London Hotels

From being the unexciting capital of jellied eels and fish and chips, London is now one of the world's most exciting gastronomic cities. A huge change has occurred in the past ten years, with new restaurants opening up daily across the capital. Although many of the most well known places can be found in the centre, there are a few gems in the outer boroughs, also worth investigating. In addition, London may not have the best cafes in Europe, but it does have some rather good pubs serving freshly cooked food. Long gone is the stale bread and limp lettuce 'Ploughman's' Lunch'. You are more likely to find a Thai curry or some stir fried noodles to have with your beer than a hunk of cheddar cheese and white bread. However, there are still some traditional places serving sausage and mash with a pint of beer, with or without the accompaniment of a live football match on TV in the corner.

Le Soufflé Hotel Inter-Continental London, 1 Hamilton Place, London, W1. Tel: (020) 7409 3131. French gourmet dining at an exclusive location. Expensive Nearest tube : Hyde Park Corner or bus 73 <br>

Philip Owens at the ICA The Mall, London SW1 Tel: (020) 7930 8619. Organic Mediterranean Restaurant. An excellent place for lunch close to Trafalgar Square. Civilised eating in the small cellar-like atmosphere in this popular, experimental arts centre. Moderate prices Nearest tube: Charing Cross Buses 11, 15 <br>The Sugar Club 21 Warwick Street, London, W1. Tel: (020) 7437 7778. Top chefs prepare special things to savour and remember… Expensive but superb food. Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus Bus 38, 19 <br>

Clarke's 124 Kensington Church Street, Notting Hill Gate, London, W8. Tel: (020) 7221 9225. Restaurant. Although they only have one set meal per day; this is worth going for. Fresh ingredients cooked well. Moderate prices Nearest tube: Notting Hill Gate <br>

The Gate Restaurant 51 Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9QL. Tel: (020) 8748 6932. Web: www.gateveg.co.uk Excellent vegetarian restaurant. Moderate to expensive. Nearest tube: Hammersmith <br>

Veronica's British Historic Restaurant 3 Hereford Road, Bayswater, London, W2 4AB Tel: (020) 7229 5079. Fax: (020) 7229 1210 Medieval to 21st Century British food! Work your way through the centuries with different courses. Nearest tube: Royal Oak or Bayswater <br>

Heartstone 106 Parkway, Camden Town, London NW1 7PN Tel: (020) 7485 7744. Excellent Restaurant, juice Bar and, if you are rather stressed out from travelling, there is even a treatment centre for a holistic massage. Close to Camden Market and a few doors away the emporium of edible delights; Fresh and Wild,. Nearest tube: Camden Town Bus 134 <br>

St. John's Restaurant 26 St. John Street, Farringdon, EC1M 4AY. Tel: (020) 7251 0848. Web: www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk A superb restaurant serving organic meat and some fine dishes. Nearest tube: Barbican <br>

The Spitz 109 Commercial Street, Old Spitalfields Market, London, E1 6BG. Tel: (020) 7392 9032. Fax: (020) 7377 8915. Web: www.spitz.co.uk Lively restaurant, music venue and art gallery. Can be noisy but is a good venue for Sunday mornings when the market next door is at it's best. Nearest tube: Liverpool Street <br>

Top Floor at Smiths Smithfield of Smithfield , 67-77 Charterhouse Street, Farringdon, EC1M 6HJ. Tel: (020) 7236 6666. Web: www.smithsofsmithfield.co.uk Superb steak restaurant in the still thriving meat market on the edge of the city. Nearest tube: Barbican Smiths <br>

Wagamamas There are now a few branches of this excellent noodle bar in central London. They have even expanded to cities on the continent, but the standard has remained high. Fresh ingredients, delicious freshly squeezed juices and a great mix of spices, flavours and textures make this one of the most popular restaurants in London. Go early, as you can't book a table and the queues might extend down the street. Try a flask of warm sake (rice wine) with your Chinese/Japanese influenced food. They even have rather delicious desserts, now www.wagamama.com There are a number of branches. This one is near the British Museum: Wagamamas 4a Streatham Street London WC1A Tel 020 7323 9223 Open from 12.oo to 23.00 Monday to Saturday Sunday 12.30 to 22.00

<br>The Fisherman's Hut 175 Hampton Road, Twickenham, Richmond-upon-Thames, TW2 5NG. Tel: (020) 8943 4625. Fax: (020) 8943 9757. A very wide menu is offered here, to suit all tastes. Specially prepared meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes mean that no-one is left out when it comes to choosing what to eat. Good wine list available. Wander through Richmond Park, along the River Thames and then fill up at this excellent restaurant. Nearest train station: Strawberry Hill (then take a taxi) <br>

Stepping Stone 123 Queenstown Road, Battersea, London, SW8. Tel: (020) 7622 0555 It is worth crossing the Thames to sample the delicious food at this splendid restaurant. On offer are some rather nice wines and their modern British menu. Ten minutes walk from Chelsea Bridge, with it's fine views over the river. Take bus 137 to Battersea Park