Best Mayfair restaurants
Published 15 February 2024

A little south of Oxford Street, Chantelle Nicholson's Apricity might one day come to define London dining in the new 'twenties'. Amid the plutocrats' boutiques of Duke Street, it styles out its defiant scruffiness, with scoured, undecorated walls, small café tables and light fixtures that look artfully dusty. Low-waste, vegetable-based cooking is the wave of an ecologically anxious future, and if it comes out as innovative and interesting (as it does here), nobody need feel deprived. Artisan farms supply much of the produce, as in a first-course of miso-roasted cabbage with pickled kale in a smoked emulsion. Not everything is vegetarian, however: a generous starter of pollock tartare with pickled kohlrabi, topped with broken linseed cracker, was full of freshness and bracing bite. To follow, there might be something earthy and carb-heavy such as discs of baked celeriac on a carpet of Black Badger peas, given a nice kick with a seasoning of cultured gochujang, or you might go full carnivore with a cutlet and rib serving of excellent lamb, alongside hunks of beetroot and a gentling splotch of labneh (though nothing of the promised mint salsa). Desserts expect you to have left your sweet tooth at home. Rhubarb with raspberry granita and cashew cream goes full-on with vegetal flavours, while the little plum and rapeseed tart, garnished with underripe plum, has little of the almond richness of traditional frangipane. Wines by the glass could do with broadening their horizons – the textures and fruit flavours fall within a fairly narrow band for each colour – but the selections themselves are good. We won't gag at Ferraton's St-Joseph in a month of dreary Sundays. Staff run the place with impressive coolness, not writing anything down. Don't turn your phone off, whatever you do: the menu is accessed via a QR code on a stone, or by navigating to the website.

Run with consummate grace and decorum by ever-present Gavin Rankin, this archetypal Mayfair brasserie feels as if it has been around forever – even though it only arrived on the scene in 2004. Inside, the green banquettes are almost an institution in themselves, and everything about the beautifully appointed dining room speaks of discreet civility and understated class – no wonder the late Queen Elizabeth felt right at home here.

In fact, everyone is most welcome and the whole place exudes genuine warmth – thanks in part to ‘truly exceptional’ staff and classical service of the old school. The menu is built on precisely executed, canonical specialities with Provençal overtones – think asparagus with hollandaise sauce, iced lobster soufflé and jambon persillé ahead of steak tartare with Pont Neuf potatoes, red mullet with anchovy butter or entrecôte of beef with pommes frites.

Many dishes have impressed of late, from devilled eggs (rich and creamy) to Dover sole, executed with consummate elegance, flair and copious quantities of butter – plus a dash of seasoning to bring it home. Desserts are well-tried classics, from île flottante, Marina’s chocolate cake and tarte tatin to Bellamy's famous 'soft' ice creams. Otherwise, a bowl of Minstrels (often brought out by Rankin himself) provides the final satisfying flourish. The lunchtime table d’hôte is a steal, and the fiercely Francophile wine list (from £30) offers terrific value across the range.

A ‘very reliable’ Mayfair fixture since 1916, the self-titled ‘grand dame of Swallow Street’ is still shucking oysters with a vengeance under the stewardship of chef/patron Richard Corrigan. These days, regulars agree that its two great assets are the ground-floor Oyster Bar and the spacious gem of a terrace on Swallow Street itself (heated and covered for year-round bonhomie).

If you’re indoors, the best seats are indubitably at the marble-topped bar counter, where you can watch the chefs expertly flashing their thick-bladed oyster knives and doing the business on ‘natives’ and ‘rocks’ from places as far apart as Donegal, Oban and Jersey – although one fan reckons the Pembrokeshire specimens deserve a special mention. Otherwise, squeeze into one of the close-packed tables for a more formal and ‘extremely fresh’ piscine blowout – perhaps scallop ceviche dressed with jalapeño, mint and lime ahead of Dover sole meunière or pan-seared turbot with olive-oil mash and langoustine sauce.

