On the edge of the city in Shoreditch is Merchants Tavern, uniquely housed within an ornate Victorian warehouse that used to be an apothecary. In contrast to the deceptively simple exterior is the elegant bar that guests need to walk through to enter the wide-angle and dimly lit dining room. With plush green leather banquettes, exposed brickwork and large windows offering panorama views of the city, a dark and moody atmosphere is evoked mirroring the best of midtown Manhattan.

Merchants Tavern is a collaboration between Neil Borthwick, formerly behind Michel Bras and The Square, Angela of Murano and the founders of the Canteen chain. With the expertise of three restaurant powerhouses, it comes as no surprise that Merchants Tavern has become an institution in Shoreditch, attracting the elite and sophisticated.

The menu at Merchants Tavern, expertly prepared by head chef Borthwick, marries seasonal British, French and Italian cuisine. Special occasions can be celebrated in style with an especially curated group and function menus. Even intimate meals between couples and groups of friends are elevated by not only the supreme interior décor, but also by the spectacle created with an open kitchen as well as delicious and luxurious cuisine. Guests are recommended to try a starter of roast quail leg and breast elegantly prepared on a bed of celeric remoulade, seared foie gras and warmly toasted hazelnuts. For mains, seasonal meat dishes prepared over the grill with a slightly charred aroma of a bonfire are simply delicious. A roast pork neck neatly garnished with forgotten carrots and girolle persillade, and a roasted loin of venison draped in lardo and served with fresh sprout leaves, red cabbage and spiced quince are two meals that you would not want to miss out on.

The bar at Merchants Tavern is open all day starting from 9am, offering breakfast, as well as sensibly priced lunch menus with two courses starting from about £18, and three courses for about £22. At any point in the day, guests are able to order a coffee or tea at the bar, as well as craft beers, draught ciders, cocktails and traditional and natural wines.

Merchants Tavern draws from its fashionable and modern Shoreditch location, and has successfully created a sophisticated destination with classic and elegant interior design, ambience and cuisine. It has combined the best of informal dining with its bar area, as well as more chic dining experience with its formal dining room, and is therefore a restaurant that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

Merchants Tavern Cuisine, Dress Code & Address

Cuisine: Modern European

Dress Code: Smart Casual 

Area: Shoreditch

Address: 36 Charlotte Road, London, EC2A 3PG

Website: https://www.merchantstavern.co.uk

Ours Restaurant London is a chic and trendy new restaurant opened in the heart of Knightsbridge by Tom Sellers, behind the iconic Restaurant Story. Before it was even opened it was voted ‘London’s hottest restaurant’, and this is an ode to its culmination of stylish and refreshing interior and imaginative cuisine.

With its unassuming exterior, it comes across as a mysterious destination and this is also seen in its white tunnel walkway, retained from its former venue The Collection, with illuminated flooring that leads into the restaurant. Upon entering Ours, guests are met with upbeat music from 80s pop to 90s RnB, and a huge open area with floor-to-ceiling walls of flowers and greenery, and 10ft tall olive trees draped in fairy lights interspersed throughout the restaurant. In contrast to the aloof exterior and tunnel walkway into Ours, the interior is bright and magical with an outside-inside and secret garden theme, giving guests the perfect Instagramable moments.

Head chef, Douglas Santi has previously worked closely with French chef, Alain Ducasse, and has curated an internationally inspired sharing menu drawing from Mediterranean, Latin and Asian influences. Courtesy of the head chef, the extravagant and creative interior at Ours Restaurant London is complemented by an out-of-the-ordinary menu that delineates items not based on the traditional starters, mains and desserts but in terms of dishes such as, ‘snacks’, ‘raw’, ‘beef’ and ‘sides’. If you are peckish, you may find yourself tempted to try items on the ‘snack’ menu, with highlights including the delicious shrimp and yuzu toasties and the anchovy and avocado tarts. The ‘snack’ items are a modern pre-starter that can easily be followed by a classic steak tartare served from the ‘raw’ section of the menu. Beef dishes are as sumptuous as the other menu items, and favourites include the Galician beef sirloin with béarnaise sauce, soft lamb with charred butter lettuce, morels and peas, and veal cooked on the bone with girolles and truffles. The ‘side’ dishes cannot be missed either, and we recommend that every main meal should be accompanied with either a side of truffle parmesan chips, or half-roasted cauliflower flavoured with African spices.

Fresh ingredients, such as, kale, pomegranate and melon are added to most dishes, and not only harmoniously add multiple layers of flavour and texture, but also create colourful and photogenic dishes perfect for uploading to an Instagram story. Ours also elevates its cocktails not only in terms of flavour, but also with its presentation. Each cocktail is especially crafted with a story in mind, with one of our favourites being the ‘Gin in a bottle’, which is an earl grey infused gin served in a small genie-like lamp, inspired by the fictional story of Aladdin.

