Prezzo has been delighting diners for over eight years, and this Italian restaurant chain has since been able to expand throughout large parts of England and Scotland with some 141 outlets.

Interestingly, the company seeks to restore either impressive buildings or ones of local interest. The conversion of the Newbury library and other listed buildings, such as those in Salisbury, Romsey and Mayfair, are all welcome examples of 'new use'. Their trendy and sophisticated décor usually consists of tiled or wooden floors with delicate lights and colourful paintings, along with wooden furniture and sparkling cutlery, creating a setting that is suitable for a relaxed lunch, a family meal or an evening out with friends.

The restaurants are of particular appeal to those who like genuine Italian cuisine, and they use only the best seasonal products, many of which are imported directly from Italy. The menu includes pizza, pasta, risotto, grilled meats, fresh salads and frequently changing specials.

The freshly baked breads, like the garlic bread with mozzarella cheese, are perfect for sharing and give you adequate breathing space to order starters to follow. Crab cakes served with garlic mayonnaise or grilled goat's cheese with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on foccacia bread with a balsamic glaze set the tone for a hearty meal. Best fun is to order an antipasto platter to share made up from seven well loved Italian nibbles.

Find pastas such as the unusual penne con salmone, with oak-roasted salmon, broccoli and fresh chillies in a red pesto and cream sauce, or firm favourites like spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti Bolognese, and fusilli al pesto, asparagus spears with field mushrooms and roasted peppers in a basil pesto sauce.

Amongst the special pastas, the pollo mariano, seasoned chicken, pepperoni sausage, roasted peppers and fusilli in tomato sauce, is interesting and different. Italian menus would be incomplete without risotto, like tiger prawns with petits pois in a creamy saffron sauce.

Classic pizzas embrace, among a wide selection, the popular napoletana, topped with yellowfin tuna, tomato, white anchovies, capers, red onion, mozzarella and marinated olives, and the much loved quattro stagioni - pepperoni sausage, prosciutto ham, artichoke, field mushrooms, capers, marinated olives, mozzarella and tomato.

Specials could include the pollo Siciliana, char-grilled chicken breast, prosciutto ham and plum tomato slices, baked with their blend of cheese, only one example from the many tempting offerings that come out from the Prezzo kitchens.

You can accompany the food with a variety of tipples, though for many, Italian food requires Italian wines to be enjoyed to the full, ranging from house wine through Morellino di Scansano and Prosecco to liqueurs and beer, and there is espresso or fresh ground coffee to wind up an enjoyable meal, in company with a glass of grappa or sambuca.

This is Italian food at its attractive best, convincing and bringing together the traditional with the modern twist or two against a background of excellent value.

Prezzo is a lively group and opportunities to improve and update are never left on the table for long. Keep up to date with a quick click on their Website.

Brilliantly located right in the heart of London's scintillating Covent Garden, Café des Amis, culinarily revitalised by Executive Chef Fabrice Renou, has also been given an update that has put it at the forefront of its kind. Fabrice is from Paris, he trained at La Tour d'Argent and worked with prestigious chefs such as Guy Savoy and Michel Rostand.

Fabrice's French world fusion food, or what you might possibly term French with an exotic twist, as he likes experimenting with new flavours, spices and exotic ingredients, contains enough international influences to ensure it is head and shoulders above the rest, against a background of stylish décor and front of house.

Whilst primarily occupied with an à la carte menu that is both imaginative and good value, they also offer a bar and brasserie menu which, at £14.50 for 2 courses, is tempting to the palate and the pocket.

What's likely to be on offer? Nothing like some good French onion soup to start a brasserie meal, served here with toasted gruyere crouton; crab eblysotto with cardamom, or cannelloni of Grison dried beef with Brousse cheese, mango and ginger dressing.

The inclination towards the fruits of the sea continues into the main courses with a red mullet fillet, niçoise bohemian vegetables and pumpkin seed oil; red tuna steak with tomato salsa and crushed sweet potatoes with argan oil, or Normandy style rope grown moules mariniéres.

The love affair with that most attractive fowl of the air, the duck, goes on and on and here it is roasted, with sauce griotte and polenta with dried fruit. Better appreciation of the quality in food means less leather for the appetites of the eating-out infantry, and the beef here is Simmental sirloin, served with sauce bordelaise and mashed potatoes with marrow and herbs.

