From authentic Mexican dining to classic British pub grub, here are the best restaurants in Chelsea to keep on your radar When it comes to good food, the London borough of Chelsea is a world unto itself.
Top Restaurants in Chelsea
Whether you’re craving fresh, authentic sashimi prepared by a renowned Japanese chef, or a hearty Sunday roast piled high with locally-sourced trimmings, you’ll find it in this upscale London neighbourhood. Here are our favourite restaurants in SW3
Rabbit
Rabbit is an intimate, busy culinary gem located on King’s Road, Chelsea . Opened by the Gladwin siblings – the masterminds behind The Shed in Notting Hill – Rabbit boasts an authentic farm-to-fork menu that’s crafted with foraged, wild and locally sourced produce. The fish on the menu is line-caught by British day-boats around Cornwall and Brighton, and the meat is sustainably reared on the family’s biodynamic farm in West Sussex.
The menu at Rabbit changes seasonally and makes use of small plates to encourage variety. If you’re craving a heavier meal, the restaurant serves one of the freshest Sunday roasts in Chelsea, which offers a meat-free option of confit celeriac. For the truly adventurous, you can try Rabbit’s special eight-course ‘Local & Wild’ tasting menu that offers creative, colourful dishes of wild game, foraged vegetables and other seasonal produce.
Many of the wines at Rabbit are sourced locally from the family’s vineyard in Nutbourne, which is where the owners of the establishment were raised. Whether it’s a date night, a family dinner, or you want to impress your guests – Rabbit is not a spot you’ll want to miss when in Chelsea.
Villa Mamas
Sunday roasts and British pub classics can wait because Villa Mamas is the best spot in Chelsea to indulge in the rich, sumptuous flavours of the Middle East and Mediterranean. The ‘mama’ of the venue is chef Roaya Saleh, a former banker born to Bahrani and Iranian parents, who first opened Villa Mama in Bahrain in 2012.
The Chelsea branch of Villa Mama opened up in 2017, and its menu is packed with authentic Gulf flavours and dishes including machbous, seabass sayadieh and freshly-chopped tabbouleh (not an easy find in London). Few places in the city serve hummus as fresh and authentic as Villa Mamas, which is best accompanied with homemade Arabic khubus bread and za’atar. The secret behind Villa Mamas’ bold flavours, according to Saleh, is the quality of the olive oil, which is sourced from family-run farms in Sicily.
In terms of atmosphere, Villa Mamas is a welcoming step outside of the cold city and into the warm Mediterranean. Expect beautiful tapestries, white tiles and lively chatter.
The Cagodan Arms
A truly stunning, quaint upscale pub in the heart of Chelsea, The Cadogan Arms reimagines classic British pub grub into something spectacular. On the menu you will find Jersey Rock Oysters, hearty Sunday roasts and inventive spins on classic appetisers like black pudding scotch eggs. If you have the time (and room left in your stomach) for a tipple, try one of Cadogan's creative cocktails, such as the Penicillin, which is mixed with 12-year Aberfeldy, Laphroaig quarter cask and ginger.
The Cadogan Arms exudes historic beauty, having first opened its doors in 1838. Inside, you will find dark woods, gorgeous stained glass panels and plush armchairs, evoking the feel of a classic private club. The pub reopened its doors in 2021, following restoration by JKS Restaurants, the people behind Lyle’s, Hoppers and The George, among others.
The Cross Keys
Another historic London public house, The Cross Keys is the oldest pub in Chelsea, first established in 1708. It was once a popular watering hole for famed patrons such as Dylan Thomas, Agatha Christie, Bob Marley and the Rolling Stones, but in 2012, the pub’s owner boarded up the windows and applied for permission to convert the venue into a private mansion. The local community campaigned against the idea, and it later reopened as The Cross Keys – a testament to the pub’s favourable standing.
