The Mayfair restaurant from Richard Caring, owner of Sexy Fish, Annabel’s, Scott’s and J. Sheekey, 34 manages to marry a warm and cozy atmosphere with a chic and sophisticated ambience. Designer Martin Brudnizki has successfully combined Edwardian English and Art Deco influences to create an eye-catching interior. For those who don’t crave Argentine beef, the menu also features equally delicious seafood and vegetarian options.

Fortnum & Mason’s triumphant flagship restaurant, 45 Jermyn St., ushers visitors into its glamorous, old-school interiors, with terracotta-red leather banquettes, rosewood tables and parquet flooring. The menu, meanwhile, is pure contemporary European, populated with the likes of game consommé and Dover sole à la meunière. The caviar trolley, offering a choice of three ‒ Iranian Beluga 000, Golden Oscietra and Siberian sturgeon ‒ with blinis, toast, new potatoes and eggs scrambled tableside, adds a dramatic flourish to a menu of perfect pre-theatre fare.

Londoners love their private clubs and 5 Hertford Street is no exception. Opened by Robin Birley—son of the late legendary social wizard Mark Birley who made Annabel's where the jet set and the who's who of England partied for decades—5 Hertford Street is not just super buzzy but as one friend said, “smashingly stylish.” The Mayfair building housing the members-only club is painted a high-gloss tomato red and has no signage or number. Curtains are drawn across the windows to keep passersby or paparazzi from peering in but once the doorman ushers you inside, you find yourself in a warm, house-like space that is a mix of English country house cozy and 21st century London indulgence. Upstairs are comfy rooms for drinks that feel like the living room or library that Robin's mother Lady Annabel Goldsmith might have in one of her houses. Though these were done up by Turkish designer Rifat Ozbek with a bohemian bourgeois polish. Fireplaces are lit and surrounded by deep sofas and club chairs, oriental carpets and smart art that mixes eras and styles as would happen in a family home with generations of art buying. There are private dining rooms upstairs for small group dinners and downstairs are a series of dining rooms, each decorated differently but with excellent taste; one has handpainted de Gornay wallpaper with silvery fish; on the walls of another are hung blue and white porcelain plates. An interior conservatory stocked with blooms of the season hosts the smoking set, and down a steep set of stairs to the basement is Loulou's the disco for late night dancing. Unfortunately for non-members, the only way to get a reservation is to be invited by a member but get an invitation for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dancing and you will understand what the fuss is about.

New contemporary West African restaurant Akara is the more relaxed version of its one-Michelin-starred sibling Akoko in Fitzrovia. It takes its name from its delicious signature black-eyed bean fritters, which are one of the menu’s many must-tries. Expect a blitz of flavors, friendly service and sleek interiors.

Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester is one of the city’s gourmet treasures. The food, service and surroundings are sublime, and there is a welcome serenity and understated quality to the experience that seems in tune with the times. (Yes, it is still an expensive adventure, but the food is exquisite and it’s not about fanfare but formal French choreography.) Before this site opened, Ducasse declared that he expected this restaurant to offer the contemporary aesthetic of his Tokyo outpost Beige with the freshness of the Louis XV in Monaco, his very first three-star Michelin. Table to request: the one hidden behind a shimmering curtain of crystals in the center of the room.

The Four Seasons’ three-story Italian bar and restaurant, including an outdoor terrace, takes its cue and name from the plum-colored Amaranthe flower. Inside, it’s romantic and cozy with rich burgundy tones, wine-colored velvet armchairs, padded red leather walls and a sleek black-leather bar. Bold touches by designer Pierre-Yves Rochon include colorful Murano glass installations featuring the four seasons and the martini trolley, the latter personally designed by Rochon. It’s a fabulous spot for a cocktail after a Mayfair shopping or sightseeing afternoon.

One of the rare Indian restaurants to win a Michelin star, Amaya has been one of the city’s hot spots for spicy food in sexy surroundings since it opened in 2004. With its entrance off of a courtyard arcade off of Motcomb Street, Amaya serves lunch and dinner to Londoners who can view the chefs at work slicing, dicing and spicing the food in an open kitchen area at the back of the main dining room. During the day, natural light streams through a central sky light lending a loft like feeling; at night, the sleek black furniture, sandstone and crystal accents and spotlit sculptures create a lounge-like atmosphere. A lively bar scene and long communal tables notch up the revelry factor. But no matter how many glamorous figures are in the room, the food remains the real star. The freshest ingredients and flown-in-from-India spices elevate all of the dishes. Tip: The tasting menus at lunch are excellent value. If you cannot get in to Amaya, try its sister restaurants Chutney Mary and Veeraswamy.

The American Bar at the centrally located Savoy is a great spot for a cocktail.

Andrew Edmunds is a long way from the sleek and style conscious restaurants that populate central London but perfect if you want to sidestep the beaten path for a cozy evening of honest, good food. Beloved by couples and theater darlings, the menus are hand written, there are candles in wine bottles on the table and a polite note to turn off cell phones. The menu, with an Irish and Mediterranean influence, is good for fish lovers and the desserts are traditionally British. The downstairs is on the cramped side so for a leisurely meal, request a table upstairs.

This excellent wine bar emphasizes organic and biodynamic wines and serves small plates of artisanal cheese and charcuterie.

