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 dishes: Sunday roast, Whole roast meats
Must 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.
Address: 65 Camberwell Church Street, London SE5 8TR
The candlelit Lexington Street bistro in Soho London, opened 1985 by print-dealer Andrew Edmunds, still runs a daily-handwritten Modern European menu in a creaky-floored Georgian townhouse.
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.
John Devitt's hand-pulled udon counter on Frith Street in Soho London, opened 2010, runs the city's most serious Japanese noodle kitchen with a daily-changing seasonal special.
Signature: Hot udon with English breakfast, Mushroom udon
Order: Hot udon with the English breakfast (bacon, egg, mushroom) at brunch, or the kake bukkake at dinner.
Tip: Walk-up only. Doors open 12:00; arrive at 11:45 for first sittings without a wait. Closed Sundays.
The Layo Paskin brothers' Jerusalem-leaning counter and dining room on Rupert Street in Soho London, opened 2014, runs a kitchen-counter front and a calmer back room.
Signature: Kubaneh bread with tahini, Octopus mishmish
Order: Kubaneh bread (warm pull-apart with tahini and pepper jam) followed by the octopus mishmish main.
Tip: Counter seats face the open kitchen and take walk-ins. Tables in the back take bookings two weeks ahead.
Neil Borthwick's upstairs dining room above the historic French House pub on Dean Street in Soho London, opened 2017 in the room Free French resistance used through the war.
Signature: Daily-changing chalkboard
Order: Whatever the seasonal main is on the chalkboard, with a glass from the focused wine list.
Tip: No mobile phones, no music. Tables book one week ahead. The downstairs pub still pours a proper half-pint of bitter.
Jacob Kenedy's regional Italian dining room on Archer Street in Soho London, opened 2008, plates dishes from Piemonte, Friuli, Calabria and beyond, with the date and region listed.
Signature: Suckling pig porchetta, Whatever regional special is on
Order: Suckling pig porchetta with crackling on a soft roll, and a Lambrusco from the carafe list.
Tip: Counter seats face the open kitchen and take walk-ins. Tables in the back book a fortnight ahead through their site.
The 1944 Brewer Street deli's first sit-down restaurant on Greek Street in Soho London, opened 2018, runs hand-rolled pasta and Italian-deli classics in a green-tiled room.
Signature: Hand-rolled pasta, Tiramisu
Order: Whatever fresh stuffed pasta is on the daily menu, and the tiramisu in the original Lina recipe.
Tip: Walk-up only at the deli original on Brewer Street; the Greek Street site takes bookings via Resy two weeks ahead.
