Fitzrovia, Mediterranean Restaurant Guide

“A thoroughly modern twist on Greek cuisine” wins a solid following for this “atypical” and vibey Fitzrovia venue, whose “intimate setting and candlelit interior” help create a “great ambience”. An early exponent of smart, upscale Aegean dining in London when it opened nine years ago, it has branches in Mykonos and Riyadh. Founder Peter Waney worked with his brother Arjun, the man behind Zuma and Roka.

Open to the public on the ground floor of Mortimer House membership club and workspace in Fitzrovia, an all-day Italian restaurant overseen by chef Tom Cenci. Breakfast includes twists such as Tuscan baked beans, while the well-appointed bar, conservatory and terrace form an attractive backdrop to family-style lunch and dinner. It has a small fan club in our annual diners’ poll, all of whom rate it highly.

Brunch is an institution at this “good stalwart” in Fitzrovia – Adam White’s upbeat all-day operation – and also at its attractive younger siblings in Bloomsbury’s Brunswick Centre and Nova Victoria. The attraction in each case is the “quirky decor” and “fun” style – even fans concede “the food is fine without being outstanding”… “nice enough for the price”.

“Ottolenghi at his best” is found, say fans, at this “lovely roomy restaurant” with a “buzzy ambience” in Fitzrovia, whose menu – “mainly vegetable-based but with some meat and fish options” – wins praise for its “wonderful imagination”. The only real complaint is that the experience is “likeable, but expensive for what you get”.

“A joy!” – paella cooked over a wood fire in the Valencian style, “so drier than some you may have had before” – is the headline attraction at this London outpost from superstar Spanish chef Quique Dacosta. But “sublime starters – beef cheeks, Atlantic squid and pork jowl” also really hit the spot on an “unexpected” menu. The location just off Oxford Street does little to attract custom, although it is a “good place to host in the private dining room”.