18 Best Restaurants To Take Your Parents in London

1. Enoteca Da Luca

Treat your parents to a night of Italian food, wines and warm hospitality. Enoteca da Luca’s cosy atmosphere and high-quality dishes make it an excellent option for showing your parents what London’s got on offer—and it’s incredibly reasonable in both price and portion size.

Championing the ‘piccolo e bello’ style—small and beautiful—this Italian wine bar and restaurant has three locations to choose from in London. From venison ragú to ricotta & spinach ravioli, it offers a menu that’ll please you and your parents.

2. The Laundry

The Laundry is your new go-to for weekend dining. Whether it’s the boozy brunch on Saturday or the award-winning roast on Sunday, this all-day restaurant and cafe is the perfect place to spend an afternoon catching up with your parents.

It’s traditional cooking with new world creativity and flair, serving innovative delights like roasted squash & sage tart, Confit duck, and smoked haddock, prawn & salmon fish pie. Don’t let the laid-back environment fool you, this menu means business.

3. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Are you looking to impress? Holding not one but two Michelin stars, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is a great place to show your parents the best of the best in London. Set inside the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, this world-famous restaurant provides a luxury dining experience—perfect for a special occasion.

The menu comes from the innovative culinary mind of acclaimed chef, Heston Blumenthal, and focuses on bringing the history of British cuisine to the present. From sherried scallops to brown bread ice cream, the recipes at this Michelin-starred restaurant in Knightsbridge date as far back as the 13th century. Perfect for luxury dining and endless opportunities to remind your parents how old they are—it’s a no brainer

4. The Blue Boar Pub

Fancy something a little more relaxed? Maybe something that’s a British classic? The Blue Boar Pub offers just that. It’s a modern British gastropub with character, flavour and comfort.

Try craft and international beers and ales, a diverse wine list, tempting cocktails and top-tier spirits before diving into the authentic menu. Think delicious bar snacks, classic pub mains and homely desserts. The type of food you could make, but never as well as the team at the Boar.

5. The Queen’s Arms

This one’s perfect if you’re not sure what the afternoon holds. With the downstairs acting as a traditional pub and the upstairs showcasing the best of traditional pub dining, The Queen’s Arms can be a quick stop on your itinerary or a sit-down meal for a cosy catch up. 

At just a 20-minute walk from Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, this classic London corner pub is a great place to rest your legs after a long day seeing the London sights.

6. Joe Allen

Find a slice of the Big Apple in London at Joe Allena New York-style bar and brasserie. From comfort food to classic cocktails, Joe Allen has everything you need for a fun evening out with your parents.

Enjoy live music on Wednesdays and Saturdays, iconic hotdogs and hamburgers and carefully crafted cocktails from Joe’s Bar. Gives your parents a glimpse at the exciting hustle and bustle of London’s dining scene without breaking the bank.

7. Vivat Bacchus

A walk-in cheese room? And a well-stocked wine cellar? It’s a parent’s paradise. And, if we’re honest, it’s ours, too.

With locations in London Bridge and Farringdon, Vivat Bacchus serves up South African dishes and steaks alongside London’s largest South African wine list. The menu is full of dishes you’ve definitely never tried before, including crocodile samosas, lamb shank potjie and ostrich fillet.

8. Chucs

Chucs is West London’s go-to all-day café and restaurant. With restaurants in Mayfair and Belgravia, and a collection of smaller café-only venues, it’s quickly become a staple in the affluent areas that make up West London. 

Treat your parents to a luxurious lunch or dinner that doesn't try too hard. The menu is wide-ranging and reasonably priced given the location, with options spanning from a four-cheese pizza to pan-fried sea bream.

9. The Telegraph

Enjoy stellar service, hearty pub classics and local ales at The Telegraph. Located near Richmond Park and Putney Commons, this one’s perfect for if you’ve planned a day trip to the London countryside. 

Its outside dining area is accessible no matter the weather, with the terrace-spanning awning and overhead heaters ensuring you’re neither wet nor cold as you dig into your dinner. It’s also a dog-friendly venue, so your parents have no excuse not to bring your beloved, much-missed family dog, too.

10. Humble Grape

Another favoured place with multiple locations across the great city of London, Humble Grape is a cosy spot for small plates, good service and drinks with the parents. Known for its impeccable wine list, scrumptious Sunday roast and inviting atmosphere, Humble Grape offers a relaxed ambience for catching up with the rents. 

