Bloomsbury, International Restaurant Guide

As a “buzzy venue for the young, after-work crowd”, this JKS Restaurants food court at the foot of Centre Point does have its fans, who feel that as a “cheap ’n’ cheerful” option it’s “phenomenal, with such a great variety of street food to try all under one roof – ideal for big groups”. Ratings are undercut, though, by those who just find it “very noisy”, “pricey” and “average”. (In July 2023, JKS launched a second Arcade in the new Battersea Power Station complex, mixing brands from the original together with a new selection of offerings.)

“Simple food done well...and the cheese!!” – this small group has basic eateries attached to their stores as well as “an enormous selection of cheese to buy at retail”. WC1 is by far the most popular outlet – “like wandering into a village restaurant in the heart of Bloomsbury”. “If you like cheese and wine, what’s not to love about this place?”

“Buy your ticket and wait and see… the chefs give their all and I’ve never had a disappointing evening!” – typical feedback on this Fitzrovia venue, whose “signature is a rotating selection of outstanding chefs cooking at the top of their game, for just a few weeks at a time” from the open kitchen. “It is a showroom (or perhaps a labour exchange!) for the rising stars of international dining… often the room is full of extra affection and praise as the chef’s family or colleagues from past brigades offer enthusiastic support. The courses are skillful and generous, and stints reflect a wide range of global experience”. “It’s hard to compare the different chefs, but the standard generally is so high and service is very well done”.

Glasgow chef Nico Simeone’s distinctive concept has grown into a national chain with 11 restaurants (including Fitzrovia and Canary Wharf) in just six years, offering a quick-changing succession of themed six-course menus for under £50 a head. It’s widely seen as “fantastic value” and has a sizeable fanbase amongst reporters (“every six weeks, the menu renews and for me, it is something to look forward to…”; “we simply love it and we’ve yet to miss a menu!” – “the Tokyo menu was so good we went back a second time”). Only a tiny few say, “you can feel you’re on a conveyor belt with lots of upsells”; or that the whole thing is “a dystopia of where restaurants will evolve”.

With its “unusual and interesting wines” (only 10 cases of each one are ordered, to ensure a steady turnover), “well complemented by delicious small bites to eat”, this is “the wine bistro you want in your street”. The fact that they can combine this with a “great, busy and bustling neighbourhood vibe in the middle of Covent Garden” is “simply astonishing”, making it both “a pre-theatre restaurant and a destination in its own right”.