Making food great again: London’s best American restaurants

The caller American predetermination whitethorn person near galore astir the satellite questioning their allegiance to what is often referred to arsenic the world’s top ideology — a reflection, perhaps, that the USA, for amended oregon worse, remains the ascendant taste unit connected the planet.

Still, 1 country wherever the USA cannot beryllium said ever to person been a satellite person is with the estimation of its food, which has an representation akin to that of British cuisine astir 30 years ago: brown, dense connected the nutrient and astir apt deep-fried.

Some of that is partially true, and perchance nary the worse for it; fewer things travel adjacent to the restitution of a burger and fries, portion the steakhouse is arguably America’s top acquisition to the edifice satellite — though barbecue is catching up accelerated successful the capital.

But conscionable arsenic each July 4 celebrates the archetypal 13 colonies’ declaring their independency from Great Britain, truthful excessively person US chefs been creating a distinctively American-accented cuisine, not slightest successful California wherever immoderate of the finest wines successful the satellite tin beryllium sampled successful immoderate of the champion restaurants connected the planet.

New-style American cooking has yet to marque galore inroads to London — Sola successful Soho is possibly an honourable exception, though The Park and ABC Kitchens are notable newcomers — but whether you’re looking for Maryland crabcakes oregon Philadelphia cheesesteak, shrimp cocktail oregon cobb salad, there’s an American edifice to fulfill the craving. Read connected to observe the champion successful London.

Jeremy King made his sanction with modern European successful the Eighties and Nineties (Le Caprice, The Ivy) and Mitteleuropean successful the Noughties (The Wolseley, The Delaunay) but the seasoned restaurateur has crossed not lone the parkland but the pond for his archetypal westbound London venture. The Park is the benignant of luxe American diner 1 mightiness find successful the much upscale neighbourhoods of Manhattan — King has spoken of Danny Meyer arsenic an power — but, portion meal and brunch service up capable pancakes and French toast washed down with refillable filter java to gladden the bosom of immoderate homesick Yankee, evenings instrumentality a much Cal-Ital attack with artichoke crockery and grilled swordfish (though determination are besides blistery dogs and lobster rolls). Wines, meanwhile, are exclusively Italian oregon American: not conscionable California, but New York, Oregon and Washington State, too.     

America, arsenic John F Kennedy said, is simply a federation of immigrants, and galore of the astir palmy exponents of modern American cooking (Wolfgang Puck, Daniel Boulud, Daniel Humm) person lone recovered fame aft moving Stateside. Alsatian-born, Manhattan-based Jean-Georges Vongerichten is different and ABC is his emotion missive to the melting cookware of US civilization and cuisine. The Knightsbridge newcomer brings 3 of the chef’s New York restaurants (ABC Kitchen, ABCV and ABC Cocina) unneurotic for the archetypal time, which means everything from quesadillas stuffed with asparagus and tacos filled with crispy Dover sole to kale crockery and crackling fried chicken. The country looks arsenic bully arsenic what’s connected the plate, with leafy views implicit to Hyde Park and, inside, a bid of Damien Hirst paintings and a vino cave enclosed successful amber glass.  

Everything astatine Hard Rock mightiness look arsenic American arsenic pome pastry but to anyone whose lone cognition of the planetary burger concatenation is seeing souvenir T-shirts worn everyplace from Andorra to Ulaanbaatar, it whitethorn travel arsenic a astonishment to larn that it each began present connected Old Park Lane successful 1971 (though the 2 founders, astatine least, were American). The burgers are bully enough, but alternatively surpassed by caller developments connected the capital’s ever-evolving patty scene; amended to spell alternatively for the vastly portioned likes of crispy shrimp, boneless wings and a South West-style chickenhearted crockery (New Mexico, not Newlyn). It mightiness not beryllium the astir blase nighttime retired successful municipality but the hardworking unit truly enactment the effort successful to marque definite that customers person a bully time and first-time kids volition deliberation it’s the coolest happening ever.   

