LondonTown's favourite restaurants

Here at LondonTown, we know a little something about the best places to eat in the city. It's not just the quality of the food that we judge our favourites on. It can be the setting, the location, the views, the staff - anything that makes for a perfect all-round dining experience in London. We've compiled our favourite places to grab a quick bite to eat, a wholesome lunch or an intimate dinner. They all come with our personal seal of approval!

da Polpo

6 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7NE
A wonderful addition to Covent Garden (which itself is undergoing quite an impressive revival), da Polpo is the fourth restaurant joining the Polpo, Polpetto & Spuntino family. Intended to be an even more relaxed affair with a special meatball menu and a pizzetta selection. Spaced over ground and basement with a large table seating ten which is bound to be booked nightly. Reservations taken for lunch only, but building up one's appetite in the evening queue is well worth the wait.

More info: da Polpo Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Spuntino

61 Rupert Street, W1D7PJ
The creators of the highly popular Polpo and Polpetto have brought a third establishment to the London restaurant scene. Russell Norman and Richard Beatty introduce Spuntino, which means 'snack' in Italian, to the streets of Soho, following the small plates theme of the first two restaurants but this time taking influence from down-town New York. Think classic macaroni and cheese, shoestring fries, soft-shell crab and meatball sliders. The drinks list inventively features cocktails from the prohibition era such as the Sazerac, a potent combination of cognac, whiskey and absinthe. Unfortunately, the restaurant has no telephone and doesn't take reservations.

More info: Spuntino Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

The Thomas Cubitt

44 Elizabeth Street, SW1W 9PA
The Thomas Cubitt - named after the great Belgravia architect - is a perfect paneled pub, enclosed by French windows on two sides which open out on to the pretty Elizabeth Street and the huddles of tables outside, adding to the light, airy feel. The menu is focused on unfussy British country house cuisine, with occasional nods to traditional French food. Crisp crackling, slow-cooked Sunday roasts, fresh seafood, chocolate sponge, and lots of seasonal game and cheeses are the mainstays. The dining room prices are eye-watering (not surprisingly given the location, and the stunning building), but the short bar menu is excellent value, and it packs out at weekends. If you like this sort of thing you're in luck, the owners also run The Pantechnicon, The Orange (their first pub with rooms), and The Grazing Goat which are unique but all have the same Cubitt House feel with light, airy dining rooms and decent gastropub menus.

More info: The Thomas Cubitt Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

The Grazing Goat

6 New Quebec Street, W1H 7RQ
This huge gastropub is another ambitious project courtesy of the people behind Cubitt House (Stefan Turnbull and Barry Hirst, the guys behind The Thomas Cubitt, The Orange, and The Pantechnicon) who have been brought in by the Portman Estate who also own the nearby Portman Bistro and the Vinoteca wine bar, to re-hash what used to be the Bricklayers Arms in New Quebec Street. An expensive refurbishment has transformed The Grazing Goat into what appears to be a large country house, set in the Marble Arch end of Marylebone. Inside, you'll find a strong English theme, regarding both the interiors and the menu. Simple British food is the fare of choice here with fish and chips, steaks and Sunday roasts all found alongside more modern dishes, such as the chilli salt squid on the starter menu. And for those that can't bear to tear themselves away after a hefty meal, there are eight boutique hotel rooms upstairs, with six standard rooms and two suites.

More info: The Grazing Goat Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Daylesford Organic Notting Hill

208 - 212 Westbourne Grove, London, W11 2RH
Daylesford Organic brings the taste of the Gloucestershire countryside to Notting Hill with the Bamfords bringing produce from their country estates to the city. The minimalist, cream and white decor could only exist in the city (no muddy wellies here, thank you) but the produce is the best all-organic stuff you'd find at an authentic farmers' market. There are several parts to the shop situated on the well-to-do Westbourne Grove: the family-friendly organic cafe, Bread Bar for homemade patisseries, The Larder for fresh fish and meat, and the food shopping side of things. Shelves and baskets are neatly stacked with the best breads and biscuits, seasonal fruit and veg as well as longer life staples like dressings and mustard. There's an excellent wine offering too, many of which are biodynamic or organic, shipped over from Daylesford's sister estate in the South of France. Delicious, contemporary and chic, we think Daylesford is a destination in itself, worth seeking out if you're looking for something a bit special.

