East
East Village Coffeehouse
785 dundas street, 519 266-7584. london's only deco-inspired gallery/cafe selling up-scale locally-made foods, espresso and specialty drinks - an eco-friendly choice just steps west of london's historic aeolian hall. eclectic yet cozy atmosphere reminiscent of toronto's queen st. west.
Vietnam Restaurant
Don't let the dive atmosphere or the industrial neighbourhood fool you - Vietnam Restaurant has authentic and excellent Vietnamese cuisine.
South
Cedar Cafe
Great place for Lebanese cuisine. Excellent Shawarma and Falafel sandwichs starting at $3.50. They also offer plates from $5 to $9. Dine in or take out. They also offer Herbal Shisha/Hookah to customers in a wide variety of flavors for $9. Very affordable for great quality healthy food.
Shiki Japanese Restaurant
Shiki Japanese Restaurant , 715 Wellington Road South, near Southdale, 519 668-7407, (http://www.shiki.ca) . This popular place serves fresh and delicious authentic Japanese fare. A rare find and a perfect place for a friendly lunch meeting or romantic dinner date.
North
Crave
And next door, 1737 richmond st. n., 519-645-8886, (http://www.craverestaurant.ca/). wolfgang puck-esque upscale bar food, crave and next door share a kitchen. crave is famous for their commitment to local, seasonal food, while next door in particular represents excellent value-for-money.
The Waltzing Weasel
1324 adelaide st. n., 519-663-9194 (http://www.thewaltzingwea...). authentic english pub food and a wide selection of ales.
Milestones Bar and Grill
1680 richmond st. north, 519 850-5116 (http://www.milestonesrest...). a warm, cozy atmosphere and homestyle cuisine.
Downtown
Manna Grill
276 wharncliffe road north, 519 439-5770. authentic korean dishes and japanese fare.
Barakat Restaurant
551 richmond street, 519 850-8080, (http://www.barakatrestaur...). middle eastern food including fantastic shawarma and falafel. meals $5-15.
Stobie's Pizza
484 richmond street, 519 432-2228. a local favourite with great tasting, gigantic slices of pizza. usually open past 3am.
Spageddy Eddy's
428 richmond street, 519 645-3002. inexpensive pasta bar popular with students.
The Black Trumpet
523 richmond st., 519-850-1500. if money is no object, the black trumpet is the place to go. widely considered the top fine dining restaurant in london as of 2010.
Si Senor
394 waterloo st., 519-936-3186. the only truly authentic mexican restaurant in london.
Prince Albert's Diner
565 richmond st., 519 432-2835. locally famous greasy spoon popular with students and the after-bar crowd. the menu is standard but good diner fare, but the milkshakes are terrific.
Dragonfly Bistro
Intimate bistro, good food, reasonable prices. Indonesian Cuisine served on Monday evenings.
Jambalaya
119 dundas street, 519 858-2000, (http://www.jambalayaresta...). cajun, caribbean and thai in a cozy atmosphere.
Joe Kool's
595 richmond st., 519-663-5665 (http://www.joekoolsrestau...). offical slogan "minutes from all major hospitals" belies the excellent bar and grill-style food. great value for money. a local institution.
Ben Thanh
57 york street, at ridout, 519 438-4888, (http://www.phobenthanh.com/). very popular vietnamese/thai restaurant with many vegetarian options and reasonable prices. ben thanh has recently opened a second location at wellington rd and southdale in the south end of the city.
Marienbad Restaurant
122 carling st., 519-679-9940 (http://www.marienbad.ca/). open since 1974, the marienbad serves german and eastern european food in a cozy, old-world atmosphere. be sure to check out chaucer's pub next door as well for london's best selection of beer.
Michael's on the Thames
1 york st., 519-672-0111 (http://www.michaelsonthet...). essentially unchanged since the day it opened in 1983, michael's is a classical fine dining experience popular with an older crowd.
Veg Out
Vegan restaurant with a full menu. They emphasize organic, local and fair trade ingredients and have gluten-free and raw options. Comfortable, stylish and homey with indoor and outdoor seating. The food is good enough to take even non-vegans
On the Fork
421 ridout street north at museum london, 519 850-fork, (http://www.onthefork.com/). open for lunch, brunch and dinner, closed mo-tu. casual fine dining with a lovely view overlooking the forks of the thames. menu changes seasonally. dinner mains $12-16.
Armouries Grille
325 dundas street, 519 679-6111. hotel restaurant well known for having "london's best sunday brunch," including waffles, omelettes, and a sauteed shrimp station. reservations recommended. breakfast, lunch and dinner (http://www.armouriesgrille.ca/)
Covent Garden Market
130 king street, 519 439-3921, (http://www.coventmarket.com/). great place to get food downtown - over 30 vendors offer food that caters to a wide variety of tastes.
Billy's Deli
Downtown on dundas street, just west of richmond. great for breakfast, mennonite-inspired food and good portion sizes. seasonal desserts are not to be missed and sell out quickly, particularly during strawberry season. closed on sundays.
Bertoldi's Trattoria
650 richmond st at pall mall, 519 438-4343, (http://www.bertoldis.ca). traditional italian family-run trattoria. noted for wood-oven pizzas and one of the best italian wine selections in london. great service.
Trü
45 king st., 519-672-4333 (http://www.trurestaurant.ca/). pricy, but high quality new american-style cuisine.
Most of the Canadian and North American chain restaurants are represented in London, including The Keg, Kelsey's, Red Lobster, Tony Roma's, Milestones, Swiss Chalet and East Side Mario's. Tim Hortons, the Canadian coffee and doughnut chain, has about 30 locations within the city.