Ashtead, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“A very worthy successor to the beloved Glasshouse (RIP)” – this new Kew favourite is co-owned by its predecessor’s former manager, Patra Panas. Service is particularly “well-drilled and friendly”; and regulars are “delighted to find that little has changed” after a “seamless” changeover, with “many of the furnishings still in place” in the agreeable (a few feel, “slightly uninspiring”) dining room. Diners dispute whether the “intelligent and carefully crafted” cuisine, from chef and co-owner Josh Hunter, is a step up or down from before, but practically all agree it’s “very competent”, and say “we shall definitely return and recommend it highly!”

“Long live Chez Bruce!”. It has “a neighbourhood feel”, but Bruce Poole’s “jewel in south west London’s crown” by Wandsworth Common is one of the capital’s most revered restaurants and – for the 18th year running – is voted Londoner’s No. 1 favourite in our annual diners’ poll. Key to its appeal is the delivery of “top quality, but without the pretensions of some places”. Chef Matt Christmas has worked with Bruce for over 10 years, and the kitchen produces modern British dishes that are “very memorable”, but “without being fussy or fad-ish, nor horrendously overpriced”. “Doing simple food this well is the ultimate in difficulty, there is just nowhere to hide!” “Professional and friendly service continues to excel”, “seemingly effortlessly delivering a superb feeling of conviviality” and enlivening a space that’s “classy and understated”, but not intrinsically that special. “Bruce himself frequently still wanders around the dining room greeting and chatting informally to diners” and the whole operation practically “never puts a foot wrong”. That all this can be enjoyed “without breaking the bank” seals the “absolute pleasure of eating there”.

This “absolute gem of a neighbourhood restaurant” sits on a side street off Chiswick’s bustling main drag, and – like its cousin Chez Bruce – has earned a London-wide reputation over the years thanks to its “fine modern British dining”, “well-drilled service with a smile” and “comprehensive list of fine wines”. There’s been some “changing of the guard in the kitchen” in the last 12 months with Greg Wellman, formerly of The Glasshouse, Kew, taking over at the stoves. But whereas some fans say “it hasn’t undermined what remains a very strong offering”, others are less certain and ratings are not what they were: “I’m still the ‘fan from E18’ who schleps across town to go here, and remain a supporter, but it seems to have lost some of that elusive lustre that previously made it so special”.

In the thin area near Oval tube, this neighbourhood bistro is worth remembering. A sibling to Knife in Clapham, its “old-fashioned modern British cooking” puts a similar emphasis on steak and other grills, but there’s a good selection of dishes and – albeit on limited feedback – it wins praise for “excellent all-round value”.

“The food is always fantastic” – “especially for the price” – at this dining pub owned and run for five years now by chefs Mike Wall-Palmer and Dave Adams, who met working at top chef Steve Drake’s former venue in the village.

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“Terrific ingredients, cleverly but unfussily combined” has long been the hallmark of Sally Clarke’s “impeccably run restaurant” in Notting Hill, which has been at the cutting edge of promoting seasonal, Californian-inspired cuisine since 1984. “It’s on the pricey side, but quality remains superb”; the setting is “romantic”; and the service, from a loyal and seemingly well-looked-after contingent of staff is “excellent, all overseen by Sally herself”. The “marvellous” wine list has an “unusual emphasis on North American wines” and some “reasonably priced alternatives to famous names”. Top Tip – “the good-value daily lunch set menu is a fantastic way to try this restaurant out”.

“Love this pub”, hailed by fans (often parents) for providing “one of the best Sunday lunches” in this part of southwest London, just outside Richmond Park in East Sheen. Over the years, TV chef Paul Merrett has transformed the rambling Victorian tavern into a boutique hotel with a large garden and spacious conservatory for dining.

A very appealing looking spot, in one of Chelsea’s more chichi little enclaves – this café bar is part of nearby boutique hotel, 100 Cadogan Gardens. It’s not the cheapest venue, and service can lag, but for a breakfast or light shopping lunch it’s praised (albeit in limited feedback) as “a good all-rounder”.

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Nowadays owned by Jesse Dunford Wood, this “beauty of a local restaurant” is a “gem worth travelling to Holland Park for” – “with a warm welcome, efficient staff and a regularly changing menu”. It’s notably “small and cosy”, which most reporters “love”.

“For a very civilised meal”, Taylor Bonnyman’s “refined” and “romantic” venue – in a Chelsea townhouse, hidden way near Peter Jones – has become a huge hit: out of the PR limelight, but in the Top 40 most-mentioned restaurants in our annual diners’ poll and “well worthy of its Michelin star” thanks to its “immaculate but unobtrusive” service and Marguerite Keogh’s “superb and assured cooking”: “wonderfully light, creative, beautiful and flavoursome food” from “their own kitchen garden in Sussex” (which the most ardent fans feel is “at a level above their tyre-company rating”). Its ratings slipped a little this year amidst cost of living concerns (and a number of reporters noting that “it’s a pity that they only do a tasting menu”). As a result, its style can appear more “hushed” and “formal” and “very expensive” (“we find it just too costly to visit anymore, although we love this place as one of the most amazing providers of interesting and totally divine food”). That’s still a minority view, though – for most diners it’s just “just a brilliant experience”. Top Tip – “stellar wine selection”.