LONDONRESTAURANTS Some of the best food in the world — from the Michelin starred to the streets Michelin isn’t the only guide. The LeDBurY ROCK & SOUL PLAICE LOndON has 48 MichElin-starrED REstaUrants, BUT thERE arE Only twO The S.Pellegrino World’s Australian chef London’s oldest fish and chip shop. Established VENUES that havE thE FUll thrEE MichElin stars… 50 Best Restaurants 2011 Brett Graham in 1871, Rock & Soul Plaice is still regarded as one includes three from London: combines the of the best places for the most English of meals in Hibiscus, St John and The best elements central London. There are outdoor tables and on those warm summer evenings it’s a fine place to Ledbury. Despite being three of French enjoy some of the best everyman’s haute cuisine. of the top places to dine on cuisine, using traditional 47 Endell Street, Covent Garden the planet, you can still eat locally sourced British there for a reasonable outlay ingredients. — especially compared to the Hibiscus If you’re looking for prices you’re used to in Dubai. something high-end and St. John inventive this is probably your best bet for a night HIBISCus out. The £75 tasting menu STREET Claude Bosi’s restaurant should give you a solid tour FOOD relocated to London (from of the food, and an idea of Shropshire) in 2007 and has why this chef is so highly been a key part of the dining thought of in culinary scene with its modern-French circles, but go à la carte cuisine. Don’t expect bizarre if you can afford it. He’s flavour combinations or someone who’s become hi-tech methods, these are famous for his talent rather classic dishes done well. Wood than because he’s always SOME OF THE BEST FOOD IN LONDON is increasingly to be found via street vendors, as pigeon, Shropshire rose veal on the telly. And despite London’s street-food culture finally comes of and Cornish bream feature. being one of the most age. Richard Johnson is the author of Street You can also get a set three- highly-rated restaurants Food Revolution and organiser of the British course lunch menu for Dhs200 in the city, the atmosphere Streetfood awards. Here’s his brief, beginners which is cheaper than some — tucked away in a little guide to eating on the streets of the city. starters in Dubai restaurants. corner of Notting Hill — is “Back in the days of Dickens, London was the ALAIN DUCasse Hibiscus, 29 Maddox St, W1S 2PA relaxed, while the (mostly) home of street food. We used to love an oyster. Or hibiscusrestaurant.co.uk OLAROID.CO.UK Something of a French master, but if you want P Australian staff keep things a song bird. Times have changed, but we still love GORDON RAMsaY +44 (0)20 7629 2999 to experience this place without the vast Ramsay may have restaurants all over Fine dining at The Ledbury comfortably informal and to eat street. Start your tour at Broadway Market bill, come in for lunch and have the three- the world now — including the excellent ST. JOHN friendly. in the East End, with the amazing Ca Phe Vn — it’s an authentic Vietnamese street cafe, serving 127 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill course menu for £50. You can run through a Verre in Dubai — but this is the one that The place was the unbelievably strong (but wonderfully chocolatey) trio such as broad bean velouté, followed by made his name. His first restaurant headquarters of +44 (0)20 7792 9090 theledbury.com Vietnamese coffee. You can find the owner, Rob, seared pollock with leeks and aubergine and and probably still his best. There are Marxism Today working alongside Sporeboys, who serve wild citrus reduction, before ending on chocolate only 14 tables, seating up to 44 diners during the late mushroom sandwiches on buttered sourdough cylinder with Baileys cream. The price includes in total, so get the reservations in early. ’60s, but the only bread. Heaven. Head over to Whitecross Street in the Old Street area of town for a traditional English two glasses of wine, coffee and water. A very But this is the reason why all the reality reds now are in the wine OLAROID.CO.UK / IMAGES@BI / OLAROID.CO.UK pie from Andy Bates’ Eat My Pies. He’s about to P reasonable way to experience a restaurant from shows, injunctions and hair/skin/teeth cellar. Trevor Gulliver and star in a new series on the Food Network, but tell one of the world’s most decorated chefs. controversies don’t really matter. Gordon Fergus Henderson’s them Richard Johnson sent you, and he’ll throw in The Dorchester, 53 Park Lane, Mayfair, W1A 2HJ Ramsay is still one of the best. restaurant may not look like a Scotch Egg for free. alainducasse-dorchester.com 68-69 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, SW3 4HP much from the outside but the “Check out the themeatwagon.co.uk for details +44 (0)20 7629 8866 +44 (0) 20 7352 4441 of Yianni’s latest pitch [pictured above]. Take it former smokehouse serves up WWW.BI OWLES DINNer BY HestON BLUMENthaL B from a man who has eaten the world, Yianni makes some of the best meat dishes. Described as an exploration of Britain’s gastronomic past, the best burgers on the planet. Borough Market on Mains include the likes of Dinner aims to revive and modernise traditional recipes, some the weekends always has a great army of mobilers. HOMAS HOMAS CAFÉ CULTURE roast suckling kid or a duck T of which date back to the 14th Century. Mains include spiced But the weirdest and most wonderful trucks and Posh hotels never do good fry-ups, so you need to get out and find a breast and chicory. But it’s pigeon (c.1780), powdered duck (c.1670) and Black Foot pork trailers are to be found on the Southbank, outside the Festival Hall. There’s Chocstar (an old ice- traditional greasy spoon café. There’s no finer food to start a long day worth noting that the bar chop (c.1860) and while it hasn’t quite reached the levels of cream van that serves high-end sweet treats) and pounding the streets of London than a big English breakfast. Sadly, menu includes a legendary Blumenthal’s celebrated restaurant, The Fat Duck, many of the many of these cafés are dying out (see classiccafes.co.uk) but there are Churros Bros (an old Citroen H van that sells the Welsh Rarebit. dishes would be worthy there, such as the [pictured] “meat still some fantastic temples of Formica and fried food in the city. E Pellicci crisp little pastry fingers that come with their own at 332 Bethnal Green Road is great, but if you’re looking for something St. John Bar and Restaurant, fruit”, a chicken liver parfait encased in a Mandarin jelly. pot of hot chocolate for dipping). Best of all, keep 26 St. John Street more central, then The Regency Café in Pimlico is also excellent. Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA up with the latest news at britishstreetfood.co.uk.” stjohnrestaurant.com +44 (0)20 7201 383 +44 (0)20 3301 8069 BY PHOTO MEATWAGON 82 ESQUIRE JULY/AUGUST 2011 JULY/AUGUST 2011 ESQUIRE 83 .