Lewis Cubitt Park, Unit 1, Cadence Court, London N1C 4ED

This beautiful restaurant with its double height space proves that Bubala are still at the forefront of serving up great vegetarian food in London. The menu here is inspired by food from across the Middle East, that it happens to be vegetarian is almost an aside. The mezze, in particular, is unmissable.

310 Portobello Rd, London W10 5TA

The Fat Badger comes from the same team behind The Pelican, also in Notting Hill, and it continues the theme set by that pub, namely a great pub which also has a fantastic menu. Set on the first and second floors (it's above Canteen restaurant), the food is hearty and you're quite likely to see an odd local celeb or two in here.

1 Nicholl's Clarke Yard, off Blossom Street, London E1 6SH

Osteria Angelina comes from the same team behind the original Angelina, but this can be viewed as a more casual outpost. it still brings together Italian and Japanese cuisine under one roof, with a specific emphasis on northern Italian cooking. So you'll find milk break, sushi, sashimi and pasta dishes all on the same menu. There's a separate bar here, so if you're in the area it's well worth popping in for cocktails and a snack or two.

26 Foubert's Place, Soho, London W1F 7PP

Marjorie's is in a side street just off Carnaby Street, offering a welcome refuge from the tourist hordes. Part wine bar, part restaurant, it takes its cues from the independent wine bars in Paris. Expect to find a wine list which is completely French alongside small-medium plates that often take classic French dishes and give them a modern twist.

YY Building, 30 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HX

Barbarella is the Canary Wharf restaurant by the Big Mamma group, known for places like Gloria and Circolo Popolare. Like those restaurants, this is a flamboyant affair, not least on the first floor where the ceiling and tabletops are all mirrored, giving quite the impressive overall effect. The food is Italian but with a few luxe Big Mamma touches, with plenty of caviar and truffle on offer, but at a price which doesn't break the bank.

73 Highbury Park, London N5 1UA

Lupa is a team-up of two locals: Ed Templeton, who is one of the founders of Carousel, and actor Theo James. Bringing in an ex-Pidgin chef to lead things, the menu takes its inspiration from Italy and in particular, Roman cuisine. Snacks, small plates and great wine are the order of the day in this compact restaurant where you might run into the odd celeb or two among the Highbury locals.

Unit 7 Montacute Yards, Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6HU

This is the second Singburi, which saw the extremely highly rated Thai restaurant move from Leytonstone to a much bigger (and shinier) setting in Shoreditch. Still very much a family business, son Sirichai Kularbwong is now in charge, cooking up an authentic Thai menu that's one of the very best in London.

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd, London NW1 2AR

Victor Garvey, the man behind Michelin-starred SOLA, in now in charge of The Midland Grand in King's Cross. The menu concentrates on French-inspired haute cuisine, with more than a little tableside theatre thrown in. The dining room itself is one of the most impressive in London and it's also well worth making time to have a drink in the excellent Gothic Bar (which also has snacks from Garvey).

124 King's Cross Rd, London WC1X 9DS

Everyone’s raving about Dim Sum Duck, a tiny gem in Kings Cross. It's run by a dim sum chef with more than 30 years in the business and specialises in hand-made dim sum and in-house roasted duck. Now so popular that you can expect a queue unless you go super early, it is nevertheless worth the trip.

2 Bagley Walk, London N1C 4PQ

Coal Office has eye-popping interiors by Tom Dixon and food by Palomar chef and restaurateur Assaf Granit. If you're up at the counter, it's a scene quite familiar from The Palomar - Jerusalem-inspired food served up by a lively kitchen.

38 Caledonian Road, Kings Cross, London N1 9DT

This brightly coloured restaurant serves up some of the most delicious and authentic Thai food in London at great prices. Try Phuket cashew nuts or Southern specialities like Pla Tod Naam Pla – crispy seabass with sugar, fish sauce and green apple salad.

Coal Drops Yard, Stable Street, King’s Cross, London N1C 4AB

Barrafina are considered as being some of the best Spanish restaurants in London and this Kings Cross outpost is no exception, with a particular focus on Catalan cooking. It's primarily counter dining, but they also have a stunning alfresco-only grill restaurant, Parrillan.

