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Navajo Joe is the perfect way to enjoy great American, Mexican and fusion food, perfect cocktails and funky music in the heart of Covent Garden.

The atmosphere is a careful combination of music and dining, with a cocktail dining area overlooking the Covent Garden foot traffic, and a larger dining area and mezzanine level for experiencing their blend of world cuisine.

Voted best Martinis by London and New York Cosmo, and boasting the largest selection of Tequilas outside of Mexico the emphasis is on a multi dimensional atmosphere aimed at young professionals, pre-post theatre audiences as well as the mature business sector.

Slightly set-off from the busy main floor dining, the mezzanine is ideal for private dining in groups of 40 or less. It provides a full view of the main dining and bar area of Navajo Joe. Serviced by a full cocktail and wait staff, guests reserving this area are treated to personal attention and complete access to the food and wet menus.

Joe Below is Navajo Joe's most personalised and energetic space. With suspended decks and autonomous sound system, this underground room has taken on an identity all its own, attracting a young and assertive crowd who enjoy relaxed conversation and dancing in a space allocated for the bar-goer who expects a little bit more.

Friday and Saturday nights, DJs spin an active blend of deep, soulful, jazzy house sound and during the week it could be live sax and flute or some 70s Nuggets and Neo soul with a smattering of Latin tunes. The bar is an ideal meeting spot for your party, either reserved for up to seventy guests, or in smaller groups.

Navajo Joe takes modern American dining to a whole new level with crispy duck nachos with hoi sin sauce, seared fillet steak teriyaki, and asparagus tempura with white truffle hollandaise. The menu also features South Western favourites of tequila lime chicken chimichanga with mango salsa, and asparagus and oyster mushroom enchilada loaded with sugar snap peas, goats' cheese and smoked chilli tomato sauce.

Main courses of char-grilled peri peri chicken with baked baby potatoes, sour cream and chives, or oven baked salmon with wilted spinach, new potatoes and basil aioli could be followed by upside down vanilla cheesecake or tiramisu with coffee liqueur.

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

Taking its name from the world's oldest rowing race, The Coat and Badge is a haven of calm close to the bustling Putney High Street. Diners can enjoy modern British cuisine in the cosy dining room, or in the laidback beer garden.

Sumptuous flavours from The Coat and Badge menu includes grilled sardines with spicy tomato relish, or baby back ribs with homemade coleslaw. Prime cuts of meat and fresh fish fillets are served, with offerings like succulent 28-day aged rib eye with onion rings and béarnaise sauce, or salmon fillet with radish, fennel and orange salad. Perfect for sharing, The Coat and Badge Putney offers seafood, meat and vegetarian platters.

Offering an impressive array of mixes, The Coat and Badge London stages weekly cocktail nights. A selection of high quality whites and reds complement the food perfectly, and a variety of real ales, spirits and liqueurs are served from the bar.

The Coat and Badge restaurant sits directly opposite The Putney Exchange Shopping Centre, and East Putney Tube Station is a short walk away.

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

Simply put, Hawksmoor is a carnivore's paradise. There are few restaurants where such meticulous care is taken with the quality and preparation of their meat.  Hawksmoor's supplier, The Ginger Pig, is widely known for the superb quality of their traditionally reared beef (and other meat) and it's all put to best possible use here - simply cooked on a real charcoal grill.

Starters of Tamworth ribs, those friendly happy porkers who make the supreme sacrifice that we might enjoy - at least the poor blighters do not have to endure the trials and tribulations of old age - or perhaps fresh Cornish oysters or dressed Dorset crab will set your taste buds for the feast that is to come.

They boast there is no cut of meat they cannot produce for their customers, even if some need a little notice, but off the shelf there is bone-in sirloin, rib-eye and fillet. They also have bigger steaks to share including bone-in prime rib, porterhouse and Chateaubriand. Side dishes include chips (with béarnaise sauce, a must), macaroni cheese and lighter options such as a baby gem salad or creamed spinach.

Some say they also serve some of the best cocktails in London, so for those wanting to indulge in a pre/post dinner drink, have a leisurely read through their list which is made up of forgotten concoctions from lots of long out of print cocktail books.

