Crystal Palace is known for many things – the dinosaurs at the namesake park, panoramic city views, some classic boozers – the list goes on and on. But were you also aware that it has some cracking places to dig into some grub? From legendary pizza joints to a Venezuelan gem, there’s plenty to choose from here catering to all types of people. So, without further ado, here’s our rundown of the best restaurants in Crystal Palace. Happy eating!
1. Numidie Bistro and Bar
You don’t have to go all the way to Timbuktu to get a taste of African cuisine – Crystal Palace does just fine, thank you very much. The place in question is known as Numidie – a cosy, award-winning spot that rustles up some of the best Algerian and Moroccan fare outside of actual Africa.
While everything here is pretty darn tasty, we’d recommend going for the ‘Chef’s Specials’, which includes everything from rabbit tagine with caramelised prunes and country vegetables to stuffed aubergine with ratatouille with couscous glazed with Boursin cheese. We’re practically salivating at the thought. They’re also got an atmospheric basement bar which serves excellent cocktails and has live music too. Winner, winner.
📍You’ll find Numidie at 48 Westow Hill, London, SE19 1RX.
2. Spinach
If you’re veggie or vegan and have yet to visit Spinach, then we don’t know what to tell you! This lively Crystal Palace eatery boasts some brilliant brunch dishes, top-notch coffee, and even their very-own garden for some al-fresco fun.
Nestled on the edges of Crystal Palace Park, it’s a great option if you fancy a weekend stroll followed by a health-fueled breakfast or lunch. Their salads are an absolute dream, and frequently change to keep up with the seasons, however, it’s their fantastic Weekend Brunch Menu that’s the undisputed fave. As well as this CP location, they have another adorable café in East Dulwich.
📍You’ll find Spinach at 69 – 71 Westow Hill, London
3. Four Hundred Rabbits
Now here at Secret London, we love ourselves a pizza (who doesn’t am I right?). And Crystal Palace has only gone and bagged itself one of the best pizza restaurants in town. Called Four Hundred Rabbits – named after the 400 Rabbit Gods of Aztec folklore – it’s a fantastic spot which has six different locations dotted across South London.
All their pizzas are made using the finest sourdough, and they love their craft beer as much as they love their pizzas, so you can bet the drinks are top-notch here. Add in a plethora of natural wines on the roster, great service and flavours including ‘The Clean One’ – a delightful mix of tomato, courgette, piquillo peppers, pine nuts, and salsa verde – and ‘The Beef’ – which incorporates tomato, mozzarella, 40-day aged beef mince, green chilli and red onion – and you can see why we love this place so much.
📍You’ll find Four Hundred Rabbits at 30-32 Westow Street, London, SE19 3AH.
4. Palazzo
Another fantastic offering for Italian food, Palazzo is a must-visit restaurant in Crystal Palace. Although famed for their picture-perfect pizzas, there’s an unbeatable selection of snacks, small plates, and beyond, undoubtedly curating a mouth-watering Italian feast every time.
The uber-cool eatery is open late and has live DJs spinning some decks on the weekends, to elevate the vibes come sun-down. Whatever you do, you can’t leave this place without trying out a cocktail or two, like their unmatched negronis, or opt for the classics like an Aperol Spritz.
📍You’ll find Pilazzo at 3 Church Road, London, SE19 2TF.
5. Yak & Yeti
Yak & Yeti is an authentic and award-winning spot whipping up some of the best Nepalese, Indian and Tibetan food in town. The menu here is absolutely huge, and they have a fantastic selection of grub on offer – including some fabulous momos, aromatic curries and melt-in-the-mouth tandoori dishes – alongside some traditional Kathmandu beers too.
Incredibly popular with locals, it’s an affordable spot set right opposite the lovely Alma pub. While you can’t exactly go wrong here, our top picks would be the ‘Karahi King Prawn’ curry and the namesake mixed grill – a heavenly concoction of tandoori chicken, malai tikka, lamb tikka, king prawn and sheekh kebab – all best mopped up with a side of naan bread or two.
📍You’ll find Yak & Yeti at 107 Church Road, London, SE19 2PR.
