The temptation to hibernate during winter is something we all need to fight. Instead, the pursuit of fun and fabulous food should be at the top of everyone's to-do list, countering the gloom of turning the clocks turn back, which the novelist Ian McEwan so poetically yet depressingly described as “tightening the lid of darkness over our afternoons and lowering the nation’s mood”. To ensure you keep your spirits high, our Inspectors have put together a list of restaurants and activities which will help you beat the winter blues once and for all.
1. Take Comfort in Puddings & Pies
Is there anything more heartwarming than a pie? From mince to cottage, fish to apple, steak and kidney to chicken and mushroom, there’s always a pie out there somewhere with your name on it and winter is the best time to enjoy it. Rules, London’s oldest restaurant, will always deliver the goods; elegant modern dining pubs like The Pelican in Notting Hill and The Wigmore in Marylebone are equally reliable; and The Devonshire in Soho adds an Irish touch with a beef cheek and Guinness suet pudding. More decadent diners may opt for Bob Bob Ricard's chicken and champagne pie, while at Kanishka you can get the signature chicken tikka pie.
2. Get Your Skates On
Whether you’re someone who’s mastered the triple Salchow while humming Bolero or are more likely to be found edging your way slowly round the rink without loosening your grip on the perimeter wall, winter is the perfect time for ice skating. Somerset House provides quite the backdrop to your backflips – and Spring restaurant is on hand for nourishment afterwards. At the now super-smart Battersea Power Station, the ice rink is called Glide, putting quite some pressure on your skating skills, but fortunately Archway is nearby with its restorative Italian cooking should things go awry.
3. Walk in a Winter Wonderland with Restaurants on Hand
There’s also a skating rink at the annual six-week jamboree that is Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, along with rides, shows and assorted adventures and activities. It’s enough to keep any sugar-filled, hyperactive child royally entertained and to get everyone in the mood for Christmas. Those who prefer their Wonderland to have a little less Winter and a little more Boogie, can get along to Park Chinois and their live music or Quaglino’s, just a short walk away. In fact, Winter Wonderland is one of the best-placed attractions for foodies in all of London, with an outrageously large choice of restaurants on its doorstep, from Mexican cuisine at KOL to Japanese at Sushi Kanesaka.
4. Visit the Christmas Markets for Food & Festive Cheer
There are certain parts of London that lend themselves beautifully to Christmas markets as they’re already bursting with character and history. Old Spitalfields Market is one, as is Covent Garden with its famous covered shopping halls. At the former, you can rest and refresh at Gunpowder or Bubala, while the latter gives you Cora Pearl and Frog by Adam Handling. Trafalgar Square should be on most people’s list too – casting an opinion on the quality of the tree gifted by the city of Oslo is now as traditional a Christmas pastime as TV specials and horrible jumpers. When it comes to nearby restaurants, head inside the National Gallery and choose between Ochre and Locatelli.
5. Warm the Heart with Carols & Cooking
How's this for a wholesome festive activity: a heartwarming carol service followed by dinner with your loved ones? Christmas isn't the same without hearing a good carol, so get yourself along to one of London's finest venues and follow it up with Inspector-approved food. The truly beautiful Royal Albert Hall hosts six days of singalongs and would pair perfectly with a visit to The Lavery, which is popular with an arty crowd thanks to its gallery location. Westminster Abbey is hard to beat for a carol service too, and has The Pem nearby, but if you really want to push the boat out, go to the stunning Wren Chapel at The Royal Hospital Chelsea and then the ever-brilliant Restaurant Gordon Ramsay up the road.Love all things MICHELIN?
Sign up to our newsletter to hear from the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors
Get the Guide on the go with the free app
6. Know Your Dickens & Embrace a Christmas Tradition
London and Charles Dickens are inextricably linked, as the capital not just featured in all his books but played an important character in most of them. An atmospheric winter’s day is the perfect time to explore his legacy and the Charles Dickens Museum near King’s Cross is always a good starting point – plus you’ve got Decimo and Supawan close by for refreshment. Not much may remain of the Victorian London he wrote about, but you can get a feel for it by seeing A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic – a classic Christmas tradition which you can round off with dinner at Lasdun or The Anchor & Hope.
7. Shop the Sales & Dine for Less
Who doesn’t love a bargain? Despite the seemingly endless parade of sales both before and after Christmas, our desire to protect our wallets never fades. Plus, the tradition of post-Christmas deals gets us off the sofa and out of our chocolate-induced stupor. If your love of great value extends to restaurants, then do most of your shopping around Oxford Street and Soho, where there's a great range of affordable Bib Gourmand restaurants to choose from, be that Berenjak, Kricket or Kiln. Of course, while there are fewer well-priced restaurants nearby, it wouldn't be Christmas without gazing at the window displays and luxury products in the likes of Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason.
8. Do Dinner & a Film, The MICHELIN Guide Way
It's tempting to view January and February as the worst of winter, when the festive cheer has fallen silent and the 'cosy' cold is becoming tiresome. But there's one activity that arguably gets better than ever in these months: going to the cinema. For one, it's indoors, plus the timing of the Oscars and BAFTAs means that this is 'awards season', so plenty of brilliant films all come out at the same time. So why not make your winter date nights a MICHELIN Guide meal combined with one of London's best picture palaces? East Londoners should head to the historic Castle Cinema before Malaysian bites at Mambow; the Electric in Notting Hill has front-row 'beds' and is mere seconds from Holy Carrot; and Evelyn's Table is handily sandwiched between Picturehouse Central and the incomparable Prince Charles Cinema.
9. Double Date on Valentine's Day
Restaurants can have a somewhat ambivalent view of Valentines Day. Yes, it fills the place but accommodating so many tables of two doesn’t always make great use of their available space – especially when they’ve got lots of large tables or booths. So, if you’ve left it late to book why not double up with another couple and go out as a four – you might just find you have the pick of the restaurants. Or you can consider going out the night before or the day after – restaurants will again be delighted to see you and it’ll all be a little less frenzied. When it comes to picking a romantic restaurant, London has plenty to offer, from traditional choices to intriguing alternatives.
10. Celebrate Lunar New Year at London's Best Chinese Restaurants
In 2026, 17th February is the date to keep in your diaries. When the Lunar New Year celebrations take place, we will be entering the Year of the Horse – specifically, the Fire Horse – and it’s the perfect time to gather together with friends and family to watch the parade and celebrations in Chinatown and Trafalgar Square. Afterwards, you can enjoy the food in one of the capital’s many Chinese restaurants: simple spots like Dim Sum Duck; longstanding restaurants such as Royal China Club; glitzier options like Canton Blue; and those offering a truly spectacular culinary experience, which has to mean A. Wong.Related Articles:
Hero Image: London in the winter, the perfect time for exploring the city's cosiest corners and best restaurants. © SHansche/iStock
