London restaurants best for... Outdoor dining

This is the latest boutique hotel from Firmdale (also behind the Soho Hotel and Charlotte Street hotel) with a new restaurant and bar attached - as well as an extensive outdoor courtyard.

The main reason for the rise of Holborn Dining Room's fortunes is down to the work of their head chef, Calum Franklin. Follow him on Instagram if you want to be permanently hungry and also to marvel what he's able to do with pastry. While the whole menu deserves praise, you really need to aim for anything pie-related on the menu (there's always a special pie section on the menu) and you'll be sure of a work of genius here.

Part of the Old Bengal Warehouse dating from 1771, the New Street Grill focuses on steaks and showcases British produce.

This Islington pub is tucked down a quiet side street and remains one of the prettiest pubs in the borough. Run by Nick Gibson, the menu is a modern take on British pub grub. Grab a table in the garden if the weather's behaving itself.