Afternoon Tea at Brown’s Hotel, Mayfair, reconfigures expectations of the British tradition.

Hoping to introduce Londoners to the concept of Italian 'pastifici', Al Dente is a pasta-centric restaurant in Fitzrovia.

Lahpet impresses with its fresh take on Burmese cuisine.

To begin, I must be honest: Italian food is one of my favourites. Unfortunately, this means I’m not easily impressed. With either an ‘authentic’ or ‘modern’ Italian restaurant on what seems to be every corner, we Londoners are spoilt for choice. That is not to say that London doesn’t have...

Bermondsey is an area close to my heart. I’d spent several years working there; a stone’s throw away from Borough Market. I’d consumed many a lunchtime exploring the food options available and I can safely say that during my time, they were limited. Those days seem to be well and...

It seems, in the world of today, that every restaurant must have a concept. It can’t just be good food, either. It must be something more. I won’t be the first to tell you I’d be happier if all restaurants had at least that: good food. Leave your avocado at...

Hidden away in a cobbled mews in Smithfield is one of the area’s oldest restaurants. Launched in 1986 and named for its proximity to Smithfield Market, Le Café du Marché is a family owned French restaurant. Founded by Charlie Graham-Wood, whose family came from Lyon, and now owned and run...

I’ve said it before, but one of my favourite things about London is our access to so many world cuisines . Most of the time, we don’t even have to travel far to be able to sample something new. Perhaps it’s just because I’m partial to it, but it seems...

On the ground floor of the Euston Square Hotel (next to Euston Square station), VQ Euston is the fifth restaurant to open under the VQ restaurant umbrella. Similar to the other locations, the concept is all-day dining with opening hours running from 7am to 2am, seven days a week. Building...

With Christmas fast approaching, the weather getting colder and the days shorter, London is seeing no shortage of festive dining experiences. Most restaurants and pubs will be offering some sort of Christmas menu, but there are venues that go even further. Returning for its sixth year, Jimmy Garcia’s Lodge on...

I’ve been following The Modern Pantry on social media for some time now. The restaurant’s ethos of fusing store-cupboard ingredients with global flavours to create something special is one that speaks to my heart (and stomach), and it seems I’m not the only one, as the venue celebrates its 10th...

Covent Garden – an area which, while being home to one of my favourite pubs in London (if you haven’t been to The Porterhouse and you’re a beer-lover like me, you’re missing out), doesn’t have pride of place when thinking of interesting places to eat. Sure, the area is littered...

Summer, provided it isn’t a total washout, is one of my favourite times of year in London. It’s these long warm days that encourage us to explore the city: its various parks, terraces, rooftops and beer gardens. Considering the unusually hot weather we’ve had this year (that’s us done for...

In Shoreditch and its surrounding neighbourhoods, countless restaurants seem to come and go – occasionally without us even noticing. With so much competition, new local restaurant openings are arguably under more pressure than counterparts elsewhere in London. Here, a unique selling point is absolutely necessary. Enter Plate - a bakery,...

For those familiar with the White City of old, put everything you know to one side for a moment. With the development of Westfield, the re-imagining of the BBC building and the arrival of restaurants such as Homeslice and the brand new Japanese dining hall Ichiba: I’m not sure you’d...

Situated in a  Chelsea townhouse, Tom’s Kitchen is empty when we arrive - a mere half an hour after opening for service on an early summer’s evening. While each of the restaurant’s four floors had been fully booked over the course of the Chelsea Flower Show, today we have our...

Far removed from the chaos of Marylebone Road, Carousel serves a brilliant seasonal menu of ‘homemade crowd-pleasing dishes’.

With the bao trend showing no signs of slowing down, and with a new Mr Bao branch having opened in Tooting just last month, I can already hear you groaning; just reading the title. Fear not, however, as Bun House is a little different. Nestled behind the Palace Theatre on...

I should come clean. Although I’m a particular fan of the cuisine - no stranger to jerk chicken and plantain chips are one of my favourite snacks - I am by no means a connoisseur of Caribbean food. This can, perhaps, be attributed to  spending the past 16 years  living...

