Best Restaurants in Paddington 2025

Best places to eat and drink in Paddington

London Shell Co, Paddington Central – for seafood cruises

From pop-up to permanent, brother-and-sister team Harry and Leah have curated an ode to seafood on a pretty blue barge moored at Paddington Central. It travels down Regent’s Canal and is a classic (but jolly) affair, peppered with theatrical announcements from the small crew. Tables are crammed together, so you’ll be nestled close to other diners, which makes for plenty of chat and camaraderie.

There’s an à la carte midweek lunch, but we suggest hopping on the dinner or weekend cruise for a seasonal five-course tasting menu focusing on British ingredients. Crisp, golden angel hair fries and creamy Jersey oysters lead the way, followed by hand-dived scallop tartare with a zesty coriander and lime dressing. Next, a light and bright seafood stew with springy braised cuttlefish, chickpeas, olives and juicy tomatoes. A hake dish was an ode to an English country garden, with wonky Jersey Royals, bright English asparagus and plump peas in a buttery perry sauce. Desserts are kept simple and British: a twist on an Eton mess, for example, with Kentish rhubarb, sweet strawberries and pistachio kernels adding colour to the cream and meringue shards.

The £55 drinks pairing is very generous, and a great opportunity to try some unusual wines: biscuity Hattingley Valley Hampshire fizz, mineral and floral Greek mountain wine, and a robust Malmont rosé. There’s a refreshing halfway cocktail of Cristallier cider vermouth and tonic, and a 'Yorkshire Ripper' cocktail to finish, made with crémant sparkling wine and Yorkshire rhubarb.

olive tip: There’s a small deck at the front, so take your aperitif outside and soak up the sites (leafy Little Venice, Regent’s Park mansions and their pristine back gardens, plus Camden’s edgy lock, to name a few).

Gift vouchers available via IndyTute: from £280 for 6-course meal for 2

londonshellco.com

Two glasses of sparkling wine and a plate of oysters on the front of a barge on the canal — Oysters and English sparkling wine aboard London Shell Co's dinner cruise

Vagabond

Vagabond’s sixth wine bar joined the new crop of restaurants and cafés popping up along Paddington Central’s Grand Union Canal. The industrial-styled space is a temple to small-batch wines that the Vagabond team has carefully curated from all over the world. Pick up a card from the till, add credit and taste your way through bespoke wine dispensers divided into categories such as crisp, aromatic, spicy and elegant. Some wines will always be on offer (Vagabond PÉT-NOT, for example, a slightly sparkling English wine with a pinkish hue made at its urban winery in Battersea Power Station), while others rotate weekly to keep local oenophiles on their toes. On our visit, highlights of a section dedicated to Greek wines included mineral Hatzidakis Santorini Familia, with subtle floral aromas.

Seasonal small plates include braised lamb sliders, wafer-thin slices of octopus with refreshing pickled peppers, and creamy burrata adorned with vibrant pesto and pine nuts. Tuck into plates in a nook by the window or soak up the canal-side vibe at tables that spill out onto the pavement (make sure you wave to those aboard London Shell Co’s seafood safari, and groups of pals trying to manoeuvre dinky GoBoats). vagabondwines.co.uk

Pearl Liang, Sheldon Square – for Chinese banqueting and dim sum

Business hub Sheldon Square may seem like an unlikely place for one of London’s best Chinese restaurants, but Pearl Liang is constantly brimming with large groups feasting around banqueting tables; business people doing deals over dim sum; and couples getting to know each other against a backdrop of water fountains and Chinese blossom wall murals.

We recommend starting with a selection of dim sum (dumplings filled with gigantic prawns, crunchy prawn rolls wrapped in shredded taro, and juicy pork shu mai), followed by a few starters. Vietnamese spring rolls are deep-fried and crisp, filled with freshly shredded vegetables, and pan-fried chicken wings come in an incredibly moreish caramelised teriyaki glaze.

For mains, pick spicy crispy chilli beef, or a lighter fish dish. We loved whole steamed sea bass with fragrant ginger and spring onion.

olive tip: If you’re part of a crowd, Pearl Liang’s sophisticated interiors and sharing ethos (there are five set menus to choose from) make for the perfect feast. pearlliang.co.uk

Satay House, Sale Place – for Malaysian food

For proper Malaysian food in a laid-back setting, head to this family-run restaurant on Sale Place just off Praed Street. The dishes are true to their origins – favourites include chargrilled chicken satay with peanut sauce, classic nasi lemak steamed rice with prawn sambal, and kway teow goreng, a flat rice noodle stir-fry originating from Penang. Hearty meat dishes include traditional Malaysian lamb curry, and Malay braised beef with coconut milk and fragrant spices. satay-house.co.uk

Beany Green, Sheldon Square – for brunch

Beany Green, a coffee shop and brunch spot, brightens up the concrete canal-side area just off Paddington’s Sheldon Square. Stone picnic tables and hot pink deckchairs covered in pop art bananas illustrations spill out onto the AstroTurf that hugs the side of this industrial building, and, inside, the bold and bright theme continues with colourful metal chairs and shaggy fluorescent orange cushions.

