Restaurants

Restaurants : Restaurants
It might not always have been the case, but with 6,000 licensed restaurant (over 20% of all restaurants in Britain), London is currently one of the most exciting dining destinations in the world, rivaled only by New York in terms of the number of internationally acclaimed chefs it attracts, and the sheer diversity of cuisines on offer (70 countries and regions in total). So indulge yourself in a little culinary experience during your stay in the capital.

The restaurants below have been classed into four different pricing categories:
$$$$ (over £70)
$$$ (£45 to £70)
$$ (£20 to £45)
$ (up to £20)
These prices are for a three course meal for one, including tax but not drinks.

A service charge of 12.5% will be added to your bill in most restaurants. This is technically an optional charge but it would be very unusual to ask for it to be removed. Where 'Service is not included', a tip of at least 10% is expected, although 12-15% is becoming more common. Diners should check the bill thoroughly, as tipping is not required on top of a service charge.

Gastronomic



Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road

Still the only London restaurant with three Michelin stars, this remains the best place to experience Gordon Ramsay at work. In a comfortable but fairly neutral room (recently renovated), the focus is entirely on the food. All dishes are superb and might include the starter of a mosaic of foie gras served three ways (pressed, confit and smoked) with marinated figs and pickled girolles, followed by fillet of Aberdeen Angus beef with caramelised pig's trotters, quail's eggs, sautéed baby artichokes and truffle sauce. A seven-course Menu Prestige is available for £110 for those who wish to experience the full gastronomic experience. Reservations essential. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

68 Royal Hospital Road, SW3
Tel: (020) 7352 4441.
Website: www.gordonramsay.com
Price: $$$$

Le Gavroche

Since its opening in 1967 by brothers Albert and Michel Roux, the smart, formal, dark and classically French Le Gavroche, with two Michelin stars, has been setting the culinary benchmark for the British restaurant scene. Currently run by Michel Roux Junior, with the assistance of award-winning maitre d' Silvano Giraldin, diners can expect the highest standards of food, wine and service ? at prices to match. Highly praised dishes include loin of venison with peppery sauce and cranberries, and seared foie gras with a duck-flavoured and cinnamon pancake. French cooking at its best. The restaurant recently broke new ground and introduced a beer list to offer diners an alternative to wine with their meal. Reservations essential. No lunch Saturday. Closed Sunday.

43 Upper Brook Street, W1
Tel: (020) 7408 0881.
Website: www.le-gavroche.co.uk
Price: $$$$

Lindsay House

Irish-born chef Richard Corrigan has made this Soho townhouse his home and gained a Michelin star in the process, by creating impeccable dishes in a grand but comfortable environment. Arriving at the discreet front door, diners must ring the bell to gain admittance, which heralds the beginning of an evening where the attentive staff treats them like the houseguests of a rich, absent host. The 1740s building quietly exudes charm, while guests pad up carpeted stairs to a small, elegant but simple dining room, with white walls, oil paintings, a grand fireplace and comfortable chairs. It is impossible not to feel at home, although there are two private dining rooms for those who really wish to be cocooned, as well as one other public dining room on the ground floor. The menu changes daily (Richard Corrigan tries to source all his ingredients from small suppliers) but, from the tiny wafer-thin cheesy biscuits served with a champagne cocktail, every dish is perfectly balanced, well presented and beautifully cooked. With an accessible and distinguished wine list, amuse bouche between every course and petits fours to round the whole thing off, nothing is forgotten in this most memorable establishment. Reservations essential. No lunch Saturday. Closed Sunday.

21 Romilly Street, W1
Tel: (020) 7439 0450.
Website: www.lindsayhouse.co.uk
Price: $$$

Locanda Locatelli

The excellent Michelin-starred Locanda Locatelli, the brainchild of celebrity chef Giorgio Locatelli, serves up delectable Italian dishes in sleek surroundings with a glamorous 1970s feel. Four courses are recommended, so diners are able to enjoy an antipasto (such as the Traditional cured pork with potatoes and black truffle) but not miss out on a pasta dish, such as garganelli with red mullet and black olives or the Barolo and Castelmagno cheese risotto. Mains include a decent number of fish and meat dishes, served simply with one or two other ingredients, such as roast monkfish with walnut and caper sauce (vegetarians might be forced to indulge in a second pasta dish!), while desserts should not be missed. The restaurant is now open on Sunday. Reservations well in advance are essential.