Ours has successfully created an oasis in the idyllic Knightsbridge area, where guests can escape city life and unwind in a calming and natural scene with the added bonus of great cuisine. Guests can expect to spend about £100 a head, and with this in mind we consider Ours to be an ideal restaurant for special occasions.

Ours Cuisine, Dress Code & Address

Cuisine: European, International

Dress Code: Smart Casual 

Area: South Kensington

Address: 264 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London, SW3 2AS

Website: https://www.restaurant-ours.com

Momo, a palatial sanctuary enlightened by the sumptuous cuisine and ornate styling of Maghreb and the Mediterranean, and located in the packed and restaurant-lined street of Mayfair. With the experience of Mourad Mazouz, the founder of London’s kaleidoscopic and bizarrely wonderful Sketch restaurant, Momo has become one of the most influential North African and Middle Eastern luxury restaurants in London, delivering visual allure, gastronomic delight, and sultry atmospherics typically associated with a high-end nightclub.

Momo has acutely fashioned its outside terrace, café, bar and dining lounge area with a golden thread of classic Marrakesh-inspired atmosphere and décor. Upon arriving at Momo, guests are immediately enveloped by fruity sheesha smoke, and the surging and rhythmic sound track of Maghrebi beats, creating a buzzing and lively night-life experience for guests. With fragments of light shining through intricately latticed windows, rich metal lanterns hanging from every part of the ceilings and plush fabric-wrapped cushion benches, guests are transported away from typical London and are immersed in an environment reflecting the intimate and genial Moroccan souks.

Whilst indulging in the rich atmosphere at Momo, guests can start off with Momo Specials – vodka-based mojitos fused with fresh mint, lemon juice and soda water – and with classic champagne cocktails crafted with Fine de Cognac and Veuve Cliquot champagne. They can also begin their dining experience with delicacies including barbecue octopus complemented with tart beetroot purée, or spiced wood pigeon pastille accompanied with a sweet blend of almonds, cinnamon and orange marmalade. For mains, Moroccan classics are also recommended with the traditional chicken tagine served with persevered lemons, olives, onion compote and saffron or stuffed quail garnished with freekeh, pea purée, caramelised apple, jus and mixed nuts being two of Momo’s speciality dishes.

Guests can also have a nightcap at Kemia Bar, tucked beneath Momo, with its cocktail menu compiled by the London drink consultants, Heads, Hearts & Tails. Classic cocktails, as well as ones inspired by North Africa and Asia, such as Kashmirs a refined blend of gin, Cocchi Americano, maraschino, lemon, raspberry cordial and egg white, can be sipped upon whilst marvelling over Black Dice’s eclectic combination of ornate, Moroccan-styled furniture and wall-hang gold records and guitars reminiscent of London’s Rock n’ roll 60’s.

Guests are immediately captivated when walking through the doors of Momo, and are physically and spiritually moved out of London into an entirely new environment. The scent emanating from the Sheesha smoke, the visually appealing Moroccan-esque décor, the acoustics created with rhythmic tunes, the textual sensation of the silky, material-draped furniture and the inspired tasting cuisine all work together in creating a synergistic masterpiece.

Momo Cuisine, Dress Code & Address

Cuisine: Mediterranean, North African

Dress Code: Casual Elegant 

Area: Mayfair

Address: 25 – 27 Heddon Street Regent Street, London, W1B 4BH

Website: https://www.momoresto.com

Aquavit is a Scandinavian inspired restaurant that originally opened its doors in New York in 1987. It not only earned two Michelin stars based on its singular Nordic cuisine, but also due to its novel and cohesive blend of formal and informal dining rooms both of which are imbued with elegant and sophisticated decor and styling.

Aquavit’s prowess and popularity in New York catalysed two more restaurants to be opened in both Tokyo and London. London’s Aquavit is located in the recently redeveloped St James’s Market in Central London, and is accompanied by Veneta and Anzu, two equally desirable restaurants. The interior design, overseen by Martin Brudnizki behind the design of Sexy Fish and the Ivy, is reminiscent of Nordic design with its timber-panelled walls, close-set and unclothed booth-like tables, and bright lighting. The simplicity of some design elements is effortlessly juxtaposed with chic chandeliers, sleek marble floors, and iridescent chrome fittings, creating an atmosphere of easy sophistication and contemporary Nordic dining.

The focal point of London’s Aquavit is its Swedish marble bar decorated with bottles of its namesake Aquavit, snaps and other Scandinavian spirits. Whilst waiting for your delicious meal to arrive indulge in a selection of Nordic cocktails such as Bergen Bitter and Nordfjord, both of which are fused with Nordic flavours like berries, fennel and caraway..

