London restaurants best for... Impressing visitors

Berkeley Square's see and be seen seafood restaurant (with grilled meats too). There's a super selection of Japanese whiskies at the bar and the private dining rooms are jaw-dropping.

One thing you know you're going to get at any branch of Barrafina is great food. The counter seats might be gone minutes after service opens, but that only proves that the early bird catches the milk fed kidneys.

One of Mayfair St James’ finest dining establishments has had a refresh – except this is far more than a new lick of paint. Quaglino’s, the iconic restaurant and late-night venue, has undergone a full-scale renovation under the direction of D&D London and Russell Sage studios.

Spring is Skye Gyngell's first solo venture, who had such a big success at Petersham Nurseries. She has set up shop in the "new" wing of Somerset House which hasn't been open to the public for 150 years and serving fair like Grilled langoustine with seaweed butter and Roasted turbot with porcini and bone marrow.

The Sethi family's concept of taking a colonial gymkhana club theme and serving modern Indian food combined with British ingredients, with a focus on the tandoor oven and sigri charcoal grill was an instant hit. Always packed with A-listers and foodies alike.

James Lowe's restaurant at the Tea Building in Shoreditch proved that a restaurant in Shoreditch could gain a Michelin star. This all-day restaurant showcases his food with a regularly changing menu. Look out for special guests popping in from time to time. And they serve a damn fine coffee throughout the day.

Want to be looked after to within an inch of your life? Well, this is the restaurant you come to. Properly old-school French, Otto's has carved out a niche for itself because of a serious bit of kit called the duck press. This dish sees the breast sliced, then the rest of the duck (bar the legs) pressed in the special screw press giving a juice to which Cognac and duck liver are added before it's poured over the rare slices which finish cooking in the sauce. Both very rich and very pricey but, by all accounts, like nothing else in town.

Simon Rogan, also behind L'Enclume and Roganic, has taken over the main restaurant at Claridge's and completely revamped it while offering the same food that is so hugely popular at L'Enclume.

Bob Bob Ricard remains one of our personal faves in town. Whether it's the fantastically blingy design, the rich food with just a hint of Russian in there, the "press for champagne" button or... No, hang on, it's definitely the Press For Champagne button...

One of the few London restaurants on the World's 50 Best list, Heston's only London gaff is still hugely popular. The dishes that captured everyone's attention when it opened - the Meat Fruit (chicken liver parfait shaped like a mandarin) and the Tipsy Cake are still on the menu and are must-order dishes if you haven't got round to trying them yet. Keep an eye out for A-list diners, the hotel is a well-known celebrity haunt. 

This is the main restaurant at the London Edition and Jason Atherton is in charge of things. Expect a more upmarket affair to some of Atherton's other spots and a frankly jaw-dropping room too.

Jason Atherton's flagship restaurant and the one you're most likely to see him in the kitchen. The 60 cover restaurant has two private dining rooms, a large bar and a dessert bar. Expect superbly sourced British produce cooked with elegance and finesse.

One of the best restaurants in town and one of the few to make it into the World's 50 Best list, The Clove Club is now a London institution, on the must-try lists of all good gastro tourists. Head into the main restaurant for a regularly changing set menu which is at the heart of things here - or to the bar for cocktails and nibbles.

This restaurant comes from Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, a husband and wife team that used to work at Ottolenghi and Nopi. The restaurant specialises in Middle Eastern cuisine and, as one of the best places to eat in the area, is always hard to get into.

He's worked with the likes of Rene Redzepi at Noma, and previously with Tom Aikens, Adam Byatt and Thomas Keller. Now Tom Sellers is has launched his own restaurant in London called Story. Expect "humble ingredients but throws them together in a creative, inspired way" including beef dripping candles that you can eat.

One of London's oldest restaurants, there has been a Rules serving food in and around this part of Covent Garden since 1798. Here is where you come if you're after history and classic British dishes, served well. The upstairs cocktail bar is legendary.

One of the biggest Hawksmoors of the standout steak group, this one has great views over Regent Street and also places a special focus on seafood dishes created by fish maestro Mitch Tonks. It's a big old room too, seating up to 235.

The tiny Sushi Tetsu is both one of the best sushi restaurants in town and also one of the hardest to get into. With only half a dozen seats inside, each item served to you will be almost a work of art. This may well ruin other sushi restaurants for you...

One of the few London restaurants to make it as far as the top 10 of the World's 50 Best, this is often cited to us by fellow foodies as their favourite place in town. Fronted by Brett Graham it manages to mix high-end Michelin-starred food with a relaxed service, while still keeping the locals happy too.

Probably Islington's most famous (and hard to get into) restaurant, this Italian affair sees Jordan Frieda, formerly front-of-house at The River Cafe teaming up with chef Tim Siadatan - one of the original trainees at Fifteen. Expect superlative Italian cuisine. If you're having trouble getting into Padella, from the same team, then booking a table here will help you avoid that queue.

Daniel Boulud is one of the top chefs in Manhattan, where his restaurant Daniel has been the favourite of many a critic. This is his London base and he was one of the trailblazers for non-UK restaurants making a base in London. Here it was all about getting things right - service is top notch, and the famed burgers are some of the best in town. Always a good bet in Knightsbridge.

Fergus Henderson's renowned restaurant, many critcs' favourite in London, with its specialisation in "nose to tail" eating is a must visit for anyone looking for the very best in modern British cooking.