Four restaurants to visit in London in May 2025
Ready to spice up your May dining plans? From a Spanish-inspired seafood haven to a Cambodian pop-up in the heart of Soho, our restaurant picks this month are all about bold flavours and unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re sinking your teeth into melt-in-your-mouth slow-cooked short ribs or savouring smoky Khmer BBQ, here’s our guide to four exciting spots across London you won’t want to miss this May.
BÔNE
Shoreditch
BÔNE Shoreditch
#FLODown: Since opening last year, BÔNE has quickly become one of East London’s most sought-after spots — a tiny, weekend-only restaurant in Shoreditch with just 20 seats and a seriously cool vibe. For £40, you get a knockout three-course set menu packed with bold flavours: think pillowy Japanese milk bread, insanely tender 8-hour slow-cooked short ribs with unlimited crispy fries, and dreamy desserts like pistachio tiramisu or brown butter French toast with vanilla custard. Everything’s halal, everything’s top quality, and every bite feels like something special. It’s fully booked for months, but if you catch a rare cancellation, you’re in for one of the best nights out in town.
Location: 72 Rivington Street, London EC2A 3AY. Website: boneshoreditch.co.uk; Instagram: @bone.shoreditch
Mamapen
Soho
Mamapen at the Sun & 13 Cantons pub, Soho. Image credit: Nic Crilly-Hargrave.
#FLODown: Mamapen is the Cambodian pop-up you need to check out this May, bringing big flavours to the heart of Soho inside the legendary Sun & 13 Cantons pub. Chef Kaneda Pen made the bold leap from a career in media to the kitchen, swapping ad campaigns for charcoal grills — and London is much better for it. His food is a lively, unfiltered love letter to his Cambodian roots, with a menu that riffs on tradition but keeps things relaxed and exciting. Expect plates like juicy Khmer BBQ half-chicken glazed with Shaoxing teriyaki, crispy pork toast crowned with a fried egg and punchy XO sauce, and homely beef mince noodles inspired by his Scottish other half. Mamapen’s all about generous flavours, a laid-back pub vibe, and showing London why Cambodian food deserves a permanent place on the map. And we couldn’t agree more.
Location: The Sun & 13 Cantons, 21 Great Pulteney St, London W1F 9NG. Website: sunand13cantons.co.uk. Instagram: @mamapenldn.
Tollington's
Finsbury Park
Tollington's, Finsbury Park Image credit Greg Holland.
#FLODown: Fresh off the FLO London Barcelona trip, where we soaked in the art scene and devoured potatoes bravas, our next pick for May is Tollington’s Fish Bar in Finsbury Park. This cool Spanish-inspired seafood spot has turned a 1970s fish and chip shop into a vibrant, laid-back eatery. With its emerald green frontage and interiors featuring Spanish tiles, marble tables, and a stunning mosaic, Tollington’s brings a taste of Barcelona to London. The menu is simple yet fresh — think devilled crab, smoked eel omelette, and chips bravas with aioli. Whether you’re grabbing a quick bite at the bar or enjoying a relaxed meal in the dining room, Tollington’s serves up well-cooked seafood with plenty of Spanish flair. They are mainly walk-in, but they do take a limited number of online bookings.
Location: 172 Tollington Park, Finsbury Park, London N4 3AJ. Instagram: @tollingtons.fishbar
Miga
Hackney
Miga Restaurant. Image credit Minu Han.
#FLODown: Another of East London’s most sought-after spots, Miga in Hackney is a must-visit this May for anyone craving soulful Korean food with a modern twist. Run by the Ko family — dad Hyun Sang Ko, a chef trained in Korea and Japan, and his two sons, the restaurant brings generations of culinary tradition to this quiet corner of Hackney. The clean, minimalist white space is full of heart, with family-made artwork on the walls and a handwritten story of their journey. Their menu includes dishes like their famed ox bone broth, melt-in-the-mouth soy-braised short ribs with shiitake mushrooms and sweet pear. There’s also fiery king prawns in gochujang and crisp mung bean pancakes packed with kimchi. Full of warmth, flavour, and a BYOB policy, Miga is also perfectly located right next to Regent’s Canal — ideal for a long, lazy walk along the water after your meal.
Location: 1 Mare Street, London E8 4RP. Instagram: @miga.restaurant.
The Cinnamon Club had completely flown under the radar for me. It is in a pocket of London I rarely visit, and even if I did, the building’s exterior gives little indication of what’s inside. But now that I’ve discovered it, I already have plans to return with my husband - and in my mind, a list of friends I would recommend it to…