Test Drive

• Test Driving Emilia - a restaurant and wine bar to shake things up in Mayfair

  

  The team behind Quality Chop House, Clipstone and Portland turn to Mayfair and Italy for their fourth restaurant, taking over the space at Bonhams.

• Test Driving Xier - Carlo Scotto puts on an epic modern tasting menu

  Chef Carlo Scotto has a new take on the traditional tasting menu. We went down to Xier in Marylebone to see what the 10-course epic has to offer. 

• The Guinea Grill revisited - a steak haven in Mayfair

  The Guinea Grill has been serving up excellent steaks since the 1950s and their reputation is only getting greater. We pop down to put those steaks to the test. 

• Test Driving Barullo - a City spot where the paella has the power to transport you

  Rambla's Victor Garvey is back in the City with his latest Spanish restaurant, Barullo - and this time there's added paella. We head down to try it out.  

• Test Driving Orasay - Jackson Boxer does seafood in Notting Hill

  

  Jackson Boxer (St Leonards) comes to Notting Hill for his next restaurant, a seafood spot influenced by The Hebrides. We head west for a look.

• Test Driving Adam Handling Chelsea - high-end cuisine (with chicken butter) in Chelsea

  Adam Handling has just opened his third restaurant in London - this time as part of the fancy Belmond Cadogan hotel. We hed down for a look. 

• A modern approach to Turkish cooking - Test Driving Yeni in Soho

  Yeni sees a top Turkish chef open in the heart of Soho. We head down to take a look.  

• Test Driving the afternoon tea at Fortnum's Royal Exchange outpost

  Afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason is a British institution. And now they're serving it up in the City too. We pop in to take a look. 

• Test Driving Top Cuvee in Highbury - a top team for a new neighbourhood spot

  

  With wine as its focus, but some cracking cocktails as well, this neighbourhood small plates spot is a welcome addition to the area.

• Test Driving Gloria - a gloriously OTT Italian trattoria in Shoreditch

  Parisian restaurant folk Big Mamma Group picked Shoreditch for their first London restaurant opening. We went to see how their upbeat Italian trattoria fits into the London restaurant scene.

• Test Driving Kutir - Rohit Ghai serves up inventive Indian cuisine in a Chelsea townhouse

  Rohit Ghai has had hits with his food at Gymkhana and Jamavar - we head over to Chelsea to see how his first solo restaurant Kutir shapes up.  

• Test Driving BaoziInn - dim sum and Sichuan dishes in Soho

  We try out BaoziInn's Newport Street restaurant for some very colourful dim sum and Sichuan cuisine.  

• Test Driving Spiritland Royal Festival Hall - music, cocktails and more for the South Bank

  A restaurant and bar for music lovers has opened on the South Bank - we went to check it out. 

• Test Driving L'Escargot - the Soho institution still has it

  This classic French restaurant is a Soho stalwart and is still getting raves. We popped along to see why L'Escargot is still a Soho hit.  

• Test Driving Gizzi Erskine's Filth popup in Shoreditch - fast but guilt-free food

  Gizzi Erskine and Rosemary Ferguson have taken their dream to open plant-based burger shop Filth a step further with a three-month popup in Shoreditch. We went to check it out.