More info: Daylesford Organic Notting Hill Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Bistrotheque

23 - 27 Wadeson Street, London, E2 9DN
For minimalist warehouse chic in the middle of the East End head down to this converted factory. Its whiteness, high ceiling and hanging lights (not too bright) just add to the effect, which is elegant and stylish. You'll find unpretentious classic dishes, bringing together choice influences from French and English food. The whole vibe is effortless - understated sophistication at its best. Strangely, the restaurant is not open for lunch during the week. This is a shame for both them and us as they do a roaring trade on weekends. The brunch menu is a real treat and is served with a delicious soundtrack of pop hits played on their baby grand piano, courtesy of resident musician Xavior. Downstairs there's an antique mahogany bar (perfect for a pre-dinner apperitif) and a cabaret room, which is a great place to catch some lively acts in a style reminiscent of the old school music hall tradition. Regular shows begin every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening at 9:30 with camp musical entertainment from boys-as-girls starring Jonny Woo and The Lip Sinkers, experts in the silent art of lipsynching. Guest acts are by the likes of Lavinia - an original member of Bloolips, an international award winning gay drag theatre musical-comedy troupe. Drag queens and show queens, glad rags and hand bags; it's absurd, comical and very silly fun.

More info: Bistrotheque Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Caravan

11-13 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QD
There's a fusion of styles as well as flavours at the laid back Caravan in Exmouth Market which combines a main dining room with a bar and coffee roastery in the basement. From the freshly made flat whites to the clued-up but casual staff, it's easy to see the influence of the owners - all four of whom hail from New Zealand. These include head chef Miles Kirby, who moved from the Providores & Tapa Room in Marylebone - where he's been receiving glowing reviews for the last six years - to join general manager, Chris Ammermann, who can often be found welcoming customers front of house. With Caravan they take you on a culinary journey from China to Japan, the Middle East and Austria, with the fry-up the only nod to Antipodean tastes. The focus is on all-day dishes divided into snacks, small plates and big plates, sides and puddings presented as breakfast, all-day and brunch menus on weekends. It's delivered with a relaxed vibe that's entirely in keeping with the Exmouth Market ethos and can only add to the appeal of a night out in the pedestrianised area lit by twinkling fairy lights overhead.

More info: Caravan Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Bob Bob Ricard

1 Upper James Street, W1F 9DF
There's no danger of your toast turning up cold at this sophisticated all-day designer diner - here you get a toaster on your table at breakfast so you can serve yourself from 7am. This Soho eaterie is headed up by James Walker, former head chef at Le Pont de la Tour and boasts a David Collins design (responsible for makeovers at the Wolseley, Claridge's Bar and, lately, the Artesian bar at the Langham). Bob Bob Ricard (BBR) brasserie and bar puts the emphasis on English comfort food with the front of house overseen by the former maitre d' of the The Ivy - adept at dealing with diva-like celebs. A champagne trolley and fab late night cocktails like Bramley Apple Martini add glamour to this hotly tipped spot. The extended opening hours until 3am - sadly the exception rather than the norm even in a city as thriving as this - ensure the party atmosphere gets going especially on weekends.

More info: Bob Bob Ricard Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

The Wolseley

160 Piccadilly, W1J 9EB
The great Brasseries of France are the most obvious inspiration for this hugely popular restaurant, but there are few places in Paris that can match The Wolseley for sheer plushness. Originally a 1920s car showroom, it was built on such an extravagant scale that it bankrupted Wolseley Motors. Swift black-clad waiters glide across the patterned marble floor, carrying groaning platters of fruits de mer, steak frites and lobster bisque between the pillars and archways of this Italian-influenced dining room. It's packed with celebrities at all times of day - we spotted a relaxed looking Ralph Fiennes brunching here last time - and booking a table is usually done months in advance if you don't happen to be Michael Winner.

More info: The Wolseley Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

The Riding House Cafe

43-51 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 7PQ
They've conquered Bermondsey Street, and now the team behind the excellent Garrison and Village East are working their brasserie magic in the West end. Bric a brac, shabby chic in design but executed perfectly with many restored elements The Riding House Cafe is housed in a terrific light filled ex-rag trade showroom. Split into three sections including the 'Campbell's Tomato soup' coloured dining room, a large bar lined with comfy stools and a huge central table seating 19 on surprisingly comfortable vintage theatre chairs, and a small lounge area on the far side. Great locally sourced British cooking and a fabulous breakfast spread, also a highly recommended destination for a relaxed Sunday lunch. A wonderful addition to the somewhat sparsely populated restaurant scene north of Oxford Street.

