Best Modern European restaurants in London

From the prosaic name to the determinedly plain decor, everything about this pint-sized Soho favourite is purely functional – apart from the food and wine, that is. The short, daily changing menu “always pleases”, pulling in ideas from Western Europe to point up its larder of British ingredients. You might find chicken hearts and livers with Brussels sprouts, Marsala and sage, Tamworth pork partnered with savoy cabbage and a scattering of soft pancetta or plump hake and spinach given extra bite with some dense chorizo. An all-day selection of smaller plates keeps things simple (think salted Padrón peppers, crumbed pig’s trotters or smoked mackerel with fennel), while adding some flashes of colour to the black-and-white room. You can reserve a table for lunch (“perfect”, says one fan), but dinner is no-bookings only: if you’re willing to queue, however, the wine list helps to spin out an evening with its brilliantly affordable selection from across the globe.

Once an insider’s secret on a seedy Bethnal Green backstreet, Bistrotheque has gone on to become a bona fide east London institution. Best known for its weekend brunch service, it’s always packed to the rafters and great raucous fun, thanks to the colourfully coiffed house pianist and decent nosh (plates of pancakes with poached rhubarb and pork chops with layered potatoes do it for us) and even better cocktails. The decor “just stays cool” and the clientele is a veritable Who’s Who of modern east London, with a host of designers, architects, artists and assorted locals using it for nibbles, drinks at the “magnificent” bar (“staff will make sure your glass is never empty”) and lively suppers – perhaps pressed lamb with spring vegetables, cod with romesco sauce, caramelised tomato tart with burrata or “the best steak tartare in the east End”. The food’s good, but the ambience is “amazing”.

Roman Polanski might not be the most savoury inspiration in the current cultural climate so it’s a punchy move by The Palomar owners to name their new chef’s counter after Faye Dunaway’s femme fatale in the director’s 1974 film Chinatown. But that’s the only questionable note in the sort of accomplished offering that we’ve come to expect from siblings Zoe and Layo Paskin, who followed up The Palomar with The Barbary and Jacob the Angel, and who readers whose memories weren’t frazzled by the 90s club scene may remember from AKA restaurant at The End nightclub.

Evelyn’s Table sits in the cellar of the Paskins’ reinvention of Chinatown boozer The Blue Posts, beneath the ground-floor pub and first-floor Mulwray’s cocktail bar; it’s an intimate, romantically-lit space, with a ‘private’ sign on the door and 15 diners around the horseshoe counter.

Small plates with a southern European accent feature some top-notch suppliers: Hedone sourdough, La Fromagerie cheeses and fish from the dayboats at Looe, which delivered the biggest hit of the night: beautifully cooked hake with capers and olive oil-soaked croutons. Overall, fish dishes impressed the most: our croquette-like salt-cod beignets with punchy taramasalata, and subtly smoked eel on excellent blinis, had the edge over good (but just not as good) duck tortellini and presa iberica, which lacked the same clearly defined flavours – although there were no such complaints with a chewy tarte Tatin, sweet as a toffee apple.     

Food aside, how much you enjoy this experience will depend on how open you are to chatting to the friendly chefs and front of house rather than giving your companion your undevoted attention – this is not somewhere to come for diners who wish to be left undisturbed. “Forget it Jake, it’s Chinatown”, Jack Nicholson’s character is told at the end of Polanski’s film – but this is a location to remember.

Excellent staff continue to make all the difference on the fourth floor of Canada Place, where D&D London’s Plateau hybrid could otherwise lack a little soul. On the more casual side, the close-packed Bar & Grill turns out a popular set menu of international plates, but there’s more to hold punters’ interest in the restaurant – a classy, spacious dining room furnished with 20th-century design classics. Food-wise, many dishes now have French roots – from grilled gurnard to pan-fried duckling breast aux épices. We suggest plumping for the six-course tasting menu if you want to settle in for evening and round off with the drama of crêpes Suzette. A solid wine list is bolstered by occasional events and guest tipples.

“Great place for the four Cs: celebrating, chilling, chatting and crowd-watching”, says a fan of the Oxo Tower’s restaurant – a perfectly located terrace venue on the eighth floor of the monolith, which still boasts “one of the best views in London”. The menu promises sophisticated dishes in the modern idiom, from seared peppered beef with smoked sweetcorn purée, tenderstem broccoli and roast asparagus to sea bream poached in vanilla anise accompanied by a stuffed courgette flower. To finish, why not share a cherry soufflé with vanilla ice cream and Black Forest gâteau. The wine list, from Harvey Nics, is a cracker (although you won't find many bargains) and afternoon tea also looks “very tempting” – no wonder fans say it’s “definitely a place to take a person you want to impress”.