Readers have praised the impeccable Cornish fish stew packed with myriad different species in a tomato and saffron broth, although you can also feast on classics such as fish and chips, fish pie and Bentley’s handsome shellfish platters. Pudding might be crème caramel with Armagnac-soaked prunes or a bitter chocolate mousse embellished with cherries, gold leaf and amaretto. The classy fish-friendly wine list is priced for Mayfair’s big spenders, although it does offer some excellent bargains by the glass.

It’s easy to walk past Bibi. One’s eye tends to be drawn to North Audley Street’s flashier inhabitants, such as The Ivy Asia or Roka. But this bijou space, which combines the look of a luxurious railway dining car with a private members-only club feel, is by far the more interesting option – its sociable vibe, warm service and small-plate Indian cooking seducing most who cross its threshold.

Chet Sharma's modern Anglo-Indian cuisine fuses different culinary influences from across the Subcontinent with the absolute best of British produce. His delicate blend of spices, the unique tangy, sour notes, the subtle hint of heat that lingers gently on the palate, the extra layers of taste and texture, translate into creative small plates such as the never-off-the-menu interpretations of nimbu pani or the signature Sharmaji’s Lahori chicken, all carried off with the same sure touch and stunning presentation.

The best seats are the comfortable counter stools that grandstand the long, narrow kitchen, though there are some black-leather booths along the opposite wall. It's pricey (the five-course lunch taster is a good introduction). But limber up with a cocktail, lean into the warmth of the service and the extremely well-chosen (if expensive) wines, and this is a great option for an unstuffy celebratory meal.

Anyone who has seen the movie The Lunchbox will know about the ‘dabbawalas’ who bike thousands of tiffin tins to office workers across Mumbai and other Indian cities. This casual sibling of Jamavar brings some of that homespun subcontinental spice and flavour to central Mayfair, with plenty of (Bombay) bustle and noisy chatter to go with the smoky aromas. Against a slick Art Deco backdrop inspired by the city’s first-class railway carriages, the kitchen doles out dishes full of up-front punch and invigorating freshness, with touches of glamour and panache thrown in for good measure. Some of the best things are the small plates – pao buns stuffed with lamb keema, peppery spiced scrambled eggs with truffle oil and naan, crispy new potatoes with Tulsi chilli chutney. If something more substantial is required, look to the line-up of tandoor-fired dishes, biryanis and curries – from Goan-style stone bass tikka with chilli paste to Malabar lamb or a version of chicken Madras involving coconut milk and ‘southern spices’. Dhals, vegetables and sides will please all palates and persuasions, while dessert might bring masala chai panna cotta with strawberries and figs. On Sunday, the Bombay Bustle 'brunch bundle' is a local hit. To drink, east-west cocktails are quite the thing here, (try the signature G&T made with Nagpur orange bitter and gin distilled in a 100-year-old copper pot); otherwise glug a bottle of Indian beer or something from the global wine list.

'One of those old-school places where everything is just done right; a proper treat,’ was one reader’s verdict on Richard Corrigan’s ‘brilliant’ Mayfair flagship. Culinary aspirations are sky-high but the kitchen keeps its feet firmly on the earth, offering everything from a classic opener such as roast veal sweetbread with langoustine, peas and soda bread crumb to a pie of poulet de bresse chicken, morels and artichokes that has been deemed ‘historically good’. Furred and feathered game is always a feature in season, while Irish beef is a solid mainstay throughout the year. 

Influences from the chef’s native Ireland are melded with foraged foods and tip-top supplies from artisan producers, while a sense of clubby nostalgia permeates the place, ‘complemented by staff who clearly like to see guests having a good time.’ Lunch and dinner ‘du jour’ menus are devoid of any sense of corner-cutting, especially when the finish line is reached via a spring fruit salad or Eve’s pudding with apple and rhubarb. The wine list is vast and authoritative, opening with a changing seasonal selection and including a classy by-the-glass selection.