Downstairs in a bar that contrives to be both intimate and welcoming, performers from the surrounding wealth of performing arts, and members of their audiences mingle to share their respective pleasures. A well-tuned wine list more than adequately meets the expectations of those who, when served a good meal look for liquid support of the same quality.

The restaurant is open from 12noon to 11.30pm, and on a Saturday night they have a DJ playing ambient, chill out and funky house music in the wine bar.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

The Fish and Grill in Putney follows its namesake in Croydon with chef owner Malcolm John continuing to do what he does best. Freshly prepared seafood with a choice of grilled steaks is served in a laid back cozy ambience with dark wood furniture and leather upholstery, perfect for an enjoyable evening with family and friends. Al fresco dining on the terrace can accommodate up to 30 guests. The Fish and Grill is a 7-minute walk from Putney Rail Station.

Diners are greeted by a fresh fish bar showcasing a wide ranging selection sourced from the South Coast and Cornwall. Rare-bred meats and the free-range poultry offer delicious alternatives for lunch or dinner. The meal could open with starters of salt cod fritters served with crushed pea aioli, Dorset crab with mayonnaise, whitebait with aioli or Carlingford oysters. The potted fish selection offers smoked mackerel with toast and breakfast radish, curried shrimps with gem lettuce and Cornish gurnard with citrus, toast and Waldorf salad.

Alternatives to fish and seafood starters include a Natoora Italian charcuterie board and English asparagus with soft boiled duck egg and hollandaise as well as salads beetroot with goat?s curd, pickled walnut and wild mushrooms and endive with honey and grain mustard.

After the appetizing beginning to the meal you could follow up with mains of grilled Cornish lobster, pan roast skate with capers and samphire, whole grilled crab with garlic chilli and ginger butter, beer battered haddock with pea purée and pea ravioli with mint butter and aged parmesan. The grilled selection includes a succulent Aberdeen Angus fillet steak on the bone, veal chop with lemon and marjoram, Southdown lamb cutlets and Chateaubriand for two with roasted bone marrow, all served with triple cooked chips and béarnaise or pepper sauce.

If you feel like going with the set menu then you could dine on starters of squid tempura with tartar sauce, leek and potato soup with smoked fish or salad of watercress, with endives, brae-burn apple, beetroot and grain mustard. For mains try aged rump steak with dripping chips, whole grilled Cornish plaice with clams and monks beard or house burger made with hand diced Angus beef, blue cheese or cheddar and bacon or jerk seasoning.

A children's menu offers the little ones dishes such as grilled maize fed chicken with mash potato and cooking juices, fish fingers with tartar sauce and green beans or broccoli and tomato, basil and mozzarella fettuccine.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

Navajo Joe is the perfect way to enjoy great American, Mexican and fusion food, perfect cocktails and funky music in the heart of Covent Garden.

The atmosphere is a careful combination of music and dining, with a cocktail dining area overlooking the Covent Garden foot traffic, and a larger dining area and mezzanine level for experiencing their blend of world cuisine.

Voted best Martinis by London and New York Cosmo, and boasting the largest selection of Tequilas outside of Mexico the emphasis is on a multi dimensional atmosphere aimed at young professionals, pre-post theatre audiences as well as the mature business sector.

Slightly set-off from the busy main floor dining, the mezzanine is ideal for private dining in groups of 40 or less. It provides a full view of the main dining and bar area of Navajo Joe. Serviced by a full cocktail and wait staff, guests reserving this area are treated to personal attention and complete access to the food and wet menus.

Joe Below is Navajo Joe's most personalised and energetic space. With suspended decks and autonomous sound system, this underground room has taken on an identity all its own, attracting a young and assertive crowd who enjoy relaxed conversation and dancing in a space allocated for the bar-goer who expects a little bit more.

Friday and Saturday nights, DJs spin an active blend of deep, soulful, jazzy house sound and during the week it could be live sax and flute or some 70s Nuggets and Neo soul with a smattering of Latin tunes. The bar is an ideal meeting spot for your party, either reserved for up to seventy guests, or in smaller groups.

Navajo Joe takes modern American dining to a whole new level with crispy duck nachos with hoi sin sauce, seared fillet steak teriyaki, and asparagus tempura with white truffle hollandaise. The menu also features South Western favourites of tequila lime chicken chimichanga with mango salsa, and asparagus and oyster mushroom enchilada loaded with sugar snap peas, goats' cheese and smoked chilli tomato sauce.

