London may not be by the coast, and you certainly shouldn't be trawling the bottom of the Thames any time soon (in fact, please don't trawl at all), but that doesn't mean the city can't pip many others to the post when it comes to their seafood offering, especially when it comes to crustaceans. Check out our five favourites for crab based dishes in London. Fun fact? Crabs have tails, but then again, so did we.
Crab burger with red pepper jelly: Crab Tavern
With a name that instantly rings your brain bell for critters and crustaceans, Crab Tavern have made it their sole effort to bring crab to the London crowds. While clam chowder gets a sneak peak, and you can snow crab until the sea-cows come home, it's their soft shell crab burger with red pepper jelly for £15 that promises New York styled dinner nuzzling.
It's all in a name as Crab Tavern give London a dose of New York styled dining with a seafood twist.
Tempura crab with coriander salad: Applebee's
A fish shop and cafe combined, Applebee's not only pride themselves on sensible seafood sourcing and a humble dining buzz, their fishmongers cater for those that have a gonads to cook their own fish at home. Hankering from a dose of crab from their menu? We've got our eyes on the tempura crab prize with a punchy carrot and coriander salad for £10.75.
Fishmongers and fine seafood make up the dining bones of humble cafe, Applebee's.
Soft shell crab with Vietnamese sauces: House of Ho
Having tried this dish for myself, I can not only speak for the delicious (and likely curve inducing) Vietnamese mayonnaise that accompanies the soft shell crab (£12), I can vouch for the luxurious dining theatrics that come with it too. Crisp, enticing and one of the biggest dishes in the restaurant thanks to a bed of dried chillies atop a wooden throne, House of Ho have almost made their dining name on this dish alone.
House of Ho have made a name for their crab dish, and that's on its serving style alone.
CLAW burger and crab fries: CLAW
I can't put these kind of lists together without including some kind of street food; while y'all may consider that trendy, I consider it a recognition of the amazing price awareness, flavours and humble business ethic that they promote, and none come coolier or crabbier than CLAW. Another foodie haven in London that's catered purely around crustaceans, try their hand picked Devonshire crab, iceberg, samphire slaw, lemon aioli, brioche burger for proof.
CLAW London are at the forefront of seafood inspired street food in London.
Salcombe-bay crab with burnt lemon and fennel: Bonnie Gull
Last on the list? Somewhere that you seafood swooners can more than splash some cash. A top seafood restaurant in London that not only caters to cutesy interior whims and nods to the oceans tones, Bonnie Gull is a palace (or in their words, seafood shack) for the finest in British sourced ocean grub. Try their heralded Salcombe-bay crab for an honest nod to our fair waters.
Bonnie Gull evoke nostalgia in the shape of seaside holidays and British seafood.
