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hand picked restaurants

Designed by the renowned architect, Sir Edward Lutyens, The Bloomsbury, housed in a neo-Georgian listed building, occupies of one of the best locations for a London hotel with plenty of luxury and comfort inside. Bearing the middle name of the aforementioned architect, Landseer British Kitchen is certainly an epitome of style and sophistication.

Settle in these graceful surroundings and first to arrive are plates of tomato and lord of the hundreds tart, rocket and crushed pine nut oil, and Cree oak smoked Scottish salmon. Next it could be tiger prawns, char-grilled for that smoky flavour and paired with angel hair pasta and tomato fondue, or a roast Gressingham duck breast with plum and prune compote and potato rösti. The menu also lists some sociable food under the 'home comforts' header featuring braised Black Mountain Welsh Valley lamb shank with mint bubble and squeak.

The Landseer Bar with its wood panelling and a coffered ceiling exudes a luxurious feel and is an ideal setting to enjoy a cocktail or champagne.

This traditional curry house on Gray's Inn Road in Central London serves excellent Indian and Bangladeshi fare. Some of their signature dishes are prepared using unusual kinds of fish like bowal, ayre and bas, specially flown in from Bangladesh and Eastern India. If you are looking to have a leisurely lunch or catch up with friends over an unhurried dinner, this is a good place. It has a casual ambience, which, combined with authentic taste and flavours, draws a lot nostalgic émigrés. The restaurant has lunch specials as well as a la carte dishes. It has also played host to a number of celebrities including Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

There's little to choose between the café area at the front of Paolina's and the restaurant area tucked away at the rear, as both serve good Thai food at really keen prices, but the restaurant area is certainly a more inviting setting. On the menu you'll find all your Thai favourites from prawn, chicken and beef curries to appetising soups, salad and fabulous noodle dishes. It's the kind of place you can just pop into for lunch and order a single noodle dish such as phad Thai, or else really afford to go to town and try a few dishes you've never had before. Also as Paolina doesn't have a license to sell alcohol you are welcome to bring your own, keeping costs down even further.

Reviewed by Linda Buttle

Fryer's Delight is a fish and chip shop, which was established in 1973, and voted by Harden's as the best fish and chip shop in central London. Customers vary from office staff and taxi drivers to TV celebrities.

Ensconced in the stylish Montague Hotel in Central London is the attractive Blue Door Bistro, which provides an informal and welcoming atmosphere. The light and airy lunch time venue transforms into a cosy, candlelit dining area after sundown. Wrought iron wall lights attractively offset the rich mahogany wall panels and the clever use of mirrored glass gives it a spacious feel.

Having gathered an AA Rosette, the bistro is well-known to serve delicious food using fresh ingredients and the menu includes some traditional British dishes like cured ham with seasonal melon and lemon and thyme dressing, and Cornish crab and avocado salad with gazpacho sauce. Main courses are skilfully presented; a supreme of salmon with grilled pak choi and ginger butter sauce, and Caesar's salad with garlic flamed tiger prawns. Desserts also make a lasting impression; think sherry trifle, baked cheesecake with honeycomb ice cream, and a selection of British and French cheeses.

Amidst the incessant noise and bustle of London's West End it comes as a refreshing surprise to find this oasis of calm and quality on New Oxford Street. The Old Crown Public House is a very personal place in that the team here own, designed, built and live in it. This almost medieval concept of running an eating house works brilliantly.

Amidst such elegantly traditional surroundings the customary extensive range of libations, including excellent beers like Spitfire seem thoroughly at home, and Continental bottled beers also get a look in. A wine list of distinction is quite sufficient to ensure that return to your place of work after lunch can only be a matter of some doubt.

Talking of lunch a great selection of dishes await such as pan-fried steak sandwich, battered Whiting fillets and rack of lamb. The evening menu could include nachos rancheros, char-grilled chicken wings and homemade cappuccino pannacotta. The Old Crown is the sort of place to which it could be very easy to become addicted.

Dating back over 200 years with impressive Victorian architecture, The Union Tavern's origins are shrouded in mystery. It owes its name to the fact that it was possibly rebuilt by the Union railway company. Located in Lloyd Baker Street, Clerkenwell, it features an international menu. Guests can relax in its comfortable atmospheric setting.

Dishes of lamb spring roll with Greek yogurt, tossed Parma ham salad with cherry tomatoes and pan seared tiger prawns with lemon butter sauce set the ball rolling. Continue with roasted duck breast with braised red cabbage, pan seared salmon supreme with new potatoes and mange tout or tossed penne pasta with zucchini, olives and a creamy red basil pesto. The grill delivers tender fillet of beef with hand cut chips, wild mushroom and jus and char grilled lamb steak with café de Paris butter and French fries. Finish with traditional desserts of homemade apple crumble with custard, sticky toffee pudding with hot toffee sauce or banoffee pie. Beers and wines pleasantly quench your thirst.