Main courses of char-grilled peri peri chicken with baked baby potatoes, sour cream and chives, or oven baked salmon with wilted spinach, new potatoes and basil aioli could be followed by upside down vanilla cheesecake or tiramisu with coffee liqueur.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

Having served classic Italian trattoria fare for over 40 years, Taberna Etrusca in the heart of the City, continues to roll out old favourites to its loyal customers. With its unusual location, in the courtyard of St. Mary-Le-Bow church and its welcoming interiors of textured white walls, tiled floors and an open-beamed ceiling, Taberna Etrusca is a haven from the bustle of the city and in fine weather customers can take the opportunity to eat al fresco in the sunny courtyard to the rear of the restaurant. A short walk from Bank and Mansion House Tube Stations, the restaurant is also close to famous London landmarks such as St. Paul's Cathedral, the Barbican Centre and the Guildhall.

The seasonally changing à la carte menu is supplemented by daily specials, and offers starters of poached asparagus with sage butter and Grana Padano, fresh crab and avocado salad with a tomato coulis or finely sliced Parma ham with honeydew melon to begin the meal on an appetizing note. A mixed platter for sharing offers Parma ham, bresaola, salami, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and pickles.

Then continue with main course fare such as tagliatelle in a creamy smoked salmon, asparagus and dill sauce, spaghetti tossed with Scottish beef fillet slices sautéed in garlic, chilli and fresh tomatoes or penne with fresh vine tomatoes, grilled vegetables and goat's cheese.

Meat lovers will relish traditional dishes such as grilled calf's liver and bacon, served with a spring onion potato pureé and red wine reduction, chargrilled 28-day matured Scotch rib-eye, with crisp onions and grilled plum tomato or pan-fried pork fillet medallions topped with Parma ham and taleggio cheese, served with sautéed spinach.

If you prefer fish or seafood, there's choice of spicy tiger prawns with tomato, garlic and chilli served on a bed of rice, grilled scallops with lime, smoked pancetta and rocket and roasted fillet of sea bass with mixed wild mushrooms and oven baked diced potato. Set menus for lunch and dinner are also available.

BBQ set menus offer dishes such as succulent pork ribs with a caramelised BBQ sauce, 28-day matured Scotch beef sirloin steak or prime Cumberland sausages served in a roll with caramelised onion along with potato salad with chopped chives and pine nuts, plum tomato with buffalo mozzarella and basil salad with an extra virgin olive oil dressing or Russian salad and a selection of desserts and fruit.

Bring the meal to a fitting conclusion with tempting desserts of traditional tiramisu with Savoiardi biscuits dipped in espresso coffee and layered with mascarpone, baked lime cheesecake with a rum cream or warm chocolate fondant with coconut ice cream. There's also an assortment of soft and hard Italian cheeses served with biscuits and honey.

A predominantly Italian wine list features an extensive selection from all over the country, including a noteworthy selection of grappa, and a sprinkling of examples from the rest of Europe and the New World.

A well-appointed private dining room is available for up to 40 guests, with set, buffet, canapé and bespoke menus, is perfect for a special occasion or corporate event.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

Prezzo has been delighting diners for over eight years, and this Italian restaurant chain has since been able to expand throughout large parts of England and Scotland with some 141 outlets.

Interestingly, the company seeks to restore either impressive buildings or ones of local interest. The conversion of the Newbury library and other listed buildings, such as those in Salisbury, Romsey and Mayfair, are all welcome examples of 'new use'. Their trendy and sophisticated décor usually consists of tiled or wooden floors with delicate lights and colourful paintings, along with wooden furniture and sparkling cutlery, creating a setting that is suitable for a relaxed lunch, a family meal or an evening out with friends.

The restaurants are of particular appeal to those who like genuine Italian cuisine, and they use only the best seasonal products, many of which are imported directly from Italy. The menu includes pizza, pasta, risotto, grilled meats, fresh salads and frequently changing specials.

The freshly baked breads, like the garlic bread with mozzarella cheese, are perfect for sharing and give you adequate breathing space to order starters to follow. Crab cakes served with garlic mayonnaise or grilled goat's cheese with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on foccacia bread with a balsamic glaze set the tone for a hearty meal. Best fun is to order an antipasto platter to share made up from seven well loved Italian nibbles.

