10 Chapel Market, London N1 9EZ

Tucked away down Chapel Market this Korean 'tapas' joint is owned by top Korean mixologist Taeyeol Kim, so the cocktails are as good as the food. The menu covers everthing from Korean fried chicken through to kimchi pancakes and tteok.bokki - rice cake stew. Look out for Friday regional Korean specials.

58 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, London, E2 8DP

If you're after great Vietnamese food in London, then one of the places to head to is Kingsland Road with a huge selection of restaurants. This one stands out though, as the sister restaurant of Cay Tre and with something of a more laid-back vibe.

7 Boundary Street, London E2 7JE

One of London's biggest success stories, Dishoom seems eternally popular. Serving up all manner of Indian small plates, there's just as big a focus on the bar here as the food. Expect to wait for your table at peak times.

95 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3BS

Grupo Sagardi was founded years ago in Barcelona. This is their first UK restaurant and it's all about showcasing the best produce from Basque farms and its coast, all flown in daily from San Sebastian. The steak is a big deal.

94-96 Commercial St, London E1 6LZ

The Shoreditch outpost of the St John empire is almost like a finishing school for London chefs. This restaurant is the beating heart of seasonal British cooking in London and has spread that influence all over the UK.

28-30 Rivington Street, London EC2A 3DZ

This is the Shoreditch outpost of the Blacklock group - which has become famous for its piles of chops, cooked over fire. It's also great value for money - and that includes the cocktails. This East London branch also has a large bar area.

301 Old St, London EC1V 9LA

Just off Kingsland Road, in an area with some excellent Vietnamese cooking, Cay Tre is held out to be one of the very best in London. Their pho is an obvious attraction here, but there's a broad menu of authentic Vietnamese cooking. (And you can pop across the street to try their Banh Mi shop Keu too.)

54-56 Great Eastern St, London EC2A 3QR

The Big Mamma group in Paris have had huge hits with their trattorias and Gloria was their first London opening, in a big space in Shoreditch. It serves up Italian food in a classic looking space (as well as a hidden 80s-set dining room) and a buzzy vibe.

58 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6JW

From their simple start on a Maltby Street stall to their permanent digs on Bethnal Green Road, Lahpet are introducing Londoners to the delights of Burmese food.

147 Shoreditch High St, Hackney, London E1 6JE

Previously Burger and Beyond were at street food markets all over town before they settled down in Shoreditch. Their best burgers are on offer here, all covered in excellent toppings like marrownaise and more. Their small plates action is pretty good and the truffled tater tots are some of the best in town.

15 Broadwick Street, W1F 0DL

People may complain about the sharp table-turning at this subterranean Chinese restaurant - Alan Yau's follow-up to Hakkkasan, but you'll never hear a bad word about the dim sum. If it's something sweet you're after, head for the street-level patisserie and tea shop.

21 Romilly Street, London W1D 5AF

Alexis Gauthier brings his own take on French cuisine in the marvellous setting of this Georgian townhouse. The menu is now entirely vegan, making this one of the best fine dining vegan spots in town.

34 Rupert St, London W1D 6DN

Hands down one of the best counter dining experience in town, albeit not the quietest one. Expect a Jerusalem-style menu here, with additional influences from Southern Spain and Italy, North Africa through to the Levant. You can grab a table at the back - but try for the full-on counter experience if you can.

21-22 Warwick Street, London W1B 5NE

This was Yotam Ottolenghi's first full-blown London restaurant, following in the footsteps of his still-crazily popular delis. The menu features plenty of sharing dishes - signatures include their courgette and manouri fritters and Valdeón cheesecake.

26-27 D'arblay Street, London W1F 8E

From the same people behind Barrica, this is one of Soho's most popular tapas bars - all stools and standing space only. The menu changes daily and you can find many Spanish tapas classics on it, with lots of Spanish wine to go alongside.

46 Brewer Street, London W1F 9TF

This North Italian restaurant was a bit of a sleeper hit at first until word got out about how great the food was. Descend to the basement restaurant for dishes like pappardelle with slow-cooked hare or hand-chopped raw veal with Parmesan as well as a 10 seater bar specialising in Vermouth.

