London’s restaurant scene

London’s five fabulous newcomers

London’s restaurant scene is buzzing and at its best rivals dining in New York, Paris and Tokyo, says The Good Food Guide London.

So many great new restaurants have opened for business recently that in its 56th year The Good Food Guide has published a London guide for only the second time.* Five new openings make it into its gastronomic top 40.

Gordon Ramsay scoops 2 out of 3 top spots, with his Chelsea restaurant at No 1 and Pétrus at No 3. **

But several new restaurants are challenging the old guard and making London a really competitive field. The fabulous five new restaurants are:

> Mayfair’s Wild Honey, in with a bullet at number 13. It’s a Modern British gem where “results can be brilliant, full-blooded and sensual.”

> Sake No Hana, Mayfair is in at number 30. Hailed by The Guide as “pure and unadulterated joy for people who understand and love Japanese food.”

> At number 31 is Notting Hill’s Le Café Anglais. It’s an “homage to a Parisian brasserie” where “the atmosphere crackles”.

> L’Autre Pied, Marylebone is at number 32. The second opening from the highly acclaimed Pied à Terre team, the cooking has an “appealing straightforwardness” with “high-gloss proficiency”.

> In at number 37, Hibiscus, Mayfair. This former star of foodie centre Ludlow has moved to the West End and the “ambitious, idiosyncratic chef” produces some “simply sensational” dishes.

Elizabeth Carter, editor of The Good Food Guide London, says:

“What’s happened to London? The city is now buzzing with new ideas, new influences, and an astonishing diversity of cuisines unmatched by any other capital city. There’s no doubt London’s setting the pace right now. Standards have gone through the roof and the city is starting to compete with Paris, New York and Tokyo.”

The Good Food Guide London can be ordered on 01903 828557 (£11.99, p&p free) or at www.which.co.uk/books or bought from bookshops.

*There was a London edition of The Good Food Guide in 1969.

**The Good Food Guide London Restaurant Top 40 (cooking scores in brackets)

1 Gordon Ramsay, Chelsea (9) / 2 Le Gavroche, Mayfair (8) / 3 Pétrus, Knightsbridge (8) / 4 Square, Mayfair (8) / 5 Pied à Terre, Fitzrovia (8) / 6 Tom Aikens, Chelsea (8) / 7 The Capital, Knightsbridge (7) / 8 Maze, Mayfair (6) / 9 Club Gascon, City (6) / 10 The Greenhouse, Green Park (6) / 11 The Ledbury, Westbourne Park (6) / 12 Hakkasan, Tottenham Court Road (6) / 13 Wild Honey, Mayfair (6) / 14 La Trompette, Chiswick (6) / 15 Galvin at Windows, Mayfair (6) / 16 Arbutus, Soho (6) / 17 Bacchus, Shoreditch (6) / 18 Theo Randall at the InterContinental, Mayfair (6) / 19 Chez Bruce, Balham (6) / 20 L’Atelier Joël Robuchon, Covent Garden (6) / 21 St John, Clerkenwell (6) / 22 Rousillon, Chelsea (6) / 23 River Café, Hammersmith (6) / 24 Lindsay House, Soho (6) / 25 Zafferano, Knightsbridge (6) / 26 Sketch, Mayfair (6) / 27 Locanda Locatelli, Marble Arch (6) / 28 Bonds, City (6) / 29 Galvin Bistrot de Luxe, Marylebone (5) / 30 Sake No Hana, Mayfair (5) / 31 Café Anglais, Notting Hill (5) / 32 L’Autre Pied, Marylebone (5) / 33 One-O-One, Knightsbridge (5) / 34 Zuma, Knightsbridge (5) / 35 Gordon Ramsay at Claridges, Mayfair (5) / 36 Rasoi Vineet Bhatia, Chelsea (5) / 37 Hibiscus, Mayfair (5) / 38 Orrery, Marylebone (5) / Glasshouse, Kew (5) / 40 Le Cercle, Belgravia (5).

Cooking scores

9/10 At the moment, this is the highest mark in The Guide and is not given lightly. This mark is for cooking that has reached a pinnacle for achievement, making it a memorable experience for the diner.

8/10 A kitchen cooking close to or at the top of its game – highly individual, showing faultless technique and impressive artistry in dishes that are perfectly balanced for flavour, combination and texture.

7/10 High level of ambition and individuality, attention to the smallest detail, accurate and vibrant dishes.

6/10 Exemplary cooking skills, innovative ideas, impeccable ingredients and an element of excitement.

5/10 Exact cooking techniques and a degree of ambition; balance and depth of flavour in dishes, using quality ingredients.

The Good Food Guide London accepts no advertising, sponsorship or fees for inclusion, and all of the inspections are entirely anonymous. And, unlike some other guides, restaurants cannot pay for inclusion in the book. The Good Food Guide London explores the full diversity of London eateries, from Brick Lane curry houses to world-renowned hotel restaurants.