Grand Union Canal, Sheldon Square, Central W2 6DS

Moored beside each other, this pair of barges on the canal at Paddington are hard to miss with their exterior painted by Sir Peter Blake. Their bottomless weekend brunches are particularly popular. For the menu, think Aussie-inspired dishes like tiramisu lamingtons and sweetcorn fritters with mashed avo. The nearby Bondi Green is also a good option from the same people.

13 Norfolk Pl, Tyburnia, London W2 1QJ

As the name suggests, this is the open-to-all all canteen for the private members club catering to journalists working in international affairs and particularly in conflicts. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner during the week serving up an international menu in a dining room filled with amazing Magnum photographs.

50 Connaught St, Tyburnia, London W2 2AA

If you’re after a traditional Indian meal in comfortable surroundings, then this elegant West London spot is just the ticket. From an extensive menu, the tandoor section is probably the best area to spend time on and it’s a particularly good spot to go if there’s a vegan or vegetarian in your group.

13 Sale Pl, Tyburnia, London W2 1PX

Any restaurant that’s managed to survive more than five decades in the frenetic London restaurant scene must be doing something right. Royalty and celebrities alike have been flocking to this Malaysian restaurant since the 1970s for dishes like the titular satay and laksa too. If you’ve managed to save room for dessert, the deep-fried banana is a must.

9 Sheldon Square, London W2 6HY

This modern Lebanese restaurant in the heart of Paddington is handy for commuters and office workers alike. If you’re here with a group, the set mezze menus are the easiest way to go, but they also do a line of what they term ‘massguettes’ - baguettes stuffed with lamb or chicken shawarma or falafel. You’ll find a decent selection of Lebanese wines on the wine list here.

153 Praed St, Tyburnia, London W2 1RL

Open all day from breakfast through to the early evening, the menu at Mihbaj focuses on dishes from Jordan and Palestine. It also boasts a hidden terrace which is a perfect little oasis from the hustle and bustle of Paddington. Start the day with shakshuka or French toast with rose and vanilla ice cream. If you’re here later in the day their upside-down maqluba dish of aubergines, tomatoes and lamb is unmissable.

12 Connaught St, St George's Fields, London W2 2AF

Spotting this bakery and cafe is easy - just look for the queue snaking its way down Connaught Street. A viral sensation, everyone is going crazy for La Maritxu’s burnt baked Basque cheesecake. Order a slice to have in, with a cup of coffee or get a full cheesecake to go.

14-16 Queensway, London W2 3RX

There’s really one main dish that you cross town to try at this Queensway Cantonese - the famous lobster noodles. They’re deservedly well-known, but there’s plenty more on this seafood-focused restaurant that you’re going to want to try from the Dover sole to the salt and pepper squid.

35-39 Inverness Terrace, London W2 3JS

As popular with visiting Malaysian tourists as it is with locals, this restaurant offers an extensive Malaysian menu with all the classics represented from roti canai to Hainanese chicken rice through to nasi lemak and beef rendang.

28 Chilworth St, London W2 6DT

Part of a boutique collection of pubs, a quick look at this popular gastropub’s menus shows that its food offering is a cut above the usual boozer. With plenty to please both vegetarians and meat eaters alike, the sustainable and seasonal offering makes this somewhere to return to again and again.

55-57 N Wharf Rd, London W2 1LA

Run by the same team as The Grand Duchess, this touring boat takes you on a two-and-a-half-hour cruise to Camden and back while serving up amazing food. There’s a strong focus on sustainable British seafood and that local theme extends to the drinks list too.

Unit 53, 5 Merchant Sq, London W2 1BQ

The Paddington branch of this boutique BBQ restaurant group serves up steak, tacos and more with a focus on using the whole animal. It also does a handy line in takeaway burgers at lunchtime and this was the group’s first restaurant to be fully halal.

119 Essex Rd, London N1 2SN

After success in Crouch End, Sourdough Sophia's second bakery is in Islington and it's a much bigger affair than before. As well as various loaves of sourdough, you can buy pastries, cakes, amazing cereal milk cookies, sandwiches and more. There's a big space for eating-in here, as well as a large outdoor terrace for when the sun is shining.

406 St John Street, London EC1V 4ND

This Islington shop, deli and bar comes from Gregg Boyd, the man behind Scottish food stall Auld Hag. At his permanent home in Angel, he's serving up filled Glasgow morning rolls baked in-house as well as things like macaroni pies, tattie scones, cakes and more. Get in early if you want to make the most of the baked goods, and it's also a very handy spot for an early-evening drink in Angel too.

211a Victoria Park Road, London E9 7JN

Bruno comes from Michael Sager, best known for Sager + Wilde, and it's a small neighbourhood wine bar in Victoria Park. With a supply of wines largely sourced from his own collection, there are over 200 to choose from and they're available to take away too. If you're stopping in, the food includes filled pretzels alongside baked Vacherin.

