London’s recently become home to the latest phenomenon in ultra-hip dining: no-reservation restaurants that are so good, customers are willing to queue outside to get a table. Want to be up to date with the cool crowd?
Grab some friends and get ready to entertain yourself for up to an hour in order to get a table at these fantastic restaurants that are well worth the wait:
If you visit one of the Breakfast Club restaurants for dinner you may be able to skip the wait, but breakfast is really what it’s all about here, with huge plates of American-inspired classics layered with bacon, eggs and maple syrup. The vibe is upbeat and fast-paced and the prices are down to earth. You’ll find branches in Clapham, Angel, Soho, Hoxton, London Bridge and Shoreditch. And some of the restaurants also play host to hidden speakeasy bars, if you can figure out how to access them! If you can, book a room at our Travelodge Central in City Road to make sure a cosy bed is just a short walk away.
2. Franco Manca
With their delicious, Italian-inspired sourdough pizzas at incredibly low prices, Franco Manca have taken the London dining scene by storm. New branches seem to pop up all the time and on a weekend their customers are willing to wait more than an hour to get a taste of the slow-rising pizzas with the soft, easy-to-digest base. Best of all, our Travelodge Clapham is less than 10 minutes walk away from the Northcote Road branch.
3. Brew
The gem of the South London brunch scene, Brew has four locations, all south of the river and all serving up food and drinks from early morning until late at night. Each restaurant has its own style, but the food is always fresh, wholesome and modern, and inspired by the best of international cuisine. In the evenings you’ll find tempting cocktails, wine and beer. Why are people willing to queue? Try the food and see.
4. Dishoom
With three large dining rooms in central locations around the capital, Dishoom still struggles to seat all of their eager diners, with the result that queues are usually around the block. The food and atmosphere are inspired by the old Irani cafés of Bombay, with unique flavours and small sharing dishes. The signature Black House Dahl is a must-try.
5. MEATliquor
More of a cult phenomenon than a restaurant, the queue here tends to get so long that they employ a bouncer to manage it. Expect burgers and ribs and, as the name suggests, a too-tempting list of cooling Southern-style cocktails. The MEATliquor concept has proved to be so popular that the chain now have restaurants around the UK and even a branch in Singapore.