The thing about the Hawksmoor is the reliability. There are no false claims, no culinary bravado, if they say they can do something it means just that. How refreshing in an age of mediocrity and excuses. Everything else about this rock solid watering hole and restaurant is of the same calibre. Go there with confidence and keen anticipation.

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

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.

Surrounded by shops and bars in this buzzing North London suburb, Prezzo brings delicious Italian cuisine in a contemporary setting to the heart of the Broadway. Just a short walk from Mill Hill Rail Station, and easily accessible from the M1, Prezzo is also close to Mill Hill Park.

The sleek, trendy interior provides a wonderful setting perfect for a night out with friends, while those looking for a more intimate meal could head to the comfortable banquette seating at the back of the restaurant.

Prezzo restaurants satisfy the needs of those who like genuine Italian cuisine, as 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 pizza bread with caramelised balsamic onions and melted 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 goats' cheese with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on focaccia bread with a balsamic glaze set the tone for a hearty meal.

Find pastas such as the unusual chicken ravioli, made pancetta bacon, petits pois and grana padano cheese in a cream sauce; amongst the special pastas, the polpette al forno with meatballs, field mushrooms, caramelised onions, red chillies and penne in a tomato and garlic sauce is interesting and different. Italian menus would be incomplete without risotto, like chicken and red pesto with roasted peppers and grana padano cheese, while tiger prawns with oak roast salmon and petits pois in a creamy saffron sauce, is enticingly different.

Classic pizzas embrace, among a wide selection, the popular fiorentina, topped with spinach, free-range egg, grana padano cheese, marinated olives, mozzarella and tomato, and the much loved quattro formaggi - gorgonzola, goat's cheese, grana padano, mozzarella, tomato.

Specials could include the pollo Siciliana, char-grilled chicken breast, prosciutto ham and plum tomato slices, baked with Prezzo's own blend of cheese, only one example from the many tempting offerings that come out from the Prezzo kitchens.

You can wash down the food with a variety of tipples - ranging from house wine and Chardonnay to liqueurs and beer and there is espresso or fresh ground coffee to wind up an enjoyable meal.

More information can be found on their Website.

El Cantara, deep in the heart of London's raffish Soho, is the first to bring together the Spanish and Moroccan elements in a setting that is highly prized for what is regarded as the real McCoy. The arabesque décor and plush seating provide an atmosphere of natural enjoyment, and together with authentic cuisine and agreeable company, it?s like being transported from bustling Soho to tranquil Marrakesh or Andalusia.

The list of starters is so vast, underlining the tapas trend, that it is broken down into soups, vegetarian and meat, with harira and cream of vegetable to set the ball rolling. Beetroot and avocado salad is served with a balsamic and olive oil dressing and the piquillo de patatas offers baby peppers stuffed with a potato and carrot purée.

Spinach with olive oil, olives and compote lemon will be better recognised by some as baccoula and a tortilla emerges as a Spanish omelette with potato and onion. Broad beans are a popular vegetable, particularly when served as habas a la Catalana, with mixed herbs, cumin and garlic. All these attractive dishes emphasise the Mediterranean dependence upon vegetarian sources for so much of their ingredients, and perhaps helps explain the longevity of the inhabitants.

However, faced with pan fried spicy sausages served in spicy tomato sauce, grilled chicken wings in a fragrant orange and paprika marinade, oven baked sardines served with a mixed herb crust, crispy buttered squid rings, or mussel shells stuffed with crab and mussel meat the attention of even the most dedicated carnivore might begin to stray.

Couscous, steamed fluffy cracked wheat, is served with a choice of lamb, chicken or Mergeuz, vegetables or Royal. The charcoal grill is a major force when it comes to preparing Mediterranean food, and the mixed grill on one side, the grilled chicken with a lemon, saffron and garlic marinade is in a class of its own.

Lovers of the tagine, that delightful Moroccan stew served in the traditional pot will be cheered by the choices, which include seafood, lamb, vegetable and chicken. The menu of any self-respecting Mediterranean restaurant could not exist without its paella, with seafood and chicken served as a dish for two. A real delicacy is the pollo Basque, chicken served with a sweet pepper, garlic and cream sauce, but possibly the ultimate is the frito mixto Andaluz, an assortment of five different seafoods served on a bed of rice.