Will Lander’s Portland is a rare thing – a thoroughly grown-up, relaxed and “cosy” restaurant that deals in neighbourhood fine-dining without a hint of stuffiness. The cool, “understated” dining room is as dashing as a Savile Row suit, with its dark-wood flooring, Scandi furniture and watercolour portraits – all leading towards the Michelin-starred open kitchen. The menu wows without overcomplicating things, and every dish “hits the heights” – from a show-stopping snack of crispy chicken skin loaded with rich chicken liver parfait to a little bowl of silky crayfish flan with a foamed, buttery bisque.

Elsewhere, simplicity also reigns – witness thick, creamy mozzarella topped with the last of the summer’s tomatoes, tarragon leaves and earthy kombu seaweed or a dish of translucent cod with squid ink, hazelnuts, kale and a plump oyster. For dessert, strawberries atop a yoghurt cake with cashew-nut butter really highlights Portland’s use of stellar ingredients. “Textbook” wines are listed on the back of the menu, “friendly” staff are “attentive but don’t hover” and portions are big enough to “satisfy a rugby player” – in fact, it’s hard to have anything less than a “great experience” here. 

“The daddy of them all” declares a fan of The Wolseley – and he’s not alone in cheering this “rather posh” grand café to the skies. Whether you’re here for the all-conquering breakfast, afternoon tea or a late-night pick-me-up, the barnstorming Wolseley always delivers – “it doesn’t matter what you look like, you’ll get treated like a VIP”. The sheer razzmatazz of the fabulously converted car showroom is part of its attraction, as regulars seek out their favourite tables, others mingle in anterooms and a regular trickle of walk-in celebs, creatives and shoppers adds to the spice of it all. To begin, you might find yourself dusting off the cobwebs over a bowl of Birchermuesli, a crispy bacon roll or a full fry-up; later on, thoughts could turn to steak tartare, salade niçoise, burgers, schnitzels or coq au vin – and there’s never a bad time for the Wolseley’s luscious array of creamy patisserie, cakes and ice-cream coupes. Service is always “top-notch” too. In short, The Wolseley is the complete West End package, and we concur with the reader who remarks that “I always come away with my high expectations satisfied and met”.

It may share the signature low-key glamour of Jason Atherton’s other Social restaurants, but the “most incredible views” from Tower 42 elevate City Social to statement status. With the fitting air of a 1920s boardroom, this dining room is custom-built for “business entertaining” – although it has a surprising intimacy given the scale of the setting. Minor grumbles, including music that’s “too loud” in the bar, are dwarfed by readers’ enthusiasm for executive chef Paul Walsh’s oh-so-pretty plates of Michelin-starred food – from cured Scottish salmon with watermelon, saké, cucumber carpaccio, soy and wasabi to tarte Tatin with caramel sauce for sharing. In between, he brings considerable experience to bear on interest-piquing main courses such as saddle of Lincolnshire rabbit with Parma ham, trompette mushrooms, spelt, lovage emulsion and black garlic, line-caught halibut with fondant potato, turnips, crispy prawns and tenderstem broccoli or heritage potato and caramelised onion terrine with Jerusalem artichoke and walnuts. Cocktails are classy, and the wine list is designed to accommodate high rollers – without putting everybody else off.

