39 Endell St, London WC2H 9BA

The people behind the 10 Cases wine bar opened this, their second restaurant, just across the road from the first. The focus is on seafood, with daily catches on the board every day. Being related to the 10 Cases (and with access to their cellar) the wine list is also excellent.

16 Endell Street, London WC2H 9BD

This bistro offers a "small but ever-changing wine list" and a menu that changes every day to match the list. It's an excellent place to either settle down for dinner or to pop by for some really great wine and snacks, particularly if you can snag a seat on the terrace.

28-34 St. Martin's Court, London WC2N 4AL

Often seen as both the theatregoers and the actors' port of call post-theatre, Sheekeys is a London institution. It remains best known for its seafood, including an incredible fish pie which is still one of the best in London. A must-visit for every Londoner and notably great for counter dining, as well as its extensive, covered terrace.

84-86 Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4Q

Morchella comes from the same team behind Perilla in Stoke Newington, but this is quite a different beast. Taking Mediterranean influences as its starting point, it's a laid-back affair in a bright dining room just off Exmouth Market. Expect small to medium sharing plates, a strong European wine list and there's also a separate bar too.

32 Henrietta St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8NA

The Oystermen originally started up as an oyster-shucking pop-up but their Covent Garden restaurant is so much more. It started tiny before they acquired the next-door space and doubled the size. But all along, they've been serving up excellent seafood from a menu that depends on the catch of the day.

16 Neal's Yard, London WC2H 9DP

This is the sibling restaurant to the hugely popular The Palomar. It features food from the Barbary Coast of North Africa to Jerusalem, with a strong focus on cooking over fire. It's a solely counter-dining restaurant and there's an emphasis on sharing dishes. This all translates into a great vibe with the chefs always engaging with customers. Do not leave without ordering the hashcake for dessert.

16A Neal's Yard, London WC2H 9DP

This is, simply put, a mini version of The Barbary, right next door to the original. The Barbary (which in turn is from the same people as The Palomar). Expect a small plates menu, with a similar Mediterranean/African focus all served up on a mini counter space.

2-4 Bedale St, London SE1 9AL

These are actually two separate but linked restaurants, coming from David Carter, the man behind Smokestak and Manteca. Both Greek-inspired, the downstairs Agora is more of a taverna-style walk-in-only affair with flatbreads, skewers and cocktails. Upstairs is Oma, a slightly more upmarket place with a live fire grill at the heart of it and some hugely impressive mezza, breads, and larger Greek-inspired dishes (as well as an extensive semi-alfresco area). Both come with a strong vibey feel that adds a bit of buzz to the market.

7 Paddington St, London W1U 5QE

Lita in Marylebone sees ex-Corrigan's chef Luke Ahearne taking the helm at this luxe live-fire restaurant in Marylebone. With a vibe that harkens back to nearby Chiltern Firehouse, this mixes a bit of laid-back glamour with an excellent menu that has a focus on southern European/Mediterranean dishes. The cocktails are notably on-point too.

Old Barrack Yard, Belgravia, London SW1X 7NP

Right next door to The Berkeley is The Maybourne Group's all-suite hotel, The Emory. Their signature restaurant is another team-up with chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten (who's also at The Connaught) for a restaurant that combines the best of his ABC restaurants in America, including his renowned pea hummus.

Five Park Drive, Wood Wharf, London E14 9GG

After success in St James, the Fallow team have gone much bigger with this huge restaurant in Canary Wharf's Wood Wharf. It sticks to the seasonal, local and no-waste ethos that they started with Fallow, which adding completely different dishes to the menu. Here, skewers and mixed grills are the signatures and there's a much larger outdoor space as well as multiple private hire spaces.

National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE

Right at the top of the revamped National Portrait Gallery, this is the main restaurant with excellent views across London. In charge of the food is top Irish chef Richard Corrigan (Bentley's) who has brought with him a modern approach to European cooking with plenty of seafood on offer too.

66 Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BP

Bouchon Racine saw the return of Henry Harris, who brought his classic French restaurant Racine back, this time above The Three Compasses pub in Farringdon. One of the best restaurants in the area, here you can expect an 'unashamedly French' menu that changes daily, written only on a blackboard. The pub dowsntairs features food from the same kitchen, so that's well worth a look too.

5 Trebeck St, Shepherd Market, London W1J 7LT

This is the third restaurant from the Noble Rot team (again teaming up with The Sportsman's Stephen Harris). A bigger space than their Soho restaurant, this boasts two bars which are very handy for popping for snacks and a glass or two of wine. The restaurant sees them bring a menu of "indulgence" and this also boasts one of their most extensive wine lists.

12 Upper St Martins Lane, London WC2H 9FB

This is the original Dishoom, the self-styled Bombay cafe that propelled them to success (albeit now twice the size it was when it originally opened). Like all Dishoom restaurants, you'll find their excellent small plates, inspired by Indian street food, with certain specials like the bacon naans and the house black daal not to be missed. Also note that this Dishoom has one of their longest queues in the evening.

