Michelin star restaurants in London

The short answer

London's Michelin star restaurants, according to the 2026 guide published in February 2026, include six with three stars: Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Core by Clare Smyth, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Sketch's Lecture Room and Library, and The Ledbury. The same guide lists 15 two-star and 63 one-star restaurants across the capital, taking the total to 84.

Stars change every year, and restaurants can close or change chef between guides, so treat this as a snapshot and always check the current Michelin Guide before you book. It is also worth remembering what stars actually mean: Michelin says they reward the cooking, not the decor or the service, so a one-star pub can hold the same award as a formal hotel dining room.

Three Michelin stars

Three stars is Michelin's highest award, and London's six are all very different. Core by Clare Smyth in Notting Hill is the modern British favourite, polished but relaxed, and famous for making humble ingredients feel luxurious. The Ledbury, also in Notting Hill, returned to the top table under Brett Graham with careful, seasonal cooking.

In Mayfair, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester are both set in grand hotels, with all the ceremony that implies. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay on Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea is an intimate room with a very long history at this level, and Sketch's Lecture Room and Library, also in Mayfair, offers Pierre Gagnaire's elaborate French cooking in a richly decorated room. Expect multi-course menus, long evenings and a bill that needs some planning.

Two Michelin stars

London's 2026 two-star list is especially varied, which is what makes it so interesting. A.Wong in Pimlico reworks Chinese cooking with real wit. Ikoyi near the Strand is known for bold West African-inspired flavours and spice. Gymkhana in Mayfair offers Indian cooking in a clubby, colonial-style room, while Humble Chicken in Soho is built around Japanese skewers and small plates, and Row on 5 is Spencer Metzger's modern dining room in Mayfair.

Also holding two stars in that guide are Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal, Bonheur by Matt Abé, Brooklands by Claude Bosi, Da Terra, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Kitchen Table, Restaurant Story, The Clove Club, The Ritz Restaurant and Trivet. If you want old-fashioned romance, The Ritz is the obvious choice. For a small, chef-led experience where you can watch the kitchen, look at Kitchen Table. For something more relaxed, Trivet has a strong following.

One Michelin star

The one-star list is where many Londoners do most of their Michelin dining, because it covers such a range of styles and budgets. Indian food is especially strong, with Amaya, Benares, Jamavar, Quilon, Trishna and Veeraswamy all named. For British cooking, St. JOHN is the famous nose-to-tail restaurant near Smithfield, The Harwood Arms in Fulham is a pub with game on the menu, and Chez Bruce in Wandsworth has been a neighbourhood favourite for many years.

Other names to know include River Café on the Thames in Hammersmith, Brat in Shoreditch for wood-fired Basque-inspired cooking, Umu in Mayfair for Kyoto-style dining, Sushi Kanesaka for omakase, Murano for Italian food, Pied à Terre in Fitzrovia and Dining Room at The Goring in Belgravia. HIDE on Piccadilly is a good choice if you want a view of Green Park with your dinner. New arrivals and changes come through each year, so the current guide is your best reference.

Where the stars cluster

If you want to walk from a good bar to your table, it helps to know where these restaurants gather. Mayfair and St James's have the highest concentration, with Hélène Darroze, Alain Ducasse, Sketch, Gymkhana, Umu, Row on 5, Ormer Mayfair and Wild Honey St James all close together, so pre-dinner drinks are easy to arrange. Notting Hill has two three-star kitchens in Core and The Ledbury, with Dorian nearby and Kitchen W8 a short trip south in Kensington.

Fitzrovia is a good area for smaller, chef-led rooms, including Pied à Terre, Portland and 64 Goodge Street. Chelsea and Belgravia offer Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Elystan Street, Pétrus by Gordon Ramsay and The Goring. Further out, Trinity in Clapham, La Trompette in Chiswick and Chez Bruce in Wandsworth show that a star does not need a central postcode, and these neighbourhood rooms can feel a good deal more relaxed. Check each address in the guide, because restaurants do occasionally move.

How to choose

Start with the occasion rather than the number of stars. A three-star meal can be magnificent, but for a first date or a business dinner it may feel long and formal. A one-star room such as Brat or St. JOHN can be just as memorable while feeling much more relaxed. Set lunch menus, where offered, are often the most affordable way to try a kitchen, though not every restaurant has one.

Think about how long you want to sit at the table too. Tasting menus can run for three hours or more, and many restaurants ask for dietary needs in advance, because the menu is fixed. If you are planning a special evening, our romantic restaurants guide may suit you better, as stars and romance do not always go together. For more ideas by mood, see the best restaurants in London by occasion.

Booking and what to expect

The top rooms release tables on rolling dates, often several weeks ahead, and many ask for a card to hold your booking, with a charge for late cancellation or no-shows. Set an alert on the restaurant's own site or booking page if you are after a popular date. Dress codes vary from relaxed to smart, and hotel restaurants tend to be the most formal, so read the guidance before you go.

Service charges, wine pairings and supplements can add a good deal to the headline menu price. All prices change, so check the latest menu on the restaurant's own site, and ask about the wine list if you want to keep the bill under control. Sommeliers are usually happy to help you within a budget, if you tell them what you would like to spend.

A fine dining evening is also a natural fit for a dinner date, which is listed on many of our ladies' profiles, if you would prefer not to go alone.