Secreted beside a discreet Mayfair alleyway since 2011, Jason Atherton’s imperious Michelin-starred flagship, Pollen Street Social, remains “bang on the money” – a “masterpiece of fine dining” and a worthy winner of the SquareMeal Restaurant of the Year 2017. Step through the glass door and the good vibrations hit you straight away, while the clean-lined metropolitan dining room shows its cosmopolitan class with dramatic lampshades and eye-catching arty exhibits. Atherton may oversee a global empire these days, but he still puts in the shifts at PSS, and is often to be seen at the pass – a world-class hands-on restaurateur in his rightful place. Culinary influences and cross-fertilisation abound, but everything is underpinned by indigenous ingredients, from a witty Cockney riff involving smoked eel, buttermilk, beetroot reduction and jellied eel to South Downs fallow deer with pear, cocoa and chocolate vinegar or “staggeringly good” Lakeland lamb with beetroot, blackcurrant, savoy cabbage and a mini hotpot on the side – scintillating, exuberant food of the highest order, with maximum flavour delivering maximum satisfaction. To start, the ‘fruits of the British sea’ is a delirious array of maritime delights presented on a special stand – we love the oyster ice cream dressed with an oyster leaf, the lobster cocktail, and the Orkney scallop with pickled radish and jalapeño; to finish, the dessert bar promises close encounters with the likes of Brogdale pear sorbet, goats’ cheese ice cream, honey and bee pollen. Service plays it ‘social’ without ever losing its professional cool, and there are treasures galore on the ever-expanding wine list curated by the group’s whizz-bang sommelier Laure Patry. “Few places are such a treat” concludes one admirer of Pollen Street Social– amen to that. 

Former MasterChef: The Professionals runner-up Tom Simmons appears to have landed on his feet with this eponymous debut, having previously worked under the likes of Mark Sargeant (Plum + Spilt Milk) and Tom Aikens (Tom’s Kitchen). Part of the One Tower Bridge development, the two-floor site serves up an all-day menu of traditional British and French dishes with some intriguing Welsh accents (note the whipped leek butter, the cockle popcorn with seaweed mayo and the regional cheeses). The intimate ground-floor bar dispenses on-trend sips such as passionfruit and elderflower Martinis, while the charming low-lit space upstairs benefits from a relaxing soundtrack and cosy decor. Starters might see wood pigeon with beetroot and blackberries or a creamy mushroom velouté, pepped up with chives and truffle cream, while our pick from the generous mains was the short-rib of beef, served as a hunk of tender, melt-in-the-mouth meat on smooth pomme purée with beef jus and a scattering of smoky bacon lardons – a filling and big-flavoured plateful. If you still have room, finish with a handful of cocoa-dusted salted caramel truffles. With its smiling service and prices that are justified by hearty portions, we think Tom Simmons is one to watch.  

“I love this place!” chimes one reader – and rightly so. Jason Atherton’s 21st-century reinvention of hotel dining has made Berners Tavern one of the hottest tickets in town. Sporting “the most beautiful dining room in London” (think towering ceilings, mosaics, gilt-framed oil paintings and a soaring, yellow-lit bar), this place oozes glamour, pizzazz and grandeur, without feeling remotely “stuffy”. There are many foodie triumphs here, although the reimagining of the hotel dining-room trolley is one to really savour – watch as a giant, perfectly cooked pork pie is sliced tableside and artfully arranged with pickled carrots, fennel, piccalilli and mustards. Other classic British options include the “best prawn cocktail ever” (loaded with sweet lobster jelly, avocado and crispy shallots), but the menu’s versatility ranges from gloriously indulgent five-cheese macaroni topped with slow-cooked beef blade (“to die for”) to roast Cornish cod with crispy squid, basil fregola and soothing tomato consommé. For a final touch of theatre, go for the buttermilk Alaska, finished with flaming liquor, soft hunks of rhubarb and pistachio. Service at Berners Tavern is “second to none” – as we’ve come to expect from Mr Atherton. 

Received with enthusiasm and garlanded with awards, Kitty Fisher’s is nothing if not popular – though limited table availability may have stemmed the flow of feedback from readers. If you can get in (keep an eye on social media for last-minute opportunities), you’ll find two intimate floors of close-packed tables, with mildly 18th-century stylings and a whisper of blush-pink velvet inspired by the eponymous courtesan. By contrast, the cooking is distinctly 21st century, ticking off whipped cod’s roe with bread and fennel butter, burrata with peas and mint, grilled langoustines draped in lardo or lamb rump with courgette, grelot onions, goats’ curd and smoked almonds. Quality is unfailingly high throughout, finishing on a top note with lemon tart or grilled strawberries, crumble and clotted-cream ice cream. The house cocktail is the gin-based Bad Kitty, while a short, fairly priced wine list runs alongside the artfully mixed drinks.

You don’t need an A level in French to work out that ‘caractère’ is the French word for ‘character’, though ‘famille’ might have been just as good a name for this first solo project from husband and wife Emily Roux and Diego Ferrari. Roux is the daughter of Michel Jnr and met Ferrari when he was head chef of her father’s restaurant, Le Gavroche. At Caractère, Roux is front of house, Ferrari in the kitchen.

