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The most interesting aspect of the Tony Thomas designed Caravaggio restaurant is the real sense of time and space, with its ornate ceiling and Art Deco light fixtures, in what was once a bank. Italian renaissance is best known for renewed interest in the culture of interlocked civilizations and features many prominent names such as Caravaggio; fast forward to the present day and you have a restaurant in London as a tribute to the man himself.

A long marble topped bar at the entrance is a popular spot for single diners while the existing gallery at the mezzanine level has now been extended to provide a second tier of tables. From the large windows and lamps to the warm yellow tones, everything feels both new and old at the same time. This may probably be the reason why it?s a firm favourite among the list of who's who in England.

The smartly attired front of house team, under the able supervision of their manager Andrés Cabrera, are adept in turning around people with little time to spare, even inside an hour if that is what they want; though, in fact, most of the patrons who are drawn to Caravaggio usually wish to linger a little longer over lunch, particularly if they want to clinch a deal.

Chef Jonathan Lees has crafted a menu, which displays unflinching loyalty to Italy. Caravaggio's commitment to fresh ingredients is evident in the fact that they employ a buyer to search out the very best, instead of relying on less focused suppliers. Which explains why the pasta is perfect and the risotto, a revelation.

Parmigiano herb crusted seared beef carpaccio with celery and parmesan or poached asparagus with sautéed quail eggs and Hollandaise sauce could be followed by linguine with fresh seafood tossed in a tomato sauce with garlic and chilli or risotto with tiger prawns and spring onions. Fish lovers could plump for the grilled swordfish with sauce vierge, or roasted fillet of salmon with oregano, parsley and Jersey Royal potatoes.

Meat dishes include grilled breast of chicken with a chicory and mange tout salad and 28 day matured Scotch rib-eye, sliced and char-grilled with béarnaise and thick cut chips. It's worth leaving room for a bitter chocolate mousse with vanilla ice cream or the rhubarb panna cotta. If choosing a glass of wine from the extensive list proves too irksome then just pop a question to the knowledgeable sommelier, who would be happy to help.

If you've been awe-struck by the famous works of art by Italian painters and sculptors and wish to see similar dedication and innovation closer to home, then step in to Caravaggio where people aim to demonstrate the same in the food and drink they serve. For full menus and wine list, visit their Website, which also has details about holding private functions there in the evenings and at the weekend.

Belgo Centraal is totally unique in its design, especially its industrial lift, which transports guests over one of the busiest kitchens in London, where dishes from a menu of high quality are produced. Situated in the hub of Covent Garden, Belgo Centraal has been a hit since it opened in 1998 and a destination for tourists and Londoners alike ever since. Well known for its high quality Belgian food and drink, accompanied by unbeatable service and a stimulating environment, it has won a Best London Restaurant Award and was also runner up in the Best Family Restaurant Award 2000.

Affordable, filling meals include their famous mussel platter, served with frites, and other superb seafood, vegetarian or meat dishes, such as rotisserie chicken and haddock in Belgo Wit beer batter. If you have room you should try one of their scrummy desserts featuring Brussels style waffle with vanilla ice-cream, Chantilly cream and a choice of warm white or dark chocolate sauce.

The waiters, dressed as monks, are always willing to guide guests through the vast array of varying Belgian white, dark and fruit beers that are on offer to complement your meal. Belgian food tends to concentrate on leeks, asparagus, potatoes, beetroot, carrots, fennel; onion, celery, thyme, chives, rosemary, turnips, radish, beef, chicken, fish, butter and cream. From this by and large pretty healthy selection by most standards, they produce such classic Belgian dishes as waterzooi and carbonnade.

Do keep an eye out for their special deals, such as the famous 'Beat the Clock', where you pay the price at the time shown on your food order when ordering from their BTC menu, i.e., 6pm is £6. Express Lunch is a set lunch menu for £9.50, served with a choice of Cristal lager, a glass of house wine or a soft drink.

They also have 'Kids Eat Free', which entitles one child to eat free from the 'mini menu', a 2-course meal served with frites or mash, that includes such dishes as rotisserie chicken, pork or leek sausages, or cod goujons, rounded off with Belgo's homemade ice-cream, per one adult ordering a main course from the à la carte menu.

With two seating areas to choose from, firstly their dining area, where reservations can be made, or dine in the more relaxed beer hall area, with bench style seating,  where reservations are not required, this is definitely a unique dining experience. They can also cater for private parties from approximately 50 to 250 guests.

And talking of guests, read on: 'excellent evening! The waiters were very entertaining and so, so knowledgeable about all those different beers'.

'We had a fantastic time, great food and the kids really loved it! The waiter brought them to see the kitchen and gave them a chef's hat. All that and the kids ate for free'.

For information on reservations, parties and private hire, or just to learn more about Belgo Restaurants, visit their well designed Website.