24 Great Windmill St, Soho, London W1D 7LG

Blacklock's main speciality is chops - beef, pork and lamb and all at pretty good value. You'll want to go all-in with the chops dripping onto flatbread, but keep an eye out for some great steaks on the specials board. With very affordable cocktails too, a good time is guaranteed.

49 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 4SG

Coming from the Sethi siblings, best known for Gymkhana and more, this is inspired by roadside shacks (boutiques) of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. These shacks focus on hoppers and dosas which is what Hoppers is all about. Persist in trying to get a table at peak times, it's worth it and very affordable.

60-61 Berwick Street, London W1F 8SU

This restaurant comes from the people behind Salt Yard and takes its inspiration from the rural Basque and Italian methods of smoking and grilling over charcoal. The menu is almost entirely cooked on a custom built charcoal fired grill.

9 D'Arblay St, London W1F 8DR

Blanchette is from three brothers Maxime, Yannis and Malik Alary who are behind this "French bistro serving simple, classic and inventive French food". It's primarily based around sharing "French tapas" plates.

26 Rivington St, London EC2A 3DU

This Italian restaurant is from chef Jonathan Lawson, who worked with Theo Randall for five years before opening his own place, with cuisine described as Italian with a touch of Moorish and Spanish.

12 Denman St, Soho, London W1D 7HH

After beginning life in a shipping container as one of the first restaurants in Pop Brixton, Kricket has come a long way. Inspired by Indian cuisine, they offer an ever-changing menu of Indian small plates. And they feature what may be one of our favourite snacks in town, the samphire pakora dish.

25 Broadwick St, Soho, London W1F

This is the first of the Temper restaurants, taking over a huge basement spot in Soho. The room is dominated by a central kitchen where all the smoking happens. From that you can expect tacos, meat piled onto freshly baked flatbread and a lot of mezcal.

19 Ganton St, Soho, London W1F 7BN

Pastaio is Italian for someone who makes pasta by hand - something you'll see plenty of in this venture by Stevie Parle (Dock Kitchen, Rotorino, Palatino, Craft) in Soho. Fast, casual and good value - particularly for this area - the pasta is super and the Prosecco slushies a must.

26-27 Dean St, Soho, London W1D 3LL

The original Barrafina moved from its Frith Street location to take up pride of place beside (and a chunk out of) Quo Vadis. This is the Spanish tapas brand's main location in Soho and features some of the best Spanish food in London, as well as great counter action.

14- 16 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 0SG

Randall & Aubin is a Soho institution, having been here for nearly 30 years. And there's a reason for its longevity - eating here is a lot of fun (there's even a disco ball). There's a big emphasis on sustainability and on French and British seafood classics, with their signature dishes including bouillabaisse, spaghetti vongole and big fruits de mer platters.

23 Greek St, Soho, London W1D 4DZ

The duo behind Bun House and Pleasant Lady have turned their original site into a bar and restaurant inspired by the late-night scene of 1960s Hong Kong. The sugar skin Iberico char siu is a revelation.

61 Rupert St, Soho, London W1D 7PW

Paradise took over the space once held by Spuntino, serving up British and Sri Lankan ingredients in a menu that's inspired by the owner's childhood trips to Sri Lanka. This is matched by a sleek room designed by the people who did Smoking Goat and Klin.

15 Maiden Ln, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7NG

Condesa is a small tapas restaurant in Covent Garden with dishes inspired by both Spain and Latin America. Here you'll find a combination of Spanish tapas like jamon Iberico next to beef cheek tacos and ceviche along with plenty of cava and sherry, of course.

17-18 Henrietta St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8QH

Flat Iron are known for bringing affordable steak dinners to the masses, but without losing the quality. You can get a really good steak and chips here without breaking the bank, all thanks to mainly serving up the affordable flat iron cut. Be prepared for a wait for a table at peak times, it's very popular.