Where to eat in London

Restaurants, cafés and street food in London, United Kingdom that locals actually go to — plus the local names for the chains you already know.

Regency Cafe — Caff, Westminster / Pimlico (1). Order the Full English breakfast. The 1946 greasy spoon of film fame — order shouted, tea strong.
Tayyabs — Punjabi, Whitechapel (2). Order the Lamb chops + dry meat. BYOB Punjabi grill since 1972 — the lamb chops built the queue.
Poppies Fish & Chips — Fish & chips, Spitalfields (2). Order the Cod & chips. Proper chippy in 1950s dress — cod, vinegar, done.
Padella — Fresh pasta, Borough Market (2). Order the Pici cacio e pepe. Hand-rolled pasta at fair prices — the queue is the only catch.
E. Pellicci — Caff / Anglo-Italian, Bethnal Green (1). Order the Full English + bread pudding. The 1900 family caff with the friendliest counter in the East End.
St. John — British / nose-to-tail, Smithfield (3). Order the Roast bone marrow + parsley salad. Fergus Henderson's white room that changed British cooking.
Sweetings — Seafood, City of London (3). Order the Skate wing + black velvet. Lunch-only fish institution since 1889; no reservations, no dinner, no rush.
Dishoom — Bombay café, Shoreditch (2). Order the Bacon naan roll + black daal. The Bombay-café revival with a breakfast naan roll worth the queue.
Beigel Bake — Bakery / Jewish, Brick Lane (1). Order the Salt beef beigel. Open 24 hours; the salt beef beigel is a 3am rite of passage.
Rules — British / game, Covent Garden (4). Order the Steak & kidney pie. London's oldest restaurant (1798) — game, pies, and portraits.