There’s a huge counter heaving with healthy treats – vibrant salads, perfectly formed little protein balls and fibre-rich muffins to take away.

olive tip: We recommend sitting in and enjoying the generous two-course bottomless brunch with free-flowing cocktails. Read our full review of Beany Green’s bottomless brunch here. daisygreenfood.com

Beany Greens, Little Venice: brunch review — Beany Green Menu

Casa Malevo, Connaught Street – for Argentinian

There’s a cosy, intimate vibe at this family-run Argentinian restaurant in West London’s leafy Connaught Village. A brushed wood dresser, dinky bar in the corner, and framed photographs covering exposed brick walls add rustic, homely touches to the small space, topped off with plenty of warm Argentinian hospitality.

Starters include grilled octopus salad and rich provoleta cheese that arrives bubbling in a pan, sprinkled with almonds and honey. Or opt for golden empanadas filled with beef, chicken and peppers or sweetcorn, pumpkin and mozzarella. Large sharing plates allow Argentinian grill technique of asado to shine, with your meat of choice served on a bed of onions and potatoes and red peppers. If you prefer your own dish, choose between sirloin, flank, ribeye and more, then pick your sauce (chimichurri comes at no extra cost) and a side of crisp, herby chips “provenzal”. casamalevo.com

Heist Bank, North Wharf Road – for pizza and craft beer

Follow the yellow road sign for ‘pizza, beer and flowers’ by Paddington’s Regent’s Canal to this foliage-filled restaurant and bar, complete with concrete walls, exposed piping and floor-to-ceiling windows. Come with your mates for an informal dinner – help yourself to cutlery from concrete pots and choose a pizza and a pint (there are around 20 beers and ales, 10 of which are on tap).

When it comes to session IPAs, Beavertown Neck Oil is the most popular and rightly so, due to its easy-drinking crispness, while Gipsy Hill Hepcat is a little more bitter and hoppy. There are also plenty of beers from the fridge, including caramel and chocolate Wild Beer Co Millionaire milk stout, and Fourpure Shapeshifter (dry hoppiness with mango, grapefruit and pineapple notes).

On the food front, we suggest sticking to the super-crisp pizzas, cooked in a wood-fired oven in the open kitchen and loaded with inventive toppings. Go for spiced lamb with crumbly feta, wild rocket and lemon, or radicchio with pears, toasted walnuts and gorgonzola, both on a tomato base. The creamy white pizzas are also worth a try – we love the wild boar sausage topping with sliced potatoes, rosemary and chilli. heistbank.com

Pizzas on wooden boards at Heist Bank Paddington — Heist Bank menu

Darcie & May Green, Paddington Central – for antipodean food on a canal boat

Prue Freeman and her team of cool and collected Aussies from Daisy Green Collection (Beany Greens in Paddington is our favourite) have brought their Aussie dishes and killer coffees to two canal boats on Grand Union Canal. Sister vessels Darcie and May Green float elegantly outside Paddington station, brightening up the office block surroundings.

Legendary pop artist Peter Blake is the man behind the design (his signature is playfully scribbled on the side of each boat), so expect a bold and bright look – hearts, rainbows, swirls and stars in primary colours, greens, purples and pink.

Visit Darcie Green, the restaurant canal boat, to bob around with a cocktail and some antipodean-inspired snacks (avocado tzatziki with chia crackers, halloumi fries with pomegranate yogurt, Aussie BBQ lamb cutlets with homemade chilli pesto), or tuck into the group’s brunch favourites (including their epic posh bacon sarnie, charcoal sourdough and squidgy banana bread).

olive tip: There’s a little lawn on each roof with wicker chairs and palmy plants for when the sun’s out and the evenings are longer. daisygreenfood.com/location-darcie-may

Plates of food on marble table — Photograph by Leyla Kazim

Lockhouse, Merchant Square – for burgers

The industrial interiors of Lockhouse provide a trendy hangout for after work drinks, brunch and a bloomin’ good burger. Try the Locked and Loaded, a juicy beef patty topped with Norfolk smoked streaky bacon, American cheese and all the works in a brioche bun. If you fancy something fiery, the Hothouse burger gets its kick from jalapeños and Sriracha sauce.

The selection of beers is impressive, with 14 on tap and 10 craft bottled beers, including London’s Beavertown, Czech lager Hobo and even a couple of beers from Kona Brewing Company in Hawaii. lockhouselondon.co.uk