The London Marathon 2026: where to eat along the route
Published 20 April 2026

Located in the warehouse of Gergovie Wines, 40 Maltby Street is a casual, no-bookings dining spot under Bermondsey's rumbling railway arches – a setting that belies the quality of the food emerging from the very small open kitchen. There's strong commitment to seasonality and provenance across the menu – take a dish of raw mackerel, pickled forced rhubarb and horseradish, which one reporter enjoyed so much they had to order it again straight away. On our most recent visit, a chicken and bacon terrine also hit the spot – the rich pork fat judiciously stuffed with hazelnuts to give a welcome crunch. 

While the model is small plates for sharing, there are a few larger offerings, perhaps confit duck with bitter leaves and potato cake, or crumbed skate with Jerusalem artichokes and pickled chanterelles. Also expect a strong showing of veggie dishes such as roasted pumpkin with chickpeas, crispy broccoli and yoghurt. A short selection of desserts, which always includes at least one sorbet or ice cream, continues the seasonal theme – from a winter offering of marmalade sponge pudding to elderflower jelly with strawberries and a brandy snap in early summer. 

As for drinks, natural wines from low-intervention producers are the stars of the show, and it's worth hanging out at the bar to peruse what's on offer while you wait for a table. Staff know their stuff and demonstrate an excellent knowledge of the extensive list, especially when it comes to the daily changing selection of by-the-glass sips.  In all, 40 Maltby Street is the kind of no-frills eatery and wine emporium that we would all love to have in our neighbourhood.

More than three decades ago, there was nowhere quite like Le Caprice in London for high-glamour celebrity-spotting. With Jeremy King’s return to 20 Arlington Street comes a new iteration with a new name – ‘it's now touted as “not Le Caprice”, but you could have fooled me,’ noted a confirmed regular from the old days. The predominantly monochrome ‘Parisian brasserie’ look has been faithfully restored: the walls are still lined with David Bailey's iconic monochrome photos of (now half-forgotten) stars, and the piano continues to tinkle in the evening. Even Le Caprice's culinary legends still queue up on the menu, all delivered with great proficiency.

The crispy duck salad, the calf’s liver with bacon, the house burger ('chopped steak Américain’ in Arlington-speak) and, of course, the iced berries with white chocolate sauce all have a legion of followers. Ditto the famous bang-bang chicken and the big-on-comfort salmon fishcakes with sorrel sauce, which we enjoyed. For something more interesting, look to the daily specials – maybe vitello tonnato, followed by chargrilled squid with pepper salsa and bacon.

But it was desserts that hit the top note for us. Two could have made short work of our rich, buttery and delicious tarte tatin, while a light, delicate elderflower jelly with summer fruits was sublime in its simplicity. It's all matched by a wine list that leans towards Europe but offers little choice under £50. However, there’s a reasonable selection by the glass (from £9) and carafe (from £27).

Arlington may serve a city vastly different from the one that its predecessor dazzled back in the day, but it can still deliver classy modern brasserie fare and it still has a certain ‘something for everyone’ appeal, while a seat at the bar by the entrance looks like a great spot for solo diners.

Handily located on a corner site in Covent Garden’s theatreland, with all the hallmarks of the Barrafina group – from the prime time queues to the counter seating at a marble-topped bar and the cooked-to-order menu of Spanish tapas classics. Top-notch ingredients are at the heart of things and the cooking is deceptively simple, whether you’re after one of the made-to-order tortillas (perhaps prawns with piquillo peppers) or something from the charcoal oven (milk-fed lamb’s kidneys or dry-aged sirloin with oloroso sauce). Para picar nibbles such as pan con tomate or Padrón peppers get the juices flowing and it’s also worth taking a serious look at the little chalked-up board of daily specials for further inducements. Here you might find inviting star turns such as cuttlefish croquetas, lemon sole with citrus butter, whole turbot with ajada sauce or smoked calf’s tongue. For afters, check out the crema catalana or the milhojas (stacked layers of puff pastry with a creamy mix of condensed milk, sugar and vanilla). To match the food, there’s a spot-on list of Spanish regional wines (many available by the glass or carafe) as well as sherries in all styles.

Modernist lighting, high-toned detailing and lots of elegant curves – the former bar area of Wild Honey makes a suitably swanky backdrop for Anthony Demetre's more informal spin-off and is ‘a lovely space to pop in for a drink or a longer meal’. Arguably, the biggest draw is the bargain prix-fixe of just two choices at each course, offered from noon to 6.30pm, but the much pricier carte is vital and seasonal, filled with enticing and irresistible dishes. 

