South London

35 Bellevue Road, London SW17 7EF

This Italian restaurant comes from Adam Byatt, the chef behind another south London great, Trinity. Here, he's opened a neighbourhood Italian that almost feels like it's bringing a bit of the flavour of Trullo to South London. The traditional Italian menu is delivered with aplomb by an ex-Lita chef, and some of the dishes on here offer great value too. There's a bar in here too, if you fancy popping in for a post-work negroni.

94 Lower Richmond Road, London SW15 1LL

Even locals would probably agree that Putney's not blessed with great restaurants, so the arrival of this new neighbourhood spot has been met with delight. Ed and Callum, the folk behind it, have a seriously impressive joint CV which includes Forza Wine, Pitt Cue and The Hero. It's a handy place to dive into for small plates and wine (oysters and chipolatas are a great combo), but also rewards checking out the larger dishes on offer, which usually include some seafood and steak-based specials.

44-46 Choumert Road, London SE15 4SE

There aren't too many Welsh food places in London, making the arrival of Bara in Peckham a fresh addition to the scene there. Much of the produce at this cafe and sandwich shop is sourced from Wales, where it might turn up as a focaccia filling or an element of a bara brith or rarebit. They also do their best to shine a spotlight on Welsh wines, so look out for wine tastings too.

33–35 Abbeville Road, London SW4 9LA

Having won both Great British Menu and MasterChef: The Professionals, there was only one last challenge for chef Nikita Pathakji and that was to open her own restaurant. She's teamed up with her mother and sister for this restaurant in Clapham, after years of running successful supper clubs. And while the produce here is focused on British seasonality, the inspiration behind it speaks of her Indian heritage but also all the travelling she's done. In case you're wondering, GBM-winning dishes are on the menu, including the Halibut with Malaysian Fish Head Curry that won her the Champion of Champions title.