London's Benchmark for Grilled Food
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| Beef tartare with smoked Espelette pepper and truffle |
There are restaurants that attract attention because they are fashionable, and then there are restaurants that generate genuine excitement because the cooking gives people a reason to keep coming back. Ibai, tucked away on Bartholomew Close between St Paul's Cathedral, Smithfield Market and Farringdon, belongs firmly in the latter category. Since opening in 2024, this Basque-inspired grill restaurant has generated considerable media attention, with critics praising its ambitious menu, exceptional beef and ability to deliver serious cooking without the stuffiness often associated with expensive London dining. More recently, its reputation has received another significant boost: in the 2026 World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants ranking, Ibai was placed No. 7 globally and among the highest-ranked steak restaurants in the UK. That is a substantial achievement in a city with no shortage of ambitious steakhouses, and one that feels justified after repeated visits. I have been to Ibai more than 20 times, which perhaps tells you more about my feelings towards the restaurant than any headline or industry ranking ever could.
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| Croque Ibai: Carabinero, Boudin noir and Tomme de Brebis |
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| Grilled artichokes |
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| King Crab Rice |
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| Grilled Turbot Chop |
The food is where Ibai truly earns its reputation, and three dishes in particular illustrate why its grilling philosophy works so well beyond the headline steaks. First, the king crab rice is a dish for anyone who believes that shellfish flavour should be celebrated without restraint. It is intensely rich, deeply savoury and unapologetically bold, with a concentrated shellfish character that immediately commands attention. The rice absorbs the surrounding flavours, taking on the depth of a beautifully reduced bisque while retaining a texture that makes every mouthful satisfying. The real test of a grill restaurant is how it handles beef, and Ibai's Wagyu fillet is an excellent demonstration of what separates exceptional produce from an ordinary steakhouse experience. Fillet is often prized for its tenderness, but it can sometimes lack the depth of flavour found in more heavily marbled cuts. Its appeal is primarily textural: a lean, delicate muscle that becomes wonderfully tender when cooked correctly, but which can occasionally feel less expressive than rib-eye or sirloin. The Wagyu fillet at Ibai challenges that expectation. Its texture is almost melting, yielding with very little resistance, yet the flavour is considerably more pronounced than one might anticipate from a conventional fillet. There is a richness and savouriness that give the meat real presence, while the carefully controlled cooking allows its natural character to remain at the forefront.
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| Grilled XL Carabinero Prawn |
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| Grilled Langoustines |
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| Wagyu Fillet |
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| Wagyu Rib Steak |
What ultimately places Ibai at the top of my London grill restaurant rankings is the consistency of its overall proposition. There are plenty of places in the capital where you can order a premium steak, and a growing number of restaurants have embraced charcoal cooking, open-fire kitchens and the broader appeal of Basque cuisine. But sourcing good beef and putting it over a hot grill are only the starting points. The real challenge is to build an experience around those ingredients that feels distinctive, convincing and worth repeating. Ibai achieves this through the combination of its beef aging, seafood cooking, confident seasoning and a menu that understands the pleasure of richness without making every dish feel the same. The media attention and industry recognition are well deserved, but my strongest endorsement is much simpler: I have returned 22 times and counting, and I still want to go back. That is the mark of a restaurant that has moved beyond hype and established itself as a personal favourite. Ibai is not merely somewhere to eat a great steak; it is one of London's finest destinations for anyone who takes grilling, sourcing and flavour seriously.
Food 4.5/5
What I paid: £125 per person with wine
Average cost without drinks and services: £80 (dinner)
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