The menu makes no bones about its Francophilia, but there are modern touches along the way and the quality of the produce is outstanding. You can, of course, opt for just a burger with fries or merguez sausages with lyonnaise potatoes, but should three courses beckon, a salad of autumn leaves with pear, walnut and soft cheese dressing is deliciously new wave, while pork, chicken and duck terrine ‘en croûte’ is a typically classic opener. The standout at our lunch was rabbit à la moutarde, fall-apart meat simmered in white wine and mustard, with a side of crushed charlotte potatoes in spiced brown butter – though we found similar contentment in a dessert of light, creamy tiramisu.

Staff are admirably well versed in the niceties of their trade and there’s a serious dedication to the drinks side of things, from perfect Negronis to an exemplary choice of wines by the glass. And if you decide to drop by between 5pm and 7pm (aka ‘cinq à sept’), you can order a glass of the day’s red or white with a choice of ham or cheese croquettes for £11.

The owners of the Blacklock chophouse group didn’t fancy a contemporary glass monolith when they decided on a branch in Canary Wharf; instead, they picked a disused warehouse nestled under the train tracks of the North Dock. The result seems like a perfect fit for the group’s brand of jovial hospitality and meaty cooking.

Vintage Blacklock irons are used to grill its ‘skinny chops’ – naturally reared lamb T-bones, pork ribs, bone-in sirloins and more besides. The best deal is the £27 ‘all in’ sharing offer, which brings a stack of different meats piled high on herb-flecked chargrilled flatbreads. That said, some of the best things are the supporting acts: ‘pre-chop bites’ such as potted meats with kimchi; sides including BBQ baby gems with anchovy ‘dripping’, and all sorts of extras – from chilli hollandaise and garlic marrow spread to the near-legendary Blacklock gravy served in old-fashioned ‘boats’.

Lunch brings steak sarnies and burgers, while Sunday is reserved for Blacklock’s ‘plentiful’ roasts – perfect for groups who can partake of the ‘all in’ offer of three meats plus the ‘crunchiest duck-fat potatoes’ and more of that aforementioned gravy. Round things off with apple crumble or the ‘say-when’ white chocolate cheesecake, doled out from a big bowl at the table. To drink, there are zingy cocktails (don’t miss the ‘beefy Marys’ on Sundays), plus own-label beers and non-spendy wines (some on tap).

The younger sibling of Maison François in St James's, Café François plays the cheeky barrow boy to its suited-and-booted older bruv. Extending over two floors in Borough Yard, it has a deli counter, show kitchen and ground-floor rotisserie, while upstairs, under the brick railway arches, you sit at long wooden benches, elbows in, amid the jolly jostle.

Digging deep into the roots of French canteen cooking, the kitchen produces moreish gougère puffs filled with Comté cheese, crispy frogs' legs with ravigote dip, and escargots lathered in garlic and parsley butter. There are one or two excursions into other territories (although pumpkin with freekeh and labneh could still have come from some backstreet Montmartre bistro), while the bacon and egg muffin, partnered with a positive slab of foie gras, takes its inspiration from French-Canadian Joe Beef in Montreal. The French-Viet bánh mì baguette filled with soft-shell crab looks good too. If rotisserie cooking still strikes you as a bit Abigail's Party, try the herb-scented chicken portions (with optional merguez sausage) or prime rib in red wine jus, and be converted.

Other main dishes take in a monkfish and mussel vadouvan curry, and the all-important quiche du jour with green salad. Dessert offers up a clutch of éclairs, including our luscious pecan and vanilla version, as well as the likes of tarte au citron and hazelnut Paris-Brest. ‘The language of wine is truly international,’ begins the list, articulating a sentiment that would have caused a fit of the vapeurs in France a generation ago, but the selection soon romps off round Europe and into the New World. House selections from a biodynamic Bordeaux vineyard (in all three colours) start at £9 a small glass.

Here we have a little haven of French provincial cooking amid the bustle of Borough Market, a neat, simply dressed bistro with candles on the tables and a menu featuring pâté en croûte, grilled ox heart with Café de Paris butter, and a daily line-up of blackboard specials. Clare Lattin and Tom Hill cut their teeth at London’s Ducksoup, then moved on to osteria Emilia in Devon, so they have serious chops when it comes to running restaurants. There’s nothing quite like the buzz in here when the place is full, with upbeat service adding to the all-round joie de vivre.

