Best Restaurants on the Piccadilly Line: A Stop-by-Stop Food Guide
The Piccadilly line runs from Heathrow in the west to Cockfosters in the north, cutting through some of London’s most visited neighbourhoods along the way. It also happens to pass within walking distance of a handful of the city’s most talked-about restaurants — places that are genuinely worth building your day around, not just stumbling into because they were nearby.
This guide picks four of the best, one per station stop. Whether you’re in the mood for Bombay-inspired breakfast in Covent Garden, Michelin-recognised tapas near Leicester Square, the famous Harrods Food Hall at Knightsbridge, or a long Italian lunch by the Thames in Hammersmith, the Piccadilly line gets you there.
Stops covered in this guide:
- Covent Garden → Dishoom
- Leicester Square → Barrafina Adelaide Street
- Knightsbridge → Harrods Food Hall
- Hammersmith → The River Café
Stop 1: Covent Garden — Dishoom
Station: Covent Garden (Piccadilly line) Walk: 5 minutes Best for: Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner
Exit Covent Garden station and head south along James Street — within five minutes you’ll reach Dishoom, one of the most reliably excellent all-day restaurants in the city. Modelled on the old Irani cafés that were once a staple of Bombay street life, the Covent Garden branch occupies a glamorous, high-ceilinged space that captures the mood of 1930s Bombay without feeling like a theme park.
The breakfast menu is the one that’s made Dishoom famous — particularly the Bacon Naan Roll, a deceptively simple combination of streaky bacon and cream cheese wrapped in a warm naan, served with chilli tomatoes on the side. It sounds modest; it’s actually excellent. The House Black Daal — slow-cooked for over 24 hours until it reaches an almost velvet consistency — is the other dish that regulars plan their visits around.
For lunch and dinner, the menu expands to include rich curries, grilled meats, and a selection of small plates designed for sharing. The Chicken Ruby (a deep, buttery tomato-based curry) and the Lamb Raan (slow-cooked leg with a smoky char) are among the highlights. The drinks list, including Indian-inspired cocktails and excellent fresh-fruit lassis, is worth paying attention to.
What to order
Breakfast: Bacon Naan Roll, Akuri (spiced scrambled eggs), bottomless chai. Lunch and dinner: House Black Daal, Chicken Ruby, Lamb Chops, any of the small plates from the ‘From the Sigri’ section.
Practical notes
Dishoom takes reservations for groups and for breakfast/lunch — book ahead, especially at weekends. Walk-ins are possible for dinner but expect a queue if you arrive at peak times. The Covent Garden branch is open all day, every day, making it one of the most flexible options on this list.
🚇 Tube tip: Take the Piccadilly line to Covent Garden. The station’s famous lift shafts are among the deepest on the network — 31 metres down. There’s a staircase option (193 steps) if you’d rather skip the queue for the lifts.
Stop 2: Leicester Square — Barrafina Adelaide Street
Station: Leicester Square (Piccadilly & Northern lines) Walk: 3 minutes Best for: Lunch, pre-theatre dinner, late dinner
One stop west, Leicester Square puts you a three-minute walk from Barrafina Adelaide Street — the Michelin-recognised tapas bar that sits on the corner of Adelaide Street, right on the edge of London’s theatreland. Of Barrafina’s five London locations, this is the one closest to the Piccadilly line, and its position near Trafalgar Square and the surrounding galleries makes it a natural stop before or after a day of sightseeing.
Barrafina operates as a counter-dining restaurant: a long, horseshoe-shaped marble bar wraps around the open kitchen, and most of the eating is done perched on red leather stools watching the chefs at work. It’s one of the most convivial formats in London — especially if you arrive as a pair, which is the ideal group size for the counter. Larger groups can book the private dining room downstairs.
The menu is Spanish tapas, but done with a seriousness and sourcing quality that sets it apart from the generic. Daily specials — listed on a blackboard and built around whatever arrived that morning — tend to be the highlight: expect fresh fish cooked on the plancha, seasonal vegetables, and cuts of Ibérico pork that arrive in various forms throughout the week. Among the regulars on the menu, the tortilla (oozy in the centre, set just right on the outside) and the gambas al ajillo (garlic prawns, cooked simply and well) are the two dishes that have defined the restaurant’s reputation over nearly two decades.
What to order
Order from the blackboard specials first if you can — whatever the kitchen’s working with that day is almost always the best thing on offer. From the main menu: the tortilla, gambas al ajillo, Padrón peppers, and any of the Ibérico pork preparations. A glass of fino sherry to start is not obligatory but is quietly the correct choice.
Practical notes
The Adelaide Street branch takes reservations, unlike the original Dean Street location. Book ahead for evening slots, especially if you’re coming from a matinee nearby. Walk-ins are usually possible at lunch. The counter seats fill fast after 6pm — if you arrive without a booking, put your name in and order drinks at the bar while you wait.
🚇 Tube tip: Leicester Square is served by both the Piccadilly and Northern lines. If you’re continuing south toward Knightsbridge, stay on the Piccadilly line westbound — it’s two stops to Green Park, then one more to Knightsbridge.
