Test Drives

Test Driving Harry's Bar - the perfect shoppers' retreat off Oxford Street

Information: 02 April 2019

Providing a blissful bolthole to weary shoppers - Richard Caring's Caprice Holdings hits the spot once more.

Test Driving Bellamy's in Mayfair - a classic that feels like it's been looking after Londoners forever

Information: 28 March 2019

This classic Mayfair restaurant is pure establishment but it's also supremely welcoming to newcomers.

Test Driving Orasay - Jackson Boxer does seafood in Notting Hill

Information: 25 March 2019

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 Mortimer House Kitchen - a modern menu that reflects what Londoners really want to eat

Information: 19 March 2019

Former L'anima chef Lello Favuzzi has returned from his travels to bring a mixture of Italian and middle eastern inspiration to this Fitzrovia kitchen

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

Information: 12 March 2019

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

Information: 07 March 2019

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

Information: 04 March 2019

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 Kaia's all-you-can-eat Sunday sushi brunch at The Ned

Information: 28 February 2019

Londoners do love an all-you-can-eat brunch and the new sushi one at Kaia at The Ned is a doozy.

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

Information: 26 February 2019

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 Mariage Freres - Parisian tea salon lands in Covent Garden

Information: 14 February 2019

This Paris institution opened fairly under the radar before Christmas. After trying breakfast here - and being dazzled by how fab the whole place looks, we reckon more people need to know about it.

Test Driving Gloria - a gloriously OTT Italian trattoria in Shoreditch

Information: 11 February 2019

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

Information: 07 February 2019

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

Information: 05 February 2019

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

Information: 31 January 2019

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

Information: 29 January 2019

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

Information: 24 January 2019

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.

We learn pie making with Calum Franklin at Holborn Dining Room

Information: 21 January 2019

We learn how to make a pork pie from the king of pies himself, Calum Franklin. Find out how we got on...

Test Driving Clifford's - a candlelit spot off Fleet Street

Information: 17 January 2019

London's legal district has a new subterranean restaurant and bar - we went to check it out.

Test Driving Din Tai Fung - the dumpling powerhouse hits London

Information: 15 January 2019

With all the hype over the opening of their first London restaurant, could Din Tai Fung live up to expectations? We went to check out the famous Taiwanese dumpling chain's Covent Garden restaurant.