Hotlist

This is a fun, zero fuss spot for Thai-food lovers, and a good option for both lunch and dinner. Tablecloths are vinyl, dishes are served in plastic or metal bowls, everyone is crammed in like sardines, but the main event is absolutely the food. The beef massaman is a must-order (as are rotis for dipping), crispy fried chicken never disappoints, and there are plenty of spicy, citrussy salads and wok-fried greens to keep things fresh. To be fair, anywhere you can order a fried egg as a side is good by us.

We love: the canteen style decor and noise levels, the manual mark-up of spice levels on the laminated menus, the dreamy massaman.

The exposed brick and minimal decor give a hipster-esque vibe, but Stray is not at all pretentious. In fact, it’s hard to describe it better than they do themselves: “Belting drinks for lovely people.” The menu is split into Stray Classics – featuring all the usual suspects – and Led Astray, full of ingenious riffs on those classics. And if you can’t make it to Manchester to try one yourself, we’ve spotted that they now sell a few through Delli.

We love: the tomato vine margarita, the low and non-alc alternatives, the lo-fi aesthetic.

This Irish-Indian mash-up is the perfect combo of buzzy and homely. Set up in an old bookies, there’s a real unassuming character to the place but the food is stand-out. Cauliflower curry and cheese-stuffed paratha, chaat potatoes in a turmeric and poitín butter (poitín being essentially Irish moonshine), fully maximalist flavours and colours, and there are really no duds on the menu – the cocktails are well worth trying too.

We love: the Barry’s tea-groni, the prawn sambal, the Irish ephemera decorating the walls.

We appreciate the commitment that this Bauhaus-inspired bar shows to its theme; it actually does use shapes instead of a name. The decor is design chic in the most satisfying way, and the quality of its cocktails have put it on the World’s 50 Best List. Definitely worth a visit.

We love: the Bauhaus-shaped ice cubes, the hand-painted bottled cocktails, the primary-coloured Carhartt jumpsuits denoting the rank of each mixologist.

It’s a bold statement, but in our honest opinion, the Plimsoll serves the best cheeseburger in London. There’s plenty more to love about this place too: the fact that it still feels like a proper pub, not a restaurant posing as a pub; that they serve chipolatas as a side; the open kitchen, because then you can try and guess when it's your burger leaving the pass. Combo with a trip to Rowans Bowl and you have an ideal Sunday afternoon.

We love: the cheeseburger, of course.

Thai food has been big on the London food scene for a while now, and shows no sign of backing down. Kolae in Borough Market is our not-so-new favourite. Sister restaurant to Som Saa in Spitalfields, it’s named for the rich, coconutty marinade and low and slow grilling technique it uses on its skewers. The smoke level is on point, and our server explained they even smoke the coconut milk – the sort of detail we like.

The setting is smart enough, but takes a backseat to the food. A few faves: the crispiest coated confited chicken skin, which comes with punchy nahm jim dip; an even punchier minced chicken kua kling curry; and a roasted kabocha squash, done kolae-style.

We love: said chicken skin, plenty of spice, servers with solid recommendations, relief from the market masses.

A bar / record store / live music venue / coffee shop – all the good things in one place, or really two, as they have a site in Shepherd’s Bush too. It has a different energy from day to night, but either way it feels like a true neighbourhood spot, and somewhere you can easily spend hours.

We love: going for a late morning coffee and staying for an afternoon pint and vinyl listening session.

A bakery by morning, a no-nonsense nose-to-tail restaurant by day and night, U Kalendů is all about the meat, of every cut and kind, and it does it very well. The dark wood floors, white-washed walls and stainless steel counters, along with the food, give that familiar St John feeling. But then add to that the quintessential Czech aspect of Pilsner Urquell on tap, the only one they serve.

We love: the no-frills Czech menu and the endless pints of Pilsner Urquell.

This sister restaurant to Fallow is a chicken shop like no other. Created by Chefs Will Murray and Jack Croft, the ‘beak-to-feet’ menu is full of surprises. From corndogs and spiced chicken wings to chicken fat creme caramel (yep - you read that right), each sustainably-sourced dish is paired with frozen cocktails.

We love: the frozen margaritas, chicken cornbread and herb butter.

The Standard has landed in Ibiza and it’s a treat. Head straight to the lift and make your way to the rooftop terrace bar (sorry another rooftop recommendation) for the best view of the Castle and Ibiza Old Town. Grab a cocktail and watch the sun go down. The staff here are awesome too.

We love: the ‘finger’ in the lobby, the umbrellas, the view and the cocktails.

This is the Indo-chinese place to be right now, if you can get a table, that is. Ideal for date night or a catch up with mates, each dish is designed to be shared and washed down with experimental cocktails. It's pretty simple and paired back inside, letting the food do the talking. Some great off piste wines too.

We love: Malabar Monkfish Curry, Shredded Chilly Venison and if you fancy something flaming, get the Snowflake Gelato Sizzling Brownie.

A celebration of all things Punjabi. Sister to our other fave, Gunpowder, the food here definitely brings some spice to Notting Hill. Think Tandoori hariyali king prawns, juicy goat seekh and guinea fowl jheela kebabs. It’s a vibe that matches the space, too, complete with a vinyl-only jukebox playing 70s Indian disco that’s heavy on the Asha Bhosle.

We love: the dreamy photo booth aesthetic and glittering disco ball lights as you munch on your prawns.