City Social- The City, London

Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, EC2N 1HQ
http://citysociallondon.com/

Another string to Michelin Star Jason Atherton's bow of successful London 'Social' restaurants (Pollen Street Social, The Little Social, Social Eating House), City Social located high up in Tower 42 serves dinner and drinks in a sleek interior with jaw-dropping panoramic views of London.

The restaurant menu is divided into five sections with something for everyone; cooked starters, uncooked starters, pasta and rice, mains and grill. Veggies might like the heirloom tomato and burrata salad or the basil tagliatelle with colourful sprouting broccoli and parmesan veloute.  The mains on offer include a good selection of fish and meats, all accompanied with flavoursome sides. From the grill, all beef is cooked over charcoal and served with duck fat chips. For dessert, pick from dishes such as the apple tarte tatin with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, the strawberry soufflé with yoghurt sorbet or the white chocolate mousse with caramel hazelnuts and salted caramel ice cream (wow).

If you're not keen on dinner, the City Social bar serves prohibition inspired cocktails with tasty snacks such as goats cheese churros and Cornish chilli squid...where you can still enjoy the same stunning backdrop of the iconic Gherkin building that looks so close you could touch it.

Maltby Street Market- Bermondsey, London

Ropewalk, 41 Maltby Street, London, SE1 3PA
http://www.maltby.st/

A true SE1 gem, Maltby Street Market is a treat for any foodie. Located along a secluded lane draped with bunting, this small space comes alive each weekend. Stalls selling pastrami sandwiches, avocado dips, Scottish smoked salmon rye breads, Tartiflette, Brazilian wraps, giant burgers, Greek oils and preserves, freshly brewed coffee and tasty brownies are just some of the delights on offer. Arches of the adjacent railway have been transformed to sit-in spaces; try the Little Bird Gin bar where cocktails are served in jam jars or Spanish bar Tozino serving cured meats, cheeses and fine wines. Antique shop LASSCO also has seating space to eat and drink and is know to facilitate swing dancing with a live band.

Chotto Matte- Soho, London

11- 13 Frith Street, W1D 4RB
http://www.chotto-matte.com/

Chotto Matte fuses Japanese and Peruvian cuisine in a large, artistic space based in the heart of bustling Soho. Spread across two floors encompassing a cocktail lounge, open Robata grill, sushi bar and outdoor seating; it aims to bring modern day Tokyo to London. Graffiti artists based in both capitals have created colouful art installations for each floor that are inspired by Tokyo's contemporary urban culture and evoke an underground feel.

From the cuisine fusion- also known as 'Nikkei'- you can expect options like Padron peppers, spicy lamb chops, grilled octopus, fresh sushi, prawn tempura, chicken miso with yellow chilli salsa and purple whipped potato. The dessert menu isn't bad at all; the salted caramel chocolate fondant was amazing and the peanut parfait with Frangelico or the passion fruit brulee looked yummy. Tasting menus start from £41 ahead or you can go à la carte.

This is a perfect choice for a large group of people and had a great atmosphere when we visited one recent Friday night.

Coppa Bar & BBQ- Hackney, London

Hothouse Rooftop, Martello Street, E8 3QW
http://www.coppalondon.co.uk/

This summer pop-up is perfect for warm days; a fun rooftop space with colourful huts, chequered table cloths, deck chairs and lemon garlands strung all around. The view over London Fields is pretty nice too.

Reservations can be made for 6+ people and the menu is set. Expect bread, nuts, olives, a meat antipasti selection and huge portions of soft mozzarella to start. During our visit this was followed by roast chicken from the open BBQ served with fries and mixed salads. Dessert was a palette pleasing lemon sorbet.

Holborn Dining Room- Holborn, London

252 High Holborn, WC1V 7EN
http://www.holborndiningroom.com/

The Holborn Dining Room is a grand dining salon located in the Rosewood Hotel. Conveniently, the cosy Scarfes Bar is in close proximity for a specially curated cocktail pre or post dinner. Inside the Dining Room, red leather seats, antique mirrors, marble pillars and a copper-topped bar bring a real sense of elegance to this brasserie.

The seasonal British menu has variety; dishes range from green spelt risotto or the shrimp burger to the lamb rump with violet artichokes or Angus beef & stilton pie. The hot and cold counter menus are great for small dishes to share. Espresso Martinis and a delicious raspberry & rose Eton Mess finished our lovely dinner off nicely.

I took note of the breakfast options too- tasty looking pastries, toasted avocado muffin, fresh fruit, buttermilk pancakes, Eggs Benedict and a caviar omelette (if you feel awfully flush)  were some of the options- as it would be an equally lovely brunch venue.

A pretty courtyard with tables also let's you enjoy drinks & food al fresco.

Goodman- The City, London

11 Old Jewry, EC2R 8DY
http://www.goodmanrestaurants.com/

Hand on heart, the best steak I've had in London was at Goodman. Meat is dry-aged on site; a unique treatment ensuring a very full and intense flavour. Book an early(ish) table to get a pick of the limited special cuts they have on offer; we ordered a hefty 900g Chateaubriand between four which came cooked to a perfect medium rare. Spoilt for choice with delicious sides, we decided on mac and cheese with truffle sauce, sea salt truffle fries (you can never have too much truffle), chilli garlic spinach and buttered green beans. With just enough space left to share a couple of desserts, the baked New York cheesecake with cherry compote and the choc chip brownie ice cream sundae were polished off in a flash. Goodman has restaurants in the City, Canary Wharf and Mayfair, so there's hopefully one location accessible for most. The Mayfair branch is currently running a Sunday roast beef menu on handful of dates- delicious goosey roast potatoes and live music!

Oblix- The Shard, London Bridge

Level 32, The Shard, 31 St. Thomas Street, SE1 9RY
http://www.oblixrestaurant.com/

We visited Oblix on a whim one Tuesday evening and were delighted to hear there were some spots left at the counter tables. This didn't bother us at all; as we faced a stunning, sun-setting London skyline and enjoyed a delicious glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The food was quite delicious; we ordered buttery black cod with an indulgent side of creamy macaroni cheese. The roasted cauliflower with almonds and pomegranate was a creative and tasty mix of flavours. The entrance is grand; a low lit stone corridor opens out into the bright, light restaurant with stunning views of the city. An open kitchen lets you watch the talented chefs busy at work while live jazz can be enjoyed from the lounge.