You can’t help but be immediately wooed by the old-school elegance of this bistro above The Three Compasses in Farringdon. Light pours into the loft-like space during the day, lanterns glow at night, and chalkboard menus lean against the wall like Gallic butter-worshipping scriptures. There’s a confidence to Bouchon Racine that you can taste in every impeccable chip dunked into your rabbit’s mustard sauce and every spoonful of luscious crème caramel. But it’s also felt in other ways too.

“For a restaurant that is proudly built off the TikTok fame of its head chef and namesake, there is something compellingly old-school about Straker’s. Forget eye-catching interiors, catchy soundtracks, or even an excess of butter. Thomas Straker has, in this completely cramped, utterly overbooked, and contentiously ‘cosy’ Notting Hill restaurant made something that is quite straightforward in its deliciousness." - Jake Missing

“Expectations often lead to disappointment. Which is why I usually try to keep them low when visiting a new spot. Except in the case of Saltie Girl, a seafood restaurant in Mayfair, with an original spot in the US that our Boston colleagues loved so much that it made that whole zero expectations thing kind of hard. But this slick, under-the-sea themed spot with mermaids coming out of the walls and shell-shaped lamp shades, blew any expectations out of the water." - Rianne Shlebak

“The Marylebone restaurant is from the people who own Hauser & Wirth gallery, so it’s little surprise that the beautiful, multi-coloured, terrazzo floor is, quite literally, a work of art, and everything down to the vibrant red furniture is an aesthete’s dream. What’s more surprising is that this place isn’t all looks. The omelette Arnold Bennett is a decadent, gooey, and cheesy mix of smoked haddock and egg. It’s a classic, and so too is the beef tartare." - Jake Missing

"Koyn is a restaurant with two moods. There’s the light and relaxing upstairs dining room where you’ll catch a glimpse of the yellowtail being sliced in front of the stunning sushi counter. And downstairs is where you’ll find a moody, black and red den that says “seduce me with sashimi”. The most important reason to come to this upmarket Japanese spot in Mayfair, is that wherever you're sitting, the food is so pretty you won’t want to eat it and satisfying once you do." - Rianne Schlebak

"The upstairs of the restaurant-cum-bar, is open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, complete with pool table and cocktails. I cannot imagine anything I’d like to do more when the menu gets involved as well. Chicken skin with zaep seasoning are incredibly moreish. Other things are a little less bar-and-cue friendly but even more essential: fiery seafood and beef noodles, tom yam noodle soup, and, that deep-fried 7-11 pineapple pie." - Jake Missing

“Apricity is a fine dining restaurant in Mayfair that has thrown the snoozefest, tasting menu playbook in the bin, and replaced it with a warm, chatter-filled dining room where seven wildly creative courses can be enjoyed for less than £100. The food here is best described as globe-trotting, with dishes like lip-smacking smacked cucumber, a tempura take on sauerkraut, and exceptionally meaty hand-dived Scottish scallops with rich black pepper pork belly." - Heidi Lauth Beasley

“Biryani, kebab, chai. That’s what BKC, the name of this Awadhi spot in Marble Arch, stands for. But that’s not all you should try when you come here. The small plates, from the tangy, sweet, and savoury papri chaat, to the warming potato and vegetable-stuffed samosa with its thick crispy coating, are excellent. The lamb kathi roll—a paratha filled with a spicy lamb kebab and chutney, with a mint dip on the side—feels like the ultimate lunchtime upgrade." - Rianne Shlebak

“As someone who is feelings on legs and can interpret breathing as a criticism, I hate eating alone. But I loved eating alone at Hong Kong Restaurant. The quality of the dim sum is exceptional and thanks to the pictures on the menu, you’ll order double what you intended to because it’s very easy to convince yourself you’re still hungry when surrounded by a soundtrack of healing flute noises." - Heidi Lauth Beasley

“A restaurant that manages to charm me before I enter is a rare one. But Roji, a 10-seater omakase spot in Mayfair, succeeded. There’s a little bell you have to ring before entering, and inside is a minimalist table wrapped around a counter where the husband and wife chef team are at work—slicing Arctic char, plating oysters, and explaining where each fish was sourced and inspirations behind less traditional food pairings." - Rianne Shlebak