Grays Restaurant Guide

2023 Review: “Very busy steak-centric restaurant” (part of a chain owned by pub giant Mitchells & Butlers) that is one of the more commented-on destinations in our annual diners’ poll in the poorly served ’burbs to the south east of the metropolis. The food is “reliable”, “without being exceptional” and – notwithstanding some blips regarding service and management generally – this can be a “reasonable” destination in the locale.

“If you’ve never had a stuffed mussel you haven’t lived!” – Tokyo-born Angelo Sato’s brave Soho venture is ‘dedicated to redefining what fine dining for the next generation looks like’ and has metamorphosed from a relatively simple seller of chicken skewers into a so-now, 13-seat omakase experience that won two Michelin stars in the tyre men’s 2025 awards. It’s one of the most talked-about top-end Japanese experiences in our annual diners’ poll and in close contention as the highest rated. The 16-course menu for £235 per person fuses Japanese and European inspirations for dishes and “service at the bar creates a great interaction with the engaging staff”. “It’s a lovely way to spend an evening eating amazing food and drinking sake”, plus “an eclectic off-piste wine list often from small producers”. “So good is Humble Chicken that you’ll talk about booking again on your way home – even though it is eye-wateringly expensive – and that’s before the second star and refurb that may reduce the covers” (the latter is ongoing over summer 2025, with reopening later in the year).

2022 Review: Darren Bennett’s stalwart, serving up creative modern British cooking (including a well-regarded afternoon tea) “continues to be reliable in all respects”, whether you stop to take advantage of the set menus or its popular side act as a wedding and events venue.

A “seriously dramatic room” plays host to meals in the restored 1873 pump house at Chatham’s historic dockyard on the Medway, which has been converted into a distillery and restaurant by Bob Russell and his sons Matthew & Stephen. Top Menu Tip – “amazing roasts on Sundays”.

A “wonderful restaurant, run by great people for nearly 30 years!” – Cyrus & Pervin Todiwala retain a mega-loyal fan club, who have followed them from their old site in E1 to this new distant unit on the Royal Docks (which they moved to in 2022). The draw is “just the most creative food” – “outstanding” cooking that’s “not Indian as you know it” but “with a Portuguese influence” – all delivered by “the nicest team” in a setting with views over the water. Even those who feel it’s “not a great location, being a long way out of town” say “oh the food! it’s well worth the journey!” Top Menu Tip – “be adventurous, the chutneys are unbelievable, the mains mouthwatering. You must try the Roast Chicken Cafreal Zambeziana and the beetroot and coconut samosa”.

2022 Review: “Everything you could wish for in a local”, say fans of this quirky Italian, in a tiny but characterful former guards’ room in the grounds of the old Woolwich Arsenal. “High-quality food is freshly prepared in an amazing setting with friendly, professional staff. A joy!”.

This smart neighbourhood restaurant and bar from Stuart Gillies, for many years Gordon Ramsay’s right-hand man, “never lets you down with quality, value or service – can’t get enough of this place”. The menu offers a mixture of classic British and modern European cuisine, with bottomless brunch on Saturdays and traditional roast on Sundays. There’s now a sibling restaurant on similar lines, Number Eight in Sevenoaks.

2022 Review: Open in November 2021 (first announced in 2019) – this latest branch of the excellent Elephant & Castle-based Italian food operation comes complete with a sustainable timber frame and rooftop urban farm. A transformation of Redbridge Town Hall car park, it’s a collaboration with the local council and the Mayor of London as part of Ilford’s new cultural quarter.

“Cannot be beaten!” – so says the very dedicated local fan club of Victor Choi’s long-established Cantonese fixture on the high street, known locally as a top option for a celebration.

2022 Review: No feedback this year on this distant Chinese restaurant, near Royal Albert Dock DLR. If you are looking to eat in these parts though – while watching the take-offs and landings at nearby London City Airport – it is worth knowing about.

2024 Review: “In the heart of Essex, this fabulous fish restaurant” (est. 2010, and revolving around the “plush conversion of an old pub”) “offers amazing dishes and attentive service in a truly beautiful setting”. “It can be fun watching the TOWIE types amongst fellow diners”, but if that loses its appeal, divert your eyes to the “pleasant views from the terrace on a sunny day”.

This “independently owned and managed” old village inn “in a lovely setting” has been thoroughly stripped out and modernised, providing a comfortable venue for an upbeat menu that features oysters, Cornish caviar and a 500kg Chateaubriand steak to share.