Top Restaurants in London with a Fusion of Flavors

London’s restaurant scene doesn’t really do boring. If you love the idea of Thai spices meeting British roast, or sushi bars that sneak in a bit of Latin heat, you’re exactly where you need to be. Fusion food isn’t just a trend here. It’s been the backbone of how locals eat for years, thanks to London’s mix of cultures and bold food entrepreneurs who aren’t afraid to throw the rulebook out. Want something different from your usual curry or pizza? You’ll find plenty to rant about (in a good way) after a night out in this city.

Let’s get real—booking the hottest spots can be tricky, especially for dinner rushes Thursday to Saturday. Go for a weekday lunch, or book a late slot after 9pm to avoid the crowds. While Soho and Shoreditch keep getting new spots with wild combinations on the menu, don’t ignore neighborhoods like Brixton or Hackney. Sometimes the best mashups happen somewhere you’d walk right past if you didn’t know better. Look out for small plates—London fusion places love a sharing vibe, which means you’re encouraged to try more than one thing and get a full sense of the menu.

• London’s Fusion Food Scene
• Hot Picks: Standout Fusion Restaurants
• How to Nab a Table and What to Order
• Insider Tips for Eating Out in London

London’s Fusion Food Scene

London’s love for fusion food goes way beyond a passing fad—it’s built into the city’s food DNA. With over 270 nationalities calling London home, it’s almost expected that chefs will mix and twist traditional dishes from all over the world. Take the legendary Dishoom, for example. It’s got that Indian-Irani café vibe but pulls in a few clever British touches (bacon naan roll anyone?). This kind of cross-cultural mix isn’t unusual here—in fact, if a place nails the fusion thing, it’s usually packed out.

Shoreditch’s SushiSamba is another great case. You’ve got Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian on the same menu. Yes, you’ll probably see spicy miso cod sitting next to crispy taquitos, and the cocktails come with yuzu and guava thrown in. Locals keep coming back, not just for the views but for flavors you won’t get anywhere else in London.

Brixton Village is a hotspot for grassroots fusion, with smaller places like Okan (Japanese-Osaka street food with a London spin) and Jalisco (Mexican food but with some serious British guilty pleasures mixed in). So, if you want to eat like a real Londoner, forget about sticking to just one type of food. Some of the best bites come from these smaller kitchens where experimentation is the norm.

The trend isn’t just for hipster hangouts either. Even some proper high-end spots, like Gymkhana and Sexy Fish in Mayfair, play with different influences—think Indian spices folded into British game, or Asian seafood with a European twist. No matter where you are in the city, the London restaurants pushing boundaries are the ones that get people talking (and queuing out the door).

Hot Picks: Standout Fusion Restaurants

London isn’t short of spots doing fusion food, but a few places really set the standard right now. If you’ve only got time to try one or two, make it one from this list.

• Kricket (Soho & Brixton): Think British ingredients tackled with Indian spirit and fire. Their Keralan fried chicken and bhel puri with tamarind are practically a London rite of passage.
• Pachamama (Marylebone & Shoreditch): Peruvian specialties mashed up with British produce. Their miso salmon with Peruvian potatoes keeps regulars coming back, and the pisco sours here don’t play around.
• Sushisamba (Liverpool Street): On the 38th floor – so you get a killer view with your Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian flavours. Black cod with miso and crispy yellowtail taquitos are crowd-pleasers, but yes, you’re also paying for the view.
• Dishoom (Covent Garden, Shoreditch, King’s Cross, and more): A household name for a reason. Londoners swear by its bacon naan roll, but don’t skip the Pau Bhaji – a sneakily good Bombay-style street food with a British touch.
• Fatt Pundit (Soho & Covent Garden): Indo-Chinese that isn’t shy about flavour. The chilli paneer and momos (spicy dumplings) have a cult following, and there’s usually a lively buzz most evenings.

If you’re chasing something a bit more low-key, check out Yard Sale Pizza (multiple sites) for their mash-ups like the TSB: tenderstem broccoli, pine nuts, and garlic oil. Over in Hackney, Morito pulls together Spanish and North African ideas on tiny sharing plates—no dish is too heavy, so you can sample lots in one visit.

