The Best Restaurants in Forest Hill, Greater London, United Kingdom (2025)

THE BEST PUB IN LONDON. Or UK! As a family we’ve been coming here for about 20 years. It’s amazing. Traditional Irish music night every week. No food done by the house but a great pizza truck etc outside and they don’t mind you bringing food in. They have Tayto crisps, all the bar staff have ties and Corn and team are lovely. It doesn’t change even if it’s becoming trendy. A proper pub.

🚇 Catford 🍺 £5.80 Guinness One of the Best Pubs in London. The Blythe Hill Tavern is located in South East London on the border between Catford and Forest Hill. The nearest station is Catford, it’s a ten minute walk to get here. The pub was built in the mid 19th century and started life as The Blythe Hill Hotel. This is three room pub with a public bar on the corner, a saloon to the left and a large room running across the back of the pub. The decor here is outstanding, so much so that it has been Grade II listed by Historic England. The walls are clad in dark wood panelling which originate from the 1920’s. Around the walls are a treasure trove of old signs, posters and mirrors relating to Irish writers, Irish brews and sporting pursuits. Other features include exposed beams, fireplaces that roar in winter, traditional seating and to top in off, a proper pub carpet. At the rear of the pub is a large beer garden that blooms in the summer. The beer lineup was great, there was a decent selection of four revolving cask ales, familiar favourites and of course Guinness. I ordered a pint of St Jame’s Gates finest, my pint was excellent and pleasingly cost less than six quid. There is food available here by way of @vandough pizzas. They serve up 10” pizzas which all cost in and around a tenner. Check their socials for timings. My brother and I arrived bang on opening at met Con the Guv’nor who was warm and welcoming. After ordering our pints we ended up having a great chat with Con about Ireland and London pubs in the 70’s and 80’s and the many characters that ran them. We were also chatting about The Arsenal as we are both fans and visiting Highbury and the pubs around there back in the day, what a lovely fella. The pub hosts Quiz Nights, Live Music, Live Premier League and Rugby. The @blythehilltavern is a Multi award winning pub which is traditional, welcoming, quirky and authentic. This is one of the best pubs I’ve visited, I loved everything about this place and Con the Guv’nor is an absolute diamond. If you have London pub to visit list, put this one at the top. ℹ️ Info correct 17.02.24

This is a hidden gem in Catford, I'd heard about it and the Guinness there too so I was wondering if it was all true, I popped in on New Years Eve, The Guinness is 12 outta 10, the atmosphere, the regulars and all the staff are top notch too, definitely drop into the Blythe there's not many pubs around like this anymore.

Great pub interior, traditional decor, wood panelling with interesting artwork/trinkets/memorabilia. Shows sport and has a good sized outdoor area. They put effort into their hanging baskets. The staff in short sleeve shirts and ties is a touch

Always a treat, always delicious! Loved the duck in lettuce leaf starter, the pork streamed dumplings were juicy and moist, the aubergine stuffed with prawn was so good and the combination Hong Kong chicken was fresh, hot and tasty! Service is fast and friendly but not obtrusive, the atmosphere homely and comfortable! Can’t wait for our next visit to try some other dishes, we’ve been a few times now and it’s never let us down!

We had an incredible lunch at this place. The food was a delight for the eye and super delicious. The restaurant and the staff were also super nice.

We had an absolutely delightful dinner at ToFu Forest Hill with a group of nine people. From the moment we walked in, we were impressed by the unique and cozy interior, which created a warm and inviting atmosphere. The food was simply outstanding—each dish was bursting with fresh, authentic flavors that left us all thoroughly satisfied. Despite the variety of dishes we ordered, everything was served incredibly quickly, so there was no waiting around, which is always a plus. The portion sizes were generous and perfectly balanced, ensuring everyone had more than enough to enjoy. We’re already looking forward to our next visit to explore more of the menu. Highly recommend!

Really lovely cozy local pizza place serving authentic wood fired pizza. Dough was perhaps not very memorable (no sourdough tang or chew - we are spoiled in London!) but was cooked expertly. The staff were really friendly and accommodating; we asked if we could have a 50-50 veg and meat platter and they obliged - it was delicious.

Little hidden gem in south London. The only thing I wouldn’t recommend is the ginger baladin (it is very bitter and has not ginger, I’d suggest to specify it in the menu) apart from that it’s the lightest Italian food I’ve ever had. You can taste the quality of the ingredients. Very nice service.

"This small and cozy spot has something that sets it apart from other pizza places - its exceptional pizza🍕 ! I've had the pleasure of trying over 1,000 pizzas in my life, but this one stands out as truly special. The crust is perfectly cooked, and the seasoning is spot on. I opted for the meaty pizza with a spicy kick, and it was exactly what I was craving. I'm always proud of our pizzeria back home, but this one is truly 100% authentic Italian goodness!" 🇮🇹 We will be back !

