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The much-loved Rib Room at Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London's Knightsbridge, originally launched in 1961, has always been a bastion of beef and all that is traditional in British dining. Situated on the Knightsbridge and Belgravia border within Jumeirah Carlton Tower hotel, this restaurant is the perfect stop off point after a tough day of retail therapy at nearby Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

The glamorous dining room mixes sophistication with tradition, with remarkably personal service, providing a wonderful setting for lunch and dinner. It really is unabashed luxury with lots of room allowed for every table, no fear of being overheard when you are holding your power lunch there. Start off the day with one of the best English breakfasts London has to offer or step in for a relaxed meal at lunchtime or in the evening.

The Rib Room helps you pull off your private dining event faultlessly with their dedicated menus featuring baked Stilton pudding with a salad of poached pears, crispy walnuts and watercress; roast corn-fed chicken, boulangere of the leg, French beans in Alsace bacon, tarragon and mustard jus, and Valrhona chocolate mousse with a soft peanut centre and raspberry sorbet.

Head Chef, Ian Rudge's seasonal menu showcases the best of modern and traditional British cuisine including the world-renowned roast rib of beef; there is also an emphasis on fresh seafood and fish. Starters include caramelised scallops with slow cooked belly of pork, orange and ginger dressing and caramelised apple tart with pan fried foie gras port and balsamic caramel.

Typical dishes on the restaurant menu includes oak smoked Lch Fyne salmon, Buccleuch roast rib of Aberdeen Angus beef served with Yorkshire pudding and deluxe seafood platter, alongside other favourites such as the classic Rib Room Caesar salad with anchovies and bacon, roast Gressingham duck with spiced cherries and calves liver with sweet cured Suffolk bacon.

The drinks list includes a list of over 500 wines and champagnes expertly crafted by Head Sommelier Louise Gordon, presented to guests on an interactive iPad list, with recommendations to enhance the flavours of every dish or just for a relaxing glass of quality wine. There's also an exciting array of cocktails, premium gins and bespoke bitters, alongside light bites, ideal for a quick lunch or light dinner.

Numerous paintings by Feliks Topolski adorn the walls of The Rib Room, while an imposing carved bronze bull is positioned by the bar, and a triptych fossil sculpture by Renn Thacker Visual Artists in Partnership can be viewed as guests enter through the Sloane Street entrance.

For further information do have a look at their Website.

It is not an easy task to maintain impeccable standards and uniformity of taste across a chain of over eight hundred outlets, yet that is just the distinction that The Gondola Group has achieved. Their restaurants, with the brand names of Zizzi, ASK and Pizza Express, serve authentic Italian food at reasonable prices, in a warm and friendly ambience. The chain continues to grow, with the group opening around twenty-five new outlets each year.

Another talent that the group has is converting listed buildings and in which to house their restaurants. This has helped the group maintain standards, but allows each location to keep its innate charm. Done up in light colours, with wooden floors and gleaming cutlery, Zizzi boasts of a bustling open kitchen which churns out freshly prepared, tasty fare.

Like all good Italian restaurants, the extensive carte offers four distinct sections of antipasti, salads, mains, including pasta, pizza and risottos, a meat and fish menu which changes seasonally and a vast and exciting dessert menu. The restaurant's special antipasti platter has mixed Italian meats with buffalo milk mozzarella, marinated sun-dried tomatoes, mixed olives and red onion focaccia bread. Garlic mozzarella pizza bread and caramelised balsamic onions too, set the tone for a hearty meal.

The calzones or folded pizzas are a treat and come with salads. The carne piccante calzone has marinated chicken, meatballs, Bolognese sauce, mushrooms, chillies, tomato and mozzarella while the clarissa version, has aubergine, and red pepper caponata, olives, goats' cheese, rocket, pine nuts, tomato and mozzarella. The pasta and risotto sections arouse plenty of interest, with the farfalle alla Genovese combined with marinated roasted artichoke hearts, Santos tomatoes, and pine nuts in a delicious creamy pesto sauce or the light risotto with tiger prawns, oak-roasted salmon, calamari, courgettes and baby spinach in a rich creamy base with lemon and chilli.

The pizzas are not far behind either, with funghi topped with field mushrooms, fresh tarragon, mozzarella and tomato while the popular Sophia has marinated chicken, pepperoni, over-roasted sausage, tomato, mozzarella, finished with green chilli and fresh rosemary.