Find pastas such as the unusual penne con salmone, with oak-roasted salmon, broccoli and fresh chillies in a red pesto and cream sauce, or firm favourites like spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti Bolognese, and fusilli al pesto, asparagus spears with field mushrooms and roasted peppers in a basil pesto sauce.

Amongst the special pastas, the pollo mariano, seasoned chicken, pepperoni sausage, roasted peppers and fusilli in tomato sauce, is interesting and different. Italian menus would be incomplete without risotto, like tiger prawns with petits pois in a creamy saffron sauce.

Classic pizzas embrace, among a wide selection, the popular napoletana, topped with yellowfin tuna, tomato, white anchovies, capers, red onion, mozzarella and marinated olives, and the much loved quattro stagioni - pepperoni sausage, prosciutto ham, artichoke, field mushrooms, capers, marinated olives, mozzarella and tomato.

Specials could include the pollo Siciliana, char-grilled chicken breast, prosciutto ham and plum tomato slices, baked with their blend of cheese, only one example from the many tempting offerings that come out from the Prezzo kitchens.

You can accompany the food with a variety of tipples, though for many, Italian food requires Italian wines to be enjoyed to the full, ranging from house wine through Morellino di Scansano and Prosecco to liqueurs and beer, and there is espresso or fresh ground coffee to wind up an enjoyable meal, in company with a glass of grappa or sambuca.

This is Italian food at its attractive best, convincing and bringing together the traditional with the modern twist or two against a background of excellent value.

Prezzo is a lively group and opportunities to improve and update are never left on the table for long. Keep up to date with a quick click on their Website.

In upmarket Mayfair, Cocochan offers contemporary pan Asian cuisine and glamorous cocktails, accompanied by a funky lounge bar and terrace. Bond Street Tube Station is just 4 minutes' walk away from Cocochan.

Cocochan restaurant offers a wide range of dishes from China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and India in a stylish, contemporary setting. You could begin the meal with starters of chicken and water chestnut gyoza, crispy aromatic duck rolls, Vietnamese seared beef salad with nyoc cham or crab cakes with jalapeno mayo and Thai salad. Follow with mains of chargrilled lamb cutlets with moromi miso, pickled acar salad, oven baked miso black cod with edamame, stir fried tiger prawns with sambal or crispy noodles with chicken.

Delicacies on the Cocochan menu include lobster specialities, tempura, sushi and sashimi. To finish, consider salted caramel mousse, pistachio crème brûlée or chocolate fondant. Separate bar and set menus are also available. The wine list at Cocochan London offers a selection of whites and reds from all around the world.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

The most interesting aspect of the Tony Thomas designed Caravaggio restaurant is the real sense of time and space, with its ornate ceiling and Art Deco light fixtures, in what was once a bank. Italian renaissance is best known for renewed interest in the culture of interlocked civilizations and features many prominent names such as Caravaggio; fast forward to the present day and you have a restaurant in London as a tribute to the man himself.

A long marble topped bar at the entrance is a popular spot for single diners while the existing gallery at the mezzanine level has now been extended to provide a second tier of tables. From the large windows and lamps to the warm yellow tones, everything feels both new and old at the same time. This may probably be the reason why it?s a firm favourite among the list of who's who in England.

The smartly attired front of house team, under the able supervision of their manager Andrés Cabrera, are adept in turning around people with little time to spare, even inside an hour if that is what they want; though, in fact, most of the patrons who are drawn to Caravaggio usually wish to linger a little longer over lunch, particularly if they want to clinch a deal.

Chef Jonathan Lees has crafted a menu, which displays unflinching loyalty to Italy. Caravaggio's commitment to fresh ingredients is evident in the fact that they employ a buyer to search out the very best, instead of relying on less focused suppliers. Which explains why the pasta is perfect and the risotto, a revelation.

Parmigiano herb crusted seared beef carpaccio with celery and parmesan or poached asparagus with sautéed quail eggs and Hollandaise sauce could be followed by linguine with fresh seafood tossed in a tomato sauce with garlic and chilli or risotto with tiger prawns and spring onions. Fish lovers could plump for the grilled swordfish with sauce vierge, or roasted fillet of salmon with oregano, parsley and Jersey Royal potatoes.

