Bloomsbury & Holborn Restaurants

Abeno

Way back in 1993 Abeno was on a mission to recreate an authentic okomiyaki and now it seems to have caught the fancy of Londoners. With outlets on Museum Street and Great Newport Street filled with happy eaters, it's definitely a busy place with sufficient Japanese clientele, an encouraging sign of authenticity.

• Address: 47 Museum Street, London, WC1A 1LY (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Japanese
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: N/A, Dinner: £34.00

Acorn House Restaurant

This extraordinary restaurant on Swinton Street has been described as one of the most important events in London catering, and few would disagree with that. Set up by Arthur Potts Dawson whose CV reads like a roll of honour though some of the best restaurant names, he has taken as his theme Modern London.

• Address: 69 Swinton Street, London, WC1X 9NT (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Modern
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: £13.00, Dinner: £43.00

Aki

The non-descript interior at Aki does not deter their loyal customers and Japanese food lovers who are fascinated by the sheer enormity of the menu and the delicious cooking waiting to be discovered.

• Address: 182 Gray's Inn Road, Holborn, London, WC1X 8EW (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Japanese
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: £14.00, Dinner: £28.00

All Bar One - New Oxford Street

The original concept for All Bar One was developed by two enterprising ladies, who wanted a bar ideal for women to have a drink and something to eat without the intimidating confines of a traditional pub.

• Address: 108 New Oxford Street, Soho, London, WC1A 1HD (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Bar
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: N/A, Dinner: £25.00

All Star Lanes - Holborn

Boutique bowling was hitherto an unknown idea but now All Star Lanes deserve applause for pioneering this concept by bringing in the first boutique bowling alley to London. In this 1950s American styled venue there are four slick lanes with an integrated diner, serving top quality American food.

• Address: Victoria House, Bloomsbury Place, Holborn, London, WC1B 4DA (Map)
• Cuisine(s): American
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: N/A, Dinner: £36.00

Apostrophe - London, Brunswick Centre

Apostrophe is more that just a punctuation mark or a figure of speech; built along café lines, this boulangerie - patisserie has certainly made a mark in London's baking scene. Each of the 16 outlets is designed in a unique manner in keeping with its location and communal tables add to the general bonhomie.

• Address: Brunswick Centre, Bloomsbury, London, WC1N 1AE (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Café
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: £14.00, Dinner: £14.00

Asadal Restaurant

The name may not be a giveaway but Asadal Restaurant is one of those few places introducing the intricacies of Korean cuisine to Londoners. Although the name translates to morning-land, the interior is a dimly-lit place, perhaps owing to its basement location, but the feelings of cosiness and comfort are unmistakable.

• Address: 227 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7DA (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Korean
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: N/A, Dinner: £33.00

ASK - Central London, Southampton Row

For some time I made the mistake of thinking that no group of restaurants in the region of 200 locations could hope to maintain the quality for which I was looking. Then one day I decided to put my prejudices to the test, walked into Oxford Ask! and discovered that I could not have been more mistaken.

• Address: 74 Southampton Row, London, WC1B 4AR (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Italian, Pizza & Pasta
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: N/A, Dinner: £22.00

Balfour

Located in an area engulfed with chain restaurants, this Marchmont Street mainstay stands out on its own not just because it's an independent venture, but here dishes are elevated from mundane to the memorable.

• Address: 75-77 Marchmont Street, London, WC1N 1AP (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Italian
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: N/A, Dinner: £21.00

Bar Polski

• Address: 11 Little Turnstile, Holborn, London, WC1V 7DX (Map)
• Cuisine(s): East European, Polish
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: N/A, Dinner: £18.00