The couple’s ambition was to open somewhere ‘casual and contemporary’. It is determinedly contemporary (the menu is divided into six character traits) but unless you spend all your time in Michelin-starred restaurants, not most people’s idea of casual, though it is certainly striking.

Velvety, dusky pink chairs are set at marble-topped tables in a brick-walled room, with herringbone on the floor, dramatic lighting on the ceiling and picture windows running down two sides. The tableware is notably thoughtful: elegant, slimline cutlery, a butter knife that stands up on its base and a miniature ceramic bread board for excellent butter are all covetable items to add to a Pinterest board for a foodie’s Christmas stocking.  

We didn’t find the character theme added anything to negotiating the menu beyond dividing it into meat, fish and vegetable sections, but cooking as good as this doesn’t need any gimmicks. Cacio e pepe has strips of celeriac in place of strands of pasta acting as a subtly flavoured foil to a full-throttle Pecorino sauce, a few drops of intensely concentrated balsamic vinegar, added at the table, cutting through the richness (there is much finishing of dishes at the table).

The same balance of savoury and sharp worked equally well in a beautiful slice of roast wild duck breast sharing a plate with fondant chervil root and blackberries, though you don’t need to order such big flavours: roast diver scallops with salsify purée, mustard and beurre blanc and grilled monkfish with parsley root, grapefruit and aniseed sauce were both appreciated for a gentle lunch. To finish, we preferred a magnificent warm chocolate cake with pecan praline and salted caramel sauce to a rather virtuous-tasting ‘millefeuille’ made out of sliced fig.

An exclusively French and Italian wine list reflects Roux and Ferrari’s family heritage, and while a focus on big names and big prices from Piedmont and Tuscany, Burgundy and Bordeaux reflects local wallets, there are enough interesting wines under £40 to make for rewarding drinking for anyone not on a banker’s salary.

With The Ledbury  almost next door, the recently closed Marianne down the road and Core by Clare Smyth a short walk away, Notting HiIl has a well-established appetite for sophisticated modern cooking served in a high-end setting. Judging by their assured opening weeks, Roux and Ferrari have passed their test of Caractere with flying colours.

The converted Victorian warehouse that houses Angela Hartnett’s Merchants Tavern used to be trailblazing Cantaloupe back in the 1990s. Some of the diners occupying its curvy leather booths might well recall those days, though they’re grown-ups now, schmoozing clients and drinking better wine. The kitchen's “solid combos” appeal to the assembled company: credible rather than cool, their classical foundations are leavened with contemporary touches and true seasonal flavours.

Some dishes, such as the “dynamite” deep-fried oysters with chilli and ginger or quail with hazelnut pesto and foie gras live up to their promise, while others verge on the “polite”: our sea bream with heritage carrots and preserved lemon was one such creation, although a brown-bread parfait with kirsch-laced cherries was impeccable. For an even more relaxed vibe, eat at the kitchen counter or hit the bar for sausage rolls and cool cocktails. “These guys are good”, affirms one reader.

Following the success of Michelin-starred Portland, this sibling – a less ambitious (but no less enjoyable) venture – has quickly become a top-notch Fitzrovia favourite. Whitewashed walls, gleaming tiles, wood furnishings and wraparound windows set the scene, the atmosphere is welcoming and the menu spins through sharing plates and bistro-style dishes with lower prices to match.

Plump mussels poached in saké come with bouncy sourdough, and the same dough is used for pizzas (perhaps topped with clams, crème fraiche and garlic), although we favour the premium Yorkshire hogget, served pink atop coco beans and girolles, followed by Paris-Brest – a deliriously sweet, ridiculously enjoyable concoction of hazelnut praline and choux pastry. Wines also punch way above their weight, with superb on-tap options including Château Pesquié Terrasses Rouge. In short, the kind of relaxed, accomplished, good-value restaurant we’d all love on our doorstep.

High up on the eighth floor of the Oxo Tower, this fashion-conscious, brasserie-style eyrie offers the same great views as the posh restaurant next door, but prices are a fair bit cheaper and you can rub shoulders with the throngs of beautiful people in more convivial, easy-going surroundings. The vibrant menu ranges far and wide, picking up the likes of soft-shell crab with watermelon salad and black-bean dressing, Korean-style roast duck leg with a spring-onion pancake and kimchi, or grilled baby chicken with soft polenta, balsamic pickled onions and Gorgonzola butter. ‘Faultless service’ and the chance to dip into the neighbouring restaurant’s top-drawer wine list are undeniable plus points, while cool live jazz or mellow piano music adds extra sparkle in the evening – especially if you’re lounging on the terrace overlooking the river.

