Alex Hunter, founder of The Sea, The Sea in Chelsea and Hackney, casts his line on his favourite places to eat seafood in London.

Maru

At The Sea, The Sea we’re proud to supply fish to a number of the top omakase Japanese restaurants in London including Endo at the Rotunda, The Araki and Roji but the first choice on my list is a bit of a hidden gem: Maru is a 10 seat dining counter tucked away in the last soulful spot in Mayfair – Shepherd’s Market. This beautifully designed restaurant serves a 21 course omakase menu almost entirely made up of local British seafood. They base their menu entirely on the best catch of the week – hyper seasonal and quality driven. Much of the fish we supply them is direct from small boats in Cornwall specialising in low-impact catch methods. Maru are masters of dry-ageing techniques and dinner here is a journey through the versatility of exceptional seafood. Such is the attention to detail that they never look to fill more than 7 of their 10 seats as they feel it may taint the experience for diners; as such it’s hard to get into – bookings are released 3 months in advance and you need to be quick to snap up a spot! 

Behind

Andy Beynon’s London Field’s restaurant is a shining example of a talented chef backing himself, doing it on his own with a shoestring budget and pulling it off. His efforts were rewarded with a Michelin star almost as soon as it opened 18 months ago and full booking sheets to match. The restaurant serves an 8 course tasting menu of mainly seafood (all local) to 18 lucky customers for a very reasonable £88. Andy always asks us for fish scales with his orders which he makes into delicious crunchy snacks – I love the zero waste approach.

Ikoyi

Jeremy Chan’s cooking at his West African influenced restaurant is always at the forefront of London’s progressive food scene. From the sourcing of ingredients, preparation techniques, acute understanding of spice and vibrant plating - expect a party for your palate dining here. Fish features heavily on the menu and is always local and seasonal. Look out for the signature turbot with artichoke miso and caramelised chicken. We source 7-10kg prime Scottish turbot for this dish and age them for 3 days in our Himalayan salt chamber to reduce moisture to the exact level that Jeremy likes in the fish. Having deservedly won its second Michelin star this year it’s one to book well in advance. 

Field by Fortnum’s

This pop-up gone permanent on Fortnum’s ground floor mezzanine is a restaurant entirely dedicated to seasonal and sustainably produced food. It’s a trailblazing concept for Fortnum’s and hugely popular – the 100 cover dining room is generally full. Fish features heavily on the menu and specials board and the chef’s champion under-used species such as megrim and ling. There’s plenty of non-fish on the menu too all with the same ethos: local, small producers, hyper-seasonal and good value. Well worth a visit to see this centuries old institution embracing progressive sourcing and positive change. 

Chef’s Table at The Sea, The Sea

I couldn’t not include one of my own! Our Chef’s Table is an immersive and intimate open kitchen counter for 12 diners in the heart of our Hackney wholesale production space. It’s a very uniquely designed restaurant and a sensory experience where diners walk through the engine room of our business and can catch glimpses of what comes on behind the scenes. As you dine you might notice our van from Cornwall being unloaded behind you with the day’s bounty, where it’s then processed and sent out to our wholesale customers in less than 24 hours from catch. The exclusively seafood 14 course omakase style menu changes weekly in line with the best of the catch, featuring a range of techniques and cooking styles with dry-aged fish, house-ferments and garums playing a key role in executive chef Leandro Carreira’s menus. Advance booking essential. 

Alex Hunter is founder of The Sea, The Sea (pictured) which runs a contemporary fishmonger and seafood bar on Chelsea’s Pavilion Rd and last year expanded to a Hackney railway arch which houses their experiential Chef’s Table and wholesale operations supplying seafood to some of the capital’s most discerning restaurants. He is also co-founder of seafood restaurant group Bonnie Gull which ran from 2011-2021. 

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London's best seafood restaurants