Moroccan or Spanish bread lends a whole new meaning to the word artisan in this connection, and small mixed salads add a nice touch to the meal. A tapas menu at £16.95 embraces any four starter dishes, and the 3 course set menu for six people or more is good value, particularly as it includes a jug of sangria. A pre-theatre menu at £19.95 starts with a tapas platter, and a choice from two main courses.

The food is of commendable quality, the surroundings authentic, and with house wines at £13.95 and Chateau Musar from the Lebanon all is well with the world.

Another indulgence at El Cantara is the shisha terrace when you can experiment with fruity flavours such as apple, strawberry, mint and grape, or you could team up your fresh apple or milk shisha with an array of cocktails. Guests are also guaranteed generous doses of entertainment with either the belly dancer with her snake or the flamenco artists in their amazingly colourful attire. What?s more, you can even learn belly dancing or ask the tarot card reader to predict your future.

The two beautifully appointed private dining rooms at El Cantara are done up in a charming manner, the lounge bar can accommodate up to 50 and the first floor is spectacularly decorated with Moroccan artefacts. It can accommodate up to 80 diners and includes an outdoor terrace and private sound system.

Do click on their Website for latest news on menu changes and offers.

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 Crown is yet another jewel in the Geronimo collection of pubs with style, traditional British food, worthy beers and an excellent wine list. Located only a short distance from Victoria Park it has something for everyone whether you are looking for a place where quiet meals for two are on the agenda, a group booking or just somewhere friendly where a few friends can gather for a few drinks and a yarn.

Lunch and dinner is served seven days a week with Saturday brunches that blow away any vestiges of the previous night's end of the working week feste, and Sunday lunches where that great British custom can be celebrated in a relaxed and timeless manner.

The Crown is a very outdoor sort of place too, with a beautiful roof terrace and beer garden. Two function rooms, the bright and airy Livestock Room and the more intimate Paper Room both have private balconies overlooking the Park and comfortably accommodate 25 people for a seated event. If it's something bigger you have in mind the entire first floor for you and 79 other people standing is yours, with its own private bar.

So really there's not much excuse for looking any further no matter what your requirements. 'Yes', you say, 'but what about the food and drink'. In the immortal words of the late Peter Sellers, "what indeed!" Let's start with with the wine list created by John Clevely, Master of Wine and driving force behind Geronimo pubs. What with warm hearted reds, cool elegant whites and a visit to most of the major wine producing areas in the world, there really is no contest. Nearly every one is available by the glass, and prices only occasionally stray across the £20 barrier, and frankly if you don't feel that £50 is a fair price for a bottle of Pol Roger Brut Reserve should you really be out?

And so to the rations which are perfectly straightforward, with two menus, lunch and dinner, and no messing about. In case you think that lunch in Victoria Park is not an event, let me assure you otherwise. Cured salmon with herb pancakes, shallot and capers make a good opening event, or perhaps a goat's cheese croustade, with leek, onion and pine nuts is more your way?

Time to spare, friends to meet? A sirloin steak with green peppercorn sauce and hand cut chips takes some beating, but a roasted pork fillet with horseradish mash and smoked black pudding is in the same league. The blessed burger is now respectable and there sure enough is a cheese and bacon burger with more hand cut chips. For the maritime-minded a pan fried seabass is served with risotto cake, baby pak choy and sweet chilli sauce.

Dinner is more of the same with additional dishes such as braised ox cheek, swede and cider, crispy salmon with wilted spinach, fondant potato and pea jus, and a chicken liver salad, pancetta and raspberry vinegar.

Desserts change daily and be on the lookout for some decent British cheeses.

Walk into The Crown and chances are you will feel instantly at home which, in the view of many is what a good pub is all about. Their Website will keep you up to date with special events, menu changes, and private hire possibilities.

Housed in a former Watney Combe brewery in the heart of London's Theatreland, Hawksmoor is a stylish and vibrant steakhouse close to Covent Garden Tube Station. Located next door to the London Film School on Sheldon Street, just a short walk from the Donmar Warehouse and St. Martin's Theatre, the restaurant is perfect for a delicious meal before or after a show.

