38 Outstanding London Restaurants Delivering During Lockdown

This list includes many of those which were on the Eater London 38 last winter, plus those which featured on past iterations. There are also notable additions from exciting restaurants who may or may not have pivoted, and continue - amid enormous uncertainty - to cook, create, and serve their local neighbourhoods: It will be updated on a regular basis as more businesses find ways to creatively adapt.

1. Tetote Factory

12 S Ealing Rd, Ealing
London W5 4QA, UK
020 8579 8391

One of the city’s best (Japanese) bakeries remains partially open, for pre-booked customers who must call 0208 579 8391 ahead. Card payment only. Check the website for up-to-date three-hour opening slots. A limited menu includes baguette; loaves of plain, black sesame, or walnut bread; butter rolls (5s); sausage rolls, and its famous sweet buns (melon, choco melon; or raspberry jam, currently.) Sadly no custard buns at the moment.

2. Santa Maria Pizzeria

15 St Mary's Rd
London, Greater London
+44 20 8759 1462

Ealing’s homage to Naples and one of London’s pioneering Neapolitan pizzerias is still delivering from its original site (and from Chelsea and Fitzrovia, as well). Flash-cooking in a wood-fired oven blisters the crust of these excellent pizzas, while the interior remains chewy and yields spectacularly. Toppings are almost accessories, given the quality of the base, but there too, there’s quality - nduja, fior di latte, the tomatoes. There’s no such thing as a bad time for pizza, but right now there’s something extra special about the receipt of one of the city’s finest.

3. Balady

750 Finchley Rd
London NW11 7TH, UK
020 8458 2064

The Temple Fortune sabich slinger opened its second restaurant, Alaesh next door mere weeks before lockdown. It’s taken it in its stride, with that sabich, one of the best sandwiches in the city, flying out alongside tubs of mafioso-smooth hummus and top-tier chips. Call for takeaway or order through the apps.

4. Gymkhana

42 Albemarle St, Mayfair
London W1S 4JH, UK
020 3011 5900

Mayfair’s Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Gymkhana returns with delivery from next week, offering the likes of tandoori masala lamb chops, butter chicken masala, and its trademark wild muntjac biryani. It will also offer a “Feast Menu for Two” - four courses includes the likes of gol guppas and aloo papri chaat, and kid goat methi keema. Delivering to central locations - Marylebone, Mayfair, Paddington, Knightsbridge, Victoria, Sloane Square, St John’s Wood, Camden, Primrose Hill, and King’s Cross - from Friday 22 May through the delivery platform Supper.

5. Gelupo

7 Archer St, West End
London W1D 7AU, UK
020 7287 5555

The iconic Soho gelateria is taking its ice cream to the streets, with flavours like ricotta with sour cherry and fresh mint stracciatella. A two tub minimum order makes the choosing less taxing, with delivery to all London postcodes.

6. Food House

48-36 Gerrard St
London W1D 5QQ, UK

One of a new wave of restaurants in Chinatown, Food House (風味食堂) is run by a younger generation of chefs and restaurateurs. Its hordes of immaculately dressed shoppers and students might be gone, but its hot pots, whole fish in chilli oil, numbing-spiced chongqing noodles, cumin-studded grilled skewers, and Chinese hamburgers can still be ordered for takeaway.

7. Old Chang Kee Covent Garden

15a New Row, Charing Cross
London WC2N 4PD, UK
020 7379 9235

Old Chang Kee’s approach to closure has been simple: take a single, unimpeachable item, and get it around the country to as many people as possible. Its Singaporean curry puffs arrive frozen in four varieties — chicken, chicken without egg, potato curry, and beef rendang - ready to burn greedy mouths. Frozen curries are also available, with delivery within 5 miles of Fitzrovia and much further afield, the latter requiring a £60 minimum order.

8. Master Wei Xi'An

13 Cosmo Pl, Holborn
London WC1N 3AP, UK
020 7209 6888

Master Wei, by London’s pre-eminent Xi’an Chinese chef Wei Guirong, is open for pre-order collection as well as delivery through multiple platforms: Biang biang noodle dishes, with vegetables or beef and hot chilli oil; fine liang pi, cold skin noodles with a cool, refreshing, umami rich dressing, and the chef’s inimitable “burgers” with a cumin-spiced beef or pork filling. It’s all availble.