The extensive wine list offers a range of red, white, sparkling and rose wines in addition to beer and spirits while the dessert menu is attractive too, with a range of tempting fare from the homemade tiramisu to the torta cioccolata with its thick hazelnut chocolate base served with vanilla mascarpone. A really hot and tasty cup of coffee, tea or chocolate rounds the meal off well.

The fact that the restaurant hires their employees very selectively is evident in the friendly, cheerful and capable manner with which the staff treat diners, lending each outlet the personalised feel of a family run restaurant.

More information can be found on their Website.

The Clarence is situated close to the corridors of power and its walls must have witnessed many whispered confidences, character assassinations and other choice snippets. It has even been suggested that the PM him/herself might take a late night lubrication or two there after a heavy day. Stranger things have happened.

100 yards up the road is Trafalgar Square; Horse Guard's Parade and the MOD are both equally near and it's a great place to take on fuel before a night at the theatre or in the West End. All told, what might be termed "strategically placed".

Downstairs in the friendly bar it's possible to find some very fine real ales, whilst the Pol Roger dining room upstairs caters for the more measured approach and private parties as required. The wine list has John Clevely, Master of Wine's fingerprints all over it, and no further evidence is needed to obtain conviction when you view, or better still come to taste, the contents.

What then of the rations? Ignore the soup at your peril, particularly on one of those days when the wind comes off the Thames up Whitehall and small brass monkeys are all over the place. On more clement days perhaps some whitebait with bloody Mary sauce, or a rare roast beef sandwich with onion chutney and creamed horseradish. Sausage and egg on toasted muffin with cheese might well fortify you for a brusque dust-up with a senior colleague in the Treasury in the afternoon, especially if assisted by a bottle of something robust from Mr Clevely's list.

Larger dishes for those with more time could include steak and kidney pudding with smashed carrots and swede, a baked vegetable cobbler, some cured gammon from Wiltshire with duck eggs and hand cut chips, or a crafty chicken curry, but don't forget the mouth freshener before you touch base later in the day.

Banana split might well indicate a divided Cabinet meeting, and the lack of any fudge on the menu is a deprivation that might just be met by the presence of treacle sponge and custard.

The Clarence is the sort of foodpub that encourages comradeship and continuity. To assist the growth of these excellent qualities The Geronimo Club has been launched. The initial benefit is a drink on the house for giving your details, followed by regular information on what's to do, a little present round your birthday and joining anniversary date, maybe an invitation to a party, a few recipes, some vouchers. Should you inadvertently receive a data base containing the full details of every consenting adult in the United Kingdom you can be reasonably sure the system has failed you.

Business meetings, lunch and dinner parties, champagne breakfasts, tasting events, charity events and sporting dinners are all grist to their mill. So don't hesitate to give them a chance to quote when the time comes.

Meanwhile keep a weather eye on their Website, which also gives you access to all other Geronimo Inns - each one different, all focused on their own patches, each giving the same genuine and cheerful service to their customers.

Philip Lawless first became famous in London as the Manager of the well-known Scotts Restaurant. In Feb 1982 he bought Motcombs and transformed it from a small café into a successful restaurant and bar, serving modern British food - expanding twice over the last 28 years into the two adjoining premises. Motcomb Street is a mere two minutes from Sloane Street but for years was a quiet place filled with art galleries and eccentric residents. Suddenly the 'Village' has become very chic with a lot of designer stores - think Parisian bijou street with a Belgravia twist!

Philip runs the bar, restaurant and suite of private rooms, which have become a London institution - they were awarded 'Best owner managed Restaurant in London' by Harpers and Queen and Moet et Chandon. The lively bar, informal upstairs eating area and full scale restaurant downstairs have benefited enormously from a full redecoration.

Located off Sloane Street, three minutes walk from Harrods - the restaurant offers excellent value for such a superb location; however, they do rather strangely then add on a £1 cover charge in the evenings only, instead of including it in the price.

Motcombs has increased steadily in popularity over the years and is frequented by a lot of celebrities and sporting personalities. The recipe for success has been to produce consistently good food at a reasonable price and to make the customer feel welcome. The menu is varied but simple in style - not a sun dried tomato or TV chef in sight.

Starters of smoked salmon with grapefruit, ginger and sesame dressing and fresh crab mango salsa and rocket salad could be followed by halibut poached or grilled with spinach and Hollandaise sauce, and roast rack of lamb with wild mushrooms and Madeira sauce. Save space for panettone bread and butter pudding or brûlée with coffee flavouring.

The Bar has a terrific neighbourhood feel and is now featured in most International guide books as a welcoming place for those who want a relaxed drink without feeling hassled or being deafened by music. You can have your vodka cranberry if you wish but 75% of sales are wines and champagnes. One can stand and chat to the locals or be served in the bar with seating for 40. The owner is often around mixing with the customers - a rarity indeed in these days of restaurant chains.

