Svelte modern interiors combined with a distinctive international seafood and Scottish cuisine menu makes Agua Restaurant at Apex City Hotel a popular venue for a business luncheon or an enjoyable evening meal. Entering its chic metropolitan setting, with large glass doors, dark wood veneer panelling and soft lighting, elevates the mood as does relaxing in the comfortable dark grey buckskin upholstered banquettes after a stroll down the Royal Mile or shopping in vibrant Grassmarket.

An eclectic well-balanced menu, with prix fixe and à la carte options, emphasises seasonality and offers dishes created with a range of local produce. Freshness and flavour, which is to be expected of this AA Rosette award-winning restaurant, make deciding between steamed Kinloch Leven mussels with lemon and basil cream, the shellfish and fish bouillabaisse and cumin crusted Shetland salmon with purple potato purée a breeze while lemongrass steamed cod offers a touch of the exotic. Choices of roasted free range chicken breast with wild mushroom risotto, beef sirloin steak and rump of lamb satisfy the appetite equally well.

Dessert of Bailey's cheesecake or Scottish strawberry pannacotta paves the way for a happy ending while a cheese platter with blue Monday, Loch Arthur and organic Clava could be a judicious choice too.

Savour the moment with Pierre Mignon champagne, a light and fresh Chenin Torrontes or a premium Merlot from Australia as the conversation flows and the party spirit takes off in full view of Edinburgh Castle that looms yonder. Agua offers private dining for up to 180 guests.

It was more or less inevitable that Indian cuisine should pick up on tapas - after all what is Mumbai street food but a form of tapas? At Imli, run by the same team that operates Tamarind, a more homely, less formal version of Indian food is the vogue. Its other major virtue is that a wider choice of tastes and flavours is immediately available, either hot or cold. Whatever you have ordered is brought to your table in one fell swoop, and courses as such cease to exist.

Generally three items per head are reckoned to be the equivalent of a two course meal, but the choice is entirely yours. Many order crispy papadums and homemade chutney to keep the pangs at bay as they work though the menu making their selections. Amongst the cold choices look for papdi chaat, whole wheat crisps and bean sprouts with vermicelli, sweet yoghurt and mint chutney, or grilled paneer and broccoli marinated with pickling spices, cream cheese and cooked to perfection. Moving on to the hot, a delightful experience is samosa chaat, vegetable samosa topped with chickpeas, yoghurt, tamarind and mint chutneys, and spicy chicken satay, chicken marinated in house blend of spices, served with salad and beetroot chutney.

Desserts could include gulab jamun, milk dumplings served with fig and ginger ice cream, or carrot fudge made with carrots, melon seeds and raisins served with ice cream.

It is customary to find an Indian nouvelle restaurant with an ample list of exotic cocktails and Imli is no exception, served with enthusiasm and precision. The customary list of quality beers, spirits and fruit beverages is extended by a limited range of wines, several from south of the Equator.

The first thing you notice is the spectacular sight of the Jurassic coastline, thanks to the floor to ceiling windows. Hix Oyster and Fish House prefers to keep things simple, a small terrace on the upper deck with a wooden bar is the best spot to enjoy lobster and chips, whilst gazing out to sea. For those who haven't managed to book a table upstairs do not fret over missing out on the visual delight. Enjoy a bit of theatre in the dining area downstairs with an open plan kitchen, enabling you to chat with the chefs as they go about their work.

A blackboard of the day's landing and house specialities using fresh fish make up the menu, in addition to a variety of seasonal oysters. Dishes such as jellied skate with pea shoot salad, lemon sole with fennel tops and roasted hake with clams and samphire come to table with confident simplicity.

Situated in Central London's Marriott Hotel, Fratelli Grill offers guests a relaxed dining experience in a cosy and friendly atmosphere. The venue has an open kitchen and serves simply grilled food with vibrant hospitality. The interior features bright colours and contemporary seating.

Rustic fishcake with pepper aioli, carpaccio of air dried bresola beef with curly endive, pesto and shaved reggiano, and grilled tiger prawns served on marinated vegetables and roast garlic dressing are some delicacies that first attract attention. Specialities here include dishes such as char grilled tuna steak served on a warm niçoise salad with egg, new potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, red onions and marinated anchovies, and spinach mascarpone lasagna with mixed garden salad.

For those with a sweet tooth you really should  try the passion fruit crème brûlée, or perhaps a banana split with almonds and chocolate sauce, or rhubarb and strawberry cheesecake.