Originally inspired by colonial India’s Days of the Raj polo clubs, this thoroughbred from the JKS group (Trishna, Hoppers etc) is a classy Mayfair package spread over two levels connected by a mirrored staircase. Most of the action takes place in the ground-floor dining room and bar, with its richly upholstered leather seating, whirring ceiling fans, old prints and stag’s heads – not forgetting hunting trophies from the Maharaja of Jodhpur.

The menu shines the spotlight on grills, game and chops, all given a thrilling contemporary spin to match the gussied-up surroundings – from Goan-style salmon tikka with tomato chutney to guinea fowl pepper fry served with a Malabar paratha or tandoori lamb chops unexpectedly pointed up with walnut chutney. Elsewhere, pork cheek vindaloo and a wild muntjac biryani sound inviting, while fans of rogan josh and chicken butter masala also have plenty to cheer about. For something more esoteric, home in on the assortment of ‘nashta’ small plates, perhaps minced kid goat methi keema with pao bread or duck-egg bhurji scrambled with lobster and served alongside a Malabar paratha. Desserts (meetha) continue the mashed-up crossover theme, as in a take on tiramisu involving rasgulla (a syrupy, sponge-like Asian classic) or a Basmati rice pudding (kheer) spiced with cardamom and accompanied by mango sorbet.

The standalone bar dispenses cocktails and reinvented punches, alongside nibbles of Amritsari shrimps or Punjabi samosas with sweet/sour tamarind-spiked 'saunth' chutney. Otherwise, specially brewed 4th Rifles Pale Ale and a compendium of thoughtfully selected wines (including some English sparklers) suit the food admirably.

There had been high-end Chinese eateries in London before visionary restaurateur Alan Yau launched Hakkasan in 2001 but none that had made the concept approachably aspirational rather than simply offering dining rooms for the rich. This 2010 sequel keeps all that was ground-breaking about the Tottenham Court Road original but in a Mayfair location that seems a better fit for the high-octane glamour of it all. A mirror hanging above the staircase to the basement dining room emphasises that this is a restaurant where appearances are at a premium and, from the carved oriental screens and spot-lit tables to the scarily good-looking staff, Hakkasan Mayfair is not somewhere to slum it. Then again, this is food to dress up for. The Anglo-Chinese favourites can be pimped up with luxury produce – the Peking duck comes with the optional addition of beluga caviar – but all the ingredients here are top-notch (as indeed they should be at these prices) and the quality of cooking is unfailingly high. The pork ribs are smoked with jasmine tea, the Singapore noodles adorned with jumbo-sized prawns (rather than the usual sad specimens), soft-shell crab, squid and Dover sole are gently encased in the lightest of batters, while perfectly timed pak choi zings with fresh ginger. Balance is a hallmark of the Hakkasan kitchen, whether the genuinely sweet-and-sour Duke of Berkshire pork (a best-in-class rendition of the clichéd dish), the hot-and-sour crispy freshwater prawns with chillies and cashews (an update of the classic kung po), or the sharp and rich slow-roasted ibérico pork char siu coated with black garlic glaze, mustard dressing and pickled daikon. Wines from the style-led list will at least double the bill, while other drawbacks to dining here include tightly packed tables that allow easy eavesdropping and a throbbing soundtrack that would not be out of place in a nightclub. Natural light makes the ground-floor dining room-cum-lounge bar feel less claustrophobic, not least for daytime dim sum that is some of the best in London. But for special occasions – or any time you just want to feel special – Hakkasan Mayfair fits the sizeable bill.

