4 Best Restaurants in South of the Thames, London

The first London restaurant from two Michelin-starred chef Henrique Sá Pessoa offers views over the landmark Battersea Power Station from its 15th floor perch and explores the flavors of his native Portugal with excursions farther afield into Catalonia. Unsurprisingly, tapas like patatas bravas, Iberico croquetas, or a hand-dived scallop with chorizo, fennel, and celeriac puree feature prominently, while big plates like suckling pig and arroz de marisco come from the Josper oven. You pay for the glamorous art deco atmosphere and the views, but a three-course set menu on weekends (£45) offers better value. 

This addition to the National Theatre's restaurant roster (it's named after the building's architect) puts the emphasis on fresh British ingredients, whether Dorset crab on a warm saffron bun or Carlingford oysters from the seafood bar, a Tamworth pork and guinea fowl terrine with burnt pear chutney, or a grilled whole plaice for sharing (the brown butter honey custard tart is much in demand for dessert). Theatergoers will appreciate the two-course (£40) or three-course (£45) pretheater menu.

This long-standing favorite specializes in French haute cuisine done right, with an emphasis on luxurious dishes like caviar, oysters, lobster, and Dover sole (served meunière) along with bistro classics like rabbit with mustard and steak frites. Standards, like the prices, remain high, and the swanky dining room takes inspiration from the art deco liner SS Normandie. Weather permitting, grab a table on the terrace to make the most of the wonderful views of the Thames, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. A weekday lunch/early-bird dinner set menu (two courses for £30; three courses for £35) lets you sample this expense-account favorite with minimal damage to your wallet.

British-Sri Lankan chef Cynthia Shanmugalingam's interpretations of regional Tamil cuisine cooked on an open fire have won plaudits for the home-cooked feeling of her curries, rotis, and sambols (especially the one that combines chickpeas, parsley, and coconut). Main dishes include a creamy sticky chicken pongal rice flavored with saffron, coconut milk, poppy seeds and cinnamon, a red tamarind prawn curry, and a whole Jaffna crab curry, and they are mostly small plates designed to be shared. There's a set menu at £38. Reservations are recommended (it's busy and service, while friendly, can become disorganized), but some tables are reserved for walk-ins.