The Best Restaurants in Chelsea

The iconic Michelin House opened in 1911, designed by a Michelin employee to reflect the art deco period of the time – and it soon became the Chelsea landmark it is today. The first-ever MICHELIN Guide to The British Isles was published here, to coincide with the opening. Since 2017, the first-floor restaurant, Bibendum, has been home to Chef Claude Bosi, who blends his French heritage with some well-balanced creativity – resulting in boldly flavoured and assured dishes that are a mark of real talent in the kitchen.

With the feel of your local neighbourhood restaurant but with Michelin Star cooking, there has always been something wonderfully appealing about Elystan Street. It flies under the radar slightly in a city filled with bluster and is all the better for it; the warm, relaxing atmosphere is the perfect accompaniment for cooking that doesn’t reinvent the wheel but delivers wholly enjoyable dishes with a classical base. If it’s a confluence of comfort and quality that you’re searching for in Chelsea, then look no further.

Tucked away down the backstreets, yet a stone’s throw from the busy King’s Road, this colour-washed period house oozes all the elegance and charm one expects from this neighbourhood. Named after an area that once divided Chelsea and nearby Belgravia, it seems appropriate that the restaurant relies heavily on home-grown produce – much of which comes from their kitchen garden in Sussex. Another Michelin-Starred restaurant in this area, its dishes are intricate and eye-catching, whilst bursting with natural flavour.

This brightly painted former pub on the corner of Cheyne Walk and Cheyne Row is forever festooned with foliage and flowering blooms, so that every day feels like the Chelsea Flower Show is in full swing. Inside, there’s a sumptuous, similarly colourful style of décor and river views from the first-floor dining room; like a lot of Chelsea, this is a lovely setting in which to dine. The menu is proudly British with fish and meats cooked over the grill and a proper Sunday lunch too.

Gordon Ramsay may be known the world over, but this is where his lofty reputation was forged, in a leafy street just a few yards away from the famous Royal Chelsea Hospital (home to the equally renowned Flower Show). In spite of his global media commitments, standards at this flagship restaurant have remained impeccably high. Today, that’s largely down to the work of Chef Matt Abé, who remains respectful of Gordon’s sophisticated, accomplished style, while adding a lightness and delicacy to the cuisine.

It was a very clever person at Cadogan Estates (the folks who own and administer most of the Royal Borough) who had the brilliant idea, a few years ago, to pedestrianise Pavilion Road, which is now referred to as London’s longest mews. Among the parade of cafés, shops and eateries sits The Sea, The Sea, which operates as a fish shop and deli by day and an intimate restaurant in the evenings. The ever-changing menu reflects the day’s catch and includes several dishes that are raw or cured.

Chelsea Green is more of a bijou lawn as opposed to a rambling common, however it certainly adds to the village-like charm of the neighbourhood. Wild Tavern, overlooking said green, is all about evoking the sunnier climate of the Mediterranean, with a particular menu focus on Italy. Prime fish and meats are cooked with an appealing simplicity that shows respect for the ingredients, while the pasta dishes are not to be missed. In the winter, a covered fire pit cheers things up – and sits perfectly alongside the cosiness of the Alpine décor.