Today, The Cross Keys serves up a rich, seasonal menu of locally-sourced food and drinks. It’s particularly known for its juicy Aberdeen Angus and Hereford Cross beef steaks, which are dry-aged for 35-days on the bone using Himalayan salt. The Sunday roasts are also a standout, with options such as Cameron Naughton pork belly and seasonal Wellington.
For those with a sweet tooth, this Chelsea pub serves up mouth-watering traditional desserts, such as toffee apple, fig and chestnut crumble, as well as a zesty clementine syllabub, served with boozy custard cream, treacle sponge and toasted almonds.
Vardo Chelsea
Vardo is a unique dining concept inspired by the iconic vardo wagons historically used by Romani travellers. Located in the centre of the Duke of York Square, Vardo is hard to miss: it sits in a circular, modern pavilion with panoramic glass windows and a lovely outdoor terrace. This hip, new venue is a great spot for any occasion, whether it’s a casual afternoon cake and coffee, boozy cocktails, or a special dinner.
Vardo brings a “no boundaries” approach to both its vibe and menu, featuring millennial favourites such as sourdough pizzas, in addition to more lavish dishes like squid ink tagliolini with baked cod. In terms of drinks, Vardo shakes (or stirs) up beautiful classic cocktails with an eclectic spin, including a cognac Old Fashioned, a Rhubarb gimlet and a Vardo espresso martini, which is made with caravan coffee syrup.
The Five Fields
Nestled in the heart of Chelsea, The Five Fields is an intimate, understated Michelin-starred restaurant that has quality food at its centre. The Michelin guide praised this venue for the freshness of its produce, much of which is grown and harvested from its own garden located on the fertile farms of Sussex. Items on the menu at The Five Fields include decadent fallow deer, roasted lobster tail with cabbage and Earl Gray, and seared scallop with cured roe.
The Five Fields is particularly commended for its extensive wine selection (43 pages in length), which features rare bottles from the Middle East, Europe and South Africa. If truly excellent, beautifully presented food is what you look for in a restaurant, The Five Fields will not disappoint.
Dinings SW3
Dinings SW3 offers the freshest, most authentic sushi and sashimi in Chelsea, sourced locally from the crisp waters of Cornwall. Opened and led by Masaki Sugisaki, a traditionally-trained Japanese chef, Dinings SW3 presents authentic Japanese cooking techniques with a ‘European twist’. Some of the more interesting items on the menu include the steamed mini burger buns, which are filled with native blue lobster, yuzu emulsion and amazu pickled shallot, or Japanese Wagyu beef, which is sourced from Honshu.
The quality of food served at Dinings SW3 is unparalleled, but the restaurant is about more than food. Dinings SW3 operates on the principle of “Omotenashi”, which refers to the Japanese concept of warm hospitality and mindfulness. Dining SW3 also offers a range of unique culinary experiences, such as green tea tasting, grill-to-tail events and no-corkage Mondays.
Ixchel
It’s hard to find authentic Mexican food in London, but Ixchel in Chelsea is exactly that. Founded by Mexican chef Ximena Gayosso Gonzalez, Ixchel brings beauty, creativity and hard-hitting flavour to its menu. While other eateries in London are focused on tapas-style small plates, Ixchel offers large plates that are fit for sharing, reflective of a more communal style of eating.
On the menu you’ll find a range of flavour-packed options including sea bass in pipián verde, sage butter, chochoyotes and fennel, as well as short ribs cooked in smoky adobo with pineapple salsa. Ixchel is also a tequila bar and is famed for its eclectic selection of margaritas and mezcal flights.
Named after the Mayan goddess of the moon, the interiors of Ixchel are notably impressive. Dim, warm lighting fixtures evoking the lunar phases stand over the tequila bar, and cosy, ambient booths are carved into the walls. It’s truly a venue you won’t forget.
Chelsea is a borough that’s rich with culture and culinary delights, and there’s a venue for every occasion, from on-the-go pub grub to special graduation dinners. Enjoy some classic fish and chips in historic venues like The Cross Keys, or treat yourself to a unique eight-course tasting experience at Rabbit. Whatever you choose, you’ll be pleased.
