Dining
Every Hoppers in London, Ranked
Four London Hoppers, ranked. One of them writes a different menu, one keeps its terrace for walk-ins, and one runs a virtual queue for 32 seats.
In short: our top picks are Hoppers Soho, Hoppers King's Cross and Hoppers Marylebone. 4 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Hoppers is a walk-in problem as much as a restaurant. Four London sites now serve the same Sri Lankan and South Indian repertoire of hoppers, dosas, kothus and roasts, but they take you in differently: a virtual queue in Soho, terrace tables held back for walk-ins in King’s Cross and Marylebone, bookings up to twelve in Shoreditch. King’s Cross is the one that breaks the pattern on the plate as well, cooking a coastal menu that follows the road from Colombo to Galle. Here is which to aim for, and how to get a table.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hoppers Soho | Soho | ££ |
| Hoppers King's Cross | King's Cross | ££ |
| Hoppers Marylebone | Marylebone | ££ |
| Hoppers Shoreditch | Shoreditch | ££ |
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Editor’s choice
Hoppers Soho
Why we pick itBuilt on the Sri Lankan toddy shop, and the tightest room of the four at 32 seats, which is why it runs a virtual queue rather than a line down Frith Street. The cocktails do the waiting for you: a bar programme built on Genever and Arrack that no other branch matches.
Worth knowingThirty-two seats and a first-come-first-served queue, so leave your details and drink rather than hovering.
The bar, and the queue worth joining
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Hoppers King's Cross
Why we pick itThe only branch cooking a different book: a coastal menu following the road from Colombo to Galle, rather than the standard group repertoire. The terrace runs as a Sri Lankan summer with beach-side snacks and cocktails, and its tables are kept for walk-ins.
Its own menu, and a terrace
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Hoppers Marylebone
Why we pick itSri Lankan tropical modernism on Wigmore Street, drawing its cooking and its cocktails from the spice gardens, and the most comfortable of the four to sit in for a long lunch. Walk-ins leave their details rather than queue, and the outdoor tables stay unbookable until spring.
The prettiest room
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Hoppers Shoreditch
Why we pick itThe newest of the four, in the Tea Building, with a contemporary room, a proper bar and the same Sri Lankan and South Indian cooking. It takes bookings for up to twelve, which makes it the one to use when a group needs certainty rather than a queue.
Easiest table for a group
Before you book
Reservations open for parties of two or more at every site, and each keeps a portion of its tables for walk-ins: Soho runs a virtual queue, Marylebone and King’s Cross hold their outdoor tables back entirely. The bar programmes are worth building an evening around rather than treating as a wait, particularly the Genever and Arrack drinks in Soho. Lunch is quieter everywhere; Monday to Wednesday the kitchens close between 3pm and 5.30pm.
Common questions
Which Hoppers is best in London?
Hoppers Soho is our editor's choice: Built on the Sri Lankan toddy shop, and the tightest room of the four at 32 seats, which is why it runs a virtual queue rather than a line down Frith Street. The cocktails do the waiting for you: a bar programme built on Genever and Arrack that no other branch matches. Hoppers Soho, Hoppers King's Cross and Hoppers Marylebone lead the guide, with 4 places in total, all chosen on merit.
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