Modern European

11-13 Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 4QD

This is the original Caravan, where they built a reputation of creating some of the finest brunches in town. Having their own coffee roastery means the coffees here are second to none.

29 Clerkenwell Green, Farringdon, London EC1R 0DU

In a quiet part of Clerkenwell, The Green comes from the same people who also run The Culpeper in Shoreditch. Either take it easy in the pub downstairs or head up to the first floor restaurant and you'll find the pub serving modern British food from an ever changing menu. Also look out for a Sunday lunch where they concentrate on Beef Wellington and one key roast dish.

27 - 31 Clerkenwell Close, Farringdon, London EC1R 0AT

This neighbourhood cafe in Clerkenwell is blessed with a hidden courtyard terrace which is a good-to-know alfresco option in this area. As for the food, they serve up ethically-sourced organic produce taking inspiration from both European and Californian cafes with a small regularly changing menu.

24 Clerkenwell Green, Farringdon, London EC1R 0NA

This restaurant has taken over an old Grade II courthouse in Clerkenwell making it one of the most beautiful dining rooms in London. Its opening heralded the return of Florence Knight to the London restaurant scene, with a menu that is a mix of British, French and Italian cooking.

55 Great Portland Street, London W1W 7LQ

This is the main restaurant upstairs at The George pub in Fitzrovia. It comes from JKS (the people behind Gymkhana) and Kitchen Table's James Knappett, who is behind the menu. Expect a much more elevated approach to a traditional pub menu.

34-35 Southampton St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7HG

This is Adam Handling's main restaurant where you'll be able to get some of his signature dishes (not to mention the amazing chicken butter). It's worth also heading to the Eve Bar here for some world class cocktails.

11-15 Swallow Street, London W1B 4DG

A London institution, having been around since 1916, this Piccadilly spot has thrived under Richard Corrigan's ownership. Whether you're perched up at the counter having oysters from some of the best shuckers in the world or upstairs in the more formal dining room, you'll get amazing seafood here.

9 Conduit Street, London W1S 2XG

Pierre Gagnaire's uber chic Mayfair restaurant is certainly for special occasions - it's one of the most expensive meals in town. There are multiple dining rooms within the building, all with very different looks and menus. There are also incredibly instagrammable loos.

10 Shepherd Market, Mayfair, London W1J 7QF

This is the restaurant that catapulted Tomos Parry (now heading up Brat) to fame, while signalling the reinvigoration of the restaurant scene on Shepherd Market. It's a teeny, but romantic space.

45 Park Lane, Mayfair, London W1K 1PN

Wolfgang Puck made his fortune serving gourmet pizzas to Hollywood's elite. It's currently his only European restaurant - part of the Dorchester Collection. Steaks are the focus here as well as plenty of interesting salads for the stars to push around their plates.

209 Westbourne Park Road, London W11 1EA

Emily Roux is the latest member of the Roux family with a successful restaurant. She joined up with her husband, Diego Ferrari - former Head Chef at Le Gavroche - to run this restaurant that's part French, part Italian. The menu has a fine dining feel, but presented in a more laid-back setting, with courses split into sections like "curious", "robust" and "greedy" (which, yes, is the dessert section).

18 Bruton Pl, Mayfair, London W1J 6LY

The kind of restaurant you're as likely to find yourself sitting next to the Queen as you are a Cork Street art dealer. Run by the ebullient Gavin Rankin and tucked away in a mews off Berkeley Square, it looks like it's been here forever rather than being just a teenager in restaurant terms.

104 Chepstow Rd, London W2 5QS

This is one of the smallest fine-dining restaurants in London, run by chef Richard Wilkins (ex-Petrus and Waterside Inn) fitting in just six tables for a maximum of 12 diners at any time. If you manage to grab one of those precious seats, you can expect a modern French menu.

6-8 All Saints Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 1HH

Imagine being friends with someone who enjoys all the benefits of a super house share in Notting Hill. That's the premise of this pop-up turned permanent bar and restaurant on All Saints Road.

