World City Guide

Restaurants

The selected restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.

All restaurant bills are subject to VAT (Value Added Tax) of 17.5%, which is usually included in the prices given.

A service charge (usually 12.5%) might be included in the prices stated on the menu but it is more likely to be added to the bill at the end. 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.

The prices quoted below are for an average three-course meal for one person and for a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent; they include VAT but not service charge or tip.

Gastronomic

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 the artichoke hearts with foie gras, truffles and chicken mousse, the grilled sea bream with pea and wild mushroom sauce and the baked sea bass with tiger prawns. Reservations essential. No lunch Saturday. Closed Sunday.

43 Upper Brook Street, W1
Tel: (020) 7408 0881. Fax: (020) 7491 4387.
E-mail: bookings@le-gavroche.com
Website: www.le-gavroche.co.uk
Price: 70 or 40 (set lunch). Wine: 20.

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 four 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. Fax: (020) 7437 7349.
E-mail: richardcorrigan@lindsayhouse.co.uk
Website: www.lindsayhouse.co.uk
Price: 48. Wine: 20.

Locanda Locatelli
Giorgio Locatelli, who has been a well-respected chef behind the scenes at various London Italian restaurants for some time, has finally emerged into the limelight with a TV show (Tony and Giorgio) and, this, his very own restaurant with one Michelin star. An instant hit, Locanda 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 lightest salad of borlotti beans, red onions and tuna) but not miss out on a pasta dish, such as the rave-worthy veal shank ravioli. Mains include a decent number of fish and meat dishes, served simply with one or two other ingredients, such as John Dory with potatoes and peas (vegetarians might be forced to indulge in a second pasta dish!), while desserts should not be missed. Reservations well in advance are essential.

8 Seymour Street, London W1
Tel: (020) 7935 9088 (reservations) or 8390 (confirmations/cancellations). Fax: (020) 7935 1149. Website: www.locandalocatelli.com
Price: 45 (three courses) or 60 (four courses). Wine: 12.

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.

19 Old Park Lane, W1
Tel: (020) 7447 4747. Fax: (020) 7447 4749.
Website: www.noburestaurants.com
Price: 85. Wine: 18.

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
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, the focus is entirely on the food. All dishes are superb and might include the starter of a mosaique 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, sauted baby artichokes and truffle sauce. A seven-course set dinner is available for 90 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. Fax: (020) 7352 3334.
Website: www.gordonramsay.com
Price: 40 (set lunch); 70 (dinner). Wine: 18.

Business

Incognico
Nico Ladenis’ unfussy West End restaurant provides the best-value set menu in London. For a meagre 12.50, 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 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. Fax: (020) 7240 9525.
Price: 45 or 12.50 (set lunch/1730-1900). Wine: 16.50.

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. Fax: (020) 7240 2333.
Website: www.caprice-holdings.co.uk/ivy.html
Price: 50. Wine: 15.

Jaan
Don’t be put off by the dull exterior of the Swisstel 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 crme 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.

Swisstel the Howard, Temple Place, WC2
Tel: (020) 7300 1700.
Website: http://london.swissotel.com
Price: 40 (wine pairing extra). Wine: 20.

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 (29.50 for three courses). 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. Fax: (020) 7803 3878.
E-mail: oxo.reservations@harveynichols.co.uk
Website: www.harveynichols.com
Price: 50. Wine: 14.50.

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.

Mid City Place, 71 High Holborn, WC1
Tel: (0207) 430 1970. Fax: (0207) 430 1971.
E-mail: eat@matsurihighholborn.co.uk
Website: www.matsuri-restaurant.com
Price: From 35 (set evening menu). Wine: 16.

Trendy

Cigala
Jake Hodges, one of the original founders of Moro, is the owner-chef of this wonderful Spanish restaurant, with big windows, light wood and simple cream decor. Cigala can get busy and noisy and the tables are a little close together but it always remains relaxed, friendly and sophisticated, rather like the food. From the starters, the salads are always fresh and delicious combinations, such as the asparagus, broad beans, pea and mint salad. Recommended mains include the fish dishes, such as the skate with garlic, guindilla peppers and balsamic vinegar with braised spinach. There is a charming, small tapas bar in the basement, where it is possible for diners to eat as much of the incredible bread alongside excellent tapas (the meatballs and king prawns are highly recommended). Reservations recommended. Closed Sunday.

