14 of the best cookbooks from your favourite restaurants

Create beloved dishes at home thanks to the best restaurant cookbooks.

Best Restaurant Cookbooks

by Lily Anderson |
Updated on

Are you hankering for a bit of normality? Because we’re feeling the same way. It’s hard to remember what it felt like to get dressed up and go out for a bite to eat. Before the pandemic, dining out was a huge part of our lives; we’d frequent establishments for all kinds of occasions. But, don't fear! There’s an easy hack to hold onto this sense of normality - treat yourself to one of the best restaurant cookbooks.

Related: 13 of the best healthy cookbooks that will inspire you in the kitchen

OK, so it won’t stop your hunger for stepping out the front door, but it will help you create some tasty dishes that you’ve been craving. You don't have to imagine tucking into a katsu from Waga's, you can actually make it yourself.

You can rely on cookbooks for all types of special celebrations or cheeky weekend treats, date nights and even as an excuse to organise your own digital Come Dine With Me session with your best pals.

Best restaurant cookbooks at a glance:

In a hurry? You can start shopping straight away with these quick links:

The Ivy Now

The Ritz London: The Cookbook

wagamama Feed Your Soul: Fresh + simple recipes from the wagamama kitchen

Dishoom: The first ever cookbook from the much-loved Indian

The MEATliquor Chronicles: Chapter and Verse

The Violet Bakery Cookbook

Mildreds: The Vegetarian Cookbook

Happy Leons: LEON Happy Salads

Hawksmoor at Home: Meat - Seafood - Sides - Breakfasts - Puddings - Cocktails

The Book of St John: Over 100 Brand New Recipes from London’s Iconic Restaurant

Bill's: The Cookbook: Cook, Eat, Smile

Claridge's: The Cookbook

YO Sushi: The Japanese Cookbook

KFC Secret Recipes: KFC Style Chicken Recipes, Salads and Desserts

PS, don't forget to keep reading to find out why these lot made it onto our shortlist.

Related: The best vegan cookbooks: cooking just got exciting again

Just to back up what we were saying before, a survey from Statista found in 2018 to 2019 that the number of people visiting restaurants in Great Britain at least once a week was a staggering 1.75m. If you fall into this category, then we know that you're craving a Nando’s, Côte Brasserie or Pizza Express.

You don't have to be told twice that lockdown 3.0 is preventing us from actually going to these restaurants, you're living it. But, you probably could do with some inspiration on what to cook, right? And, where better to look than places you love? Simply recreate their food in your kitchen.

Without further ado, here are all the best cookbooks from your favourite restaurants.

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Best restaurant cookbooks

The Ivy Now1 of 14
CREDIT: Amazon

The Ivy Now

Are you missing the Ivy's unique style and Instagramable décor? You can get brunch and dinner ideas from former maître d', Fernando Peire - who dishes all when it comes to the restaurant's success including the rich history, all the celebrity gossip and the scandals, of course.

The Ritz London2 of 14
CREDIT: Amazon

The Ritz London

Table for two? The Ritz London invites you to join them in an exquisite culinary journey that celebrates dishes served at one of the most famous hotels in the world. This book includes 100 mouth-watering recipes, which match up to the four seasons – spring, summer, autumn and winter.

wagamama Feed Your Soul: Fresh + simple recipes from the wagamama kitchen3 of 14
CREDIT: Amazon

wagamama Feed Your Soul: Fresh + simple recipes from the wagamama kitchen

We know nothing beats a Deliveroo order of Wagama, but there's only so many times you can order take out. This recipe book can help you make classic dishes seven days a week, without feeling guilty for splurging your hard-earned cash.

Dishoom: The first ever cookbook from the much-loved Indian4 of 14
CREDIT: Amazon

Dishoom: The first ever cookbook from the much-loved Indian

The first-ever cookbook from Dishoom is so much more than a recipe book. We love the stories, beautiful photography and history of the restaurant that is adorned on its pages. You'll be spoilt with choice as there are over 100 recipes to choose from.

