FT8 Brick Lane Apartments

Ring the bell and you’re welcomed into an operation unlike any other – the name may be old English for ‘kitchen’, but this is very much a restaurant of the moment. You start with a drink and the first course in the bar, then it’s upstairs for a snack in the kitchen before being seated in the intimate dining room with its bespoke crockery and pottery. It’s easy to see why the chef, who is a keen forager, talks so proudly of his ingredients, whether that’s the Shetland cod or the Highland wagyu. He and his team deliver and explain in detail their delicate, balanced and innovative dishes.

The culinary techniques of the Basque country are the inspiration behind this smoothly run restaurant on the first floor of a former pub. Cooking over fire is the focal point, with the smell of smoke the perfect way to get your taste buds excited; ask for a table opposite the open kitchen to see the flames for yourself. 'Brat' is the Old English word for turbot and this is the house speciality – designed for sharing, it’s grilled whole in a handmade basket over lumpwood charcoal. Plenty of other fish are on offer too, along with some robustly flavoured starters, and the delicious burnt cheesec

Chef Nieves Barragán Mohacho brings all her experience to bear at this joyous Spanish restaurant in Shoreditch. If you’re a couple, then sit at the comfortable counter to take in the skills and the choreography of the large kitchen brigade. However many dishes you order to share – from succulent suckling pig or herb-crusted rabbit shoulder, to crisp ‘gambas cristal’ or lamb sweetbreads with orzo – you’re bound to end up ordering even more when you see them go past. An all-Spanish wine list and the delightful, enthusiastic service team add to the experience.

It might be smaller than the glass-fronted office buildings that surround it but this red-brick, Grade II-listed former school certainly holds its own. The magnificent vaulted room lends itself effortlessly to its role as a glamorous brasserie and the atmosphere is buzzy without being overly loud. The cooking is classically French and there are no unnecessary fripperies, just reassuringly familiar combinations with the emphasis on bold, harmonious flavours – such as barbecued monkfish with a textbook, rich yet piquant vin jaune sauce split with herb oil.

There’s an appropriately earthy, natural vibe to this elegant restaurant dedicated to promoting plant-based cuisine. The slate floor, warm hues and rustic plastering help it feel stripped-back yet stylish, with some counter seating providing another on-trend touch. Chef Kirk Haworth – who founded Plates with his sister Keeley – brings his strong classical technique to bear on inventive and inviting vegan dishes that give vegetables the respect they deserve. The maitake mushroom with black bean mole is superb, while the raw cocoa gateau is a real treat to finish.

In contrast to the grandeur of its location inside the Town Hall Hotel, there's a modern, understatedly stylish look to Da Terra. You start with drinks and snacks in the elegant lounge, soundtracked by the comforting rhythms of bossa nova, before heading to the dining room – where the tables by the open kitchen offer a view of the impressive Molteni stove. Chef Rafael Cagali draws on his Brazilian and Italian heritage in skilfully crafted, highly original dishes bursting with colour. His signature reinvented version of the Brazilian 'moqueca' fish stew is bound to be a highlight.

Top-drawer fish, treated with the culinary skill it deserves, is the main attraction at this restaurant on the top floor of the South Place Hotel. The chefs have the confidence to know that when seafood is this good, it needs little in the way of adornment, and the pared-back cooking allows exceptional produce like roast Newlyn cod to shine through. Dishes are attractively presented and so is the room, with an ornate ceiling and inviting roof terrace.