London's Best Restaurants

shown: SERRA AT THE CHANCERY ROSEWOOD LONDON

A live-fire gastronomy go-to recreating the vibes of the original Amsterdam restaurant created by chefs Hari Shetty and Ori Geller (formerly of Nobu) and entrepreneur Gilad Hayeem in 2022. The cuisine here is Nobu meets the Mediterranean: small plates of Torched Toro with white balsamic (£25); Cacio e Pepe pizza (£14); Half lobster, Guajillo butter and mandarin (£26); and Scottish short rib, slow-cooked (£35). Order the showstopper Tiramisu for dessert: presented as caviar on ice. The capacious interior is sleek with a buzzy open kitchen, large bar and an alfresco terrace. This is the first restaurant to take residency at The Whiteley, the upmarket development that’s the cornerstone of the planned regeneration of London’s Bayswater. 163 Queensway, W2 4BD; nelarestaurant.com

The buzz around the culinary offering at Mayfair’s Eero Saarinen-designed midcentury edifice on Grosvenor Square has focussed on the Spicy Rigatoni Vodka and theatrics at New York-Italian export Carbone, but the hotel’s Serra restaurant and tea room-bar Jacqueline, are elegant alternatives. Serra’s Southern Mediterranean menu is light and simple: dishes of grilled fish, mezze platters and rustic pasta (the Rigatoni alla zozzona is £24 and the Devon red sirloin, £40). What really stands out though is the exceptionally personable service. At Jacqueline, next door, the all-day menu includes desserts by executive pastry chef Marius Dufay, afternoon tea and lighter plates. Both experiences are elevated by a rooftop visit to the Eagle bar for a cocktail under the wings of the building’s famous golden eagle. 30 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 9AN; rosewoodhotels.com/en/the-chancery-rosewood

Celebrated Italian chef Francesco Mazzei makes a triumphant London return at Corinthia London’s former Northall Restaurant. The Calabria-born chef’s menu is an ode to Italy using "70% seasonal British ingredients”: seafood from Scotland, Westcombe ricotta and Welsh lamb. Dishes include Welsh lamb rump with poverello beans, cavolo nero and roasted winter tomatoes, £42; and Three meat meatball with scamorza cheese, £24, alongside a dedicated Truffle menu and an Italian-led wine list. The setting? Silky fabrics, green-veined Italian marble and oak parquetry floors, transformed by candlelight by night. 10 Whitehall Pl, London SW1A; corinthia.com/en-gb/london

The Detroit-style pizza and natural wine bar, which first found a following in Notting Hill, has opened a second venue in Soho. Co-founders Ria and David Morgan-Ratcliffe, who left careers in finance and tech to open the concept, have created the same laid-back ambience but with a few refined tweaks. The new venue serves their signature deep-pan, square-cut Detroit-style pizza, by the pie (from £18) or slice (from £4.90), with favourites from Notting Hill and a new Soho-only slice. Foubert's Mansions, 29 Foubert's Place, Carnaby, London W1F 7QF; rias.world

Hot on the heels of his London restaurant Town, chef Stevie Parle has opened his second new dining go-to of the year in Fitzrovia: an Italian destination with Luke Ahearne (previously of Lita and Luca). The pair have taken over the former Percy & Founders space, offering 150 covers to a retro-futurist backdrop. Mains include Wild sea bass, caponata and shellfish sauce (£34); Old Spot chop, mustard fruits and pear (£36); and Rib-eye 45-day Belted Galloway, with chianti or peppercorn sauce (£48). 1 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BF; motorino.london

Savour chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen's signature seasonally led cuisine at her restaurant at the Beaumont Mayfair. Goodwin-Allen, who has held a Michelin star at Northcote for over two decades, has created dishes “you really want to eat”: Corn-fed Chicken Diane (£36), Steamed lamb suet pudding (£38) and John Dory fish fingers (£38). The backdrop is a vision of colourful painted murals, brass lighting and glossy wood finishes. Brown Hart Gardens, London, W1K 6TF/thebeaumont.com

The chef-owner of Devon’s Michelin-starred Lympstone Manor Restaurant has opened his first London residency at the five-star St James’s hotel, taking over what was formerly The Game Bird. His menu includes new, exclusive dishes as well as favourites from Lympstone Manor. On the Classic menu is a Brixham Dover Sole (£80) and The Stafford Beef Wellington (£130); while the À la carte menu includes Roast guinea fowl (£46) and Hare À La Royale (£48). There’s also a tasting menu as well as lunch and children’s menus. 16-18 St James's Place, London SW1A 1NJ; /thestaffordlondon.com/michael-caines-at-the-stafford

The 19th-century Seven Dials' townhouse has undergone a revamp creating three offerings under one roof. Izakaya restaurant Wani Tzuki is new, debuting alongside established French dining haunt Louie, and The Alligator Bar. The Japanese cuisine at Wani Tzuki is interpreted by the house's French chefs and offers selections of Sashimi (from £8) and Nigiri; fish plates such as Black Cod Gyoza (£19); and meat and vegetable dishes that include Grilled Beef Tenderloin (£38). Expect classic French flair at Louis: from Lobster Thermidor (half, £49) to Lamb cutlets with petit pois à la Française and a thyme jus (£38). Popular nights include the Friday piano evening. 13-15 West Street, London, WC2H 9NE; louierestaurant.com

An Asian export with outposts in Singapore, Tokyo, Taipei, Dubai and now London. Go for contemporary interpretations of classic Asian dishes from Executive Chef Monchai Ling (Hakkasan and Raffles Singapore) in the new Renzo Piano building on Paddington Square. Signature dishes include Miso Chilean Seabass with Szechuan Green Chilli Sauce (£40); and Wagyu Tenderloin with Kombu Butter (£80). At the bar, Andrea Kollcaku's cocktails are served alongside wine and sake menus by Sake Samurai, Savvas Symeonidis. 17 & 18, 1 Paddington Square, London W2 1DL; ldn.celavi.com