Seven London dining rooms that have outlasted everyone

Simpson’s in the Strand calls itself the home of the English roast, and since April its silver carving trolley has been back in the Grand Divan. London is good at keeping rooms like that going. These seven have between 32 and 228 years behind them, and each is still worth going to for the dish it built its name on, not just for the age.

How we chose: restaurants and bars trading for 30 years or more that are still cooking to a standard a current guide or critic recognises in 2026, listed oldest first.

Rules

Thomas Rule opened on Maiden Lane in 1798, and the restaurant still calls itself London’s oldest, owned by only four families since. Game is the reason to go: much of it comes from its own Lartington Estate in Teesdale, so order whatever is on in season.

Maiden Lane, Covent Garden · book on SevenRooms

Simpson’s in the Strand

It reopened in April 2026 after six years shut, now run by Jeremy King, and by September Michelin had added it to the guide. Book the Grand Divan for the roast beef trolley. The cheaper way in is the late supper in Romano’s: three courses for £19.75, Monday to Saturday from 9:45pm. Time Out has it eighth in London.

Strand · late supper £19.75 Mon–Sat from 9:45pm · book

Gordon’s Wine Bar

Down the steps at the bottom of Villiers Street, Gordon’s is thought to be the oldest wine bar in London, established in 1890 and still owned by the Gordon family. Sit in the candlelit cellar if there is room and order the cheese: one slice is £10.95, three are £25.90. There are no reservations, so arrive early.

Villiers Street, Embankment · cheese from £10.95 · walk-in only

Veeraswamy

Opened in 1926 in the same first-floor dining room above Regent Street, Veeraswamy is London’s oldest Indian restaurant and still holds a Michelin star. Britain’s first tandoor oven went in here in 1959. Weekend lunch is the way to do it: two courses for £45 or three for £52. At dinner there is a £60 minimum spend a head.

Regent Street · weekend lunch £45 · book up to three months ahead

Bar Italia

Lou and Caterina Polledri opened this Frith Street coffee bar in 1949, and it became the meeting place for London’s Italian community. Time Out lists it open from 7am into the small hours. Have an espresso and a cannolo, about £5.

Frith Street, Soho · coffee about £4–5 · walk-in

Tayyabs

Since 1972 this family-owned Whitechapel Punjabi restaurant has been sending out its lamb chops, always served sizzling. Order those first, then the dry meat (slow-cooked lamb) and the karahi tarka dhal. It is bring your own, which keeps the bill down.

Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel · BYO · daily noon–11:30pm · book online

St. JOHN

The youngest room here is 32: Fergus Henderson, Trevor Gulliver and Jon Spiteri opened it in a former Smithfield bacon smokehouse in October 1994 and made “nose to tail” a London phrase. The roast bone marrow and parsley salad hasn’t left the menu and shouldn’t be skipped. It has held a Michelin star since 2009, and Time Out ranks it third in London this month.

St John Street, Smithfield · small plates £13.50–16.60 · book

Checked October 2026.