Chelsea's best restaurants

There’s been a lot of chatter about the so-called Notting Hill culinary revolution, but a few miles south, Chelsea has slowly been adding more and more excellent restaurants to its repertoire. Now, alongside institutions like Bibendum and Daphne’s, there are some edgier, modern spots doing really interesting things with food – places like Fantômas and Bottarga and Ixchel. So, here’s our pick of the best: next stop Sloane Square.  

Fantômas 

We’ll start at the end with Fantômas, because its puds genuinely save the best ‘til last. Which is quite an achievement, given that it’s preceded by squab pigeon paddling in mole sauce, cucumber-wrapped pork belly doused in hoisin, and truffle-topped celeriac. But the espresso savarin is a belter – a tiramisu rum baba mashup that’ll have borderline inappropriate sounds coming out of your mouth. The service is excellent, the wine list creative. And the orb-lit, open kitchen-percussed room? Movie-level romantic. Your next date night starts here.   

Three Darlings  

The most ‘Chelsea, darling’ restaurant on this list is by Jason Atherton, whose glam new bistro is inspired by his trio of daughters. Tucked in the elbow of Pavilion Road and coddled by cushion-clad gardens, the pale pink restaurant is slick and stylish, with plenty of pinks and a large open kitchen – the best seats look over it, amphitheatre-style. The menu is mostly easy eating, like Dingley Deli pork chops encrusted with a layer of char sui (best eaten with a few blobs of the creamy mash) and monkfish swimming in a classic meunière sauce.

Azzurra  

A boat-to-table restaurant? In Chelsea? Before you sound the alarm, these fish aren’t being plucked from the Thames; the team at Azzurra source their seafood from right across the British Isles, resulting in a fish-focused menu that feels straight out of Sicily. Get the scallops to start and the swordfish Milanese to share, and make sure you try the afettati misti, which is a mind-bending take on charcuterie made from fish. True seafood sorcery.  

Claude Bosi at Bibendum

A classic. Claude Bosi’s double Michelin-starred spot sits on the upper floor of Michelin House, complete with a stained-glass window of the Michelin man himself in the vaulted ceiling. It’s a fine dining restaurant through and through, from the white tablecloths to service so precise it feels like a choreographer was involved. The bold, assured cooking shows off Bosi’s best techniques – everything feels very rich and very French, including the best tarte tatin in town.  

Bottarga  

On the hunt for a new neighbourhood hangout? Head to Bottarga – you’ll find what you’re looking for where Chicama used to be. It shares some similarities with Notting Hill’s zēphyr (they are sister restaurants, after all) but is more broadly Mediterranean than strictly Greek; zēphyr’s classic chilli-butter grilled fish is still on the menu, but there are plenty of new, head-turning dishes as well. Try the sesame-wrapped tapioca bites, the Greek-style meatballs with burnt butter potatoes, and one of the huge desserts.   

The Campaner 

If you’re in Barcelona and want the city’s best seafood paella, you go to Terraza Martínez. But you’re not in Barcelona. You’re in Chelsea, so you head to The Campaner, which is owned and operated by Los Reyes del Mango – AKA the group behind Terraza Martínez. It’s in the former Chelsea Barracks, so that’s ‘interesting architecture’ checked off the list, and it serves simple, seasonal, Spanish-inspired dishes designed to share – think rice, Josper-grilled meats, and Terraza Martinez's signature lobster and monkfish casserole.

Dinings SW3

When your restaurant is in a Grade-I listed former artist’s studio, you could simply let the building do the talking. But that’s not what chef/owner Masaki Sugisaki has in mind; his food is so impressive that it practically bellows its brilliance to the room. The menu is an evolution of typical izakaya-style cooking, mingling Japanese and European techniques with total mastery. The salmon is particularly buttery – no doubt because it’s sourced from Wester Ross Salmon, the oldest independently owned salmon farm in Scotland and an industry leader in best practices.  

Ixchel

Ixchel describes its concept as ‘infusing Chelsea with the authentic flavours of Mexico’. And whilst we doubt the team’s out there painting the Kings Road with mole, they have imported a load of Mexican flavours into the colourful, almost nightclub-like space. The yellowfin tuna tostadas are excellent (as are the crab, if they’re on the menu), and the oyster mushroom quesadilla is another highlight; rich with smoky flavour, it’s an ideal accompaniment for the avocado margarita. 

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay

Gordon Ramsay’s flagship restaurant is one of few places that can genuinely be described as iconic. And it’s also one of few across the globe to hold three Michelin stars. Tables dressed in white and crowned with feather-light glassware are poised amongst the Art Deco-inspired interiors – an elegant backdrop for the restaurant’s exceptional French cuisine. The menu was originally devised by Clare Smyth (also behind one of our favourite restaurants in Notting Hill) but is now led by Matt Abé. 

Daphne's

Daphne’s has been delighting diners since 1964. And no wonder: its bright, inviting dining room makes you feel like you’ve been teleported to Italy – citrus trees, flowers, and all. The comforting menu, led by Head Chef Michael Brown, is filled with Italian staples and complemented by specials like fresh white truffles during autumn and winter. Easy pasta pairs with its Italy-heavy wine list; don’t miss the prime selection of super Tuscans.  

Kutir

Simply put, Kutir is one of the best Indian restaurants in London. Set inside a stately town house (you need to ring a doorbell to enter), it’s cosy yet refined – two adjectives that could also describe its food. Each dish is simple yet zinging with flavours and spices, many of which are cultivated on-site. To build your feast, select a couple of dishes from each section (the truffle quail naan is calling to us) and dip into the wine list, which is lengthy and intentionally selected to pair with the rich and aromatic food. 

Josephine Bouchon

Un autre Claude Bosi! This time, he’s importing flavours from his native Lyon to London with this wonderfully French bistro that comes complete with wood panels, art cinema posters, and half-linen curtains. But despite the restaurant’s petite stature, the flavours are bold; there are grenouilles à l’ail (frog’s legs) to start, the aile de raie Grenobloise is a great alternative to the ubiquitous meunière, and wine is served by the metre rather than the glass. But the best bit? The fluffy chocolate mousse for dessert.