Ikoyi
Global Cuisine, Creative · Temple, London
Restaurant in London, United Kingdom
Book with PearlThe Read
Sub-Saharan Spice Precision
Price
££££
Chef
Jeremy Chan
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Two Michelin stars, No. 15 on the World's 50 Best in 2025, a dinner tasting menu at £350 per head before wine: Ikoyi is one of London's hardest bookings and one of its most credentialed. Jeremy Chan's West African spice-led cooking applied to British organic produce is genuinely unlike anything else in the city. The express lunch at £150 is the entry point if the dinner price is the obstacle.
About Ikoyi
Ikoyi is useful for diners considering a highly credentialed, special-occasion restaurant in London and weighing a serious tasting-menu commitment. The page brings together the key planning context: two Michelin stars, a No. 15 position on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, a dinner tasting menu at £350 per person before wine, an express lunch at £150 per person.
How to think about the visit
Jeremy Chan’s cooking combines West African spice with British organic produce, the menu is micro-seasonal. Expect a sequential experience designed to be eaten in the room, rather than a meal that translates to delivery or takeaway. The dining room is deliberately spare, with an open kitchen and a discreet entrance at 180 Strand.
Before you go
Seats are scarce, with dinner bookings opening weeks ahead and disappearing quickly. Lunch runs Wednesday to Friday from noon to 1:30 pm and is the more accessible route to the kitchen, though it also fills quickly. Check the current release date, service details, menu and price before planning around a specific occasion. Smart casual dress is listed, the page describes the service as formal and deliberately arms-length.
Planning details
- Hours
- Monday: 6–8 pm · Tuesday: 6–8 pm
- Location
- 180 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1EA, United Kingdom
- Website
- ikoyilondon.com
- Phone
- +44 7354 848264
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Ikoyi presents a rigorously restrained dining room where design defers to cuisine. Set inside 180 Strand’s brutalist shell, the space is copper-hued with a curved metal‑weave ceiling, oak furniture and limestone floors, an aesthetic that emphasizes craft over ornament. The room reads deliberately spare — even sterile to some — and that minimalism serves to put the spotlight on a cuisine obsessed with spice and British produce. An open kitchen runs along one side, which keeps attention anchored on technique and timing. The overall effect is quietly exacting rather than theatrical, a modern, industrial-leaning setting for seriously focused tasting.
Best For
Ikoyi suits milestone meals and formal business dinners as much as high-end date nights. With two Michelin stars, a No. 15 placement on the World’s 50 Best list and evenings quoted at roughly £350 per person, it operates in the rarefied bracket of London’s multi-star restaurants. The tone is precise and earnest rather than showy, so it rewards diners who are seeking a measured, high‑commitment experience rather than a casual night out. Reservations are likely competitive given its accolades, so plan well in advance when you need a guaranteed table for a special evening.
Ordering Tips
Let the kitchen’s focus on spice and British produce guide choices: the menu foregrounds those elements rather than culinary theatrics. Highlighted signatures such as smoked jollof rice and suya are clear must-tries and good entry points to Ikoyi’s flavor profile. Expect a tightly curated, high-cost evening (the description cites a £350-per-head night), so consider prioritizing the dishes that showcase the restaurant’s strengths in smoke, spice and precise technique. Given the restaurant’s acclaim, book ahead and be prepared for a formal, chef-forward meal that privileges the tasting sequence and ingredient focus.
Planning details
Hours
- Monday
- 6–8 pm
- Tuesday
- 6–8 pm
- Wednesday
- 12–1:30 pm, 6–8 pm
- Thursday
- 12–1:30 pm, 6–8 pm
- Friday
- 12–1:30 pm, 6–8 pm
- Saturday
- Closed
- Sunday
- Closed
Location
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Cross-shop Ikoyi against Pearl’s other London bar and restaurant pages by deciding first whether you want a two-Michelin-star tasting-menu experience, the listed express lunch, or a different level of price and formality. Use the current menu, booking information and visit details on each page to make the comparison.
Restaurant context
When Ikoyi is the right choice
Within London’s restaurant category, Ikoyi fits a serious special occasion or destination meal: the cooking is sequential and spice-led, the room is restrained, the dinner price and booking difficulty are substantial. Choose it when the food and credentials justify that commitment; consider the express lunch when dinner is not the right fit.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Ikoyi guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Ikoyi
| Option | Best for | What to weigh | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ikoyi | West African spice-led fine dining | Two Michelin stars, a £350 dinner tasting menu before wine, limited availability | Star Wine Lists 2026 · #12026 Food & Wine Top 10 Global Restaurants · #12026 Harden's Top 100 UK Restaurants · #462026 AA 3-Rosette Restaurants2026 Michelin 2 Stars2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 World's 50 Best Restaurants · #152025 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #44The Good Food Guide 2025 |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Comparing London’s highly credentialed restaurants | A named alternative in the same London fine-dining conversation; verify current menu and booking details | No published awards |
| Ikoyi express lunch | Trying the same kitchen with a lower listed commitment | £150 per person; Wednesday to Friday, noon to 1:30 pm | No published awards |
FAQ
Ikoyi Restaurant FAQ
What is Ikoyi known for?
Ikoyi is known for West African spice-led cooking applied to British organic produce, as well as two Michelin stars and its No. 15 position on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list.
How much does Ikoyi cost?
The dinner tasting menu is listed at £350 per person before wine. An express lunch is listed at £150 per person. Check the current details before booking.
When is the easier time to visit?
Lunch runs Wednesday to Friday from noon to 1:30 pm and is described as a more accessible route than dinner. Seats remain scarce, so check the booking window and current availability for your date.