The Eagle is a Geronimo Inns classic gastropub with sofa, fires, room to sit at the bar, and a garden to bring a smile to the folk living in Shepherds Bush West London. The pub fits in well alongside some of the other wonderful pubs in this neck of the woods. The interior is elegant in a louche sort of way, with comfortable seating, warm lighting and a pleasant yard to be enjoyed during sunny days.

There is room to sit and enjoy with enough friends. To recreate the ambience of a country kitchen table surrounded by friends in a London pub is not the easiest of tasks, but The Eagle has done it. Many visitors return to experience the pleasant mix of urban life, parks, inns and people.

The food combined with the atmosphere and philosophy that stays true to tradition has made this place popular among locals and travellers alike. The menu includes regular pub grub as well as specials that have discerning guests coming back for more.

For lunch you can order the hot prawn cocktail with gem lettuce and tomato hollandaise or other delicacies that may include black pudding, bacon and potato hash with duck egg, slow roast pork belly, shallot and apple tart and chicken with a crisp ham and broad bean salad. End your lunch with a pudding and selection of British cheese chutney and crackers.

Dinner can be as elaborate or simple as you wish as you greet a pressed ham terrine with toast and pickles. The carte du jour lists several tasty options such as pan-fried Goosenargh duck breast with fennel puree and glazed root, grilled sirloin steak with tomato confit and chips, roast stone bass fillet, spiced south in coast cockle butter, and poached pear and blue cheese salad with chicory, walnuts and sherry dressing.

Supporting items for the larger dishes include chips and sea salt, mixed leaf salad, new potatoes, and braised red cabbage. The wine list is compiled by John Clevely, Master of Wine, and contains a good selection of both Old and New World boutique and mainstream wines including Rogers and Rufus and Fiano Mandrarossa.

To conclude a satisfying meal think in terms of the muscavado and hazelnut tart with vanilla ice cream, chocolate brownie and lemon tart.

For more information, do visit their Website, which also has details of all the other excellent pubs owned by Geronimo Inns.

Whether you are in search of fine ales, weekly quizzes and live sport, or some good old banter and a bite to eat with friends, The Curtains Up can offer an ideal spot for you. Both daily specials and hearty British favourites come together to form the delicious menu which is served from midday until 3pm and in the evening, with longer hours at the weekend. 

If you're not feeling too hungry, a simple eggs Benedict or fish finger sandwich could do the trick but equally you could rise to the challenge of a rib-eye steak or a char-grilled beef burger. If you fancy a traditional meal then try collar of bacon with carrots and champ, or beer battered fish and chips with tartare sauce and mushy peas. If you still have room try the summer pudding, or Swayledale, blacksticks blue, and coloomey camembert.

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

Hawksmoor Guildhall offers a premium steak experience to diners in contemporary surroundings in the heart of the City of London. Close to the Guildhall Art Gallery and Clockmakers Museum, the restaurant is just a short walk from Moorgate Tube Station with Liverpool Street a little further.

The restaurant's spacious interior is artfully decorated in shades of dark brown and cream, complete with wood panelling and luxurious leather banquette seating, encouraging guests to unwind after a busy day at work. Hawksmoor is just a short walk from possibly the site of the world's first steakhouse named Dolly's, renowned for serving some of the best steaks of the age, whose illustrious list of clientele included literary giants such as Defoe, Swift, Boswell and Pope.

Hawksmoor proves a worthy successor to Dolly's, placing great emphasis on sourcing the highest quality meat from Longhorn cattle reared in North Yorkshire. Like it's illustrious predecessor the restaurant barely shuts its doors long enough for the gridiron to cool so diners can kickstart their day with a hearty Hawksmoor breakfast of smoked bacon chop, sausages, black pudding, short-rib bubble and squeak, grilled bone marrow, trotter baked beans, fried eggs, grilled mushrooms, roast tomatoes and toast for two to share.

The dinner menu offers starters of half a Dorset blue lobster with hazelnut butter, potted Longhorn beef and plum pudding bacon and veal tartare. Follow on with a selection of steaks with exquisite cuts such as bone-in prime rib, porterhouse and chateaubriand. Gregarious diners could choose the meat feasts to share, including a mixed grill for 2 or 3, and the tongue to tail beef 8-course tasting menu for up to 10 people. Bear in mind that the restaurant will require 48 hours notice to prepare group menus.

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. Hawmskoor's own wine list delivers a superb variety of fine reds, whites, dessert and fortified wines from around the world.

With a private dining room that can accommodate 22 people, Hawksmoor Guildhall is an ideal place to host special occasions, and their event management team would be happy to help you plan the event.