The kitchen is run by Elliot Hashtroudi, who takes due account of seasonal British produce for a series of delicious French vignettes where each plate is allowed to shine in its own right. We kicked off with a snack of smoked eel served atop curried devilled eggs, before tackling a starter of white crabmeat perfectly matched with a barattiere melon and cucumber emulsion, heritage tomatoes and a melon granita. For the main course, the richness of a superb Welsh pork schnitzel (crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside) was offset by a salad of greengage and crispy pig's ear – although a combo of octopus, pig's trotter and bacon looked equally intriguing. 

To finish, we were taken by the peach tart and the canelé with lemon curd, but finally settled for a rich dark chocolate marquise topped with Chantilly cream and beef-fat salted caramel. A dozen low-intervention wines from small French and Italian producers start at £35, with by-the-glass selections changing each day.

After years of pop-ups, this Italian-inspired restaurant group is firmly established south of the river with a permanent spot in Peckham (Forza Wine). Now its most ambitious project to date is to be found on the second floor of The National Theatre. The concrete, wood and glass 160-seater is the place to pop in for drinks – Forza’s special cherry Negroni leads the cocktail charge and there’s an interesting list of approachable, modern European wines including plenty by the glass.

 From the kitchen comes a compact, seasonally aware list of Italian-style small plates to share. To begin, we enjoyed a generous serving of cauliflower fritti with aïoli, as well as a satisfying plate of potato, pancetta and porcini mushrooms. As dishes arrive when they are ready, we happily discovered that roasted Delica pumpkin set atop a pool of creamy pearl barley and sage worked really well with pink, well-flavoured slices of lamb shoulder, celeriac and salsa verde. Each of these items was simply executed and tasted deliciously of its excellent well-sourced ingredients, although not everything we sampled passed muster.

However, there was nothing awry about our milk soft serve with roasted apple and a topping of candied walnut; the famed ‘Custardo’ – an affogato made with custard – is not to be missed, either. While on-the-ball staff check if you are dining pre-theatre, such is Forza’s following that few people depart when the final call sounds for the Lyttelton Theatre one floor down – the atmosphere remains lively. It's also worth checking out the pleasant, partially covered terrace looking onto the river and Waterloo Bridge.

Will Beckett and Huw Gott launched the first of their British steakhouses on a shoestring in Spitalfields in 2006. Since then, they’ve kept on expanding, even venturing as far afield as Chicago and New York Talk about coals to Newcastle! Their latest London opening, in a steel and glass pavilion on the water in Docklands may look like it's zoomed in from the future, but inside all is reassuringly ‘Hawksmoor’ (dark wood, green leather, staff in civvies).

The beef’s the thing: grass-fed, dry-aged, and handled with care; the larger cuts of T-bones and prime rib quickly disappear from the specials board. By way of accompaniment, the triple-cooked chips, Tunworth cheese mash, and anchovy hollandaise should come with a defibrillator. Alternatives to meat include a mass of charred romanesco with Graceburn cheese, peanuts and chilli that isn’t likely to convert their carnivore clientele; however, lobster with garlic butter and oysters with Scotch bonnet mignonette have a shot.

Hawksmoor's Sunday roast is also a feast not to be missed, built around a slow-roast rump of aged beef served with an assortment of classic accompaniments including lashings of bone-marrow and onion gravy (happily replenished). The wine list excels by the glass, and keeps bottles largely under a ton (small potatoes round these parts). Below decks, the 120-seat Lowback Bar delivers cocktails, music, po’boys, snacks and burgers. Fun.

A bright spark on Deptford High Street, this popular eatery was set up by seasoned London chefs Matt Klose and Sam Soan on the back of their thriving catering and events company. Upscale canteen furniture sets the tone, while chatty, amicable staff are happy to talk diners through the day’s line-up of Med-accented small plates and bigger dishes, Expect anything from crisp, dainty smoked haddock, cauliflower and lovage arancini to onglet steak with frites, coley fillet with sauce vierge or coconut panna cotta with strawberries. To drink, beers from Bermondsey and Peckham appear alongside cocktails and a clutch of Old World wines.