Stop 3: Knightsbridge — Harrods Food Hall
Station: Knightsbridge (Piccadilly line) Walk: 2 minutes Best for: Grazing, picnic supplies, any time of day
Knightsbridge station exits directly onto Brompton Road, putting you within two minutes of the most famous food hall in the world. Harrods opened its first food department in 1849, and the Food Hall today — a sprawling series of Victorian-tiled counters across the ground floor — remains one of the more genuinely spectacular places to eat in London, if you approach it correctly.
The key is to treat it as a food market rather than a restaurant. The counters are where the experience lives: artisan cheeses and charcuterie from across Europe, freshly baked patisserie, a fishmonger with an extraordinary selection of live and cured seafood, a chocolatier, an oyster bar, and a series of hot food counters that rotate through everything from fresh pasta to sushi. If you’re building a picnic, this is the city’s finest starting point — Hyde Park is a 10-minute walk away.
For a sit-down meal within Harrods, the options have expanded significantly in recent years. The Dining Hall on the fourth floor hosts a rotating cast of restaurants, including everything from a Gordon Ramsay burger counter to more formal dining. The Fifth Floor Café at Harvey Nichols (a five-minute walk along Brompton Road) is another excellent option if you want a more relaxed environment than Harrods’ ground floor bustle.
What to buy
From the food hall counters: freshly baked croissants and pastries from the bakery, seasonal cheeses from the specialist counter, charcuterie, hand-finished chocolates, and — if the budget allows — smoked salmon from the fishmonger, which is among the best available in London. The ready-to-eat hot food counters are worth checking for whatever the daily offering is.
Practical notes
Harrods can be genuinely hectic on weekends and during tourist season. If you’re coming primarily for the food hall rather than the retail experience, weekday mornings are considerably calmer. The store opens at 10am Monday to Saturday and 11:30am on Sundays. Smart casual dress is expected — the code is enforced at the door.
🚇 Tube tip: Knightsbridge station has two exits: one towards Harrods (Brompton Road, exit 1) and one towards Hyde Park Corner (Sloane Street, exit 2). Take exit 1 to reach the food hall in under two minutes.
Stop 4: Hammersmith — The River Café
Station: Hammersmith (Piccadilly, District, Circle & H&C lines) Walk: 10–12 minutes Best for: Long lunch, special occasion dinner
The Piccadilly line terminates at Heathrow from Hammersmith, but for culinary purposes, Hammersmith is where this journey ends — at The River Café, one of the most storied restaurants in London and the place that, more than almost any other, changed how the city thinks about Italian food.
Opened in 1987 by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray in what was originally the canteen of architect Richard Rogers’ practice, The River Café has spent nearly four decades making the case that truly great Italian cooking doesn’t require complexity — it requires exceptional ingredients, handled with confidence and restraint. The dining room is bright and informal, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over a Thames-side terrace. The open kitchen runs the length of the room, anchored by a wood-fired oven that gives many of the dishes a particular smokiness. In summer, the outdoor terrace is one of the most sought-after tables in the city.
The menu changes daily, built entirely around what’s seasonal and at its best. Pasta dishes are made fresh; fish arrives that morning; vegetables come from the kitchen garden or trusted suppliers. Signature dishes that have remained constants over the decades include the chargrilled squid with fresh red chilli and wild rocket, and the chocolate nemesis cake — a dense, fudgy flourless chocolate tart that has been copied in kitchens across the world and is still better here than anywhere else.
A note on price: The River Café is expensive. Antipasti sit at £30–40, mains at £60–70, and a serious wine list (exclusively Italian, with bottles from all 20 of Italy’s regions) will add significantly to the bill. The set lunch — two courses plus dessert — offers a more accessible entry point and is widely considered the best-value way to experience the restaurant. If you’re planning a special occasion meal in London, this is one of the handful of restaurants that genuinely earns its reputation.
What to order
From the constants: chargrilled squid with chilli and rocket, chocolate nemesis. From the daily menu: whatever pasta dish the kitchen is serving, any of the fresh fish preparations, and anything that mentions the wood-fired oven. The gelati are excellent and often overlooked — a scoop or two of whatever is made that day is a worthwhile addition to dessert.
Practical notes
Booking is essential — particularly for dinner, and often for lunch at weekends. The River Café website takes reservations directly. The walk from Hammersmith station takes 10–12 minutes; follow the Thames Path south from the station until you reach Rainville Road. The restaurant’s riverside location means the walk itself is pleasant, especially in good weather.
🚇 Tube tip: Hammersmith is served by four lines: Piccadilly, District, Circle, and Hammersmith & City. Coming from Knightsbridge, stay on the Piccadilly line westbound — it’s a direct seven-minute ride.
The full Piccadilly line resturant itinerary
If you wanted to string all four stops into a single day, it’s entirely possible on the Piccadilly line. Start with breakfast at Dishoom in Covent Garden (book ahead or arrive early for a walk-in). Continue to Leicester Square for a mid-morning stroll before an early lunch counter at Barrafina. Head west to Knightsbridge for an afternoon browse of the Harrods Food Hall — pick up supplies for a Thames-side snack. Finish with a long, indulgent dinner at The River Café in Hammersmith.
It’s a day that covers roughly nine kilometres of Piccadilly line — and a good cross-section of what makes London’s food scene genuinely worth building a trip around.
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