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

Why did nobody think of this before? A happy union between the ability to do your butcher shopping, have coffee and patisserie or breakfast, or both, enjoy a high quality meal at lunch or dinner, with wine, of course - when you stop to think about it the whole thing is all so blindingly obvious. Little wonder that Butcher and Grill in Wimbledon has a sibling not far away in SW11.

Presumably, if there are two suppliers who are really missed from the High Street in these times are the traditional baker, and the butcher, who knew by the look on your face what you were going to order as you came through the door.

Brunch is on from 8.30am till 3.30pm on Saturday and Sunday and even though this is a butcher's you can get smoked salmon with your scrambled eggs, and whole lot of other things besides, crowned by the renowned Full English. A good range of beverages includes coffees and teas of all sorts, Cox and Bramley apple juice and many more.

The lunch and dinner menu fields around ten starters, with English pea soup, seared scallops, foie gras ballotine, devilled kidneys on toast, or smoked duck breast served on a shallot, green bean and sun blushed tomato salad. Cured meats, ham, salami, Scottish smoked salmon and dill cured gravadlax, pasta and risotto are there for your pleasure, and when the menu starts talking about handmade Cumberland; pork, honey and mustard; Toulouse, and merguez sausages you know somebody is firmly on message.

Grills - well what can we say? Perhaps calf?s liver and bacon, veal t-bone, pork chop, before you even begin to consider the more conventional. The whole set-up is an absolute delight. Some of their vegetarian dishes can be really attractive, but when the chips are down it really comes to presentation, which happily is improving all the time. And the pea and saffron risotto can make a terrific meal.

Apart from the chips, in the view of many an essential adjunct to a good steak, there is a range of ?stuff on the side?, around six in number, that includes tomato, red onion and chilli salsa, green peppercorn sauce, salsa Verde, or Roquefort butter.

Desserts hover round the exotic, and expect to find strawberry and lavender pavlova, Valrhona chocolate pot with drunken cherries, and a selection of Jude?s organic ice creams and sorbets.

A wine list of around 70 should meet the needs of any reasonable person. But again one should return to the sense of vision in this sensible, down to earth operation which supplies what people want, not what the supplier thinks they ought to have. How many times must one say this before it percolates through?

Their Website will tell you much of what there is no room for here. Subject to a minimum drinks spend of £10 per couple they offer 50% off all steaks every Monday, all night, except Bank Holiday Mondays, and a Dine Early Discount of 25% pre 7 pm from Tuesday to Saturday evenings.

The Adam and Eve in Wells Street is a another fine West End example of a Geronimo gastropub, where the right atmosphere, fine food, decent wine and a general air of bonhomie are all par for the course. This small but highly effective and well run group of reformed pubs from the old order now has 28 under its fold, each encouraged to be highly individual, each focused accurately on its own particular area and clientele.

Lest the name should bother you in any way there is an alley at the back which has some outside tables and comes in handy for lovers looking only for each other's eyes and others requiring personal space. Located only a short hop from Oxford Street the Adam and Eve is a sanctuary for those seeking relief from the retail frenzy. Once inside punters appreciate the décor that is reminiscent of many a good home, not overbearing and calculated to sooth and please.

This is a one menu pub and I defy anyone not to find pleasure at enough points to enjoy a thoroughly wholesome, well-cooked and interesting meal. The daily soup is of course a changing feast and it comes with crusty bread. For those who just like their bread and butter ? period ? there's the Oxfordshire variety with Nether End Farm salted butter. Bloody Mary sauce accompanies some crisp whitebait, or try the Valley Farm smoked salmon warm potato cake.

If rush is the order of the day head for the Welsh rarebit, a symphony of toast and cheese, or savour the rare roast beef sandwich with onion chutney and creamed horseradish.

A little more time? Head for the chicken curry with naan bread and pilau rice, or a lamb casserole and herb dumplings. French fries and chips are around, but the best bet are the hand cut chips served with Cornish sea salt. Follow with treacle sponge and custard or some hot apple crumble.

A wine list selected by John Clevely, Master of Wine, does ample justice to the food and leads you through a friendly, well chosen bunch of bottles, few over £30, the great majority available by bottle, and large or smaller glass.

The Geronimo Club provides a sort of inner sanctuary for the regulars and anyone can join. There are definite benefits, to start with a drink on the house for just giving your details. Your birthday comes around and there's a present for you, and on the anniversary of you joining the club. Every month you get an email with an update on what's ongoing, perhaps a party invite or voucher, a few recipes or news of special offers coming up, all reminders that you belong and your company is valued.

Pubs have always come in many different varieties but groups like Geronimo who really work at the the job of getting people along, who listen to their customers and provide a setting where like-minded people can enjoy each other?s company in familiar surroundings are leading the way.

Whether or not you join The Geronimo Club keep tuned in to the Adam and Eve Website where good fellowship abounds.

