Toklas in City of London, Westminster

Food and service was excellent. One of the staff members, Moz, was especially lovely and made us feel very welcome. I’d definitely recommend.

We had the most fabulous evening at the beautiful, delicious Toklas. From the moment we walked in the door the service was top rate and the vibe was fantastic. It felt buzzy and alive, but not so overly noisy that we weren't able to have a long, fun-filled dinner. At the core was the amazing, unique, delicious and ever surprising food choices. Our starters were to die for, the main dishes delighted everyone and the desserts finished us off with a flair. Both the cocktails and wine were perfect throughout. Can't wait to come back in better weather and enjoy the gorgeous outdoor patio. Well done Toklas for such a magnificent experience!

So lucky to have spent possibly the last warm evening of the year on the Toklas terrace (in winter the elegant interior comes into its own). Delightful food, drinks and service as always.

On the outside does not look great but as you walk upstairs you enter a lovely outdoor terrace with lovely plants/bushes. Served by Sophie who was very knowledgeable about the menu ,polite and friendly. There were four of us meeting after 8 years. Had a selection of Tapas dishes,every dish was beautifully served and so tasty.

Despite the heavy summer rain we opted to keep our table on the terrace. Good move! Its so pretty , very good planting and the old defunct tube station opposite make for good views. And the food, well we all loved every single thing. We chose to eat tapas style and shared small plates , terrific flavours and ingredients that simply feel fresh and healthy. Really great place. So peaceful but in the heart of London. And yes the team at Toklas were wonderful . It was a joy to be there.

Loved finding this place. Was looking for a central venue with a terrace and this did not disappoint. We had a lovely meal. Very helpful, attentive service too. Will be back.

This was a bit of surprise hit… not the west end or the city but tucked away in midtown, but certainly worthy of greater things. Loved the terrace, the huge doors opened so definitely inside/outside dining. The menu was fabulous, and absolutely of River Cafe standard. Simple food done exceptionally well with amazing produce. You know you are onto a winner after the bread arrives. I can’t really think of any faults. Great staff, superb buzz, knockout food and a really, really interesting and bloody good wine list. Absolutely loved it

The food was tasty and different - in an interesting way. Good sharing options. The outdoor terrace added a charming ambiance, and the service was efficient and friendly.

Fabulous meals. Lamb and the grilled artichokes. Lovely touches like cloakroom, Marion was excellent. Could not fault her service. So helpful and knowledgeable. She took some photos too. She explained the menu too, including the pre-theatre menu well, which we took advantage of! She is definitely an asset!

This was one of the best places i have been in a long time, excellent service, wine, food and atmosphere. We stuck mainly to fish but everything was amazing esp the hake with roasted peppers and alioli. A must visit.

Disappointing. Might have been bad luck but suspect not. Minimalism of an ex-office block bit too obvious. Lack of greeting, lack of initial interest in taking coats, the offer of high-margin sparking water & sourdough before our backsides have hit the seats... £14 for massively over-salted broad beans, £36 for grilled lamb on a school plate with not a lot else (lamb was lovely)... fairly charmless service (surely just bad luck). Price unjustified by experience. A feeling that income just goes on rent and profit. Prefer to pay a touch more still, but have a far more rewarding experience (eg the fish at Wiltons only a touch more than here, but I challenge anyone to fault the impeccable experience). Takes all sorts...

Wonderful food and setting, loved it. I will return and recommend to friends and colleagues, You won't be disappointed

Food was excellent - from the delicious sourdough and butter to the delica pumpkin crisps to the hake, venison, pumpkin faro risotto. The exquisite tarte tatin was a perfect way to finish the meal. In terms of service, Rachel stood out - friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and most of the dishes we chose were on her recommendation. Ambience is modern and informal but professional. Will definitely be coming back in summer to make the most of the beautiful terrace.

One of London's classiest restaurants. Many of the recipes are taken from Alice Toklas' recipe book. I am often presented with new vegetables never encountered before. Cocktails are amazing. Food and service likewise. The restaurant itself is very comfortable and quiet. This is a hidden gem.

The cocktails are spot on - an unusual but very smooth negroni and a very good daiquiri. Bread and butter is exceptional as expected from bakery next door. My veg dishes were excellent and varied (the chips are just good, not mind blowing - for that try Bubala’s potato latke). My groups meat and fish dishes were all perfect. And deserts - the chocolate cremosa is very good, but the tarte tatin is the best I’ve had in London. Both visits had the same Brazilian waitress - exactly the right balance of attentive and friendly. And the room is spacious, conversational (we had a slightly deaf 85yo uncle with us who could hear everything), with lovely furniture and no muzak. And please could someone tell us what the aniseed hand wash is?