A charming addition to historic Somerset House, Spring showcases the considerable culinary talents of Skye Gyngell, who rose to foodie fame with a Michelin star at Petersham Nurseries Café. Her cooking puts impeccably sourced native ingredients centre stage in a seasonal menu that never fails to delight, and readers are full of praise for her “fabulous” but disarmingly simple dishes – perhaps delicate queen scallops coated in velvety lemon butter, grilled lamb with farro, cavolo nero and braised radicchio or perfectly moist guinea fowl accompanied by hearty seasonal greens and an indulgent corn and truffle sauce. Italian influences are evident alongside wider Mediterranean touches – think ricotta dumplings with spaghetti squash and spigarello or a zesty sorbet made with mandarins grown on Mount Etna. Spring’s elegant setting elevates dinner to a special occasion, with the Grade II-listed space transformed into an airy oasis of calm, where staff in pale uniforms deliver “knowledgeable, cosy and personal service”. Other plus points include the carefully assembled wine list, bespoke seasonal drinks and a little leafy atrium. “A real cut above the norm”, declares one fan.  

“Great food, informal and fun” sums up Social Eating House, Jason Atherton’s regularly rammed Soho outpost – a noisy Michelin-starred hangout that mixes cool-dude vibes and moody lighting with cooking that bears all the chef and restaurateur’s culinary hallmarks. Chef/patron Paul Hood (previously at Atherton’s flagship, Pollen Street Social) oversees proceedings day-to-day and his seasonal menu shows a trademark commitment to native sourcing as well as a fondness for all things creative and cheffy – we’re huge fans of the mushrooms and toast, a richly flavoured, artful melee punctuated with pickled girolles, creamy cep purée and onion marmalade. In a very British twist on steak tartare, tender chunks of Buccleuch Black Angus are paired with beetroot, horseradish and egg-yolk jam, while baked Cornish hake is served with hispi cabbage gratin and textured slices of Tokyo turnip laced with saffron. Simpler pleasures range from aged native-breed steaks with triple-cooked duck-fat chips to the addictive mac ‘n’ cheese with chanterelles and luscious sundaes for afters. Social Eating House’s well-curated wine list and spot-on cocktails are further pluses, while staff are hip, happy and on point (well, most of the time). 

“Everyone's favourite neighbourhood restaurant, now with star power!” declares one long-term admirer. Over the last decade, Trinity has grown from local gem to Michelin-gonged destination – thanks largely to chef-patron Adam Byatt and his team, who have created a genuinely bespoke experience here. The kitchen delivers a procession of “sublime” dishes well worth their accolades, from mini éclairs filled with rich, buttery cep mousse to the restaurant’s celebrated steak tartare – chunks of almost gamey Angus beef, mixed with pickled mushrooms, Daurenki caviar and smoked bone marrow, served in a vintage caviar tin. Elsewhere, pillow-like ravioli are filled with a fluffy, flavour-packed scallop and lobster mousse, while pink grouse breast comes dressed with hazelnuts and lardo, alongside creamy sweetcorn polenta and elderberries. To finish, the wobbly salt custard tart with salt caramel ice cream has us all a-quiver. Drinks are equally enticing, so sniff out the subtly hopped Trinity Ale or plump for a “gloriously different” G&T. The whole show takes place in a handsome room done out with parquet flooring, white tablecloths and muted colours, while service is deemed “amazing” and “delightful”.  

“Phil Howard strikes gold with this stylish Chelsea gem” declares an admirer of Elystan Street – a slick yet informal affair untroubled by amuse-bouches, tasting menus and tablecloths. Having sold The Square after 25 years of critical acclaim, Howard decided to postpone retirement and return to the stove, where he is now delivering uncomplicated yet highly sophisticated food full of “clever and subtle flavours”. Expect out-and-out indulgence from, say, golden-roasted veal sweetbreads with a rich veal sauce and an autumn ‘slaw’, or grouse breasts cooked blushing pink with little croquettes of leg meat, root vegetables and elderberry sauce. Lighter options might bring mackerel rillettes with Porthilly oyster and dressed Poole prawns, while pasta is a forte – think a fat raviolo of scallop and langoustine in a delicate foaming bisque. After that, bitter chocolate mousse with milk ice cream and salted caramel sauce is the must-order pud. Prices are hardly kind (mind you, this is high-living Chelsea), but the dining room is a dream – all towering windows, polished wood and clean lines. With smart staff who get the low-fuss approach just right and a wine list that ticks all the boxes, this is the “perfect all-round package”.