Another new kid on the Borough Market block, this offshoot of Thai favourite Som Saa in Spitalfields is all about kolae (sometimes called gaw lae) – meat and fish threaded onto bamboo skewers, dipped in various spicy, coconutty curry marinades and grilled over an open fire. As a sampler, we kicked things off with crispy prawn heads ramped up with turmeric and garlic, before two types of skewer – the signature ‘chicken bamboo’ and a neat row of soft, juicy mussels. Both were immensely delicious ‘sticks of pleasure’. Respectable British produce underpins most of the recipes: slow-cooked Middle White pork belly and ribs bathed in dark soy sauce arrived chock-full of umami and reminded us of barmy holidays on Phuket, while a rich, vivid yellow curry of stone bass, prawns, chopped kale and fragrant betel leaf had us licking the bowl clean. There’s just one dessert, and it’s a good call – pandan sticky rice with coconut sorbet, peanuts, jackfruit and slivers of fleshy young coconut. The restaurant itself (spread over three levels) is designed to match the easy-going mood. The busy ground floor has an industrial look (concrete flooring, bare brick walls, exposed ventilation), with a bar extending to the fired-up open kitchen and lots of counter seating. There's a thrum of energy about the place, helped along by bubbly service. And to drink? Take your pick from spice-tolerant wines, tropical cocktails or esoteric beers including the splendidly named Jiddler’s Tipple (a hazy ‘summer chug’ flavoured with apricots). The combination of emphatically spiced Thai food, good vibrations and moderate pricing make Kolae a solid recommendation, even in a crowded marketplace.

A converted warehouse in the shadow of Tower Bridge is an unlikely spot for a small, independently owned Italian restaurant, but Legare 'punches above its weight,' according to one well-satisfied visitor. Inside, it’s all white walls and stone flooring with tightly packed tables and a centrepiece open-plan kitchen delivering a seasonal, regularly changing menu that’s sensibly short and bolstered by blackboard specials. Chef/co-owner Matt Beardmore honed his craft at Trullo in Islington and we were impressed by the exemplary hand-made paccheri (large pasta tubes) served with a ragù of braised cuttlefish given heft with a touch of chilli and a topping of bottarga. We kicked things off with a dish of cured chalk stream trout, pickled kohlrabi, dill and mustard seeds as well as delicious grilled mackerel with shaved fennel and orange, while our 'secondi' was accurately timed roast quail which arrived in company with onions, sultanas, Kalamazoo olives, pine nuts and pink fir potatoes. The fresh-from-the-oven focaccia seasoned with roasted garlic and oregano is not to be missed, while dessert might promise cannoli with Marcona almonds (priced by the piece) or, perhaps, white chocolate cremoso with passion fruit. Beardmore's business partner Jay Patel (ex-Barrafina) heads a tightly knit front-of-house-team. The wine list comprises some 38 natural tipples sourced from small Italian producers, with a dozen offered by the glass. 

They should rename Bermondsey Street ‘Calle José Pizarro’ following the opening of the acclaimed Spanish chef’s third restaurant on this south London thoroughfare. Next door to José, Lolo offers all-day dining in casual but stylish surroundings (bare plaster walls, glazed ceramic tiles, beautiful wood flooring). Expect an attractive menu of gorgeously flavoursome small and large plates, ranging from silky chicken liver parfait topped with a piquant Pedro Ximénez glaze (a must-order accompanied by miniature sweet potato rolls for scooping) to tender Iberian pork ribs simply seasoned with salt and pepper. Ask for a stool at the open kitchen counter or take breakfast on the pavement terrace and feel part of the local scene.

Deptford High Street has a jewel in its midst; not a shiny blingy one, but a precious little gem called Marcella. 'The art of simplicity' is their mantra, and this sister to Peckham's Artusi is the sort of unpretentious local Italian joint you find yourself returning to again and again. There's an almost canteen-like sparsity to the interior, but a contemporary Scandi-inspired one, with blackboards revealing where the heart and soul of this place resides. It's a short menu, with trios of starters and mains, plus a couple of pasta dishes available in two sizes (Sicilian casarecce, the twisted one, with spicy 'nduja and mascarpone, say). The produce arriving in the kitchen is evidently sourced with due diligence, from the UK and Italy. In summer, you might find Grezzina courgettes braised in Parmesan broth with Risina beans, or grilled Sucrine lettuce matched with ricotta made from sheep's milk (plus potatoes and peas). Tender pork belly rocks up with Tropea onions and anchovy in a full-flavoured main course, while cod is paired with smoky aubergines and peppers. To finish, dark chocolate mousse gets a sweet kiss from salted caramel. The all-Italian wine list opens at £29, and includes helpfully concise tasting notes. 

