The best restaurants in Clerkenwell and Farringdon

Bouchon Racine is the perma-hot restaurant run by Henry Harris and Dave Strauss. Set above The Three Compasses pub in Farringdon it's a return for Henry's much-loved Racine that used to be in Knightsbridge. One of the best restaurants in the area, here you can expect an 'unashamedly French' menu that changes daily, written only on a blackboard. The pub downstairs features food from the same kitchen, so that's well worth a look as well.

Set in a historic part of the City, this neighbourhood-style restaurant was opened by a pair of wine importers so you can expect the wine offering to be on point. It’s split, loosely, into a wine bar for enjoying small plates, and a cosy dining room. The dishes are seasonal and the cooking is both inventive and great, with a big emphasis on seasonality.

Ibai comes from the team behind renowned Basque meat supplier Txuleta (also involved with Lurra in Marylebone) so you know the meat will be of great quality at this City restaurant. Alongside the huge sharing steaks are some great Basque-inspired small plates and the king crab rice is also a signature dish. Make good use of the wine list too, with many great Spanish vintages unique to Ibai.

The late, great Russell Norman, who also created Polpo, founded this restaurant just off Smithfield Market. It takes its influences primarily from Northern Italy with a particular focus on Florence. So you'll find Italian snacks and pasta alongside huge T-Bone steaks. It's also part-bar, with an extensive list of cocktail classics, so very handy if you're looking for a decent bar in the area.

Want to be looked after to within an inch of your life? Well, Otto's is the restaurant you come to. Properly old-school French, Otto's has carved out a niche for itself serving up incredibly rich French cuisine in a lively environment. It also has a serious bit of kit called the duck press, which produces its signature dish.

The people behind Nest created this Smithfield restaurant, hidden away in a courtyard. Here, things are a little different from their previous restaurants, with a focus on hyper-seasonal British food and a huge 15-course tasting menu that starts in the bar before moving through to the restaurant.

Morchella comes from the same team behind Perilla in Stoke Newington, but this is quite a different beast. Taking Mediterranean influences as its starting point, it's a laid-back affair in a bright dining room just off Exmouth Market. Expect small to medium sharing plates, a strong European wine list and there's also a separate bar too.

The Quality Chop House, which has been open since 1869, is still enjoying success under its current owners Will Lander and Daniel Morgenthau. Menus are created in the morning based on what's been delivered. Come to the restaurant for the very best of British cooking and don't forget to have the legendary confit potatoes. Quality Wines is their corner cafe/restaurant with a separate but equally great menu.

Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver's renowned restaurant has for decades been many critics' favourite place in London. This is their flagship restaurant and its focus on "nose to tail" eating makes it a must-visit for anyone looking for the very best in modern British cooking. The bar here is also very good, so even if you're not dining, stopping by for a glass of one of the St John wines and a snack is highly recommended.

Origin City comes from the team behind 56 West Smithfield wine bar, and is a restaurant that emphasizes provenance with meat sourced from the family's organic farm in Scotland and seafood from Loch Fyne Oyster. Here, the menu showcases British classics including dishes like Tamworth pork tonnato and dry-aged Black Angus sirloin. The restaurant promotes a 'no waste, great taste' philosophy.

This Michelin-starred Clerkenwell restaurant is owned by Daniel Willis and Johnny Smith (ex-Clove Club). It's an Italian restaurant using British produce which is split between a more casual cafe at the front and formal dining in the restaurant at the back. It's also blessed with a beautiful courtyard.

Back in 1997 when Moro first opened, Exmouth Market was still a scruffy Clerkenwell street and this restaurant with its implausibly good looking bar staff and open kitchen was the second most exciting thing to happen to the area food-wise since The Eagle threw open its doors. Run by the marvellously-monikered Sam and Sam Clark, it's still turning out great food in a room that's packed every day of the week.

This restaurant has taken over an old Grade II courthouse in Clerkenwell making it one of the most beautiful dining rooms in London, particularly in the evening with its gas-powered lighting. The menu is a mix of British, French and Italian cooking.

The Eagle in Clerkenwell is often credited as the first modern gastropub - with restaurant-quality food being served inside a pub. Many years down the line, it's still a reliable spot for a good meal, serving up a seasonal menu in a faintly ramshackle pub. The steak sandwiches are some of the best in town.

Moro has long been one of London foodie's favourite restaurants - think of this as Sam and Sam Clark's sibling tapas bar to the original - serving up super small plates with ice-cold glasses of fino.

If you're searching for old school French cuisine, then look no further than this longstanding restaurant. It's a great spot for a long, liquid lunch but even better for a romantic dinner with all that warm brick and candlelight.

Bleeding Heart is a London institution. Come here for classic French food with a modern touch and a vast amount of wine supplied by their wine cellar. There's also a wine bar and grill off this historic courtyard for more casual fare.

The tiny Sushi Tetsu is both one of the best sushi restaurants in town and also one of the hardest to get into. With only half a dozen seats inside, each item served to you will be almost a work of art. This may well ruin other sushi restaurants for you. Note that bookings open on the first and third Monday of every month and go very fast.

This is an offshoot of Josh Katz's Berber & Q, and is something of a cut-down version of the main restaurant. Here you can find a combination of mezze, hummus and plenty from the grill - including the lamb shawarme of course - as well as rotisserie chicken. Make sure to stick around for their desserts.

This was street traders-turned restaurateurs Breddos first restaurant. It serves up excellent tacos, tostadas, tortilla-based Mexican pizza tlayudas and more. Don't forget to give their mezcal list a try as well.

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

Run by chef Pascal Aussignac, this Michelin-starred French restaurant (it's now held a star for over 20 years) focuses on the cuisine of the southwest of France, with opulent tasting menus available. Despite the focus on meat, there's real attention too given to their vegetarian and vegan offering.