Dined here a few days ago with a friend and had a bliss! The garden is beautiful and peaceful, the owners are really friendly and warm - just like you’d expect from a pizzeria in Italy! Service was fast and and everyone there made us feel welcome. I’d recommend!

If you’re looking for the best Indian and Nepalese cuisine in town, this restaurant is an absolute gem! From the moment we stepped in, we were welcomed warmly by the owner, a lovely lady who ensures every guest has a wonderful experience. The starters were a delightful mix of flavors and textures, highly recommend the cashew-crusted prawns, chicken and lamb momo, papdi chat, and chicken biryani arancini. Each dish was beautifully crafted and bursting with authentic taste. For the mains, the Kashmiri Rogan Josh, butter chicken, and lamb biryani stood out as some of the best we’ve ever had. Pair them with the garlic and Peshwari naan. The service was exceptional, with the staff going above and beyond to make our visit special. We can’t wait to come back and try more of their incredible menu. This place is truly a must-visit!

Superb food, amazing welcoming atmosphere and amazing service! As I am local I am absolutely overjoyed to have found such a great restaurant in the area, I will definitely be coming back and taking away food for takeaway. The owner is so lovely and you can tell that there is so much love put into the restaurant and the food.

“Interestingly Indian” is the perfect description for the experience of eating at Riwaz. There is so much love, care and attention that goes into the food and the service at Riwaz. A wonderful family run business, they have very quickly become our favourite food place in the area. We finally had this as a takeout this week and even as a takeout the food is incredible. Firm starter favourites for us are cashew crusted prawns and chicken biryani arancini balls. The prawns are beautifully cooked and spiced with an excellent crunchy crust. Like the arancini balls, lovely crisp outside with a superb flavour and texture inside. We are not vegetarians but our all time favourite dish here so far is the Riwaz Dal Makhani. Lentils that have been cooked for hours. I’ve never eaten lentils that tasty and the spicy, rich texture of the sauce has made this a staple of our dining experience. A surprising favourite for me was the butter chicken. It is not something that I would order normally. But trusting the advice of the owners, they always give great advice on the food and helped us make great choices. With such a variety of dishes, and all so different and delicious. I honestly will not be eating anywhere else for a while! We want to try as many more as we can! Extra compliments must go to the team there. For the design of the restaurant, to the love and attention paid to this excellent menu. It makes such a huge and wonderful difference to be THIS excited about what we are going to try next. This is always helped by the service, which is always so kind and helpful. We look forward to going each and every time and cannot wait to come back again. Thanks Riwaz Team!

THE best Indian restaurants in the area! Perfect place for a night out dinner or a special occasion celebration. Food was absolutely delicious! We had a chance to meet the owners who were the most kind and friendly. We’ll definitely come back. 😊 Highly recommend!!!

We had a really lovely meal here on a hot summers evening. All dishes were really delicious! The menu is broadly Mediterranean food covering quite a wide range. Prices were also reasonable. Well worth a visit and we will be back soon.

The food was on par with the service: excellent! Great atmosphere, with very friendly and efficient staff. The food was extremely well cooked, served beautifully and for the money spent, we both had our bellies full! I highly recommend this restaurant and I will certainly be back

Lovely family friendly local restaurant, with great food, good staff & reasonable prices. My personal favourite dish is the frutti di mare linguini. Their best kept secret is the garden seating at the back.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Belle Ville is an absolute gem! Their Mediterranean cuisine is a tantalizing journey for the taste buds. Every dish is a masterpiece of flavor, showcasing the authenticity and quality that sets Belle Ville apart. The restaurant's environment is nothing short of excellent. Whether you prefer the cozy indoors or the charming outdoor patio, the ambiance is perfect for any occasion. It's an inviting space that adds to the overall dining experience, making every visit memorable. What truly makes Belle Ville shine is the impeccable service. The staff's dedication to ensuring your satisfaction is remarkable. Their knowledge of the menu and their attentiveness create a dining atmosphere that's both welcoming and impressive. I highly recommend Belle Ville; it's a culinary gem that consistently delivers a 5-star experience

Pretty cool concept, though a bit mind blowing. Food is nice and tasty. Came with my son, and got the kids menu with selection of pizzas/pastas for kids. The Main menu is rich with different sorts of pizzas and pastas, some of them unique to the place. Overall I think it’s a nice place, just wish they fixed toilet door, it’s a bit difficult to close it 😏

I love the food here! The charcoal pizzas and the mozzarella sticks bang!! Service is always great and the garden in the summer is lovely!!

The charcoal dough pizzas at this small family run business were bursting with flavour! Really pleasant service too. The homemade tiramisu was so nice and tasted really fresh!

Went a few weeks ago for my daughters birthday as she loves sushi. The food was absolutely amazing. My daugter loved the sushi. It's a nice cosy restaurant. They also gave my daughter a complimentary cheese cake with candles to sing happy birthday to her it was so lovely. We will be returing very soon.

