Restaurant Reviews

9 Chance St, London E2 7JB

Cycene is the restaurant inside Blue Mountain School in Shoreditch, with chef Taz Sarhane (ex Brooklands and Claude Bosi at Bibendum) in charge. Here you can expect a tasting menu-only experience, with a big focus on British produce and suppliers.The meal takes place throughout the building - from the bar to the kitchen and the dining room.

49-51 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3PT

Originally big in Soho and now David Carter (Smokestak) and Chris Leach's Manteca moved to Shoreditch. Designed around an open kitchen with plenty of open-fire cooking. The food is described as a nose-to-tail "Italian with a British accent" with both seasonality and a whole-animal approach to cooking the name of the day (alongside some great pasta).

22 Hanover Square, London W1S 1JP

This is one of two restaurants that chef Akira Back has at the Mandarin Oriental in Mayfair. While his main restaurant there is in a huge dining room, this is a smaller chef's table approach, seating just 14 diners around an open kitchen. Inside here, you'll find a Korean tasting menu which "blends traditional Korean techniques with modern innovation".

5 Dalston Ln, London E8 3DF

One of the earliest interesting wine bars to hit this part of East London, Newcomer Wines started life as a wine shop and bar focusing solely on Austrian wines. They've now expanded to feature natural wines from further afield in Europe. Come the summer, their hidden walled garden is a superb place to enjoy a glass or two.