Oli Barker and chef Pascal Wiedemann (key players from Terroirs) hit all the right buttons when they opened this laid-back eatery in 2016: honest, sensibly priced modern cooking combined with cheerful service is proving to be a winning formula. Inside, soothing colours set the mood, with an open kitchen at the rear, a sharing table for casual drop-ins and a bar dispensing specialist beers alongside imaginative European wines – including trendy tipples from trail-blazing importers Les Caves de Pyrène. To eat, we suggest kicking off with some Italian cured meats or glistening ‘petits lucques’ olives, before tackling crab mayonnaise, rabbit and pork terrine or mackerel with romesco sauce and watercress on toast. Spanking-fresh brill is served with sea vegetables, capers and brown butter, while full-flavoured chicken leg comes with artichokes, fennel and aïoli. Proper puddings and perfectly ripe cheeses are further signs of the owners’ effortless all-round professionalism. In short, a great addition to posh W11.

“Reassuringly polished in every way” says an admirer of Bruce Poole’s remarkable restaurant, while another deems it “an all-time favourite at the top end”. We’re also enamoured of Chez Bruce’s sense of style, its neighbourly virtues and the fact that it can regularly deliver inspired Michelin-starred food at egalitarian prices. As a dressed-down local eatery of the best sort, its gusty Euro-inspired food pleases, excites and soothes in equal measure, from starters of trotter sausage with warm summer beans and confit rabbit to desserts such as the much-vaunted crème brûlée or pistachio meringues with lemon verbena and raspberries. In between, the kitchen’s big-hearted approach might yield roast cod with olive oil mash, Provençal tomato and gremolata or rump of lamb with stuffed tomato, sweetbread ragoût and courgette tarte fine – manna indeed for the well-fed burghers of Wandsworth. The magnificent cheeseboard is also a class act in its own right. Some feel Chez Bruce’s new layout is a tad “cramped” and it’s clear that pressure of numbers can occasionally impact on the kitchen, but impressively professional staff are always on top of things. In contrast to the “delightful small menu”, the wine list is an all-encompassing encyclopaedic tome offering diversity, style and quality in spades.  

The fervour that surrounded André Balazs’ Marylebone hotspot has died down and you no longer need to be famous to secure a table, but Chiltern Firehouse still delivers in spades. Readers praise the outdoor-themed interiors as well as the high-decibel “party vibe”, and we’ve also been impressed by the all-inclusive attitude of the staff, who happily laugh and chat with diners. Meanwhile, in the open kitchen, chef Nuno Mendes and his team send out plenty of likeable big-time successes. Snacks such as bacon cornbread and the famous coral-dusted crab doughnut kick things off nicely, but there are other highlights too: char-grilled Ibérico pork comes with the unexpected additions of grilled peaches and red pepper kimchi, while a side of mac ‘n’ cheese is given a fiery kick with jalapeño peppers. Early risers pack in for breakfast (potted eggs with caramelised onions and curried potatoes), freelancers take advantage of the indulgent lunchtime offers (crab and lobster omelette, say), and we’d also recommend Chiltern Firehouse for a pre/post-meal trip to the botanically themed bar for cheekily named cocktails. Be warned – the bill (with impressive wines included) may have you reaching for the fire alarm.

“Mind-blowing food, exceptional wines and perfect service” – that’s what punters can expect if they venture into this semi-secret dining space behind a leather curtain at the back of funky Bubbledogs. True to its name, Kitchen Table’s U-shaped counter fits snugly around the kitchen, where up to 20 diners can perch on stools, elbow-to-elbow with their neighbours, watching and listening to chef James Knappett’s team as they prepare (and often serve) the day’s Michelin-starred menu. Nibbles of chicken skin, bacon jam and rosemary mascarpone generally open the show, while each of the subsequent 12 courses is described by a single word on the blackboard (‘oyster’, ‘shrimp’, ‘potato’). That said, the results are bold, ultra-modern and revelatory: a dish simply entitled ‘scallop’ might see a fleshy raw bivalve in harmonious company with lightly pickled cucumber, elderflowers and a frothy elderflower kombucha (a fermented beverage). James’ partner/sommelier Sandia Chang takes care of Kitchen Table’s 100-bin wine list, which plunders the exclusive ‘grower’ Champagnes on offer at Bubbledogs next door. “A little pricey, but you really pay for what you get – namely quality”, concludes one reader.  