The archetypal London edifice to marque the lawsuit that determination was much to American cuisine than burgers and steaks, Christopher’s has been an elegant spot for a civilised supper successful Covent Garden since 1991. Naturally, this being tourer central, the steaks and burgers are contiguous and close – USDA premier for the steak, wagyu for the burger and each a failsafe prime for speedy pre-theatre (The Lion King is opposite). But look besides to Maryland crab cakes with herb jam, blackened salmon with jambalaya risotto, and pecan pastry with salted caramel crystal cream. The ground-floor martini bar, meanwhile, has 15 variations connected the world’s astir celebrated cocktail, though thing beats the beatified trinity of gin, vodka and Vesper, and determination are prime barroom snacks to guarantee imbibers marque it retired the doorway inactive standing. Weekend brunches of buttermilk fried chickenhearted sandwiches and cocoa brioche French toast are different bully shout.

There are present 3 Passyunk Avenues successful London (also astatine Waterloo and Battersea) but the Fitzrovia archetypal has the astir charm, not slightest due to the fact that it truly does consciousness similar the benignant of sports dive barroom 1 would find successful the South Philadelphia ’hood the spot is named after. Sophisticated modern Californian cuisine, this ain’t. Instead, expect Philly’s acquisition to the nutrient world, the Philadelphia cheesesteak (a baguette-like hoagie rotation filled with steak and melted cheese) arsenic good arsenic different gut-busting sandwiches specified arsenic pastrami Reuben, chickenhearted nine and meatball parm. The nutrient is acold amended than the expected tummy lining for pints of Bud and shots of pickleback; the American shot connected TV, however, is astir apt much of an acquired taste, though the boisterously affable assemblage of US expats volition marque definite you cognize your moving backmost from your wide receiver earlier the evening is out.

The benignant of edifice 1 could ideate And Just Like That’s Mr Big pursing his lips implicit a solid of thing silky from Napa if lone helium hadn’t expired connected the Peloton, Cut is simply a shiny portion of Midtown gloss courtesy of Wolfgang Puck, a US-based personage cook arsenic celebrated arsenic the faces helium serves astatine the yearly post-Oscars Governors Ball. That operation of Hollywood endorsement and a determination wrong the Dorchester-owned 45 Park Lane edifice should springiness an denotation of the prices present but if wealth is nary entity past there’s immoderate terrific cooking connected offer, from the signature steaks presented for inspection swaddled successful napkins arsenic lovingly arsenic a newborn to crab and lobster cocktail, lamb chops and baked Alaska. Save immoderate clip earlier oregon aft (or both) for the fantabulous cocktails mixed upstaiors successful Bar 45.

The chaotic south-west of Nine Elms mightiness not look the astir earthy spot for a convivial New York-inspired oyster bar, until 1 realises that the American Embassy is the main section leader successful this frontier onshore of London dining. Darby’s functions arsenic the unofficial canteen for diplomats letting disconnected steam aft enactment oregon sinking fractional a twelve oysters astatine lunchtime and, arsenic chef-owner Robin Gill hails from Dublin, helium has a earthy affinity for knowing the champion mode to service a sheet of crustacea, whether Gallagher Atlantic oysters oregon Devonshire crab, arsenic good arsenic pouring a cleanable pint of Guinness. The temper mightiness beryllium chill East Village Irish barroom but the paper is much transatlantic: ham hock and Gubeen croquettes; beef tartare with smoked bony marrow and Guinness soda bread; Cornish crab linguine with shrimp and salami XO sauce. Oyster blessed hr (5-7pm Tue-Fri, 3-6pm Sat) and Sunday roasts of Aurox beef rump, slow-cooked lamb enarthrosis and suckling pig limb widen the appeal.

Sunday successful Brooklyn mightiness dependable similar a J-Lo rom-com from the aboriginal noughties but the world is alternatively much appealing, a high-ceilinged, light-filled country drenched with daylight done ample windows and with a portion of alfresco tables nether candy-striped awnings. The archetypal Sunday successful Brooklyn is simply a celebrated brunch spot successful upwardly mobile Williamsburg; this London outpost successful the capital’s archetypal gentrified neighbourhood of Notting Hill is perfectly placed to provender the homesick American expats who person colonised W11, oregon so anyone successful request of a dollop of have-a-nice-day comfort. Brunch is what the spot is astir celebrated for, immoderate the time of the week — fried chickenhearted sandwich; Caesar salad; pancakes with brownish food — portion meal tends to the much wholesome likes of herb-crusted chickenhearted with broccolini oregon the galore fantabulous vegetarian dishes specified arsenic charred carrots with jalapeno coconut yoghurt and maple and pistachio glaze.

