Test Drive

• Test Driving Taka Marylebone - a happy marriage between British produce and Japanese techniques

  

  This Marylebone restaurant is the happiest of marriages between amazing British ingredients and fine Japanese cooking techniques. We went down to see what that a difference that makes on the plate. 

• Test Driving Kol - Santiago Lastra's winning fine-dining Mexican restaurant hits Marylebone

  

  Santiago Lastra has brought a fine-dining edge to his new Mexican restaurant Kol. We head down to Marylebone to check it out.  

• Test Driving Galvin at Home - posh French on your table in minutes

  

  Enjoy haute French food at home with this clever, but easy to follow meal box from the Galvin brothers. 

• Test Driving Milk Beach - an all day spot in Queen's Park which now has room to flex its kitchen muscles

  

  This all day neighbourhood spot has had a dramatic revamp and, even better, has a huge alfresco space too. We headed west to check it out.

• Test Driving Eldr at Pantechnicon - Nordic simplicity in a hugely impressive space

  

  The new Pantechnicon in Belgravia brings together several restaurants and cafes, all wrapped up in a look of Japanese and Nordic Chic. We wend to try out their main Nordic restaurant, Eldr. 

• Test Driving Napoli Gang - the new delivery service from the Big Mamma Group

  

  We take the new delivery-only restaurant from Big Mamma Group for a spin with its pizza, antipasta, towering desserts and more. 

• Test Driving Amazonico - a wonderfully over-the-top Berkeley Square treat

  

  This very extra Mayfair restaurant serves up sushi, steak and great times as an added bonus. We put on our glad rags and joined the Mayfair set for the night.

• Test Driving Townsend - modern British in Whitechapel with a menu to linger over

  

  Townsend has been creating quite a name for itself both in the Whitechapel Gallery and with its delivery service. We went to try out the modern British restaurant. 

• Test Driving Akoko - William JM Chilila has a winner in Fitzrovia

  

  William JM Chilila explores West African cuisine with his new restaurant. We headed to Fitzrovia to try it.

• Test Driving Bermondsey Larder - new location, same great Dairy

  

  Saved at the eleventh hour, The Dairy has moved from Clapham into its new Bermondsey home. We went down to take a look.  

• A return visit to SOLA in Soho - the Californian restaurant evolves

  

  We make a return trip to Victor Garvey's Soho restaurant SOLA to see how things have changed since its original launch. 

• Test Driving Maison Francois - an instant hit in St James

  

  This modernist French brasserie serves up all the classics and has a very useful downstairs bar too. 

• Test Driving The Windmill in Mayfair - so much more than (excellent) pies

  

  This Mayfair pub, best known for its pies, has been taken over by the team behind the Guinea Grill. We went down to see what changes they'd made.

• Test Driving Noble Rot Soho - honouring the past whilst building a glorious future

  

  Noble Rot have unveiled their new restaurant in Soho, taking over what used to be The Gay Hussar. Will it live up to the louche charm of the original? We went along for a preview dinner.

• Test Driving JAE by Jay Morjaria at Untitled - Korean drinking food to die for

  

  We head to Dalston to check out Jay Morjaria's permanent residency, JAE, at Untitled bar - where the Korean drinking food makes you want to order everything on the menu.