Start off with a couple of small plates—think cajun prawns and pressed pork belly—before moving onto one of the mouthwatering mains, like the rump fillet, dry-aged tomahawk, or herb-crusted cod. Whatever you pick, make sure to ask the server for a wine pairing—it can be tough to pick on your own when you’ve got over 450 sustainable wines to choose from.

11. Goodman

Not only is Goodman one of our best restaurants for a business lunch in London but it’s also a top-tier steakhouse to enjoy that free steak courtesy of the BoMaD (Bank of Mum and Dad). There are three conveniently positioned locations to choose from, all of which embody Goodman’s philosophy: ”great steak, great wine, great people”.

There’s plenty to choose from off the extensive à la carte menu, or you can opt for something off ‘The Cut’—the daily specials board that’s put together by the chef depending on what beef is currently at its absolute peak. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner, just make sure you’re ready for a good feed.

12. The Wolseley 

The Wolseley is an all-day café-restaurant combining British heritage with European grandeur. Located right beside the Ritz Mayfair, this historic establishment is renowned for its spectacular interior, excellent food and seamless service—check, check and check when it comes to the parental list of restaurant approval.

The menu is extensive, with something to please every palate, and there’s even a prix-fixe menu with some delightful dishes to choose from. If you miss the main lunch or dinner service, you can choose from the all-day menu which—while less extensive—still offers ample crowd-pleasers.

Looking for other places to try in Mayfair? Check out our list of the top 6 restaurants in Mayfair to try.

13. Les 110 de Taillevent London

In the mood for fancy French cuisine? Bien sûr! Les 110 de Taillevent won’t disappoint, and is a refined bistro experience to share with ta maman and ton papa.‍

The 110 in the name refers to the 110 different wines you can order by the glass. No more negotiations on which bottle to order for the table—you and your parents can all pick and choose as you please.

It’d be easy for the endless wine list to overshadow the menu at a place like this, but not at Les 100 de Taillevent. From cherry-glazed duck breast to an Iberico and duroc pork duo, the menu holds its own against a jaw-dropping wine list. In fact, the two go hand-in-hand, with each dish coming with its own suggestion list for finding the perfect pairing.

14. Bancone

Bancone offers some of the best pasta in town across three vibrant locations: Borough Yards, Golden Square, and Covent Garden. With its buzzy, informal vibe, it’s the perfect spot for a laid-back lunch or dinner that’s bound to impress.

The menu changes weekly, keeping things fresh and exciting, but one thing remains constant—their pasta is incredible. Each dish is made by hand daily, offering a flawless blend of simplicity and flavour. From rich kale creations to standout king prawn dishes, Bancone’s nine pasta options ensure there’s something to tempt every palate.

15. Cantinetta Antinori 

Taste Tuscan hospitality just off Sloane Street at Cantinetta Antinori. This cosy restaurant offers all-day Italian dining with signature dishes highlighting both traditional and contemporary Tuscan recipes.

The menu boasts a wide variety of antipasti and cured meats, and plenty of top-notch mains to discover. The best time to visit is on a Friday or Saturday, when the groovy live jazz provides the perfect distraction for when your parents inevitably ask you a question you’d rather not answer.

16. 1905

Named after the date of Crete’s historic revolution, 1905 is the first Cretan restaurant to open outside of Greece, and an embodiment of the Cretan way, which prioritises family values, simplicity and nature.

The menu honours traditional, home-cooked Cretian dishes like antikristo goat and dakos salad. From a simple beer at the bar to a platter of their classic cuisine, 1905 is one of the best restaurants to take your parents to in London—it’s all about good food shared with loved ones.

17. Lima Cantina

If your parents are visiting from afar, treat them to something a little different—like Peruvian food. Lima Cantina, located in Fitzrovia, serves up authentic Peruvian favourites in a colourful, relaxed environment.

Offering flavoursome dishes inspired by markets and home-cooked meals in Peru, Lima Cantina serves up traditional tastes to remember. The traditional pollo a la brasa (grilled chicken) shouldn’t be overlooked for its simplicity, it’ll knock your (and your parent’s) socks off.

18. Hawksmoor

A visit from the parents often means (free) steak is on the menu. If that’s the plan, one of Hawksmoor’s seven London steakhouses should be top of your list. Whether you head to Knightsbridge or Shoreditch, Canary Wharf or Piccadilly Circus, Hawksmoor’s menu revolves around the very best ingredients on offer.

Whilst steak is the obvious pick, you’re not short of other delicious options to choose from—such as roasted hake, charcoal chicken piri-piri, or a crowd-pleasing mixed grill that offers a little of a lot. Just make sure to go big on the sides—they’re show-stoppers all on their own.