2-3 Stoney Street, London SE1 9AA

Camille comes from Clare Lattin and Tom Hill, the people behind Ducksoup. For this restaurant, they've taken a French bistro approach both for food and wine. The former can be seen in a menu of provincial French cuisine while the latter comes across in a wine list focusing on small French producers, with a focus on low-intervention wines.

First floor, Kingly Ct, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW

Previously popping up in residencies, Liu Xiaomian's popular noodle restaurant is now a permanent fixture in Carnaby. Run by Chongqing expats Liu Qian and Charlene Liu, it features their spicy signature dishes like Xiaomian wheat noodles and hot and sour glass noodles with various toppings. Numbing Pork Wontons are also available.

53 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 6LB

Once a pop-up, Singaporean restaurateur Ellen Chew is relaunching Singapulah, this time teaming up with the Singapore tourism board. Behind a "secret" door, you'll find the restaurant which features classics like Bak Chor Mee, Singapore Laksa, and Mao Shan Wang Durian.

84-86 Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4Q

Morchella comes from the same team behind Perilla in Stoke Newington, but this is quite a different beast. Taking Mediterranean influences as its starting point, it's a laid-back affair in a bright dining room just off Exmouth Market. Expect small to medium sharing plates, a strong European wine list and there's also a separate bar too.

315 Fulham Road, London SW10 9QH

Claude Bosi's Chelsea restaurant sees him teaming up with his wife Lucy for a classic French neighbourhood bistro. Named after Bosi's grandmother, the menu is full of French bistro classics and Lyonnaise specialities, with even frog's legs making it onto the menu. it also brings the classic offering of Bouchon-style metre wine to London.

20 Arlington St, St. James's, London SW1A 1RJ

Taking over the site that was once Le Caprice, Jeremy King's Arlington is Le Caprice 2.0 in all but name. it's the restaurant that launched King's career and he's brought back legendary GM Jesus Adorno too. Expect a look that harkens back to the classic Le Caprice but shiny and up to date as well as some of the classic dishes from the original, like the iced berries in white chocolate sauce. It's a great place for a star-spot too.

20 Water St, London E14 9QG

Fish Game comes from Roberto Costa, the man behind steak restaurant Macellaio RC. Here, he's trying something different - an Italian restaurant that centres around fire-grilled seafood and game (its name is pretty self-explanatory). Produce is all sourced from the UK, and they even have a special chilli catalogue alongside dishes like game and spinach ravioli and Dover sole on the bone.

202 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RH

Wild is a Mediterranean restaurant in Notting Hill that's something of a spin-off of the original Wild Tavern in Chelsea, offering a chic dining experience that suits the area very well. The menu features top-quality ingredients, such as red Sicilian prawns and Spanish bluefin tuna tartare alongside fresh pasta dishes. It's popular with west London celebs too, so you might spot an A-lister here.

Unit 14, Canada Square, London E14 5AX

Karapincha is a Sri Lankan restaurant with a focus on street food-style dishes by twin sisters Vasanthini and Dharshini Perumal. Known for their street food pop-ups, this is their first permanent location, a homecoming after their initial stall in Canary Wharf. The menu features signature dishes like Devilled Chicken and Kothu Roti alongside a breakfast menu with options like ham-and-cheese-stuffed rotis.

163 Upper St, London N1 1US

Named after the Vietnamese word for ‘Cheers!’ this casual spot features a menu that takes in most of the classic dishes you’d expect to find in any good Vietnamese restaurant from summer rolls to noodle rolls. They also make a big deal of their regularly changing seasonal specials.

106 Islington High St, London N1 8EG

Run by the same family since the Sixties, this longstanding Islington institution is a tardis-like space that stretches from its Camden Passage facade back to a bright conservatory restaurant and gorgeous gardens. Food is modern European that’ll please most people, making this a great family restaurant.

176 Upper St, London N1 1RG

Sharing plates are the heart of this independent Peruvian restaurant on Upper Street. Expect to find everything from ceviche and anticuchos to tiradito on the menu, along with some punchy cocktails.

189 Upper St, London N1 1RQ

London’s pizza obsessives know that a pizzeria run by Neapolitans is a good sign that the pizza is going to be great. And so it proves at this restaurant, a follow-up to the group’s central and west locations. A traditional pizzeria with an oven imported from Italy to make sure the pizza is as authentic as possible.

16 Elia St, London N1 8DE

This is the second Islington Indian pub from the team that scored such a huge hit with The Tamil Prince. As with its sibling pub, you’ll find Indian and Tamil bar snacks and sharing plates. The Sunday roast with an Indian twist is a particular draw.

108 Essex Rd, London N1 8LX

If you’re pining for a chicken fillet roll, or want to try the viral Irish takeaway spice bag then Homeboy’s Islington bar is the place to come. Match the home cooked food with an Irish-inspired cocktails at this lively speakeasy.