Favourite Restaurants of the British Royal Family

Wiltons

Wiltons is one of London’s oldest and most beloved restaurants. Established in 1742, Wiltons started off as a Shellfish monger near Haymarket. Over the years, they built a distinguished reputation for the most superlative seafood and games dishes.

It’s no surprise that this renowned restaurant has always been a hit with the royals, particularly with Princess Margaret. The Queen’s sister was a regular on the London social scene during the 1960’s and was often seen at London’s top establishments. Princess Margaret likely dined on one of their classic seafood or meat dishes. Back then the meal would have cost shillings, can you believe.

What shall I order?

Wiltons are known for their superb oysters, and we recommend an order of the Jersey Rock selection to kick off proceedings.

In addition, during game season their offering is spectacular, and we can’t recommend these dishes highly enough. You could expect to see pheasant, partridge, or guinea fowl on the menu.

If you’re visiting out of game season, we recommend the classic Fish Pie and the Dover Sole Meunière. And if you’re more of a savoury than a sweet tooth, do order the Welsh Rarebit instead of dessert – you won’t be disappointed.

Da Mario Kensington

This charming, family-run restaurant has been a Kensington staple since opening back in 1965. Famous for their thin crust pizzas, which at the time, was virtually unheard of in the UK.

Da Mario also became popular with a particularly well-known local resident from Kensington Palace! Princess Diana was a huge fan of Da Mario and adored visiting with her sons, William and Harry. The boys’ favourite food was pizza and so they would visit regularly, often sneaking in without being noticed.

Da Mario even has Princess Diana’s name on the outer stairs that leads up to the restaurant, so be sure to look out for it on your next visit. It’s a lovely tribute to the late Princess.

What shall I order?

The must-order starter in our opinion is the Bruschetta Al L’Italiana with juicy sweet tomato, crumbled goats cheese and basil – it’s simple and beautifully done. In addition, the Melanzane Alla Parmigiana is a delicious hot starter of layered aubergine, basil, mozzarella, basil, and tomato.

For the mains, you can’t beat a classic Margherita made with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella and parmigiana. We also recommend the Polla Corallo which is topped with roast chicken, sweet peppers, sun blushed tomatoes and fontina cheese.

The Ivy

Theatreland’s most famous restaurant barely needs an introduction. The Ivy has welcomed the world’s most famous names, including members of the royal family, since 1917. The world’s glitterati still flock to this beloved Covent Garden staple for their discretion and no-frills classic, British dishes.

Most famously, HM The Queen enjoyed dining at The Ivy. Her last visit was back in 2017, where the restaurant was in fact closed to the public. The soiree was for an invitation-only event, so no details were released, even though we like to think The Queen enjoyed their classic Shepherd’s Pie. Oh, to be a fly on the wall at that event.

What shall I order?

It’s goes without saying that if you’re a first-time visitor to The Ivy, a selection of their signature dishes are a must.

First off, suggest an order of the Bang Bang Chicken with peanut chilli sauce with sesame, as well as the Dressed Dorset Crab with Celeriac remoulade.

If you’re looking for elevated comfort food their Shepherd’s Pie with Mayfield cheese is a fan favourite, as well as their Ivy Fish pie with lobster, salmon, scallops, and prawns.

And if you have any room after that, the Sticky Toffee Pudding is essential.

Bluebird Chelsea

The iconic Bluebird Café is a Chelsea stalwart, and an ever-popular all-day dining destination along the famous King’s Road. It’s a fashionable destination for the Chelsea set, not only for the location (the terrace is gorgeous) but the eclectic, modern European menu.

It’s no surprise then that it’s a favourite of the Princess of Wales who used to spend quite a lot of time around Chelsea before she married Prince William in 2011. In fact, Kate was spotted dining on the terrace with her sister Pippa. We have heard it’s still one of her favourite restaurants in London.

What shall I order?

If you’re dining in the courtyard terrace, there’s nothing like a cocktail to start things off, and we always order the King’s Road made with Tanqueray No.10, Aperol, and Rhubarb Liqueur.

If you’re after the classic ‘Bluebird’ dishes, then you need an order of the Crispy Duck Salad as well as the Cheeseburger which is topped with red onion, Cheddar cheese, pickles and house sauce.

Quaglino’s

If you’re looking for the ultimate night out in London, Quaglino’s is a one-stop destination for food and entertainment. It’s where the glitterati came to party and rub shoulders alongside senior members of the royal family.

It was around the 1950’s that Quaglino’s became a favourite with the always-glamorous, Princess Margaret. The restaurant even had a special table reserved for her nicknamed ‘the royal enclosure’. Quaglino’s was also the first public restaurant a reigning monarch had ever visited when HM The Queen and Prince Phillip dined in 1956.

What shall I order?

This is a celebratory restaurant so start as you mean to go on with the Quaglino’s Cocktail which is a medley of the finest shellfish including Atlantic prawns, lobster, shrimp, Devon cock crab and langoustine. If you’re a fan of egg dishes, the Slow cooked Clarence court egg, wild mushrooms, and summer truffle is a must.

We can personally vouch for the Chargrilled Tomahawk Steak (for two to share) served with bearnaise sauce. It’s up there as being one of the best steaks in London.

Chiltern Firehouse

The intoxicating allure of celebrity was the winning formula when Chiltern Firehouse first burst onto the scene in 2013. It attracted an instant A-list clientele from day one including Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and David and Victoria Beckham.

The now Marylebone-favourite was opened by American Hotelier, André Balazs, who created a haven away from the prying media lens with a restaurant of tempting European-style dishes to keep his VIPs happy.

It also became a hot spot for the young royals, especially Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Both sisters have enjoyed milestone celebrations at the restaurant, including an engagement celebration in 2018 for the now-married Princess Eugenie. In addition, Beatrice chose Chiltern Firehouse for her engagement party to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2019. We have also heard their mother, Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, dining here in 2024.

What shall I order?

The team have created many classic dishes that we hope never leave the menu. The most famous of all are moreish little Crab stuffed doughnuts with coral dusting – they are worth the hype. We also can’t resist the Fried chicken with smoky ranch dip and the Chopped salad with peanut and sesame dressing.

For larger plates, the Duck Hash (served on Sundays) is a must as well as the Forty-eight-hour chicken with citrus marinade, and the always-popular Vodka, tomato pizza pie.

Bocca di Lupo

For fans of truly authentic Italian cooking, then Bocca di Lupo needs to be on your radar. This restaurant is something quite special as you can find little known dishes from all of Italy’s twenty regions. The pasta is handmade, and you can always find something new on their seasonal menu.

For the royal ‘foodie’ this place is a haven and has even hosted The Duchess of Sussex. Megan Markle is known to enjoy her food and this Italian restaurant was certainly on her radar. In addition, Princess Eugenie has also been spotted dining at the restaurant.

What shall I order?

The extensive, seasonally led menu is tempting from the off, and it’s best to order a selection to try as much of the menu as possible.

The small fritti of Buffalo Mozzarella Bocconcini and Sage Leaves and Anchovy are addictive and will leave you wanting more.

We also suggest a few plates of pasta; what we love about this is that you can bespoke the size depending on which dish you want more of. We would opt for the Courgette Risotto with mozzarella and basil, as well as a larger plate of Pappardelle with ox cheek and porcini ragu.