The Chapter Hotels Camden Town

There is a whole lot to enjoy from the daily blackboard menus at this relaxed, understated operation. Both the décor and the cooking have a rustic edge to them, with the latter British-based, seafood-centric and guided by the seasons. Both individual and communal seating are available to enjoy the flavoursome dishes from, as is the kitchen counter, while the attentive team deal well with the buzz of a permanently busy restaurant. Quality sourdough is provided by their sister operation Jolene and while other dishes may come and go, the rum baba to share remains a constant.

Over the decades, few parts of London have seen more restaurants come and go than Charlotte Street, but one constant over that period has been David Moore’s Pied à Terre. Reinventions have kept things fresh over time, be that a new colour scheme or the embracing of plant-based cooking with a serious vegan offering. The classically based dishes are seasonal and colourful, showing off top-notch ingredients in harmonious combinations, such as Welsh lamb with basil, anchovy, girolles and a top-drawer red wine reduction with red currants.

The cooking at Portland respects the principles of sourcing and seasonality; in fact, the menu is often reprinted after lunch as ingredients are used up and replaced by different ones. The kitchen believes in doing as little as possible to the raw ingredients to allow their natural flavours to come through, and dishes are never over-crowded, with every component there to enhance another – like bone marrow sauce used to add depth and richness to a venison Wellington. The pared-down look of the room matches the understated food.

Sister restaurant to Portland and Clipstone, this small bistro deluxe delivers intimate, relaxed surroundings in which to enjoy a menu based around classical French cooking. British Racing Green walls blend with simple polished wood, candle-lit tables and wicker chairs, while the semi-open kitchen brings a livelier atmosphere to one end of the room. Fine ingredients are used to excellent effect in bold, gutsy combinations that deliver simply delicious results; ensure you save room to finish with the greengage Tatin or the textbook Paris-Brest. Wine connoisseurs should look out for the 'Cellar

Jun Tanaka’s restaurant may be centrally located on Charlotte Street, with its plethora of dining options, but this feels very much like a neighbourhood spot. Two floors of closely set tables and a relaxed, informal atmosphere help to create the feel of a lively bistro de-luxe. The menu is designed for sharing, although it can easily be enjoyed solo too. There's a discernible Mediterranean influence to the cooking, with the likes of sea bream carpaccio and wild garlic risotto on the menu.

There’s a sense of theatre to every element of Mourad Mazouz and Pierre Gagnaire’s 18th-century house of fun. As you climb the stairs up to The Lecture Room and Library, the anticipation grows, then stepping into the gloriously colourful and lavishly decorated room both inspires and excites – there really is no restaurant in London quite like this. The multi-dish cooking is also unique in the city, where perfectly seared Cornish wild turbot comes with clams and mango, along with a mosaic of its skirt; and succulent roasted leg of Welsh lamb is accompanied by sweetbreads and kidney, with its fi

Cooking with fire is all the rage these days and Lita is an expert practitioner, although it also offers so much more. While there’s a strong Mediterranean and southern European element to the menu, prime British ingredients – such as Scottish lobster and Cornish turbot – along with big, bold flavours and well-made sauces really make the dishes sing. Many of the plates are designed for sharing, like dry-aged Devon duck with beetroot and kumquat. This is roll-up-your-sleeves sort of food – the type that leaves you licking your lips and planning your return.