London restaurants best for... Dates

Now moved to a larger location, Prawn on the Lawn is a fishmonger and seafood bar - with a wine bar on the side. Expect the usual fruits de mer platters and whole crab as well as some more tapas-style dishes like scallops ceviche and their signature dish - the prawn on the lawn which is toasted soda bread with avocado and prawns.

An immediate hit when it opened, this West London restaurant serves up a range of very of-the-moment food, encompassing small plates, tasting menus and a good vegetarian offering too.

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.

One of Mayfair St James’ finest dining establishments has had a refresh – except this is far more than a new lick of paint. Quaglino’s, the iconic restaurant and late-night venue, has undergone a full-scale renovation under the direction of D&D London and Russell Sage studios.

Spring is Skye Gyngell's first solo venture, who had such a big success at Petersham Nurseries. She has set up shop in the "new" wing of Somerset House which hasn't been open to the public for 150 years and serving fair like Grilled langoustine with seaweed butter and Roasted turbot with porcini and bone marrow.

This wine bar comes from the same people behind the hugely popular Experimental Cocktail Club and this bar's sister site in Paris. Expect the wines to steer clear of the mainstream and the food to be a mix of seasonal British and French cuisine.

Blanchette is from three brothers Maxime, Yannis and Malik Alary who have opened this "French bistro serving simple, classic and inventive French food". Similar to Salt Yard, it's primarily based around sharing "French tapas" plates. Look out for its sister restaurant in Shoreditch too.

Hands down one of the best counter dining experience in town, albeit not the quietest one. Expect a Jerusalem-style menu here, with additional influences from Southern Spain and Italy, North Africa through to the Levant. You can grab a table at the back - but try for the full-on counter experience if you can.

This is the third London opening for the oyster and seafood restaurant, following Soho and Borough Market. Expect a similar offering of seafood and oysters at this Spitalfields location - but with a huge seawater tank into the middle of the restaurant stacked with 10,000 shellfish allowing diners to choose their own live crab, lobster or oysters.

Bob Bob Ricard remains one of our personal faves in town. Whether it's the fantastically blingy design, the rich food with just a hint of Russian in there, the "press for champagne" button or... No, hang on, it's definitely the Press For Champagne button...

The second Polpetto from Florence Knight now has room for 70 (the old one had just 23 covers!) and will feature an aperitivo bar and an open kitchen.

This is Aqua's brand new concept for London, with a focus on contemporary British cuisine from exec chef Anthony Garlando, who has created a menu which combines British ingredients with "Garlando’s innovative international cooking techniques". Expect the cocktails to reflect the British focus too.

Duck and Waffle has a well-earned reputation as being one of the best restaurants with a view in London - and what a view. It's almost worth a visit for the elevator ride alone. The restaurant has much to recommend besides the view, including the signature Duck and Waffle itself.

This new hotel designed by (Norman) Foster + Partners takes over the old BBC Marconi building. As well as a rooftop bar offering great views of London, it's the first non-US outpost of New York steakhouse STK, which has taken over the ground floor restaurant. STK aims to be a more "female friendly" steakhouse, with an emphasis on lighter meals.

This restaurant is from Jason Atherton and, to date, his only one in Soho. Expect a very British menu, with plenty of starters in jars too. As with all of Atherton's places, the bar is just as important - so make time to head upstairs for a cocktail or three.

NYC's Serge Becker has teamed up with Will Ricker (Great Eastern Dining Room) to create a downstairs restaurant and bar, a road side taqueria, and all-day contemporary Mexican café.

In an area of town more usually associated with after-office binge drinkers and faux American burger joints, the arrival of a new, cheerful Bistro offering great comfort food to the weary masses can only be a good thing.

Brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin run this restaurant, set in the frankly stunning St Botolph's Hall. Think fine, French, Michelin-starred food in historic surroundings.

The original Hakkasan is tucked down a tiny alleyway just off Tottenham Court Road. Step inside though and you're transported to a Chinese den of black laquer and gold. Awarded a Michelin star two years after opening, it's retained it every year since.