50 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 5HN

This Wolseley Hospitality Group restaurant is intended to be evocative of early 20th century Vienna so the menu has a distinct Austrian bent with schnitzels, strudels and more the order of the day.

15-17 Marylebone Lane, London W1U 2NE

Originally launched by Xavier Rousset and Agnar Sverrisson (who are also behind Texture), this is a "wine workshop and kitchen" on Marylebone Lane. Once part of a group, it's now a solo wine bar with European food in Marylebone.

1 Blandford Street, London W1U 3DA

This Mediterranean restaurant comes from Xavier Rousset. Expect a Med menu with specific Italian influences and, as with all of his restaurants, the wine is a big deal. There are over 250 wines and champagnes on the list to work your way through.

63–69 Canonbury Rd, Islington, London N1 2DG

This Islington pub/restaurant has a strong emphasis on smoking and BBQ. Alongside the food expect plenty of rotating beers and the outside garden is a surprise oasis just off a busy Islington road.

400 Oxford St, Marylebone, London W1A 1AB

Caprice Holdings - the people behind The Ivy restaurants, Sexy Fish and lots more - are behind this in-your-face restaurant at Selfridges. And, like Sexy Fish, this has a big old Damen Hirst installation front and centre.

220 St Paul's Rd, Highbury, London N1 2LL

The Nook comes from Angus and Lale Oztek-Pook who have experience at Zucca, Bernardis and Oklava among others. The food is described as "contemporary European with a Turkish twist" and is paired with a winelist of sustainable, organic, biodynamic and minimal intervention wines. It works as a deli too, so there's lots to take away.

4 Redchurch St, London E1 6JL

Chef Tomos Parry's solo venture was an instant hit after opening (and there's an offshoot alfresco version too). It features a mix of cooking on fire, Welsh and Basque cuisine, and a big focus on wine. It doesn't hurt that the dining room is quite lovely too.

18 Phipp Street, London EC2A 4NU

Small plates, sharers and snacks are on the menu here, at this venture from the team who were originally in Hackney. Now they're Shoreditch-based with a more laid back venture that features their own Vermouth and wines.

70-74 City Rd, Old Street, London EC1Y 2BJ

This is the Old Street restaurant for Richard Corrigan, the top Irish chef who's also behind Bentley's in Mayfair. Expect a menu that has a modern European base mixed in with various Irish influences. There's an excellent pub downstairs too, in the shape of Gibney's.

27 King Street, London WC2E 8JD

Petersham Nurseries has opened in Covent Garden with two restaurants. La Goccia focuses on Italian aperitivo while the main restaurant is The Petersham, with the same approach to slow food cooking as the original in Richmond.

46 Lexington Street, London W1F 0LW

Often cited as one of the most romantic restaurants in London, this Soho stalwart is also a great old-fashioned bistro with a decent wine list. If you're looking for somewhere to be flatteringly lit by candlelight - this is the spot.

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.

10 Greek Street, London W1D 4DH

This restaurant in Soho has become a perennial Soho favourite. Expect a daily-changing menu that will concentrate on seasonality and fresh ingredients. And on top of that, a particularly good wine list too, called their "Little Black Book".

64 Dean Street, London W1D 4QQ

Victor Garvey's Soho restaurant looks towards Californian fine-dining restaurants for its inspiration. So there's a West Coast USA vibe to the restaurant, fitted into its Soho location.

4 Mercer Walk, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9FA

This is from the same people as the original Le Bab - but it's a restaurant of two halves. Upstairs you'll find their next-level kebabs which are inspired by and are paying homage to great kebab houses. And downstairs is the hidden counter dining restaurant Kebab queen. This is a different beast altogether, offering a kebab tasting menu like no other.

1 Surrey Street, London WC2R 2ND

Toklas is a Mediterranean restaurant - with specific Italian, French and Spanish influences. But that's not all as it's also a top-notch bakery from the man who launched Angel Bakery in Abergavenny. All that and there's a very handy bar space too.