Shoreditch, Clerkenwell

1 Montacute Yards, 185-186 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6HU

Legado is the second restaurant from Nieves Barragan, who won a Michelin star for Sabor. The Shoreditch restaurant, dominated by a huge open kitchen and counter, features dishes from across Spain, delivered with the panache that you'd expect from the chef. That's paired with an excellent Spanish wine list and an all-day bar with its own snacks menu.

Unit 7 Montacute Yards, Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6HU

This is the second Singburi, which saw the extremely highly rated Thai restaurant move from Leytonstone to a much bigger (and shinier) setting in Shoreditch. Still very much a family business, son Sirichai Kularbwong is now in charge, cooking up an authentic Thai menu that's one of the very best in London.

18 Phipp Street, London EC2A 4NU

Duchy took over the space that used to be Leroy, with two people working in that restaurant leading Duchy. The room got a light refresh but the menu has had a bigger shift, moving into an Italian/French territory with a little Alpine influence in there too. The menu reads exceptionally well, the wine list is great and even the house bread (fougasse) is a must-have.

66 Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BP

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.