Motcombs Private Townhouse has three private suites, The Robert Sangster Room, The Belgravia Room and The Reception Room; they can accommodate numbers from six to thirty and can easily be used for all occasions, and their Website will give you a better picture. The unique aspect of the Motcombs Town House is that the private rooms have their own exclusive entrance - you do not have to wander through a hotel lobby or busy restaurant to get to your lunch, dinner or meeting. This can also be a great advantage if you are planning a birthday or celebration - you can also hire out the whole house exclusively for your event.

Full details on everyting that Motcombs has to offer can be obtained from their Website.

The Goya restaurant chain was established in 1993 and its success has never been in doubt. Specialising in authentic Spanish tapas each site offers locals and visitors alike an excellent range of this increasingly popular Latin/European food. Stylish decor provides a mixture of sophisticated ambience and Spanish design, which, combined with the uncomplicated food and friendly staff, makes for a great lunch or evening out.

Passing through the handsome and commanding entrance is to find that Goya Pimlico has one floor as a tapas bar, another as the restaurant with intimate alcoves that exude an atmosphere of intrigue and intimacy, in fact the sort of place where you would not be surprised to find secrets being traded or risky liaisons enacted. However in summer sheer force majeure ensures that the business of eating, drinking and possibly even flirting flows out on to the pavement, exposed for all to see, so be sure to choose your weather.

One of the off-putting factors - in fact about the only one - is that there are so many of them, which can be confusing. Here at Goya there are between 30 and 40 choice of tapas, all sufficiently different to carry their own appeal, so no real problem at all. Kidneys cooked in Tio Pepe sherry, creamy croquettes, bean casserole or pork fillet done the Galician way are but a few of this attractive range of mini-dishes across which one can graze the afternoon away, or restore the equilibrium in the evening.

The main menu takes of course a wider view, with starters of the soup of the day, gazpacho, fresh oysters and melon with Serrano ham, or Scotch smoked salmon. There is nothing to stop substitution of starters with tapas, the choice is entirely yours. A tasty range of salads invokes avocado, Thornback crabs, asparagus and cheese, bacon and croutons.

With an extensive range of coastline upon which to draw it is not surprising that Spanish cuisine makes the most of its unfettered access to the sea, and the main course menu opens with seven seafood dishes, with a fresh seafood casserole done Catalan style, paella with shellfish and chicken, or shellfish only, and a House Speciality, the grilled seafood.

A dozen or so meat dishes do ample justice to the cause of carnivores with most of the classic cuts grilled to order. The return of veal to the menu, more humane methods having been found to produce this delightful meat we are told, is celebrated with an escalope in lemon sauce or done the traditional way with breadcrumbs and piquillo peppers. The agonising choice between duck in sherry sauce with olives and shallots or fillet of beef with Dijon mustard, caramelised brandy and cream is not one I would care to have to make too often.

As night follows day so do desserts make their appearance on cue, and Catalan cream with coffee infusion leads the way for many. Spanish cuisine is keen on its fortified wines but there is a good range of liqueurs for those who treasure their Sambuca or Grand Marnier. The wine list rarely strays over the Spanish border, starting at a sensible price structure and keeping well clear of the stratosphere.

For details of events, party arrangements and special offers do click on their Website, as colourful as the food but much less tasty.

Il Convivio literally translates as a gathering of dissident intellectual philosophers of the Dante era over food and drink or just to keep things simple let's call it a 'banquet'. Dubbed as one of the most exciting and ambitious projects of the Eturusca group, owners Enzo and Piero have had the confidence and passion, backed by twenty-five years of experience in the catering industry, to put together a welcome addition to Belgravia's restaurant scene.

As you step into the converted Georgian house with all its original charm intact, you might notice a few tables overlooking Ebury Street. The main restaurant's sky lit area has an airy and spacious feel while the conservatory at the back with an electric roof enables year round al fresco dining. Deep red walls embossed with words taken from Dante's poetry reminisce the Romantic era and the limestone and cedar wood panels add to the elegant atmosphere.

The regularly changing menu created by Lukas Pfaff includes antipasti such as terrine of octopus with tomato essence and radish and beef carpaccio with celery and basil infused virgin olive oil. The homemade black spaghetti with lobster and spring onions, alongside duck and pea ravioli with foie gras sauce is a main draw at Il Convivio's elegant tables.