There are a number of contenders for London’s best-looking dining room, but the old Criterion (established in 1873) must come very near the top of the list. Now fully restored after years in the doldrums, the interior pays homage to the Parisian-style grand brasserie, with extravagant decoration in the form of a stunning gold mosaic ceiling, marble walls studded with semi-precious stones, and an impressive, raised stage-like private dining area to the rear. However, as the lamps and artefacts indicate, culinary inspiration comes from India – this 180-seater is now the capital’s fourth Masala Zone, that highly regarded group from the family behind some of London’s best upmarket Indian restaurants (Chutney Mary, Veeraswamy and Amaya).

The joy of eating at any Masala Zone is that each kitchen dives straight into well-loved traditional specialities in ways that make them seem full of unexplored potential. A broad selection of small plates and snacks kicks things off, perhaps a moreish 'onion flower' bhaji or lamb sliders served in home-baked caramelised onion pao bread. Follow with a deliciously fragrant Alleppey prawn curry lifted by a blend of freshly stone-ground spices and mellowed with coconut, or a fiery chicken dish (from the southwestern city of Mangalore) balanced with coconut milk and lime. They serve an excellent butter chicken, too. The paneer, made fresh daily, is not to missed, whether makhanwalla (a rich, caramelised tomato curry) or tikka (marinated in yoghurt, fenugreek leaves and yellow chilli).

Biryanis are equally worthy of attention, as are the all-in-one thalis (a perfect budget option if you're eating solo). Breakfast and afternoon ‘high chai’ are also worth knowing about. Prices are kind, staff are charming, and the mayhem of Piccadilly Circus seems a world away. The Masala Zone group is also famed for its ‘snappy’ cocktails and well-chosen, food-friendly wines.

Given the name, it’s not surprising that a dedicated oyster bar takes centre stage at this personally run seafood restaurant – the product of innumerable pop-ups, festivals and private party gigs. Oystermen's breezy interior was extended a while back, and the premises has also gained some additional outdoor space (a hangover from the pandemic). All-day opening is a boon for Covent Garden’s theatre crowd, who drop by before or after the show for ‘perfect’ oysters, squid salad with anchovy toast (‘beautifully done’), ‘excellent’ skate and more besides. The menu follows the market and rolls along with the seasons, so expect anything from a gratin of Isle of Man ‘queenie’ scallops with chives and lemon or cured sea trout with apple and ponzu dressing to whole ‘undressed’ Dorset crabs, native lobsters slathered in garlic butter with chips or pan-fried stone bass with parsnip purée, wild mushroom sauce and crispy bacon. Working in a 'teeny-tiny' kitchen, the chef and his team also throw in the occasional exotic curve ball such as hake with red curry sauce, baby sweetcorn and crispy kale. For afters, there are ‘delicious concoctions’ including vanilla panna cotta with blackberries and crumble or strawberry tartlet with vanilla custard and basil. Well-chosen, fish-friendly wines are knowledgeably served by efficient clued-up staff. ‘Overall, a pleasure,’ concluded one fan.

The rear of a children’s playground may be an unusual spot for a restaurant, but the unique setting is indicative of Pique-Nique’s distinctive charms. This offshoot of the equally characterful Casse-Croûte (just around the corner) is more secluded from the bustle of Bermondsey Street and feels like a destination in its own right. Adorned with vintage French posters, Tudor-style timberwork and festive fairy lights, the dining room evokes the relaxed cheerfulness of a tavern but is still special enough for an occasion.

The chalkboard menu is explicitly geared for sharing which fosters a lively atmosphere as well as generating a regularly full house. To begin, a salad of crisp, garden-fresh lettuce, buttery Jersey Royals and deep-pink slices of salted ox heart, dressed in a pleasantly tangy Roquefort sauce and rounded with plenty of green herbs, was faultless in every respect. We can also recommend the lobster, served with chard leaves as big as fans and bathed in a spirited, ultra-savoury bisque cut with tarragon.

