Restaurants

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Benito’s Hat
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London’s Tex-Mex eateries are currently ten a peso, and while there’s only one Benito’s Hat, the branded interior looks ripe for replication. The production line serves some of the best burritos in town. We plumped for one loaded with slow-cooked pork and loved the soft, floury tortilla, the freshness of the fiery salsa brava (made several times daily) and the black beans authentically flavoured with avocado leaves. If you’re drinking, the margaritas are suitably merciless.
Benito’s Hat, 56 Goodge St, W1T 4NB (020 7637 3732/www.benitos-hat.com). Goodge St tube. Mon-Sat 11am-10pm . Meal for two with drinks and service: around £20.

Chapters
Formerly known as Chapter Two, this esteemed Blackheath restaurant has been transformed into an open-plan café, bar and brasserie. While no cut-price eatery, its menu offers plenty of light meals and main courses for well under a tenner. Head chef Trevor Tobin remains in charge, so despite the relaxed vibe, ingredient sourcing and presentation remain above par. Breakfasts include bircher muesli (£2.95), all the eggy options (£3.50-£5.95) and American favourites such as pancakes and waffles (£4.95-£5.25). Light meals start at £3.95 for soup and a roll or a toasted chicken, mozzarella and tomato panini.
Chapters, 43-45 Montpelier Vale, SE3 OTJ (020 8333 2666/www.chaptersrestaurants.com). Blackheath rail. Mon-Sat 8am-12midnight, Sun 9am-10.30pm. Dinner for two with wine and service: around £45. Feature continues

Galapagos Bistro-Café
Corner sofas, fresh flowers and shelves stacked with boxes of tea and other deli items (many home-made) give Galapagos a homely vibe. Staff are incredibly friendly, too. The kitchen produces its own baguettes and pastries every morning. During the day you’ll find sandwiches, wraps and filled baguettes, pies and quiches, gourmet salads and cakes. In the evening there’s a set dinner menu priced at £10.50 for two courses and £12.50 for three.
Galapagos Bistro-Café, 169 Battersea High St, SW11 3JS (020 8488 4989). Clapham Junction rail. Tue-Fri 9am-9.30pm, Sat 9.30am-9.30pm. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £35.

Lantana
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This new Antipodean-style eatery is run by chirpy proprietor Shelagh Ryan. The super salads (smoky aubergine or a crunchy sugar snap and red cabbage combo, for example) are Ottolenghi-esque, the cakes and sunny breakfast offerings already drawing in a band of regulars. The coffee is from Monmouth, and the espresso machine the coffee connoisseur’s choice: La Marzocco.
Lantana, 13 Charlotte Place, W1T 1SN (020 7637 3347/scramblingeggs.blogspot.com). Goodge St tube. Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-5pm. Lunch for two with drinks and service: around £18.

La Voute
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The Mona Lisa in a tracksuit on a housing estate? This isn’t the only artwork to provide a talking point at this soothing Mediterranean café. Lamb sausages and halloumi join eggs on the breakfast menu. Brioche served with goat's cheese, fresh pear, strawberry jam and green salad is one of the more unusual lunchtime offerings. Our mint and lemon tisane was full of fresh verdant leaves and brought by warmly welcoming staff. At rear is a tempting garden. Salads and soup of the day (maybe spicy tomato, £2.95) are available to go.
La Voute, 10 Archway Close, N19 3TD (020 7281 7314). Archway tube or Upper Holloway rail. Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat-Sun 9am-5pm. Lunch for two with soft drinks and service: around £20.

Passage Café
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By day this charming French provincial spot serves an appealing selection of sweet and savoury crêpes. Priced from £1.20-£7, they include classic combos such as florentine (with spinach) and honey and lemon. Alternatively the à la carte menu features the likes of camembert and onion soup, or duck and walnut terrine (both £5.50), and some rather posh £10 main courses such as bavette steak with flambéd calvados and served with green peppercorn sauce and pommes frites. Get there early – the tiny dining room only has room for around 20 customers.
Passage Café, 12 Jerusalem Passage, EC1V 4JP (020 3217 0090/www.thepassagecafe.com). Farringdon tube/rail. Mon-Fri 11am-11pm. Lunch for two with drinks and service: around £25.

Scandinavian Kitchen
This fun, friendly café welcomes allcomers with its pick ’n’ mix smørrebrød (open sandwich) plates and hot dogs. Smoked salmon, herring, prawns, chicken salad, meatballs, cheese and eggs are prettily arranged on rye and sourdough breads – choose any three (£4.95) for a lovely light meal, or five (£7.75) if you’re really hungry. Marzipan fans won’t want to miss the green almond-paste sweets dipped in chocolate, perfect for enjoying with a cup of Monmouth or Swedish Gevalia coffee. Weekends see more of an expat crowd, who come to pick up Danish and Swedish groceries.
Scandinavian Kitchen, 61 Great Titchfield St, W1W 7PP (020 7580 7161/www.scandikitchen.co.uk). Oxford Circus tube. Mon-Fri 8am-7pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm. Meal for two with drinks and service: around £25.

Tsuru
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Kensuke Yamada’s parents run a traditional Japanese ryo-kan (an inn with a focus on food) and Tsuru came about from his desire to introduce to Londoners the home-style, seasonal cooking prevalent in the ryo-kan. While it serves well-made sushi and salads, the must-try at this stylish café is a warming katsu curry (distinctively milder and sweeter than Indian or Thai curries). Served over panko-crumbed chicken, pork or fish next to mounds of rice, this is a true taste of Japan in a (biodegradable) box.
Tsuru, 4 Canvey St, SE1 9AN (020 7928 2228). Mon-Wed 11am-6pm; Thur, Fri 11am-9pm. Lunch for two with drinks: around £15.

Indian | Chinese | Korean | Vietnamese | Thai & Malaysian Mexican | Italian | African & Caribbean | Lunch | Buffets | Comfort Food | Romantic | Award winners