Despite the gushing water feature on Carlos Place, the Connaught remains a redoubt of hotel tradition, still at the centre of a turbulent West End. Its principal dining room has been under the aegis of Hélène Darroze for 14 years now, undergoing cosmetic surgery in 2019 to turn it from something that still felt like a gentlemen's club to a lighter, more appealing space with tan leather banquettes and subdued illumination. Numerous staff patrol the territory with impeccable precision, smart as soldiers and twice as friendly, contributing to the sense of occasion that the seasonally shifting menus promise. There is just enough variation to permit some choosing: pairs of options at some stages (though one always has a supplement), a sliding scale for the overall number of courses. Wine flights also ascend through the financial levels, from here on earth to ya-ya. If there was occasionally a feeling in the past that the fit wasn't quite comfortable – like those new shoes that pinch a little – the transformation in recent years has been remarkable. Darroze is at the top of her game, offering dishes that astonish with their complexity and stirring depth of flavour. Paimpol coco beans and smoked eel, seasoned with Nepalese timut pepper and bathed in clam consommé, was a magnificent opening statement on the 'Taste of Autumn' menu, followed by ceps in pasta cups with a snail, some guanciale and roasted cobnuts. A dish lid is whisked away to engulf the diner in the aromas of burnt hay, the basis of a foaming sauce for a piece of lobster tail, with two superb condiments – a sweet-and-sour gel and vivid green tarragon purée. The main event might be Rhug lamb dressed in ras el hanout with apricot and spelt. Less spectacular, but still good, was the breast of guinea fowl stuffed with duck liver and accompanied by braised Roscoff onion. A pre-dessert of peach with nasturtiums then paves the way for, perhaps, Mekonga chocolate in buckwheat tea or the signature baba, doused in one of Darroze's bespoke vintage Armagnacs, with raspberries and peppered crème fraîche. There has sometimes been a feeling that the grand hotels have lost a little ground in the rip-tide of contemporary cooking that has overtaken the capital. Not here. This is a kitchen in turbo-charge.

A hide is where ornithologists conceal themselves to watch the birdlife, and up on the first floor at Ollie Dabbous' Mayfair bolthole, lucky diners have a panoramic view over the expanses of Green Park. In a room done out in neutral tones of sand and stone, the welcome clatter of the Champagne trolley rattling over the wood floor banishes any hint of hush. Menus are a mix of the tasting format and a three-course carte, where caviar variations have their own section. Dabbous' dishes are stamped with the author's personality, with imagination and technical innovation on pyrotechnical display. A first course that matches Tropea onion and Graceburn cheese with textural spins on canteloupe melon is a multi-layered revelation. Lobster is treated royally, the exemplary tender meat offset with a bisque-flavoured purée, pickled fennel and its pollen, plus a sensational beurre blanc cut with curry oil. Monkfish with sweetcorn, sea herbs and truffle makes a fragrant proposition, the fish perhaps having had a couple of minutes too long, but veal sweetbreads are as gently rich as is proper, with plenty of greens and an aromatic sauce of coffee beans. Desserts are positively baffling, seeming clumsy in construction and with a post-ironic hint of Fanny Cradock: a syrup-soaked cherry-blossom teacake (in November) is served with a coupe of vanilla cream and maraschinos. Service can be a little disoriented – long waits for the final bill are always an exasperation. The wine pairings are full of allure, offering such diversions as Czech Pinot Blanc, cherry-sweet vintage Banyuls and Telti-Kuruk, a herbaceous varietal from Ukraine.

Taking its name from the intricate 16th-century lace shawls of Kashmir, this lavish Mayfair spot has become a ‘beacon for those seeking both luxury and authenticity’ – a meticulously orchestrated celebration of India’s culinary heritage in the heart of London’s West End. Inside, colonial grandeur meets modern flair with soft, warm lighting, swathes of marble, mother of pearl inserts and gorgeous, carefully curated artworks.

Jamavar’s refined, sophisticated design chimes perfectly with the food, which offers indulgence, invention and meticulous attention to detail – especially when it comes to sourcing prime seasonal produce. Small plates pull in ideas and flavours from across the Subcontinent, with the peppery bite of a perfectly crisp, garlicky soft-shell crab vying with kathal bhel – an inventive twist on the classic theme with jackfruit, tamarind and sun-dried tomato taking centre stage (‘it’s street food, yes, but not as you know it,’ thought one reporter).

