Best for...
No 1: Alfresco dining
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Le Coq d'Argent, City
Perched atop No.1 Poultry with striking views
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Gun, Docklands
Smart waterside gastropub
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Inn The Park, St James's
Oliver Peyton’s lakeside café
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Lola Rojo, Clapham
Spanish tapas on Northcote Road
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The River Café, Hammersmith
Unbeatable views and freshly prepared grub
No 2: Bargain central Indian
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Chowki, Soho
Diverse regional home-style Indian cooking
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Imli, Soho
Affordable snacks and curries in a smart space
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India Club, Strand
A legendary spot with charm
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Indian YMCA, Fitzrovia
Office block canteen doling out simple delicious grub
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Masala Zone, Soho
This original is better at traditional dishes
No 3: British Cooking
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Empress of India, Hackney
An east London favourite that excels in gastropub fare
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Hix Oyster & Chop House, Farringdon
Mark Hix impresses with updated British classics
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Hereford Road, Bayswater
Simply prepared but exceptional modern British cooking
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National Dining Rooms, Trafalgar Square
Where the food is delicate, individual and inspiring
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St John, Farringdon
Fergus Henderson’s restaurant is a true British institution
No 4: Budget Chinatown cafés
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Café de Hong Kong, Chinatown
A vast menu and excellent 'bubble' teas
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Baozi Inn, Chinatown
Street food of Sichuan and Beijing
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Café TPT, Chinatown
A pit-stop for roast meats and trad Chinese desserts
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Canton, Chinatown
One plate meals of roasted meats for under a fiver
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HK Diner, Chinatown
A late-night haunt serving quintessential Hong Kong fare
No 6: Central Japanese
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Abeno Too, Covent Garden
Enjoy okonomiyaki and fiery teppanyaki
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Centrepoint Sushi, Covent Garden
Deliciously fresh sushi, noodle and rice dishes
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Kulu Kulu, Covent Garden
Come here for some fine old-school kaiten-zushi
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Tokyo Diner, Chinatown
A homely little restaurant serving decent grub
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Ryo, Soho
This noodle bar is the real thing, serving ramen as it should be
No 7: Coffee bars
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Bullet, Covent Garden
Kiwi baristas serve up flat whites to rock sporting enthusiasts
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Fernandez & Wells, Soho
Enjoy nibbles with textbook perfect cappuccinos
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Flat White, Soho
A buzzy coffeeshop with charming staff and super brews
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Nordic Bakery, Soho
Deep espresso and Finnish-chic in Golden Square
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Sacred, Soho
This is the place for coffee worship
No 8: Dim sum
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Hakkasan, Fitzrovia
Exquisite dim sum in glamorous surrounds
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Imperial China, Chinatown
Superior dim sum in an attractive, light-drenched setting
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Pearl Liang, Paddington
There's top-class talent in the kitchen here
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Phoenix Palace, Marylebone
One of London's most consistently excellent Chinese restaurants
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Royal China Club, Marylebone
Some of the most interesting dim sum in London
No 9: Fish & chips
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Faulkner's, Dalston
A cheery East End chippie that's been going for years
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Fish Club, Battersea
Top-quality ingredients are used in modern interpretations of classic dishes
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Nautilus, West Hampstead
A traditional fish and chip shop with a near-cult following
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Olley's, Herne Hill
A breath of ocean air among insipid takeaway options
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Two Brothers Fish Restaurant, Finchley
The top-notch fish comes fresh from Billingsgate Market
No 10: Kids menus
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Benihana, Swiss Cottage
An international interpretation of Japanese teppanyaki dining
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Gracelands, Kensal Green
A large space with a friendly and relaxed vibe
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Tate Modern Café: Level 2, Bankside
A spacious venue where children are greeted with enthusiasm
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Mudchute Kitchen, Docklands
A green and pleasant kitchen café in Mudchute Park & Farm
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Munchkin Lane, Balham
The children's menu is big on comforting nursery favourites
No 11: Late dining
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Automat, Mayfair
A hyper-trendy American-style eaterie
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Electric Brasserie,
The New York diner-like menu is a real crowd pleaser
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Floridita, Soho
A glitzy Cuban theme-bar/restaurant with rousing live music
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Kettners,