Elsewhere, a centrepiece dish of veal en croûte was faultlessly executed and full of flavour – a generous log of golden, ornately patterned flaky pastry sliced at the table to reveal gently blushing meat rolled in an autumnal, earthy blend of pine nuts and mushrooms. The cooking has a ‘wonderful home-cooked feel’, notes one fan, although our dessert was enjoyable rather than memorable: the blueberry beignets arrived tepid, bursting with a tart, fruity filling that overpowered the creamy accompanying pistachio ice cream.

Pique-Nique’s admirable food is complemented by a comprehensive drinks list covering all bases, from good-value wines to smooth aperitifs. Service was very friendly but not always as confident as the cooking, although this was overshadowed by the delightful flavours and joyful ambience that defined our visit.

There’s a lot of love for Rambutan, and it’s repaid with interest from the moment you walk through the door of this enticing and immensely likeable restaurant by Borough Market. Chef-owner Cynthia Shanmugalingam was born in Coventry to Sri Lankan parents and her debut bricks-and-mortar gaff is a fond, personal tribute to the old country’s culinary heritage. Natural clay walls, pink-painted brickwork, a green-hued marble counter, tall tropical plants, buffed wood and rattan chairs create exactly the right mood, while sweet-natured, welcoming staff simply add to the feel-good vibe. An open kitchen does its stuff impressively, celebrating the sheer diversity of Sri Lanka's rich, hot and spicy Tamil cuisine: expect lots of curries, sambals and rotis, all underpinned by supplies of prime British produce ranging from Cornish mussels to Dingley Dell pork. As a curtain-raiser, try one of the ‘short eats’ – say, beautifully tender grilled chicken with spicy kalupol (black coconut) seasoning, accompanied by an intoxicating sweet and tangy tamarind/green chilli dip. We were also bowled over by the fried aubergine moju and a curry of red northern prawns, cooked in the shell with yet more tamarind – perfect with a moist, flaky roti. The cooking ‘crackles with inventiveness’, and if you fancy ‘getting down and dirty’, try tackling the whole Dorset crab in a Jaffna-style curry. After that, a mango soft-serve sorbet is all that’s required for cooling off. A dozen wines are supplemented by spicy cocktails, Cornish Harbour lager and kalamansi iced tea.

Weighing in at 500 covers, this gastronomic leviathan from the team behind Fallow in St James's harks back to the 1990s and the outsized destinations of the Conran empire, although it couldn’t be more forward-looking. A giant 3D-printed coral sculpture helps break up the expansive sweep of the dining room, which opens onto a terrace overlooking Canary Wharf’s South Dock, while an aeroponic ‘growing wall’ provides naturally verdant decoration.

Jack Croft and Will Murray's cooking is all about the big flavours on the sharing plates rather than the sustainable, zero-waste ideas behind them – mercifully there are no earnest tableside lectures here. Every dish we ordered made an impact: deep-fried cuttlefish toast with puffed pork skin and sesame offered a chunky, juicy and sustainable spin on the Chinese restaurant classic, while a flatbread topped with Devon crab, tomato, chilli and basil was an outstandingly light and elegant example of the genre. Best of all was a skewer of meltingly tender, rare-breed pork belly served on a wooden board (a signature of the restaurant), redolent of the grill and supercharged with green Thai chilli paste, yakitori glaze and sriracha sauce – all made in-house.

A well-drilled front-of-house team offers the sort of friendly, personal service you’d associate with a neighbourhood bistro rather than a swanky gastrodrome, although a lack of experience was evident at times during our visit. There are some tantalising (and not greedily marked-up) choices on the wine list – our South African Dorper Chenin Blanc was excellent. Overall, Roe offers thoughtful, exciting and distinctive food that’s easy to love and difficult to forget. It’s a winning combination.

It isn't exactly news that top-end dining in London has become even more riotously expensive than it has ever been, but one heartening development is the willingness of proven chefs to venture into the more affordable end of the market without compromising on quality or excitement. One of Jason Atherton's newest such ventures is here, on a corner of St James's Market, a cheering venue flooded with light from deep windows. In a classy ambience of marble and leather, with chandeliers and flowers to boot, Sael (the name is Old English for season but also, fittingly, for an occasion) offers a tribute to British heritage cooking in an all-day format. 

The more democratic approach does not preclude extraordinary attention to detail, as head chef Dale Bainbridge (ex-Pollen Street Social) demonstrates with a range of appetisers that includes an intensely savoury Marmite custard tart (optionally topped with caviar) or tempura rock oyster with malt vinegar-doused batter scraps. Small plates encompass a memorable assemblage of Orkney scallop, razor clams and smoked leeks.