43 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2B 5AJ

The ever-popular Barrafina's Drury Lane outpost has a lovely wraparound terrace, making it one of the best in the group for alfresco dining. As with the other branches, it's one of London's best restaurants for tapas, with the tortilla being unmissable.

68 Duke Street, Mayfair, London W1K 6JU

Apricity is the latest restaurant from Chantelle Nicholson (previously behind Tredwells). Here, they have a menu that's veg-forward (but not exclusively) and have a strong eye on seasonality and low-waste. Expect some exceptionally crafted dishes here.

4 Mercer Walk, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9FA

This is from the same people as the original Le Bab - but it's a restaurant of two halves. Upstairs you'll find their next-level kebabs which are inspired by and are paying homage to great kebab houses. And downstairs is the hidden counter dining restaurant Kebab queen. This is a different beast altogether, offering a kebab tasting menu like no other.

33 Dover St, London W1S 4NF

The Dover is a Mayfair restaurant by Martin Kuczmarski, former right-hand man to Soho House's Nick Jones, aiming for understated glamour with NYC Italian-inspired cuisine. With an ambience best described as "casual but not too casual", there's a real feel of old-school Mayfair hospitality here. The menu is also welcomingly old-school with dishes including an excellent Chicken Cordon Bleu. On top of that, there's an impressive bar specializing in martinis that' it's worth visiting for alone.

15 Henrietta Street, London WC2E 8QG

Ave Mario is from the people behind Gloria and Circolo Poplare, and once again it's another hit for them. Expect no holds barred on the design and BIG food, like the enormous ice cream cake that they wheel about the room. Specialities here include a caviar section, massive cocktails and a veal milanese that's twice as big as your head. 

35 Heddon Street, London W1B 4BR

Run by the double act of chef Nieves Barragán and GM Josè Etura, Sabor is the kind of restaurant everyone wants to try, and once they've been are immediately plotting a return visit. It's a restaurant of two halves with the Asador on the upper level and counter dining by the open kitchen on the ground floor. Obviously, you're going to want the croquetas, but everything else will be great as well.

36-37 Greenhill Rents, Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BN

The late, great Russell Norman, who also created Polpo, founded this restaurant just off Smithfield Market. It takes its influences primarily from Northern Italy with a particular focus on Florence. So you'll find Italian snacks and pasta alongside huge T-Bone steaks. It's also part-bar, with an extensive list of cocktail classics, so very handy if you're looking for a decent bar in the area.

11-15 Swallow Street, London W1B 4DG

A London institution, having been around since 1916, this Piccadilly spot has thrived under Richard Corrigan's ownership. Whether you're perched up at the counter having oysters from some of the best shuckers in the world or upstairs in the more formal dining room, you'll get amazing seafood here.

The Ivy, 1-5 West Street, London WC2H 9NQ

One of London's great, classic restaurants, the Ivy had a major revamp not too long ago. The changes brought in a new central bar area with plenty of counter dining spaces. The menu has a mix of classic Ivy dishes like the Shepherd's Pie and more contemporary fare.

Royal Academy, Burlington Gardens, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD

José Pizarro is one of the best Spanish chefs in London today. Here, he's taken over two of the restaurants in the Royal Academy - their main restaurant in the Dorfman Senate Rooms and the Poster Bar downstairs. He's produced another excellent menu of tapas which will suit anyone after they've had a dose of culture at the RA.

42 North Audley Street, Mayfair, London W1K 6ZR

Bibi comes from chef Chet Sharma, previously at big name restaurants Moor Hall and L'Enclume and then Group Development Chef at JKS (Gymkhana). This time, he's in charge of his own kitchen at this Mayfair Indian restaurant. It takes its influences from across India "from roadside cafés from Punjab in the north, to Kerala in the south."

Four seasons, Hamilton Pl, London W1J 7DR

This sees top French chef Yannick Alleno (who has many Michelin stars to his name) in charge of the main restaurant and bar at The Four Seasons on Park Lane. This iteration of the restaurant has a huge counter dining space where you can see the chefs putting the finishing touches to Alleno's haute cuisine up close. The bar space also features a separate menu of sushi and more.

92–94 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3EA

The Quality Chop House, which has been open since 1869, has found more recent success as both a restaurant and wine bar featuring menus that are created in the morning based on what's been delivered. Come to the restaurant for the very best of British cooking and don't forget to have the legendary confit potatoes. Quality Wines is their corner cafe/restaurant with a separate but equally great menu.

85 Piccadilly, London W1J 7NB

Ollie Dabbous' Mayfair restaurant is a three-storey affair. The main restaurant used to be divided in two - but now serves the same menu throughout, including classics like his warm acorn cake. The cocktail bar, in the basement is well worth a visit and they're also known for great breakfasts.

182 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8EW

Want to be looked after to within an inch of your life? Well, Otto's is the restaurant you come to. Properly old-school French, Otto's has carved out a niche for itself serving up incredibly rich French cuisine in a lively environment. It also has a serious bit of kit called the duck press, which produces its signature dish.