The Best London Restaurants for Solo Diners

It’s curious that the places filled with the most people are sometimes the best spots to explore alone. There’s something about a bustling crowd that allows you to slip into anonymity and quietly observe the world around you – and crowds don’t come much more bustling than at Borough Market. When you need a rest from its fun if chaotic energy, slip into Camille, a lovely bistro where the blackboard menu of classic French dishes provides the perfect refreshment. Counter seats up at the window are ideal for solo diners.

Lamb’s Conduit Street in Bloomsbury has become a much sunnier place since Honey & Co set up stall here. There is a calming feel to the surroundings, with plenty of counter seats that are perfect for solo diners. It’s an all-day spot, with a host of egg-based dishes and indulgent homemade cakes available for breakfast. The main menu, meanwhile, boasts vibrant Middle Eastern dishes that change seasonally, but the finely-made falafels and creamy, velvety hummus are ever-present.

While the food should always be the primary reason to choose a restaurant, it also helps to have some atmosphere – and when dining solo, a touch of people-watching can often help things along. Overlooking Grosvenor Square, Lucky Cat is just what you need, with a touch of glitz and glamour thrown in for good measure. Start things off with a cocktail, while taking time to look over the extensive menu that takes inspiration from multiple East Asian cuisines. The well-priced weekday lunch menu is an ideal pit stop for hungry shoppers.

A pub is often the perfect place for solo dining. You never feel alone and, historically, inns were places duty-bound to offer food and shelter to one and all. The Pig and Butcher started life in the mid-19th century, serving refreshment to cattle drovers taking livestock to Smithfield Market. While it looks every inch the ‘proper London pub’, it could just as easily be transported to the countryside and feel right at home. As expected, the in-house butchered meats are of top quality.

While it is possible, on occasion, to secure a single seat in the first-floor El Asador, you’d be hard pressed to do justice to the signature sharing dishes they offer. The ground floor Counter section is a much better option, however here they only take walk-ins, so arrive early or be prepared to queue. Watch the chefs in action in the open kitchen and choose from the roll-call of Spanish, tapas-style dishes. ‘Sabor’ translates as flavour, an appropriate name for dishes like their signature octopus, which simply melts in the mouth.

Sister to the MICHELIN-Starred Trinity that sits below, this more casual, excellently priced restaurant has been a hit since the day it opened. The counter seats at the window overlook Clapham Old Town and are ideal for single diners, with the high tables and stools by the open-plan kitchen also a great option. You would need some assistance devouring the larger plates they offer, but you’ll still have a wonderful time with the smaller versions that combine a range of international flavours and styles.

This former power plant just a few minutes’ walk from Victoria Station is something of a hidden gem. It’s bright and spacious with counter seating plus tables set amongst verdant trailing house plants. Produce from the owners’ farms in Somerset and Northumberland inspires the seasonal menus, while the chefs make good use of the wood-burning oven – their freshly baked flatbreads offered with various toppings are simply divine. They also sell a bespoke range of tableware in their neighbouring 'Wild Store'.