The Hitlist: London has thousands of restaurants, here's just a few I should try

London has quite literally thousands of restaurants, bars and cafes. That much is obvious. Over the years I've accumulated a list of venues which others have rated well, or which grabbed my attention. Along with some recent additions from the Twittersphere (thanks to all who made recommendations) the already lengthy list now looks pretty ridiculous -- there simply isn't enough time (or cash) to try them all. This goes some way to explaining why there aren't many restaurants I return to time after time (and perhaps hints at why so many average venues, without the need for return custom, get away with such average food and service). 


So I'm leaving it to the great British public to guide me. Which restaurants do you rate? Which should I avoid like mad? Which venues have I missed out? Please add your comments -- I'm aiming to try as many as possible before the year is out and to cover them on this site!

1. 500 http://www.500restaurant.co.uk/HomeE.html
2. Adagio http://www.adagio-pizza.com
3. The Arch. http://www.thearchlondon.com/?cid=5
4. Amaya http://www.amaya.biz/
5. Barrafina http://www.barrafina.co.uk
6. Ba Shan http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/venue/2:21319/ba-shan
7. Bar Shu http://www.bar-shu.co.uk/
8. Blueprint Cafe http://www.danddlondon.com/restaurants/blueprint_cafe/home
9. Bob Bob Ricard http://www.bobbobricard.com
10. Bocca Di Lupo http://www.boccadilupo.com
11. Bruno Loubet at The Zetter http://www.bistrotbrunoloubet.com/
12. Le Cafe Anglais http://www.lecafeanglais.co.uk
13. The Canton Arms
14. Caravan 
15. Colony http://www.colonybarandgrill.com
16. Dean Street Townhouse http://www.deanstreettownhouse.com/
17. Dinings http://www.dinings.co.uk
18. The Forge http://www.theforgerestaurant.co.uk
19. Giaconda Dining Rooms http://www.giacondadining.com
20. Goodman http://www.goodmanrestaurants.com
21. Hardy's http://www.hardys-w1.com
22. The Hawksmoor http://www.thehawksmoor.co.uk
23. Hibiscus http://www.hibiscusrestaurant.co.uk
24. Iberica http://www.ibericalondon.com/
25. Indian Zing http://www.indianzing.co.uk
26. Koba http://www.koba-london.com/
27. Locanda Locatelli http://www.locandalocatelli.com
28. Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley http://www.the-berkeley.co.uk/marcus_wareing.aspx
29. Mien Tay http://www.mientay.co.uk
30. Moolis http://www.moolis.com
31. Nahm http://www.halkin.como.bz/eat-and-drink/nahm
32. National Dining Rooms http://www.thenationaldiningrooms.co.uk/index.asp
33. No 10 http://www.london-eating.co.uk/36360.htm
34. Norfolk Arms http://www.norfolkarms.co.uk/
35. Odette's http://www.odettesprimrosehill.com
36. The Old Amalfi
37. Park Terrace http://www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk/default.asp?section=219&page=699
38. The Parlour http://www.theparlouruk.com/
39. Pepito http://www.camino.uk.com/pepito
40. Pizza Santa Maria http://www.santamariapizzeria.com
41. La Petite Maison http://www.lpmlondon.co.uk
42. La Pont de La Tour http://www.lepontdelatour.co.uk/
43. Proud Cabaret http://www.proudcabaret.com/
44. Polpo http://www.polpo.co.uk
45. Roast http://www.roast-restaurant.com
46. Roz-Ana http://www.roz-ana.com
47. Salt Whisky Bar http://www.saltbar.com
48. Searcy's (National Portrait Gallery), http://www.searcys.co.uk/nationalportraitgallery/
49. St John http://www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk/
50. St Paul's http://www.restaurantatstpauls.co.uk/
51. Story Deli http://www.storydeli.com/
52. Terroirs http://www.terroirswinebar.com
53. Tike http://www.tikerestaurant.co.uk
54. Tobia http://www.tobiarestaurant.co.uk/
55. Trinity http://www.trinityrestaurant.co.uk/
56. Vinoteca http://www.vinoteca.co.uk

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Features coming out soon

Lots of new food, drink and travel features are in the pipeline, here's what's coming up next:

The Channel 4 Food website have commissioned several new features for March and April 2010 to accompany their Spring television programming schedule. The number one food website from Channel 4 have commissioned two features -- a world restaurants feature, as well as a food feature accompanying the new Heston Blumenthal Feasts series, due to go live in March 2010. A drinks feature is also in the pipeline for Spring.

The website for the UK's leading quality men's monthly magazine, GQ, have commissioned several features for the next few months for the newly re-launched GQ.com website. Look out for a comparative whisky feature, online in March; a Spanish ingredients food feature due online in March; a French restaurants feature, due online in March and a Spanish wine and travel feature, online in April.

Food and travel website Foodtripper.com are also publishing an Iceland food and travel feature, due online in Spring.

Leading men's ladies' clothing company Aubin & Wills produces a quarterly customer magazine, the Aubin & Wills Almanac. Look out for an entrepreneur feature, in print for Summer 2010.

Links to all these news stories and features will be added to the Craig Butcher website and to this blog when they become available. Click here to read more about Craig Butcher, freelance food, drink and travel writer at the Craig Butcher website.

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Vodka tasting panel for Harpers Wine & Spirit

"A vodka tasting considering 39 different products threw up plenty of thought-provoking comment. Tom Sandham was on hand to report back on the findings.

Often unfairly tagged as an oxymoron, a “vodka tasting” can actually prove quite an eye opener. In fact, the only genuine criticism you might level at the process is that consumers simply don’t drink the stuff neat. If they did, then perhaps some of the misconceptions could be reassessed, and if they were to try as many as 39 of them, divided into different style categories, they’d agree there’s a substantial range in the flavours.

This was the task set by Harpers Wine & Spirit as the category was given a proper once over. Invited to the tasting party were world-class palates such as bar operator Jake Burger from Jake’s Bar & Grill in Leeds, Bibendum spirits buyer Will Lowe and broadcast superstar Nigel Barden. With such a high calibre of experience the chances of valuable assessment were high."

To read the full article by Tom Sandham for Harpers Wine & Spirit, including comments from freelance food and drink journalist Craig Butcher who was on the vodka tasting panel, click here to download the feature from the Craig Butcher website.

To read more about food and drink writer Craig Butcher, click here.

To learn more about drinks writer Tom Sandham, click here. Read More......