8 Seymour Street, W1
Tel: (020) 7935 9088 (reservations) or 8390 (confirmations/cancellations).
Website: www.locandalocatelli.com
Price: $$$

Nobu

This devastatingly fashionable restaurant, located on the first floor of the Metropolitan Hotel, provides award-winning Japanese cuisine melded with South American influences in a relaxed yet classy environment. Smiling, uniformed members of staff guide the diner through an extensive menu with head chef Mark Edwards at the helm. The presentation is impeccable and the food itself unique. Signature dishes include black cod marinated in miso, chocolate cake with tea-tree ice cream or sake with gold leaf. The place is also one of the best spots in town for sushi. There is plenty of opportunity for celebrity spotting. Reservations essential. No lunch weekends. Sister restaurant Nobu Berkeley opened on Berkeley Street in 2005.

19 Old Park Lane, W1
Tel: (020) 7447 4747.

15 Berkeley Street, W1
Tel: (020) 7290 9222.
Website: www.noburestaurants.com
Price: $$$$
Business



Incognico

Nico Ladenis' unfussy West End restaurant provides the best-value set menu in London. For under £20, at lunchtime or early evening, diners can enjoy a well-composed three-course meal, with a choice of two dishes per course, from a menu that changes weekly. Dishes might include a brandade of salt cod in crispy pastry, followed by pork belly with fresh sauerkraut and Madeira sauce, and key lime tart. A decent mainly French à la carte menu is also available, including many fish dishes but few entirely vegetarian ones. The interior is cosy and uncluttered but the service can be patchy. A decent wine list has a helpful (or pretentious) adjective describing each wine. Closed Sunday.

117 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2
Tel: (020) 7836 8866.
Price: $$-$$$

The Ivy

The restaurant of choice of many a celebrity, The Ivy is notoriously difficult to get into without a famous name or advance booking of at least six weeks. Telephoning to reserve involves an intimidating call-back system. Once inside, however, the comfortable decor suggests a gentleman's club with dark wooden panelling and diamond-patterned stained-glass windows. The food is simple but of high quality and includes traditional British favourites, such as bangers and mash, potted shrimps or braised beef in stout, along with more European recipes, such as pork tenderloin on lemon polenta. The cosy environment, pleasing food and guaranteed celebrity spotting makes The Ivy a laid-back yet impressive venue for a business meal.

1 West Street, WC2
Tel: (020) 7836 4751.
Website: www.the-ivy.co.uk
Price: $$$

Jaan

Don't be put off by the dull exterior of the Swissôtel in Temple Place. Tucked away at the back of the building, Jaan, the hotel's elegant restaurant, is a peaceful haven looking out to a lush rear terraced garden, and an ideal place to do lunch al fresco in the summer. The food, French cooking enhanced by delicate southeast Asian influences, is good modern fusion cuisine, and there are some interesting offerings on the menu, from starters like the pan-fried foie gras with caramelized banana, pineapple and coconut sorbet or the green miso soup (both excellent) to main courses such as duck a l'orange (served with a spring roll) or trio of beef (ribeye, braised short rib and Kobe beef served with wasabi, tempura and watercress) to green tea flavoured crème brulee with passion fruit and hibiscus or black sesame panacotta with lychee granite and cherry syrup for desserts. And the entremets (a soft ginger and lime granite for example, or a rhubarb oats muesli with a light vanilla cream), were little masterpieces in their own right. The wine pairing option, where each dish comes with a recommended wine by the glass to accompany it, is an added bonus.

Swissôtel the Howard, Temple Place, WC2
Tel: (020) 7836 3555.
Website: www.london.swissotel.com
Price: $$-$$$

Matsuri High Holborn

So you thought Japanese food was about sushi and noodles and nothing else? Well, think again. Matsuri High Holborn does feature the obligatory sushi bar, yes, but the real action takes place downstairs in the Teppan-Yaki room, where expert chefs prepare flavoursome dishes on a hot plate right in front of customers. The entertainment factor is huge (order the fireball ice cream and you'll see why), the set-up makes for convivial eating, and the prices are more reasonable than one might expect. Given the length and breadth of the menu, it's hard to single out individual dishes for praise, but various set menus are a good choice for those wishing to sample a variety of Japanese specialities, including sushi, sashimi, tempura and teriyaki. Ideal for a business lunch or dinner with a difference! There is a private room for hire.

71 High Holborn, WC1
Tel: (020) 7430 1970.
Website: www.matsuri-restaurant.com
Price: $$-$$$

Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie

For panoramic views of London, there is no better place to eat than the restaurant at the top of the Thameside Oxo Tower. In good weather, diners can eat on the terrace, otherwise they take a seat in the stylish minimalist interior. At lunchtime, the place is a favourite venue for business meetings, with light, well-prepared food and a set menu available. In the evenings, the place takes on a more festive mood, with its busy bar set against the stunning London nightscape. The cuisine is modern European, with dishes such monkfish with oxtail, sprouting broccoli and parsnips or spiced tenderloin of lamb, peas, mint and coriander, however, too often the dishes sound promising but fail to shine. The service can also be poor, but with those views the Oxo Tower remains perennially popular.

Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, SE1
Tel: (020) 7803 3888.
Website: www.harveynichols.com
Price: $$$-$$$$
Trendy



The Electric Brasserie

Opened in 2002 as part of the refurbishment of Portobello's famous Electric Cinema, England's first purpose-built cinema. A major revamp brought in soft leather seating and chic wooden tables ? and a suitably trendy following, coming for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just drinks in the bar area. With a huge range of brasserie-style dishes and great seafood available all day long, this comes as no surprise; it is especially popular for Sunday brunch ? comfort food like chunky steak sandwiches or hamburgers with red onion marmalade. The à la carte menu gets slightly grander, with the addition of dishes like grilled dover sole or chateaubriand for two. There is also a joint on a trolley, which varies every evening but all Sunday is Aberdeen Angus beef with Yorkshire pudding. Open daily, although reservations recommended Thursday to Saturday.

191 Portobello Road, W11
Tel: (020) 7908 9696.
Website: www.electricbrasserie.com
Price: $$

Mash

Brainchild of entrepreneur Oliver Peyton, Mash is a novel combination of restaurant, bar, micro-brewery and deli, housed in a bright, open space just off Oxford Street. The bar and micro-brewery downstairs is open until 0200, serving a trendy post-work crowd stylish cocktails, heady own beers and Modern European dishes ranging from the snacky to the more substantial. Enormous beer vats encased in glass line the back wall, while chairs are space-age pods; there is also a sunken cushioned seating area. Upstairs, the quieter restaurant is more exclusive and the food slightly classier, such as roast rack of lamb with ratatouille of courgettes and peppers with green olive tapenade or baked halibut with sautéed potato, artichoke and Swiss chard with anchovy salsa. Trendy places come and go but this remains a reliably stylish West End choice. Closed Sunday.

19?21 Great Portland Street, W1
Tel: (020) 7637 5555.
Website: www.mashbarandrestaurant.com
Price: $$

Sketch

French chef Pierre Gagnaire's first venture in London, this enormous 18th-century house has been divided into four different culinary experiences, all extravagantly designed by Mourad Mazouz. The Parlour on the ground floor is a frou-frou tea room, with pastries displayed in a jewellery case, while The Glade, the place to go for a light bite at lunchtime, features carpeting in shades of green, thick wooden tables and sunset-red walls. The Gallery is entirely white and filled with white furniture but has coloured light emanating from the ceiling and a huge frieze of video art; it serves lunch and dinner. However, the piece de resistance is The Lecture Room, with its dramatic design featuring luxurious padded walls studded with gold and its dramatic prices. The menu is divided into sections, with a dish or two underneath, so the starters consist of Red Mullet, Vegetables, Charcuterie, Langoustines and Crab. Mains are famed for unusual pairings, the sections include Poultry and White Truffles, Beef and Caviar, John Dory and Scallops. Reservations essential. Closed Sunday; The Lecture Room closed Monday as well.

9 Conduit Street, W1
Tel: 0870 777 4488.
Website: www.sketch.uk.com
Price: $$$-$$$$
Budget



Café Emm

This brasserie serves the best-value good food in Soho, so its no-booking policy means that a queue is inevitable unless it is very early evening. As well as various starters and snacks, there is a selection of main courses under £10, including Cajun-style chicken with potato skins, or home made salmon fish cakes, and the likes of fresh poached salmon or lamb moussaka. Salads also feature on the menu, and there is a daily special too. The dark-wood interior is packed with candle-lit tables and the service is brisk but not rushed.

17 Frith Street, W1
Tel: (020) 7437 0723.
Website: www.cafeemm.com
Price: $

Duke of York

A quirky little gastropub in a quiet Bloomsbury street, the Duke of York is a relaxed yet vibrant place to spend an evening. Unlike most gastropubs, it is not overly trendy, overly crowded or overly priced. Diners can mingle with pub punters and eat in the brighter red-toned bar area, decorated with contemporary art, or instead sit in private, little booths in the back dining room. The usually tasty dishes range from British classics like Cumberland sausage and mash to more unusual daily specials, such as sea bream tempura with stir-fried noodles, although they can sometimes disappoint. Reservations recommended for dining area.

7 Roger Street, WC1
Tel: (020) 7242 7230.
Website: www.dukepub.co.uk
Price: $

Golden Dragon

One of Chinatown's best restaurants, the Golden Dragon is bedecked in red and gold and has a noisy, bustling atmosphere. In the daytime (1200-1700), the dim sum selection, brought to the table in a never-ending parade of bamboo steamers, is of exemplary quality. Main dishes, available both night and day, are excellent value and come in generously sized portions. As well as all the standard dishes and more, some unusual dishes are on offer, such as eel or jelly fish, roast pigeon or even a whole suckling pig (available on order only).