6. Mi Cocina Es Tuya
Translating to ‘my kitchen is yours’ in Spanish, it stands to reason that you’ll feel right at home at Mi Cocina Es Tuya. Specialising in hearty Venezuelan fare, they’re run by a lovely husband and wife team who have been serving patrons for well over a decade now. Excellent value, all the recipes here are derived from traditional family recipes, so you can tell they’ll be absolutely bloomin’ delicious and made with love.
Much of the food here is vegetarian and gluten-free, so there’s plenty here for everyone, and the arepas with black beans, shredded beef, cheese and fried plantain are absolutely bangin’. Trust us.
📍You’ll find Mi Cocina Es Tuya at 61 Westow Street, London, SE19 3RW.
7. A Torre
Another one of the best restaurants in Crystal Palace is A Torre – a tiny little Portuguese eatery which is known for its welcoming atmosphere, fantastic grub and great selection of wines. Fresh fish and seafood dominates the menu here, and there’s everything from mouth watering hot tiger prawns to mussels in a tomato sauce and yummy fried calamari.
Don’t miss the chance to try the ‘Caldeirada’ – a delectable, traditional Portuguese fish stew cooked in a terracotta pot with potatoes, vegetables and a rich tomato sauce too. Winner, winner.
📍You’ll find A Torre at 19 Westow Street, London, SE19 3RY.
8. Kish Mish
Kish Mish is a Persian restaurant which arguably whips up some of the best Middle Eastern food you’ll find anywhere in the capital. It’s unique in that it has been made to resemble an authentic Persian mud house, and you’ll find a wide variety of intriguing trinkets and paintings decorating the walls and shelves.
Also a BYOB joint – and you know how much we love one of them – there’s everything here from kebabs to stews to falafel wraps and salads too. Don’t miss out on the Chef’s Specials here too – which include everything from scented rice with green beans and chunks of lamb to rice with sweet and sour barberrie, pistachio and almonds served with a whole succulent chicken leg.
📍You’ll find Kish Mish at 14 Crystal Palace Parade, Norwood, London, SE19 1UD.
9. Lorenzo of Crystal Palace
This fantastic spot is a rustic Italian-style trattoria with a fantastic roof terrace, and who doesn’t love one of those right? Run by a husband and wife team since they first opened back in 1985, this is a real neighbourhood gem which rustles up some pretty epic grub it has to be said.
Their main focus as you’d expect is on pizza and pasta dishes, though they also have a range of fantastic chicken, meat and fish dishes – as well as veggie options to boot too. When the sun’s shining, don’t miss the chance to enjoy a drink or two on the rooftop terrace. It’s certainly romantic and a great date spot too!
📍You’ll find Lorenzo of Crystal Palace at 73 Westow Hill, Norwood, London,. SE19 1TX.
10. Urban Orient
Our penultimate addition to this roundup of the best restaurants in Crystal Palace is Urban Orient – a cosy Vietnamese spot offering a wide variety of delicious and authentic dishes like pho, bún chả, bánh mì, rice paper rolls and many, many more.
Prices here are more than reasonable, and it’s also BYOB here too, which is always handy! Vietnamese food is best washed down with an ice cold beer or two after all…
📍You’ll find Urban Orient at 74 Westow Street, London, SE19 3AF.
11. Manuel’s
Rounding off this list of the best restaurants in Crystal Palace is Manuel’s – an upscale Italian-come-Mediterranean restaurant which is known in this neck of the woods for its warm and relaxing atmosphere.
Their seafood risotto, homemade gnocchi with tomato and basil and lobster linguine are all pretty much to die for, but we’d highly recommend the charcoal-grilled whole Dover sole too. It pretty much falls off the bone, and is wonderfully-complimented by a tiramisu or pannacotta with mixed berries too. They’ve also got fab Sunday roasts here too.
📍You’ll find Manuel’s at 129 Gipsy Hill, London, SE19 1QS.
So there you have it – a roundup of the best restaurants in Crystal Palace. Whether you’re looking to get a taste of beloved Asian cuisines or are yearning to dig into some pretty yummy risotto, then this list above should have you more than covered.