The MEATliquor Chronicles: Chapter and Verse5 of 14
CREDIT: Amazon

The MEATliquor Chronicles: Chapter and Verse

Fancy trying out Britain's best meat and liquor restaurant? If the answer is yes, then this unconventional cookery book will be right up your street. Not for the easily offended, this book covers cocktails, meat and more.

The Violet Bakery Cookbook6 of 14

The Violet Bakery Cookbook

Anyone who has a sweet tooth needs to visit The Violet Bakery in Hackney, East London. But, as we're not going anywhere right now, you can bring the cake to you. The banana bread recipe will be your new go-to this lockdown.

Mildreds: The Vegetarian Cookbook7 of 14

Mildreds: The Vegetarian Cookbook

Mildreds has two cookbooks up for grabs?! It sure does, and we can't get enough of the vegetarian cookbook. Following recipes from the chain of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in London is a super-easy way to cut down your meat intake. Plus, you'll whip up tasty grub every time.

Happy Leons: LEON Happy Salads8 of 14

Happy Leons: LEON Happy Salads

Are you missing the Leon lunch that you'd treat yourself to on a Friday? Thankfully, Leon has released a whole host of books that'll help fill the void. We can't get enough of the Happy Salads volume that includes flavourful numbers like the pink quinoa salad.

Hawksmoor at Home: Meat - Seafood - Sides - Breakfasts - Puddings - Cocktails9 of 14

Hawksmoor at Home: Meat - Seafood - Sides - Breakfasts - Puddings - Cocktails

Recreate Hawksmoor at home thanks to this exquisite handbook. Not only will it teach you how to get hands-on in the kitchen and create a three-course meal (if you wanted to), but it also outlines how to choose a wine to accompany your food.

The Book of St John: Over 100 Brand New Recipes from Londonu2019s Iconic Restaurant10 of 14

The Book of St John: Over 100 Brand New Recipes from London’s Iconic Restaurant

Step into your kitchen and transform it into a world-famous restaurant with the help of The Book of St. John. This recipe book features over 100 recipes and encourages zero-waste cooking. Use this as a guide to incorporate every single ingredient, including the leftovers.

Bill's: The Cookbook: Cook, Eat, Smile11 of 14

Bill's: The Cookbook: Cook, Eat, Smile

Remember when you could book a table at Bill's and catch up with your best friends? That doesn't have to be a thing of the past thanks to their Cook, Eat, Smile guide. The cookbook's pages are filled with beloved meals that you can recreate in your own space.

Claridge's: The Cookbook12 of 14

Claridge's: The Cookbook

Bring a little bit of magic to your dinner table and serve up a collection of dishes and drinks from Claridge's The Foyer and Reading Room. Whether you're feasting on the smoked duck salad, Claridge's chicken pie or cheddar Eccles cakes for the first or fiftieth time, they'll go down an absolute treat.

YO Sushi: The Japanese Cookbook13 of 14

YO Sushi: The Japanese Cookbook

Anyone else wishing they could make food as good as YO! Sushi? It's not as complicated as you might think. This incredible book shows you just how easy it is to make sushi and other staple Japanese dishes at home.

KFC Secret Recipes: KFC Style Chicken Recipes, Salads and Desserts14 of 14

KFC Secret Recipes: KFC Style Chicken Recipes, Salads and Desserts

Before we start running down the reasons why you should buy this cookbook, you need to know that this is inspired by KFC and has no affiliation to the fast-food restaurant. That said, anyone who fancies trying to recreate fried chicken at home, this is a great place to start.

How we chose the best restaurant cookbooks:

All of these cookbooks have been hand-selected by What's The Best shopping experts. Our team has spent hours investigating and researching the best restaurant cookbooks, so you can choose the best one. Plus, we'd never recommend a product we don't believe in. Find out why you should trust us here.

Read more:

Best slow cooker recipe books

The best food subscription boxes

The best recipe books for students

Lily Anderson is a writer at Bauer Media, where she tests products for titles such as Heat, Closer, What’s the Best and Mother&Baby.

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