The sum of 26 years working in big-name kitchens, this is the ninth restaurant that chef/owner Jun Tunaka has worked in – with a shiny new Michelin star to boot. Despite a sharing concept that screams ‘on-trend’, tables are regularly full to overflowing and there’s a lot to like in dishes that are “inspired, simple and of the highest quality”. A square of punchy rabbit lasagne is the ultimate in refined comfort eating, dinky spherical oxtail croquettes are impossibly moreish, and roast quail is balanced by sharp pickled cherries, with bursts of foie gras, bacon and pistachio. Check out the ‘raw and cured’ or ‘vegetable’ sections for lighter picks, and don’t pass up the caramelised lemon tart (gleaned from Jun’s time under Marco Pierre White). The two bare-brick rooms, all gleaming tables and shiny floors, are chic and contemporary. Service is “skilled and friendly”, the wine list covers all bases, and at lunchtime you’ll bag three plates for £23.

Celebrating its centenary in 2017, The Ivy is a celeb-friendly fixture of the glamorous West End scene. Yet, behind the iconic harlequin stained glass, the old girl certainly isn't showing her age – thanks to a glittering 2015 makeover that gave pride of place to a beautiful vintage-styled bar. Although the hype around the refurb has died down, there's still a warm glow of approval from readers, who praise the "utterly impeccable" service, "unflappable staff" and "buzzy, not noisy" atmosphere. The eclectic menu is a winning mix of Ivy perennials such as the "truly wonderful" crispy duck salad and classic shepherd's pie, alongside on-trend raw dishes like "delicious" yellowfin tuna sashimi with avocado or salmon ceviche with tiger's milk, as well as ultra-trad confit duck or grouse with bread sauce. The kitchen’s special talent lies in the fact that it manages to cook such a varied range of dishes equally well. "The Ivy will always have a place in my heart", declares one fan, while another reckons it’s “a delight all round”.

On a corner of Newington Green with huge windows looking onto the busy streets, Perilla’s interior looks like a masterclass in salvage: old doors are repurposed as tables, drinking troughs serve as wine coolers and there’s a vintage terrazzo floor, while huge linen napkins add a welcome touch of luxury. The food is adventurous but genuine, with bags of imagination applied to good ingredients: shards of cauliflower-shaped ‘sparassis’ mushrooms are teamed with salted plums and ricotta, all shrouded in lustrous lardo, while mains include a wonderfully meaty dish involving 60-day loin of beef topped with a sliver of rump, served with steamed mussels and Tropea onions in a rich green sauce. To start, superb seaweed bread is brushed with roasted lamb fat and served with delicious burnt butter (sticky fingers all round!); to finish, don’t miss the sweet clover-infused custard with Muscat grapes and tarragon. The perfectly judged European wine list has plenty by the glass or carafe, but there’s also hipster local beer and a choice of homemade soft drinks. Perilla’s owners are on a mission – and the locals seem to love it.

Monica Galetti, MasterChef judge and former senior sous-chef at Le Gavroche, offered herself up for public scrutiny when she opened Mere, but reports of “understated excellence” suggest she is on a winning streak. An elegant, sumptuously upholstered bar allows guests to peruse the menu, and the striking design continues downstairs, where a double-height glass frontage makes Mere equally appealing for lunch or dinner. Galetti’s Samoan and Kiwi heritage blend seamlessly with Gavroche-style haute cuisine for a contemporary take on high-end dining that’s harmonious, pretty and shot through with “simply amazing” flavours and textures. A springy curl of octopus comes hot and sticky from the plancha with an addictive caper and raisin jam on the side, lobster is simply poached and served with potato purée, cabbage and a bisque sauce, while 30-day aged sirloin is accompanied by puffs of onion beignets, glazed cheek and a tarragon crème fraîche. After that, the coconut cream pie filled with roasted banana and drizzled with rum caramel is the stuff of sweet dreams. The wine list is also “a joy” – in short, Ms Galetti has stamped her identity on one of London’s most famous foodie streets.