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Modern BritishClerkenwell
Fergus Henderson's St John in Clerkenwell has cooked the nose-to-tail British canon in London since 1994. Priced at £££. Kitchen leans modern british.
OrderRoast bone marrow with parsley salad and toast, then Eccles cake with Lancashire.
TipThe bakery counter near the front sells the same Eccles cakes, doughnuts and brown loaf to take away if you can't get a booking.
££££
Basque GrillShoreditch
Tomos Parry's Basque-fired wood-grill room above the Smoking Goat in Shoreditch London, opened 2018 and the whole-turbot benchmark for the city.
OrderWhole turbot for two off the wood, with smoked potatoes and grilled lettuce.
TipBookings open thirty days ahead at 10:00 and burn fast. Walk-up bar seats are released on the day from 11:00.
££££
Modern BritishShoreditch
Taz Sarhane's one-Michelin-starred tasting-menu room inside the Blue Mountain School in Shoreditch London, opened 2022, runs a 90% British menu cooked.
OrderWhatever Cornish day-boat fish is cooked over flame, and the foraged-herb course that anchors the tasting.
TipOne tasting menu per service; book six weeks ahead. The wine pairing leans natural and biodynamic UK growers.
££££
Modern BritishShoreditch
Isaac McHale's tasting-menu kitchen inside Shoreditch Town Hall in London, opened 2013, kept its Michelin star and a place on the World's 50 Best list.
OrderWhatever the seasonal seafood opener is, and the buttermilk fried chicken canape that started the room.
TipCounter seats face the kitchen pass directly. Book the bar for an a la carte run if the tasting menu is full.
££££
ThaiSoho
Ben Chapman's wood-fired Northern Thai counter in Soho London, opened 2016, sits in front of an open grill that turns out skewers and clay-pot noodles.
OrderClay pot baked glass noodles with brown crab, plus a skewer of aged Tamworth cured pork.
TipCounter seats are walk-in only after 17:30. Lunch tables behind the counter take bookings two weeks ahead.
££££
TaiwaneseSoho
Erchen Chang and Shing Tat Chung's original Bao counter on Lexington Street Soho in London, opened 2015, the bao that put Taiwanese food on every restaurant.
OrderClassic pork bao with peanut and fermented greens, plus the fried Horlicks ice cream to finish.
TipWalk-up only. Put your name down on the chalkboard outside; the queue moves in 20 to 40 minutes from open.