This landmark address is just as irresistible now as it was in those days when it served as a regular haunt for the Bloomsbury set of writers, intellectuals and artists. Today, following a £25million refurbishment and under the chic Radisson Edwardian brand, it still continues to be one among the most sought after hotels for the modern day Bloomsbury set.

The Bar and Restaurant is place where you could find guests enjoying the Bloomsbury style of hospitality in one way or the other; whether it's a cup of morning coffee, a working lunch or a cocktail before dinner in the evening. The well-presented menu offers plenty of choice ranging from duck liver and foie gras parfait with fig chutney and pan-fried fillet of sea bass with crab crust, puff pastry, cucumber spaghetti and spinach, garlic cream, to desserts like rhubarb stem ginger rice pudding with a jug of lime custard.

One Twenty One Two restaurant at The Royal Horseguards hotel in Whitehall Court is named after its former neighbour, Scotland Yard's universally famous telephone number, Whitehall 1212. Serving fine contemporary cuisine, the restaurant has been awarded an AA Rosette for the quality of its food, and the finesse with which it is prepared.

Discerning gourmets dining at One Twenty One Two can expect to begin a meal here with chicken liver parfait with plum chutney and Melba toast, Scottish smoked salmon with crème frâiche or carpaccio of Casterbridge beef fillet. Having titillated the palate with the delicate flavour of those dishes, they can look forward to more substantial fare like grilled rib of rose veal with chunky chips, black leg chicken with summer beans ragout or wild sea bass with fennel boulangère. If the appetite craves for more, there's summer berry trifle, classic sticky toffee pudding or peach Melba for an exquisite ending to the meal. A glass of fine wine in the inviting piano bar all but completes the evening.

For lovers of curry and its varied tastes, The Aladin restaurant at Brick Lane is a place that delivers what it promises. An authentic Bangladeshi-Indian restaurant, it has evolved from the union of the Bangladeshi immigrant community who wanted to keep alive the originality of true Sylhety native cuisine. The place has an ambience that is modern and vibrant, and is perfect for large gatherings as well as affords that much needed privacy for a romantic and intimate meal.

The menu reflects traditional dishes from the Indian sub-continent and consists of food prepared by long serving chefs with considerable experience in the field, ensuring that the meal stays authentic. The signature dishes comprise of hariyali chicken and shamee kebab while among the crowd pulling curry dishes, chicken tikka curry and prawn kurma stand out for their flavour. Other dishes such as vegetable Kashmir, prawn Ceylon and chicken Sylhet reflect food from various regions.

With a fully licenced bar, the restaurant encourages guests to either bring their own drinks or avail themselves of the discount vouchers for a local off-license bar.

In a chic setting in South Kensington's Radisson Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel is 68-86 Bar and Restaurant, a smart and airy place that continues to impress guests with every detail of its set up. Burgundy walls, wooden floors and gilt mirrors create a striking backdrop interspersed with the gentle buzz of convivial conversations of corporate diners and lunching shoppers. The genial ambience extends further into the glass bar and private dining room.

At the kitchen it's a celebration of modern British cuisine adhering to some occasional touches from the Pacific Rim. So start with a pan-seared ducks liver on crispy puff pastry, or poached pear in mulled wine, then forge ahead with a 10oz rib of rare breed Yorkshire pork or roast fillet of hake. Best of all is the apple tart baked thin and served with toffee sauce that is worth the 20 minute wait, but even if time is scarce to visit nearby local attractions, desserts don't deserve to receive short shrift especially when there's white chocolate truffle and a British cheese selection.

The Homage Grand Salon at the Waldorf Hilton Hotel in Aldwych, recreates the splendour of the grand cafés of Europe with gorgeous Louis XVI-style furniture, sparkling chandeliers, gilded pillars and walls decorated with modern art. Relax after a hard day of shopping or sightseeing in sumptuous surroundings with Homage's modern European menu.

The lunch menu offers starters of spicy prawns and mango tian or Parma ham served with melon and rocket salad while main course options include pan-fried sea trout with four cheese ravioli or roast rump of lamb with minted fruity couscous. There are also a range of lighter bites including a classic club sandwich and Caesar salad. If in the mood for a lavish dinner, then opt for seared foie gras with caramelised apples and toasted brioche followed by grilled lobster with garlic butter and French fries and caramelised lemon tart to finish off. A carefully compiled wine list gives you a range of new and old world of options.

The restaurant can accommodate ninety-five people comfortably and children are welcome when accompanied by an adult. Look out for their special events such as live classical music during afternoon tea at weekends.

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