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

First time in The Babur for many years, and it did not disappoint. The star of the show for us was the Swordfish starter, although everything else was pretty perfect too. Very attentive and friendly staff and a great drinks menu. Highly recommended.

My favourite Indian restaurant in London celebrates 39 years! . This was my third time at Babur. Hidden gem in Brockley rise serving exceptional Indian food that not only looks fantastic but also offers exciting and creative flavour combinations. For their 39th birthday they offer a 5-course tasting menu with or without wine pairing. Everything we had was executed to perfection. Just the right amount of food not to leave hungry or overstuffed. Selected wine greatly complimented each dish. . 1st course Tandoori tiger prawn, Masala flat rice, garlic butter samphire Swordfish tikka, onion, radish pickle . 2nd course Spiced Jersey potato vada, royal cumin brioche, mint sauce & pickle onion Villagers favourite chicken tikka, Thecha dahi . Rest course Dried Mangosteen and roasted cumin ice lolly . 3rd course Coriander and spinach gram flour cake, Maharashtrian kadhi sauce or Traditional Maharashtrian Halibut curry with mango and fresh coconut . 4th course Western coastal region chicken stew with sautéed onion and kokum, brown rice or Kayastha prabhu style lamb knuckles curry, millet paratha . 5th course Hapus mango kulfi, chia seed & gond katria . 📍Location: Brockley Rise 🚇 Closest station: Honor Oak Park 💰Price: Five course £54.95 with matching wine £85.95

I’ve been coming to Babur for years. The service and the atmosphere in the restaurant has gone from strength to strength. Easily the most stylish Indian restaurant I’ve been in (and I’ve tried hundred in many continents) I’d say tonight the drinks were better than ever (pineapple Hookah a cardoman-y Smokey delight, steering well clear of the traditional sweetness of Indian cocktails) Food a little off its best I felt. Scallops a bit tough and monkfish a bit bland. I’ll still be back though. I like their style and they’ve definitely improved the way they treat female customers - even those who are dining alone (last minute cancellation by my friend but I decided to enjoy the treat anyway)

The food was good and served fast. The downside was that half of my spinach was cooked with the other remaining raw. The service was okay in general. The toilet was clean too. I will go back again next time I am in the area.

Small town restaurant with cozy and cleaned place. They make nice chicken sandwiches and prepared within 10 mins. Highly recommend if you visit near Forest hill. Little experience for a sandwiches, which cost me almost 10 pounds.

It’s a little restaurant based just from the station. Great place to visits if you want a brunch or a breakfast. They also do burgers and sandwiches The staff were extremely nice and attentive. If you’re in the area I’d give it a try. Coffee was also nice.

Last month we ate at The Palmerston. It was good. Friday night busy vibe and most people downstairs seemed to just come for a drink. I had the fish n chips. They were decent chips, always an important test of any London pub. A chef called in sick so there was only one person in the kitchen. The staff tried their best. A lovely atmosphere and I love that Oddono's is close by for gelato afterwards. 😝

My wife and I visited this pub for our date night. We had a really good time. For food we had fish and chips and rum steak with red wine source. Plus starters to begin (prawn cocktail). The food was delicious and well presented. The atmosphere was good even though it was really busy Saturday evening in the pub. We had a good service from Olga. She made our date night special. She was very helpful in choosing our food and dessert after. She was always available to top up our drinks. We will definitely return here again.

A Fantastic Dining Experience! I had an amazing meal The ambiance was inviting, the service was attentive, and the food was absolutely delicious. All the dishes was packed with flavor and Everything was fresh, beautifully presented, and exceeded expectations. Highly recommend this spot for a memorable dining experience! 10/10 experience will definitely be back

I can't recommend Sylvan Post enough. The staff were so welcoming and kind tonight on a busy Saturday night and the food was DELICIOUS. Everything we tasted was super fresh and the chicken dishes were especially good. We ordered too much so didn't manage to order desserts but look forward to going back again soon.

Nice chilled out boozer not far from Forest Hill Station. Three cask ales and lots of craft on tap, many from the host Portobello Brewery. Service was decent and the vibe was very laid back & welcoming. Lots of outdoor seating.

Very good Portobello pub in a former post office about five minutes walk from Forest Hill Railway Station. Two cask beers on handpump when I visited. Lots of outdoor seating at the front. The pub retains many of the original features from the post office including the two strongrooms which have been converted into small booths.

A wonderful Sunday lunch was had. Absolutely fantastic food, beautifully cooked. The portions are epic in size so come with an appetite, and the extra sides push the proverbially boat out. Oh, lashings of delicious gravy and you can ask for extra. A great relaxed atmosphere in the pub. The Sylvan Post is a great local pub. Go visit.

I had breakfast outside so I couldn't rate the atmosphere. The food was good, the server was friendly and helpful. They checked that everything was okay with the meal which was attentive of them. I'd be interested to explore the dessert menu. Coffee was nice, not too strong.