28-29 Gerrard Street, W1
Tel: (020) 7734 2763.
Price: $-$$

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

A burger place serving tasty food made of fresh ingredients? With consistently friendly service? And at very reasonable prices? Don't pinch yourself, because this place really does exist. In fact, the Gourmet Burger Kitchen (bless its arrival on the London budget eating scene! And yes, they are licensed too!) has not one, but nine outlets in the capital (all no smoking), including Belsize Park and West Hampstead in the north, Bayswater and Fulham in the west, and Wimbledon and Battersea in the south. So what's the deal? Well, there is a choice of over 20 burgers, running the gamut from the classic (100% Aberdeen-Angus Scotch beef with salad and the best relish in town) to wacky creations such as the kiwi burger (beetroot, egg, pineapple, cheese) or the Jamaican (beef, mango and ginger sauce). My personal favourite is the Pesterella (beef, fresh pesto, mozzarella, salad and relish). If beef is not your meat of choice, however, don't despair: you can also opt for the chicken, camembert and cranberry burger, or burgers made of chorizo, lamb or even venison! Oh, and there are even vegetarian options (falafel, or aubergine and goat's cheese for example).

200 Havestock Hill, Belsize Park
Tel: (020) 7443 5335.

331 West End Lane, West Hampstead
Tel: (020) 7794 5455.

50 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater
Tel: (020) 7243 4344.

49 Fulham Broadway, Fulham
Tel: (020) 7381 4242.

Website: www.gbkinfo.com
Price: $

Rock and Sole Plaice

It is difficult to beat sitting upstairs at the Rock and Sole Plaice, near the fryers, watching the cooking and the takeaway punters and munching on a good plate of fresh fish with crispy batter, chunky chips and mushy peas (optional), while downing a good cuppa. Although, sitting on one of the picnic tables outside on a summer's evening, with a nice bottle of crisp white wine, might pip it. Fish and chips are a British institution and there are few places better to indulge than this, London's oldest surviving chippie. It serves up all the basic fishes (cod, rock, haddock, plaice, skate and scampi) and more specialities (halibut, lemon sole, dover sole, trout, salmon, sardines and mackerel), depending on market availability, as well as other chip-shop standards like pasties and pies.

47 Endell Street, WC2
Tel: (020) 7836 3785.
Price: $
Personal Recommendations



La Trompette

Despite being situated in a quiet street in Chiswick, La Trompette has quickly established itself as one of London's favourite French restaurants, and anyone who has eaten there will know why. The restaurant is owned by the team behind Chez Bruce in Wandsworth, and manager Matthew Hough and head chef James Bennington have worked miracles in creating a genuinely world-class menu at out-of-town prices. The menu, Gallic of inspiration, changes daily but always features the freshest ingredients cooked with flair and inspiration. The chic modern interior has a buzz but never becomes too noisy, while most conversations seem to be dominated by discussions about the quality of the food at this fantastic-value restaurant.

5-7 Devonshire Road, W4
Tel: (020) 8747 1836.
Website: www.latrompette.co.uk
Price: $$

Veeraswamy

London's oldest Indian restaurant has been the rendez vous of Indian food lovers for decades. Since 1926 in fact. And its much talked about new incarnation post 80th-birthday refurbishment does this institution proud. Both exotic and luxurious, with dark wood and silver screens perfectly offset by Indian coloured glass shades, the interior and the lighting are spot on, and ideal for a perfect romantic evening. The food is a blend of traditional favourites and more modern concoctions, and includes traditional regal recipes but also jazzed up versions of more modest (but just as tasty) Indian street food. There are dishes from the north of India, such as nizami murgh, a chicken dish with pine nuts, lemon and rose petals hailing from the royal kitchens of Hyderabad, or lamb biryani, one of the best we'd tried in a long time. But seafood and southern dishes also feature prominently: lobster is one of the specialities here, and there are plenty of other tempting offerings on the menu, ranging from oyster kebabs to green prawns and red snapper, and sea bream paturi (banana leaf parcels of fillets of bream, steamed in a chilli and mustard sauce). I opted for an exquisite starter of mussels in coconut and ginger sauce, and was not disappointed. The best thing I had, however, was a side dish of tandoor clove smoked aubergine caviar, which was positively out of this world! So light and flavoursome, I wiped my plate clean before my date could say 'rumali roti' (the name of the flat handkerchief bread that came with it). The wine list is cleverly arranged by wine type, such as light, bone dry and refreshing or rich and structured for whites, and juicy, fresh and fruity or intense and full-bodied for reds, so that you don't have to be a wine buff to select something to match your food, although a friendly sommelier is on hand to help out anyway.

Victory House, 99 Regent Street (entrance on Swallow Street), W1
Tel: (020) 7734 1401.
Website: www.realindianfood.com
Price: $$$ 


    

      

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