More info: The Riding House Cafe Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

La Fromagerie

2-6 Moxon Street, W1U 4EW
Consistently recognised and awarded for being a very special place to indulge your cheese addiction, La Fromagerie one of the best cheese shops in London - and most likely the country. This is all down to the passion and knowledge of owner Patricia Michelson who discovered her weakness for cheese while skiing in France. Her book 'The Cheese Room' is a bible on the subject. This shop and next door tasting cafe, just off Marylebone High St, is one of two La Fromagerie locations in central London; the other, in Highbury Park, N5, also houses the cheese maturing cellars. The cafe here is a delightful spot to sit and sample cheese plates and seasonal salads. For the true fanatic, monthly events are a must; you'll get to taste and learn about specialist cheeses and the wines that go with them, directly from the experts.

More info: La Fromagerie Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Benito's Hat

56 Goodge Street, W1T4NB
The excellent Mexican food served up at Benito's Hat is down to the fresh, good quality ingredients used and the fact that the people here really do seem to care. The unusual name is in honour of former Mexican president and national hero Benito Juárez - and a flamboyant hat-and-feather combination he once wore. History doesn't relate whether Benito ever promised to eat his hat but if he did - judging by these beautiful burritos - he would have enjoyed it. These spiced up fat wraps come courtesy of Ben Fordham and head chef and partner Felipe Fuentes Cruz who offer slow cooked black beans to put in your burritos and tacos, as well as soups and salads made to tried and tested Mexican recipes. They get through almost 30kg of avocados everyday in making the guacamole that's an essential part of the Mexican dining experience and, in December 2011, they created a special 68ft burritto - a British record - for Londoners to enjoy. You can also get a range of classics cocktails - think margaritas and palomas - made using agave tequila, and supplemented with seasonal specials. Summer, for example, is time for a mean Mexican espresso martini, or a refreshing watermelon margarita with a kick like a mule.

More info: Benito's Hat Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

The Garrison Public House

99 - 101 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3XB
Oh how we wish we lived in Bermondsey, then we could call this gem of a pub our local. We'd stop in for a regular drink at least once a week and treat ourselves to a slap up meal every month. It's the kind of place that we'd like to claim as a second home with a convivial atmosphere, plenty of drinks variety and great food - though the prices would prevent us from making this a daily ritual. They even have their own cinema in the basement, available to book for private parties, which is even better than our previous favourite place to go to the movies, the Electric cinema in Notting Hill. With eateries like this, along with nearby Village East, The Bermondsey Kitchen, Delfina Studio Cafe, and not forgetting The Hide Bar... oh how we wish we lived in Bermondsey.

More info: The Garrison Public House Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Ducksoup

41 Dean Street, W1D 4PY
Yes, they really do served duck soup at Ducksoup, a modern European restaurant set up by ex-Hix Lyme Regis executive chef Julian Biggs who teamed up with former manager at Hix Oyster & Chop House, Rory McCoy. The name not only comes from their signature dish - which is served with Italian Nostrale potatoes, foie gras - but is also reference to the Marx Brothers' 1933 anarchic comedy film. The game-y dish is one of only six or so listed on a short menu, hand written and changed daily. Choices vary from roasted beetroot, cumin and mint labneh to deep fried artichokes with saffron mayonnaise, or roast ceps with lardo di colonata and Berkswell, and roast guinea fowl with burnt lemon and creme fraiche. Similarly brief is the wine list with up to ten wines on offer with the focus on natural and biodynamic wines. Instead of 'bring your own' wine, you can 'byo' vinyl to Ducksoup - a great way of creating an intimate atmosphere. The restaurants third co-owner, Clare Lattin, summarises Ducksoup as, "a place you can pop in on your way home from work to enjoy a small plate of something delicious and a glass of wine at an affordable price". It may sound too simple to be a unique selling point but in achieving this aim they've managed to create something really special in Soho.

More info: Ducksoup Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Bocca di Lupo

12 Archer Street, Soho, , W1D 7BB
There was much excitement among the critics when this Italian restaurant opened at the beginning of 2009. Giles Coren writing in the Times gave it his highest ever score and Fay Maschler described it as, "a scrumptious Soho treat" while reviewing it for the Evening Standard. Literally translated, Bocca di Lupo means 'Mouth of the Wolf', but it's also an Italian expression for good luck, the English equivalent is 'break a leg'. So bocca di lupo to Jacob Kenedy, the main man behind the menu of Italian dishes ranging from Sicily to Liguria. Delicious pastas and risottos, soups and stews draw on Italian classics like spaghettini with lobster, mussels and ginger, and borlotti bean soup. Meat and fish mains are divided into grilled or pan-fried and arrosti (roasts) and each, like the whole menu, comes in a choice of small, starter sized or main course size portion. Rustic, authentic, Italian eating.