Fish courses take in the Arctic black cod caramelized with aged balsamic, served with grilled asparagus and Muscat grapes and pan-fried fillet of halibut with a 'soft shell' crab sauce and black olive tapenade. From the meat section there is clay pot roasted 'black leg' chicken with an aged Marsala sauce and crispy pancetta served with olive oil infused mashed potato, and veal cutlet with a fine herb and caper butter,

Desserts are a treat to the chocoholics with chocolate trilogy and dark chocolate and pistachio pudding with a sour cherry sorbet. Those who prefer to keep it simple could try a selection of homemade sorbets or ice creams and coffee and petit fours.

Not surprising then, that since opening in September '99, they have proved popular with critics and locals alike. A click on their informative Website will introduce you to II Convivio at home.

Located just a stone's throw from Sloane Square Tube Station, and a short walk from attractions such as the Royal Court Theatre and the Saatchi Gallery, The Ebury is an exemplary gastropub with large windows offering views over Pimlico Road. It's a cool and stylish space with a flawless use of natural light to give an impression of considerable space. The whole package is undeniably smart and chic but also very comfortable, a feeling bolstered by the simple menu and a good value, well appointed wine list.

The a la carte menu offers tempting starters such as a ballotine of foie gras with dried cranberries and Sauternes jelly, salad of beetroot with hazelnuts and goats' cheese, or burrata and avocado salad served with tomato, basil and black olives. Rump of salt marsh lamb served with aubergine, courgettes and olive oil makes a hearty main course, while fish lovers could choose between a seared peppered yellow fin tuna with red cabbage, orange and hazelnuts, or barbequed spiced mackerel with pickled lentils, jalapeno and apple.

A list of carefully crafted desserts such as verbena jelly with pineapple carpaccio, chilli and citrus fruit; passion fruit and lime cheesecake or mille-feuille of fresh figs with Greek yoghurt and honey bring the meal to a fitting end.

For diners looking for a quick bite th bar menu at Ebury includes a variety of traditional bar favourites such as white anchovies in olive oil, carpaccio of salmon with pink peppercorn, pickled cucumber and radish, and a plate of charcuterie and pickles. Alternatively you could choose from the range of freshly made sandwiches, a bowl of crispy French fries or even cheese and biscuits.

The wine list offers an impressive range of champagnes and wines from across the world, available by the glass or bottle.

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

Bella Italia is a restaurant that pulsates with Italian style and fashion, where the day starts with breakfast, not least the Inglese, the familiar bacon, sausage, mushroom, tomato and fried or scrambled eggs and sauté potatoes with ciabatta toast so beloved of hearty eaters seeking a good start to the day, particularly when they don't have to prepare it. A vegetarian option is available, along with the bambini of sausages, tomato and scrambled egg, or a strapazzata, scrambled eggs on ciabatta toast. A cappuccino or hot chocolate offers a more gentle awakening and croissant or pastries are welcome at almost any time.

It is always worth remembering that eating Italian is a great opportunity to work away through something rather more liberating than the conventional 3 course English meal. Little and often seems to be the motto but move on to the antipasti and it's immediately obvious this is no easy task, confronted with well over a dozen dishes, not one of which you really have the heart to turn down. The selezione classica assembles a few of the favourite starters; oven baked lemon and rosemary chicken wings, spiced meatballs, calamari, mini garlic butter-filled calzoni and lightly battered courgettes served with flamed pepper and lemon herb dips.

A speck e rucola pizza, added to a traditional margherita brings together two traditions with Italian speck ham providing the second, but it is within the pasta and risotto dishes that you can adapt almost any main ingredient, as well enjoy some of Italy's most traditional treats. Who can deny a well formed spaghetti Bolognese or penne Marco Polo? And not for nothing is a nicely prepared spaghetti carbonara the preferred dish of many.

From a selection of five choices amongst the secondi many will head unerringly for controfiletto ai ferri, a 7oz sirloin steak char-grilled to preference and served with garlic butter, roast field mushrooms, fries and rocket, or the fritto misto, lightly battered prawns, cod fillet, calamari and courgette with fries and a herb lemon and caper dip.

Could anything be more appropriate than The Godfather, for 1 or 2 naturally, with nutty chocolate fudge brownies, vanilla and toffee ice cream with chocolate sauce, fresh cream and wafer curls, and rest assured the coffee will do justice to the meal.

With a wine list that makes few concessions to other countries - and why should it - good Italian food can receive an equally national baptism by wine. For further enlightenment, news about their on-line shop and special deals, a click on their lively Website will reveal all.

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.

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.