Portland, Nice Portland Avenue – for Michelin-starred eating
Now in its tenth yr, Portland stands as a beacon of understated excellence. Because it opened, this unpretentious gem has redefined wonderful eating by focussing on the assured cooking of remarkable elements and heat hospitality somewhat than starched linen. The present menu, curated by government chef Chris Bassett and head chef Angelica Hope, is a celebration of British seasonality with dishes like roast monkfish paired with Exmoor caviar sauce, and a showstopping Highland beef wellington. The celebratory, great-value £55 four-course tasting menu encapsulates a decade of creativity, from crispy hen pores and skin with liver parfait to a chic milk chocolate ganache. Portland’s modest appeal extends to its considerate wine listing, showcasing hidden gems alongside grand cru classics. With a loyal, savvy following and an ever-evolving meals ethos, Portland stays a must-visit for individuals who admire class with out airs. portlandrestaurant.co.uk
Bar Kinky – for an intimate bar
Hidden beneath trendy Georgian restaurant Kinkally, Bar Kinky lives as much as its title with sultry interiors and a daring, left-field method to elements and flavours.
The small 17-seater bar occupies a smooth, vault-like area with chrome steel partitions, sensual purple lighting and a techno music soundtrack. The point of interest is the marble central island bar round which prospects sit – the vibe is someway intimate but hectic, with bartenders providing attentive and speedy service.
Cocktails, courtesy of head bartender Andrew Pruts, look deceptively pared again however have a lot occurring behind the scenes, from creative elements to playful garnishes. Bossy is a scrumptious margarita/gimlet hybrid, with El Rayo Plata tequila, orange, hazelnut and cacao delivering layered flavours and delicate zestiness with mushy chocolate notes, plus savouriness from a Georgian seasoning in lieu of a salt rim.
Chocolate additionally performs its half within the smoky and seductively clean Snatch, alongside truffle, vermouth and Ojo De Dios Mezcal; whereas Bureau, Bar Kinky’s tackle a French 75, is a fruity, fizzy crushable delight with East London Gin, glowing wine and a frozen pomegranate ball that retains the drink chilled and subtly modifications the flavour because it melts. kinkally.co.uk
Akoko, Berners Avenue — for West African dishes
Govt chef Ayo Adeyemi’s tasting menu is rooted in custom however sharply executed with nice imaginative aptitude. Dishes might embrace tatale (Ghanaian plantain pancakes) with cashew cream and caviar, or moi-moi (a steamed pudding of puréed black-eyed beans with onions, peppers and inventory) served with the Afro-Brazilian seafood and coconut milk sauce, vatapá. akoko.co.uk
Rovi, Wells Avenue – for veg-centric dishes
A part of the Ottolenghi canon, Rovi’s a restaurant with greens, fermentation (learn our information to fermenting right here) and fireplace at its coronary heart. As is the development, there are small and huge plates accessible at lunch and dinner with veg punching means above their weight. Corn ribs have already turn into an Instagram star, taking inspiration from a Momofuku dish – the corn quartered, deep-fried, glazed in apricot sauce, baked then dusted with chipotle sauce. It’s as ridiculously good because it sounds – candy, sticky, smoky and spicy. Scorching tomatoes (roasted yellow and purple cherry tomatoes) with chilly yogurt, herbs and luggage of darkish urfa chilli shows a easy however masterful grasp of what feels good within the mouth. There’s a lot extra that’s nice on the menu – together with crumpet lobster toast (suppose posh prawn toast) with kumquat and chilli sauce – however you gained’t go far mistaken sticking with the veg. ottolenghi.co.uk/pages/areas/rovi
Chishuru, Nice Titchfield Avenue
After a summer time as a pop-up in 2020, Chishuru now has a everlasting residence in Fitzrovia with Nigerian-born chef Adejoké Bakare on the helm. She’s just lately turn into the primary Black lady within the UK – and solely second on the earth – to be awarded a Michelin star. The set menu dinner contains dishes equivalent to deep-fried quail, cured mackerel and grilled celeriac cake. chishuru.com
Roka, Charlotte Avenue – for elegant Japanese robatayaki