We dined at Toklas mid week and what a hugely unexpected treat it was. With knowledgeable guidance and suggestions from an engaged staff, we sampled our way through many of the dishes and wines on the menu. Each one was a revelation - a marrying of flavours, food combinations and ingredients I'd never heard of! I had the best crab linguine I'd ever tasted. There was a lovely and relaxed ambiance and a friendly and welcoming staff - all made it a memorable occasion. It'll be a 'first stop' on our next London visit.

Quite simply my favourite London restaurant at the moment. A friend took me a year ago, and I have made up 4 reasons to go since. The flavour combinations and delicate use of aromatics make the food absolutely divine. We have a cauliflower and hazlenut starter that I now dream of... And the waiting staff are so lovely. Just very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. The only down note is the "host" at the front of the restaurant is snotty and superior. Such a shame when everything else is so lovely.

Wonderful Mediterranean style menu. Delightful staff. We sat outside on terrace - really good vibe.

Lovely treed, bushy and flowered terrace but on a cool evening we chose to eat inside. My first impression was the smell of manure or compost from the huge array of pots on the terrace, so that was not inviting. Service from our Polish waiter was friendly and professional. We were a party of 4 , ordered the peppers to share for starters, then fritto misto, crunchy and not oily, and excellent crudo fish. Two of us shared the whole John Dory, excellently cooked. Desserts, a scoop of ice-cream each and really silky smooth espresso to finish. All very well done, nothing amazing but very nice

Lovely terrace perfect for the current warm weather. Food was good and felt a little overpriced; we had the tonnato and the mozzarella (4 slices) which, although delicious, at £16 each felt pricey. However the whole John Dory (£48) we shared was delicious. We went for an early dinner after the theatre which might explain why things felt a bit rushed - we had two courses with an aperitif and bottle of wine and they had us out of there in an hour! So would be perfect for pre theatre. Wine and drink were great so may return for drinks and the wonderful terrace.

As another reviewer said, the food isn't incredible but it's all done very proficiently. I had the mozzarella starter followed by the big steak, which came on the rarer side but was very tasty. The staff were very attentive. It's a simply designed space in what I imagine was previously an office block. Located near Temple church and Aldwych. If you're looking for a mid-range option in that area of London, I'd recommend.

All the food here was nice enough but not especially “standout”. The staff were all lovely and in the summer the terrace looks amazing!

Not great offerings for vegetarians - on 2 occasions the only offering was a luke warm vegetable stew which was rather unimaginable and tasteless. The service was appalling - surly non attentive waiter who clearly lacked any training or social grace. Such a shame as the restaurant otherwise is a lovely space.

Went for dinner with a friend we had not seen for a while. The food was good and some excellent. However, our table was persistently knocked into by the waitress and everyone else walking past. Add to that the mum who thought a 2 year old should wander around grabbing our chairs at c9pm and this just was not a relaxing dinner, despite the expense. If you are going to charge high pries all the food should be excellent and the seating comfortable.

Excellent restaurant. Venue is modern airy and comfortable. Meet and greet was friendly and warm. Food was light, bright, well cooked and presented. Service was excellent, professional and friendly. The waitress was a credit to you clear, great interpersonal skills and service. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

Wonderful food but the decor and the space is also quite lovely. Service was exceptional. Will go again soon!

Really enjoyed our dinner here. The cocktails were great and our mains were delicious. My wife had the cauliflower vegetarian dish and I had the venison which was cooked perfectly. And most importantly, the chips lived up to Jay Rayner's report :-)

Solo lunch here in November. Food was outstanding. The greeter was amazing as was my waiter. House white was good value. Sadly the guy in charge of the pass (maitre d' who knows?) thought it was okay to pass my food over my right shoulder to save him the effort of a few extra steps. To be fair every time anyone walked past my table the floorboards bounced up and down so maybe he was doing me a favour. :-) An excellent Jay Rayner recommendation, he never lets me down.

Toklas is off the radar, being located on an upper floor with an unobtrusive entrance on an obscure side street, leading from the Strand to the Thames Embankment. But it's worth seeking out for its short, highly original menu, lively service, and its spacious dining room and terrace. It's not easy to label and that's what makes it so typical of London, which offers far more surprises and unexpected treasures than other capitals