Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner... that I like sushi, Singapore noodles and a biryani? - 21 June 2005
Yellow Pages ‘Capital Cuisine’ study tracks London’s changing tastes.Barbican, Croydon, Paddington and Stepney may not automatically spring to mind as London’s gastronomic hotspots. But a new study shows they are among the capital’s top ten culinary hotspots, thanks to the number and diversity of restaurants they boast.
Whilst the heart of the West End has no shortage of restaurants serving every type of cuisine imaginable, the Yellow Pages ‘Capital Cuisine’ study reveals London’s less obvious gastronomic gems and illustrates Londoners’ increasingly diverse tastes.
| London's Top Ten Culinary Hotspots | ||
| Rank | Postcode | Location |
| 1 | WC2 | Covent Garden |
| 2 | SW1 | Westminster |
| 3 | EC1 | Barbican |
| 4 | N1 | Islington |
| 5 | CR0 | Croydon |
| 6 | NW1 | Camden |
| 7 | W2 | Paddington |
| 8 | E1 | Stepney |
| 9 | SW11 | Battersea |
| 10 | SW5 | Fulham |
By comparing the changing number of businesses listed under restaurant classifications within 130 London postcodes (W1 excluded) between 1995 and 2005, the Yellow Pages research team has mapped out the capital’s culinary hotspots and the cuisines that have seen the most growth.
Yellow Pages undertook the survey as a part of its campaign to celebrate the diversity of businesses in London. In addition, Yellow Pages 118 24 7 has sponsored Visit London’s Eat London guide.
Eastern Revolution
The study shows an eastern revolution has taken place in London during the last ten years. Thai food is London’s fastest growing cuisine, with the number of restaurants increasing by 4,325 per cent since 1995. Japanese food – popular with London’s trendy media types – has also seen a huge increase with Japanese restaurants up by 2,260 per cent. At the same time, the number of fish and chip restaurants is down 30 per cent.
| Restaurants by Yellow Pages Classification | % change 1995 - 2005 |
| Thai | +4,325 |
| Japanese | +2,260 |
| English | +1,924 |
| Indian + Indian/Balti | +1,551 |
| Chinese/Oriental | +1,029 |
| Italian | +948 |
| Vegetarian | +880 |
| French | +832 |
| Turkish | +101 |
| Pizzeria | +49 |
| Sandwich Shops & Delivery | +44 |
| Cafes | -3 |
| Fish & Chip Shops & Restaurants | -30 |
There's Something Fishy Going On In Croydon
If you’re partial to a battered sausage or cod and chips then head down to Croydon. The borough - birth place of Kate Moss and home to London’s tram network - is the best place to go for the increasingly hard to find fish and chips.
| Fish & Chip Shops & Restaurants | |||
| Ranking | Postcode | Location | '95 Ranking |
| 1 | CR0 | Croydon | 1 |
| 2 | E17 | Walthamstow | 2 |
| 3 | SW19 | Wimbledon | 10 |
| 4 | E1 | Stepney | 9 |
| 5 | NW1 | Camden | 8 |
| 6 | N1 | Islington | 7 |
| 7 | SE13 | Lewisham | - |
| 8 | E15 | Stratford | - |
| 9 | N17 | Tottenham | - |
| 10 | SE15 | Peckham | 6 |
Mamma mia! Let's Go To Islington
When it comes to getting a pizza, Islington is the new ‘Little Italy’. Four new postcodes have entered the Pizzeria top ten since 1995, reflecting the increasing demand for ‘fiorentinas’ and ‘quattro formaggios’ in the capital.
| Pizzeria | |||
| Ranking | Postcode | Location | '95 Ranking |
| 1 | N1 | Islington | 3 |
| 2 | CR0 | Croydon | - |
| 3 | E17 | Walthamstow | 5 |
| 4 | SW6 | Fulham | 1 |
| 5 | N16 | Stoke Newington | 9 |
| 6 | N4 | Finsbury Park | 2 |
| 7 | SW11 | Battersea | 7 |
| 8 | W14 | Earls Court | - |
| 9 | W6 | Hammersmith | - |
| 10 | E14 | Poplar | - |
Houses of Parliament Go Up With A Banger
Politicians can be sure of a good feed before their parliamentary sessions. Westminster, home to the Houses of Parliament, came tops for traditional English restaurants moving up from third place in 1995.
Clerkenwell, home to Mount Pleasant, the largest postal sorting office in London, also came in the top five along with Barbican and Islington.
Football And Frogs Legs
Chelsea, home of the football club famous for its love of foreign players, also has a love of foreign food. It topped the table for French cuisine so that affluent residents can now enjoy ‘pommes frites’ before heading to the football pitch. Perhaps we will see a rise in Portuguese restaurants in Chelsea in the coming months?
Thai Me Up!
Thai food was the fastest growing sector in the past ten years. Covent Garden headed up the pack, but lesser known places such as Hammersmith also featured. Residents will be doing the Lambeth walk to the restaurants after the borough came in third place.
Bean To Camden Lately?
Home of the henna tattoo and traditionally a hippy haven, Camden has the most vegetarian restaurants. The results also showed that vegetarianism is going main stream with Barbican and Westminster coming second and third respectively. Also featured in the top ten were more surprising entries, such as Hampstead and Lambeth.
Turkish Delight
Turkish food has grown enormously in popularity in the past ten years, receiving its own Yellow Pages business classification in 1997. With a massive Turkish presence on the streets, Stoke Newington and Finsbury Park are the ideal places to find an authentic kebab.
| Turkish | |||
| Ranking | Postcode | Location | '95 Ranking |
| 1 | N1 | Stoke Newington | - |
| 2 | CR0 | Finsbury Park | - |
| 3 | E17 | West End | - |
| 4 | SW6 | Islington | - |
| 5 | N16 | Haringey | - |
| 6 | N4 | Golders Green | - |
| 7 | SW11 | Stepney | - |
| 8 | W14 | Hackney | - |
| 9 | W6 | Covent Garden | - |
| 10 | E14 | Tottenham | - |
Richard Duggleby, head of external relations at Yell, publisher of Yellow Pages directories, said: “From pizza to pad thai, fish and chips to frogs legs, the study highlights the sheer diversity of cuisine to be found in the capital and its unexpected culinary hotspots. The changes in Yellow Pages restaurant classifications over the last ten years reveal how Londoners’ tastes have altered, with more exotic cuisines now on the menu across the capital.”