Amazing service and delicious food. Came in with a large group of people a bit late with our reservation but the staff were so accomodating. Great vibes, love the decor. So glad to have celebrated my birthday at Sushi Garden. Couldn’t recommend enough!

The food and the drinks were amazing. The ambience was great and the service was good. We enjoyed our lunch a lot.

On Sunday, as soon as we finished work, we sushi lovers walked through Forest Hill and noticed this little restaurant. from the tidy, clean exterior and with a window overlooking the kitchen....from there I glimpsed the chefs at work with their clean and tidy uniforms, this combination of things immediately encouraged me to enter. I ordered almost everything on the menu, which was also different from the usual ones I have seen and reviewed. Excellent service, the food was exciting....I was amazed by the care with which all the dishes arrived from the kitchen, I tried new tastes and new sensations. I want to offer my sincere compliments to this restaurant and all its staff. If this restaurant were in the center of London it could do mind-boggling numbers....naturally I would triple the prices..🤣 I will be back next week to try the fantastic specials on offer where I noticed an Italian touch!!!!!

We had a fantastic time here!! I’m going to start with the rum punch because it was perfection in a glass, took me straight back to Jamaica, the right strength and sweetness. I even asked for the recipe which I was told is a family secret. Honestly, bottle it and sell it! On this occasion, I was out with a group of four, three of us ordered the curry goat lunch special and one prefer the curry chickpea lunch special. When I tell you, it was the most succulent, flavourful, melt in your mouth curry goat!! It was delicious, everything was separated on the plate and the portion size was perfect. My friend said the chickpea curry was the best she’s ever had. We also got two side orders of plantain, again cooked to perfection. This restaurant is beautifully decorated, even the toilets make you feel like you’re somewhere special. The ladies who served us, were polite, offering advice on what to go for and why. We spent a long time talking and although they were busy, they never made us feel rushed. Two rum punches for £15 and a lunch meal deal special which included a drink was only £6.50. Absolute bargain, especially given the climate we’re living in. Affordability and still great quality is hard to come by but not for Lavish, they do it so well! Honestly one of the best Caribbean restaurants!! I will most definitely be back! It was a wonderful experience.

I thought I would try the pepper steak with rice, it turned out to be best I ever had. Definitely will be visiting more often and will try more from their menu. The food was actually amazing and a big portion, super friendly staff and a great atmosphere very welcoming!

I was going to somewhere else but popped in The atmosphere is soothing, The decor is not the "typical" cafe setting, it's clean and elegant The service is polite, friendly and welcoming The food was delicious, I was pleasantly surprised. And the is a bar and grill too. Plus they do take out. It definitely lives up to it's name 🥳 10/10 Let me have a 👍🏽if you found this review helpful and share with someone who may need it

Good food, all tasty and great portions. Friendly staff and quick service

Decent food, generous portions, competitive prices and friendly staff. It's also nice and warm inside the restaurant on cold winter days. I've never had a bad experience in the many times I have been there.

We had breakfast to take away because apparently is half price if you take it with you instead of eating there. Lovely atmosphere on Sunday morning. We ordered a sandwich with sausage, bacon and egg. 100% recommended 👌. I left thinking I would not have been bothered if we stayed.

Lovely local cafe. Free parking available right outside. Wonderful service. The food is good and reasonably priced. Very good selection of smoothies, I had the broccoli and the beast. It was much better than the ingredients made it sound. I also had the avocado and salmon with poached eggs. Beautiful presentation and tasted great too. My husband had halloumi with scrambled eggs and he liked his dish too. If you go for nothing else, go for the baklava. It is handmade and so good. Leave the ice cream though, I thought I tasted better without but that's my preference. I liked it so much I bought another 6 to go. I ate 4 of those 6. I'll definitely go back again.

After a trip to the Horniman museum we found this great pizza place on Google. So glad we came as it was cooked really quickly by the chef and the lady serving was very warm and welcoming. For the price of less than a fiver for a six inch for the kids and £8.50 for a large margarita pizza for me you can't go wrong. Nice background music too!

Great food, felt like home (i’m italian!) and authentic recipes - the meatballs tasted like the ones my family make, both the pizzas we had were delicious! Our server Sophie was friendly and really helpful. Will come back soon! x

Honestly had an amazing entre of garlic bread with mozzarella followed my a pepperoni pizza ! The quality of the sourdough is incredible, such lovely vibes inside too. Saphi served me and she was smiley and incredibly helpful , I truly recommend Bona ! The vegan & gluten free Vanilla gelato is to die for ! Thank you

Bona is a fantastic independent restaurant that offers Forest Hill something really special. The pizza’s are delicious and they never scrimp on their toppings. Their menu is very considered and they have a selection of salads if you don’t feel like indulging in one of their pizzas….It’s incredible value for money which is evident in how busy they are. The staff offer the kind of hospitality that one wish for from their local restaurant.