A fun and eclectic atmosphere with great food and amazing people. This visit we had brunch. Food was tasty, hot, and abundant. Coffee was hot and delicious. Didn’t stop to take pictures, but our plates were empty when we finished. Staff was attentive and friendly, stopping by a few times to check on us. The decore was so fun to look at and discover!

very happy to find out another Vietnamese restaurant in the area. We tried Grilled chicken banh mi which is one of the best banh mi I’ve ever got in London. Bun bo Hue with duck has become my favourite now. If you are Vietnamese, I believe you”ll find it very weird to have a Bun Bo Hue with duck, but please give it a try. The roasted duck really goes well with the spicy broth that I was convinced by the waitress.

We come here regularly and love the place. Duck pho is one of the best in London, followed by delicious spring rolls with peanut sauce. Would definitely recommend.

The weather was gloomy yesterday. A total washout. Still, venturing outside brought me to discover a little gem in the heart of Forest Hill Se23. On entering, I was warmly welcomed by friendly staff. The atmosphere was quiet apart from the lull of serene Vietnamese songs. Which chased away the dark clouds outside. The helpful staff member introduced me to their authentic menu. To which I choose Pho noodle soup with chicken and Tofu. It was flavoursome, I could tell it was lovingly prepared. An exceptional bowl of joy to savour!

First time visited here. Service was excellent and pleasant. Staff were very accommodating to our needs. The food was lovely. We had stater and main, The fish and chips was nice and fresh, the chicken wings was nicely cooked, The only downfall. The oil that cooked the food was stale it made me sick. Maybe change the oil a bit more frequent. Other than that the place is lovely. Would highly recommend this place.

Great pub to hang out in summer! Visited here for lunch with my mum. Really nice big pub with lots of seating. They have a really nice outside garden area with lots of seating outside too and really nice seating booths you can sit in with friends. The food was really good and very filling and the wine was good too! Great place for any occasion. There was a wedding reception happening when we visited there and the set up was really nice. The staff were really friendly and welcoming. I would definitely visit again.

Nice treat after a dog walk or bike ride! A traditional pub worth stopping by. I’d suggest booking on a Sunday; it gets busy! Parts of the indoor space are dog friendly. The staff are nice and the selection of food and drink are good, albeit in the pricey side. This was an Oct visit so sitting outside on a warm day is wonderful.

🚇Forest Hill 🍺 £6.75 Stiegl The first ever MEATliquor Pub. The Dartmouth Arms is located on Dartmouth Road in the heart of Forest Hill. The nearest station is Forest Hill which is a couple of minutes walk away. This pub was built in 1848, in recent years the pub operated as a Gastro with mixed reviews. In July 2021 The Dartmouth Arms was taken over and rebranded as MEATLiquor’s first pub. This is a decent size pub that has had the unique MEATLiquor makeover. There are three separate sections, the Stag Room is at the front, in the middle is a bar area where the taps are located, at the rear is a comfortable back room which has a open servery to the kitchen. The decor is distinctly MEATliquor with back painted walls and ceilings, red neon signs, a bit of greenery plus obscure artworks. To the left of the pub is a partially covered decked beer garden for the warmer months. The beer line was Craft oriented with options from London brewers, continental choices plus one cask ale. I decided on a Stiegl, my pint was good, price point was above average. Now on to the food, my Brother and I decided to go for Cheeseburgers with Chili Cheese Fries and some fried pickles. The food was amazing, the burgers were juicy, the fries packed a punch, I think we over did it with pickles. This was our final stop on our crawl around Forest Hill. We arrived about 5pm, the pub was fairly busy with a good mix of punters dotted around the three rooms. The atmosphere was relaxed and set to an excellent soundtrack of 60’s 70’s and 80’s soul. The service was on point, the Lady who served us was courteous and efficient. We both thoroughly enjoyed our visit here, both my Brother and I love a visit to the pub and a good burger, both of which we could enjoy here. You’re not going to get a traditional pub experience here but that was ok by us, we were here for the burgers. On another note, this pub was saved from potential redevelopment and thankfully it is still pulling pints. Whether it’s gentrification or the natural progression, either way if you love Burgers and Beer, you’ll love it here. ℹ️ Info correct 17.02.24

What an absolute gem of a place packed with charm, order-to-table app option and board games available to play. They’re serving great beer and Meatliquor food is always delicious. Highly recommend the Monkey Fingers!

Had a great time here. Staff really are nicer than average and made me and my friend have a laugh and enjoy her birthday! I did spend more than expected but the experience was priceless! Note, my visit was not at a typical peak time

Good pub, with a great outside space. They now have a children's menu.

This is the Gem of the Honor Oak Pub located next to the Brokley Rice bus stop. The pub is well decorated and it has a garden too which is perfect for sunny days (if we are lucky to get them in London). The pub is kids friendly - kids menu included and kids stools accessible on request. They have a good selection of beer on draft and burgers too. The staff is friendly and helpful. I would suggest visiting this place in the evening time as they have a nice lighting set and interior atmosphere. A Take-away option is available. You can park on side roads within a walkable distance of the pub, which is great.

Nice business lunch. Good selection of drinks and friendly staff. I will mention there was a funny smell which may of eminated from the accessible toilet.

We were lucky enough to reserve and visit on a Sunday before the pub started getting busy. Bots our Sunday roasts (one beef, one chicken) were magnificent and tge portions, very generous. We've been keen on getting in for a roast for some time now and I can tell you that the walk to and fro Catford was well woeth it! Can't recommend it enough!