Meat dishes include grilled breast of chicken with a chicory and mange tout salad and 28 day matured Scotch rib-eye, sliced and char-grilled with béarnaise and thick cut chips. It's worth leaving room for a bitter chocolate mousse with vanilla ice cream or the rhubarb panna cotta. If choosing a glass of wine from the extensive list proves too irksome then just pop a question to the knowledgeable sommelier, who would be happy to help.

If you've been awe-struck by the famous works of art by Italian painters and sculptors and wish to see similar dedication and innovation closer to home, then step in to Caravaggio where people aim to demonstrate the same in the food and drink they serve. For full menus and wine list, visit their Website, which also has details about holding private functions there in the evenings and at the weekend.

Housed within the iconic Blakes Hotel on Roland Gardens, Blakes Restaurant expertly combines the best of Eastern and Western cuisineenhanced by elegant service in splendid surroundings. Located in the well-heeled South Kensington area of London, it's close to well-known attractions such as Hyde Park, the Victoria and Albert Museum and Royal Albert Hall while the shops and boutiques on Brompton Road are just a short drive away.

The work of the reputed designer and London socialite Anouska Hempel, the restaurant's atmospheric setting combines classic design with luxurious furnishings and exotic artefacts to create a unique ambience in which guests cannot but relax and unwind at leisure.

Dinner could begin with starters of miso soup with silken tofu, carpaccio of beef with parmesan, tortellini of foie gras des landes or salt and peppered soft shell crabs. Add a luxurious touch to your meal with Oscietra or Royal Beluga caviar served with Balkes blini or warm potato soufflé and vanilla ice cream.

Follow with delicious mains of angel hair pasta with black truffle, black cod with miso and ginger sauce; beef fillet teriyaki with hot sake or rack of English lamb and rosemary with mint cous cous. Diners looking for a lighter bite could enjoy refreshing salad of buffalo Burrata mozzarella with tomatoes or warm chicken salad with avocado, pomelo, cashews and nam jim sauce. The lunch menu offers ginko nut curry with lime risottini, baby chicken with thyme and lemon or peppercorn fillet of beef. While the bento box selection includes miso soup with silken tofu, beef teriyaki, lobster toast and ginger rice.

The desserts menu at Blakes is a joy in itself and includes tempting gems such as the light and refreshing dessert of coconut ice cream with lime and palm sugar, a simpler tropical fruit salad or a richer dark chocolate fondant with vanilla and pistachio ice cream and finally, if you wish, coffee with cardamom or ginger tea.

The restaurant's all-day menu serves a selection of dim sums; fried prawn and yuzu sauce, soups, sandwiches and hot food; toasted poilâne sourdough chicken sandwich with avocado and ginger and Blakes burger and French fries and salads; oak smoked scotch salmon.

Breakfast is also served at Blakes with choice of a full English, continental breakfast or more exotic fare such as Changa Turkish eggs, two poached eggs served with leaf spinach, chilli oil and yoghurt; classic Scottish smoked salmon with scrambled eggs spicy Parsee eggs a dish of scrambled eggs with fresh green chilli and coriander. For a healthy alternative try Bircher muesli with Greek yoghurt and fresh berries or compôte of fruit with cornflakes and prunes.

For a delightful break during the day the afternoon tea menu at the adjoining Chinese Room or Courtyard offers finger sandwiches with fillings of beef and chilli horseradish, smoked salmon and egg and cress; fresh scones with fresh strawberries and cream; a selection of tea cakes and choice of tea from Earl Grey, Lapsang Souching and Darjeeling.

An extensive wine list with a range of whites and reds from Italy, France, Germany, Australia and South Africa complements the food perfectly.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

Using only the freshest ingredients, the restaurant serves a variety of seasonal dishes such as cassoulet duck and pork; Dorset crab mayonnaise with avocado and avruga caviar; and hare ravioli with celeriac purée, grelotte onions and Chanterney carrots, which can be enjoyed by a couple or the whole family in a warm and intimate setting.

The desserts offer a choice of plum clafoutis, with crème fraîche and Kerala vanilla crème brûlée, which is definitely worth giving a try.Sampling from an extensive drinks list of vintage champagnes and a good selection of white, red and rosé wines by the bottle, caraffe or glass, makes for a delightful ending to the entire dining experience.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.