La Bodega Negra- Soho, London

9 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 5NH
http://labodeganegra.com/#Home

It’s hard to believe that a neon-lit ‘Peep Show’ entrance off Old Compton Street leads to a buzzing underground world with top notch Mexican food, fantastic music and killer margaritas. The dishes are small and ideal for sharing- make guacamole a must to start and save enough room for the chocolate fondant to finish. The candle-lit, cellar-like interior is atmospheric and full of character.

Owner Serge Becker is the brains behind La Bodega Negra, also renowned for his NYC creation, La Esquina. La Esquina involves a similar concept where the basement restaurant is reached through an unsuspicious door within a retro SoHo diner.

La Bodega Negra’s ground level café and bar off Moor Street is ideal for a relaxed drink or bite to eat but head to the restaurant for a more frivolous evening. Book now-reservations get snatched up quickly.

The Bloomsbury Street Bar and Restaurant- Holborn, London

9-13 Bloomsbury Street, London, WC1B 3QD

Website

White and beige striped awning wrap the exterior of Bloomsbury Street Bar and Restaurant... an intimate, stylish and refined venue for lunch, dinner or drinks. The dark colour palette, red touches and chandelier lighting add to its elegance.  Relax in one of the large black leather chairs and begin the difficult decision of which options from the 3 course set- menu to go for. The standard and quantity of food make the £25 price tag for this menu completely reasonable. To start I opted for the duck liver parfait with fig chutney and toasted brioche, followed by the organic salmon fillet with crushed potatoes and mango and tomato salsa. Painfully, I only managed half of my delicious pear and chocolate tart for dessert. All were delicious. The staff made an extra effort to ensure we were always looked after and the complimentary appertiser in between courses was a nice touch.

The Modern Pantry- Clerkenwell, London

47- 48 St. John's Square, London, EC1V
http://www.themodernpantry.co.uk/

I went to the Modern Pantry for lunch to celebrate a special occasion. Exceeding all expectations, it was the perfect choice.  The upstairs restaurant is a bright and elegant room…black framed pictures against very light pistachio walls, crisp white table cloths, jars of lilac blooms and pots of fuschia-coloured flowers lining the outside window-sills. Our monkfish and beetroot salad mains were exceptional…even the olives and bread selection to start were a cut above the rest.  A glimpse of the downstairs pantry on my way out confirmed I will be back for afternoon tea or brunch. This ground-floor space is more relaxed and yet the white washed brick walls, low hanging copper lights and enormous floor to ceiling window make it an equally impressive interior.

Mildreds- Soho, London

 45 Lexington Street, London, W1F 9AN
http://www.mildreds.co.uk/

Lexington Street is home to a small strip of charming and cosy restaurants, Mildreds one of them. A few minutes from the hustle and bustle of Wardour street...Mildreds serves up tasty vegetarian food with a kick. This busy, chatter filled space with every table filled was likely the result of such reasonable prices and speedy service. Chinese dumplings, the veggie burrito, sweet potato fries and stir fried Asisn veg were all polished off easily!

Del'Aziz- Bermondsey, London

11 Bermondsey Square, London, SE1 3UN

http://www.delaziz.co.uk/ 

It’s the unique layout, tasteful interior and great menu that make Del’Aziz Bermondsey the ideal place for breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks.  You are initially greeted with a relaxed and homely café…on one side a delicious assortment of cakes and pastries is on display while the wall opposite is stocked with colourful jars, bottles and packets of high quality ingredients for purchase. 

Further through is the raised cocktail bar…a Moroccan themed, cushioned space filled with rich colours, velvet textures and copper touches. Round from this is the main restaurant area where you’ll find a live jazz band playing every Wednesday. The collection of outdoor tables facing onto Bermondsey Square also make this a perfect choice for sunny days and warm evenings.

The brunch menu is extensive and reasonably priced…try the ‘Frying Pan’ or any of the poached eggs dishes as they will not disappoint. Furthermore the three course set dinner menu for £22.00 per person provides a range of Mediterranean delights including hummus, taboleh, falafel with mint yoghurt, lamb boreck,  saffron chicken shish and roasted stuffed peppers. Del’Aziz also has branches in Fulham, Clapham, Swiss Cottage, Westfield and near the Southbank.

Spice Market- Leicester Square, London

10 Wardour Street, London, W1D 6QF
http://www.spicemarketlondon.co.uk/index.php

Slightly hidden under the modern W Hotel near Leicester Square, ensure you don't miss out on this vibrant and plush south-east Asia themed restaurant.  With rows of colourful spices lining the wall, hundreds of low hanging wok lights, gold mesh screens, a fiery red, orange and brown colour palette…the décor makes a big impact as soon as you walk through the door. An extensive cocktail list including delicious lychee raspberry bellinis and a wide selection of dishes- the spiced chicken samosas, crab dumplings and the Vietnamese chicken curry to name but a few- make Spice Market a must.