The unique Charlotte Avenue department of this elegant Japanese restaurant is centred round an open kitchen, residence to a big, coal-fired robata grill. Sit on the hanging wraparound counter, or on a desk beneath jewel-like jars of home made ferments, to style a succession of latest robatayaki dishes. We advise choosing one thing from every of the menu’s sections (with a glowing yuzu and cherry-laced sakura cocktail in hand whereas selecting). Snacks, salads and tempura embrace chunky beef and ginger gyozas, crisp prawn and shisho leaf tempura and silky aubergine salad topped with fluttering, umami-rich katsuobushi flakes. Roka’s signature tokusen sushi comes subsequent – yellowtail tartare laced with chilli, served in a pot over ice with a picket spoon to scoop onto puffed rice crackers. From the robata grill, yuzu miso-coated black cod served in a dried hoba (magnolia) leaf is so delicate it melts at a slight contact, whereas a heartier rack of child again pork ribs has a tingling edge courtesy of sansho pepper. To mark its twentieth anniversary, the restaurant has curated a £20 set menu, signature dishes and particular occasions to have fun. rokarestaurant.com
Lisboeta, Charlotte Avenue — for genuine Portuguese plates
Lisbon-born Nuno Mendes’s newest culinary enterprise is Lisboeta, which suggests ‘an individual from Lisbon’. Nuno is known for his ground-breaking restaurant Viajante, and Lisboeta is a return to his roots the place an all-day snack menu is a homage to ‘salgados’ (salty, savoury snacks) and ‘petiscos’ (little plates of this or that) tradition. Each are mostly eaten within the late afternoon accompanied by a chilly beer or glass of vinho verde. Different dishes are served family-style as they’d be within the tascas of Portugal. lisboeta.co.uk
Honey and Smoke, Nice Portland Avenue – for Center Japanese mezze
Honey and Smoke, the youthful sister to close by Honey and Co. brings the flavours and aptitude of Jerusalem grill homes to Fitzrovia. There’s a cool but informal vibe, with tough plaster partitions, teal-blue tiles, pops of main color and cabinets lined with tubs of tahini. Upstairs there’s a slick five-seater bar, whereas downstairs, the open kitchen is the main focus.
Go along with a gaggle to take advantage of the seasonal sharing menu; velvety clean hummus with diddy triangles of fluffy pitta, feta fritters stuffed with a candy pea centre and charred asparagus-adorned labneh. After a mezze feast, tuck into grilled meats, fish and veggies. Gradual-cooked lamb falls effortlessly from the bone with a facet of gently-roasted plums and dried rose petals. Saffron-marinated hen thighs have a kick of warmth, whereas scorched orange segments burst with smoky sweetness. Accompany with buttery, almond-flecked basmati rice. Honey and Co.’s signature cheesecake has made its means over to the dessert menu, the crunchy kadaif noodle base topped with a dollop of whipped feta, a drizzle of honey and contemporary mint.
A commonly altering wine listing matches the season, with a number of bottles from the Center East making an look, from a light-weight Palestinian cremisan to herby maia purple from Israel. If you need a booze-free possibility, the refreshing orange blossom iced tea has a delicate sweetness. honeyandco.co.uk
Pahli Hill, Mortimer Avenue – for regional Indian dishes
Named after one in all Mumbai’s oldest neighbourhoods, Pahli Hill’s menu displays its numerous culinary heritage, providing regional dishes from throughout India. Vibrant unique Indian art work and materials, booth-seating and a view into the open kitchen give the restaurant a recent really feel, whereas its Bandra Bhai basement bar delights in its dimly lit, smuggler’s-den vibe. With a tequila-based saffron cocktail in hand, graze on papadi chat, a dip of contrasting flavours and textures, together with pumpkin, spiced yogurt, wheat crackers and sev (crispy gram flour noodles), tamarind chutney and vibrant pops of pomegranate. Bangalore-born chef Avinash Shashidhara’s expertise in high-end UK eating places is evident on this menu, which utilises top-quality British elements. Mangalore buns – two heat, bready pockets – are served with a beneficiant pile of spiced Scottish crab. Highlights from the tandoor embrace hen tikka with cucumber noodles, mint and horseradish. The pumpkin kofta is gentle and aromatic, and for a veggie feast, it is excellent served with a protracted ‘paper dosa’ or flaky flatbread and chutneys. pahlihillbandrabhai.com
Punch Room at The London EDITION – for cocktails
Hidden within the depths of the glamorous London EDITION lodge, this bar is a cocoon of wooden panelling and blue-grey velvet banquettes the place creatives collect for hushed conversations over iconic punch-style cocktails. An electrical fireplace casts a comfy atmosphere throughout the lounge space and there’s a gentle stream of shaking and stirring on the free-standing bar within the nook.
