Soho, Fitzrovia, Covent Garden

43-51 Great Titchfield St, London W1W 7PQ

This Fitzrovia spot is an all-day brasserie with an American look and a menu which mixes diner classics with Modern European food and grills - as well as a Caribbean touch to some of the dishes.

41 Dean Street, London W1D 4PY

Staffed by folk who previously worked at Hix in Clerkenwell, expect a small menu featuring the group's favourite dishes from around the world, created with seasonal British ingredients. Plus there's "bring your own vynyl" approach which lets you play your own tunes on the turntable.

St Martin's Courtyard, 23 Slingsby Place, London WC2E 9AB

42-43 Dean Street, London W1D 4PZ

Cay Tre in Shoreditch/ Hoxton is felt by many, including Mark Hix, to be the very best Vietnamese restaurant in town. Also owners of the successful Viet Grill, they've been expanding lately - first with the recent Keu, and now with a flagship restaurant right in the centre of Soho. Expect a restaurant with a bright look, to challenge the vogue that contemporary Asian restaurants must be dark and moody, and more of a small-plates approach than the original Cay Tre offered.

6 Maiden Lane, London WC2E 7NA

With everything Norman (and partner Richard Beatty) opens turning to gold, da Polpo is one of the hottest tickets in town. It's a little bigger than Spuntino or Polpetto with room for 70 diners and there's a meatball section on the menu.

71 High Holborn, London WC1V 6EA

15-16 Gerrard Street, Chinatown, London W1D 6JE

7 Archer Street, London W1D 7AU

The folks behind Italian restaurant Bocca Di Lupo expanded across the street to offer a selction of special Gelato and coffee as well as frozen pasta from Bocca di Lupo.

134-136 Wardour Street, Soho, London W1F 8ZP

Fifth floor, 240 Regent Street, London W1B 3BR

The spanish restaurant at London's high-profile Aqua restaurant offers both a tapas and a-la-carte menus. Head chef here is Salamancan Alberto Hernandez trained at El Bulli. The selling point here though is the restaurant's two terraces offering fantastic views over central London.

118-120 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 5EP

62 Goodge Street, London W1T 4NE

Once known as Barrica, this is now the Fitzrovia outpost of Spanish tapas bar Copita, owned by former wine shipper Tim Luther. This tapas spot has been fairly quietly building a loyal audience in London's media heartland for its standout tapas and excellent sherry list.

69 - 71 Dean Street, London W1D 3SE

Part of Nick Jones' Soho House empire, this is a hotel and restaurant space in Dean Street. This 'glorious cream Georgian building, originally home to the Gargolye Club' (their words), has 41 bedrooms alongside a traditional English dining room, seating 120. The all-day menu includes British favourites as well as afternoon tea, weekend brunch and weekly Sunday roast.

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).

41 Beak Street, London

Small bites are big news as this Venetian bacaro demonstrates. The head chef here is Tom Olroyd, who was previously at Bocca di Lupo, London's last big Italian opening. Packed from pretty much the minute it opened, the tapas-style menu is clearly a hit with Londoners.

1 Green's Court, London W1F 0HA

27 Catherine Street, London WC2B 5JS

5 Macclesfield Street, London W1D 6AY

There's always room in a Londoner's heart for a joint serving ethnic food at competitive prices, slap bang in the middle of town, with barely an ounce of energy given over to customer goodwill. Surly or even aggressive service in the case of Soho veteran Wong Kei, can be forgiven if the food is good, and it is at Rasa Sayang.

135 Wardour Street, London W1F 0UT

Milanese baker Rocco Princi's empire is all about the bread - so the focaccia pizza slices are always a good bet as are the pastries here.

66 Chandos Place, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4HG

12 Upper Woburn Place, London WC1H 0HX

25 Ganton Street, London W1F 9BP