LDNGuide
13 Great Restaurants Near Oxford Circus For A Post-Shopping Meal
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
All Londoners are contractually obligated to describe Oxford Circus as a consumerist pit of despair. But where will you find us on 23rd December or when the summer sales kick off? Marching down New Bond Street, carrying 18 bags with pointed elbows at the ready. Because there’s no denying that when it comes to some heavy-duty retail therapy, there’s nowhere with as many options as Oxford Circus. But once you’re finished surveying the racks or ignoring those bleak notifications from your banking app, you need somewhere to refuel.
THE SPOTS
While Darjeeling Express has wildly outgrown its original supper club roots, when dinners were hosted in Asma Khan’s home, the Kingly Court Indian spot hasn’t lost its homely feel. And Asma still plays host, checking on diners and bringing raita to cool the excellently spicy Bengali aloo dam. The warm, terracotta room and intimate booths turn a casual lunch into a two-hour affair, and an after-work dinner into a stay-until-closing kind of night. Book dinner for the colourful thali set menu which is a highlight reel of Darjeeling Express’ best dishes, including the silky, orange-hued prawn malaikari.
This chic-looking Italian spot on Great Portland Street is a feel-good place where the pasta dishes are satisfying and ideal for post-shopping fuel. And you’ll almost certainly be able to get a last-minute table. During the day, it’s a bright, inviting space. In the evening, the dining room turns moody, quietly buzzy, with lighting that’ll make everyone five times more attractive. There’s a good selection of dishes too, so bring a group when someone wants a stand-up margherita and someone else wants to go fancy with the truffle ravioli.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Chishuru is a modern West African restaurant that’s so thrilling it manages to make Oxford Circus a destination we’re happy to go to. Its two-floor spot is spacious and warm all at once, with a menu featuring spices and sauces you’ll want to mainline. Moi moi with duck liver and a sour, pungent duck egg sauce stands out, but then so too does the rice-cream, ngalakh. The restaurant is sensational and whether you come for lunch or dinner, is a set menu affair. Don’t try to squeeze it in between visits to Zara and Mango, Chishuru deserves at least two hours of your time.
Serving everything from saucy little Nepalese momos to a standout smashburger, this big glossy space on New Oxford Street is a food hall from the people behind Bao and Gymkhana. It’ll work just as well for a tom yam mojito-fuelled post-shopping catch-up, as it will for an emergency round of Manna’s crispy chicken tenders when they don’t have your size in those coveted New Balances. You’re definitely going to want to get involved in North Indian pao buns from the Hero stall, and the deeply satisfying sate marrangi from Indonesian street food spot, Bebek! Bebek!.
photo credit: PASTAIO
After a tourist stopped directly in front of you to take a picture of a pigeon, and you encountered your fourth set of street dancers in under a mile, a vein you never knew you had is trying to break out of your temple. Before you physically implode, head to Pastaio near Carnaby Street. This place does great handmade pasta, and they’re open from 12pm until late. It can get a little busy around dinner time, but it’s a great spot to swing by mid-afternoon.
Everyone loves a party. Except maybe that Airbnb owner you woke up at 4am because ‘the keys ran away’. But mostly, everyone loves a party, especially the kind of grown-up, octo-hummus-charged party you’ll find at Middle Eastern spot The Palomar in Chinatown. It’s the perfect sign-off to a day of shopping, featuring several glasses of orange wine, dipping a chunk of kubaneh bread in tahini, and smiling when you meet everyone’s favourite party guest, the falafel.
photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch
Much like if you went to see Paul McCartney and left before he sang Blackbird, it would be exactly the same if you went to Sri Lankan spot Hoppers without getting involved in the headline act, their huge egg hopper. It’s the lovechild of a paper-thin pancake and the world’s sexiest bowl. As well as serving some stupidly tasty food, their whole exposed brick and warm light glow thing make it the perfect spot for a low-key Soho date or a proper catch-up with your favourite person.
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
Bao is a legendary Taiwanese restaurant that makes people say profound things like ‘fuck me up, this is delicious’. And yes, when we say ‘people’, we are referring to ourselves. A modern Soho landmark, this cool and casual restaurant’s Taiwanese classics should be at the top of your agenda. You absolutely need to order the pork confit bao, but honestly you could order the entire menu and not find a single dud. In case the stress of the wild, wild streets of W1 are getting to you, you should also know that they make a mean negroni.
photo credit: Kolamba
Do you like listening to those bedtime stories for adults where Stephen Fry or Harry Styles whisper things like ‘shh, go to sleep, you are not a terrible person’? Yes? Then Kolamba will be right up your street. It’s an incredibly zen, Sri Lankan restaurant on Kingly Street that serves punchy flavours with a side of relaxation and foliage. Although the sharing plates can be a little hit or miss, dishes like the parippu and crispy chilli cuttlefish are proper bangers. This is how we imagine spas to be if you got a dry-fried beef chatti roast instead of a massage—a trade we’d happily make any day.
photo credit: Ugly Dumpling
All dumplings are cute in our opinion, but seeing as we’re eternally hungry, we’re probably biased. That being said, this little corner restaurant has a menu that might get those ‘ALERT, ALERT, CENTRAL LONDON GIMMICK’ alarm bells ringing—think cheeseburger and cauliflower cheese dumplings—but they’re actually all very tasty. For the traditionalists, they’ve also got prawn or pork belly dumplings, and the platters for £15 make it perfect for a casual, mid-shop stop.
Outside of running for the bus when we’re a savage, sweaty hour behind schedule, shopping is our favourite form of cardio. Joe Wicks eat your bloody heart out, because these PE legends took the stairs in the Nike store. After tiring yourself—and your savings account—out, it’s time for a proper meal at Meraki. This Greek restaurant on Great Titchfield Street is a bit flash and a lot of fun. The atmosphere here is always 10/10 and importantly, so is the wine and the feta-packed courgette pasta.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Given we once left a party because there was a three-minute queue for the bathroom, the fact we’re willing to wait in line for the udon at Koya Bar should tell you a lot. This little corridor of a restaurant in Soho specialises in udon, and whether you go for some hot udon in cold broth or for a tempura donburi that we’ll probably request on our deathbed, you’ll be set for a seriously excellent—and affordable—meal. It’s also perfect if you’re heading to the theatre, or want a top alternative breakfast before work. You might have to queue but once you’re in, they’ll feed you fast.
photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch
This laid-back spot in Fitzrovia is that rare London restaurant that not only serves excellent sushi, but shockingly, it’s also relatively affordable given the quality of the fish. On the Sushi Atelier’s menu you’ll find everything from octopus carpaccio, to snow crab sashimi, to yellowtail truffle rolls, but our game plan here is to always go for one of the omakase selections or the sushi sets. Although we’re big fans of sitting up at the counter where the action is, if you’re rolling with a group there’s more seating downstairs.