The menu performs with gentle, and drinks are cut up into three sections – opaque, translucent and clear. From the latter, utterly clear drinks embrace the silky, mezcal-based Halo of Smoke with a kick from cayenne pepper, aromatic Bergamot liqueur Italicus and a contemporary, grassy carry from coriander, basil and parsley oil dropped in. Fireball Punch has a tropical edge whereas negroni followers ought to order the distinctive Mom of Pearl, with Campari enjoying its half in a bittersweet pink foam that sits atop a transparent Sakura cherry vermouth infused liquid. An eclectic alternative of bar meals ranges from the likes of toasted brioche rolls stuffed with tempura prawns, marie rose and trout caviar to crisp hen tenders lifted with jalapeño and even mini variations of Berner Tavern consolation meals, equivalent to mac and cheese with braised beef blade. editionhotels.com
Clipstone, Clipstone Avenue – for date evening
Clipstone is on a nook of Clipstone Avenue in Fitzrovia and is the sister to close by (and Michelin-starred) Portland, a modern-European eating room arrange by restaurateurs Will Lander and Daniel Morgenthau with chef Merlin Labron-Johnson. Each eating places satisfaction themselves on high-quality cooking, wine and repair, however Clipstone is extra informal – right here, you may have freshly made sourdough flatbreads from a pizza oven, left-over from the Italian restaurant that was right here earlier than it. There are bigger plates together with home made ravioli of hay-baked carrot and ricotta with brown butter and hazelnuts and a tempting array of desserts – lemon sheep’s milk ice cream, for instance, and the last word Paris-Brest (a Parisian bistro traditional). Drinks-wise, there are a number of wines on faucet and, for one thing mushy, home made sodas (together with yuzu-ade) and watermelon iced tea. It’s all set in a heat, elegantly designed area – anticipate reclaimed stone, pure linens and outside seating. clipstonerestaurant.co.uk
Circolo Popolare, Rathbone Place – for a gaggle dinner
This extravagant Italian trattoria (the second London outpost from Huge Mamma group) is good for a enjoyable group dinner – it’s buzzy, loud and seemingly the place to be (reserving is important, except you need to courageous the walk-in queue that snakes around the block). The interiors set the tone – lights twist into foliage hanging from the ceilings, partitions are jam-packed with vibrant memorabilia (photograph frames, ceramic plates, candelabras) and cabinets groan with each liquor possible – there are tens of 1000’s of bottles.
Kick issues off with the Huge Mamma cocktail, a refreshing vodka, lime and ginger ale concoction served in a mermaid-painted glass, or one of many restaurant’s takes on Italian aperitifs and spritzes – we beloved the Spritz Veneziano with herbaceous Plymouth thyme gin, prosecco, blood orange bitters and a gobstopper-sized olive for good measure. There are additionally sharing cocktails served in big strawberry ceramics and champagne buckets.