9. Xi'an Impression London

117 Benwell Rd
London N7 7BW, UK
020 3441 0191

One of London’s most well-known Xi’an restaurants remains open for delivery and collection. Find some of the city’s best biang biang noodle dishes, liang pi, wood ear fungus salads, salt and pepper squid, and Chinese hamburgers. (Available for takeaway collection, seven days a week, plus delivery via Deliveroo.)

10. Delhi Grill

21 Chapel Market, Islington
London N1 9EZ, UK
020 7278 8100

Islington stalwart which for a decade has offered a fun take on the street food-style snacks of Delhi and the Punjab, Delhi Grill has reopened for takeaway. Chaats, samosas, lamb chops, and tikkas , and a selection of curries make for one of the most reliable bets in N1 right now. It also serves one of the best murgh makhanis (butter chicken) in the city. Try it. (Open for collection Monday – Friday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 12.30 p.m. to 10 p.m; delivery through UberEats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat.)

11. Roti Joupa Finsbury Park

20 Stroud Green Rd, Finsbury Park
London N4 3EA, UK
020 8062 8247

The only one of London’s famous Trinidadian roti specialist’s three branches still open - for takeaway only. Doubles: sandwiched fried barra filled with spiced chickpeas plus hot, sweet, and sour condiments are never not a good snack. For something more substantial, grab a dhalpuri (spiced lentil) roti, filled with curried goat or chicken; or that same, moreish chickpea curry which fortifies the doubles.

12. Top Cuvée

177B Blackstock Rd, Highbury
London N5 2LL, UK
020 3294 1665

A relative newcomer to north London’s new-wave clique has fully pivoted to wine and grocery store. Shop Cuvee — “born out necessity” — offers ready meals (terrines, soups, pastas, salads, and tarts) designed for different party sizes, a massive selection of low-intervention wine, cocktails, spirits, Vichy Catalan sparkling water, and deli items, such as tins of La Morena’s chipotle peppers in adobo. (Local bicycle courier same day, next-day U.K.-wide delivery; free shipping on orders over £50.)

13. Casa do Frango

1st floor, 32 Southwark St
London SE1 1TU, UK
020 3972 2323

Some of London’s best grilled chicken is now available via delivery. Casa do Frango make peerless Algarvian-style piri piri chicken, served with excellent fries, and a good crunchy, green pepper, tomato, and oregano salad. Available from London Bridge and Shoreditch via Deliveroo.

14. Rice Error by BAO

13 Stoney St
London SE1 9AD, UK

The inimitable Taiwanese restaurant brand that is Bao London has spent the last month fast-tracking the launch of a delivery service already on the cards. Rice Error, at the moment operating only out of the Borough site, launched this week with the customary Bao union of careful, arresting branding and fine ingredients immaculately arranged. Choose from four rice boxes, which use the award-winning Taiwanese chi shang variety: beef, chicken, prawn, or mushroom; and a selection of sides, including fried chicken or tofu.

15. Nandine - Camberwell Church St

45 Camberwell Church St, Camberwell
London SE5 8TR, UK
020 7703 3221

Nandine - “kitchen” in Kurdish - is run by Pary Baban, her husband Pola, and sons Rang and Raman. Its renowned mezze, including kubba (minced beef and rice patties), onion dolma, and qawarma, plus delicious, intricate pastries like borek - made with a Kurdish pastry called galgali - and baklava are available for collection or via delivery. (Call 02077033221 for take away and delivery to the local area.)

16. Tasty Jerk

88 Whitehorse Ln, South Norwood
London SE25 6RQ, UK
020 8653 3222

Possibly London’s best Jamaican jerk shop. On the edge of Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park, a smoky aroma detectable from many hundred metres, this stark room is still dedicated to one thing: immaculately, judiciously seasoned protein grilled without remorse. The age of these oil drums and the time-honoured expertise of Murphy Lawrence and his team turn out jerked pork belly, chicken, goat, and even lobster, that is penetrated with smoke, and lifted by all spice, scotch bonnet, and salt. Intoxicatingly delicious. (Open Monday - Saturday, midday - 11 p.m.)

17. Padella Shoreditch

1 Phipp St, Shoreditch
London EC2A 4PS, UK

Padella, the cult fresh pasta restaurant has returned with DIY meal kits, designed to be finished at home in five minutes. Just two options for now: tagliarini with tomato sauce, and the signature 48-hour beef shin pappardelle.

