Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

Bringing the true taste of California and Mexico right inside London, Tortilla is a refreshing change from the usual Tex Mex joints that have sprouted everywhere. Sombreros and cacti are missing from the décor, but that is because their focus lies on providing some of the best burritos in the city, without harping on too much about festive elements associated with Mexican cuisine. Yet, it's a happy place because you can eat tasty and healthy food at amazingly reasonable prices.

With guaranteed fresh ingredients, they offer burritos, fajita wraps, tacos and salads and diners can choose the toppings, base and sides to go along. Some of the favourite toppings include grilled chicken or steak, braised pork, whole black beans and pinto beans, which avoid the refried route, fluffy Spanish rice, peppers, onions, savoury guacamole and crisp salsas. There's also a range of soft drinks, Mexican beers and slushy margaritas.

Located on Princess Road, La Collina is a quaint little restaurant that is certainly appealing with its compact dining area, a small garden for al fresco meals and flavour-packed regional style cooking. Although the interior may be minimalist, comfort, relaxation and low prices seem to be the priority here.

Chef Roberto Bullio hails from Northern Italy and this is reflected in his cooking, so alongside octopus carpaccio with artichoke hearts and walnuts, expect to find spaghetti with prawns and langoustines, and risotto with mussels and squid. For those who prefer meatier main courses try the rack of lamb with rosemary and garlic served with fresh spinach and potatoes, and roasted quail stuffed with fennel flavoured pork sausage. For dessert the choice can range from bonet, a Piedmontese chocolate and amaretti pudding, and a creamy amaretto semi-freddo. Customers tend to leave La Collina feeling that they have experienced cooking of integrity and skill.

There's no tacky décor, fancy rugs or rusty artefacts, even pictures of a war-torn country are notable by their absence, but still Afghan Kitchen manages to remain truly authentic. And they do it effortlessly, keep the décor simple - wooden tables, potted plants and communal seating - and offer a short menu focusing on robust cooking.

There are four vegetarian and meat options each on the menu, all arrive in vibrant colours and exude richness, from the lamb and spinach stew and the creamy chicken in yogurt, to the mildly spiced pumpkin or aubergine in yogurt. A bowl of pilaf rice, mixed pickles and bread dotted with poppy and sesame seeds make excellent accompaniments.

Afghani cuisine has always remained opened to external influences, thereby resulting in balanced tastes and contrasting flavours, and Afghan Kitchen is one of the better places to experience all this in the Islington area.

Tucked away in Camden, Caponata Ristorante's glazed glass frontage looks onto Delancey Street. Bright and airy in summer, cosy and comfortable in winter, guests can choose to relax with the newspaper or free WiFi when they drop in for breakfast or just enjoy the company of family and friends for an Italian lunch or dinner.

The Sicilian influenced seasonal menu uses produce from local suppliers, especially fresh fish from Billingsgate Market. While their cuisine is undoubtedly Italian, Sicilians are also proud of their unique culinary heritage which displays Arab, Spanish and Greek influences. Enjoy the difference at Caponata, starting with its namesake salad constituted from aubergines, green olives, celery, onion, capers and tomato. You could also try pan fried baby squid filled with pâté of pork and red pepper or tea smoked duck breast. Chickpea and potato gnocchi or fettuccine with wild boar ragôut could be equally satisfying. Get to the heart of the meal with pan fried halibut in a mussel and saffron broth or almond crusted rack of lamb, and then signing off with with hazelnut brûlée or apple tarte tatin.

For a contemporary Indian dining experience, in the heart of London, one needs to look no further than Zeen. Drawing inspiration from modern Indian culture and London's eclectic culinary mix, this restaurant fuses the freshest ingredients with a passion for innovation that creates a menu with many outstanding dishes. Vibrant interiors create a warm ambiance in the restaurant and bar areas and the staff's commitment to service ensures every visit is a pleasure.

Duck tossed with onions and peppers in spices and crab cooked with garlic butter sauce offer you quite a variation within the starters. An order of Kashmiri rogan josh brings to the table succulent pieces of lamb prepared with a secret mix of spices from the land of the valleys. The staples of wheat and rice are present in abundance, providing choices such as lemon pilau, garlic rice and traditional breads.

When the air is gloomy, owing to the unfavourable weather or even the pressures of daily life, there are few things that do well to lift sagging spirits and food can be one among them, but certainly not any food. Some vouch for the fact that a delicious tagine could do the trick, or perhaps a heart-warming Moroccan soup at the Maghreb Restaurant on Upper Street. Even the interior does its bit to spruce things up with bold colours schemes and beautiful lanterns.

Get off to a cracking start with duck pastilla with onions, cinnamon and saffron, all wrapped in a filo pastry, or merguez sausages, then a Marrakech platter with lamb, chicken and vegetable kebabs could follow. The tagines combine a medley of ingredients such as chicken or lamb shank with vegetables or rabbit meat with raisins and pears for game lovers.

The wine list at Maghreb covers plenty of ground, but Moroccan wines feature prominently including the renowned Medaillon Sauvignon Blanc.

The Lansdowne seems to be a regular haunt for who's who of the Primrose Hill set and an ideal place for celeb-spotting whilst catching up on some food and drink. This Gloucester Avenue gastropub opened doors in 1992 and aspired to bring quality dining to this part of London, but now it's a bustling busy place deservedly popular for its decent value-for-money fare.

Although the menu is modern British at its core, the kitchen's interactive dabble with Mediterranean techniques is pretty obvious, think chicken liver with bulgar wheat and spiced yogurt, and roast chicory with Parma ham, thyme and breadcrumbs. With succulent Scottish Blackface lamb making an appearance in the main course section, diners are not too hard-pressed to pick a favourite, but the grilled Loch Duart salmon might be a tough competitor.

Come along for wine tasting dinners and other special events hosted by The Lansdowne for a fun-filled evening out with friends or the family.