London is no stranger to a themed bar – just think of the number of speakeasies that seem to pop up each year. While this can become tedious, I genuinely believe there’s at least one gem out there, somewhere. The Rotunda Bar at London’s Trinity Square Four Seasons Hotel, is...

London definitely doesn’t suffer from a lack of Vietnamese cuisine offerings - and thanks to my previous living quarters in Hoxton, I’ve sampled a lion’s share. That said, London still hasn’t reached saturation, so far as Vietnamese food is concerned. A healthy walk from Kings Cross station, CoBa is the...

I suspect it’s safe to say few, if any, Londoners consider themselves novices when it comes to dim sum. With an extensive number of Chinatown restaurants including it on the menu, we like to think there’s nothing that could possibly surprise us. Enter Courtesan. This restaurant, tea room, cocktail bar...

On the ground floor of the Marriott Hotel, just off Edgware Road, The Pickled Hen promises a ‘selection of authentic British food and drink, with a pickled twist’. I enjoy good pub food and pickles as much as the next person, but the signature Pickleback (Jameson with a chaser of...

Eccentric, but warm and welcoming - Oslo is housed within Hackney Central’s redeveloped railway station building. Built in 1870 by the North London Railway Company, the two-storey building serves as not only a restaurant, but a bar and event space, hosting regular gigs throughout the week. The décor, which I...

In amongst the shops of Bethnal Green Road you’ll find the 160-year old, inconspicuous blue façade of what used to be a pub called The Albion. Since this summer, though, this the home of Coupette, the presence merely given away by a wholly unremarkable branded doormat. Blink and you’ll miss...

From the onset, I must admit I’ve never felt the need to visit a restaurant in the middle of the night. A bit of a traditionalist, perhaps; I feel night time is meant for sleeping, although admittedly, I have been partial to a midnight snack. VQ in Aldgate is by...

Lewisham, in South London, has seen significant change in recent years. Long gone are the days of the Battle of Lewisham (celebrating its 40th anniversary this month). The area has become somewhat unrecognisable, even compared to my student years at nearby Goldsmith’s College, not so long ago (relatively speaking: I...

Unlike so many other South East Asian cuisines, I’d be surprised if I weren’t the only Londoner unfamiliar with Burmese food until recently. According to Dan Anton, co-owner of Lahpet in London Fields, this is likely due to the relative lack of Burmese nationals anywhere outside of Burma (or Myanmar)....

Bronte is the second venture from father-son duo Trevor and Adam Davies and judging by the success of their first project (Circus in Covent Garden), it has a lot to live up to. The brainchild of ‘cook to the stars’ Executive Chef Andrew Lassetter and Head Chef Guy Betteridge (previously...

We all recall when Thai food was the ‘thing of the moment’ a few years ago. I even remember my local pub at the time serving Thai food rather than classic pub grub, so it’s hard to imagine that any of us are strangers to Pad Thai. Thai Square has...

My absolute favourite thing about London, is the number of different types of food available to experience. As a result, we Londoners are able to travel the world, without ever needing to leave the city. Señor Ceviche, for instance, is particular venue which allows us to sample distinctive national dishes...

Most Londoners, I’m sure, would say we know all there is to know about Italian food. Who hasn’t had a ‘real’ Italian pizza in their life? Well, Enoteca Turi in Pimlico is on a mission to prove us wrong. Nestled just a short walk from Sloane Square station, this neighbourhood...

By Maggie Majstrova, @foodstrova For weeks now, on my way to and from one of my client’s offices, I’ve been passing The Brookmill – its windows shuttered, its façade hidden by scaffolding. These are the unmistakable signs of refurbishment that fill me with equal measures of excitement and dread. How...

By Maggie Majstrova, @foodstrova The London food scene is ever-changing, with restaurants focusing on one food type having become a popular choice over the last year or so. Alas, this choice introduces added pressure: if you decide to keep your menu simple, punters will inevitably expect (or at least hope)...

By Maggie Majstrova, @Foodstrova Despite British food historically having a stereotypically negative image (think overcooked vegetables and a repertoire of bland dishes), the last few years have seen a complete revival, with so many traditional dishes being re-worked into something more contemporary and, ultimately, flavoursome. Still, when a restaurant is...