Test Drives - Results from #240

Test Driving Counter 71 - creative East London fine dining

Information: 01 August 2023

Tucked away on a side street off Old Street roundabout, an old boozer has been given a new lease of life in this chef's table restaurant with its own subterranean cocktail bar.

A taste of Cornwall at One Aldwych - bringing the south west to the heart of London

Information: 27 July 2023

If you haven't got a trip to the south west booked anytime soon, you can now take an epicurean tour of Cornwall without leaving central London, thanks to a new tasting menu experience at One Aldwych.

Test Driving Mountain - the Brat team's sequel is an unqualified hit

Information: 19 July 2023

Tomos Parry's follow up to his Brat restaurants, Mountain, is a Soho love letter to Spain by way of Wales.

Test Driving Pavyllon - top French chef Yannick Alléno takes on London

Information: 17 July 2023

Yannick Alléno is a hugely influential chef in France with multiple Michelin stars to his name. Pavyllon sees him bringing his cooking to London - we went down to try it out.

Test Driving Studio Gauthier - the French chef takes his vegan food to a new audience

Information: 11 July 2023

Studio Gauthier sees chef Alexis Gauthier bring some of the extremely accomplished (and Michelin-starred) cooking from his Soho restaurant to a more casual affair in Fitzrovia. We went down for a look.

Test Driving Little Pizza Hicce - the Hicce team create a top pizzeria in Islington

Information: 06 July 2023

The Hicce Hart team have expanded just across the road in Islington with Little Pizza Hicce. We went down to check out their very unique pizzas.

Test of time - we make a return visit to SOLA

Information: 04 July 2023

As this Soho restaurant breaks into the top 40 section of the National Restaurant Awards list we felt it was time for a return visit to Victor Garvey's Californian fine dining spot on Dean Street.

Test Driving Larry's - the glamorous new dive bar at the National Portrait Gallery

Information: 29 June 2023

London has a new cocktail bar that definitely shouldn't be left to the tourists visiting the National Portrait Gallery. We find ourselves very much falling for Larry's.

Taking to the rooftop for the Florattica weekend brunch

Information: 29 June 2023

If you love a rooftop brunch then new City restaurant Florattica is the place to go

Test Driving Bellanger - the Islington grand cafe gets a new look

Information: 27 June 2023

Bellanger in Islington has just had a lot of work done. We went back to see the brand-new look and also look at how the menu has adapted to a more Mediterranean outlook.

Test Driving Claridge's Restaurant - a new era for the Mayfair hotel's dining scene

Information: 22 June 2023

After 18 months closure, Claridge's has a new restaurant called... Claridges Restaurant. We were first in the door to look at the new room and try the new menu.

Test Driving Story Cellar - a London spin on Parisian bistronomie

Information: 21 June 2023

With his new Covent Garden opening Story Cellar, Tom Sellers has given London the perfect Parisian bistro it didn't know it needed.

Test Driving The Grill by Tom Booton at The Dorchester - a restaurant that's so much more just a grill

Information: 13 June 2023

The Grill at The Dorchester has had a light rebrand to The Grill by Tom Booton, to showcase their star chef. We went down to see just what the grill is cooking up right now.

Test Driving the new Fallow breakfast - starting the day like royalty

Information: 06 June 2023

From viral pastries to sustainable takes on avo on toast, the new Fallow breakfast is worth seeking out.

Test Driving Lilienblum - Eyal Shani's first London follow-up to Miznon

Information: 01 June 2023

Miznon chef Eyal Shani has opened the latest restaurant in his burgeoning London empire. This is more about sharing plates that filled pitas - we went down to check it out.

Test Driving BAO Marylebone - a Taiwanese dumpling house off Oxford Street

Information: 30 May 2023

The BAO team branch out into dumplings with their latest branch, just off Oxford Street. We went to check it out.

Test Driving 20 Berkeley - high-end British food in a Mayfair townhouse

Information: 25 May 2023

20 Berkeley sees the team behind Sumi and Humo try their hand at "sophisticated British dining" in Mayfair. We went down to their townhouse to check it out.

Previewing Cantinetta Antinori - luxe yet cosy Italian in Knightsbridge

Information: 25 May 2023

Cantinetta Antinori arrives in Knightsbridge as a joint venture between a global restaurant group and a top Italian winemaker. We popped in to check it out in a recent preview dinner.