Five of London’s Oldest Restaurants Still Serving Today
London is a city that trades heavily on reinvention, yet some of its most enduring experiences are found behind doors that have barely changed in purpose for centuries. Long before tasting menus and open kitchens, these restaurants were built for regulars, routine, and ritual.
With a preference for tradition over trendy these restaurants stand apart as ones that have stood the test of time, for good reason and ones we often seek out when dining in London.
As a practical guide these are the oldest restaurants that you can still book today.
The Oldest Restaurants Still Serving in London
Rules (1798)
Wilton's (1742)
Simpson's in the Strand (1828)
The Savoy Grill (1889)
Kettner's (1867)
Rules, Covent Garden
Rules is the oldest restaurant in London still trading under the same name and on the same site. It is also the one that feels most comfortable with its own history.
Tucked just off Covent Garden, the rooms are layered with dark wood, paintings, and a sense of continuity that does not feel manufactured. This is not theatre. It is simply what happens when a place has been doing the same job for more than two centuries.
A sense of history inside Rules Restaurant
Game remains central to the menu in season, alongside dishes that feel rooted in British dining rather than interpreted versions of it. Service is formal but unshowy, and the pace encourages conversation rather than turnover.
It is also a favoured dining spot of James Bond.
35 Maiden Ln, London WC2E 7LB
Wilton's, Jermyn Street
Wilton’s began life as a shellfish stall in the 18th century and evolved into one of London’s most discreet dining rooms. It has moved locations over the years, but the tone has remained remarkably consistent.
This is a place defined by understatement. The dining room is calm, the service precise, and the menu built around fish, game, and seasonal produce. It attracts regulars rather than tourists, and feels closer in spirit to a private club than a destination restaurant. Booking is essential for this small restaurant.
55 Jermyn St, London SW1Y 6LX
Simpson's in the Strand
Reopening this Spring, after an extensive refurbsimhment Simpson’s remains one of London’s most historically significant dining rooms.
Originally established as a chess club, it became famous for its carved meats, trolley service, and formal dining rituals. For generations, it was a place where politicians, writers, and regular Londoners came to eat.
When Simpson’s reopens, it will be interesting to see how much of that formality returns. The challenge will be balancing modern expectations with the weight of its past but as part of the Savoy Hotel we are confident this won’t be a problem.
https://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/
100 Strand, London WC2R 0EZ
The Savoy Grill, the Strand
The Savoy Grill is inseparable from the ‘Grand Dame hotel’ that houses it. Dining here feels like an extension of staying at The Savoy, and that is very much part of the appeal.
Dining at the Savoy Grill
The Savoy Grill has evolved more visibly than some of the other restaurants on this list, particularly through changes in chefs and menus. What has remained is its role as a reliable anchor within the wider Savoy ecosystem. Read our full review from a December dinner at the Grill.
https://thesavoylondon.com/restaurants-and-bars/savoy-grill
100 Strand, London WC2R 0EZ
Kettner's, Soho
Founded in the 19th century, Kettners became known as one of London’s first French restaurants and a long-standing Soho fixture. Over the years, it has gone through closures, reinventions, and changes of ownership that have blurred the line between continuity and revival.
In the Eighties the champgane bar was a regular haunt for us, whilst the nineties was more of a Pizza place. Whether it fully qualifies as continuously serving in the same way as Rules or Wilton’s is open to debate, but its cultural place in Soho history is undeniable.
Today it is a French Bistro, and hotel, part of the Soho House Group and still worth a visit.
https://www.sohohouse.com/en-us/restaurants/kettners-soho
29 Romilly St, London W1D 5AL
Why These Restaurants Matter in Today’s London
In a city where restaurants open and close with increasing speed these restaurants cannot rest upon their laurels. But equally they don’t need to purse gimmicks or trends but honour their heritage through evolution, to match the modern diner.