Dining
The 6 Best Restaurants Near the Shard
Six places to eat in and around the Shard, from the dizzying restaurants inside the tower itself to the pasta counters and French bistros a short walk down at street level.
In short: our top picks are Aqua Shard, Oblix and Hutong. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
The Shard sorts diners into two camps. There are those who want to eat at altitude, looking out over the river and half of London from somewhere around the 30th floor, and there are those who’d rather stay at ground level where the cooking, frankly, is often better and the bill considerably smaller. Both camps are well served here. Inside the tower you’ve got three serious kitchens stacked one above the other. Wander five minutes towards Borough and Bermondsey and you’re among the pasta counters, taquerias and tiny French rooms that made this stretch of SE1 worth the trip in the first place. We’ve picked the ones that earn their spot, view or no view.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Aqua Shard | London Bridge | ££££ |
| Oblix | London Bridge | ££££ |
| Hutong | London Bridge | ££££ |
| Padella | Borough | ££ |
| Santo Remedio | Bermondsey | £££ |
| Casse-Croute | Bermondsey | £££ |
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Editor’s choice
Aqua Shard
Why we pick itLevel 31, a triple-height atrium and a proper kitchen doing modern British plates rather than just trading on the height. The Peter Pan afternoon tea is the cult booking, but lunch by the window with the river below holds up perfectly well on its own.
Contemporary British
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Oblix
Why we pick itRainer Becker's grill sits a floor above Aqua and splits in two: Oblix West for the open-fire cooking and rotisserie, Oblix East for cocktails and live music. Come for the steaks and the wood-fired chicken, stay for the skyline turning gold at dusk.
New York grill and rotisserie
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Hutong
Why we pick itThe highest of the three, doing fiery Northern Chinese cooking with red lanterns and a view to match. The crispy soft-shell prawns and the Beijing duck are what people order, and the Shanghai Bar is a fine spot for a cocktail before you've even sat down.
Northern Chinese
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Padella
Why we pick itCounter seating, handmade pasta, and a queue that's been a London fixture since 2016. The pici cacio e pepe is around £13.50 and the eight-hour beef shin ragu about £16.50. No bookings, so join the virtual queue and go off-peak if you can.
Fresh pasta
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Santo Remedio
Why we pick itA colourful two-floor cantina doing regional Mexican that goes well beyond the usual taco roster, with an asador grilling over wood fire. The barbacoa lamb shank from Oaxaca is the dish to build a meal around. Earned a Michelin Plate, and deservedly.
Mexican
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Casse-Croute
Why we pick itA tiny Bermondsey Street room with a blackboard menu of three starters, three mains and three puddings that changes daily. It's been packing people in since 2013 and feels like a proper Lyonnais bistro dropped into SE1. Book, because it seats barely thirty.
French bistro
Before you book
The three in-tower restaurants (Aqua Shard on 31, Oblix on 32, Hutong on 33) all take bookings and you’ll want one, especially for a window table at sunset. Padella doesn’t reserve, so join the virtual queue early or eat off-peak. Casse-Croute and Santo Remedio both take bookings and fill fast at weekends. London Bridge station is the nearest tube for all six.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Aqua Shard is our editor's choice: Level 31, a triple-height atrium and a proper kitchen doing modern British plates rather than just trading on the height. The Peter Pan afternoon tea is the cult booking, but lunch by the window with the river below holds up perfectly well on its own. Aqua Shard, Oblix and Hutong lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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