London, International Restaurant Guide

From the same group as Canova Hall, Martello Hall et al, a new hot-desking space; the restaurant serves pizza, pasta and chicken, plus breakfasts, weekend brunch and plenty of choice for vegans.

Small Belsize Park newcomer from chef Jake Finn, whose 16 seats inside are matched by a similar number outside. Dishes are cooked on a Josper grill, with influences from lots of sunny countries all over the world (including Peru, Japan, Italy, France and Greece). Options will include seared tuna and sharing dishes for two such as whole sea bream. Finn's CV includes La Petite Maison, Coya and The Ritz.

Trading as Spring in the Courtyard during al fresco-only dining, and while the main building is being refurbished (opening August 2021), this new street food space comes from the team behind Pop Brixton and Peckham Levels, so we're expecting big things from the space and the stalls that will begin here.

Soft launching from 28 May, this new 'entertainment space' from the team behind Pergola Paddington, The Prince and Lost in Brixton with three bars and a dance floor will host food pop-ups throughout the year.

A new outdoor dining and entertainment space for Borough, tucked into railway arches; food comes from street food stalls Texas Joe's Adobe and The Good Slice.

“The best coffee in town” is the claim made by fans of Mathew and Charmaine Tabatabai’s year-old Bayswater brew-stop, which – with Mavam espresso machine, BOCCA beans, partnership with Ozone coffee roasters, hand-made artisanal cups, yada, yada – is a perfect pitstop for caffeine junkies. It’s “a great hang out” too, though, serving simple salads, pancakes, eggs on toast…

“I saw a guy go down on bended knee to his girlfriend… she said yes!” This “luxurious and magical” haven – somewhat unexpectedly located “in the heart of Covent Garden” – continues to “live up to its reputation as the most romantic restaurant in London”, and “for a meal with that special someone, you won’t find much better”, especially if you can bag a table (book months in advance) for the “blossom-festooned conservatory” (which some reporters feel is essential to a successful visit; to others it’s merely “the icing on the cake”). Unusually for somewhere “oozing romance”, standards elsewhere “are not compromised to deliver a memorable experience”: “the food might not be the absolute pinnacle of modern British cuisine”, but “it’s more-than-competent” and “the star gourmet attraction is a wine list of almost biblical proportions”. Top Tip – “lunch/pre theatre set menus offer superb value for the excellent quality”.

“Mind-blowing food” that’s “hard to classify” – “a true pot pourri of tastes from around the world using a cascade of daringly combined ingredients to create a theatrical experience for the eyes, and a surprising explosion for the taste buds” – is carving ever-wider culinary renown for Ramael Scully’s “exceptionally interesting” three-year-old in St James’s Market, whose kitchen is “really pushing the boundaries”. The room is “classy” too, and staff are “so extremely knowledgeable and helpful”. “The only downside is a crowd that’s a bit St James-y”. Top Tip – “sit at the counter, where talking to the chefs is a bonus”.