Located in the former site of London’s legendary Le Caprice, revered restaurateur, Jeremy King, has recently opened the hotly anticipated doors of Arlington. The hallowed walls of this iconic restaurant, once frequented by the likes of Diana, Princess of Wales, Mick Jagger and Elizabeth Taylor, remain much the same in terms of its timeless look and feel, while the simple menu is full of old favorites such as bang bang chicken and salmon fishcakes.

There are two outposts of this contemporary French bakery in London; Covent Garden and Mayfair, where both interiors and bakes are aesthetically designed. Try the signature honey butter toast—warm, crunchy and fiendishly fluffy all at once. The French classics are exquisite (we’ve never seen lamination like it) or try one of the more adventurous creations which combine French methodologies with Asian ingredients, such as the mouthwatering miso bacon “escargot.”

There are two outposts of this contemporary French bakery in London; Covent Garden and Mayfair, where both interiors and bakes are aesthetically designed. Try the signature honey butter toast—warm, crunchy and fiendishly fluffy all at once. The French classics are exquisite (we’ve never seen lamination like it) or try one of the more adventurous creations which combine French methodologies with Asian ingredients, such as the mouthwatering miso bacon “escargot.”

The majority of world-famous chef Simon Rogan’s restaurants, including his three-Michelin-starred L’Enclume, lie in the Lake District. He does also, however, have an incredibly intimate chef’s table in London which is not to be missed. Exclusively limited to just twelve guests, Aulis offers a fascinating, interactive dining experience where a series of intricate dishes are cooked in front of guests and explained at every stage. The multi-course tasting menu reflects Rogan’s signature style, farm-to-fork ethos and the incredible creativity and skill of his chefs.

Part of the Big Mamma restaurant group, Ave Mario is a cross between a Tuscan osteria and an Italian Riviera night club.

More theatrical hedonism can be found at Bacchanalia in Mayfair, the latest opening from Caprice Holdings (Scott’s, J.Sheekey, Sexy Fish) and possibly its glitziest yet. After being greeted by toga-baring hosts, take a seat in a breathtaking dining room, embellished with vast hand-painted murals and enormous statues of winged horses (by British artist Damien Hirst) overhead. The indulgent Greek and Italian menu is designed for sharing, with a focus on luxe ingredients to match the extraordinary interiors. Less of a meal and more of an (unforgettable) experience.

It is no surprise that the London outpost of New York institution Balthazar has been packed to the rafters since it opened in the heart of Theatreland, Covent Garden Piazza, in 2013. It boasts the same formula used by Keith McNally at the original: all-day brasserie dining with impeccable service, classic dishes and a buzzy, informal yet sophisticated atmosphere, appears to work equally well in London. The drinks are very special, and turning up for an early evening cocktail might help you bag an elusive table for dinner.

Simple, cozy and well-located around central and south east London, Bancone offers sleek, modern interiors and award-winning pasta at exceptional value. All the pasta is freshly made; the signature “silk handkerchiefs” with creamy walnut butter and confit egg yolk are sublime, and there’s a good choice of fresh antipasti and elegant desserts too. Additional outposts can be found in Covent Garden and Golden Square.

Simple, cozy and well-located around central and south east London, Bancone offers sleek, modern interiors and award-winning pasta at exceptional value. All the pasta is freshly made; the signature “silk handkerchiefs” with creamy walnut butter and confit egg yolk are sublime, and there’s a good choice of fresh antipasti and elegant desserts too. Additional outposts can be found in Borough Yards and Golden Square.

Simple, cozy and well-located around central and south east London, Bancone offers sleek, modern interiors and award-winning pasta at exceptional value. All the pasta is freshly made; the signature “silk handkerchiefs” with creamy walnut butter and confit egg yolk are sublime, and there’s a good choice of fresh antipasti and elegant desserts too. Additional outposts can be found in Borough Yards and Covent Garden.

If you’re partial to a negroni, then look no further. The dapper bar staff at Soho’s small Bar Termini mix up some of the very best classic cocktails in the capital. Drinks are well priced at £14, except for the aforementioned House Negroni, which is a steal at £8. Wine, simple Italian antipasti and good coffee is also on the menu, as well as bottled cocktails to take away. Unusually for a bar in Soho, you can book.

This Spanish brainchild of restaurateurs Sam and Eddie Hart is perfect for a glass of sherry or cava before or after a show.  Grab a seat at the marble-topped bar to watch the chefs prepare their superlative tapas: golden ham croquettes, prawns, tender lamb cutlets and fresh squid.

The chic little sibling to London stalwart, Bob Bob Ricard, opened in 2023. Located on Golden Square, where Soho meets Mayfair, the glamorous décor is inspired by the Golden Age, while the playful menu is a mouthwatering medley of rotisserie chicken, caviar, fine wine and champagne. Needless to say, it’s absolutely delicious, and great fun too.

Much of the former staff of mainstay club Annabel’s runs Bellamy’s, which opened in 2004. Purported to be one of the few London restaurant where the Queen has in fact dined, it features French cuisine and a chic, brasserie-style décor.

There is heated debate about whether Amaya or Benares serves the best Indian food in London, but neither place will disappoint in their sophisticated takes on traditional dishes from the subcontinent. Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar appears regularly on British food shows, and is credited with elevating modern Indian dining. The tandoori dishes and curries are not to be missed. And for those who want to learn from the master, Kochhar opens his kitchen for students a few times a year and shares his skills, but classes fill fast so sign-up early. Tip: If you cannot get a reservation in the main dining room, ask about booking a table in the bar.