From a menu section headed ‘mid-plates’ comes a fantastically delicious, multi-layered lasagne of Hereford snails and ox cheek, while the British fondness for east-Asian food is celebrated in gochujang-grilled cuttlefish with soy-braised pork cheek. Prime cuts of meat and fish cooked in embers take in the expected Aberdeen Angus and shorthorn beef, but also a tronçon of aged brill on the bone. Sides rise above their role as mere extras – especially when the broccoli is dressed with smoked anchovies, and the mash is lubricated in chicken gravy.

Nursery puddings are creatively reworked, as in a recklessly sweet jam roly-poly made with brioche, smoked butter, strawberry jam and Jersey custard, or you could come to a quite satisfying sticky end with apple-vinegared English burnt cream and a brandy snap. The wine list is quite a corker, casting a very wide net, with glasses from £8. Otherwise, order by the pint (just over half a litre, for the youngsters among you) from £36.

There are plenty of reasons to linger in this cosy all-year courtyard garden right at the heart of the Corinthia London hotel. Beautifully sheltered, shaded and planted, it cuts a real dash in summer but come winter a mix of sofas with blankets, two fireplaces and plenty of heaters make this a comfortable and elegant destination whatever the weather. Among the all-day food and drinks offering, expect Mediterranean airs in show-stopping main courses such as white asparagus served with a morel and artichoke casserole, wild garlic and fresh Parmesan, or a beautifully rendered, baked sea bass fillet with fennel, capers and lemon. Eggs Mimosa or beef carpaccio start things off with plenty of oomph, otherwise plump for just one dish – say a satisfying salade niçoise or a pizzette topped with Ortiz tuna, tomato, black olive and pea shoots. It’s all about good food, good wine – and cigars after 9.30pm – at prices that match the surroundings.

Inventive seafood dishes with a strong Greek accent are the main attraction at this intimate restaurant on the marina in London’s St Katharine Docks. In summer, a pavement table overlooking the water and the moored yachts might transport you to a taverna on Mykonos – if you have a fertile imagination. However, on a cold and wet winter’s night it's a much less romantic proposition. Luckily, Greek-born Theodore Kyriakou’s food is worth the journey, whatever the weather. Some may remember the chef for the wildly inventive and eclectic food at More, his sadly short-lived Bermondsey restaurant. While the menu at the Melusine is a little more restrained, there’s still plenty of imagination and finesse on offer. At a test meal, a starter of gently steamed trout exemplified the house style: delicate fish perfectly complemented by classic, lemony avgolemono. Kyriakou’s refined version boasted an almost thin custard-like texture and was split with a verdant green herb oil to dramatic visual effect. Slices of pickled carrot and micro amaranth leaves worked beautifully as a citric and aromatic counterpoint, while nori mayonnaise added a welcome umami tang. An octopus main course was more rustic but equally enjoyable. A single, large tentacle was chargrilled to tender perfection and simply served with fava bean purée, watercress pesto and mesclun leaves that supplied interest but didn’t detract from the main event. Desserts, such as blue-cheese ice cream with olive oil or strawberry and hazelnut cake with sweetcorn ice cream, might sound plain weird but a slice of chocolate and tahini tart turned out to be a terrific idea, with the sesame flavour enhancing the high-quality chocolate and adding body to the filling without making it claggy. Unless you are an expert on Greek wines, the list might be something of a challenge; however, knowledgeable staff are on hand to guide you to some unusual names – including an affordable and very enjoyable Smederevka from Macedonia (available by the carafe).

After years in the doldrums, the restaurant at the top of the revamped National Portrait Gallery is now as sharply metro as can be – thanks to savvy chef Richard Corrigan, whose name is nailed firmly above the door. There’s a wow factor to the 190-degree rooftop-skimming view that takes in such iconic London landmarks as the Eye and Nelson’s Column, and it’s a wonderful place to pass a lunchtime – a comfortable spot with good service (led by the amiable Jon Spiteri), lots of people to observe, and some fabulous paintings to take in on the way up and down. Corrigan knows all about seasonality and sourcing, so it’s no surprise that the regularly changing menu homes in on solid modern classics resonating with ingredient-driven rusticity – a winning formula judging by the crowded dining room when we visited. The kitchen concentrates its efforts on manageable, affordable items, ranging from an excellent salad of beetroot, red onion, sheep’s yoghurt and hazelnuts to superb cauliflower conchigliette (homemade) with Stilton, pickled pear and walnut or a flavoursome, tender guinea fowl breast given heft by 'nduja stuffed under the skin. It’s all backed up by well-tried desserts – say a light marmalade steamed pudding with crème anglaise or a superb Syrian saffron rice pudding with pistachio and bergamot. The set menu is particularly good value, although it’s also possible to order just one dish (portions are generous) and a glass of wine. To drink, there are some interesting-looking cocktails and a short roster of popular, mainly European house wines, priced by the 125ml glass, carafe of bottle. Otherwise, there’s a slightly broader sweep to the full list, with representatives from the Old and New World (from £35).

