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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Berners Tavern became an instant hot spot when it opened in Ian Schrager's London Edition hotel. The dining room manages to mix historical bones (a fabulous plasterwork ceiling) and traditions (a veritable gallery of paintings—211 to be exact) with modern touches like glass windows on to the kitchen and bar tables with leather barrel chairs that are perfect for single diners or a cozy drink for two. Star chef Jason Atherton (of Little Social and Social Eating House fame) presides in the kitchen and turns out scrumptious updated English fare like Jersey royal potato and wild garlic soup with Dorset snails, foie gras and morels; crispy rock shrimp roll and chips and chargrilled Dingley Dell pork chop, braised chicory, pickled plum purée and turnips. Of course, there is a whole section of grass-fed British beef to be served with sides like triple cooked chips, minted peas and butter and purple sprouting broccoli.

Responsible for some of London’s most beloved restaurants such as Bao, Hoppers, Gymkhana and Sabor, award-winning restaurant group JKS have recently unveiled BiBi. Combining beautifully designed modern interiors, exceptional hospitality and hugely experienced Chet Sharma’s inventive Indian menu, this is one of London’s top spots for sophisticated spice.

Offering both style and substance in abundance, this hip 45-cover restaurant showcases the best of British produce and French wine in the heart of Shoreditch. White tablecloths and flickering candlelight set the Parisian scene, while a handwritten menu reflects bold flavors with a French twist. The daily changing pie for two to three to share has quickly become something of London legend.

The original Blacklock in Soho was an instant hit with its excellent chops and creative cocktails, and they've now opened in the City. Indagare Review

Joining Indagare favorite Claude Bosi at Bibendum, the masterful French chef’s signature French fine dining can now be found on the top floor of London’s Peninsula Hotel. Brooklands is a modern British restaurant and bar that has already earned itself two Michelin stars despite having only opened at the end of 2023. Named after the famous motor-racing circuit in Surrey, this rooftop restaurant is a visual celebration of British aviation and motorsport history, but don’t let the scale-model of Concorde suspended from the ceiling distract from the incredible views over Hyde Park, visible through the floor to ceiling windows, or from the spectacular alfresco terrace. In March 2023, Bosi and his wife, Claire, are due to open Josephine Bouchon, a Lyonnaise bistro in the heart of Chelsea.

Close to Old Street tube station, Bruno’s is a floating cocktail bar. Yes, you read that correctly. Bruno's can be found in a beautifully renovated barge that gently bobs on the Islington stretch of the Regent’s Canal. This small, sophisticated spot offers meticulously crafted cocktails in a truly unique setting. Order the Peach Drop and a few delicious bar snacks, or if you need something more substantial, head next door to popular sister spot Caravel, a chic floating dining room.

Conveniently located just off Broadway Market, this popular East London neighborhood restaurant has a laid back modern bistro feel and serves a bountiful breakfast overlooking the canal. Don’t miss the toasted Guinness bread served with gooey boiled eggs or the salty kippers with parsley and capers.

Angela Hartnett opened the little sister to her Michelin-starred Murano in 2013, in with the aim of it being the sort of relaxed restaurant you can drop into every day and feel at home. Here you’ll find her signature gutsy Italian cuisine with impeccable attention to detail, but focusing on a simpler style of north Italian cooking – Sausage Ragu with Radicchio and Tagliatelle, Chicken Puttanesca.

There is patisserie, and then there is Cédric Grolet’s patisserie. In his first venture outside of France, the once crowned “best pâtissier in the world” can now be found in between Hyde Park and Knightsbridge at five-star hotel, The Berkeley. Grolet’s intricate creations, which look like works of edible art, also taste utterly superbe. Those with a sweet tooth can embark on a unique seven-course patisserie tasting menu whilst watching the chefs at work, or choose a takeaway treat from the sleek counter. Don’t miss Grolet’s hallmark trompe-l'œil—beautiful “fruits” that change with the season.

Bibendum has reopened with chef Claude Bosi (who held two Michelin stars at Soho’s Hibiscus) at the helm. Indagare Review

A wine bar first and foremost, this divine spot set in a charming yard in Covent Garden has also made various ‘best new restaurant’ lists. Its small but perfectly formed menu is devoted to charcuterie and cheese and spiced up with hearty dishes of the day such as squid ink risotto. Run by the talent behind Experimental Cocktail Club, Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels (CVS for short) is perfect for a special meal in a somewhat touristy area.

Joining its growing collection of ever-popular restaurants dotted across the capital, Dishoom recently opened its latest “retro futuristic” home at the new Battersea Power Station development. As per its other sites, expect eye catching, characterful interiors, a relaxed, playful approach and utterly delicious authentic, modern Indian food. The famous bacon naan roll is perfect fuel for a day exploring the iconic and architecturally impressive Power Station, which is home to a plethora of premium shops, boutique cinema and new attraction, Lift 109, which offers stunning views of London’s skyline.