BLOW THE BUDGE!

If you’re making it rain and budget ain’t an issue, perch your bum here. Expect to spend c.£45 and above for a meal and an alcoholic bevvy.

BARRAFINA

Spanish | Dean St | No Reservations

I’ve been going to Barrafina, a small group of Spanish tapas restaurants, for years and it has yet to disappoint me. Their no reservations policy (except private dining) does not deter people, so expect to always be met with long queues. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. The bill can easily rack up as you order drinks and nibbles whiling away time in the queue.

TRY: The Tortilla

VIBES

XU

Taiwanese | Rupert St | Reservations

Xu like bao is legit, it’s got style AND substance. A sophisticated space with no trace of snootiness; it’s bringing old school glamour into a cool modern context. Spinning out banging plates like the chicken wing with sanpei sauce and caviar and the ‘drop egg crab’, all delivered with happy vibes. In sum, the food is on point, the space is on point and the service is on point. Would I go back? Without a damn question.

TRY: The Drop Egg Crab

VIBES

YENI

Modern Turkish | Beak St | Reservations

Yeni (‘New’) is amodern Turkish restaurant by Civan Er. He launched Yeni Lokanta (‘New Tavern’) in Istanbul a few years ago; the name embodies what he’s trying to achieve with food from the region. Green Lanes hearty Turkish grub, this is not. Service is chilled but knowledgeable and the space stripped back, yet elegant. Bright lighting but not distracting. Sharing plates – c.6 dishes should do the trick. Skip dessert. There’s a communal table – if you want an individual table, make sure to state when booking.

TRY: The Pan Fried Feta + Samphire

VIBES