Restaurants

Babylon
The recently refurbed Babylon supposedly takes its cue from the aesthetics of 1970s fashion designer Biba – but with lashes of bright verdant greens (mimicking the gardens outside), plenty of flock wallpaper and accents of hot pink, it seems more like Barbie to us. Still, it’s a bright and fun space for a casual lunch on an outlandish roof garden in the heart of west London. The new set menus are a good way to go, with two courses costing £18, or three for £21 – not too shabby. Restrained though delicious, dishes such as lardons and black pudding salad, cauliflower and parsnip soup, Scottish oak-smoked salmon and confit of Gressingham duck shouldn’t send your heart into palpitations… but then that’s what your date (and the extraordinary location) is for.
Babylon, seventh floor, The Roof Gardens, 99 Kensington High St, W8 5SA (7368 3993/www.roofgardens.com). High St Kensington tube. Feature continues

Blueprint Café
The sweeping views across the Thames – from Tower Bridge to Canary Wharf – means this perch above the Design Museum provides the perfect backdrop for a mellow rendez-vous. While the tables right up against the windows are at a premium and get snapped up quickly, there really isn’t a dud spot in the whole restaurant, with every diner planted in firm position to enjoy the City skyline, if not actual water views. We’ve always felt pampered by the solicitous staff, and comforted by the wide-ranging wine list with plenty of choice – by price and by the glass. The menu changes frequently, with head chef Jeremy Lee briskly running through simple, accomplished dishes such as onglet steak with watercress, mustard and horseradish. Mains are priced between £12.50 and £22, so you can be as budget-conscious or extravagant as you want. If available, try the fegato alla veneziana (liver and onions, Venetian style).
Blueprint Café, Design Museum, 28 Shad Thames, SE1 2YD (7378 7031/www.danddlondon.com). Tower Hill tube, Tower Gateway DLR, London Bridge tube/rail or 47, 78 bus.

Galvin at Windows

Galvin at Windows
This is just the ticket for those pining for a bit of 1930s class. Located on the twenty-eighth floor of the London Hilton on Park Lane, the floor-to-ceiling windows are best taken advantage of during the day when central London is spread out below. The decor is a milky palette of pale pistachio and cream with glossy dark wood, which look stunning in the sunlight.
Galvin at Windows, twenty-eighth floor, London Hilton, Park Lane, W1K 1BE (7208 4021/www.galvinatwindows.com). Green Park or Hyde Park Corner tube.

Min Jiang
By night, the view from this new Chinese restaurant is unimpressive – though narcissists who see themselves clearly reflected in the windows may disagree. In the light of day, however, Min Jiang on the tenth floor of the Royal Garden Hotel is the place to be. With plenty of natural light streaming in through the windows, spilling over a room of handsome dark wooden furniture, moody black-and-white photos of China and replica Ming vases, the mood is positively zen-like. In our opinion, the dim sum here (slightly pricier than a Chinatown joint but excellently executed) is a better bet than the widely talked about Beijing duck; likewise the rest of the items on the à la carte menu produces excellent dishes such as braised chicken with Yunnan ham. If money is no object, the extensive seafood menu (from £18) is worth splurging on; otherwise, you can eat relatively well for a lower price if you stick to the dim sum. Lovers should have a gander at the creative East-meets-West desserts, which include tiramisu made with jasmine tea. Alternatively there is passion fruit pudding, or lemongrass crème brûlée – all light ways to end the meal.
Min Jiang, tenth floor, Royal Garden Hotel, 2-4 Kensington High St, W8 4PT (7361 1988/www.minjiang.co.uk). High St Kensington tube.

National Dining Rooms
Slink up to the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery for a taste of updated British staples, delivered with skill and efficiency. The views over Trafalgar Square are quite something (and good for a bit of ‘spot the local’ among the throngs of tourists), but take note that not every table has a view – regulars will know to request a window seat when booking. Once that’s done, settle down for mussel and saffron soup, say, or treat yourself to foie gras and venison terrine with plucky damson jam. Bold British fare continues on in the form of mains featuring rabbit, mutton, belly pork and brill; desserts such as treacle tart and Eton mess are unpretentious and quite delicious. For such quality, the set-menu prices of £23.50 for two courses and £28.50 for three is easy to justify.
National Dining Rooms, Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN (7747 2525/www.thenationaldiningrooms.co.uk). Charing Cross tube/rail.

