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Italian Kitchen's laidback warmth offers welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of London's Theatreland and invites guests to drop in for a snack or a more sumptuous meal. Situated on New Oxford Street, its special menu is available seven days a week. With a two-course lunch or pre-theatre meal for £9.95, the restaurant's strong reputation for value for money endures.

Diners can take their pick from a wide range of country style pastas, thin crust pizzas, meat and seafood dishes for lunch or dinner. Start with antipasti of deep fried courgette sticks with aioli, razor sliced Parma ham or fresh steamed mussels in a Chardonnay and shallot cream sauce. Then move on to thyme and garlic roasted chicken with fricassee of wild mushrooms, pan fried veal medallions with asparagus tips or double loin lamb chops with creamed mash potatoes. Vegetarians are well catered for with dishes such as Fiorentina pizza, seasonal wild mushrooms risotto or rosemary and garlic roasted potatoes. Dessert of rich chocolate truffle cake, raspberry pannacotta or mascarpone cheesecake provides a fitting finish.

More than a century ago it was common to see giant shire horses at this Leeke Street address that used to pull omnibuses on London's streets, today this prized breed may not be a common sight here, but Smithy's have done well in keeping the original features intact while carefully adding a few modern touches to perk things up a little.

The dinner menu trots out an impressive list of starters, chicken livers with wholegrain mustard sauce and toasted brioche, and rock oysters are but a few of them. Grills abound among main courses, aged Scottish rib eye steak and côte de b?uf to share. Fish choices could include a fillet of organic salmon with salsa Verde or the divine seafood risotto. There are always specials of the day including a vegetarian option.

They work closely with their supplier, Les Caves de Pyrene and include wines from every corner of the globe, whilst paying special attention to small vineyards. They also have a large choice of draught lagers and ales on offer.

Smithy's are well-known for their Sunday brunch and is an ideal place to meet up with friends and family. You can always be sure of a warm welcome.

Going bowling in London has always meant heading up to one of those bowl-plexes, full of neon lights and arcade games. The Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes, located at the basement of Tavistock Hotel, is an inspired idea: eight lanes of bowling, in a stylish venue, with a classy diner and karaoke rooms outfitted with swish carpets, leather sofas, large plasma TV screens, trendy wallpaper and even an old styled mini-bar.

There are some wonderful touches to the décor. The bowling ball return machines are above ground, so that after each turn, your ball whizzes back towards you in a thoroughly satisfying way. The heart-shaped diner seats are an absolutely authentic slice of Americana and huge windows give you a great view of those beautiful parallel lines that bowling alleys make. The menu is a hearty arrangement of crisp salads, gourmet deli sandwiches, burritos and platters, finishing with sugary treats like hot chocolate brownie or banana split.

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.

Located in the heart of London's theatre district, Radisson Edwardian Kenilworth Hotel is a good base to explore nearby attractions that include Oxford Street and the British Museum. The bedrooms live up to its 4-star billing with beautiful African walnut furniture, sleek bathrooms with Sicilian Carrara marble, and the abundant use of silks and exotic fabrics to create a magnificent interior.

The luxury quotient continues through to the Creation Restaurant, which represents a mini-theatre of sorts with just a glass divide between the kitchen and the dining area. The menu filled with satisfying modern British dishes opens with starters of poached egg and baby spinach on toasted muffin with hollandaise sauce, and baked salt marsh loin of lamb wrapped in puff pastry, and pan-seared Welsh sea bass are lined up for a main course. A succulent 28 day aged rib eye steak from Dillon's farm in Ireland initiates diners into the pleasures of grilled meat, while the delicious baked thin apple tart and toffee sauce is worth the 20 minute wait. 

At the front of this establishment lies a rather exceptional bakery and patisserie, whose extravagant window displays attract a hungry crowd of passers by. If you really like what you see you can buy a little something to take out or venture through to the rear of the shop where you'll find an elegant Parisian style tea salon, the perfect place to enjoy a leisurely lunch or afternoon tea. Paul is just the sort of reasonably priced but high quality snack place that attracts those who are looking for a break from shopping or simply enjoy the luxury of a tasty confection with coffee.

On the menu you'll find classic bites such as omelette, quiches and generously portioned salads. The idea is not to over indulge with your main course though, but to save space for a dessert such as rich chocolate cake, or strawberry tart. There is an enormous range of breads and pastries accompanied by that wonderful aroma of freshly baked goods that cannot fail to stimulate the feeblest of appetites.

London's West End has its fare share of Japanese dining establishments, and Hakuba is one of the more stylish and sophisticated restaurants located on Great Russell Street. Its subtly lit interior reveals dark wood panelling and metal lampshades on the table and the walled booths are pleasant places to spend an evening with friends without intruding on other diners.

The menu encourages diners to share and after you're done with maki rolls such as kumo with a centre of crunchy soft shelled crab with avocado, cucumber, crab salad and a smelt roe sprinkle, or cocktail roll of tiger prawns, lettuce, avocado and a spicy sauce, move on to try their signature dishes like Polynesian style sashimi marinated in a poke sauce, or grilled papaya stuffed with prawn, scallop and peppers. Main courses are more about teriyaki, with grilled chicken, salmon, beef and pork versions, and in the end save space for a light dessert of green tea flavoured crème brûlée.

Individualistic in style, interior and décor, PINCHITOtapas is one of those relaxed neighborhood bars where you just long to unwind after a tough day's work. An urban and lively vibe floats around this authentic Spanish bar in a way that defines minimalism anew. Unclothed tables, wenge flooring, blue neon lights complementing the warm yellow bulbs and booth seating apart from bar stools add a bohemian touch to the experience.

The menus invite the sampling of a selection of small plates for sharing, alongside a seasonally changing full tapas carte that makes good use of top drawer ingredients. To list a few, garlic chicken skewers, tomato and goats' cheese salad and tortilla de patatas, and the classic Spanish omelette, are popular picks. Sweet tapas or as the Spanish call them 'dulce' include crème caramel, Santiago almond cake and thick chocolate with churros.

PINCHITOtapas has mastered the art of creating concoctions of spirits with well matched fruits and herbs from around the world to wet your whistle and add a twinkle in your eye.