Elsewhere, there is a lusciously rich Malvani prawn curry in a velvety coconut-infused sauce, while dum tarkari biryani is a fragrant delight with its delicate blend of spices and subtle nuances. Or look to the tandoor for a version of chicken tikka enlivened with sweet basil, pickled radish and yoghurt or dip into the roster of curries – perhaps butter chicken or laal maas (eight-hour slow-cooked Hampshire lamb shank with Rajasthani chilli).

Skilfully crafted sides such as gobhi mutter (cauliflower with peas) add extra layers of taste and texture to proceedings, while desserts are guaranteed to delight and surprise – as in a pistachio milk cake strewn with rose petals or mango rasmalai (‘a work of art’ combining a light wheat biscuit with mango cream and a tangy chutney). To drink, one reporter enjoyed the refreshing ‘tropical escapism’ of a Lychee Cooler, although the hefty international wine list offers more than 25 tempting selections by the glass.

‘So consistent and so good,’ is one verdict on this relaxed Mayfair offering helmed by established Indian restaurateur Atul Kochhar. The decor transports diners with its cool jazz soundtrack and elegantly themed interiors inspired by the Sikkimese landscapes, while the cooking delves into the lesser-known cuisine of the Subcontinent’s north-east provinces, combining traditional techniques with modern flair.

For starters, regulars rate the chidiya samosa ki chaat (a vegetable mini samosa with smoked yellow-pea curry and chutneys), and it’s also worth seeking out the tandoori monkfish with coconut creamed kale – although the chef’s signature chicken tikka pie (dating from 2006) is the all-round bestseller. Main dishes highlight the Kochhar’s commitment to provenance and British regional produce – as in batak salan (slow-cooked gadwall duck breast with apricot, confit leg samosa, peanut and coconut sauce) or a ‘coastal’ seafood bisque involving red snapper, scallops, tiger prawns and mussels in a spiced broth with caviar. Vegetarian dishes also figure prominently, from jackfruit kofta in coconut korma to fig-filled paneer tikka with baby spinach and rich tomato gravy.

If a sweet finale is required, try the pistachio kulfi with dark chocolate mousse and rose foam. Service is generally attentive, and knowledgeable staff are ‘keen to make recommendations tailored to individual tastes’. There’s a brunch offer at the weekend, while Monday brings a special three-course menu with a carafe of house wine included. The bar is a good call in its own right, and the extensive drinks list spans everything from exotic cocktails to a carefully curated list of spice-friendly global wines. 

An animated local institution, this simple set of rooms has been a bright light in Shepherd Market since 2014. The two-tiered interior (linked by a narrow staircase) has a rustic, thrown-together look with clumping wood furniture, while diversion from basic comfort levels comes in the form of a regularly changing menu that plays obsessively off the seasons. The unfussy, purposeful cooking is all about first-class ingredients and big, bold flavours – the tone set immediately with starters of grilled fennel, pickles and mustard vinaigrette, silky cod’s roe with radishes and crackers, and a tangle of fresh peas and pea shoots atop soft, rich Graceburn cheese spread thickly on toast. The flavour of the wood grill is introduced judiciously, applying the sparest of preparations to a Belted Galloway wing rib (advertised for two but more than enough for three), nicely charred, deliciously fatty, seriously pink inside, smeared with a melting tarragon and green peppercorn butter and served with new potatoes and a watercress salad. A punchy side of grilled cauliflower and XO sauce provides the perfect accompaniment. Look out, too, for the whole grilled lemon sole and the pork chop served with salsa verde, pickled raisins and chicory. Finish with 'queen bee' parfait, boozy strawberries and pistachio. Plus points for the engaged staff, the pavement tables shaded by an awning and large umbrellas, and the modest but modern wine list, which starts at a remarkable (given the location) £5 a glass, £15 a carafe and £30 a bottle, with plenty of options below the £45 mark.

