About London Best
London Best is an independent editorial guide to the capital's restaurants, pubs, shops and services, for Londoners and visitors in every borough.
London is many towns at once
Londoners will tell you their city is really a few dozen old villages stitched together: Hampstead and Highgate on their hills, Brixton and Peckham south of the river, Walthamstow and Stratford to the east, Ealing and Richmond out west. Each has its own high street, its own markets and its own idea of a good local. A recommendation that works in Islington may be useless in Croydon, and the reverse is just as true.
Our lists, and what they cover
London Best publishes rankings in close to thirty categories, from restaurants, pubs and hotels to health clinics, beauty salons, solicitors, estate agents and tradespeople. Each list names a select group of businesses and gives you what you need to act: the address, a telephone number, opening times and a brief note on each.
Everyday essentials, not just nights out
The guide is not only about places to eat and drink. When the boiler fails in January, a child needs a dentist or a tenancy agreement needs checking, Londoners need someone reliable nearby, and we give those categories the same care as the city's restaurants. A trustworthy plumber in Lewisham is worth as much to its neighbours as a famous chef in Mayfair.
The editorial routine
Our editors take each category across all thirty-two boroughs and the City, consider how businesses have stood with their customers over the long term and check the practical details before publication. Rents and rhythms here mean that shops, restaurants and practices open, move and close constantly, so every list is revisited regularly.
For Londoners, newcomers and visitors
London Best is for people making everyday decisions in a very large city: residents hunting for something better on their doorstep, newcomers who have just moved into a flatshare in Zone 3, and visitors who would rather eat and shop where Londoners do than where the tour coaches stop.
If you run a listed business
Owners of businesses in our lists can claim their entry and complete it through the For businesses page, so that customers see accurate hours and contact details.