18. Esters

55 Kynaston Rd, Stoke Newington
London N16 0EB, UK

Esters is a cafe and a brunch location that does not serve avocado, out of principle. In other words, it’s a cafe — which verges into restaurant territory — with a little more ambition. Such ambition has been curtailed by this crisis but Esters is still delivering coffee to local customers — within a 10 minute walk of the site.

19. JOHNNY TAKE UE'

19 Hackney Rd
London E2 7NX, UK
020 7739 0301

This red box on Hackney Road serves Shoreditch’s best pizza by a stretch. Owner Giovanni establishes diners’ mood and tastes — do they seek classic, or do they wish to try a speciality of the house? Whether topped with scamorza and yellow Datterini tomatoes, or sweet, lurid fillets of San Marzano tomato and Provolone, Ciri’s impeccable dough is the star. Order via Deliveroo.

20. 40 Maltby St

40 Maltby St
Camberwell, Greater London
+44 20 7237 9247

A treasure. Unmoved by the comings and goings of trends, Bermondsey’s 40 Maltby St is a 40-cover answer to the question, pejorative as it may often be: What is great British food? Chef Steve Williams’ usual mode of answering that question is on pause, but a selection of solid pantry items; treats from the kitchen (gingernut biscuits, cheese straws, pastry); provisions and fresh fruit and veg from celebrated British suppliers; and Raef Hodgson’s Gergovie Wines’ full cellar are available even as the restaurant reopens.

21. Dumpling Shack

Old Spitalfields Market, Brushfield St, Shadwell
London E1 6BG, UK

John Li’s Spitalfields Dumpling Shack — which spans the cuisines of Shanghai, Sichuan, and Hong Kong - offers some of the best and most consistent takeaway food available anywhere in the east end, if not the whole city. It is now up-and-running for delivery, via Deliveroo and Slerp - sending out its trademark shengjianbao — pork and leek fried soup dumpling, hand-pulled noodles, and batches of chilli oil. Nice merch, too.

22. Beigel Bake

159 Brick Ln, Shoreditch
London E1 6SB, UK
020 7729 0616

Beigel Bake is probably London’s most storied bagel shop, and given its reputation stems from chasteningly direct service as much as warm, salt beef-stuffed parcels, it’s fitting that it eschews the delivery juggernauts for its own app.

23. The Laughing Heart

277 Hackney Rd, London, E2 8NA, London
Hackney E2 8NA, UK
020 7686 9535

One of Hackney’s best new-wave wine bars and restaurants is offering its complete — and very good — wine list at retail prices, delivering a changing list of hot food (and spreads), as well as meal kits to cook at home, including a selection of frozen dumplings. Its offering napkins, candles, and wine glasses, for those having deep withdrawal from the restaurant experience. (Enter a postcode into the online widget to see if you fall within the 3.5 mile radius. Pick-up from the restaurant available, too.)

24. Alhaji SUYA

15 Peckham Park Rd
London SE15 6TR, UK
07459 739273

“Indisputable king of suya in London” Abdullahi Maikano’s Nigerian suya spot is closed, but an online market place for his packaged kilishi — air-dried, spiced beef — is up-and-running. These lean pieces of chewy meat carry a little sweetness, which together with peanut fragments in the yaji seasoning, balances the intense chilli-heat. A proper snack. One of the umami fiends.

25. Pidgin

52 Wilton Way, Hackney
London E8 1BG, UK
020 7254 8311

One of Hackney’s smallest and most charming dining rooms has moved into full “at home” mode, with the recent launch of Homing Pidgin: Home meal kits for pre-ordered collection are announced on Sunday evenings at 9 p.m. for the following and need to be snapped up fast. Next week’s will include the likes of red pepper and tomato salad, chicken thigh with miso and sake sauce, asparagus, and jalapeño dulce de leche. Wine pairings are suggested, too, with the restaurant’s list available for takeaway, too.

26. Pollo Feliz

13-23 Westgate St, Hackney
London E8 3RL, UK
07479 478722

Michelle Salazar de la Rocha and Sam Napier have been making and bike-delivering 10-packs of pork fat, goose fat, and vegetable oil flour tortillas, a style of north west Mexico, since the start of lockdown. Not only are they easy to “cook” (just warm them and watch them inflate), they keep well (in the fridge or freezer), and they’re unusually versatile. Yes, make tacos with them at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. But try them with a curry, too. You won’t look back. Pack of 10 costs £5. Order from 25 September, when it reopens as Sonora.