54 Lamb’s Conduit Street, WC1
Tel: (020) 7405 1717.
E-mail: tasty@cigala.co.uk
Website: www.cigala.co.uk
Price: 25, 18 (three-course set menu) or 15 (two-course set menu). Wine: 18.

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 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: 30. Wine: 13.

Hakkasan
This chic restaurant is situated down an alley in central London, which deters passing trade and helps heighten Hakkasan’s sense of exclusivity. Once down the smart slate steps and past reception, the blue glass doors open on to a stunning, dimly lit, room, where a beautiful latticework screen encases the dining area. Unfortunately, the effect is best seen from the lounge-bar area outside, because once within this inner sanctum, with tables too close together and an ill-advised music policy, the magical effect is lost somewhat. Neverthless, the food makes up for everything – this is one of only five Chinese restaurants with a Michelin star. The lunchtime dim sum is so excellent that it is difficult to single out any one dish. Nevertheless, unmissable mains include the roasted silver cod with champagne and Chinese honey. However, just soaking up the atmosphere with the other trendy people is a viable alternative, given the exquisite, exotic concoctions on the famous cocktail list (all 8). Reservations highly recommended.

8 Hanway Place, W1
Tel: (020) 7927 7000. Fax: (020) 7907 1889.
Price: 45. Wine: 22.

Mash
Brainchild of entrepreneur Oliver Peyton, who also owns the Atlantic Bar and Grill, 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 sauted 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. Fax: (020) 7637 7333.
E-mail: info@gruppo.co.uk
Website: www.gruppo.co.uk
Price: 15 (bar) or 30 (restaurant). Wine: 13.50. Beer: From 3.20 (pint).

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. The West Bar, almost space age with red lighting and pod bar stools, is the place to drink at the moment and also serves a ‘quick but refined lunch’. 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 (main courses go for 75). 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.pierregagnaire.com
Price: 120 (Lecture Room); 60 (Gallery). Wine: 30.

Budget

Caf 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 at 5.95, including Cajun-style chicken with potato skins, homemade lentil rissoles and smoked salmon and cream cheese crpes. For 7.95, diners can choose from classier dishes, such as chargrilled rump steak with new potatoes. 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. Fax: (020) 580 2947.
Website: www.cafeemm.com
Price: 13. Wine: 9.90.

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 for 115).

28–29 Gerrard Street, W1
Tel: (020) 7734 2763. Fax: (020) 7734 1073.
Price: 15. Wine: 9.

Mildred’s
Mildred’s is a tasty and popular Soho establishment that happens to be vegetarian. Although it recently moved a few streets, thankfully, the warm decor, relaxed atmosphere and low prices remain. One improvement is the size, with more space to accommodate the steady stream of regulars and savvy tourists. The healthy menu changes, however, the homemade veggie burger of the day and the pasta of the day are reliable favourites. Vegans are always catered for, as are those with wheat or dairy intolerance. A selection of organic wines and juices is on offer. The staff is young, trendy and helpful. Closed Sunday. Debit cards accepted but no credit cards.

45 Lexington Street, W1
Tel/fax: (020) 7494 1634.
Price: 15. Wine: 10.

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: 10. Wine: 8.

Tokyo Diner
This Japanese canteen on three small floors is a reliable and cheap favourite in Chinatown. With wooden tables and wooden stools, all the floors are fairly similar but the ground floor, with its pale yellow walls and Japanese mask hanging on the wall, is the best, because of the wrap-around windows. With a limited menu that changes seasonally, this is not the place for sushi-lovers, as Tokyo Diner only has a few unalterable sushi sets on the menu. However, people come for the ‘four-course’ bento boxes and the donburi (filling rice dishes served in a bowl), a particular favourite being the chicken and onion don. The restaurant also serves Japanese curries and noodle soups. With free Japanese tea, diners who eat just one of the donburi will pay just 6.60 for a filling meal.