The meals is centred round produce from Sicily – share an enormous burrata with pesto or deep-fried courgette flowers to begin. Mains are perfect for teams, too, with carbonara served in a pecorino wheel and silk handkerchief pasta lined in Tuscan pork ragu and aubergines, each meant for 2. Tongue-in-cheek-named pizzas embrace I Wanna Nduja (San Marzano tomato and smoked mozzarella with delicate warmth from ’nduja, spicy sausage and chilli), Elizabeth Regina topped with Sicilian herbs, prosciutto and ricotta cream, and vegetarian Emrata Burrata with creamy burrata coronary heart, almonds, capers and olives. For dessert there’s a hefty 5.9-inch-high slice of lemon meringue pie, or creamy, boozy tiramisu spooned straight from the dish. bigmammagroup.com
Kiss the Hippo – for espresso
The second department of this smooth espresso store (see our brunch information for information on the unique spot in Richmond) presents breakfast and brunch classics alongside top-notch espresso. Count on loads of area of interest brews, from Ugandan nitro chilly brew and a contemporary, vibrant possibility from Yemen to their traditional George Avenue mix with notes of blackberry, caramel and chocolate. Dishes embrace vegan choices equivalent to avocado on toast with toasted seeds and chilli flakes, and scrambled tofu with purple pepper and herbs on toast. An indulgent eggs benedict is served in an Insta-worthy croissant bun, whereas mushrooms on toast is slathered in black olive tapenade and shaved Italian cheese. kissthehippo.com
Al Dente, Goodge Avenue – for pasta
This neighbourhood glass-fronted pasta spot is an informal affair, with easy black and white partitions, a reggaeton soundtrack and a fridge filled with vibrant San Pellegrino cans. In entrance of the small open kitchen, creations from the on-site pasta lab are specified by all sizes and shapes to remove, from twirly fusilli to ribbed tubes of maccheroni and crammed tortelli. After a starter of contemporary tomato cubes on toasted focaccia doused in Sicilian olive oil, tuck into an array of handmade pasta dishes. Spaghettoni coated in a silky, yolk-yellow sauce jewelled with salty guanciale (full with melty fats) and pecorino cheese makes a top-notch carbonara, whereas massive tubes of paccheri take in a candy tomato sauce of finely minced beef and greens. Vegetarian choices embrace the peppery punch of cacio e pepe tossed by chewy worms of tonnarelli (thicker spaghetti), and ravioli parcels stuffed with pumpkin and ricotta adorned with crispy sage. Easy desserts are nicely executed, with ricotta-filled housemade cannoli, and thick folds of mascarpone layered with boozy sponge in a Kilner jar tiramisu. The wine listing showcases producers from throughout Italy – floral Umbrian San Giovanni, wealthy Puglian primitivo, and mushy, clean chianti from Tuscany. pastificioaldente.com
Flesh & Buns, Berners Avenue – for Nikkei delicacies
Nikkei delicacies and on-demand pisco sours outline the vibe at Flesh & Buns’s latest website. Whereas Flesh & Buns’s trademark bao buns nonetheless make an look, the menu focusses on nikkei (Peruvian-Japanese fusion) delicacies – from tiger prawn toban with aji amarillo (a Peruvian chilli), ponzu butter and shiso, to fish and seafood tiraditos (a cross between Peruvian ceviche and Japanese sashimi). There’s additionally new dishes created utilizing Ross’s new wooden smoker – together with chilli miso brisket and tub chap with butternut squash kimchi. Parts are beneficiant. Korean-fried hen wings come slathered in a fiery, tangy sauce whereas smoked pork ribs are two big, succulent bronzed slabs glazed in aji amarillo honey. A ceviche of sea bass with cherry tomato, pickled kumquat and rocoto tiger’s milk (the citrussy curing marinade in a ceviche) is delicate and spicy . fleshandbuns.com/eating places/oxford-circus/
The Ninth, Charlotte Avenue – for modern French delicacies
Positioned within the coronary heart of Fitzrovia, The Ninth unsurprisingly is the ninth venue on Jun Tanaka’s illustrious C.V, and his first solo enterprise, delivering easy but refined sharing dishes. Seasonal produce takes centre stage on an a la carte menu, which is cut up into eight sections. Constructed round cured, pickled and brined specialities, just like the zesty razor clam ceviche, Tanaka layers flavours in an beautiful, delicate fashion, enabling every ingredient to shine. Begin your meal off with a alternative of snacks together with the mouth-watering oxtail croquettes and the Monacan speciality, barbajuans; ravioli parcels stuffed with calmly fried Swiss chard, pine nuts and feta. The succulent salted beef cheeks arrive in a deeply flavoured oxtail consommé and are completely complemented by smoky, charred cabbage which lifts the wealthy, earthy flavours to a different stage. theninthlondon.com
Phrases by Ellie Edwards, Alex Crossley, Charlotte Morgan, Laura Rowe, Jordan Kelly-Linden, Hannah Guinness, Nicki Smith
Pictures by Patricia Niven and BAO
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