit for a fiesta. The menu explores Peruvian cuisine and its Japanese and Spanish influences, turning out dishes like lobster and prawn gyozas, Peruvian-style sashimi, and Nikkei rice. Make sure you go on a Thursday for one of its legendary, DJ-led parties – order a pisco sour, and you’ll fit right in.
118 Piccadilly, W1J 7NW
Ikoyi
It’s almost a misnomer to describe Ikoyi as a fusion restaurant – it’d probably be more accurate to describe it as having created a new cuisine altogether. Still, there is fusion present in the intermingling of West African spices and hyper-seasonal British produce – and there are often dishes inspired by chef Jeremy Chan’s global travels. It’s tasting menu-only, has two Michelin stars, and is housed in a gorgeously copper-toned dining room – what are you waiting for?
180 Strand, Temple, WC2R 1EA
SUSHISAMBA
Japan meets Brazil at SUSHISAMBA, meaning you’ll meet plates like black cod anticuchos and crispy yellowtail taquitos. There are two locations to choose from – go for Covent Garden if you prefer a bit of buzz, or Heron Tower if you like your sushi with a side of city views. And if you do head out east, make sure to slink into the glitzy new SAMBAROOM cocktail lounge before or after your meal.
(L) Heron Tower: Heron Tower, Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY | (R) Covent Garden: 35 The Mkt, WC2E 8RF
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