Test Drive

• Test Driving Plates - GBM winner Kirk Haworth's plant-based restaurant is a deserved hit

  

  Great British Menu winner Kirk Haworth has teamed up with his sister Keeley for their first permanent Plates restaurant in Shoreditch and it's already a huge success, booked out for months in advance. We went down to the plant-based restaurant to see what the fuss was all about. 

• Test Driving The Hero - style and substance at this gorgeous Maida Vale pub

  

  The Pelican team have scored another huge success with the opening of The Hero in Maida Vale. We pulled up a chair for a pint and a pie to see what this gorgeous new pub has to offer. 

• Test Driving Tollington's - the Four Legs crew turn a chippy into a Spanish fish bar

  

  A fish and chip shop in Finsbury Park has been given a new lease of life with the arrival of the Four Legs team. We popped down to Tollington's to check out this North London chipper meets Spanish fish bar.

• Test Driving The Park - Jeremy King brings style to Bayswater

  

  After the success of Arlington, Jeremy King has brought a 21st-century grand café to Bayswater. We head down for an early look at The Park.  

• Test Driving The Counter Soho - a burst of Mediterranean hospitality in the heart of Carnaby

  

  Having already scored a hit in Notting Hill chef Kemal Demirasal has brought his Mediterranean and Levantine dishes to Carnaby. We went to check it out.

• Test Driving Kioku by Endo - the sushi master takes over the rooftop of The OWO with a spectacular restaurant

  

  Kioku by Endo has opened at the top of the spectacular building that's The OWO in Whitehall. We went up to the rooftop to see if Endo Kazutoshi is the one to open the hit that The OWO really needs.  

• Test Driving: Akira Back at the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair - glamour in the heart of town

  

  Chef Akira Back is the man behind all the restaurants and bars at the new Mandarin Oriental Mayfair in London. We went to check out his first opening there.

• Test Driving The Morrison Room at Carton House - fine dining surrounded by Irish history

  

  We head to Carton House hotel in Ireland to see what The Dorchester's ex-head chef is cooking up in the extremely impressive surroundings of The Morrison Room. 

• Test Driving The Cocochine - fine dining meets exquisitely fine design

  

  Gallery owner Tim Jefferies and chef Larry Jayasekara have teamed up in Mayfair for an impeccably-designed fine dining restaurant. We went in to take a look.  

• Test Driving The Prince Regent - a boat trip along London's Regent's Canal with seafood and fizz

  

  A trip along the Regent's Canal paired with a seafood meal sounded like the perfect day out to us. We went on board on the Prince Regent. 

• Test Driving Julie's - a much-loved restaurant gets the reboot it deserves

  

  Having opened back in the sixties but fallen out of favour in recent years, the Holland Park institution that is Julie's now has a new owner, chef and lease of life.

• Test Driving Cafe Britaly - not for the purists, but it's a lot of fun

  

  This new Peckham cafe is the result of a love-in between Italian food and British produce. We went to take a look. 

• Test Driving Cloth - an excellent wine-led bistro in historical City surroundings

  

  Cloth sees some very knowledgeable wine folk teaming up with a chef with an enviable CV, all in a properly historical City of London building. We went down to take a look.  

• Test of time - celebrating Roka's 20th anniversary with sushi and yaki on Charlotte Street

  

  Popular sushi and robata restaurant Roka is celebrating its 20th birthday this year. We made a return visit to the OG Roka on Charlotte Street to see why it's lasted so long. 

• Test Driving All'onda - a restaurant rizzing up risotto for Londoners

  

  Lovers of risotto need to make their way to Fitzrovia where All'onda is serving it up with a fine dining twist.