Northbank
Striking views across the Thames? Check. Large picture windows? Absolutely. An airy terrace. You bet. Northbank, just across the footbridge from the Tate Modern, offers a more sophisticated sanctuary away from the tourist-bogged eateries of the South Bank. The menu is short and straightforward, with many dishes staunchly modern British fare (featuring plenty of ingredients from the West Country). It might be a cliché, but you’d do well to start with a dozen Duchy of Cornwall oysters; or perhaps dressed Dorset crab with celeriac remoulade. Snuggle back into the banquettes as you dig into braised shoulder of English lamb with white beans, or go for a hearty spiced Gloucester Old Spot pork belly with razor clams. Then charm your date with razor-sharp wit. Good value, with starters and puddings coming in at about a fiver on the a la carte; the set lunch offers two courses for £13.50 and three for £17.50.
Northbank, One Paul’s Walk, EC4V 3QH (7329 9299/www.northbankrestaurant.com). St Paul’s tube or Blackfriars rail.

Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar & Brasserie
This excellent restaurant and brasserie certainly makes the most of its prime position set beside the Thames. Artfully angled floor-to-ceiling windows allow optimal viewing pleasure, made grander by the fact that the ceilings are high. And for all its beauty, it would be a crying shame if the food didn’t measure up – but the Harvey Nichols team ensures it does. The Modern European menu – in both the restaurant and brasserie – offers much for the discerning diner. The former offers more complex dishes with exotic touches – harissa-spiced lamb, say, or North African merguez sausage served with couscous and sumac yoghurt. The brasserie holds its own, however, in simple yet exciting flavours – you may find sea trout gravadlax with citrus beurre blanc and a witty oyster ‘crisp’, or parsnip soup with a duck ‘cigarette’. Both do set lunch menus (£33 for three courses in the restaurant; £24.50 for three courses in the brasserie). A la carte-wise, we think the restaurant is more exciting, though it can soon add up, with mains averaging £20 and upwards.
Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar & Brasserie, eighth floor, Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House St, SE1 9PH (7803 3888/www.harveynichols.com). Waterloo tube/rail or Blackfriars rail.

Roast
Roast’s ‘roll of honour’ reads like a dean’s list of high-flying students – except they’re all acclaimed suppliers of all their meats, cheeses, seafood and more. Games and roasts are the order of the day, naturally, with commendable selections including a gamekeeper’s stew (mind the bits of tweed) – lovebirds can go for the roasts to share (which have to be ordered at least 24 hours in advance, but it’s worth the trouble). A three-hour slow roast of hogget with mint sauce and redcurrant jelly (£50 for two) is a formidable choice. Ask for the window seats and you’ll have a prime view of the buzz and action going on in Borough Market below. A meal here can be expensive (mains averaging £18-£25), but just remember that the provenance plays a huge part – this isn’t mass-produced supermarket food, after all.
Roast, The Floral Hall, Borough Market, Stoney St, SE1 1TL (7940 1300/www.roast-restaurant.com). London Bridge tube/rail.

Skylon

Skylon
They don’t call it Skylon for nothing – the Royal Festival Hall’s iconic restaurant and grill is plonked in a prime position for stunning views of the Thames skyline from its floor-to-ceiling windows. With that said, to enjoy the views you’ll need to book for the restaurant rather than the circular grill area located in the middle of the room. Before you do, be prepared for the equally lofty prices – Skylon can be quite steep, but we think that this whole beautiful package is worth the splurge. The menu from chef Helena Puolakka is a seductive tome of Modern European dishes with strong British influences. There are several signature dishes that are worth plumping for: venison carpaccio (with meat from Denham estate) served with pickled beets; canon of lamb with a fricasée of kidneys and cherries.
Skylon, Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX (7654 7800/www.danddlondon.com). Waterloo tube/rail.