Perhaps lone The Mousetrap has displayed much longevity arsenic a fixture of the West End signifier than Joe Allen, which transferred from Broadway successful 1977 and has been entertaining luvvies ever since; however galore theatregoers person opted to bid different vessel present arsenic showstoppers are belted retired from the soft alternatively of risking sitting done thing destined to articulation the posters of celebrated flops that enactment the ceramic walls of the cosy eating room? An off-menu cheeseburger that is the worst-kept concealed successful Theatreland is the champion happening to order; different classics see slow-cooked barbecue pork belly similar the juiciest rasher of bacon, hot-smoked salmon fishcake with a well-timed poached ovum and pecan pastry correctly tasting much of sweetener than nut. It’s each astir arsenic ground-breaking arsenic the latest Lloyd Webber, which is conscionable the mode Joe Allen’s assemblage likes it, with charming enactment from waiters who mightiness crook retired to beryllium the adjacent large thing.

The UK’s lone Michelin-starred American edifice is simply a portmanteau of Soho and LA, which serves arsenic descriptive shorthand for the benignant of cooking connected connection astatine this Californian-inspired eating country crammed onto the country of Dean and Bourchier Streets. Chef-patron Victor Garvey was calved successful New York to an American begetter and a French-Spanish parent earlier moving to the Golden State past moving for galore years successful Spain: precisely the benignant of melting cookware that defines high-end Californian cuisine. But if the influences are eclectically far-reaching, the method is laser-focused successful the likes of squab pigeon with sweetener snaps, tonka beans and shisho, prepared with pin-sharp precision. Dinner involves an expansive 16-course tasting paper for £229, portion a four-course luncheon is much reasonable, astatine £59; an abbreviated à  la carte is served successful the lounge.

All steakhouses tin laic a assertion to being Stateside successful root — Brits person historically favoured chophouses — but Smith & Wollensky is arsenic American arsenic pome pie. The communicative goes that the archetypal Manhattan edifice was named successful 1977 by picking 2 entries astatine random from the New York telephone book; present determination are 8 US branches from Columbus to Chicago, Las Vegas to Miami Beach, similar a classy concatenation of Hard Rock Cafés, adjacent expanding to Taiwan. USDA premier beef is aged for 28 days connected tract and, with broadside orders of porcini pick sauce, a grilled fractional lobster, whipped potatoes and truffled mac and cheese, a main people present is simply a repast successful itself; you whitethorn find yourself looking longingly astatine the children’s paper (and not lone due to the fact that astatine £12.50 it is virtually the cheapest happening here). Otherwise, hole for your American Express to instrumentality a hammering and retrieve the astir important acquisition of eating successful an American restaurant: there’s nary shame successful asking for a doggy container to feast connected leftovers the pursuing day.

Plaquemine is simply a municipality adjacent the Louisiana authorities superior of Baton Rouge wherever Virginia Campbell, the grandma of Jacob Kenedy, was born, and Plaquemine Lock is the chef’s homage to this broadside of his practice (though helium is amended known for the determination Italian cooking of Bocca di Lupo successful Soho). The “lock” portion refers to the canalside determination of this Cajun and Creole-inspired pub successful Islington, wherever shrimp is boiled up with andouille sausage, fried successful a po’boy sandwich oregon served successful a gumbo with shrimp and chicken, oysters travel au naturel, Rockefeller oregon grilled with chilli butter, and determination are sides of cornbread, fried greenish herb and chickenhearted strips. Cocktails specified arsenic the Creole Bloody Mary are Louisiana-inspired but beers are British. Saturday afternoons are fixed implicit to a jazz brunch and Sundays to roast lunch.

A windowless eating country successful a Mayfair edifice mightiness not dependable similar the astir appealing edifice proposition but with nary London presumption to distract attention, diners astatine The Beaumont’s Colony Grill Room tin immerse themselves successful a afloat Dorothy Parker phantasy of being wittily superb (or brilliantly witty) astatine The Algonquin. Wood panelling takes the spot of windows, there’s handsome leather upholstery and plush reddish carpeting, knockout cocktails delivered from the neighbouring Le Magritte barroom positive a paper of appealingly elemental grill country classics: shrimp cocktail and cobb salad, hanger steak and pork chop, rum baba and vanilla cheesecake. Prices, alas, would beryllium arsenic astatine location successful Mayfair oregon Manhattan.