316 Queensbridge Road, Hackney, London E8 3NH

This is Tom Oldroyd's Hackney pub and dining room, serving up a European menu using British produce. The Cornish crab chip butty is a must, as is the Duke burger (or the veggie Duchess alternative) but it's generally worth trying as much of the menu as you can. Look out for special deals on Wednesdays and Fridays and a great Sunday lunch.

390 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AA

This is the original restaurant from Carl Clarke and David Wolanski and still the best. The fried chicken is among the best in London, the szechuan aubergine is one of our favourite dishes and the sours are still excellent, affordable cocktails. There's a great bar space in the basement too.

205 Richmond Rd, London E8 3NJ

Lardo is an East London restaurant with what they call a contemporary Italian menu. In practice that means some of London's best pizza, with regularly changing specials on the menu too. Alongside those are antipasti and a wine list that focuses on low-intervention wines.

47 Hereford Rd, London W2 5AH

Ben Tish is now in charge of the menus at all Cubitt House pubs, although the Princess Royal was their first brand-new pub in the group in years. An immediate local hit (the huge garden and terrace certainly helps) it has a Mediterranean-led menu focusing on seasonal fish and shellfish all set inside a gorgeous-looking gastropub.

22 Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6DX

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.

27 - 31 Clerkenwell Close, Farringdon, London EC1R 0AT

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.

38-40 Exmouth Market, Farringdon, London EC1R 4QE

Macellaio RC have a few sites across London where the main event is the steak, and you'll see plenty of this hanging in the restaurant. It's all Italian-style steak from a female Fassona breed. There is some pasta available too - but you'll really need to be trying as much from the grill as possible to do the place justice.

46 Exmouth Market, Farringdon, London EC1R 4QE

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.

29 Clerkenwell Green, Farringdon, London EC1R 0DU

In a quiet part of Clerkenwell, The Green comes from the same people who also run The Culpeper in Shoreditch. Either take it easy in the pub downstairs or head up to the first floor restaurant and you'll find the pub serving modern British food from an ever changing menu. Also look out for a Sunday lunch where they concentrate on Beef Wellington and one key roast dish.

82 Goswell Rd, London EC1V 7DB

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.

12 Jerusalem Passage, London EC1V 4JP

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.

Bleeding Heart Yard, 19 Greville Street, London EC1N 8SJ

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.

11-13 Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 4QD

This is the original Caravan, where they built a reputation of creating some of the finest brunches in town. Having their own coffee roastery means the coffees here are second to none.

4-6 Islington Green, London N1 2XA

This restaurant brings fresh pasta to Islington from chef Louis Korovilas (who created the original menu at Bancone). Expect pasta dishes that evolve with the season alongside plenty of fritti action (including fritto misto, of course).

21 Slingsby Pl, London WC2E 9AB

This is the second restaurant for Lahpet, originally finding fame in Shoreditch. It sees them bringing their unique take on Burmese cuisine to the west end, with noodle soups and their famed tea leaf salad all on the menu, along with a great cocktail list. There's a huge heated terrace on the first floor too.

16 Albemarle St, London W1S 4HW

Cyril Lignac is A Big Deal in France where he has several restaurants and puts in regular appearances on French TV. This is the London outpost of his Bar des Pres concept which sees sushi made with Label Rouge salmon and his signature crunchy crab with avocado galette. The wine list is suitably French as are many of the clientele.

55 Curzon Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8PG

This is from Samyukta Nair, the restaurateur who brought us Jamavar and Bombay Bustle. With this Mayfair restaurant, she wants to take Londoners on a journey to 1920s Shanghai. Expect a glitzy high-end Chinese menu in this three-floored building which also has an excellent (but small) bar in the basement.

2 Farmer Street, London W8 7SN

This Notting Hill restaurant hashas created a whole new culinary category with its Mexican-Japanese fusion cuisine. Alongside tostadas, tiraditos and ceviche, there are 18 different tacos as well as plenty of tequila and mezcal. There's also a tiny omakase restaurant, Juno, hidden inside which is well worth a visit in itself.

9 Blenheim Cres, Notting Hill, London W11 2EE

Hugely popular not only in its original West Village location, but also in Paris and Tokyo, Notting Hill is where hip New York bistro Buvette has landed in London. Like the original, it's part cafe, part wine bar and restaurant. As they say, it's for everything "from an early morning espresso, to an afternoon croque madame" and late night cocktails.

98 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5RU

Sunday in Brooklyn has been a big hit in New York - now they're one of a few NYC restaurants making a home in Notting Hill. Their hazelnut and brown butter pancakes are the main attraction (you'll want a whole stack) and the all-week-long brunch is a big deal too. The corner location means that it's a bright and airy place to have a US-style brunch.

185 Portobello Rd, London W11 2ED

This is the original London venue for the LA import. The unconventional name gives a hint at what to expect - lots of eggs, mainly in buns. There's the option of scrambled or fried eggs in their brioche buns as well as a coddled egg if you want to veer away from the carbs. The counter is the place to be here (although it's also very handy for takeaway).

Berkeley Square House, 4-19 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 6BR

This Mayfair restaurant is an offshoot of the Spanish original which caused a sensation when it opened in Madrid. Designed to look like a rainforest, the restaurant looks like nothing else in London. Food is "a blend of tropical and Latin American cuisines" - so that means everything from Peruvian sushi to South American chupe and a lot of Josper-grilled meats.

240 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 1LL

Notting Hill's Ukai is very much in the fusion mould - mainly Japanese, but taking in Mediterranean and South American infuences. The robata grill is put to good use - and look out for their snacks, aka "Japas".

89 Westbourne Park Rd, London W2 5QH

This Notting Hill pub is highly rated by locals, having been a success for over 25 years. The ethos is "Eat heartily and give the house a good name'" which has given London this lovely, modern gastropub, with a strong selection of oysters and shellfish. The seafood platters are a particular draw here - and even if you're just popping in for a drink, a plate of oysters is strongly recommended.

30 Uxbridge St, Kensington, London W8 7TA

This egg-focused, brunch-heavy restaurant comes from Ennismore (the same people behind the Hoxton hotels). There are all types of eggs - in burgers, omelettes, salads and even simple boiled eggs and soldiers if that's what you fancy.

5 Elgin Cres, Notting Hill, London W11 2JA

Natoora are already known for their excellent grocery stores, and this Notting Hill outpost also features an in-store cafe, the Natoora Counter. Open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, each dish on the menu is fully traceable.

141-145 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, London W11 2RS

Originally beginning life as Cool Chile Co stall on Portobello Road, the team moved inside to become Taqueria, serving up tacos, tostados, ceviches and all manner of Mexican treats. After many years, it still holds its own as serving some of London's best tacos.

7 Blenheim Cres, Notting Hill, London W11 2EE

This Tonkotsu is a small departure from the rest, as it features a counter-style ramen bar of the kind you'll find in Tokyo. But don't worry - if it's your favourite ramen dishes you're after, they're on the menu too.

6-8 All Saints Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 1HH

Imagine being friends with someone who enjoys all the benefits of a super house share in Notting Hill. That's the premise of this pop-up turned permanent bar and restaurant on All Saints Road.

104 Chepstow Rd, London W2 5QS

This is one of the smallest fine-dining restaurants in London, run by chef Richard Wilkins (ex-Petrus and Waterside Inn) fitting in just six tables for a maximum of 12 diners at any time. If you manage to grab one of those precious seats, you can expect a modern French menu.