Aquavit’s head chef and fellow Swede Henrik Ritzen, previously a chef at The Arts Club in Mayfair as well as Lutyens in the city, offers cuisine resembling the clean flavours, healthy ingredients and simple presentation of well-known Nordic dishes. Guests will experience authentic Scandinavian delicacies starting with ‘smorgasbord’ small plates of pickled herring, scallop slices and venison tartare textualised with a sweet and savoury combination of blueberries, lingonberries, capers, shallots and potato strips. The ‘smorgasbord’ small plates can also be prepared as tapas-styled sharing meals reflecting some guests desire for lighter main meals, and a more intimate dining setting. Aquavit serves traditional Nordic main meals, including succulent chunks of steak, potato cubes and caramelised onions mixed together with an egg yolk, as well as sweetly seasoned pork and beef meatballs lightly doused in veal stock-based sauce, accompanied with mash, lingonberries and pickled cucumber. Aquavit’s cuisine captivates its guests with its motley of flavours and textures, creating unique dining experiences that emphasise the best of Nordic fine-dining.

London’s Aquavit is also renowned for its afternoon teas and day-time dining. Guests can enjoy an afternoon filled with delicious Swedish ‘smorrebrod’ served on rye bread studded with sunflower seeds, as well as the popular Nordic pastry mum-mums- swirls coated in dark chocolate and filled with fluffy marshmallow centres. Guests can end off their afternoon on an even sweeter note with dark chocolate and hazelnut cookies and Danish Hoogly tea with rhubarb, vanilla and custard flavours.

From day-time into the evening guests are immersed in Aquavit’s intimate dining experiences which fuse opulent interior design with a unique and contemporary adaptation of traditional Nordic cuisine.

Aquavit Cuisine, Dress Code & Address

Cuisine:Contemporary Nordic

Dress Code: Casual Elegant 

Area: Central London

Address: St James’s Market, 1 Carlton Street, London SW1Y 4QQ

Website: https://www.aquavitrestaurants.com/

An authentic steakhouse located on Soho’s Windmill Street juxtaposing the rustic atmosphere one would expect from a steakhouse with a refreshing modernity and glamour. Sophie’s began originally on Fulham Road operating for fifteen years, with the latest edition being the Soho branch that has attracted much attention and curiosity due to it being set inside the converted Moulin Cinema, infamously revered as London’s oldest adult cinema, and also as a result of its unconventional blend of classic steakhouse cuisine with popular fish and vegetarian dishes.

Sophie’s delivers on its classic steakhouse inspiration with its industrial exposed brick walls and plush red leather seats, and intertwines this with modern accents epitomised in its bright and airy dining space, open kitchen and high-vaulted ceilings holding a remarkable hand-made light installation. The atmosphere at Sophie’s reflects a casual elegance with its large central bar, at which Sophie’s speciality, the American classic Martinis, are skilfully crafted with mixes including pumpkin margarita, and chilli-infused vanilla vodka with passion fruit. With Sophie’s cast iron ‘infernillo’ grill in the centre of the restaurant and separating the dining area from the open kitchen, guests are drawn into a “back-to-basics” cooking spectacle in which they can watch their dish of choice slowing cooking over the prominent fire pit.

At Sophie’s, guests can select an American-styled trio of rich beef rib croquettes balanced with sharp pickled mayonnaise, cubes of roasted beetroot and dices of lightly seasoned horseradish. As an alternative to a beef starter, a sea bass carpaccio is a popular choice featuring thinly sliced raw fish lightly garnished with lime juice and fresh chilli. Sophie’s is a steakhouse at its core, and its selection of classic steaks including sirloin, fillet and rib-eye accompanied with peppered bone-marrow gravy and Béarnaise sauces definitely deliver on this simplistic definition. All of the meat is native-breed, procured from farms in both Scotland and Northern England, and dry-aged for twenty-eight days before being cooked fire-side allowing for the tender meat to have a smokey taste emanating from the outer char to the blushing core. Guests can also opt to try Sophie’s grilled octopus, tuna steak and cauliflower with hummus tahini and pomegranate that are also prepared on the grill carrying the same smokey flavour profile as the meat dishes.

Guests can finish off their meals with decadent desserts including the American classic baked cheesecake with tart rhubarb. After which, guests can then carry on the enjoyment of their evening and partake in an evening escapade to Jack Solomon’s Speakeasy club covertly located behind a faux store-front right beneath Sophie’s.

Sophie’s is a modern rendition of a classic steakhouse, that not only offers sophisticated dining experiences but that is also accessible to spontaneous walk-in guests looking for an intimate spot to have a quick coffee or a signature cocktail. It has arguably been viewed as one of Central London’s best steakhouses delivering elegantly crafted and diverse dishes, and with it only being about a minute’s walk from the Piccadilly Circus Tube Station, it holds a prime location that cannot be missed.

Sophie’s Cuisine, Dress Code & Address

Cuisine: Steak, British

Dress Code: Casual Elegant 

Area: Soho

Address: 42-44 Great Windmill Street, London W1D 7NB

Website: https://www.sophiessteakhouse.com/soho