Set in the quintessentially English the Strand in London, a French-style restaurant has made its home in Somerset House. Admiralty Restaurant is set in the ground floor of what was once the centre of naval operations. The décor pays homage to the building’s history, using turquoises and off-whites alongside nautical artefacts and riverside views to great effect. The menu is based on regional French cooking, but with a modern European twist. Dishes such as tian of crab with pineapple, parmesan gnocchi with beetroot lamb with tapenade fondant potato are set off by a selection of French and European wines. Three courses here costs around £40 per person; nautical but nice!
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Spread over three floors, Albannach is a monument to Scottish cooking in the heart of London’s West End. The mezzanine restaurant, with its Art Nouveau balustrade and sleek contemporary décor, overlooks the huge antler chandelier of the lively lounge bar. A seasonal menu includes classics such as haggis, Buccleuch beef and Highland hare cakes. Basement club. 
Fashionable Bam-Bou hides four floors of pan-Asian elegance behind its elegant Georgian façade, all furnished in handsome colonial style. The urbane menu blends Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese influences to produce dishes such as baked mackerel in banana leaf and mutton massaman curry with quince. Three private rooms are available, while the top floor bar is a hideaway from the hectic pace of central London. 
Buzzy and convivial Bedford & Strand is an upbeat Covent Garden bar and eatery with a back-to-basics menu of bistro-style comfort food and a wine list that will delight even the pickiest oenophile. Shelves groan with bottles in the cosy basement setting, amidst candlelit tables, bentwood chairs and a chic zinc-topped bar. Food is served all day, with a laid-back bar menu of open sandwiches and deli dishes alongside British-led classics from crispy fish cakes to braised ox cheek and horseradish mash, plus hearty daily specials. 
Set in a former warehouse in Covent Garden, Belgo Centraal’s staircase descends into a Beer Hall with long refectory tables waited on by staff in Trappist monk outfits and head sets. But this is no silent order; it’s bustling and noisy with many customers tucking into steaming bowls of mussels in a variety of broths and platters. There are also two main dining rooms and a selection of more intimate dining booths. Seeking something substantial? The stews include Moules Blanches cooked in Bruges beer with smoked bacon, all served with frites. From the Rotisserie, choose from beer basted spit roast Belgian chicken or duck, or peruse the extensive main menu which includes the veggie-friendly Artichoke stuffed with Wild Mushrooms, Asparagus and Pine Nuts. Of course, there are over 50 Belgian beers to taste, including Fruit Beers in varieties such as cherry or banana! 
Historic Bentley’s Oyster Bar and Grill has been touting its oysters to the upmarket diners of Soho and Mayfair since 1916. Situated in an elegant Victorian building with a restored Arts and Crafts interior, Bentley’s is divided between a relaxed marble-topped bar for lighter meals with a more formal three-roomed grill restaurant, serving lightly flavoured fresh fish, meat and game dishes. Private dining. 
The site of the original Bertorelli’s, founded over 90 years ago, this central London bistro embodies the convivial spirit of the group. A bright ground floor Caffé gives way to the more formal restaurant on the first floor. The contemporary menu combines new Italian dishes and traditional favourites to offer antipasti, pastas and pizzas made by hand to order. Private dining seating up to 40 guests. 
Nestled in the heart of Covent Garden, this Floral Street branch of Bertorelli serves up stylish modern Italian food to hungry diners from its busy ground-floor restaurant. Signature à la carte dishes include veal chop in breadcrumbs and parmesan and roasted salmon with a poppy seed crust, with two and three-course set menus for diners pushed for time or money. A smaller bar occupies the lower ground floor. Fantastic situation opposite the Royal Opera House. 
Slide into one of the red leather booths at this smart Soho restaurant and try not to get too distracted by city life as it passes by on the other side of the window. Bertorelli on Frith Street is a great place to meet friends for a quick antipasti lunch in the ground floor caffé, or to order a pre-theatre Italian speciality from the more refined restaurant menu. A stylish first floor bar also offers snacks, while a private dining room is available for groups of up to 80. 