'It felt like I had been transported onto a Wong Kar-Wai movie set,’ quipped an inspector after visiting this three-storey Georgian townhouse. A picture-pretty fantasy trip imagined as the private residence of (make-believe) Empress MiMi – 'keeper of the most revered Chinese culinary secrets' – the venue has been brought to life by the team behind Jamavar and Bombay Bustle. It may seem off-script, with each floor individually designed and bijou spaces to suit different moods, but the result is instantly seductive: ‘We were taken up the narrow stairs into a room that evoked 1920s Shanghai chic – resplendent with floral wall coverings, peachy-coloured leather and Ming-inspired porcelain.' Meanwhile, engaging staff add to the pleasure of eating here. In the kitchen, veteran chef Peter Ho (ex-Hakkasan) takes diners on an 'anecdotal' culinary journey across China, beginning with first-rate dim sum – notably a selection of colourful xiao long bao (presented in a bamboo box), king crab dumplings with Chinese garlic, and sea urchin turnip puffs. From the main menu, two dishes stand out: langoustines delicately wrapped with angel-hair pasta, deep-fried, and cleverly paired with slivers of black Périgord truffle; and a sensational Beijing duck painstakingly prepared, roasted over applewood and carved theatrically at the table. To drink, cool and original cocktails are the go-to libations, although anyone hoping for good-value wines should think again. That said, MiMi's chi-chi glamour, vivacious vibe and high-quality food make it a ‘surprisingly immersive experience’.

Any restaurant located on Mayfair's Mount Street must bring expectations of high prices and a certain well-groomed charm. Mount St doesn't disappoint on either count. There’s a classy subtlety to this dining room located above the Audley Public House. Large windows let natural light flood in and every inch of the walls is covered in art, courtesy of Artfarm (the hospitality arm of the modern gallery group Hauser & Wirth) which is behind the redevelopment of the whole building. It makes for a voguishly svelte (and welcome) package – open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Given the fact that it received the seal of approval from the King and Queen when they dined here late in 2022, coupled with the cult status of its eye-wateringly priced lobster pie for two, it's no surprise that booking is essential. The menu follows both the classic school (oysters, caviar, omelette Arnold Bennett, Portland crab with brown crab mayonnaise) and more contemporary themes (a pairing of Orkney scallops with a smooth smoked eel sauce and slivers of raw apple adding some texture). Stick with fish and you might be rewarded by Dover sole with brown butter hollandaise, but meats are also allowed to shine – as in a gutsy dish of perfectly timed West Country lamb chops teamed with some slow-cooked belly. Finish up with a banana soufflé plus rum and raisin ice cream and salted caramel or a gloriously old-fashioned savoury, perhaps Gentleman’s Relish on toast with cucumber. The wide-ranging wine list, strongest in France and Italy, is predictably pricey.

Angela Hartnett's Murano fits its Mayfair environs to a nicety. It's a civilised, expansive, lushly carpeted room patrolled by attentive staff, the muted decorative tone risking no jolts to visual tranquillity. Even the pattern of rolling waves on the walls has a lulling effect. The cooking, hitherto more studiedly Italian in origin than it is these days, opts for assurance and refinement rather than  showy gastronomic effect, with soothing textures (silky purées make regular appearances), gently wrought counterpoints of flavour, and the unarguable quality of prime raw materials. The carte exists in a zone of indeterminacy between the standard three courses and a more taster-like six, according to keenness of appetite, and there is a fixed-price lunch offering too. A mosaic of cured salmon bound with dulse comes with shaved fennel in a bright elderflower dressing with sea herbs. The crumbing and frying of sweetbreads allows the main ingredient a rarely seen integrity here, its texture for once not reduced to something from the fried chicken shop, its accompaniments of carrot variations and toasted hazelnuts in a soy dressing completing a satisfying dish. We might wonder whether the rice-crusted breasts of partridge, together with a slender confit leg, could benefit from a little old-fashioned gaminess, but the accoutrements of cauliflower purée and pickled blackberries make sense, while Scottish venison comes with an array of beetroot, pickled walnuts and a ball of braised venison and pork. Dessert could be something as eye-popping as a broad-beamed mandarin soufflé, stuffed at the table first with orange and Grand Marnier compote, then with pancake ice cream; otherwise, you might gravitate towards the unadorned zesty heaven of the caramelised Amalfi lemon tart. Wines are assiduously well-chosen, with some excellent selections by the glass, though our hankering for a dry sherry revealed there isn't a drop in the building.