Tucked into one side of the landmark brutalist building that is 180 Strand, Toklas is easy to miss. Just remember it has its own entrance on Surrey Street, opposite the old Strand tube station – if you find yourself outside Toklas Café & Bakery, you’ve gone too far. Set one level above the street, it’s a genuine find – an oasis of calm, especially on a warm summer’s day when a table on the wide, plant-filled terrace is highly prized. The restrained modern interior goes bare on napery and big on concrete, but natural light floods in through huge windows and striking artworks add colour.

The restaurant draws inspiration – and its name – from the avant-garde American food writer Alice B Toklas, but what distinguishes it is a commitment to concise, seasonal and elegant Mediterranean-style cooking. Indeed, the kitchen is noted for its simple, calendar-tuned line-up of dishes based on the freshest of ingredients with classic accompaniments. Those pristine raw materials are handled with a delicate touch, as in a starter of wild sea bass crudo with sweet 'honeycomb' tomatoes offset by dots of salty bottarga, plus a colourfully tangled assembly of black figs, oakleaf lettuce, crunchy hazelnuts, pecorino shavings and honey. Rabbit saltimbocca with a pile of braised chard and a chunk of fresh Amalfi lemon is completely delicious in its simplicity, while homemade pasta is the business: a plate of tagliatelle with Scottish girolles, garlic and parsley showed up well during our lunchtime visit. 

And there’s concord right to the final act: our dessert of gorgeous, perfectly roasted amaretto peaches needed nothing more than a dollop of mascarpone. The innovative wine list is dominated by bottles from the Mediterranean basin. Although there are comparatively few options under £40, drinkers have access to a generous clutch of recommendations by the glass and carafe. Excellent cocktails, too.

Offspring of the nearby Toklas restaurant, this bakery and café has the bonus of ample indoor seating for those who want to linger over its delectable cakes, pastries and savouries. We love the seasonality of their offer – try the danish with fresh fig and a squiggle of mascarpone or (even better) a pillowy pan de coca baked with Muscat grapes, tahini and brown butter frangipane. At lunchtime, everyone piles in for 'strecci' (slices of Roman-style pizza on crispy-oily focaccia with various toppings): the roast chicken version with crispy chicken skin and roasted garlic aïoli is a winner. We also have fond memories of the ‘celestially good’ Basque cheesecake topped with Todoli citrus. They serve decent coffee too.

The Wright Brothers restaurant group, run by seafood merchants and brothers-in-law Ben Wright and Robin Hancock, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022 and this – their original site – remains hugely popular. Bordering the bustle of Borough Market, the lively 'Oyster & Porter House' is dominated by counter seating, with a fair few tables for larger groups and a welcome lack of ostentation. Kick things off with some oysters (naturally), push the boat out on a seafood platter or swerve the bivalves entirely: the rest of the menu puts the spotlight firmly on daily deliveries of fresh seafood from Britain’s coastal waters, and everything is handled impeccably. After crab croquettes or a robust, deeply savoury fish soup (complete with the customary croûtons, grated Comté and a rich, garlicky rouille), there are the mainstays – perhaps a signature fish pie (the epitome of comfort eating) or moules marinière with fries. Elsewhere, the daily specials board could promise skate wing with capers, beurre noisette and new potatoes, while other species such as whitebait, sardines, brill, bream and plaice are well timed and served with simple accompaniments – aïoli or salsa verde, perhaps. Round things off with a little chocolate pot, lemon posset, Neal’s Yard cheeses or a scoop of homemade ice cream. Craft beers, Wright Bros pilsner or oyster stout are winning libations, and the wine list majors on whites but with some interesting fish-friendly reds too. Do book: walk-ins are often turned away, even for an early weekday supper.