Villandry originally opened its doors in 1989 on Marylebone High Street, an intimate, endearingly-ramshackle shop full of wonderful smells and delicious goodies. Bursting at the seams it relocated to its current larger, smarter premises on Great Portland Street in November 1997. With oodles of space, a gorgeous Foodstore, informal Restaurant and buzzing Bar were created to establish Villandry as one of Fitzrovia's most popular destinations.

Their team of bakers work throughout the night to produce the very best breads, patisseries and cakes, and undoubtedly the most incredible 100% all butter croissants. While the chefs beaver away in the Villandry kitchens cooking up a huge array of lip-smacking dishes prepared from well-sourced ingredients.

Exciting changes are in progress to ensure Villandry continues to celebrate its heritage by focusing on the very best produce. The gourmet grocer and deli provides a large range of exceptional foods; from the freshest and most flavoursome fruit and vegetables, to wonderfully fresh bread, pastries, chocolate and spices.

The cheese and charcuterie counters are a treat for the taste buds and the take-away counter - for everything from snacks to three-course meals - has queues for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with orders also taken by phone. A diverse range of picnic hampers is also available for that balmy summer's day in the park, at Wimbledon, Lord's or Henley. A full catering service is also available on request. The 100-seat Restaurant and 60-seat Bar are also available for exclusive private hire.

Villandry Restaurant is run by head chef Brian Scully, who leads a team of dedicated chefs. The fresh food is produced without fuss and particular attention is paid to the quality of the ingredients. Its relaxed, European-style ambience continues to woo people from all over London keen to try delicious, uncomplicated flavours in Villandry's simple but excellent cooking.

The Restaurant menu is a short, sharp list of dishes, which covers the full range of carefully sourced, seasonal favourites, including grilled lemon grass prawns with green mango, cashew, tomato and coriander salad, poached chicken terrine with leeks, mushroom and spring onion and not forgetting the mouth-watering peach and raspberry crumble with cream.

For full meals, eat in the Restaurant. For breakfasting, light lunching, snacking, chatting, sipping, gossiping and meeting from morning until night, the Bar is ideal. From 8am you can enjoy boiled eggs with soldiers, Scottish smoked kippers or some Villandry granola and fruit salad. If you are feeling continental, why not have a pain-au-chocolat from the Bakery or some French toast with maple syrup?

For lunch you can choose from the changing menu - crispy, crunchy vegetable salad with cashew nuts and apricot dressing, accompanied by 28 day dry-aged steak - 10oz sirloin with chips and béarnaise before finishing off with a seasonal fruit salad. These are but a few of the excellent choices. A small dinner menu and bar snacks are available in the early evening, with charcuterie and cheese plates available from the deli in the shop.

Free wireless internet access is provided, so you can check your email and surf the net at super speeds, all in the comfort of the Bar.

Villandry Foodstore is a gourmet shop for serious food lovers in central London. It sells the finest quality ingredients sourced from specialist suppliers around the world. Many other items are homemade in the Villandry kitchens and sold either as takeaway meals or served in the Restaurant and Bar.

Their products would shine in the most finely fitted kitchens: olive oils, vinegars, wines, cheese and hams from across Europe; pickles and chutneys; a daily selection of fresh fruit, herbs and vegetables from Secretts Farm; specialist items to order, and enough chocolate to last you through the year. Order bespoke hampers from them as the perfect present or wine by the case. Their wine list is extensive and they are always happy to discuss choices.

To contact them, order hampers, or to get on their mailing list, use the form provided on their Website.

On High Street, Prezzo Eltham offers fine Italian cuisine is a bright, spacious setting. Housed in a converted London electricity showroom building, the beautifully designed interior retains much of its original charm with a stunning first floor dining area, which features stained glass windows and wooden furniture.

Surrounded by shops and bars, Prezzo is just a short walk from Eltham Railway Station.

The 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.

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

Boasting an enviable location on the Covent Garden Piazza, Dirty Martini is a stylish contemporary bar with a distinctly New York ambience. Enjoy a cocktail of your choice and sample a range of freshly prepared international bar snacks.

Dirty Martini's delectable range of cocktails includes classic cocktails, luxurious signature martinis and prosecco infusions. Take your pick from dirty martinis, Donegal and contemporary classics like the mojito or Mexican mule. Skinny cocktails, wines and beers are also available at Dirty Martini London.
 
The Dirty Martini menu offers choices of sun-dried tomato and basil risotto balls with a cucumber, mint and yoghurt dip, spicy Thai fishcakes with a soy and mirin dip, and char-grilled lamb skewers marinated in maple syrup and mint. The vegetarian, meat and seafood platters at Dirty Martini restaurant are perfect for sharing.

In the heart of Covent Garden, Dirty Martini is close to the London Transport Museum, and Fortune and Cambridge Theatres. Covent Garden and Leicester Square Tube Stations are a short walk away.

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