There’s something reassuringly old fashioned about this self-confident restaurant (the latest in what is now a trio of London-based Noble Rots) – and that’s a large part of its charm. With a dark green frontage, ground-floor windows sporting café-style net curtains and two slightly cramped dining floors, it feels as if it has been around forever – an impression reinforced by the simple polished wood tables, red banquettes, wooden chairs and mottled walls covered in framed Noble Rot magazine covers. Clued-up staff, a general air of warm-heartedness and a commendable wine list all contribute to the appeal. The regularly changing menu is reflective of both the season and head chef Adam Wood's many enthusiasms – his food is a delight. The short, Euro-accented menu offers dishes that are (mostly) straightforward assemblies with inspired finishing touches – beef tartare with green tomatoes and Ossau-Iraty (Basque ewe's milk cheese), say, or smoked ravioli with courgette and preserved lemon. We enjoyed tender squid with a chorizo sauce – so good we regretted not ordering bread to mop it all up – followed by two generous slices of tender Ibérico pork, served with a heap of runner beans, sliced apricots and juicy whole blackberries. And we couldn’t fault the rich, delicate duck-egg custard tart – a sprinkling of sea salt proved a sharp foil that really enhanced the flavour. The wine list is simply one of the best in London, an outstanding, deeply researched and inspiring document. Predominantly organised by grape variety, with regional sections where blends are predominant, it spans a massive range of top-drawer growers and estates. The principal focus is Europe, though there are some pedigree New Worlders too. Portuguese and Greek selections are encouragingly thorough, and the listings of sparklers and sweet wines (rotted and late-picked) are tremendous. Wines by the glass are in small enough measures to make comparative tasting feasible. Coravin pours will test the budget, but are uniformly glorious.

If Spanish tapas as a restaurant concept now comes in fifty shades of authenticity, Sabor offers something else again. Nieves Barragán and José Etura draw on the culinary traditions of all corners of Spain, from Castile and Galicia down to Andalucia, in an ingeniously designed – and dynamically popular – venue just off Regent Street. The outdoor queue that has already formed at midday on a Monday for the no-bookings ground-floor Counter, bears witness to the enthusiasm with which Londoners have embraced the idea.

Your orders are marked in pen on the counter before you, and crossed off as they are delivered. Consider the tortilla: toasty exterior, the inside molten but firm, the disc-like shape perfection itself, with neat distribution of filling. On top is a dot of rich but mellow allioli. A flaky-pastried lamb empanada with a little salad is a delicate joy, as is the sweetbread in creamy caper gravy, topped with flawlessly timed fried kale that retains its colour and texture. Elsewhere, grilled red peppers and hazelnuts make a sweet foil to a portion of blue goat's cheese.

The same strong flavours are also boldly applied to fish dishes such as seared tuna with ajo blanco, or the Spanish-Italian fusion of cuttlefish pappardelle with Manchego and pesto. There might be more goat's cheese for afters, blended in an ice cream and sauced with liquorice, but the chocolate bombas are pretty seductive too. Drink Estrella beer, sherry or a couple of the excellent Spanish wines (from £7.50 a glass).

From the Cubitt House group, this transformed Mayfair pub comes across as a genuine local, refreshingly free of affectation and resolutely faithful to its pub roots. The impressive ground-floor bar has held on to its darkly varnished wood and etched glass, packing in drinkers for pints of proper beer and a bar menu offering the likes of hot meat buns or sausage rolls with homemade brown sauce. However, the real action takes place upstairs in an intimate, richly decorated dining room. Here chef director Ben Tish and head chef Chris Fordham-Smith's influences are to be seen, their talents and food-loving instincts delivering high-impact, no-nonsense British cooking. It’s a clear-sighted, thoughtful approach that pays dividends all round, from starters of steamed cockles (with parsley butter), a house terrine en croûte or brown crab rarebit to desserts such as baked Alaska (for two) and sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel sauce. In between, the kitchen applies a respectful approach to top-drawer ingredients: native-breed beef pie with mash and parsley sauce; an exemplary free-range roast chicken, served with sage and truffle butter; a daily roast of rare-breed meats (the real deal). There’s an inspired cheese selection too, and wine is taken seriously – expect a thoughtful selection that accommodates all depths of pocket.

