Jamie is closing some of his restaurants including ones in London:

https://www.theguardian.com/business...alian-barbecoa

not the one in Piccadilly though, by the looks of it.

Great thread for our time there in June. Frenchie in Paris is one of our favorite restaurants, but it's expensive and I imagine even more so in London.

My favorite London restaurant is Merchants Tavern in Shoreditch. It's an Angela Hartnell restaurant and really good. Their Instagram page has inspired weekends in London.

Also great in Mayfair, Black Roe.

Barrafina on Dean in Soho for Spanish. Lovely staff, great food and a fun place.
Casual.

Belinda, I have this recommendation from you on my list from last May. Merchants Tavern looks really good.

Barrafina is on lots of lists but I'm very hesitant to try any place that won't take reservations; too many of those in London for my needs. I'm operating on limited health, plus we don't drink, so waiting at a bar doesn't appeal to us. My activity windows aren't very large and standing in a queue is never a part of what I can do. We chose Opera Tavern as a similar type of restaurant that took reservations. It was good.

But of course this one can go on lots of other people's lists.

I'm going to look up Black Roe now.

If Palomar was a hit, Honey & Co should be kept on the list. As for suggestions for 'Asian,' Yauatcha has one Micheoin star - great for contemporary dimsum. Merchants Tavern is wonderful but not 'central ' - and if we start on Shoreditch restsurants, well, that's a very long list!

I really dislike the 'no reservation' policy of some restaurants. Especially for evening meals at the weekend, when you can end up waiting for a long time outside in the cold. For example at Granger & Co in Notting Hill - I love it, but am not prepared to stand outside for it.

I agree...we don't go to restaurants that don't take reservations. My time is worth more than that and there are enough excellent restaurants in London that do take reservations!

There is a big discussion going on at the moment about the amount of money some restaurants in Cornwall have lost over Christmas from people not turning up when they have reserved tables.

The theory is that tourists in particular have reserved tables at several places and then make up their minds where to go at the last minute.

I have to say that I don't understand why they don't take c/card numbers if it's such a big problem - having to pay a 50% penalty for a late cancellation seems fair enough to me.

I find more and more higher end places are doing just that annhig. What a shame...I think that is a very ignorant thing for people to do to restaurants (and hotels). How hard is it to cancel a reservation?

.I think that is a very ignorant thing for people to do to restaurants (and hotels). How hard is it to cancel a reservation?>>

I know jamikins. one local restaurant reckoned that they'd lost £10K over the last year.

As a local I resent the fact that we may be penalised because of the thoughtless ness of tourists, but they bring so much money into the county that i suppose that many businesses are not prepared to take any action which might end up on the treaded TA.

Ouch, that is such a large amount!! I can't blame places for needing to get cards as reassurance but I resent it all the same!!

I'm looking at the restaurants that take reservations. for June, how far out does one need to book?

>>or June, how far out does one need to book?

IME totally depends on the restaurant -- Restaurant Gordon Ramsay -- it is likely already be too late, most places maybe a couple of weeks. For popular/very well known venues they often book up weeks ahead. Even for lesser 'names', for a Friday or Saturday in the middle of the evening -- as far ahead as your dates are set.

Or -- don't book -- you won't go hungry.

I really liked Pollen Street social - Michelin star but a great lunch menu
Zuma is always buzzy , fantastic food ( and it's been around for ever)

Surprisingly I had a simply fabulous lunch at the Mondarin Sea Containers hotel restaurant- it's on the other side of the river with brill views and absolutely killer pizzas and tasting plates....

I wanted to mention another very good restaurant that we enjoyed in London in February: Hawksmoor Guildhall.

We had an early reservation so we hung out at the Guildhall Gallery (made sure to revisit after our visit last May), and they have a terrific early menu at a very good price.

We really liked the food (service was maybe a bit too casual but the price was so good).

We ate there then took a taxi to the theater.

I like having a couple of dinner reservaations when we go to a city with great restaurants. Wing it the other nights. I appreciate all the suggestions on this thread.

Use opentable.co.uk for bookings. That works for the majority of restaurants in London.
Some places take bookings 3, 2 or 1 month in advance. If you really want to go somewhere, and you can book it now, then do so. You can cancel if your plans change - easy through opentable.

There's an increasing number of restaurants that don't take bookings - can't stand that. I will not wait in line for dinner.

Tulips - thanks, good idea to use Opentable. I'm with you about standing in line for a meal --too many places to have to do that.

I was in London 4 months ago (November 2016) and enjoyed Dishoom Indian restaurant in Covent Garden (12 Upper St. Martin's Lane, London WC2H 9FB). I found the menu variety, excellent taste and restaurant ambience to be delightful. I would definitely go back again. Also, we enjoyed Jamon in Soho (3 Caxton Walk, London WC2H 8PW). They serve excellent, authentic Spanish dishes and tapas-style menu items. We loved their paella. Also, if you would like a really unique, different dining experience, Café Below, is located at St. Mary-Le-Bow church in London EC2V 6AU (somewhat near St. Paul's Cathedral). It is a restaurant underneath the church, in a crypt! It was really an amazing experience, open for breakfast and lunch. The food was excellent, the waitstaff accommodating and the locale cannot be beat for an original dining experience. On the lighter side, if you are looking for a different afternoon tea experience, the Wellcome Kitchen/Wellcome Collection in Bloomsbury (183 Euston Road, 1NW 2BE) is located inside a gallery museum with medicine, art, science displays, etc. Their Wellcome Kitchen restaurant serves delightful afternoon tea, light lunches and drinks. With a tea connoisseur as a daughter, we had done afternoon tea at the Ritz, the Savoy, The British Museum, so it was nice to experience tea in a fun, different place. Bon appetit!