From the humble lobster roll to the very heights of British haute cuisine, these are the must-visit restaurants in the English capital

Following our recent flying visit to Lisbon, this month, we bring you the perfect itinerary for a weekend of eating in London. Although the English capital has long been derided for having much inferior food to just about any other city (or even village) on the continent, shining stars such as Angela Hartnett and Brett Graham have given London much more culinary credibility in recent years. With such a staggering number of restaurants and hordes of tourists to battle, here is our short-list of must-visit London restaurants in 2013.

Friday lunch
There are three branches of the now-famous Burger and Lobster in London, but we personally prefer the Soho branch within walking distance of the British Museum. The restaurant does not take reservations and is known for its queues, but the branch in Soho is usually empty up until just before 1pm – we suggest arriving about half twelve to ensure a table. There are only three choices on the menu: burger, lobster or lobster roll. Don’t waste time on getting a burger as it is average. Instead, splurge on one of the market-priced, larger lobsters to share. For our table of four, we were recommended a lobster that cost about 60 pounds and had claws as large as our head. Grilled with garlic butter served on the side, its succulent meat and tommaley kept our group quiet for a good 20 minutes as we devoured in blissful silence. If that’s not enough, the lobster roll, which features juicy lobster meat in a crispy brioche, should hit the spot. Also remember to save room for dessert: the chocolate mousse with salty peanut base is decadently good.

36 Dean Street, Soho. +44 (0)20 7432-4800.

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Friday dinner
Located on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill, Brett Graham’s The Ledbury gained much fame during the summer riots of 2011, when thugs forced their way into the restaurant to rob customers, only to be fought off by kitchen staff armed with rolling pins and knives. Dramatic as the event was, it still pales compared to the superlative food. Chef Graham takes traditional, even humble, British ingredients (such as root vegetables) and through thoughtful flavour combinations and a masterful yet restrained hand in seasoning, elevates them to the highest levels of haute cuisine that never takes itself too seriously. Our favourite dish of the evening was another deceptively simple one: creamed Jersey royals. An elegantly small portion which leaves diners craving more, the potatoes are matched with morel mushrooms cooked in earl grey tea. Once tasted, it is hard to believe that mashed potatoes were ever paired with anything else. At 105 pounds per person for the eight-course tasting menu, (or 175 pounds with wine pairing), a meal at The Ledbury is not cheap, but more than worth every pence.

127 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill. +44 (0)20 7792-9090.

 

Saturday lunch
We love a Saturday morning spent wandering around Sloane Street and popping into Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Bar Boulud, located in the Mandarin Oriental, is conveniently located just across the street from Harvey Nic’s and is the ideal post-shopping lunch spot. The three-course prix fixe lunch menu is one of the biggest bargains in Knightsbridge, priced at under 25 pounds. We love the soupe de poisson, which was creamy yet hearty. Daniel Boulud is famous for his charcuterie, so it would be remiss of us to leave without sampling the sausages. The tasting of two sausages (at 18 pounds) is the perfect entry point: the boudin noir, the Basque country blood sausage, was moist and just the right amount of fatty.

 66 Knightsbridge, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. +44(0)20 7201-3899.

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Saturday dinner
Superstar female chefs are still far and in between in the culinary world, and we love supporting them, especially when they’re as talented as Angela Hartnett. A protégée of Gordon Ramsay, Hartnett opened Murano, a petite and unostentatious restaurant. Although the service can be somewhat spotty, the modern Italian cuisine is excellent. The standout dish was the scallop ceviche with spiced avocado puree, kumquat and coriander, which was one of the best dishes we had during a whole week of dining out in London. Prices vary depending on the number of courses, with two courses starting at 50 pounds, going all the way up to 85 pounds for five courses.

20 Queen Street, Mayfair. +44(0)20 7495-1127.

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For the final perfect meal to round off your trip, Scott’s in Mayfair is our ideal spot. A stalwart of a restaurant that specialises in seafood on Mount Street, Scott’s manages to be fancy with its white table-cloths and waistcoated waitstaff, without being stuffily formal. Our favourites include the John Dory with globe artichokes, capers and anchovies. Aromatic with brown butter coating the perfectly cooked fish, the globe artichoke provided the perfect amount of sweetness to counter the tart capers. Another delightful dish was the lobster with spaghetti, a simple yet wonderfully executed dish that combined the umami flavours of the crustacean with a slight hint of spicy chilli.

20 Mount Street, Mayfair. +44 (0)20 7495-7309.