More info: Bocca di Lupo Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

The Horseshoe

28 Heath Street, London, NW3 6TE
With its own microbrewery in the basement and good by-the-glass wine list this would be a good boozer by anybody's standards. But couple this with the simple, honest cooking using quality ingredients and you have a gastro pub that stands out from the over-priced restaurants in this affluent area. As a restaurant alone, it is the best thing in Hampstead; especially recommended is their Sunday lunch. The honest approach is evident before you even glance at the menu as the fuss-free interior, plain wood furniture and bare brick walls attest to the no frills attitude of owner Jasper Cuppaidge. When you've tried the Red Poll beef, seared scallops or their baked fig, goat's cheese and walnut salad you'll understand why it gets so busy. And, like the punters filling up the place, you'll be back.

More info: The Horseshoe Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Ottolenghi

287 Upper Street, London, N1 2TZ
This southern Mediterranean restaurant and deli has become a cast-iron favourite with Islington's socialites, who love the all-white decor, the sharing tables and the exotic cuisine, that mixes a dash of Italy and a spot of North Africa with a selection of Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern dishes. Takeaway options include salads, dips and superb patisserie, while if you eat in, you can expect a subtly flavoured and healthy meal. Its sheer popularity means that the waiters can be a little overwhelmed, but they're never less than charming. Renowned for its excellent breakfasts - voted "the finest in town" by The Observer Food Monthly.

More info: Ottolenghi Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

The Wapping Project

Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, Wapping Wall, Limehouse, E1W 3SG
Enjoy an imaginative range of dishes, from scallops on a bed of chickpea and aubergine to lavender pannacotta, in one of London's most imaginative and unusual settings. Part multi-purpose exhibition and performance space, and part restaurant, Wapping Food allows diners to combine culture with cuisine. Originally a power station, The Wapping Project has made a real feature of its inheritance, boasting much of the original hydraulic equipment and machinery. Bathed in atmospheric pools of natural light, pressure pipes, rusty chains, huge hooks, valves and bare brick walls mix with sparkling chandeliers, pink neon lights and twinkling candles to form the backdrop for a series of elegant dining tables, as well as changing exhibitions of paintings, photographs and performances. This is industrial / urban chic at its most potent. With an evident emphasis on fish and seafood, the menu is a well-considered blend of the contemporary and the comforting (look out for the rich, chocolate fondue) and includes some very tempting cocktails (try the rhubarb Bellini) and a well-sourced all-Australian wine list. Finish off your meal, or let your food digest between courses, with a tour round the exhibition space.

More info: The Wapping Project Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

The Hawksmoor Spitalfields

157 Commercial Street, London, E1 6BJ
Longhorn cattle traditionally reared in North Yorkshire, hung for at least 28 days and simply cooked on a real charcoal grill at the Hawksmoor. This is a genuine steakhouse with meat coming from Observer Food Monthly Producer of the Year, the Ginger Pig. A treat for unashamed carnivores - though steak is the main draw they also do ribs and pork chops and racks of lamb. Thick steaks cooked to tender pinky perfection are served with fat chips in a stainless steel pot. Sometimes the simple things are the best. Hawksmoor owners Will Beckett and Huw Gott continue the US theme with their Mexican style Green & Red bar and cantina on Bethnal Green Road.

More info: The Hawksmoor Spitalfields Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Petersham Nurseries Cafe and Teahouse

Off Petersham Road, Petersham, London, TW10 7AG
When a top chef claims to be opening a 'simple', 'low-key' restaurant, it is usually press-speak for some folie de grandeur two doors down from the Ivy with an £85 tasting menu. Petersham Nurseries is the exception. Located in what can only be described as a shed (spacious, light and furnished, but definitely a shed), it's the sort of restaurant where you'll see the chef popping out of the kitchen to pick herbs from the garden, and where homemade lemonade sits above the Pinot Noir on the drinks list. And it's absolutely perfect, especially in summer, when you can sit in the garden. Superb meat and glowingly fresh vegetables peep from beneath mountains of herbs. Of course, all this rustic simplicity doesn't come cheap. Dirt floors, rickety furniture and food bought directly from tiny organic farms all over Europe are ferociously chic and prices are high for a restaurant that is such a long way from anywhere. Still, if you'd prefer a relaxed meal in a lovely location to an army of uniformed staff, then this is the place to go. As a lighter alternative, you can always settled for a cup of tea (from exotic flower teas to the traditional English Breakfast) and a nice slice of cake in the Teahouse.

More info: Petersham Nurseries Cafe and Teahouse Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube