London , International Restaurant Guide

Sit at the bar where there’s “Prosecco on tap” and hang with the Mayfair glam crowd at this “always buzzy” and “professional” Italian brasserie in Burlington Gardens, at the back of the Royal Academy: “a favourite for some good people watching”. Nowadays part of Soho House, “there’s something for everyone on the menu” and it’s a favoured lunch spot for local business types. On the downside, prices are high, the food is “average” and service can be so-so. (Reports on its Soho ‘Pizza Bar’ spin-off and City branches are few and far between).

2021 Review: “Ranks with the best beef I’ve ever had in London” is typical of the high praise earned by this smart three-year-old. “Mind you, it is right next to Smithfield” – a fact reflected in its straight-to-the-point menu – “and the maître d’ knows just the right wine to wash it down with”. It occupies an architectural gem of a townhouse once home to Sir John Betjeman.

“A unique experience!” – “For a dinner with a twist, sit ‘outside’ within Borough Market and enjoy a set menu with wine pairing” at Tomas Lidakevicius’s offbeat venture, attached to a greengrocer’s stall. “You’ve no need to choose anything and everything is good”: “the lovely setting helps for sure, but the great food from a tasting menu with seasonal veg as its centrepiece speaks for itself”. “Loved it!”.

Now in its 21st year, this South African-owned duo in Farringdon and London Bridge thrive on their “good basics”, including “delicious steaks” and a “lovely wine list” with a focus on South African vintages. Saffa-style dried meats and a dedicated cheese room complete the deal.

2021 Review: “Brilliant value… market bustle… great modern menu – we love it”, declare fans of this “upmarket” wine bar with (mainly Italian) small plates – “another good option for a great tapas meal in Borough Market”. It took the name of the greengrocer who previously occupied the site.

Now in its 21st year, this South African-owned duo in Farringdon and London Bridge thrive on their “good basics”, including “delicious steaks” and a “lovely wine list” with a focus on South African vintages. Saffa-style dried meats and a dedicated cheese room complete the deal.

“Back to being busy, bubbly and bright” after the bleak pandemic years – this vaulted 19th-century cellar near Tower Hill offers a “great and interesting selection of wine”, served at retail prices plus £9.50 corkage, with “informative staff” to help you choose. A “help-yourself” menu of cheeses, cold meats and other nibbles is on hand to provide ballast.

“A well composed panoply of flavours from Southeast Asia” – curry puffs, crab dumplings, lobster, ox cheek Penang curry – have won a loyal following for Peter Lloyd’s South Bank fixture, and over time fans “have become enamoured, and no longer mourn the loss of RSJ” (which preceded on the site for over 20 years). “Nothing is extraordinary, but it is our current first choice pre the National Theatre”. He must be doing something right, as expansion is coming fast, with a sibling to open in July 2023 on the former site of Cantina del Ponte, RIP, with a large terrace overlooking Tower Bridge; and another in Islington later in the year.

Iré Hassan-Odukale and Jeremy Chan have won huge renown for their ‘haute’ interpretation of West African culinary themes, but this year saw very unsettled reports. Perhaps, in part, this owes to the disruption of a move to 180 The Strand, although the copper-hued, minimalist design there isn’t wholly at odds with the look and feel of the former location in St James’s Market. But to a large extent, this year’s themes are a continuation of last year’s; and complaints that seemed to set in after they jacked up their prices following all the Michelin and ‘World’s 50 Best’ accolades. True, some reports do acknowledge an “outstanding gastronomic experience” from the blind tasting menu which sees jollof rice and plantain jostling with luxury ingredients, foams and emulsions. But too many are mixed: “we had a couple of stunners, but a dish that was so bitter it was unpleasant. So expensive and given the unpredictability it makes Core look like a bargain…”; “really did not enjoy this. Dull atmosphere, combinations of food which just did not work and service not firing on all cylinders. First time I’ve ever not enjoyed a two-star restaurant…”; “was expecting something so special: it wasn’t!”

2021 Review: “Sensational Asian-fusion cooking, with the freshest of ingredients” creates an “exciting” culinary experience at this small waterside café, in St Katharine Docks. “The team is friendly and you can chat to the chef – who is a real artist – as he works in the open plan kitchen area, adjacent to your table”.

2021 Review: ‘Gluten free but you wouldn’t know it!’ is the motto at this modern bistro “very handy for the Sadlers Wells theatre”: “a charming and slightly eclectic restaurant with enthusiastic staff” and “a varied menu to suit all tastes”. “My gluten-free friend was delighted to find he could eat anything on the menu, and happily tucked into pie and mash, saying that you wouldn’t know it was gluten-free (a point echoed by the non-gluten-free among us)”.

A “Covent Garden staple” for 33 years, this “bustling French bistro with packed tables but speedy service” serves “good-value, reliably cooked traditional Gallic fare” that belies its somewhat touristy looks. Top Tip – “a wide-ranging menu and the set menus and special deals add to its appeal; and it’s a good choice for families with children”.

“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?”

“Is there a better way to spend the afternoon?”, query fans of the “beautiful” foyer of this famous hotel – “a wonderful room with the piano playing and where the sandwiches just keep coming!” Supporters say “nothing can compare to the high level of cakes” and that service is “above par” too. Ratings are capped, though, by one or two more cautious reports, from those who “were expecting more of the tea” (too weak) and/or the victuals. When it comes to the music, there’s also some debate – “I hated the Disney tunes being played on the piano, although admittedly I was tempted to stand and join in when it moved on to Les Mis!”

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”.

2023 Review: “Love it… I always feel like a spy when I drink there…” – London’s oldest wine bar (est. 1890), near Embankment tube, is worth a visit for its “great interior” alone, with ancient brick-lined vaults, but it also boasts one of the capital’s biggest outside terraces. You no longer queue for the cold cuts, cheese and pies – they bring them to you with waiter service. The “excellent selection of wines” is by far the greater attraction.

“On more than one occasion we have observed someone ‘popping the question’ here!” – the “magical” setting “never fails to impress” at this Covent Garden oasis, yet again voted London’s No.1 venue for romance in our annual diners’ poll. “Sitting in the conservatory is a joy, especially in good weather when the retractable roof is open” and its “most beautiful interior courtyard is tailormade for a date”. “The largely Provençal and Tuscan cuisine is good but the star of this show is the magnificent wine list, with choices from around the world and prices to suit all budgets. The only recommendation is to read the wine list at home in advance, otherwise you’ll spend the first hour ignoring your date!”.