2 Newport Place, WC2
Tel: (020) 7287 8777.
Price: 11.50 (bento box). Wine: 6.90.

Personal Recommendations

One-O-One
Located on the ground floor of the Sheraton Park Tower in Knightsbridge, steps away from the trendy Harvey Nichols store, One-O-One is a restaurant no self-respecting fish enthusiast can afford to ignore. Pascal Proyart’s little gem was voted ‘Best Fish Restaurant’ in Harden’s London Restaurant Guide two years running (2003 and 2004), and it’s plain to see why. The menu features mouth-watering offerings, the dishes are all expertly executed, and the service, friendly yet unobtrusive, is smooth as silk. Royal king crab legs from the Barents Sea with Aioli sauce were an exceptional (as well as sizeable) starter, and the pan-roasted sea scallops and duck foie gras was a heavenly combination of flavours and textures. Dover sole with roasted langoustine and chives Mousseline sauce was cooked to perfection, while the roasted wild seabass (one of Pascal’s specialities) with soft tapenade crust and parsley Barigoule sauce, melted on the tongue. Divine! Just make sure you leave enough room for dessert: a raviole of pinapple and nougat glac with coconut sorbet and exotic fuit coulis maybe?
You can now discover some of the chef’s secrets& Throughout 2004, Pascal is opening his kitchen and sharing recipes, tips and tricks of the trade during several ‘Cook and Eat Evenings’, informal events culminating in a five-course feast.

101 Knightsbridge London SW1X 7RN
Tel: 0207 290 7101.
Price: 70 (Cook and Eat Evening: 85). Wine: 30.

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.
Price: 15. Wine: 10.50.

La Trompette
La Trompette sneaked into the top ten of Harden’s London Favourites in 2002 and, despite being situated in a quiet street in Chiswick, it looks set to retain its success. Owner Nigel Platts-Martin and head chef Ollie Couillaud have worked miracles in creating a genuinely world-class menu at out-of-town prices. The menu changes daily but highlights include the starter of tarte fine of wood pigeon, onion and mushrooms or the main of rump of lamb with ratatouille, olives, fondant potato and new season’s garlic, while the steak tartar can make a decent claim to be the finest in London. 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.
Price: 30 or 21.50 (three-course weekday set lunch). Wine: 14.50.

Malabar Junction
The entrance to Malabar Junction somewhat belies its smart interior, which opens out into a bright light dining room, almost like a conservatory with its huge central skylight, bamboo chairs, greenery and water fountain. The South Indian restaurant caters for both meat-eaters and vegetarians (although vegetarian dishes get their own kitchen) and dosas are the house specialities. The size of a dinner plate, these pancakes are traditionally filled with potato masala and served with sambar (lentil curry) and coconut chutney. Recommended mains include the tangy king prawn masala or any of the Keralan dishes, such as kozhi varutha (chicken curry).

107 Great Russell Street, WC1
Tel: (020) 7580 5230. Fax: (020) 7436 9942.
Price: 25. Wine: 10.

St John
This restaurant, an old smokehouse, is notorious for being pig heaven, where no bit of the animal is left off the menu. But it also happens to be home to one of the loveliest dining rooms in London. Up some stairs from the courtyard bar, this wonderful, light room is all wooden boards, white paint and chrome hanging lampshades. With tables a decent distance from each other, a friendly staff and an unpretentious mixed bag of diners creating a general hubbub, it is difficult not to recommend this place, even to vegetarians. Although (unless they eat fish), they will be confined to eating the one basic vegetarian dish on offer, such as leeks and red wine. Ultimately, however, this restaurant serves up old-fashioned British classics with absolute panache – boiled ham and parsley sauce, rabbit saddle, roast beef with a stunning horseradish sauce, eccles cakes with Lancashire cheese for dessert. Although one or two unusual cuts of meat – bone marrow, neck of kid, ox heart, pig’s ears, tails, trotters, cheeks – are guaranteed. Whole roast suckling pigs can be pre-ordered for 14 diners, at least seven days in advance, costing 280.

26 St John Street, EC1
Tel: (020) 7251 0848. Fax: (020) 7251 4090.
Website: www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk
Price: 30. Wine: 12.50.