The elegant, spacious interior, complete with dark wood panelling, leather seating and feature lighting, provides a relaxed setting to enjoy a succulent steaks while the private room is ideal for a more intimate dining experience. You could also pop into the bar for a burger or unwind with colleagues whilst sipping on a glass of cocktail.

This former brewery also played host to an annual steak supper in 1807, hosted by the first owner Alderman Combe, and the guest list included the Duke of York and Prince of Wales. Hawksmoor has successfully continued the legacy and earned its reputation as one of the premier steakhouses in the capital by sourcing the highest quality meat from Longhorn cattle reared in North Yorkshire.

The dinner menu offers starters of half a Dorset blue lobster with hazelnut butter, potted smoked mackerel and steak tartare. Follow on with a selection of steaks with exquisite cuts such as bone-in prime rib, porterhouse and chateaubriand while desserts of sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream and Bramley apple pie with custard will sate diners with a sweet tooth. A 2 or 3 course express menu is perfect for those looking for a quick bite before or after a show.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own wine on Mondays for a small corkage fee and keep an eye open for the Hawksmoor Steak and Wine Matching events where the restaurant staff will happily advise you on the best cut to accompany your chosen bottle. Hawksmoor's own wine list delivers a superb variety of reds and whites from around the world.

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

Housed within the iconic Blakes Hotel on Roland Gardens, Blakes Restaurant expertly combines the best of Eastern and Western cuisineenhanced by elegant service in splendid surroundings. Located in the well-heeled South Kensington area of London, it's close to well-known attractions such as Hyde Park, the Victoria and Albert Museum and Royal Albert Hall while the shops and boutiques on Brompton Road are just a short drive away.

The work of the reputed designer and London socialite Anouska Hempel, the restaurant's atmospheric setting combines classic design with luxurious furnishings and exotic artefacts to create a unique ambience in which guests cannot but relax and unwind at leisure.

Dinner could begin with starters of miso soup with silken tofu, carpaccio of beef with parmesan, tortellini of foie gras des landes or salt and peppered soft shell crabs. Add a luxurious touch to your meal with Oscietra or Royal Beluga caviar served with Balkes blini or warm potato soufflé and vanilla ice cream.

Follow with delicious mains of angel hair pasta with black truffle, black cod with miso and ginger sauce; beef fillet teriyaki with hot sake or rack of English lamb and rosemary with mint cous cous. Diners looking for a lighter bite could enjoy refreshing salad of buffalo Burrata mozzarella with tomatoes or warm chicken salad with avocado, pomelo, cashews and nam jim sauce. The lunch menu offers ginko nut curry with lime risottini, baby chicken with thyme and lemon or peppercorn fillet of beef. While the bento box selection includes miso soup with silken tofu, beef teriyaki, lobster toast and ginger rice.

The desserts menu at Blakes is a joy in itself and includes tempting gems such as the light and refreshing dessert of coconut ice cream with lime and palm sugar, a simpler tropical fruit salad or a richer dark chocolate fondant with vanilla and pistachio ice cream and finally, if you wish, coffee with cardamom or ginger tea.

The restaurant's all-day menu serves a selection of dim sums; fried prawn and yuzu sauce, soups, sandwiches and hot food; toasted poilâne sourdough chicken sandwich with avocado and ginger and Blakes burger and French fries and salads; oak smoked scotch salmon.

Breakfast is also served at Blakes with choice of a full English, continental breakfast or more exotic fare such as Changa Turkish eggs, two poached eggs served with leaf spinach, chilli oil and yoghurt; classic Scottish smoked salmon with scrambled eggs spicy Parsee eggs a dish of scrambled eggs with fresh green chilli and coriander. For a healthy alternative try Bircher muesli with Greek yoghurt and fresh berries or compôte of fruit with cornflakes and prunes.

For a delightful break during the day the afternoon tea menu at the adjoining Chinese Room or Courtyard offers finger sandwiches with fillings of beef and chilli horseradish, smoked salmon and egg and cress; fresh scones with fresh strawberries and cream; a selection of tea cakes and choice of tea from Earl Grey, Lapsang Souching and Darjeeling.

An extensive wine list with a range of whites and reds from Italy, France, Germany, Australia and South Africa complements the food perfectly.

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