10 Great Restaurants in London

Bluebird is a local neighbourhood restaurant in the heart of London on King's Road that offers modern European cuisine with a spacious, open and welcoming atmosphere. The space is stylish and airy and is as welcoming to those on a family vacation as it is to those looking for a quiet, romantic place to have an elegant meal for 2. One thing that sets this spot apart from other restaurants is its focus on sustainability. They maximize recycling, work with local farmers and producers to ensure fresh, seasonal and ethical food and work to reduce food waste.

Menu highlights include Cornish sea bass, lamb rump, braised shoulder, and roasted halibut. For vegetarians, try the salt & pepper cauliflower.

Swan at the Globe offers seasonal menus and delightful cocktails in a charming period-themed restaurant with fantastic views of local landmarks, including Shakespeare's Globe. The restaurant is located on the river Thames and is spread over 3 floors. From the various viewpoints, you can also catch scenic river views, the iconic St. Paul's Cathedral and the entire city of London sprawling out before you. The fare here is upscale seasonal so it changes regularly and is of the "a la carte" variety, paired to an outstanding curated wine list.

If you're looking for fine dining with classic recipes and astonishing scenery, Swan has it all. It's 19 minutes from the city centre along the Thames.

Berners Tavern is an upmarket restaurant serving up seasonal modern British fare within an elegant hotel and is run by Michelin star celebrity chef Jason Atherton. This is one of London's hottest foodie spots, with reservations requisite to get a table. The atmosphere and vibe here is a fusion of modern sophistication and historical charm, and dining is available all day. The spot even hosts special events and parties of up to 14 in a private dining room upstairs. Since the menu is seasonal, it changes regularly but you're always getting fresh food at the peak of quality.

The cocktail menu and wine list are both outstanding and well-curated with top-shelf selections. It's just 12 minutes north of the city centre.

Rules bills itself as the oldest restaurant in London and has been serving up traditional British cuisine since 1798 in a locale as charming as it is historic and upscale. Here you can enjoy martinis and cocktails while surrounded by crimson velvet and plush upholstered furniture that you can just sink into. The fare is seasonal, but in the autumn especially it's bursting with dishes based around wild game. While here, be sure to try the rib-sticking desserts from bread and butter pudding to sticky toffee pudding and others.

If you're looking for a truly historic spot to eat truly historic cuisine with a modern fine dining twist, Rules is the spot. It's right in the city centre.

St. John Restaurant may be one of London's most iconic restaurants, with nose-to-tail food and a wildly diverse menu served up by an iconic celebrity chef. The menu here is carefully cultivated by Fergus Henderson, who has trained dozens of chefs who went on to open up their own celebrated spots, and is part of the heart and soul of London's culinary scene. The menu here on any given day can offer up anything from roasted bone marrow to deviled kidneys to braised beet and goat's curd.

As with any good celebrity-chef-run restaurant, the desserts here are to die for, so be sure to save some room. St. John is 17 minutes north-east of the city centre along the Thames.

Alexander the Great Restaurant offers up local Greek and Mediterranean cuisine in an ultramodern, classy and elegant, yet casual setting in the heart of Camden. The food here is cooked up on a classic charcoal broil that's still the original broil as when the spot opened, so it's well seasoned. They feature an indoor garden spot and outdoor terrace dining for nice weather, so wherever you eat you'll be surrounded by fresh air and sweet smells.

This is one of the more vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free-friendly spots in the city as well, so if you have dietary restrictions, it is a good option.

Maggie Jones's Restaurant offers classic British cuisine with an old-school, down-home and casual vibe with a game-based menu and offering up candlelight ambiance. The highlight and undoubtedly most popular menu item here is the classic London Sunday pork belly roast, served up every day and night of the week. Other highlights and "must tries'' at this restaurant include their creamed fish pie and Stilton mousse. Even better: when you're stuffed and need to lay down, you can kick back on plush, comfy sofas.

The only thing better than the food at this restaurant is the classic, cozy ambiance, and it's a popular date night spot. It's on Old Court Place, 18 minutes west of the city centre.

Frederick's has been serving up contemporary cuisine in a relaxed environment with a full bar for over 50 years and has become a staple of London's foodie scene. This family-owned-and-operated establishment offers friendly, familiar and focused service and pairs its menu with a fantastic wine list. It's something of an institution in Islington, open 5 days a week and booking private parties the other 2. Whether you're in for a craft martini or you want to sit down with vegetarian or a la carte menus, you'll find something to satisfy you here.

Frederick's is also family-friendly, with a dedicated kids menu. It's located just 25 minutes north of the city centre.

The Clove Club in Shoreditch has served up classic cult cuisine, home-baked bread, charcuterie, upscale surf and turf and brilliant craft cocktails since 2013. This one is such a foodie destination that it consistently hits lists of the World's 50 Best Restaurants, largely due to the sheer quality of its food blended with bare-bones, no-frills charm. Some of the main dish menu highlights here include heritage pork roast, lobster Orkney scallops, duck consommé and broiled trout. Pro tip: hit this place up at lunch when the tasting menu offers less expensive options.

Though it seats 95, this Michelin-star place gets packed, so be sure to call ahead for seating. It's about a half-hour north of the city centre.

Claude Bosi at Bibendum is a Michelin-star upscale restaurant in the heart of London offering up delectable French cuisine including fine champagne and elaborate dishes. If you're looking for a spot to have a memorable meal that will blow your mind, this one offers up options ranging from olive pissaladèrie amuse-bouche to Foie gras with mango sauce to tripe and cuttlefish gratin. Many of the recipes here are even made from celebrity chef Claude Bosi's traditional family recipes.

Classic and craft cocktails are whipped up on request, but to get the best of the best, try the cultivated wine list. This spot 17 minutes west of the city centre may serve some of the best French food outside of France.