82 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DN

The lower end of Caledonian Road has seen an influx of interesting restaurants in recent times and the arrival of OISO is part of that movement. Only open at lunchtime, and as popular for takeaway as it is to sit up at the counter, this family-run Korean cafe serves a winning mix of bibimbab, bulgogi, katsu curries and more.

23 Euston Road, London NW1 2SD

Think minimalist fine dining when booking a meal at Voyage, where amazing produce is transformed by a talented team into a procession of extraordinary dishes. Go for the full tasting for the real experience and, if you can, sit up at the chef's counter to enjoy watching the culinary fireworks.

5-6 Melbourne Terrace, Melbourne Grove, London SE22 8PL

This rotisserie chicken restaurant in East Dulwich comes with a high pedigree. It's from John Ogier (ex Lyle's, The Marksman) who has teamed up with chef Jack Coghlan (ex-Planque and Lyle's). The chicken is carefully sourced and there are lots of added extras like lentils vinaigrette and chicken-fat new season potatoes to go with the main event.

18 Phipp Street, London EC2A 4NU

Duchy took over the space that used to be Leroy, with two people working in that restaurant leading Duchy. The room got a light refresh but the menu has had a bigger shift, moving into an Italian/French territory with a little Alpine influence in there too. The menu reads exceptionally well, the wine list is great and even the house bread (fougasse) is a must-have.

118 Talbot Road, London W11 1JR

This small 12-seater sushi bar comes from the team behind Dorian, and it's only just across the road from that restaurant. A walk-in-only affair, it's a casual sushi bar, albeit one with perhaps the highest quality sushi in the area. The wine list is also impressive, mainly as it's the same one as Dorian itself.

26-29 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5RL

This very fancy-looking Covent Garden bistro comes from Stevie Parle, the man behind Joy at Portobello. Here, he's championing seasonality and regenerative farming, all in an extremely futuristic-looking setting. The bar here is also a big draw and the whole set-up is different from anything else you'll find in Covent Garden.

35 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7LB

One of London's oldest restaurants, there has been a Rules serving food in and around this part of Covent Garden since 1798. Here is where you come if you're after history and classic British dishes, served well. The upstairs cocktail bar is legendary.

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.

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.

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.

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.

17 Neal's Yard, Seven Dials, London WC2H 9DP

Story Cellar is a spin-off from Tom Sellers' Story restaurant. It's a smaller-scale affair, billed as a "Parisienne-influenced" restaurant. Food-wise, the rotisserie chicken is a centrepiece alongside plenty of riffs on French cuisine (like snail bolognese) and a strong wine list.

34-35 Southampton St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7HG

This is Adam Handling's main restaurant where you'll be able to get some of his signature dishes (not to mention the amazing chicken butter). It's worth also heading to the Eve Bar here for some world class cocktails.

16a Bedford Street, London WC2E 9HE

This is the fourth Blacklock restaurant and one of their biggest. Here you can expect everything they're best known for - great value chops, big steaks and lots and lots of gravy. There are also some amazing pies and ordering something from the cocktail trolley is a must.

11 Langley St, London WC2H 9JG

Located in the old Watney-Combe brewery, complete with original vaulted brick ceiling, this Hawskmoor restaurant looks as though it's been down this narrow Covent Garden street forever. As with all their restaurants, it's the place to go for an excellent steak and there's a pretty big bar here too if you fancy popping in for one of their renowned cocktails.

28 Bow St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7AT

Once a boutique hotel group, this is now the only NoMad hotel, but it retains its style and combines a world-class bar in Side Hustle (the cocktails are truly excellent) with one of the best-looking restaurants in London. That's been reinvented as Twenty8 NoMad, a take on a New York-style brasserie with notably excellent steaks, while also retaining its signature truffle chicken meal.

2 Burleigh Street London WC2E 7PX

This long-running Covent Garden restaurant has moved from its original location, but somehow looks almost identical. There's a brasserie menu but made sure you order their excellent burger (it's not listed on the menu - you have to be in the know).