Won't anyone share their favourites? The ones that you would go back to any time you are in London?

Most regular London visitors here have posted their favourites time and again. You'd find all those responses often with a lot of detail if you just typed London Restaurants in the search function. If you have specific questions about any of the dozens you'll read about there you might come back and ask specific questions. Meanwhile your question is so broad it's hard to give an answer. Giving ideas of what you are looking for would also be a good idea -- are you looking for the most expensive and highly rated ones? -- very cheap and casual ones? -- pub food? -- particular ethnic varieties? -- do you have a favored location, want to keep it central or way out in the "suburbs"?

Sorry Patrick - I seem to have missed everyone talking about restaurants - except one time the discussion was where one would "go for broke"! I think what I'm looking for is the place where the food and service and price were all good.. where you would enjoy going back to. Don't particularly want the "trendiest" or the "in-thing" to say that we have been there (too old for that!) So.. you are right.. I'm repeating a posting and apologize for not being around to get the answers when they were first given. I'll keep watching. We enjoyed going to La Scala - 1st floor - corner of Harrington Road and Gloucester. Don't care what kind of food as long as it's good! Tata for now..

A few for 'starters'

Busaba Eathai (Thai)
Pierre Victoire (European)
The Mayflower (Chinese)
Ramen Seto (japanese)
Sartoria (upmarket European)
J Sheekeys (British/fish)
The Greenhouse (1 michelin star)
la Brasserie (Upper Street, Islington)

I recommend all of those and also the London Time Out guide which is generally pretty reliable.

I find www.Hardens.com a pretty reliable guide. You can search by location, cuisine etc. Also, toptable.co.uk and lastminute.com have discounts etc.

I found this thread interesting-restaurants overlooking the Thames
http://fodors.com/forums/pgMessages....nt+with+a+view

I haven't eaten at my personal favorites recently enough to recommend them.

The Standard Indian Restaurant in Westbourne Grove. We've been back many times and dream about the lamb tikka in between.

My vote goes to Patara, on Beauchamp Place in Knightsbridge. (Patara also has two other locations, but I've only eaten at the one on Beauchamp Place, so I can't vouch for the others.) It's an upscale Thai restaurant, with a pretty interior, very friendly service, and superb food: I still think fondly of the curried red snapper, cooked in a banana leaf, that I had when I ate there on my last trip to London. It can be expensive (upwards of £30, with drinks) at dinner, but I understand they have a fixed price menu at lunch which is a good value.

Skaye, La Scala is a favorite neighborhood place for us too, when we are in London..just a quiet, pleasant place and the food is good and inexpensive.

But our special place that no trip would be complete without is La Famiglia on Langton Place. We've been going there for years and years...

Actually the name of the restaurrant is La Sala Romano, not La Scala..I make that same mistake all the time, too!

"" I'm repeating a posting and apologize for not being around to get the answers when they were first given.""

I think you're missing the point of my post. Have you ever done a search here? You don't have to worry about what you didn't happen to see here, everything stays available. You can go to the search function and enter "inexpensive London restaurants" or "favorite London restaurants" "London Pubs" or "ethnic food in London" and you will get dozens of posts from the past that you missed, all neatly arranged for you to look at. Try it and you'll see what I mean.

But to add a couple. I never miss going to Belgo Centraal off Neil's Yard in Covent Garden for mussells and beer, or for their great chicken. And I always hit at least one Wagamama for lunch. Light food late after the theatre -- Pizza Express is far better than its name would ever suggest. More upscale but a don't miss for me, particularly for their wonderful seafood selections is Le Deuxieme on LongAcre, just a block or so east of Covent Garden tube. And I never miss going over to Kensington High Street for a fun dinner or Sunday "lunch" at Maggie Jones. My biggest don't miss "splurge" place is Langan's Brasserie, near The Ritz -- not because it's that expensive, but because I just always order everything!!

I love for Chineese, Mr. Wings! Piano in there adn the staff is so friendly!

Thank you one and all.. just what I was looking for. Sorry about La Sala- the brain knows but the fingers don't listen well!.. Patrick, I like to do the research and then ask "real" people what they think. I realize full well that a lot of the joy in travelling to different places and trying different things. I guess by nature I am a "people" person and I enjoy chatting with Fodorites and getting their opinions. We are not planning on going until Aug/Sept so will keep reading the postings as I always seem to learn something. Happy travelling everyone.. Be safe and enjoy!