After eight years of living in London, I’ve built up a list of places I keep going back to, or at least repeatedly find myself suggesting to friends when they come visit the greatest city in Europe. This article is my personal roundup of those spots.

There’s no particular order here and it’s definitely not a “best of London” in any official sense, just the places I genuinely love and think you might love too. You’ll find everything from cheap eats before/after a party, to date-night/treat-yourself worthy restaurants, so price ranges vary quite a bit, but I’ll flag that with £-signs as we go.

1. Central London:

(Marylebone, Mayfair, Soho, The City of London, Farringdon, Holborn…)

Lunch/Dinner

Fogo de Chao - Brazilian - Soho
Luce i Limoni - Italian - Fitzrovia
Faros - Italian - Holborn
Santa Maria - Italian (Pizza) - Fitzrovia
Le Relais de Venise - French - Bank & Marylebone
Le Café du Marché - French - Barbican
Madeira @ Treehouse London - Mexican - Oxford Circus
Kiln - Thai - Soho
Hide - International - St. James’s Park
Colonel Saab - Indian - Holborn
Zima - Russian - Soho
Meraki - Greek - Marylebone
Turpan Uyghur - Uyghur - Marylebone
Shake Shuka - Palestinian - Marylebone
Ping Pong - Chinese (Dim Sum) - Bank (+ other)
Hai Di Lao - Chinese (Hot Pot) - Piccadilly Circus (+ other)
The Colony Grillroom @ The Beaumont - International - Mayfair

Brunch

Lantana - Australian - Fitzrovia
Yamabahce - Turkish - Bond Street
Berenjak - Persian - Soho

2. West London

(Notting Hill, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Kensington, Fulham, Paddington…)

Lunch/Dinner

Jacuzzi - Italian - South Kensington
Santa Maria Pizzeria - Italian - Fulham
Caccio & Pepe - Pasta - Pimlico
Iberia - Georgian - Pimlico
The Franklin Restaurant by Alfredo Russo - Italian - South Kensington
Wild by Tart - International - Victoria
Wild Restaurant - International - Notting Hill
Sticks N’Sushi - Sushi - Victoria
Morinoya - Sushi/Japanese - Victoria
Ognisko - Polish - South Kensington
Hafez - Persian - Notting Hill
The Roseberry @ The Mandarin Oriental - International - Knightsbridge
Core by Clare Smyth - British - Notting Hill
La Bodega - Tapas - Notting Hill & Battersea
Los Molinos - Tapas - Hammersmith
Le Colombier - French - Chelsea

Brunch:

The Buttery - Belgravia
Granger & Co - Notting Hill
Bluebird - Chelsea
Timmy Green - Victoria

3. North London

(Camden, Regent’s Park, Kilburn, Islington, Angel…)

Lunch/Dinner:

Kaipiras by Barraco - Brazilian - Kilburn

Paulette - French - Maida Vale

La Patagonia - Argentinian - Camden

Oslo Court - French - St John’s Wood

4. South & East London