Curious how these places stack up for price and special diets? Here’s a quick run-down:

If you want a seat, remember loads of these hot spots let you book online, but some, like Dishoom, still run on a no-reservations system during peak hours. Arrive early or be ready to queue for the best London restaurants doing fusion right.

How to Nab a Table and What to Order

Trying to grab a table at London’s top fusion restaurants can feel like a competitive sport, especially when new places open up or a chef lands in the Michelin Guide. Many spots in Soho and Shoreditch can book out weeks ahead on Friday and Saturday nights—think Kiln, where modern Thai meets a little British grill, or the Peruvian-Japanese plates at SUSHISAMBA in the City.

If you’re serious about checking out the city’s fusion hotspots, here’s what works:

• Use apps like OpenTable or RESY, since most trendier places take online bookings first (yes, even for lunch).
• Set calendar alerts for booking releases—some restaurants drop tables a month out at midnight. Popular places like Roka and Dishoom get snapped up fast.
• Look for cancelled tables last-minute on social media. Many restaurants post availability on their Instagram Stories.
• Walk-ins? It’s hit and miss after 6pm, but try mid-week, just before opening. Some gems like Kricket in Soho reserve seats for early birds or those happy to dine at the bar.

So, what should you order when you get in?

• London restaurants love menus with shareable small plates, so split a table’s worth with your mates. You’ll taste more and waste less.
• At Flesh & Buns, don’t skip the crispy piglet belly served in impossibly soft buns—classic Japanese with a British pub twist. If you’re vegan, Mildreds in King’s Cross serves Sri Lankan curry chips with London-grown greens.
• Chotto Matte is famous for its Nikkei sushi rolls—think salmon with jalapeño, truffle oil and a sprinkle of yuzu—bringing together classic Japanese and Peruvian heat.
• Always ask servers what’s new; many fusion chefs update the menu monthly depending on what’s in season at Borough Market.

Here’s a quick look at how much you can expect to spend at top fusion restaurants in London as of June 2025:

Don’t stress if you can’t get your top pick. There are always new openings in London, and often, the best nights out happen somewhere you hadn’t heard about two weeks ago.

Insider Tips for Eating Out in London

If you want to make the most of London restaurants—especially the ones serving wild fusion dishes—you’ll need a plan. Londoners know that things move fast and hungry crowds aren’t forgiving, so here’s how to hack your way through the city’s food scene like a pro.

• Book Ahead, or Risk Missing Out: For fusion hotspots in Soho or Shoreditch, anything on Eater or Time Out’s trending lists is usually booked solid from Thursday through Saturday. Try to reserve a table 2-3 weeks early. For hidden gems, you can usually walk in if you're early (pre-6:30pm) or much later (after 9:30pm).
• Check for Weekday Deals: Loads of places offer set lunch menus or tasting menus on Mondays and Tuesdays to fill the quieter times. These are often better value, letting you sample more without breaking the bank.
• Go Solo, or Go Small Groups: In popular spots, seating for two or one is often easier to snag. Also, places like Bao, Dishoom, and Temper have walk-in counters for singles or pairs.
• Mind the Tipping Culture: Most restaurants now include an optional 12.5% service charge. If it's not on there, leaving 10-12% is the usual.
• Useful Apps: Download OpenTable and Resy for bookings, and Too Good To Go for late-night snack deals at surplus food prices.

Transport also makes a difference. The Tube runs late on Fridays and Saturdays, but areas like Dalston or Peckham only have Overground after midnight—time your outing or grab an Uber if you stay late. After 11pm, expect a queue for cabs in central zones.

If a restaurant's got a no-reservations policy, get there at opening or expect a queue. Queuing is just a thing in London—bring a mate or headphones, and you'll survive just fine.

Finally, don’t sleep on restaurant pop-ups or markets. Spots like Seven Dials and Boxpark Shoreditch host short-term vendors who mash together global flavours you won’t see again. Follow their socials—it’s usually the only place they announce new dishes or secret openings.