Linger over French food and coffee at this recently revamped Soho stalwart
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Le Mercury, Islington
This friendly French local eaterie is true value-for-money
No 12: Pâtisseries
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Macaron, Clapham
A 1930s-style tea room with cream-laden cakes, pastries and tarts
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Ladurée, Knightsbridge
The delicate macaroons remain the stars at this French tea salon
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Maison Bertaux, Soho
A slice of Parisian life in London – try the light-as-air choux pastries
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William Curley, Richmond
Indulgent pastries and chocolates with a Japanese slant
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Yauatcha (café), Soho
This modern café puts an East-West fusion spin on tea and cakes
No 13: Pizzerias
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Franco Manca, Brixton
Traditional wood-fired Neapolitan sourdough pizzas
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Italian Graffiti, Soho
This family-run trattoria serves well-priced, decent Italian fare
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Red Pepper, Maida Vale
This Little Venice eaterie excels in impeccable pizzas
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Rocket, Mayfair
Pizzas are reliably good, with thin crusts and unusual toppings
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Spiga, Soho
The thin-crust pizzas are decked with reliably tasty toppings
No 14: Posh Indian
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Chutney Mary, Chelsea
One of the first restaurants to pair wine with Indian cuisine
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Cinnamon Club, Westminster
The menu embraces dressed-up rustic staples and regal stalwarts
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Moti Mahal, Covent Garden
This restaurant is at the cutting edge of contemporary Indian food
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Red Fort, Soho
The menu focuses on authentic North Indian classics
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Tamarind, Mayfair
Chef Alfred Prasad produces excellent North and South Indian dishes
No 15: Pre-theatre deals
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Arbutus, Soho
Enjoy a pre-theatre Michelin-starred meal for £17.50
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Christopher's, Covent Garden
The scrumptious early bird menus start from £14.50
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J Sheekey, Leicester Square
This classic London haunt is an ideal spot for supper
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Lindsay House, Soho
This 18th-century townhouse is an indulgent dinner spot
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Orso, Covent Garden
For good, sensibly priced Italian food, Orso is still a market leader
No 16: Real Thai food
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Busaba Eathai, Fitzrovia
Alan Yau's modern take on fast Thai food
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Esarn Kheaw, Shepherd's Bush
Sample the true flavours of north-eastern Thailand
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Rosa's, Brick Lane
Good-looking, low-budget home-style Thai near Brick Lane
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Nahm, Belgravia
David Thompson's Michelin-starred hotel restaurant
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Sukho, Fulham
Enjoy creative takes on Thai cuisine in sophisticated surroundings
No 17: Spanish
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Barrafina, Soho
Exceptional tapas in convivial surroundings
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Tierra Brindisa, Soho
First-rate tapas made from Brindisa deli's finest imports
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Cambio de Tercio, South Kensington
Traditional ingredients are used in flamboyant ways
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Lola Rojo, Clapham
Upbeat and fun with contemporary and inventive dishes
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Salt Yard, Fitzrovia
Unique hybrid Spanish-Italian cooking in a classy space
No 18: Steakhouses
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Buen Ayre, Hackney
Top-class grills and an unpretentious vibe
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Gaucho Tower Bridge, Tower Bridge
Steakhouse chic is what this chain is all about
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Hawksmoor, City
This steakhouse is a culinary love song to beef
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Santa Maria del Sur, Battersea
Enjoy classic Argentinian beef and superb malbecs
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Garufa, Highbury
Argentinian food near the Arsenal
No 19: Views
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Le Coq d'Argent, City
An architecturally imposing spot atop No. 1 Poultry
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Galvin at Windows, Mayfair
Wraparound cityscape views up on the breezy 28th floor of the Hilton
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Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar & Brasserie, Waterloo
Fantastic views best enjoyed on the stylish summer terraces
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Plateau, Docklands
Huge windows affording unparalleled views of Canary Wharf
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Skylon, Waterloo
A lofty Thames-side space in front of the Royal Festival Hall
No 20: Waterside dining
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Blueprint Café, Tower Bridge
Diners are treated to a giant panorama of the modern Thames
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Curve, Docklands
A sleek operation that makes the most of its prime waterside setting
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Gun,
This gastropub offers comfy Thames-side terrace seating
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Marco Polo, Putney
Savour verdant river views at this Thames-side Italian
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Stein's, Richmond
A Bavarian-themed beer garden that's a great alfresco spot
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