Croydon Restaurants
The Croydon area is a tremendous place to eat out with a multitude of restaurants offering wide and varied styles of cuisine. Caribbean, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and South African are just a few of the many options in the area, offering residents and visitors alike a diverse array of culinary delights.
Bagatti’s in South End is renowned for the finest in Italian cuisine. Opened in 1990 the restaurant specialises in authentically prepared Italian fare using the freshest of ingredients along with a stock of fine regional Italian wines available to complement the meal. A popular restaurant, Bagatti’s bubbles with atmosphere appealing to young and old alike. The restaurant’s success is due to the quality and variety of the food, the cheerful service and of course that very special atmosphere. It is an ideal venue for an informal business lunch, a meeting place or just for a break during a shopping trip.
Auberge is a French restaurant and bar located on the top floor of the Whitgift Shopping centre. Its decor is relatively formal with orderly lines of dark wooden tables and white and green walls; the bar is also an extremely attractive feature. The menu contains a good selection of authentic French classics at reasonable prices. The restaurant’s clientele tends to be shoppers through the day and young professionals during the evening.
Tinker’s Restaurant is conveniently located along the popular and lively restaurant area of the High Street and just a 5 minute stroll from the city centre. Boasting fine dining and cuisine in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere the restaurant offers a selection of European fare including an interesting selection of sumptuous meats, pasta and exotic seafood, all of which is cooked and freshly prepared on the premises. There is a full a’ la carte menu, inspirational daily specials as well as a set menu using seasonal produce and the freshest of ingredients.
Paradise Island is named after Mauritius in the Indian ocean and the cuisine is a mixture of French, Indian and Far Eastern influences. The restaurant specialises in seafood and was named ‘Best Seafood Restaurant in Croydon’ in 2006. Although not a huge restaurant, it is large enough to play host to wedding receptions, Christmas parties or hen nights with a wonderfully tropical covered terrace out back. The menu consists of wonderful evocative dishes such as ‘peroquet de mer Colombo’ better known as parrot fish with a cinnamon and mango flavoured sauce, ‘exotica’ a marinated juicy beef with Indian spices and fresh mango and ‘salade millionaire’ a feast of lobster, caviar and asparagus with a balsamic dressing.
The Chateau restaurant, established in 1978, is located in Coombe Lane, just a few minutes drive from Croydon town centre. Still under the same management, the restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner. Both the magnificent oak panelled bar and dining room lead onto a terrace overlooking the splendid Coombe Wood Gardens and is the perfect place for entertaining business clients, friends or family. The Chateau restaurant is the ideal venue for wedding receptions, private parties, functions and business meetings, with private rooms available for parties of 10 to 110 people, along with a selection of menus to suit all budgets.
Croydon is famous for its variety of restaurants. Visitors can enjoy oriental fusions of Chinese, Japanese, Thai or Korean and European Michelin-starred restaurants as well as American diners, to name but a few.
Here are our selections of “must visits”
Wing-Yip
A traditional Chinese fortress, containing a restaurant and supermarket, Wing Yip is the UK’s leading Chinese and Oriental supplier. The Chinese community of England come from far and wide to eat and shop at this incredibly interesting venue.
Even if you’re not a fan of Chinese food, it is worth the visit for the photo opportunity alone.
544 Purley Way,
Croydon
CR0 4NZ
Tel: 020 8688 4880
Le Cassoulet
This Michelin-starred restaurant is a relatively new addition to the Croydon dining scene.
Le Cassoulet means ‘the Stew’ in French and the chef, Malcolm John, certainly knows a thing or too about traditional French cooking. The Chatteau Briand is a must.
18 Selsdon Road
Croydon
CR2 6PA
Tel: 0208 633 1818
TGI Fridays
We’ve included this American diner because of its proximity to other fun venues. This is a fantastic place to take the kids, with a few treats for the adults too.
Most people are familiar with the buzzy atmosphere in TGI Fridays and this restaurant is no different, the staff are always smiling and singing, throwing cocktail shakers around and sharing jokes with the youngsters.
The menu is all out American, hearty food with a few oriental additions and fajitas thrown in. There are also a number of healthy options and the cocktail list is extensive and scrummy.
Within this retail park you’ll find City Limits, which houses a bowling alley, American pool, laser-quest, a nightclub and an amusement arcade. One of Croydon’s many cinemas is also situated next door. It really is a child’s, and grown-up’s, paradise.
704 Purley Way
Croydon
CR0 4RS
Tel: 020 8681 1313
Albert’s Table
Jay Rayner, the Guardian’s food critic, recently described this restaurant as “the reason to go there (Croydon)”.
Head Chef, Joby Wells has worked in some of the best Michelin-starred restaurants in London, including La Trompette, Zafferano’s and The Square.
This reasonably priced restaurant also takes sustainability seriously, using only local, quality, seasonal produce.
We would recommend the Wild Pigeon or the local Hereford Beef.
49b&c South End
Croydon
CR0 1BF
Tel: 0208 680 2010
