Balthazar

Balthazar comes from Richard Caring's Caprice Holdings group, an operator that counts historic venues like The Ivy, J Sheekey and Scott's among its portfolio, as well as more recent openings like Harry's Dolce Vita and Balthazar, which opened in London in 2013.

The Balthazar concept was brought over from the original site in New York's SoHo district, and the London restaurant definitely has a New York feel to it. Huge booths upholstered in red leather and marble pillars lining the dining room give the space a sumptuous, celebratory feel.

Despite its origins, the food menu has a classic French brasserie feel, not unlike Brasserie Zedel around the corner in Piccadilly. Starters include a classic French onion soup, duck liver parfait or roquefort and endive salad, while confit duck and steak frites entrecôte appear on the list of mains. American touches do creep in – there's a hamburger, mac and cheese and lobster spaghetti are all here – while there's a serious emphasis on spirits, with a creative cocktail list and an extensive list of American whiskey.