Greek Taverna££camden-primrose-hillMon 12:00-22:00, Tue 12:00-22:00, Wed 12:00-22:00, Thu 12:00-22:00, Fri 12:00-22:30, Sat 12:00-22:30, Sun 12:00-16:00
The Evangelou family's Primrose Hill Greek taverna on Regent's Park Road in London, opened 1979, still the village's Sunday-lunch destination for lamb.
Signature: Lamb kleftiko, Saganaki
Order: Lamb kleftiko (slow-cooked in paper for three hours), with saganaki to start.
Tip: Sunday lunch books two weeks ahead through their site. Tuesday-Thursday dinner walks in any time after 19:00.
Gastropub££clerkenwellMon-Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-17:00
Britain's first gastropub on Farringdon Road in Clerkenwell London, opened 1991 by Mike Belben and David Eyre, still serves Mediterranean-leaning.
Signature: Bife Ana steak sandwich, Whatever is on the chalkboard
Order: The Bife Ana steak sandwich, on the menu since 1991, and a pint of bitter.
Tip: Walk-in only. The chalkboard menu rewrites every day at 12:00; the best dishes go by 14:00 on a busy lunch.
Steakhouse££sohoMon-Fri 12:00-15:00 and 17:00-23:00, Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 11:45-20:00
Gordon Ker's basement chophouse on Great Windmill Street in Soho London, opened 2015, runs charcoal-grilled chops in a 1850s-era basement room.
Signature: Lamb chops, Pre-theatre skinny chops
Order: The all-in chops board with beef, lamb and pork, plus the bone-marrow gravy.
Tip: Sunday roast is £20 and books two weeks ahead through Resy. Pre-theatre chops at 17:00 walks in for half-price.
International££borough-bermondseyMon-Tue closed, Wed 17:30-21:30, Thu-Sat 12:00-15:00 and 17:30-21:30, Sun closed
Steve Williams's wine-bar-with-kitchen inside a Maltby Street railway arch in Bermondsey London, opened 2010, runs a daily-changing chalkboard of small.
Signature: Whatever is on the chalkboard, Smoked-eel sandwich
Order: Whatever the smoked-fish or charcuterie opener is, with a half-bottle of growers' Champagne.
Tip: Open Wed-Sat lunch and dinner; closed Sun-Tue. Walk-up only; first sitting at 12:00 always has bar seats.
Gastropub££peckhamMon 17:00-23:00, Tue-Thu 12:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-23:30, Sun 13:00-17:00
Mike Davies's gastropub on Camberwell Church Street in south London, opened 2014, runs a daily-changing seasonal menu and a famous family-style Sunday roast.
Signature: Sunday roast, Whole roast meats
Order: Sunday roast for four (booked in advance), or whatever whole-animal cut is on weeknight dinner.
Tip: Sunday lunch books a fortnight ahead and serves until they run out. The bar room takes walk-ins all evening.
European Bistro£££sohoMon-Sat 12:00-22:45, Sun 13:00-22:30
The candlelit Lexington Street bistro in Soho London, opened 1985 by print-dealer Andrew Edmunds, still runs a daily-handwritten Modern European menu.
Signature: Whatever the daily seasonal plate is, Sticky toffee pudding
Order: Whatever seasonal main is on the handwritten menu, and the sticky toffee pudding for dessert.
Tip: Bookings take a six-week lead; bar seats at the front are released as walk-ins after 21:30 on weekdays.