As with bungee-jumping or a trip to Venice, dinner at The Ritz is one of those experiences that every life should ideally embrace at least once. There is nothing in either hemisphere that looks like the hotel's dining room on a balmy day, with the sun pouring in off Green Park – unless it be the evening scene, when gilded Poseidon lolls on his pedestal, sparkling chandeliers twinkle and the silverware gleams like honesty in a sinful world.

In the distant past, the cooking idled amid pedestrian Anglo-French cliché, but under John Williams MBE, it began a steady ascent toward global greatness. Needless to say, the style of service is an exercise in arts that have been cheerfully abandoned elsewhere, and yet there is genuine warmth within the impeccable propriety. Prime materials from the home nations – organic Cornish beef, Lakeland lamb, Scottish lobster – furnish a menu that is supple enough to be parlayed into five- or seven-course ‘epicurean experiences’ for those reluctant to tear themselves away.

To start, there's Dorset crab dressed in crème fraîche and adorned with Imperial caviar, or you might plump for roast quail cooked in verjus and crunchy with hazelnuts. The delicacy of timing is exemplary throughout, from wild sea bass with artichoke and lemon to truffled veal fillet with chestnuts, but equally sharp judgement distinguishes the miraculously tender roe deer and its aromatic garnitures of smoked beetroot and juniper.

Tableside service was what there was before open kitchens, a chance to see the finishing touches being applied to dîner à deux servings of Dover sole or beef Wellington, followed perhaps by crêpes Suzette – an Edwardian culinary bloop that stuck. Otherwise, look to chocolate soufflé with vanilla Chantilly, chestnut Mont Blanc or the distinctly daring port-roasted figs in orange and olive oil.

If you're after a spot of wine as well, the Ritz can oblige. Perhaps start with a larger-than-average glass of the ‘Champagne of the month’, before setting about the main list. French and Italian classics form the solid, lottery-win foundation, but there are excellent selections from South America and Australasia too.

Like all good things, the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant (estab. 1926) has spawned a string of imitators under the aegis of Ranjit Mathrani, Namitha and Camellia Panjabi (the family behind Chutney Mary, Amaya and the Masala Zone group), but Veeraswamy simply shrugs off the years and carries on as before. A lift whisks you from street level to the first-floor dining room where large windows overlook Regent Street and the warm, cossetting decor nods to the Days of the Raj with vintage memorabilia. Backstage, chefs deftly layer flavour upon flavour in home-style cooking that blends renditions of the classic repertoire with some exceptional house specials. Ideas are lifted from all over India: Malvani prawn curry from the south Konkan coast comes in a rich sauce heady with turmeric, red chilli, coconut and dried kokum flower, while an unusual crab biryani from Bhatkal (in the coastal area of western India) is a superb exploration of the power of aged basmati rice to absorb flavours – here saffron and cinnamon leaf – while letting the delicacy of the fresh crustacean to shine. Street food puts in an appearance too: momos (Tibetan dumplings) are now fully absorbed into Indian street culture – here they are filled with chicken, softly steamed and finished in the tandoor. The sourcing of ingredients is important too. Welsh lamb supplies the tender chops that are grilled with a blend of cloves, fennel and rose petal, and go so well with a fine pineapple curry. And one of the most likeable things on the menu is the excellent homemade paneer prepared using full-fat Jersey milk and served in a light tomato sauce with peppers, garden peas, and cashew nuts. Naan fingers with garlic and sea salt are light and soft, service is friendly and attentive, and wines have been chosen for compatibility with the food.