27. OMBRA

1 Vyner St
London E2 9DG, UK
020 8981 5150

Another notable and significant restaurant-to-full-grocer pivot. Chef Mitshel Ibrahim’s Vyer Street trattoria is now a collection point and distributor hub for fresh pasta, fresh southern Italian fruit and vegetables, lots more of that low-intervention wine, pre-made negronis, and deli items, such as flour, yeast, eggs, olive oil, and some very nice tinned tomatoes. Good merch here, too; full details here.

28. Pho Thuy Tay Cafe

899 Old Kent Rd
London SE15 1NL, UK
020 3105 6453

One of London’s most accomplished Vietnamese restaurants, Thuy Nguyen’s Pho Thuy Tay may now be without the hardcore Hanoi blackboard specials that attracted south-east London’s Vietnemse students, but there is still a huge amount to love about the main menu which is available to pick up or order via Deliveroo. The pho is the best in the city, in the Northern crystalline style, but the pho chien trung is something rarely seen in London’s Vietnamese restaurants: noodles shaped into little rosti style patties and stir fried with beef, egg and vegetables. Don’t miss the beef and mustard green rice, the raw beef salad, or the pork belly stew, replete with one perfect and still runny deep fried boiled egg. (Thuy’s phone number is 0788102988 - order by text)

29. P. Franco

107 Clapton Road
London, Greater London
+44 20 8533 4660

Over the last four years, the carousel of rotating chefs at this Hackney wine bar and shop have been responsible for some of the capital’s most arresting gourmet artistry. Though an early pivot to food via delivery from across the P. Franco portfolio looked promising, the business decided it was unable to continue safely. Now, all the restaurant’s wines can be ordered for delivery online or can be collected from Bright, its sister restaurant in London Fields, with the menu in the hands of Seb Myers.

30. Etles Uyghur Restaurant

235 Hoe St, Walthamstow
London E17 9PP, UK
020 3620 6978

Mukaddes Yadikar’s acclaimed Uyghur restaurant, is Walthamstow’s finest neighbourhood restaurant. It remains open for takeaway and is delivering through Deliveroo. A great option both for smaller and larger households with dishes such as chaomian, a stir-fry of short, cut lengths of noodle wokked with chunks of of beef, spring onion and tomato; and the trademark da pan ji (‘big plate chicken’): a remarkably deep, savoury, and spicy chicken and potato stew, teeming with Sichuan peppercorns, served with flat hand-pulled noodles.

31. Singburi

593 High Rd Leytonstone, Leytonstone
London E11 4PA, UK
020 8281 4801

Chef Sirichai Kularbwong is still cooking. Singburi is operating for takeaway only with limited, scheduled collections, but the full menu, including weekly changing dishes from the famous specials blackboard, is available. The latter includes moo krob, twice-fried crispy pork belly with basil and chilli; steamed sea bass with ginger and shiitake mushrooms; and salt fish fried rice. Menu staples such as phad thai, wok-fried morning glory with garlic and fish sauce, and fiery, acidic tom yums are also available. (Contact the restaurant directly through Instagram at @Singburi_e11 for all orders.)

32. Kate's Cafe and Restaurant

174 Balaam St
London E13 8RD, UK
020 8586 6793

Kate Armah’s outstanding Ghanaian restaurant remains open for takeaway. A sharing platter that includes tsofi, chicken wings, kebabs, plantain, and more, is perfect for big meals at home. Other highlights include akonfem (guinea fowl), red red (fried plantain with black eye bean stew and gari foto), and any of the soups, which come served with either fufu, omutuo, banku, kenkey, kokonte, or rice. (Monday – Saturday, 8.45 a.m. – 10 p.m.)

33. THATTUKADA

229 High St N, East Ham
London E6 1JG, UK
020 8548 8239

East Ham is home to London’s largest Kerala community, and its greatest concentration of south Indian restaurants. The pick of them might be Thattukada, run by Biju and Preeti Gopinath. It remains open with a limited menu, in part because of the recent inability to receive specialist ingredients for spice blends from India. Still, call 020 8548 8239 ahead to see what’s available for collection. There’s still an extensive selection of curries, some of its famous fries, and biriyani parotta.