London restaurants best for... Bragging about scoring a seat

One of the most successful example of street food vendors going permanent, this is one of the toughest places to grab a seat at in Soho. But when you do, the steamed milk buns that are at the heart of the menu make it all worthwhile.

One thing you know you're going to get at any branch of Barrafina is great food. The counter seats might be gone minutes after service opens, but that only proves that the early bird catches the milk fed kidneys.

Andre Balazs boutique London hotel has been a hit ever since it opened. Partnering with Nuno Mendes on the launch, the restaurant attracts both celebrities and foodies alike. Grab a seat at the counter and try not to gawp at who's on the prime private table next door.

One of the few London restaurants on the World's 50 Best list, Heston's only London gaff is still hugely popular. The dishes that captured everyone's attention when it opened - the Meat Fruit (chicken liver parfait shaped like a mandarin) and the Tipsy Cake are still on the menu and are must-order dishes if you haven't got round to trying them yet. Keep an eye out for A-list diners, the hotel is a well-known celebrity haunt. 

This is Gordon Ramsay's flagship restaurant on Hospital Road. Since Clare Smyth's departure, Matt Abé is the man in the kitchen here, in charge of retaining Gordon's three stars.

The tiny Sushi Tetsu is both one of the best sushi restaurants in town and also one of the hardest to get into. With only half a dozen seats inside, each item served to you will be almost a work of art. This may well ruin other sushi restaurants for you...

Probably Islington's most famous (and hard to get into) restaurant, this Italian affair sees Jordan Frieda, formerly front-of-house at The River Cafe teaming up with chef Tim Siadatan - one of the original trainees at Fifteen. Expect superlative Italian cuisine. If you're having trouble getting into Padella, from the same team, then booking a table here will help you avoid that queue.