Bursting with flavour

J Sheekey has been serving fish and shellfish since Lord Salisbury granted Josef Sheekey permission to set up stall in St Martin’s Court, on the condition that he catered for Salisbury’s after-theatre dinner parties.

Fast forward some 130 years and this iconic restaurant is the definitive go to for photographer Martin Parr and comedian Alan Carr. As Carr explains, “J Sheekey always has a buzz. The food, primarily fish, is delicious and it’s great for a bit of cheeky celeb spotting.”

Famed for its stripped-down, honest Italian cuisine, Archer Street’s Bocca di Lupo is a long-standing favourite for Italian aficionados. The self-proclaimed “small and humble trattoria” was established as a family business a decade ago and specialises in the obscure and the delicious gastronomical highlights of the twenty regions that span Italy.

And it holds a special place in the hearts of the Londoners we spoke to. Artist Antony Micallef says the Soho gem is “always full of atmosphere,” while longtime regular Ben Evans says that while, “Italian food is the most accessible… they do it particularly well.”

The brainchild of Mourad Mazouz and French master chef Pierre Gagnaire, Sketch has championed the fusion of food and art since 2002. Famed for its iconic pink tea room, the restaurant’s walls and tables are adorned with the works of Turner Prize nominee, David Shrigley.

A long-standing haunt of Phoebe Gormley and mentor Gary Kingham, Sketch has become something of a tradition for the Savile Row tailor: “Gary took me as an intern and now I take my interns there as a leaving present, so it’s a very special place for me.” Olympian Dina Asher-Smith, meanwhile, credits it for “the most amazing smoked haddock soufflé.”

Scott’s first opened its doors as an oyster warehouse in 1851 and counts itself as one of London’s oldest restaurants. Actor Ariyon Bakare regularly visits for a taste of “pure decadence”, while for British Vogue’s pescatarian editor Vanessa Kingori MBE, Scott’s is “absolutely perfect.”

Scott’s recipe for success doesn’t stop at food, however: chef Mark Broadbent goes for the “theatre and ambience,” while entrepreneur Mark-Francis Vandelli says, “For the true flâneur, there’s no view better than the passeggiata observed from the terrace at Scott’s. The good, the bad, and reassuringly few of the ugly promenade down Mount Street on weekdays until the early evening.”

Built as a luxury car showroom in 1921, The Wolseley is a celebration of European tradition in the heart of Piccadilly. One of London’s most opulent restaurants, The Wolseley is our Londoners’ top dining destination, with regulars including journalist Robert Peston and GQ’s Dylan Jones OBE.

Royal Milliner, Rachel Trevor-Morgan and model Paul Sculfor are big fans of its “wonderfully London breakfast”; while it is Sir Paul Smith’s “must-try place.” Sir Paul says, “I’ve been visiting for a long time and never have a bad meal – its vanilla cheesecake is delicious.”