Restaurant Reviews

71 Nile St, London N1 7RD

We've seen a lot of restaurants pivot from their original offering to find creative new grounds and Appalachia is one of them. The former Counter 71 space is now a fire-led American restaurant. It's still an all-counter experience, but the menu now draws inspiration from Appalachia and is executed by an ex-Smoking Goat chef. In practice, that means rock oysters come with scotch bonnet and the grilled poussin is accompanied by southern-style grits.

50 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JD

Notting Hill has embraced this new Lebanese brasserie, which has been creating serious buzz for its contemporary take on classic Middle Eastern dishes. The folks behind it are Rasha Khouri Bruzzo, co-owner of Akub, and brothers Jad and Karim Lahoud. Together, they've given this former pre-war bank building a glamorous new lease of life. There's speve given over here for a deli, restaurant and bar and, if you head downstairs to the old bank vault, that's now a wine room. Come with a group as the menu's built for sharing.

Menier Chocolate Factory, 53 Southwark St, London SE1 1RU

Her OG wine bar in Covent Garden proved such a hit that owner and sommelier Carole Bryon was persuaded to expand with a second venture, this time in London Bridge. This is a two-pronged affair. Downstairs is Forbidden Fruit, a speakeasy-style affair serving wines by the glass and toasties. Upstairs is a proper French bistro with ex-Frenchie chef Matyáš Plzák serving an array of French-accented dishes. In both, the focus on wine is the same, with a list that exclusively showcases female wine producers.

Brook St, London W1K 4HR

Having originally opened as a summer residency at Claridge's restaurant, the popularity of this NYC pop-up was such that the hotel decided to put a ring on it and make the relationship a permanent one. The menu is a New York Italian affair with some Mayfair flourishes. So you'll find signature dishes like the chicken alla diavola alongside lobster linguine. If you're making a long lunch, or late dinner of it, be sure to swing by their bar here for some excellently-made martinis.